AARYN
Elreth stood over him on the rock, hands at her sides, her mouth open in shock. Aaryn had to brace himself. He hated making her look like that, but she'd just sprung this on him and he knew—he knew—that what she was describing was only going to hurt the disformed. At least, from the way they'd see it.
Then Elreth shook her head and her hands. "No, no, no. You won't convince me that becoming Advisor to the Queen is bad for the disformed," she snarled. "Being in a position of such power is not abandoning them!"
"But they'll think—"
"Then you show them differently!" she snapped. "That is what leaders do, Aaryn. We make the hard decisions and we have to bring the people with us. If they disagree, we have to persuade them. I am happy to help you, and I can talk to them too, but… but you can't abandon me for them, either!"
"I'm not abandoning you!"
