Jackal Among Snakes

In an area far away from the Tower of the Gray Owl, enough knights gathered to form a forest of horseflesh and steel-armored knights. Countless banners hung in the sky, swaying against the light winds of winter. Though the heraldry on each was varied and many, the most common colors were white and gold, and many flags were derivatives of the golden lion of House Parbon. At the head of this host, Margrave Reinhardt sat aback his prized warhorse. Evidently the white stallion had been recovered from Mateth after its theft.

Though stationary, the army did not look unprepared for battle. The men kept their disciplined warhorses at ease. Even more diligent were the countless mages in the party—they had to be, for a magical assault could occur far more silently than a charge of an army. Yet roaming warbands bearing the golden snakes of Vasquer roamed the plains, and none could be said to be truly at ease.

In the far distance, a party of over a dozen moved across the plains towards their party. A scout shouted, “Two A-rank! Three C-rank! Nine mundane!”

“At ease!” shouted the Margrave, his voice a great bellow beneath his gilded white great helm. He spurred his horse forward and proceeded, moving to meet the party that came. The A-rank mages were the men the Margrave had sent to guard his son.

As the two came nearer… Mina, Elias, Nikoletta, and Stain came into view, and the Margrave hastened his horse. The roaming warbands bearing the flag of Vasquer, though far from the host, took note of the detachment. The army prepared to cover the Margrave if he should come under attack.

“Son,” the Margrave greeted in a shout, slowing his horse as the two came near. “You’re alone.”

Stain seemed to want to correct that very desperately, but he stayed silent. None of the others seemed to mind.

“I am,” Elias nodded, making Stain all the more frustrated. “We have to talk, father. Who is present?”

The Margrave nodded. “A great deal of those supporting us. Come,” he waved his hands, then pulled on his horse’s reins.

The sound of horns blew across the plains. The Margrave whipped his head about, watching the movement of the enemy hosts scattered about the plains. Once one of the other parties heard the horn sounding, it was echoed to the next party, and like this, communication was quickly established.

The horses grew uneased by the sound of the horn as though it told of an ill omen. The lesser, poorly trained warhorses stirred, yet most remained firm. The Margrave clenched the reins tight in his white gauntlets, waiting and watching.

Yet the enemy parties moved out and away, converging towards several designated points. It seemed they were regrouping, yet not attacking. The Margrave nodded. “Come, Elias, everyone.”

#####

Elias stepped inside his father’s war tent, legs still stiff from such a long and tense ride on horseback. The armies could not proceed past certain geographical points without technically breaking the clause of non-interference in Order business, yet there was still an instinctual fear when seeing the roaming bands of warriors willing and able to slaughter Elias outside that boundary on his trek here.

Bizarrely enough, that fear was not abated being in his father’s command tent. The multitude of powerful people present put Elias on edge—his father, Duke Enrico of Monticci, Duke Marauch of Elbraille, Count Delbraun of Jast, and Duke Sumner of Dedsworth from the southeast. There were many other powerful lords that had lent their name to the aid of House Parbon, and all stood before a long rectangular table.

Elias had told his father Reinhardt what Argrave had said. He had expected to try desperately to persuade the Margrave to accept Argrave, poor though his conditions might be. But then, his father did something that defied his expectation—he asked Elias to deliver the news to all the gathered leaders himself.

Margrave Reinhardt stepped past Elias. Everyone followed Reinhardt with their gazes as he walked—it was clear enough just by that alone that he was the leader. Reinhardt walked around the table, coming to stand at the head of the rectangular table. Elias stood opposite him, and the rest of his companions from the Tower came to stand beside or behind him.

“My lords,” Reinhardt said loudly and clearly, his commander’s voice naturally drawing the attention of what few individuals did not already look at him. “My son has returned from the Tower of the Gray Owl alongside his three companions, having spoken to Argrave.”

All four—Stain, Elias, Nikoletta, and Mina—came to stand side-by-side, directly opposite the Margrave. Mina seemed discomforted, for she had no relatives present whatsoever. She was not so out of place as Stain, who desperately tried to ignore the fact his brother, who had disinherited him, stood just beside the Margrave.

Realizing that none would speak first, Elias answered his father. “Indeed, we spoke to Argrave. The rumor of him slaying is brother is categorically true. It was the culmination of a feud near a decade old—Induen slayed Argrave’s mother in cold blood before his eyes and had been abusing him for years.”

his advocate,” Duke

Sumner was a mage, and a powerful one—his family of Dedsworth, like Count Delbraun of Jast’s, were traditionally mages. His A-rank ascension was not particularly out of the norm, and so he seemed rather plain—a finely-cut brown beard leavened with wavy hair. He looked as young as Elias, though with a certain maturity

body and armor. “I sent Elias to find and retrieve Argrave to

Sumner said, “This was never a war of disputed heritage, Margrave Reinhardt. Felipe has the blood of Vasquer in

were spoken neutrally, but Sumner’s points grew some support from the people that opposed the

path. They have deviated from the path of a king. Felipe, Orion, Levin… they are not fit. And

Elenore?” Duke Marauch suggested

lead us down it? I will admit she was a bright, vivacious youth… but Felipe cruelly robbed her of all potential and keeps her locked within a greenhouse in the capital. A ruler cannot

orange-eyed man that was his brother. Delbraun did not deign to even acknowledge

at the Tower, I dedicated much of my time to surveying Argrave’s character. All four of us did,” he waved between the four of them that had been present. “My escorts, too, bore witness to his character. I can guarantee each and all of us will attest that having Argrave on the throne after the war is finished is our best option—indeed, perhaps the only option

attention of all, and Elias tried to press pass his nervousness. “Duke Enrico—please

hair to gather himself. “Well… after informing me of the coming invasion and enabling me to prepare defenses, Argrave aided in the defense of a

cut in, crossing her

be occupied by them. Their naval forces were vastly superior to our house’s prized fleet, and their warriors very nearly seized the city. Argrave was the one to

an interest in making him look good,” a countess swearing fealty to

head, but Nikoletta rebutted, “Argrave and I are not betrothed, nor will

surprised glance at his

ambivalent about the news, but others

right away. He knew it would be pragmatic to exclude this detail, but he would not lie to people fighting a war on their behalf. “A B-rank

turning away from the table. Many

headed to the

had a slight history with Argrave, having met him at Jast. “Why is this betrothal being glossed over? That is a serious issue, to take one of elven blood to wife. All of this is an ill omen. It speaks of strong ties to

was a point I brought up to Argrave. It’s not

people like no other I have met. The Order has accepted her as an Honorary Wizard, and she was applying to join the

“Enrico himself claimed that this war was lost before Argrave brought it to a halt. A bride of their people? That hints at collusion, of close ties—who can say where Argrave’s loyalty lies? He travels with two of these snow

those that had seemed positively predisposed to the idea of Argrave being their claimant agreed with that

after the war is finished,” someone suggested. “When all

loudly, “This is all baseless, unreasonable assumption. The elves were winning—if he were their allies, he would not have

shrugged. “Who knows what

the plot, my lords! We speak of Argrave and his

House’s name behind those

illness firsthand—some of us, more than others,” Elias gestured vaguely to his eye. “Argrave knew the danger

an end to it?’” Count

here—it was spreading vigorously across my body before stopping suddenly. The fact is, this plague was

were a mixture of those impressed and

the north. Argrave put an end to it with Orion’s help, I swear it,” Mina stepped forth, saying so boldly. “He had me stall Induen at my father’s keep to ensure he was not