The tent was quiet as Saorise walked back and forth in front of the young women before her. There had been eight before the Festival last night. Six had come today, though none of them looked particularly ecstatic. Two had merely sent a messenger to convey their outright disgust towards the Wendolan King's behaviour and left it at that. Saorise wasn’t even mildly surprised. She wasn't very happy with him either.

She'd been impressed with Eloise though. That girl had more courage than those who jeered at her love of books and knowledge gave her credit for. She was the only one among them now that looked even remotely understanding. All she'd told Saorise the night before when she returned to the festivities was, "He knows his wrongs and is reflecting on himself".

Like a child still learning the difference between sparring with wooden staves and sparring with swords. Saorise, and the entirety of the Eastern peoples, were more than happy to have knocked him from his high horse, even if it meant insulting her people in the process.

Saorise hated that a part of her had expected it. Had wanted it even. Yes, she had needed to teach him a lesson about what her people's pride meant to them, but she had hoped that it would not have to occur in such a way. Some things were irreparable, or at the very least close to it, and Peter would be working a long time to earn back any respect from the Easterners, no matter if they called him King or not.

They would certainly say it mockingly behind his back for some time to come.

Saorise turned back to the women whom she'd asked to meet with before she was to go over to meet with the Wendolan party that afternoon. The women who had come saying that they would make the sacrifice for their people. She understood their change of heart now that they knew their sacrifice would likely mean their very souls as well.

Eloise bet her to it.

"I will go."

The women all turned to Eloise, most in shock, others with a condemning note to their gazes.

"You wouldn't," Yara protested. She was only one of those gathered who looked to be ready to spit some foul language at the younger woman, "He and his men were utterly foul last night. Changing the colour of their clothes did not change the looks in their eyes. You will lose your very essence if you leave with him!"

Eloise turned to Yara, "If you don't believe you are strong enough to hold on to who you are when you leave for somewhere new, then was that even who you were to begin with?"

Eloise's question made Yara pause, but Kelina spoke up in her place, "You would condemn your children to the fate of not knowing their birthright?"

Eloise's gaze narrowed, "Do you think that just because they are born away from the East, that children do not feel the Great Mother's life within them? Syrian Caramort was born in a foreign land among people that did not understand him. Did not want to believe him. But when the Great Mother offered him a place where he would be accepted, he refused. Instead he taught those who did not understand to see. He taught them to feel and hear the voice of the Great Mother. Without his courage and his sacrifice, we would not be the proud people we are today. Saorise has negotiated this peace for us, has found a way to make sure our people survive as wholly as possible. She has made it clear that this particular sacrifice will ruin a part of who she is and she is therefore unwilling to make it. We responded. We were ready to stand in her place after considering the alternatives. Now, because the man we knew we were going to call husband made a mistake, that naive man from a foreign country, you would turn your noses up at it? To me, it looks as if you are all finding excuses to not make this sacrifice as you said you would. I don't care if that is the case, but at least have the courage to say it aloud".

Yara gritted her teeth, "What he did was-"

"Was immensely disrespectful. Yes. I do not condone what he did in the slightest," Eloise agreed, "What I respect is his willingness to learn from it".

The women turned silent, looking from Eloise to each other and back. Then, Selene, a woman the same age as Jenny, stepped forward before Eloise and reached out to take her hand before she turned to Saorise.

"I shall go too," said Selene. She turned back to look at Eloise, "Eloise is right. Our anger over his actions will not dissipate, but seeing that she informed him of his mistake and that he was willing to learn, he is clearly able to swallow his pride when he needs to. He is not a stubborn fool. Arrogant perhaps, but I don't think there is a person alive who is not arrogant about something. Kings just seem to have a larger dose of it".

Yara shook her head, "I cannot". She turned to Saorise, "I am sorry, but after his actions last night, I cannot promise I won't actually kill him if he angers me again".

Nobody laughed. They were all entirely capable of doing such a thing. Kelina stepped forward beside Yara.

"I too cannot participate in this. I am sorry to have wasted your time, Lady Saorise," Kelina stated respectfully.

Saorise nodded, "I understand. You may leave".

Yara and Kelina bowed their heads respectfully before they left the tent, then Saorise, Selene and Eloise all turned to the two remaining young women. Rebecca and Isla. They both looked at each other and seemed to come to some sort of agreement as they stepped forward to Selene and Eloise.

"May you be blessed by the Great Mother. Let the trees sing to you in your absence, and the wind guide you home".

Selene and Eloise accepted the blessing before Rebecca and Isla nodded to Saorise and turned to leave the tent as well.

Saorise released a breath of relief. Two. She'd found two of the three that had been asked for. She could work with this. She turned to Eloise and Selene.

"Prepare to come with me this afternoon. You'll be formally presented at the meeting. Hopefully we can negotiate the return of your families so that you may say goodbye before they insist you leave with them," Saorise stated.

"No," Eloise said, "We will return with them, so the East can receive all of its people back".

Selene seemed surprised for a moment, but then she nodded in agreement.

Saorise clicked her tongue, "You are sure?"

Eloise nodded, "We are making a sacrifice for our people. Best we show that as soon as possible".

"Wait!" the call came from outside the tent, but Jenny soon barged in, staring at Eloise and Selene for a moment before she turned to Saorise.

"I'm going to".

Saorise's eyebrows rose. She knew how disgusted Jenny was by the prospect of the Wendolans, let alone their thoughts on marriage.

"Jenny, you-"

"Not as a concubine," Jenny dismissed with a wave of her hand, "I wouldn't marry that prick if he was the last man on the continent".

"Then...?"

"Well, I can be your guard or something, can't I? Those Wendolan ladies seem to be pretty big on those," Jenny replied, turning to ask Eloise

Saorise's eyes narrowed, "Weapons won't be allowed in the Harem Palace".

"Then a maid, or a servant, whatever," Jenny said desperately as she met her younger sister’s gaze, "I'm not letting you go there alone".

Eloise sighed, realising she wouldn't be able to convince her sister otherwise, then she turned to Saorise.

"We'll inquire about it at the meeting. Surely the Wendolan party wouldn't be opposed to the East bringing their own lady’s maids," said Saorise.

"Maids? Plural?"

"Someone should be willing. After all, we know how big of a sacrifice this is. Asking for some help isn't going to make it less of one," Saorise replied.