The Unknown Alchemist

Chapter 31 - To Battle

"How can you call this justice? They get attacked, and now the perpetrators get a chance at honour and glory as their punishment?" Niamh raged at the alpha primes when they returned from meeting with the camp leaders.

The twins were trying to balance the need for justice with the need to keep their army working together in defense of the territory. Hayden looked apologetically at his daughter. "They didn't come away unscathed. The one male lost his arm and I only barely managed to save Ragre's life from the gut wound."

"So Roedin defended her! But if he hadn't been there, if they had been successful in assaulting Avery, then we could finally punish them? Do you realise how wrong that is?"

Roedin put his hands up. "Please keep your voice down. She needs to sleep."

Adelyn gave him a terse look. "She's not a child, Roe."

"No, but she's hurting and exhausted. Allowing her to rest will at least give her a chance to deal with this," Roedin snapped.

Arctos squeezed his brother's shoulder. "She's alright, Roe. We'll look after her."

"Yes, we've been doing such a good job of that," Roedin spat. He lurched from the table and stalked to the window. "They likely would never have known she was there if I hadn't--"

"Because you were there, they didn't," Hayden interrupted. "You stopped them and she knows it."

"And now they get to march off to battle for the honour of the Ancestors," Niamh spat out bitterly. "I bet they really regret picking that fight now."

Hayden took a deep breath to keep his calm. "The scouts reported what appeared to be a large group of faunids marching across the farmlands of the Dimok Valley burning the fields as they go. We're going to respond to the threat while letting the soldiers blow off some pent-up energy. It's a good opportunity to test them out."

"I also couldn't help but notice that the females were once again denied the chance to participate. So a sexual predator is on the battlefield but those who might truly want justice are denied the chance to exert it. Yes, this sounds fair," she added.

"Actually, the females are allowed to participate," Adelyn corrected. "They've just 'chosen' not to. Apparently they feel they aren't ready." She pursed her lips in frustration.

"They probably don't feel ready because they aren't being given the training they deserve," Arctos added.

"Maybe. But more likely they're being forced by social pressure to stay away," Hayden clarified.

"So make them! You're the Alpha Prime, tell them to step up and defend our lands!" snapped Niamh.

Hayden looked at her in disgust. "Is that how we do things now in Corinth? Conscription? Pressing faunids into service so we sacrifice them instead of precious sapiens? Think it through, Niamh! I send them to battle when I know perfectly well they haven't been adequately trained, and they are killed, thus ending the family's bloodline. If you're looking for a rebellion, there are easier ways to start one."

He was getting tired of being the villain in this story. There were no easy answers but he needed to work with the faunids. They were a key part of Corinth and his responsibility.

Niamh pushed away from the table. "You make it sound like you're flipping a coin and deciding their fate. I'm saying they have rights and should get to decide it themselves."

"That's not fair," Adelyn intervened.

Niamh stalked to the door, grabbing her coat off the hook. "I'm going to talk to them. The females had better be in the training ring and we'll see who's really ready." She stormed out of house.