Negotiations (3)

My Queen took a deep breath before continuing.

«Polis will immediately send a hundred youth, fifty boys and fifty girls, as servants for Ethiro. Their life shall be guaranteed, and no violence shall be used on them. They will follow their assignees' orders without delay or complaint. In exchange, no one else will be asked to leave the city and pay the price of losing the war.»

«Will the Queen be among those people?» I asked before even realising that I was talking.

A grin on my face must have frightened my wife, but she didn't show any emotions while moving her eyes on the paper.

«No, this Queen's life will be of Ethiro as per the next point of the agreement.»

I bit my inner cheeks, not to smile even wider. I already seemed crazy enough. There was no need to show everyone my real intentions. They would have misunderstood, and my Queen would have been even less eager to allow me in her heart.