Jackal Among Snakes

“There’s something you should know,” Anneliese told Argrave.

Argrave set aside his duster, preparing to finally head to sleep. “Something wrong?”

“I believe Elaine is cooperating with the Bat, too. She felt guilty when you mentioned that name, as though she had informed on you and regretted it,” she disclosed seriously. “Although… the last bit is only my personal conclusion. I cannot say with certainty.”

Argrave frowned. “Not entirely unexpected… but good to know,” Argrave nodded. “I’ll be sure to watch my tongue.”

“You always do,” she noted, finally relaxing now that she’d conveyed what she had wanted to.

“Another thing,” Argrave pointed at her. “I need your help with something.”

Anneliese raised a brow. “Magic advice?”

“Durran advice,” Argrave said bitterly, then moved to sit on the bed, removing his shoes.

“Oh,” she took off her own duster, casting it atop his.

“The Margrave had no intent to release us,” Argrave stated plainly. “From what I remember of the conversation… he had plans for me. He wanted to introduce me to his vassals. That meant we’d be forced to stay, and with the importance of ending the spread of the plague, that’s simply not an option. This was a good outcome,” he reflected.

“But I don’t care if everything worked out—him going off on his own like that, it could cause problems in the future. It can’t happen again. At the same time…” Argrave shook his head, leaving a question unspoken.

Anneliese slowly shook her head, then sat down beside Argrave. “I think that is reasonable,” she reassured him.

“He needs to be reined in,” Argrave nodded decisively now that Anneliese agreed with him. He trusted her opinion more than his own. “I have to nip this in the bud, especially when dealing with that holy fool Orion. He could get us all killed. I can’t abide him continually doing things like this. If I can’t predict him, he might not be welcome. Durran’s a resourceful bastard—crazy, but smart. He’s got brains, balls—if he’d fucking be straight with me, I could use all that,” he said quickly, frustrated with the situation.

Anneliese shrugged. “Though I loathe to admit it… I do not know where to begin.”

to begin, just not how,” Argrave turned to her. “He doesn’t respect me. That’s the issue. He thinks more of his own opinion than

Anneliese shook her head.

brewing on the horizon. I have to show him that there are consequences for doing things like that—have

that—Elaine and Rivien. Perhaps not entirely honest, staging consequences for his actions…

with hers, expression slowly brightening as he put together what she said. Then, as he pondered it more, his gaze grew distant. “I don’t know… that seems like something Titus would do. I want him as an ally and confidant, not as some

win, no?” she pointed out

I ask you,” he pointed out, wrapping one of his arms around her. She smiled lightly. “Another thing,” Argrave continued. “I want you to stay inside until I get the things that’ll help

she looked at him. “We had this

take very long at all, maybe two days… and it would mean a great deal to me.” He swallowed, then clarified, “It would ease a lot of the

Finally, she sighed, then leaned forward and gave him a kiss. “Alright,” she agreed with

I know you’re pretty far from a fragile flower, but I don’t want to take any chances.” He sighed. “If it makes you feel any better, there’s something I want you to do. Talk to Durran, find out what he’s interested in doing. I’m sure if I forbid him from doing it, he’ll do it

have already made a plan,”

frankly, and it might cost me… but having Durran be truly steadfast

may come to that,”

work out. Durran had

could fit into the party he’d built thus

#####

calming a crowd using a common enemy was not as immediate

to the people just outside the gates, urging them to settle things amicably. He ate only bread and soup before them. They

outlasted their own and they could shout no longer. Like that, he was able to engage in dialogue with the revolt. He spoke to many people of their misgivings with the Duke, patiently listened to

talk, yet perhaps that was all the people needed. Eventually, he stepped down from the battlements, and moved to stand directly across from them, just beyond the gate. He befriended

under the law. He promised that the people who had been wronged would be

ever so slowly and deliberately so that soon enough, the people themselves were suggesting it would be best to focus on the plague and abandon this revolt. Elias never would have been capable of doing such a subtle thing—it was Stain’s idea, and

He was the first to walk among the people. His dialoging had not been without merit—he’d made friends among the would-be rebels, and they all greeted him without hostility. He could not say it was

Elias used his own men to organize proper treatment for all of the plague-ridden within Elbraille. At times he got his hands

virulent and highly contagious thing. Elias was not foolish enough to think that he could conquer it within the day—even still,

have faltered,” an old man explained to Elias, who stood in a tent with the plagued. Helmuth stood just beside him, guarding him ever-diligently. His purple