Mistborn #02 The Well of Ascension

paused for a moment. "Yes, well, I just. . ."
    "Attacking the canal routes is a good idea, though," Dockson said. "We can do that covertly, perhaps hire some of the bandits in the area to attack supply barges. It probably won't be enough to send Cett or Straff home, but we could make them more desperate to make alliances with us."
    Breeze nodded. "Cett's already worried about instability back in his home dominance. We should send him a preliminary messenger, let him know we're interested in an alliance. That way, as soon as his supply problems begin, he'll think of us."
    "We could even send him a letter explaining Breeze's execution," Dockson said, "as a sign of good faith. That—"
    Elend cleared his throat. The others paused.
    "I, uh, wasn't finished yet," Elend said.
    "I apologize, Your Majesty," Dockson said.
    Elend took a deep breath. "You're right—we can't afford to fight those armies. But, I think we need to find a way to get them to fight each other."
    "A pleasant sentiment, my dear man," Breeze said. "But getting those two to attack one another isn't as simple as persuading Spook over there to refill my wine." He turned, holding out his empty cup. Spook paused, then sighed, rising to fetch the wine bottle.
    "Well, yes," Elend said. "But, while there aren't a lot of books on warfare, there are a lot about politics. Breeze, you said the other day that being the weakest party in a three-way stalemate gives us power."
    "Exactly," Breeze said. "We can tip the battle for either of the two larger sides."
    "Yes," Elend said, opening a book. "Now that there are three parties involved, it's not warfare—it's politics. This is just like a contest between houses. And in house politicking, even the most powerful houses can't stand without allies. The small houses are weak individually, but they are strong when considered as a group.
    "We're like one of those small houses. If we want to make any gains, we're going to have to get our enemies to forget about us—or, at least, make them think us inconsequential. If they both assume that they have the better of us—that they can use us to defeat the other army, then turn on us at their leisure—then they'll leave us alone and concentrate on each other."
    Ham rubbed his chin. "You're talking about playing both sides, Elend. It's a dangerous position to put ourselves in."
    Breeze nodded. "We'd have to switch our allegiance to whichever side seems weaker at the moment, keep them snapping at each other. And there's no guarantee that the winner between the two would be weakened enough for us to defeat."
    "Not to mention our food problems," Dockson said. "What you propose would take time, Your Majesty. Time during which we'd be under siege, our supplies dwindling. It's autumn right now. Winter will soon be upon us."
    "It will be tough," Elend agreed. "And risky. But, I think we can do it. We make them both think we're allied with them, but we hold back our support. We encourage them against one another, and we wear away at their supplies and morale, pushing them into a conflict. When the dust settles, the surviving army might just be weak enough for us to beat."
    Breeze looked thoughtful. "It has style," he admitted. "And, it does kind of sound fun."
    Dockson smiled. "You only say that because it involves making someone else do our work for us."
    Breeze shrugged. "Manipulation works so well on a personal level, I don't see why it wouldn't be an equally viable national policy."
    "That's actually how most rulership works," Ham mused. "What is a government but an institutionalized method of making sure somebody else does all the work?"
    "Uh, the plan?" Elend asked.
    "I don't know, El," Ham said, getting back on topic. "It sounds like one of Kell's plans—foolhardy, brave, and a little insane." He sounded as if he were surprised to hear Elend propose such a measure.
    I can be as foolhardy as any man , Elend thought indignantly, then paused. Did he really want to follow that line of thought?
    "We could get ourselves into some serious trouble," Dockson said. "If either side decides it's tired of our games. . ."
    "They'll destroy us," Elend said. "But. . .well, gentlemen, you're gamblers. You can't tell me that this plan doesn't appeal to you more than simply bowing before Lord Cett."
    Ham shared a look with Breeze, and they seemed to be considering the idea. Dockson rolled his eyes, but seemed like he was objecting simply out of habit.
    No, they didn't want to take the safe way