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.”

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.

if that is the case, that’s not important.” Argrave continued. “With his personality, we’ve got a recipe for disaster brewing on the horizon. I have to show him that there are consequences for doing

“We just conversed with two people who might help you with that—Elaine

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,

no?” she pointed out

one of his arms around her. She smiled lightly. “Another thing,” Argrave continued. “I want

at him. “We had this discussion. It

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

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

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.

have already

and it might cost me… but having Durran

may come to that,” she

out. Durran had ever been his

someone like that could fit into the

#####

was not as immediate a task as he suspected it might

nights on the battlements of Elbraille’s castle, largely sleepless, shouting out to the people just outside the gates, urging them to settle things amicably. He ate only bread and soup before them. They threw things, made outlandish demands,

be able to get through their outrage, eventually, his endurance 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 the people and their grievances, and

people needed. Eventually, he stepped down from the battlements, and moved to stand directly across from them, just beyond the gate. He befriended many and remembered countless names just as the people came to

He promised that the people who had been wronged would be given justice—promised that those people unfairly seized and executed by rogue knights of the Dukedom would have their family compensated and receive vengeance

and deliberately so that soon enough, the people themselves were suggesting it would be best

dared to open the gates. 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 warm—their tempers could not be calmed so quickly, he knew—but he finally

true work began. Though the Duke’s wife pressured Duke Marauch into remaining within the castle, Elias used his own men to organize proper treatment for all of the plague-ridden within Elbraille. At times he got his

that he could conquer it within the day—even still, by restoring order in the city,

man explained to Elias, who stood in a tent with the plagued. Helmuth stood just beside him, guarding him ever-diligently. His