"We don't need their help, Praetor. We are perfectly capable of doing this on our own. The Graecus will only slow us down," Indra insisted indignantly, rushing forward to speak as soon as Lexa finished talking.
"I agree with Indra," Gustus cut in, his deep disapproval of Lexa's latest proposal dripping in his tone. "The Greeks are unpredictable and untamable. I do not like the idea of inviting them into our homes, again." His eyes narrowed at the mention of last time. "We cannot trust them."
Lexa held back a sigh as the Senate lost any and all semblance of order after that. The Senators scrambled to talk over each other, all yelling some variation of how the Graecus - the word hissed like a curse - could not be trusted.
Lexa turned her attention to the person who sat closest to her right. Anya, her long time friend and mentor as well as the longest serving member of the Senate present, had stayed quiet throughout the entire ordeal and for that, Lexa was grateful. She could see it in the hard lines set in her friend's face that though she didn't necessarily like the idea that Lexa had proposed, she understood it was a smart move, maybe the only move that would lead them to victory.
Lexa stood up, the slight screech of her chairs alerting the Senators and effectively quieting the forum.
"Enough."
The Senators, to their credit, stilled in their protests and slowly lowered their bottoms back into their seats. Lexa let her gaze wash over the forum, making sure to make contact with each Senator firmly so that they all understood that she was the one talking now and they would do their best to listen.
"I understand your distrust and dislike of our Greek counterparts," she started, hardening her glare as several Senators shifted in their seats as if to voice their complaints again. "However," her voice rang out clear and strong in the forum. "We. Can. Not. Defeat. The. Mountain. Alone."
She watched, waiting to see if anyone would protest her previous statement. There were none. Good.
"We have tried, and we have failed." She paused, letting the gravity of the statement sink in. They'd lost more than hundreds of their brothers and sisters throughout their history to the dreaded Mountain.
"We have worked with the Greeks before, and we can do it again."
Lexa wanted to say that there had been no problems working with the Greeks in the past, but that would be a blatant lie. They'd run into so many problems at the beginning of their newfound co-existence with the Greeks and few were ever fully addressed. Just thinking about the amount of effort and patience it took to get the two camps to cooperate even a hair's worth gave Lexa a headache.
But dealing with the Greeks was a small price to pay in comparison to the rewards she would reap.
"We have to work together, if only for the sake of your brothers and sisters who have been captured, tortured, and experimented on in the Mountain. The Mountain has tormented us for too long. We will no longer hide from it. We will take them down. Down with the mountain!" Lexa declared.
There was only a second of silence as the Senators looked at each other. Then slowly, one by one...
"Down with the mountain! Down with the mountain! Down with the mountain!"
With a small controlled exhale, Lexa relaxed back into her seat, watching. The chants inside the forum grew louder and louder, echoing through the open space into the campgrounds. Her eyes raked across the table, before landing on Anya. They met grim stares. Anya gave her the slightest of nods which Lexa returned with a small tilt of her head.
The decision was made. They would contact the Greeks for help.