Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave sat up, breath rapid and face drenched in sweat. His body was rocking. He looked around, seeing an unending tide of blue. Feeling a rising blackness in his stomach, he turned over, grabbing the side of something wooden and vomiting into the water. The putrid substance slowly faded away, falling into the ocean and drifting behind them.

He took a second to catch his breath, clearing his nose and spitting out what little remained of the vomit. His whole body was aflame with pain. As his senses came to, he heard a rhythmic chant, and saw oars moving back and forth, cutting through the water. He turned his head, finally making sense of his surroundings. His body rocked back and forth with the tides.

He was on a longship. Though he looked around, trying to spot the coast, they were far out into sea. He turned his gaze back to the ship. The Veidimen rowing the boat looked at him and spoke of him, muttering about ‘the Hand Reaching from the Abyss.’ It seems the lie of him being an agent of Erlebnis had spread.

Anneliese sat adjacent from him, staring with a book in her free hand. Her amber eyes were passive.

“We’re taking you to Veiden, as was agreed. Fortunately, though you burned one ship and I crashed the other, one was left in sailing condition,” Anneliese said in greeting. “You passed out. You should eat food, drink fluids.”

Argrave touched his head. A fierce headache disturbed his thoughts. The memories of the battle soon replaced those uncomfortable images born of his dreams, and he looked around for Galamon.

“Where… how is Galamon?” Argrave asked.

“He dispatched those metal things admirably. His actions spared us much carnage. After, he said he would wait for your return to right his wrongs. His life would be forfeit in Veiden as an exile and a vampire.”

Argrave nodded. He felt very shaken. He had mustered a courage he did not know he had during the battle, but whatever was propping up his mentality now was gone. War was cruel. It was a great song to all the misery in the world.

Anneliese walked to him, thrusting a piece of bread and a canteen of water in his face. “Here,” she said.

Argrave looked up at her. He took the items. “I forgot. You have a big heart.”

He chewed on the bread slowly, taking small sips of water. Content that he was eating, Anneliese walked away. With his free hand, Argrave cleaned the dirt off his body, conjuring his barely replenished magic to remove blood, mud, and other such filth. It felt like he was shedding his sins, somewhat.

After he had finished the bread, Anneliese handed him other things—mostly vegetables, but it was food. It had probably been taken from Barden in haste as they left. There were a lot fewer on the boat than he recalled being at Barden, and the thought that some deaths could have been avoided had he remained conscious disquieted him. Argrave ate his food slowly, working on suppressing his meandering thoughts and emotions.

Anneliese read quietly despite the rocking of the ship. One hand tended to her long white hair, twisting it about in her fingers. She was braiding a section of it with one hand alone, fingers moving skillfully. She had already done near a foot, and considering it went down to her knees when she was standing, it would be a long process.

her face to see she’d taken

sitting a little straighter. “Keep going. It

and her hand dropped down to her knee. “Galamon bit you,” she

hurt. It was necessary,” Argrave responded

contracting vampirism?”

and then I’d need to drink his blood. Or ingest it some or other way. Eugh,” Argrave shuddered thinking of it. “Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t like a disease. It’s more so a ritual. It’s hard to be turned by accident.

Her amber eyes stayed locked

him?” Argrave repeated. “It was

too shaken, much too guilty, for

seeing through me, I’m going to start losing confidence in my grifting abilities. They’ve carried me a long way.” Argrave sat

stems from a lack of understanding; an inability to view the other person’s perspective. Ultimately, hating another merely weighs on yourself. It’s a waste of brain power. Though… being pragmatic and being naïve are separate things entirely. Some people will always hate you, and it’s best to learn

finger. “Recognizing that and following it are entirely different matters, though. Everyone inevitably

head, mulling over his words in silence. The waves of the ocean battered against the longship, and Argrave turned his head out to look out across the ocean. He considered falling in for a moment and his mind wandered. The ocean was a terrifying thing looking at it from above,

“I think you’re right.”

faintly. It was the first time Argrave had seen her smile, and he could not help but return it. They stared

to persuade the Patriarch?” Anneliese inquired, shutting her book and devoting her attention

words, obviously,” Argrave said drolly. “Well… let’s see. You’ll probably introduce me as the agent of Erlebnis and the killer of those druid scouts in order to get an audience with Dras to begin with. From there, I’ll demonstrate the breadth of my knowledge. I remember

curmudgeonly bastard Rowe the Righteous is there, he would be a great help in proving this matter. He's a very unreasonable person,

taken aback about what he disclosed. “How much do

things in heaven and Earth, Horatio." His words fell flat, Anneliese watching him blankly. "Though I can’t say I know every detail about every person, I know more about many important figures

her arms, then spent some time deliberating on whether or not to say something. “Knowing so much would probably make most people uncomfortable. Does that bother

me, miss empath.” Argrave put his elbows on his knees and crossed his arms. “You can read people very well. You can spot the emotions that most people try to hide. You see through my lies like they’re glass, even when I weave silver with my tongue. I have little doubt that makes many people uncomfortable. Does that bother you?” he returned

deep breath and composed herself quickly. After some time, she asked, “Why are you telling me these things? Your knowledge of Veiden, your

be the obvious answer, but then the further question would be why her, specifically. Was it merely because

mused. “Perhaps it’s merely therapeutic to finally share a little bit of what’s going on inside my head. Who better to be honest with than

beat against the side of the longship as a silence

people uncomfortable.” She let the words hang, and Argrave nodded. “Does