The intelligence was solid. The Crimson Cross planned to attack the territory in three days. It was ant to send a ssage that integration efforts would lead to violence.
Azrael stood in the war room, surrounded by military advisors, with maps spread before him.
"We have three options." Adrian said, pointing at the map. "Evacuate the territory completely. Fortify the territory and prepare for attack. Or attack them before they attack us."
"How many casualties are expected with option three?" Azrael asked.
"Theirs? A lot. It would be a full military attack on their camp. We’d aim for maximum damage to prevent retaliation."
"And ours?"
"Minimal, if we do it right."
It was the best choice, protecting Thornfield’s people with minimal risk. But it also ant killing dozens of Crimson Cross soldiers who hadn’t actually attacked yet.
"What about a fourth option?" Azrael asked.
Adrian frowned.
"What fourth option?"
"We negotiate."
The room fell silent. Everyone looked at him as if he had lost his mind.
"Negotiate?" Cassius repeated. "Your Majesty, the Crimson Cross is an extremist group. You can’t reason with fanatics."
"Has anyone actually tried? Or are we assuming they’re unreasonable and are choosing violence instead? What if we offer them a chance to talk to us, to present their concerns."
"They’ll see it as weakness." Adrian replied. "An invitation to negotiate will make them think we’re afraid of them. It’ll encourage them to make unreasonable demands."
"It can also give them an alternative to violence." Azrael said.
"Your Majesty, this compassionate approach is admirable, but it’s also dangerous. You’re risking our territory’s safety to avoid killing people who are actively planning to attack it." Cassius argued.
Azrael knew Cassius was right but he still wanted an alternative.
"Here’s what we’re going to do." Azrael said. "We’ll send a ssage to the Crimson Cross camp, telling them we know about their attack plans. And we’ll offer them a choice."
"What choice?"
"Co to Thornfield for formal negotiations." Azrael replied. "Send representatives. They’ll have three days to voice their grievances."
"And if they refuse?" Sienna asked.
"Then we’ll proceed with the attack."
"This is a mistake." Cassius said. "You’re warning the enemy that we know their plans. You’re giving them ti to relocate, reinforce, or attack earlier than planned. It’s a naive approach."
"Maybe. But it’s what my wife would have suggested."
The ntion of Lyanna created an awkward pause.
"Fine." Sienna said. "What if you’re right? What if they co to Thornfield. What then? You can’t actually give them what they want, given their unreasonable demands."
"I can address their legitimate concerns. We can negotiate sothing where both sides will get sothing. Send the ssage." Azrael ordered.
"I’ll draft the ssage. Though Your Majesty, I strongly recomnd we still fortify the territory as a precaution." Adrian suggested.
"Go ahead." Azrael agreed.
The ssage was sent to the Crimson Cross camp via their own intelligence networks. Azrael expected to wait days for a response. Instead, the reply ca within hours.
The Crimson Cross was sending two representatives, the very next day. The war council t imdiately.
"It’s a trap." Cassius said imdiately. "They’re coming to assess our defenses, gather intelligence for a larger attack."
"What do you think, Sienna?" Azrael asked.
"It’s unusual." She admitted. "But there are rumours that so mbers are tired of constant violence."
Azrael nodded.
"Increase the security of the castle. Make them feel safe enough to speak honestly, but don’t be stupid about their potential danger." Azrael ordered.
The next day, two Crimson Cross representatives arrived at Thornfield.
One was an elderly human woman who had lost her daughter in a vampire attack before the cooperation initiative began. The other was a young vampire who had been turned against his will and blad integration policies for normalizing the practice.
Azrael t them in the reception room.
"Thank you for coming. I understand trust is difficult given our positions. But I genuinely want to understand your concerns."
The elderly woman spoke first.
"You want to understand why we oppose cooperation? My daughter was killed by a vampire twenty years ago. And now you want to live peacefully beside them? To pretend they’re not monsters?"
"Not all vampires..."
"Not all vampires kill?" She cut him off. "Not all snakes bite either. But you still don’t invite them into your ho."
The young vampire spoke next.
"I was turned against my will by a vampire who thought the new cooperation policies ant he could do whatever he wanted. When I reported it, your cooperation council said it was a complicated cultural misunderstanding. So I’m supposed to accept being made a monster because it’s complicated?"
They talked for hours. The woman explained how cooperation policies lacked a justice system for human victims of vampire violence. The young vampire explained how the increased normalization of vampire culture had led to more forced turnings with no consequences.
"So, the cooperation initiative that was designed with good intentions was implented badly. It prioritized grand political statents over protecting individuals. And when people raised concerns, they were dismissed. Am I right?" Azrael said after hours of discussion.
"Exactly. We’re not all hate-filled fanatics. So of us have real reasons to be angry."
"So what adjustnts would address your concerns?" Azrael asked.
They negotiated for two more days. They wanted a mixed justice system, strict penalties for forced turnings, and a formal consent process before any transformation. It was reasonable.
"I can implent these changes." Azrael said on the third day. "But I need sothing from you in return."
"What?" The woman asked suspiciously.
"Call off the border territory attack and help spread the word within the Crimson Cross that there’s a way to address grievances without choosing violence."
"So of them won’t listen." The young vampire said. "There are true fanatics who want blood, not change. But still I think, if you actually implent these changes, a lot of people would choose dialogue over violence."
"Then let’s try."
The negotiations concluded with a formal agreent. Azrael would implent the two major reforms within two months. The Crimson Cross representatives would return to their organization and advocate for giving the reforms a chance before resuming violence.
After the representatives left, Sienna approached Azrael.
"Her Majesty would be proud." She said.
Azrael looked at her, surprised by her genuine tone.
"You think so?"
"I know so. This is exactly the kind of thoughtful problem-solving she always pushed for. Actually listening to why people are angry instead of just punishing the anger."
That night, alone in his study, Azrael drafted another letter to Lyanna.
Lyanna,
I just spent three days negotiating with the Crimson Cross. I prevented an attack through dialogue instead of violence.
Throughout the negotiations, I kept thinking, what you would do? And then I did that.
I don’t know if that’s growth or just better mimicry. But either way, it worked.
Azrael.
He didn’t send this letter, as he didn’t want to burden her with updates about his attempts to be better. Instead, he added it to the pile of unsent letters he had written to her over the past weeks.
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