Something about the stubborn tone of voice she was using told him not to argue, that arguing was folly and even worse folly would be thinking that he could defeat her in this argument. Strange to think that two days ago, he'd been worrying over her injuries. The way that she talked now, you'd think she'd never been injured defending this city and only half-recovered before the last battle. The way she talked, Eragos supposed, they were meant to think that the Lady Vera alone stood tall and proud in a garden of ash while waiting for the ash to become something whole. She didn't seem to realize that in this garden the only company you had was death. She was still trying to avoid death, still trying to cheat it, and the sentimentality of that view was going to destroy them all.
Not that he didn't wish it could be real.
"Go outside and ask every man still living if he wants to watch his wife and child die because he took an arrow in the leg. Ask every man if he would give his life for his family, or surrender his life along with theirs to no good end. Ask every widow if she wants to hold her children close while they burn, because they need another day to prepare, or if she wants to try and make something of the life her husband left behind for her. What answer do you think you're going to get?"
It was one of the longest speeches he'd ever made to her. Due in no small part to the fact that her stubborn nature, her obstinate nature, was on full display now as it was needed least of all. Eragos didn't want to think of how many extra souls he was going to have on his conscience before all of this was done. Yet the only thing more certain than the deaths of some if they left now was the deaths of all the villagers of Gali if they didn't. Eragos wanted to shake her, and terrify her into acquiescing and accepting the truth. He'd come here to find her.
For that, he was going to pay with his life.
Some of them were going to die, and there was nothing at all that she could do to stop it.
The Lady Vera had never struck him in particular as an idealist. Yet she was acting as an idealist would, behaving in a way that made him think that she didn't know what she was saying or to whom she was saying it. Eragos turned to face her at last. What he wanted to say wouldn't pass his lips and into existence. What he said instead was simple, and he said it as he took up in one bandaged hand the hilt of his flambard.
"If you won't do your duty, then I'll do it for you."