A small crowd had gathered around a table at an inn in ereen, listening intently as a man seated there read aloud from a parchnt in his hands. The ssage of Lord Aeos, it was being called.
In cities like these, where most people were illiterate, the spies made sure the ssage reached every man and woman. One way or another.
"How many n did you say are marching toward ereen?" asked a very thin and lean man in a low whisper.
"Twelve thousand," the man at the table replied.
"I have heard that Lord Aeos himself is leading the army to ereen," he added, dropping his voice even further. The people crowding around him stiffened in shock.
"Even so," he went on, now with a faint smile, "even if it is Lord Aeos himself, it will be tough for him. Very tough. Defeating the Great Masters is not exactly an easy task."
One of the listeners frowned not liking what he heard.
"Why do you say that?" He questioned.
"I think breaching the walls is not as simple as people believe," the man explained. "I served as a sellsword for so ti, so I know a few things."
He leaned back, looking smug as if doing a divine interpretation.
"If you ask , Lord Aeos is probably counting on the people of these cities. He must be hoping the smallfolk and the slaves will make his work easier. The revolution he spoke of. He is asking them to do their part."
"How can we make his work easier?" one man asked, trying to sound uninterested though every ear was clearly straining to hear.
The speaker's smile widened and he continued.
"Well, the army Lord Aeos is bringing, 8000 n, is easily enough to overwhelm the forces the Great Masters could muster. But that is only if this were an open battle. The masters and their soldiers will stay behind these walls, using the heights to their advantage."
He lowered his voice, drawing the crowd in even closer.
"Breaching these walls and gates, that is the real challenge for Lord Aeos. And this is where he is counting on the very people whose interests he claims to serve and who will benefit the most, if he is successful. The smallfolk, the common people, maybe even the slaves."
"He must be expecting that when his army arrives, the gates will open for him. That the civilians will revolt and turn against their so called Great Masters."
"If that happens," he concluded, "there may hardly be a fight at all. Lord Aeos's forces could take this city within hours."
Almost every ear had perked hearing this but the spy had yet to strike the final blow.
"But all this is pure daydreaming on Lord Aeos's part," the man finally said. "If he wants victory, he will have to secure it on his own."
"Why do you say that?" another man asked.
"Well," the speaker shrugged, "I do not think anyone here will really stand up to help him. Even if there is a revolution, only a few might actually take part. Most people will think it is not their job to risk their lives, that soone else will do it."
"And when others do it, they will be the first to enjoy the benefits. If just one or two people thought like this, it would not matter much. But the problem is, everyone thinks this way. They all want soone to co and improve their lives, but they are not willing to lift a finger themselves."
"One or two people would not start a revolution. It takes everyone standing up."
These were the man's final words before he paid his bill and left the inn. In his wake, he left behind a heavy, stunned silence. His words continued to echo in the minds of those gathered there.
Ungrateful? they wondered. Were they truly the ungrateful ones — always wanting the benefits, but never willing to make the effort needed to earn them?
Similar scenes were unfolding all across both cities. And this was not the only form of manipulation being used.
In so places, n were inspiring others by setting themselves up as examples — declaring that even if only one person dared to rise and help Lord Aeos, then let it be him, alone. It didn't matter if he died; when the ti ca, he would stand proudly on the right side of history, just as Lord Aeos had promised.
Similar conversations were stirring among the slaves as well. They were being urged to think of claiming their own freedom and dignity. To imagine a life where they were no longer bound by chains. The dreams of Lord Aeos were being talked. The talk of revolution stirring was the talk of the ti.
While all this was unfolding among the common populace, an urgent council had been summoned in Yunkai.
"What do we do?" one of the wise masters asked, his voice betraying clear fear and anxiety at the storm marching toward their city.
"We fight, what else?" another wise master growled. "He will never breach our walls."
"In the anti, we should hire as many sellswords as we can. We will only need to hold out for a few days before they arrive and obliterate this Aeos."
Not many responded to the suggestion.
"And what about the people?" soone finally muttered into the uneasy silence.
"What of them?" another hissed back. "We are the rightful rulers of this city. Just because a brat suddenly appears and make so money, does not an that he will walk claiming every city as his empire. If anyone dares to act, we will spike a few heads on the walls to set an example."
Usually, whenever the council discussed any matter, the room was loud and chaotic, filled with competing voices. But today, fewer and fewer dared to give their opinions. Not many had sensible suggestions to offer or the courage to voice them.
"The populace must be kept placated," said one of the wise masters, the most prominent among them. "If they rise up in revolution, we are dood."
"We might stand a chance of defending these walls, but if the people turn against us, we will be minced between two forces."
A few wise masters exchanged glances and silently chose to hold their tongues. These were the rare few among the masters who still maintained so genuine connection to the common people. Through that experience, they could feel the pulse of the city. And they knew it was not a question of if a revolt would co, but of how many would rise when it did.
The city was simring, and it was only a matter of ti before it boiled over.
So, even though these few masters had attended the council, their minds were already made up. They would surrender.
Though they might lose their status as rulers as part of the new regi, they would preserve their wealth. And under Lord Aeos's reign, they expected that many new avenues for profit would open to them, perhaps even more lucrative than before.
As the decisive day drew nearer, everything in both the cities reached a higher pitch. The ground was set; the city itself felt like a coiled spring, ready to snap at the first true confrontation.
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