r/AmItheAsshole

It was hard, to pull herself from that deep, dark place within herself, but she forced herself back, to focus on the measured words Artorias offered, showing the contrast to the cards she had shown compared to those that had been dealt to Norad. Part of her thought to argue that perhaps if they weren't strong enough to hold onto what was theirs then maybe they deserved it, but the thought of one of her own children being in the same position, would she have reacted any differently? Would she cede the battle and plan to win the war? Was that what this alliance he dreamed of was?

Hearing that Ethne weren't part of the alliance... Modesty visibly relaxed, although her involvement with it would still muddy the waters where everyone else was concerned. She heard him out, shook her head to the negative when she asked if she had yet met Sephiran, the leader of Syndicate. "I have not, nor am I foolish enough to go knocking on their door to make an introduction in this state, but I have encountered a member of the pack. She seems to have some sense about her and it seems my son is fond of her..." Her son, who was a man in his own right. Complicated, remained unsaid.

"I respect you enough not to drag you into my messes, and of course, we will respect the laws of your lands, however," her head tipped towards her bulging belly, "resolution will have to wait, and it hardly seems right to join a coalition focused on peace and protection when I have little intention of enforcing the spirit of the agreement myself." Bad timing. "Perhaps when the dust has settled, we can revisit it, but it would feel like an act of bad faith to enter such an arrangement right now. Besides, it would hardly been seen as fair to exclude them until all this has settled but extend the invitation to me and mine." A half-smile tugged at the corner of her lips, ever the politician, considering the optics. They couldn't go besmirching his good reputation, after all, he had managed to get so many leaders in one room, that had to count for something. "As an aside, I respect you, would even call you a friend, you and yours have shown us great kindness, and that, we would be willing to repay in kind. The Hallows, we would assist if need arose, the rest?" She shrugged, the small smile on her face betraying that she wouldn't particularly bat an eye if they all happened to catch fire at the same time.

"speech"