The Treaty

JP with Winteroak and White_Caribou

The man nodded. "Koshnem is playing a dangerous game allying himself with these people." He said waiting for her reaction.

“Dangerous, but strategic. That was always going to be a temporary arrangement. Leaves room for...manipulating the situation in our favor."

Agizul nodded. Such tactics could bring great results but could always sow dissension among potential allies.

Their spies told them the war against the Odsier had started. The alliance with the Odonine and the men from across the sea would likely yield the results expected. More land for the city of stone, where more ships had recently arrived laden with more men while Odonine gathered resources, new tactics from their allies and more advanced weapons.

But everything they had learned about the peoples from across the sea meant that it could never last. They did not tolerate magik and would eventually turn on the Odonine.

Koshnem's proposal was made to the Sand Horde with that in mind. Destroy the newcomers before the tide of their coming was unstoppable. In return for their alliance he asked only for the northern ranges of the Odsier lands.

"What do you know of our prophecy?" He asked Shalia.

"Only what the War Chieftain has told me. That my people will herald chaos across Arcadia." She responded with a grim expression.

My people. What a terrible thought. Part of herself she could never truly escape from, time was proving.

Even if this Prophetess was a curious figure to her, she at least knew enough to pinpoint the nature of Helians well. That meant something to the magik she possessed, surely even if Shalia had her doubts about the immortality aspect.

"I wonder if they are still your people.." the man asked slowly pondering himself on the answer.

"We have an answer to Koshnem's treaty. One he might not like. The Prophetess believes it is not her place or fate to raise the Maelstrom and the Sand Horde." He said. "The time of her current vessel is coming to an end and it will be the duty of the new incarnation to do so. To bring the Horde together for the first time in hundreds of years..."

Shalia wanted to answer his train of thought but what was the point if she couldn't even fully convince herself? 'Only by blood,' she swore to herself. 'Not by alignment...' It was pathetic to stay loyal to a people who wished her tortured and dead.

If she could change the origin of her own blood, would she?

When Agizul gave his answer about the proposal, her heart began to beat a little faster and her posture slowly tensed in response.

"How long will it be for this new 'incarnation' to take hold? Time is not an extended luxury we have." The concern in her voice grew.

"That is not something to predict. It will be no secret to you that the current vessel is approaching the end of its life." He started knowing this would be known to Odonine spies. "However, the search for her new incarnation is a complex and lengthy process. No easy answers." He concluded. He then pulled a scroll tied with a green silk ribbon. He passed it over across the table.
"We have agreed to the Warchieftan's terms. An alliance between the Ozainae and the Odonine against the foreigners is agreeable to the Prophetess." He stated resuming what was on the scroll. "Once the city falls the Odonine will be given dominion over the central and northern Odsier range and the Ozainae the south with border from Fang towards the sea to the East," he concluded awaiting her reply.