At this, the woman’s eyes narrowed.
‘Who do you think you are, that you dare believe you have the right to judge us?’
‘I deem,’ the Thane replied, ‘by your very presumption that you are better than your fellows, of whom you are surely no more than an equal, that you have come to merit a harsh and well-deserved punishment.’
‘The common Elven people are rabble, as you well know,’ the woman said. ‘Servitude for such is condign-’
‘I was not referring to the Elven people,’ the Thane said, becoming angry.
‘Then . . . to whom do you refer?’ the woman said, frowning in doubt and corrupt vexation.
‘I was referring to our Faerie kindred,’ the Thane replied quietly.
‘Then it is true,’ the woman said darkly, with a bigot’s unreasoning venom. ‘You have been taking the part of those-’ she spat such a low obscenity as made the Thane momentarily turn away in disgust. ‘I and others have long felt that our trust in you was misplaced.’
At this the Thane laughed bitterly.
‘If your trust in me had truly been misplaced, then the blood of every complicit Merchant within the walls of this city would already have been spilt! I suggest you rethink the matter; that those worthy of trust, including our Faerie kindred, have never threatened you with harm, despite your actions and the very worst of the atrocities committed at your behest.’