In Aerin's mind, the path forward was clear. To survive, they had to take shelter under Orion, to earn his protection. For the Wood Elves she had just rescued, the best way to do that wasn't through an alliance, but through submission. To put it bluntly, what was left of the Wood Elf race was in no position to negotiate as equals. Pledging fealty now would save them all a great deal of conflict and trouble down the road.
"Xylia, Angel… none of you have entered the inner camp yet. You still have a choice," Aerin said, her voice heavy. "My friends, the most I can do for you now is to beg the lords of this place to look for more of our people during their purges. I am sorry, but I don't have the power to lead you out of this darkness myself."
