Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave stared at a plaque on the side of the wall. It read ‘Nikoletta of Monticci.’ He carried a stack of documents wrapped by a few strings in his right hand. He felt calm. All of the faces that he saw in the Tower he recognized. Indeed, there was nothing to suggest that anything had changed from the original ‘Heroes of Berendar’ in terms of setting. He had even gleaned the date from passing conversation. It was a month before Acolytes had to submit their research to the Order, and therefore, near a month and a half before the game began in earnest.

While cleaning, he had found a peculiarly well-hidden stack of papers, which now rested in his hands. In the original plot, Induen of Vasquer, Argrave’s half-brother and heir to the throne, used his influence within the Order to steal Nikoletta’s thesis. When her research was stolen, she presumed it lost, and consequently tried to remake it hastily. The remake was deemed a shabby copy of the original copy Argrave held—thus, Nikoletta was expelled.

It would do him no good to gain the enmity of one of the main characters. Nikoletta was the daughter of a duke. Argrave adjusted the stack of papers pulled his gloves tighter across his fingers. Then, he raised his hand to the oaken door and knocked thrice.

He looked around as time passed. People stared at him, he noticed, but they refused to meet his eyes. His reputation was already quite bad, it seemed. After receiving no answer, Argrave knocked again.

More time passed. Argrave wondered if she might be out. He knocked one last time.

The door swung open, and he was greeted by a fierce glare from a very disheveled-looking black-haired woman. Nikoletta had not been expecting his presence, evidently, and she lifted her head up very slowly to look up at him.

“Cousin,” he greeted calmly. Come what may, Argrave always had confidence in his words.

“U-uh…” she fixed her hair and stood with a straighter posture. “Hello, Argrave. I thought you were my friend… forgive my appearance.”

“I am not your friend,” Argrave noted. “How hurtful.”

“That’s… erm.” She took a step back. “I didn—“

“I kid,” Argrave interrupted. “You were expecting Mina of Veden, I presume. That one always seems to hang around you.”

Nikoletta stared at him blankly, eyes wide. Her eyes were a dark, rich pink. Argrave found the color pretty.

“May I come in?” Argrave asked when she did not speak.

Argrave’s words brought her back to attention. “Now isn’t a good time. I’m in the middle of something,” she said firmly, grasping the door as though to shut it.

Argrave had a notion as to what that ‘something’ was—frantically trying to recreate the research that had been stolen from her.

“I would not come here for a social visit,” Argrave said cryptically.

Nikoletta’s hand fell away from the door and she stepped back. She looked at what Argrave was holding, scrutinizing him carefully. After some time, she pushed the door open and gestured. “Come in.”

to duck low enough to pass beneath the door and bumped his

quite messy, but then Argrave had been expecting it to be so. Nikoletta was a playable character, so her personality was somewhat determined by player choice. By and large, though, she had consistent personality traits. She had been disorganized in the game, too.

lined the floor. Research materials and equipment were plastered all over the place. Perhaps the only saving grace of this den of wretchedness was the lack of half-eaten food. Besides Nikoletta’s bed and desk, there was one set of furniture in the room—two couches parallel to each other, a low-lying table in between

picked up a stack of books, clearing room for the two

seat,” she

like it was a snarling dog, a blank look in his dead gray

not take much of your time, so you can resume what you were doing in short

at him, gaze flitting between the wrapped documents in his hand and his eyes. She wasn’t slow-witted—he had given enough hints for her to piece things together. She, too, refused to

of dancing around the issue. “Your

all, you bastard!” she shouted, tearing them from his hands. “I knew

Argrave conceded, pulling his gloves tighter as he

“You didn’t steal these papers. You just happened to find them. How am I to believe

me by Induen. My half-brother, your cousin, the heir presumptive of

distance away and set down the papers on her desk angrily. “You expect me to believe the crown prince took off with

head again. “No, I imagine he has people

my cousin,” she said, entirely

voice. “Think. Use your head. Jog your noggin.” He tapped his forehead. “I wouldn’t

arms. She sized up Argrave, then sighed and sat at the couch. “You’re right. I’ll

to me as

been missing for a long while,” Nikoletta countered. “Why

implication. He wishes to use me as an Acolyte within the order to suppress you—to suppress House Monticci. There is no greater stain to

Argrave, her frown slowly deepening. “But why would Induen try and suppress one of the

Felipe’s sister, marks you as one of very

a second to breathe. “My… father,” he said reluctantly, “is old. Succession is a pertinent issue. Induen is a paranoid man who prefers to

away and rubbed her eyes. Argrave noticed only then how tired she looked. Eventually, she lifted her head and mumbled, “…it’s plausible, but… I… don’t

me as the culprit, if you wish. But what was yours once is yours again, and that is ultimately the end to the matter. I didn’t come to

for a time. Then,

“If I can suggest something, though—buy an enchanted lockbox. They’re designed to keep things

what a lockbox is,”

sentence, already