hospitality about." Her smile faded. "Even the
straight-laced stuff's getting toxic this time around, though. I'll
admit it, I'm worried."
Myriel set her elbows on the table, folding
her hands together and leaning forward. "Explain?"
"Everybody's talking about how little they
can afford this next muster. Some of them are hoping the Duchess
will find some way to call it off, or at least lessen it. In some
areas, they just don't have the men to spare anymore, so they're
just talking about the burden of supplies they already know they
can't meet the quota for their area, so they've just given up."
Myriel frowned at this, but didn't look
surprised. Dorran was interested to hear that the hopelessness
towards the muster was stronger, not weaker, than the leaders he'd
met had communicated, and wondered who had the more accurate
picture of the situation.
"And the families that do have sons...there's
panic," Alice continued. "The oldest men everywhere are arguing
standards for fitness to try to spare the younger ones, but people
are beginning to suspect that even that is no use. There have even
been rumors of mothers poisoning their sons…not lethally, but
enough so that they won't be fit to leave for weeks or even
months." She shook her head. "Half the time the rumors say the sons
are in on it. It's getting bad, Myriel."
Myriel pursed her lips. "Rumors like this
crop up every muster, don't they? Most of them are unsubstantiated,
and you know that hardly anyone actually makes any formal
accusations."
"That's not the point," Alice snapped.
"People have been getting more unsettled every year, and those are
the small musters. We don't even know if we have thirty thousand
men left in the country, let alone thirty thousand battle-ready
ones. And the Duchess's firm ban on women soldiers has left people
feeling even more trapped. People are wondering whether Farlan will
have any men left after the next round of soldiers leaves."
Myriel looked troubled, but still calmer than
Dorran felt listening to the news. He was almost starting to hope
that he would be sent off with the troops, just so that he wouldn't
have to face what might be coming to the capital after their
departure. "Have there been...any threats of violence?" Myriel
asked.
"I've heard that many women have started
training together in secret, but no, there's been no overt threats
thrown yet…just a lot of anxiety."
"I see. Well..." Myriel looked pensive, her
eyes wandering over to the window for a long moment. "I'm...not
exactly sure what to tell you, except that I know the duchess is
very aware of the people's concerns. She has many reasons to care
deeply about the war herself, and she knows her people to be aware
of that. She is grateful for their continued patience, and..."
Myriel sighed. "Truly, she wants to protect the people of Farlan as
best she can. She knows where her duty truly lies."
Alice gave her a long look and then nodded.
"All right, Myriel. I don't know how things are going to continue
at this rate, but Thea's too smart not to have some sort of plan. I
just hope that matters don't get too drastic first."
Myriel, Dorran thought, had an odd tone to
her voice when she answered. "I'm certainly hoping that, too," she
replied.
After that, they exchanged a few more
pleasantries as Dorran watched; then Alice stood to leave, shaking
Myriel's hand one more time before departing. To avoid the
possibility of drawing attention to themselves by leaving too soon
after her, Dorran and Myriel remained seated for a while.
"What did you think?" Myriel asked.
That Mother's as good as you are about
changing the subject, Dorran thought to himself, but knew better
than to say such a thing out loud, "I am glad that Mother has a
good ear to the ground with her people. Thank you for showing me
this, it has been….educational."
Myriel nodded, smiling faintly, but he had
the feeling that she also knew his questions were still far from
answered. The truth was none of them had
straight-laced stuff's getting toxic this time around, though. I'll
admit it, I'm worried."
Myriel set her elbows on the table, folding
her hands together and leaning forward. "Explain?"
"Everybody's talking about how little they
can afford this next muster. Some of them are hoping the Duchess
will find some way to call it off, or at least lessen it. In some
areas, they just don't have the men to spare anymore, so they're
just talking about the burden of supplies they already know they
can't meet the quota for their area, so they've just given up."
Myriel frowned at this, but didn't look
surprised. Dorran was interested to hear that the hopelessness
towards the muster was stronger, not weaker, than the leaders he'd
met had communicated, and wondered who had the more accurate
picture of the situation.
"And the families that do have sons...there's
panic," Alice continued. "The oldest men everywhere are arguing
standards for fitness to try to spare the younger ones, but people
are beginning to suspect that even that is no use. There have even
been rumors of mothers poisoning their sons…not lethally, but
enough so that they won't be fit to leave for weeks or even
months." She shook her head. "Half the time the rumors say the sons
are in on it. It's getting bad, Myriel."
Myriel pursed her lips. "Rumors like this
crop up every muster, don't they? Most of them are unsubstantiated,
and you know that hardly anyone actually makes any formal
accusations."
"That's not the point," Alice snapped.
"People have been getting more unsettled every year, and those are
the small musters. We don't even know if we have thirty thousand
men left in the country, let alone thirty thousand battle-ready
ones. And the Duchess's firm ban on women soldiers has left people
feeling even more trapped. People are wondering whether Farlan will
have any men left after the next round of soldiers leaves."
Myriel looked troubled, but still calmer than
Dorran felt listening to the news. He was almost starting to hope
that he would be sent off with the troops, just so that he wouldn't
have to face what might be coming to the capital after their
departure. "Have there been...any threats of violence?" Myriel
asked.
"I've heard that many women have started
training together in secret, but no, there's been no overt threats
thrown yet…just a lot of anxiety."
"I see. Well..." Myriel looked pensive, her
eyes wandering over to the window for a long moment. "I'm...not
exactly sure what to tell you, except that I know the duchess is
very aware of the people's concerns. She has many reasons to care
deeply about the war herself, and she knows her people to be aware
of that. She is grateful for their continued patience, and..."
Myriel sighed. "Truly, she wants to protect the people of Farlan as
best she can. She knows where her duty truly lies."
Alice gave her a long look and then nodded.
"All right, Myriel. I don't know how things are going to continue
at this rate, but Thea's too smart not to have some sort of plan. I
just hope that matters don't get too drastic first."
Myriel, Dorran thought, had an odd tone to
her voice when she answered. "I'm certainly hoping that, too," she
replied.
After that, they exchanged a few more
pleasantries as Dorran watched; then Alice stood to leave, shaking
Myriel's hand one more time before departing. To avoid the
possibility of drawing attention to themselves by leaving too soon
after her, Dorran and Myriel remained seated for a while.
"What did you think?" Myriel asked.
That Mother's as good as you are about
changing the subject, Dorran thought to himself, but knew better
than to say such a thing out loud, "I am glad that Mother has a
good ear to the ground with her people. Thank you for showing me
this, it has been….educational."
Myriel nodded, smiling faintly, but he had
the feeling that she also knew his questions were still far from
answered. The truth was none of them had
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