its blood dark on the red earth . `` they-and myself-are the principle players on this trip . but the thing is , i 'm not on your side if it means trying to force my father to sell his land . she let her words sink in , let him sit with them , stew in them , gave them time to run through his head again and again . `` well , perhaps , but you did quite well in the time you had , lady-sai . they know what is expected of them , and that you will be special . 