"Do you think the only purpose of spies is to steal? Are they not also useful in gathering information?" Isopia frowned, as if suggesting that it was foolish of Aly to have forgotten this essential duty they performed. "So no, ours have not been disbanded, however as long as I have ruled, they have not stolen anything. Prior to that, their function was merely for recruitment. I myself partook in this particular activity. We would demonstrate our prowess by capturing another, only to immediately release them with an invitation to explore our lands." And that, as far as she knew, was the truth. Were once the Falls was filled with thieves and mercenaries, it was no longer.

"You would maintain alliances with the herds, by not stealing from them ... And yet you would not harvest the benefit of those alliances, by asking the Basin to craft you bags? " The entire thing to Isopia seemed lazy. Why not take what is in front of you, if you can? What bother the unicorns to the North, when you can merely steal from those nearer to your borders?

Isopia considered Aly's question carefully. The answer didn't immediately come to her mind. "I suppose it would depend." She began, after a moment's consideration. "It would depend on whether or not fairness suited my goals. It is no secret that morality often takes a back seat to our goals and desires. Survival of the fittest, and all of that. But as I have said, during my rule I have never targeted anyone. If there was an item that we required, better that it be challenged for, rather than stealthed away. Better that those we would take from know our faces and be able to hear our reasons, than wake to find that all they have in the world has been silently removed from them. " Despite what might have sounded like a challenging question from her counterpart, Isopia was still calm and interested.

Though Isopia was not one to laugh, a muffled puff of air escaped her lips as they twisted upwards in a confused, but amused, smirk. "You would not fight me citing reasons of fairness, and yet you would applaud your spies for unfairly stealing? You imply that theivery is merely a facet of Helovia's herds, and yet would deny a challenge, despite its foundations in our social governance?" Isopia's head twisted, as if to say oh come on.

"This sounds like the only trade worthy of what has happened. An item taken unfairly, to be retrieved by an unfair challenge, or so you view it. Though, if you cite your stealths successes as commendations rather than unfair advantages, I'm not sure how you can call a fight between the two of us unfair. You are merely unskilled in this area, just as your spies target was to them."

@Alysanne