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He turns his back to me and looks out of the window.
“I see before me an Infnore that cries out in pain for change, a land starved for too long of care,” he says reflectively. “I’ve been trying to give Infnore what it needs for decades, but cleaning up after my brother’s actions is a full-time job in itself.”
The revelation lifts all tension and anger from my tone, instead filling it with genuine curiosity. “But what about you? Can’t you make decisions by yourself?” I ask.
“In an ideal world, I’d be able to. Alas, this world is far from perfect, which I’m sure we can agree upon,” he replies, turning around to face me. “Decisions cannot be made unilaterally. Each time I have proposed something for the good of the villages, Fohri finds some excuse to put it off. I end up exhausted from the chase, and he gets his way.”
“So that means the problem is him, not you.”
“Yes,” says Ihokha. “Now you’re understanding. He may be my brother but I’ve lost all love for Fohri. The rebellion must focus on taking him out.”
“A perceived oppressor telling the rebellion what to do… How ironic.”
“If you take him out, I gain the power to enrich Infnore the way it deserves without the need to consult anyone first. I promise you that I will make it a better place for all.”
“What you say aligns with the future the rebellion envisions for Infnore but… What’s to stop you from becoming a greedy tyrant?” I ask Ihokha, looking him in the eye.
He steps forward, the expression on his face remaining unchanged. “You. If you have the balls to come after me, of course.”
We stare at each other, standing only a few feet apart. I’m unsure of what to say, studying the look on his face, until I spot the corners of his mouth coiling ever so slightly into a smirk. Somehow, it eases the brewing tension as we chuckle.
“Okay, Ihokha,” I say, extending my hand. “To begrudgingly helping one another.”
Smiling, he grasps my hand and shakes it.
“I assume you were leaving to meet with the other rebels before this?” he asks.
“Yes. If we’re done here, I should hurry over to town and inform them of your cooperation.”
“That would be wise,” he says, nodding. “Thank you for understanding, Brilyk.”
I turn and make a swift exit out of the door. In a bizarre turn of events, it seems as though the hope for our cause has been restored by the most unexpected ally.
24
IHOKHA
Iwatch as Brilyk spins around on his heels and marches out of my office. There is newfound confidence in his step which I assume to be from the fact we’ve just formed an alliance. My eyes move to his empty glass that had never been filled.
An uneasy alliance more like it,I think to myself with a smile.
Moving to the window, I peel back the curtains to watch as he moves through the courtyard, heading straight for the exit. Had things been different between us, I could have easily dispatched a guard to trace his movements, to have him lead us to the rebellion hideout.
Alas, I somehow find myself empathizing with the cause. After all, the rebels and I both share a common goal in wanting Fohri out of here for good. I pour myself another drink as I peer out the window.
“Well, the talk with Brilyk went pretty much how I expected it to go. I’m just glad he has agreed to work with me,” I mutter.
I take a drink, hopeful that I’m making the right decision for the future of Infnore. Brilyk isn’t the only elf who had to lower his trust in this situation. After all, I was the one who proposed the idea of working with one another.
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend…” I mutter with a chuckle. “It’s always easier with an ally by your side.”
During the night, I realized that by working with Brilyk and his men I was essentially signing the death warrant for my brother. The thought saddens me for I never wanted for things to have to come to this, but I know what has to be done.
The unfortunate truth is that I had grown sick and tired of my brother. For countless years, I’d been trying nonstop to get him to come around to his duties and give the good people of Infnore what they needed.
Alas, after a lot of self convincing, I’ve come to learn that some people just can’t be saved, and that Fohri is one of them. Fohri is forcing my hand with this decision.
At least with him out of the way, I can begin to bring order and peace to this famished land and feed it the sustenance it has needed for so long. “A world where everyone suffers but its leader is no world to live in at all.”
