[ It's his turn to take a moment longer than normal to respond, mulling over his response with extra care: ]
Thorne's protections failed during the attack, someone in the Castle was assassinated. The Queen blames the Free Cities. I don't know enough about her to tell you that she can or cannot be reasoned with over time, but her anger seemed hard to fake. Wherever the blame for the attack lies, the tinder's already lit.
I would expect your leaders will retaliate. I don't blame them. But I've also known leaders who were willing to sacrifice entire cities, including those where their own people live, to get what they want.
There will be more innocent people caught in the crossfire soon. That's where my concern, as things stand.
[ If Claude can read between those lines. He doesn't trust Thorne, he doesn't trust the Free Cities. If he has any loyalties, it's to preserving as many lives as possible.
Speaking like this in Thorne as things are could get him in a lot of trouble. ]
no subject
Thorne's protections failed during the attack, someone in the Castle was assassinated. The Queen blames the Free Cities. I don't know enough about her to tell you that she can or cannot be reasoned with over time, but her anger seemed hard to fake. Wherever the blame for the attack lies, the tinder's already lit.
I would expect your leaders will retaliate. I don't blame them. But I've also known leaders who were willing to sacrifice entire cities, including those where their own people live, to get what they want.
There will be more innocent people caught in the crossfire soon. That's where my concern, as things stand.
[ If Claude can read between those lines. He doesn't trust Thorne, he doesn't trust the Free Cities. If he has any loyalties, it's to preserving as many lives as possible.
Speaking like this in Thorne as things are could get him in a lot of trouble. ]