Jackal Among Snakes

Multiple servants pushed aside two gargantuan marble doors that marked the entrance to a vast estate. The place did not have a grandiose garden or a walkway that housed statues as Argrave had seen elsewhere. Indeed, it was quite compact, fitting in alongside several other markedly unique yet similarly ostentatious mansions. Innumerable patricians made their home along the riverside, and the Dandalan family was no different. To make one’s home beside the river was a matter of prestige.

Argrave glanced around the inside of the mansion. The marble on the floor had patterns marked—golden flourishes so well-integrated as to appear part of the marble. From the main hall, one could see the other three stories of the mansion, each and all overlooking the main portion just opposite the doorway. Several members of the Dandalan family looked down on Argrave, Anneliese, Elenore and Melanie. If this visit did not go well, their presence would surely be announced to the rest of the city.

Argrave grabbed the wide-brimmed tellerbarret with two fingers, adjusting it. Though he did not like the clothes that had puffed up sleeves and legs, he had to admit the hat was quite nice. He felt like some sort of desperado, dressed in all black and bearing a golden plume on his hat. A desperado or a pimp, he supposed.

The dress for women was not as bizarre as that for men. Melanie came as a guard, so she wore the same things as ever. Elenore looked nice, bearing a modest green dress that had gold markings at points. Relize was still the colder north, so dresses were not so exposing. And Anneliese… Argrave could hardly take his eyes off her. With her long white hair bound in a half-crown braid, her amber eyes shining even more brilliantly than the jewels of the same color lining her white dress… in Argrave’s eyes, she looked like someone right out of myth.

Their party of four stepped within the mansion, and the servants once again strained to shut the heavy marble doors behind them. Argrave felt quite exposed without Galamon and Durran with him for this, but bringing so many people might antagonize the Leopold in some way. It didn’t matter too much, though—Anneliese had scouted the mansion thoroughly, and no one waited in ambush.

A prominent Dandalan family member, Ansgar, waited in the central hall before them. He stepped forward towards their group, and gave a polite, almost ritualistic bow.

“Welcome, princess Elenore. And—"

“If we go by status, you should greet the two beside me first,” Elenore interrupted.

Argrave said nothing—this had been premeditated. If they were to present Argrave as the claimant to the throne, it had to be clear that Argrave was not a subordinate, and rather it was Elenore that was hierarchically beneath him.

Ansgar looked up and ran a hand across his long beard. “Then I offer my greeting to Argrave and his fiancée, and to the princess Elenore.”

Argrave nodded. “Well met.”

“I would take you to meet the patriarch now,” Ansgar said formally.

“Lead,” Argrave nodded.

The Dandalan bowed once again, turned on his heel, and walked into the heart of the mansion. Elenore held Argrave’s arm with her own, still insisting she never expose the fact she was no longer hindered by her loss of sight. Ansgar, fortunately, was quite accommodating of this.

They headed down a long, straight hallway, right towards the opposite side of the mansion. Many of the Dandalan family had gathered here—Argrave could spot some similar traits in their face. The Dandalans had thick brows, did not seem to grow bald no matter the age, and were generally of average height. They all seemed to have angry faces, man or woman.

Argrave arrived at a familiar double door of dark wood. Leopold Dandalan was beyond. Ansgar stepped up, and gingerly knocked thrice.

“Enter,” a gruff, powerful voice answered back.

behind his desk. Instead of a back wall, two large glass doors exited out onto a balcony that overlooked the river. The Dandalan patriarch did not seem to be much more than a vaguely angry-looking

glorified bureaucrat with too many children. Come in, come in.

waited outside, stopped by Ansgar.

grace my halls like balm to a burn.” He ran a hand across his beard, looking to Anneliese. “Well, perhaps you

father,” Ansgar said, shutting

jumped between the three of them. “Well, sit. No time for ceremony, politeness. One of you has broken their mandate to stay locked up in a little greenhouse, and the other is wanted all

your time, Leopold,” Argrave said, the first

scratched his cheek, staring down

asked to meet otherwise,”

that half my children had your magical talent. And your fiancée… some more big people on the way, it would seem. Big people with

of uncomfortable meetings with his

ships. If you came all this way to ask me for passage on a ship, or to borrow my vessels for something… I’d have to question if you

hands on her lap. “You read our message. What did you gain from

a machine of war,” Leopold tapped the table. “Machine for your war against Vasquer, that is. You would think royally educated people, bastards or not, would know that war is

Argrave shook his head. “With the amount of guards you patricians alone

my ships, yet again…” Leopold took a deep breath. “Alright. What’s your bid? Not

up a large powerbase here in Relize—instead of going after prestige and status, you’ve been working with the merchant families who can’t obtain patrician status after the Rescindment of Profligacy and Corruption. I think you can be established as that leader, and I think you can revoke the Rescindment. That would secure

owner of Relize?” Leopold asked neutrally. “Its count? Or duke, perhaps, given

Relize will revert to its old system after the war is finished. The only reason Relize has become as

toothpick out of his mouth. “You would not

that?” Argrave

placing the toothpick back in his mouth. “Not of Relize, that’s for certain. This place would wither

scared—they want a leader. I’m respected, I think. Maybe I’m an out of touch, delusional

solve this issue,” Argrave suggested, and Anneliese nodded with

weak,” Leopold said bluntly. “Could fracture the realm further if you ever sit in the Dragon Palace. And sustained hostilities are truly terrible for

Argrave said. “And the south will support me. With Relize on my side, the war will

that were the case, I’d be king,” Leopold leaned in on his desk. “All I see… is two very well-dressed exiles,

soul. And I think you would be wise to consider all of

stared at Anneliese. “Awfully confident.” He leaned back. “Heartwarming thing to see, lovers-at-arms fighting against an old man’s words. Well…” Leopold sighed. “I am glad that Induen is dead. More of a bastard than you are, Argrave. Took thousands of gold from my pockets. And I’ve heard the

Levin fractures the realm again, naming himself king of an independent realm of Atrus. Argrave alone can unite

got…” his face slowly turned into a frown. “Yeah, I guess they’re all terrible. Or dead. Or insane. Eugh…” the aged patriarch rubbed his face. “I shouldn’t have to think about this. Why can’t