That just wouldn’t do, and with the rising tensions between Gethrenia and Firthengart, she had an opportunity to get a bigger slice of the pie, at least for a time. An inflammatory speech to incite her peers to help lock down the border, a ceasing of trade, and a sudden demand for goods to get across an inaccessible border. A demand she could supply with a ready-made smuggling route. A lack of trade meant less taxes tolled upon her by her overlord. After all, he could not reasonably expect her to pay the usual amounts if she couldn’t get the usual trade due to exceptional circumstances.