Jackal Among Snakes

Corentin sat in a group of near eight others, in the same house that he had just had his discussion with Argrave. The other southron elves were grizzled, scarred warriors just as he was—obvious war veterans. They were in a loose circle, some standing, some sitting.

“So, just as Durran did, this new arrival claims to have met my daughter?” one asked, a man with a missing nose.

“Yeah,” Corentin nodded, looking out towards the door. “Same tale as Durran, too. Gebicca was crushed beneath rocks. Same accounts. Only difference…” Corentin turned his head back. “Argrave brought Brumesingers with him. Seems to have tamed them, too.”

The warriors all looked greatly intrigued by this. One, who leaned against Corentin’s wall, asked, “How?”

“I don’t know,” Corentin shook his head.

“You didn’t ask?” the man pressed.

“What am I, a damned interrogator? You ask him,” Corentin crossed his arms and shook his head.

“What good are you, old bastard?” the man with the missing nose asked.

“Least I can still smell things, Morvan,” Corentin returned with a laugh. “You go outside, that cavity you call a nose fills up with sand. What kind of desert warrior loses to sand?”

Some of the others joined the man in laughter.

“You one-eyed prick,” Morvan leaned forward, a smile on his face.

“Let’s stay serious,” another man interjected—though he seemed the oldest, he was the least scarred. All of the others heeded his words at once. “Save the banter for when we don’t have an unexpected visitor. This man, Argrave, claims to be working with the Lord of Copper. This deserves serious treatment.”

Corentin raised his hands. “Of course, Florimond.”

Florimond looked about. “What is he doing right now?”

Someone stalked to the door of Corentin’s house. “Looks like… he’s letting the Brumesingers play with the children.”

That brief little description immediately made everyone stir.

“Either he’s not a bad guy, or he’s damned good at tugging the heartstrings,” Morvan shook his head.

“This is someone working for the Vessels,” another warrior posited. “With the intent to betray them, too. Maybe he’s a paragon. Maybe he’s a good actor.”

That sobered some of the warriors up, and their smiles faded somewhat.

“But what he’s saying—that the southern tribals are going to attack with the help of the Lord of Copper—it does match with what Durran told us. Everything matches,” Corentin ceded.

“Did you tell him anything about Durran? About the proposition the man’s made to us?” Florimond questioned.

“You think I’m stupid?” Corentin put a hand to his chest. “I kept my mouth shut, tried to let him say his piece.” Corentin lowered his hand.

“And that warrior with him?”

Probably the type of guy I’d avoid on the battlefield. Strong, tough, hard. If

from anything, craven

brave you are,” Corentin gestured towards the no-nosed elf. “His hand’s bigger than your head.

laughed, and even Morvan sunk back into his

we going to say to this

we?” Corentin crossed

true,” Florimond nodded. “Nothing to gain from that. I do think we

“Doesn’t matter if he can manipulate the Lord of Copper if he’s a drooling imbecile. If he’s stupid, we should probably migrate. Been too long,

on my end. I brought this,” he pulled out the black cube with glowing purple runes on it. “He kept his eye on it, like

have told

he shook his head, then lowered his

quiet, as though to comfort the man’s loss. Someone patted him

the silence, shaking his head. “Keep talking,

room chuckled. Florimond heeded Morvan’s advice, continuing, “So—we ask him questions,

said the entire

#####

place. I can hear nothing,”

explained. “They help with

the oasis town. The Brumesingers dashed about the open area like little balls of lightning, the southron elven children watching them and playing with them, tossing things to be retrieved or leading them about with

you like children?”

“No,” said Argrave immediately.

looked down.

it’s fine,” Argrave shrugged. “I don’t want to deal with other people’s children. Nephews, nieces, et cetera—that’s tolerable. Otherwise, forget about

“Sons, daughters?” he pressed.

his head. “Wrong time to even

where the mind wanders,”

ready,” Argrave crossed his legs.

wasn’t ready,

crowd

age, injuries… these men are

questioned, though he knew

man’s skill by sight alone. None can,” Galamon shook his head. “But they’re alive. That is testament to

skilled,” Argrave told

Galamon, keeping an eye on them as they

of old veterans was quite a gruesome sight, but strangely, Argrave could not bring himself to pity any of them. They seemed too proud to be

a little nervous, facing them all. The Brumesigners, either sensing his nervousness or simply tired of playing with

Argrave,” Florimund greeted. “And those creatures…” he eyed one of the Brumesingers, who kept

on Morvan. “You must be Gebicca’s father,”

He was missing a pinky. “Corentin

paused, taken aback by this reaction. At first, he dismissed the thought, presuming that the man had time to process his grief since Corentin had informed him… but Morvan definitely wouldn’t process it to this point, and

known. He’s known

alternatives, another explanation for this scenario… but nothing came, and the only thing Argrave could conjure was that Morvan had been informed a long time ago. The southron elf locked himself away for a week in ‘Heroes of Berendar.’ Considering everyone