11: Victory

Kalasin is fifteen and a half when Carthak defeats the Copper Isles. She sits at Ozorne's side when the captivesare put on display. They are tattered and bruised and bleeding from the battles and from being tortured on their way here. She knows that they are the enemy, but seeing the once-proud noblemen being forced to kneel in submission to the man who had ordered the conquer of their beloved country is hard, and she cannot summon feelings of joy at the victory.

Later, Kalasin asks Ozorne what he plans to do with them. "Will they be exiled? Or…thrown in prison for a while?"

Ozorne chuckles humorlessly. "Hardly. They will be disposed of, of course."

"All…all of them?"

He sighs. "They had the option to surrender at the beginning of the invasion. They chose not to, and they are now paying the price."

Kalasin wants to protest, but she bites it back.

Ozorne sees the look in her eyes. "You'll understand someday."

He leaves Kalasin alone with her thoughts, and she feels her brow furrow. She remembers the haunted look in the prisoners' eyes, and shivers, despite herself. If that is what it means to be as powerful as he is, Kalasin is glad that she won't have to live with those kinds of decisions.

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