Diplomatic aftermath

[Anastasia]

A pause here, the Padisha smiling slightly. "Ambitious. You've never stopped grasping for whatever you can, and damn anything that tries to stop you. I like that."

[Corwin]

Seira returns that smile. It's precisely because other people want those very same things that she can succeed, if only she's bold enough to get them to go out on a limb along with her and reach for them.

[Anastasia]

"Others will no doubt council you to relent, because of Shar. To the Abyss with Shar," The Padisha says, a dismissive sneer, "But I will not be dismissive of the oceans of blood that shall be spilled in this war. I have little use for celestial morals and handwringing, but I will not waste the blood of my people lightly. A single marid life is worth a thousand of the sparks they call efreet, to speak nothing of the piteous devils that cooperate with them."

"Will it matter if Olhydra joins the war, or if Ben-Hadar chooses to crusade against the efreet?" Amaryl speaks up, "Neutrality like that means little if others open the door instead."

[Corwin]

Curious about that point as well, Seira waits on the Padisha's answer to Amaryl's question.

[Anastasia]

A mere nod of her head to that, a silent concession. "What of Ben-Hadar and Olhydra, indeed? I've heard Sanzha has been there recently."

[Corwin]

"Ideally, Ben-Hadar would come to our aid while Olhydra will choose to sit this one out, but I'm still waiting on Sanzha's return. Still, there are ways to participate without fully committing to strikes in efreet territory," Seira points out. "For example, the more troops I must station at the Cauldron as both defense and deterrence, the fewer I can send out to trash the efreet slave camps."

[Anastasia]

"I propose another matter," The Padisha says, "Water stays out of this war in entirety." A snap of her fingers, "Ben-Hadar and Olhydra focus on matters of good and evil in Water, while you wage your war without it spilling into this plane. You gain little but the efreet and dao gain little, too."

At this Amaryl frowns, "So when it is over, Water stands untouched and strong over Fire, no matter if it wins or loses?"

"So that my people do not die in a war of other's making," The Padisha says, a sharpness to her voice, "Have your war with Celestia against the efreet and dao. Rely on us to be a river that cuts off the spread of this war, to help it from spiraling out of control."

[Corwin]

"What if you could get the dao to stay out of the conflict as well?" Seira makes her counter proposal. "There has been no direct conflict of yet, and their own behavior towards the xorn feels somewhat different than the efreet habits. Celestia and the Cauldron offered generous terms to the Grand Sultan. Should the dao decide on a course change to abstain from enslaving others and free their existing slaves, they will receive lavish recompense and favorable terms."

[Anastasia]

"It won't happen, the dao won't be pushed around by a foreign power unless you have them prostrate," The Padisha says,  "Our thrones are not the eternal steel you sit on, Seira. We Padisha, we Sultans sit on thrones that are not meant to be held forever. We are vulnerable to politics, vulnerable to being overthrown if we go too far."

[Corwin]

"I realize that. I merely hoped that if you had leverage on Olhydra and Ben-Hadar both, you might also have influence on Earth. It's one thing to offer a deal and be rejected by the efreet, but the dao going through with this as a formality bothers me."

[Anastasia]

"Not enough to force that. I'm not sure there's any that would be enough," The Padisha shakes her head.

[Corwin]

"I understand," Seira says, nodding at her. "In any case, I will need to consider your words carefully before committing one way or the other."

[Anastasia]

"Take the time that you need," The Padisha says, "Ben Hadar will delay any decision for three days, as I have requested it of him. Nor will Olhydra join any war for three days, nor shall I."

[Corwin]

"You have my thanks."

I'd like to head home and fire off a Sending.

[Anastasia]

Sure, to who and what's the message?