Jackal Among Snakes

To see the ever-diligent Orion neglect his perceived duty to the people was already disquieting enough… but the prince led Argrave further and further away from the camp, heading into the swamps. His only comfort was the knowledge that Orion wouldn’t need seclusion to kill him. Argrave stayed quiet—he felt the need to say something, anything, but he was so off-rhythm that he feared to bring up a topic that might cause an issue.

They came to a great depression in the wetlands. At the center, many similarly shaped stones had been stacked in an orderly heap that marked it as manmade. Argrave recognized this place—it had been made by the swamp folk. It was a graveyard of sorts. Each stones marked the passing of one of theirs. Now, much of it had been grown over by moss or carried away by rains.

Orion stepped ahead of Argrave and stopped. “Argrave. Do you have faith in the gods?”

Argrave digested Orion’s question in an attempt to discern his purpose, yet he wasn’t able to glean why Orion had brought him here with that question alone.

“I know that the gods are real, and that they affect this world,” Argrave said truthfully.

Orion nodded. “Yet do our ninety-six have potential beyond Vasquer, in your eyes? And be honest. Sycophancy earns only my ire.”

Argrave stared at Orion seriously. “Our gods can spread across all of Berendar if the right actions are taken,” he said in all truthfulness.

That was how it was in ‘Heroes of Berendar,’ certainly. If the player sided with Orion in the civil war, that fate was inevitable.

Orion placed both of his hands behind his back and strode towards the stones in the depression ahead. “Indeed, an apt way to put it. ‘If the right actions are taken,’” the prince repeated.

Argrave stepped a little closer after Orion, before the prince stopped and turned towards him. His eyes were closed as he spoke.

“Kreit, Achiel, Irae, Tuur, Pilth, Gael, Razan, Wellwin, Malac, Zellum, Moder…”

Orion carried on and on, listing what Argrave knew to be all of the gods in the Vasquer pantheon. Argrave could probably say what they governed if he had their names, but he certainly couldn’t remember all of those names.

After finishing his list, Orion opened his eyes and clenched his fist before him. “Those I speak to, even though I bless them—heal them—as a proxy for the gods, the people… the people sing my praises.”

Prince Orion started to cry. His tears were molten silver, and when they hit the ground, the wetlands steamed.

“The people are ignorant of the true agent of their welfare… it makes me weep,” he continued, choked up. “I speak to the people… and though they name the common gods, though they pray to Gael for justice… few can name more than five,” he lifted his head up the sky.

“Then, I wonder why I heal them,” Orion said, voice colder than the grave. The tears he’d shed rose from where they fell, reentering his gray eyes as though erasing his sadness. “They place only an idol of Gael in their house and pray for righteous justice to carry them through life. They forget all else yet have the gall to call themselves the faithful of Vasquer. Such thoughts… such impious thoughts…” he shuddered terribly, and then knelt on the ground. “Do you share them?” he looked up at Argrave.

Argrave looked down to Orion where he knelt and suggested, “Can people be blamed when they aren’t taught?”

and walked towards Argrave, looming above him. “Precisely so,” Orion agreed. “And this is the issue

and walked back towards the cairn. Argrave called out after him, “You wanted to talk about educating

at the pile of stones before him, kicking one away.

my own royal knights called me a

a brow.

whence it crawled, I expressed to my knights that they embrace the plague. That I would give them my blessing when the time came, and they would be all the stronger for it. Back then… they loathed me. Even the steadfast thought

Argrave listened patiently.

they fulfill these vows, they deem me monster.” Orion ground his foot into a large stone beneath, and it crumbled easily beneath his force. “Would they swear an oath they do not intend to follow? Why? Would they speak lies so easily? For what purpose? Though the founder of House Vasquer spoke lies freely, he never broke his vows! He never lied before the gods! So why?!” Orion

“Ask them,” Argrave suggested.

claiming they were fools and idiots to doubt me.” He took a deep breath and exhaled, then shook his head. “It is only my actions that earned me their loyalty. The oath

this camp, they come with eyes squinted tight in suspicion, bodies braced to run in fear. It is only when I deliver them the blessing imparted to me that

He didn’t feel danger, but he did feel quite uncertain about where this was headed. “The people

call me ‘holiness,’ when that is not what I am. I am a prince of Vasquer, blessed by the gods. The gods, their power wells within me… and they whisper truths in my ear. What

the people with these blessings. But I do not understand them. Despite my promises, they trust

standing over Orion as he sunk into the mud. “People will spread word of your good nature, your good

turned until he was on his side, then lightly bashed the side of his head into the mud, dirtying his long black braid of hair. “That is limited,” he said sadly. He turned to his back, then stared up at Argrave with his gray eyes. “Tell me—what gods do

breath, conjuring his old favorites from ‘Heroes of Berendar.’ “I like Zellum, the god of magic… Tireal, the goddess

course.

name was easiest to remember. It was important for the

blank expression, and for a few moments he worried he

and he wiped his face with muddy hands. Argrave stood around awkwardly as the

Vasquer, ostensibly… and yet with your words, you eased their suspicion of that heretical thing… that wetland

was necessary,” Argrave

they whisper in frenzy in my ears…” Orion clenched his head as if remembering something. “I am drawn to action as iron to a magnet. But you,” the prince lifted his head slowly. “You do not surrender to those

Argrave swallowed, worried.

envy you,” Orion finally said, abating some of his nervousness. He rose to his feet again. “You possess that which I

Argrave questioned

man, woman… even elves,” Orion prodded Argrave’s chest. “Your words can sway them. Not action. Speech. Promises. Just

I envy,” Argrave said, hoping to change the conversation away from

smiled. “Then it is good to know I am not alone in my feelings.” Orion looked back towards the cairn. “It is clear to me that this kingdom needs reform. Faith in the gods dwindles. Faith in the royal family has sunk even lower,” Orion said, shaking his head in distress. “I will not challenge Induen. By the grace of the gods, he is the divinely anointed heir.” He looked to Argrave. “But it is clear a monarch alone cannot satisfy the needs

some goosebumps at Orion’s words despite himself. He took a deep breath, then questioned, “What do