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‘And now you find yourself without a role,’ Brys said

‘I find myself even more objective as an observer than I have ever been, Finadd’

‘To what end?’

‘Well, that’s just it, isn’t it? To no end None at all I had forgotten what such freedom felt like You realize, don’t you, that the Tiste Edur will conquer this kingdom?’

‘Our forces were divided before, First Consort’

‘So were theirs, Finadd’

Brys studied the e about hiue air of indifference and… what? ‘Why did she want this war, Turudal Brizad?’

He shrugged ‘The LetheriiWealth Conquest as opportunity Opportunity as invitation Invitation as righteous clai dark glittered in his eyes ‘Destiny as victory, victory as conquest, conquest as wealth But nowhere in that perfect scheme will you find the notion of defeat All failures are temporary, flawed in the particular Correct the particular and victory will be won the next time round’

‘Until a situation arises where there is no second opportunity’

‘And future scholars will dissect everytheir lists of the particulars, the specifics fro the prime assumptions can ever be derived It is, in truth, an exquisite paradig the persistent survival of an entire host of terrible, brutal beliefs’

‘You do seem to have achieved objectivity, Turudal Brizad’