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“It is my great honor to serve.”
“And you will serve.” The Caid rubbed his hands together. “Make no mistake about that. This will not be easy. But I think you’re up for the challenge.”
I nodded. My duty was to my people, and I would see it through, no matter what.
The Caid stood up and extended his hand to me. I shook it, sealing my fate. “You will be missed. Your family is very important to us, and we will make sure they are taken care of.”
I expected that much. It was the price of my freedom.
“Thank you.” After a few seconds, I composed myself. “I’m not trying to be rude or upfront. But the situation demands it. Let us speak plainly. What can I expect?”
“It would be better if I answered that.” Ambassador Bennani stood up and walked to stand next to the Caid’s desk.
The Caid nodded and motioned for her to continue.
“I need you to heed this advice. In the Eternal Court, you will have no staunch allies or enemies. You only have your own interests. Keep the interest of Midar always at the top of your mind and be wary of anyone who tries to persuade you otherwise. Court politics are a dangerous game.”
Court politics. The thought made my stomach churn. I had never been good at games, and this sounded like the most dangerous game of all.
She let her words sink in before continuing. “Everyone will watch and judge you. You need to be careful about what you say and do. A casual comment could be interpreted as a sign of support. You need to be mindful of your words and actions at all times. Do not automatically think a spell crafter is your enemy or a hearth caster your ally. There are centuries, if not millennia, of subtext we are missing. The Elves play their games.”
I nodded. “The Lunja...”
The ambassador tensed. “Do not call them that. They consider it a slur.”
That surprised me. It was a compliment. It meant they were just and honorable when the time came. That they would make the right decision, even if it was difficult.
“I see.”
“It is good that you do. You need to be careful with your words and actions in the Eternal Court.”
I nodded.
I would be careful. I would watch and listen. And I would learn.
“What should I call them?”
“You can call them the Elvish or the Elves. But never call them the Lunja.”
“The Elves,” I corrected myself. “We need to remind them that Midar is part of Manzimor.”
The Caid lifted his chin and stared thoughtfully at me. “Can you explain your thought process?”
I took a deep breath. “Our isolationist approach hasn’t worked. They’re here for a bride. The best strategy would not be to make them forget us, but remind them we are one people under one banner. We can’t hide. Not anymore.”
Isolationism. It was a topic that was hotly debated in Midar. Some people thought it made us weak, while others thought it kept us safe. I had always been on the fence about it. But now, I knew we needed to change our approach.
The Caid inclined his head. “You make a valid point,”
“And we will never find out why they were here in the first place,” uncle Mehdi muttered.
“It doesn’t matter.” I turned to uncle Mehdi. “What matters is that we need to be proactive instead of reactive. We can’t keep hiding. It’s not working.”
Uncle Mehdi huffed.
The Caid coughed, and we stared at him. “It’s an interesting perspective. One I have heard many times, but our ancestors were adamant about isolating ourselves.”
“With all due respect, times have changed.” I raised my chin. “The world is different now. We can’t keep hiding, not when they are here.”
