Chapter 326 - The Bruised, Battered, Black & Blue (I) (1/2)

Rima stood several kilometres from Black Sands city, yet she could still see it. The column of blackened smoke rose too high to miss in the vast blue sky of the desert. Aegin had, for all intents and purposes, burned the place to the ground. Despite Rima's request for him to help control the blaze to at least save half of the city, he'd been adamant in reporting that he hadn't the power nor the will to do so.

”You don't even sound guilty,” Rima had huffed, ”They may have had a shitty leader, but not all of them were bad people, and these are their homes”.

”The Blue Suns never called this place home. This was a prison to them,” Aegin replied, ”As for the Black Sands, the majority that didn't blindly follow Gryffyn have long wanted to return to more traditional Tribal ways. Or am I wrong about that?”

Rima had had little to say about that. After all, he wasn't wrong.

”Homes can be rebuilt,” Sevis had said as he'd passed them holding a sack full of whatever they managed to raid from Gryffyn's vault before they left, ”And hopefully look better than this rigid monstrosity”.

Rima had been reluctant to admit they were right. After all, this was an entire city they were talking about, and not all the people that lived there wanted a new start. It occurred to her as she walked away, turning a blind eye to those who started fires of their own at the Estate to ensure it was razed to the ground, that this was what a leader would feel like. Making decisions like this with the knowledge that she could not please them all. It was a lot to take in, and she wasn't exactly groomed for such a position.

But it was her they followed from that city. It was her they came to with enquires and troubles in the hours following. Had she really made that much of an impression? Were they not just projecting their hope that because she was technically the Heir of Blue Suns, that she would be a good leader? She feared the backlash should she make a wrong decision, but after she'd turned away several of the enquirers, Mira, the old maid who'd looked after most of the Estate's needs, had approached her.

”Just give them your opinion,” said Mira, ”That's all they're asking for”.

”And if my opinion is wrong?” asked Rima, ”I don't want to ruin their lives because of something I said”.

”Do you think every Chieftain that ever was and ever will be is expected to never make mistakes?” asked Mira, ”Why do you think they have a council of Elders in the first place? Chieftains are individuals too; they just tend to have more concern over the Tribe as a whole than their own welfare”.

”I'm not a Chieftain,” said Rima.

”You've been a Chieftain ever since your mother died,” Mira replied, ”You just haven't had a Tribe to care for”.

”I'm not cut out for-”

”You are,” Mira interrupted, ”You showed that you were perfectly capable during your stay in that city. You're intelligent, strong-willed, and kind to those who would be construed as beneath you. All qualities of a good Chieftain”.

Rima was silent before Mira sighed, ”Just answer them. They'll be grateful for your time and to hear your concern any way”.