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"So are you saying that you'd prefer I didn't try to reunite everyone?" said Hector.

No answer arrived.

"...Rasalased?"

"I... I do not know, Young Hector."

And again, Hector found himself surprised. Rasalased was uncertain? And openly so?

That was new. And worrying.

Hector could appreciate his honesty, though. "Do you think it would be better to leave them alone for a while?"

"Perhaps. Or perhaps not."

Ah, Hector had been wondering when he would pull that card again.

"You are the more mystifying factor, Young Hector. I cannot tell if you would be able to get through to them."

"Hmm. Well, I wouldn't really need to. Abbas would be the one who got through to them."

"...No. He would not."

"What?"

"I do not think that Young Abbas would be able to bring my kin back together. In their current state, they would reject him and maintain isolation."

"Are you serious? Even with their own subjects being in such desperate need of their help?"

"They would not view it that way. They would see only certain death."

Oh, fuck. "But Abbas could..." Could what? Hector didn't know how to finish that thought.

"Eventually, yes, Young Abbas would get through to them, I suspect. After this war has reached its conclusion, perhaps."

That... actually made sense, Hector thought. After suffering such a horrific loss, it was entirely reasonable that the Sandlords might want to keep their heads down and wait out the storm. They had families to think of, after all. They could try to pick up the pieces after everything calmed down. And if they thought that Abbas would try to lead them back into the conflict in order to retake Sair right away, then...

He didn't like how believable that line of thinking was. And understandable, too. Hector couldn't exactly blame them for prioritizing themselves, right now.

Rasalased was not done talking. "You, however, would be an unpredictable element. Heh. As ever, it seems. I do not know how your presence might affect their spirits. Perhaps you would also fail. Or perhaps not."