Dro'cahi appeared surprised that Gallus had even asked such a question. "Of course. It is not as if our warriors are a separate entity from the rest of our population. They are friends, family members, brothers and sisters that our people live with every single day, and they will be marching into danger. Potentially, to their deaths. With so many of our warriors leaving at once, there will be hardly anyone here who will not have someone to worry about."

With a pause, Dro'cahi sighed in growing frustration with the situation. "If it were just that, this would not be as much of an issue. Dro'cahi is not blind to the reality of this war. He knows our warriors must fight, and that they will be in danger. But with everything else our people have to deal with...the rationing, the restrictions, the forced training for people who will never fight. The war has pushed its way into every aspect of their lives, and having their friends and family members taken from them for so long, this one fears will only exacerbate the issues we have already been facing. If this march must happen, we need to loosen our hold over the people to give them some kind of reprieve from this war."

---

Peiter shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose she'll just make a smaller painting. She might just paint us instead of a complicated background, or find a simple background somewhere. I doubt it will be done [i]quickly[/i] by any means, but it shouldn't take weeks or anything. We'll have to sit still for a while, but we can just take the time to talk to each other. Or her. I did find it kind of...strange how she was acting with La'tahne. How she was holding on to her, that is. I am sort of curious to ask about that."

Peiter ran his hands down Sabine's sides until they came to rest on her hips. "Anyway, do you want to clean me off, or just head up to our room right away?"