She pointed to the refugees first. "You escaped from places that treated you like wild dogs. You are not wild dogs. You are men. You will work for this village, and in return, this village will keep you fed and warm. As long as you follow the rules, no one will sell you, no one will beat you for fun."
Several pairs of eyes turned red.
Then she turned to the poachers.
"You hunted beasts and females for cities and traders," she said. "You caused deaths. I could have killed you."
They all lowered their heads.
"But I did not," Isabella continued. "Not because I pity you. Because you are still useful. You will work to repair what you helped destroy. You will reinforce walls, dig storage pits, and carry materials. You will not touch weapons unless I say so. You will not leave this valley without permission. You will not bully anyone."
A few of them nodded quickly.
