May 21: "I choose to do wrong in the hope that right might come," feat. Kalasin and Lindhall.
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"I don't understand," Kalasin says, a frown knitting her brow. "It doesn't make any sense."
Lindhall brushes a lock of thin blonde hair out of his eyes, and sighs at his confused monarch. "Empress, if I may speak plainly, you agree that slavery is wrong."
It is a statement, not a question, but Kalasin looks around his study warily, out of habit. "Yes," she says at last, lifting her chin. "It is wrong. But smuggling them out of the country is worse wrong, because…"
"Because?" he challenges the girl gently.
"Because you're defying my husband. Because you're defying the oldest laws in the country."
Lindhall hears the loyalty in her voice when she talks about Ozorne, and the slight waver in her entire demeanor when she mentions Carthak's laws, and pities her, a little. The professor reaches out and brushes his fingers against the line of her jaw lightly. "All right. I understand where you're coming from."
Kalasin gives him a small smile. "Thank you. Could you explain what you said to me earlier—simply?"
"I choose to do wrong in the hope that right might come," he quotes again. "I choose to smuggle the slaves out of the country, in the hope that someday, this country will see that the practice of slavery is outdated and cruel. Wrong."
"Oh," she replies sheepishly. "I understand."
Later, as she gets ready to go to sleep, Kalasin remembers what Lindhall had said, and sighs softly. She knows it's dangerous, but can't help wishing that she was brave enough to help right come to Carthak, as well.
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