The Royal Thief

Chapter Seventy-one: If Blood Should Spill

I wasn't sure if I should post this on time even though I swore I'd have it written on-schedule because of the whole plagiarizing-site fiasco going on but I decided I couldn't live my life in fear and anyway who knows how long this is going to last so here ya go. Minimum ranting about how much I freaking hate this rude, copyright-violating, taking-advantage-of-kids, helping-more-people-plagiarize, chaos-causing situation involved.

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"No," Aiden said flatly.

"Give me one good reason why not."

"Because that is not what this revolution is! We are trying to tear the monarchy out by it roots, not-"

"But that's what I'm saying! That's what my plan will do for us, it's just a different way than you ever considered!"

"There's a reason we never considered it."

"Because you never thought of it."

"Because it is not a option!"

Nali looked about to object but he cut her off. "Listen to me, all of you. Morane, you have not been with us long. You haven't been around for every aspect of what we do. We are still in the process of trying to merge the other rebel groups in this city into our larger organization. How exactly do you propose we do this if all we can say to them is that we plan to let the Heir inherit her throne on the slim hope that we can later force her to abdicate it? Our only incentive for them to join us now is our prophecy, and our promise that this king will be the last king. Without that, they have no reason to join us- and worse, no reason to wait to make their own move. The other groups are smaller than we are, and more reckless. They will throw themselves at the nobles on the smallest chance of reaching the royals- and they will fail, they will give Aeric the reason he's been looking for to declare a state of emergency, and we will have both that to deal with and the loss of many potential allies." He pressed bony fingers to his forehead, eyes closed. "It is not an option we can afford to consider."

I was quiet a long moment. "It's the only option that will work. You told me yourself on one of the first nights I met you that the revolution has never succeeded before, and it's been trying for years. Tens of uprisings and none of them ever came close to succeeding. You may have a prophecy, but that won't change anything if you don't change your ways. The only way to finish the monarchy is to do something new." I balled my hands up in my pockets. "Tell me anyone has tried this before in all your history of fighting."

He stared down at the rough grain of the wood table, fingertips still pressed into the lines skin of his forehead. "No, it's never been considered."

"Then can you really afford to not consider it this time?" When he didn't answer, I added, "Do you want to see the monarchy end in your lifetime?"

"I have to talk to Ysmay," he said wearily.

Ysmay, I remembered, I had met at the meeting at the match house of everyone in the Phoenix of the capital. She represented the rebels back in Maenar, here to make sure Aiden stayed "in agreement" with them.

"You are considering this?" Xalva demanded.

"No- maybe- I said I would talk to Ysmay, nothing more. Chances are she will not even let me get the words out of my mouth, so don't look so alarmed."

"But why bother?" His voice had gained an edge I had never heard before. Not exactly angry, but hard and unyielding. "Because one Thief says we must change the plan we have worked on for years? Are you forgetting everything we talked about in that meeting just weeks ago?"

He must have meant the same meeting I met Ysmay at, the same night I had also seen him for the first time. He and Aiden and Dell and Beck had stayed late after it, I remembered, talking about something too important for others to hear.