Arturo felt his muscles tense involuntarily while processing the audacity of the proposal, the way the Gold-ranks' leader presented it shalessly as though it were a perfectly reasonable option instead of tactical suicide.
Selphira said nothing imdiately, but Arturo observed a subtle change in her posture.
A small inclination of her head indicating she was evaluating the situation from multiple angles, considering not just what they were saying but also what the complete configuration revealed about the true nature of the enemies' position.
Her eyes were calculating sothing that Arturo couldn't quite identify yet but that seed to be generating conclusions that increased her tension increntally.
Arturo decided to test the ground with a response that committed to nothing but opened space for additional dialogue.
"Your 'invitation' is appreciated, Lord Goldcrest," he began with a tone that was diplomatic without being warm. "But surely you'll understand our reluctance to enter an enclosed space where you completely control the terrain. Perhaps we could conduct these 'civilized negotiations' out here, where everyone can clearly see all participants' intentions."
Standard negotiating tactic. Push back, make them work for what they want. See how they respond to resistance.
The noble woman from the opportunists intervened before her leader could respond, her voice carrying artificial sweetness as transparent as glass.
"Certainly we could, Lord Arturo, but I'm afraid this discussion of specific terms requires discretion that a public setting can't appropriately provide. There are... sensitive... details about Victor's situation that surely all of us would prefer not to share with every soldier in the field."
Her smile didn't change, didn't waver… It remained fixed in place like a mask that had been painted on rather than worn naturally.
It was an argunt designed to exploit the natural concern about his brother's wellbeing but also public image, suggesting that horrible information waited that should only be revealed privately out of respect for the older prince's status.
Obvious manipulation. But effective in its simplicity.
Because it worked regardless of whether you recognized it as manipulation. Classic hostage negotiation pressure. Make the rescuers desperate and use that desperation to force compliance.
The younger noble opportunist added his own contribution with a voice attempting to sound reasonable.
"Furthermore, Matriarch Selphira will surely appreciate that conducting negotiations before a 'complete' army creates... unnecessary pressures. Younger soldiers get nervous. Can 'lead' to situations that escalate 'without intention' when tension is visible. Better to handle this as civilized people in a more controlled environnt where cooler heads can prevail."
It was a triad of argunts communicating they'd rehearsed exactly how to present the invitation so it sounded reasonable.
Political considerations, logical necessity and 'concern' for others' wellbeing.
All angles designed to make refusal seem irrational or cowardly. Not direct pressure... Subtle framing that made acceptance appear to be the obviously correct choice for anyone acting reasonably.
Arturo had to admit it was well done. If he'd been alone, if Victor's safety hadn't been at stake, if the entire situation weren't so obviously designed to trap them...
He might have almost believed it.
But Selphira had been listening with attention going beyond the specific words they were using.
Her gaze had been scanning the enemy forces' disposition during the entire conversation. Not obviously… She maintained appropriate eye contact with speakers, nodded at appropriate monts, gave all surface indicators of paying attention to the dialogue.
But Arturo knew her well enough to recognize when she was multitasking.
And sothing in what she saw had triggered recognition beginning to manifest as growing irritation in the expression she normally kept neutral.
Not just that they thought they could stop her, looking at their highly defensive position lacking offensive positioning.
But sothing else. Sothing larger…
"I have a question," Selphira interrupted with a cold voice cutting through the trio's cheap diplomatic speech like an ice knife.
The leader blinked with surprise at the interruption but recovered his composure quickly. "Of course, Matriarch. We're here to answer any legitimate concerns you may have."
His smile stayed in place. But sothing behind his eyes changed. Wariness, maybe… "This army you've deployed," Selphira continued while gesturing toward the forces distributed across a considerable area, "several thousand Silver-rank tars with approximately 24 Golds leading them according to my count. That's a significant concentration of military personnel."
She'd counted them... During the conversation, while appearing to focus on dialogue.
"Yes," the leader confird with pride he didn't completely hide. "We've gathered considerable resources to ensure that…"
"Where exactly did they co from?" Selphira interrupted again, tone becoming sharper.
The shift was subtle but unmistakable. No longer diplomatic. No longer playing the ga of polite negotiation. Moving toward sothing else.
"Because unless I'm mistaken about how basic military responsibilities function in this kingdom, forces of this size should be stationed at specific locations fulfilling specific duties. Not simply wandering around this small side of Goldcrest territory waiting for an opportunity to participate in this stupid hostage-taking operation."
There was uncomfortable silence extending for several seconds.
The noble woman exchanged a quick look with the younger noble, communicating they hadn't expected this specific line of questioning that had nothing to do with Victor. The leader attempted to maintain a confident expression but small tensions around his eyes revealed growing nervousness.
"These are forces that have been... appropriately reassigned according to the present situation's needs," the leader responded with a voice attempting to sound authoritative but carrying underlying defensiveness.
"Reassigned," Selphira repeated with a flat tone, converting the word into accusation. "By whom exactly? Under what legitimate military authority were these forces removed from their assigned positions on the defensive wall that's been under siege by mutants?"
Arturo was beginning to see where Selphira was taking this line of questioning, and he felt admiration and apprehension about how this would unfold.
She'd observed sothing he'd processed subconsciously but hadn't fully articulated yet. Sothing about the numbers. Sothing about the timing. "The positions from which these forces were 'reassigned'," Selphira continued with biting emphasis on the word the trio had used, "are sections of the defensive wall surrounding not only this Goldcrest territory but also an entrance point for mutants into all of Yano and according to recent reports you're also taking soldiers from a small but functional part of Yino. Areas that should be constantly patrolled against the threat of mutants attacking without prior warning."
She gestured toward the army.
"Yet here they are. Hundreds of soldiers who should be defending a critical periter, concentrated in a single location for a purpose having nothing to do with the kingdom's security. That's desertion on a massive scale according to any military definition I know."
Her voice was rising. Not shouting, Selphira didn't shout. But increasing in intensity, pressure building behind each word like steam in a sealed vessel approaching critical temperature.
"Now wait a mont…" the leader began with indignation sounding rehearsed.
"And yet," Selphira interrupted with voice elevating slightly in volu and intensity, "the mutants haven't attacked those unprotected sections during the ti these forces have been absent. Don't you find that... strange?"
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