Jackal Among Snakes

Anneliese pushed open the fur flap of a traditional Veidimen tent, walking within. The first thing she saw was a wood-burning iron stove, its makeshift chimney piping smoke through a hole in the top of the circular tent. These dwellings could be constructed in thirty minutes by veteran Veidimen, and the fur padding outside and wood stove could stave off the coldest conditions. It brought back memories, and seemed far out of place in the warmth of the summer they found themselves in.

Next, her mother fell into sight: Kressa. She was short for a Veidimen, not at all like long-legged Anneliese. Even still, that placed her a little above six feet. She had bright white eyes and golden blonde hair kept at shoulder-length. She looked a little heavier than Anneliese remembered. The probable explanation for that sat in her hands—a newborn child.

“Anneliese,” Kressa said, her voice bright with genuine surprise. “I didn’t think you’d come. Much less alone.”

Anneliese kept her feet firmly rooted to the ground as she replied, “Dras said you asked me to come alone.”

“Well… yes, I did. But you never listened to me in the past,” Kressa shook her head, then when the baby in her hands made a noise, soothed it quietly. “Look. Your baby sister, Rache,” she said, holding the child out slightly.

Anneliese looked at the little girl wrapped in furs. Though she had Kressa’s eye and hair color, she recognized bits and pieces of her mother’s husband in the facial features. She refocused on her mother and said, “I thought that Dras was talking about Jirella.”

Perhaps I set myself up for disappointment thinking that she would come, Anneliese reflected, but left those words unspoken.

“The day you left without a word was the day we found out I was pregnant with Rache,” Kressa continued. “You can’t blame Jirella for being upset.”

Anneliese sighed and turned on her heel towards the entrance.

“Don’t go,” her mother called out with some urgency, stepping forward. “Don’t go, please. I didn’t come here to fight.”

Anneliese paused and looked back. Her mother’s genuine plea brought her pause, and she hesitantly stepped away from the entrance.

“It was very difficult for me to muster the courage to come here again,” Kressa said with a tremoring voice. “This place brings back only bad memories. The unending green, the people… we barely survived.”

Annelise swallowed, looking down at her mother. “Then why did you, exactly? I have some trouble understanding it.”

“Because I don’t want to part,” Kressa said simply. “You’re my daughter. You’re my family. We can’t just never speak again—that’s not right.”

Anneliese stood silently, blinking as she waited for her mother to continue.

“Word of you reaches home very often,” Kressa continued, looking to her child and lightly swaying. “And look at you. You look wonderful. Apparently, Rowe the Righteous tells all those he teaches that they’re drooling imbeciles compared to you. He gave my mother a real dressing down when she fought back,” she laughed.

Anneliese chuckled quietly.

“I was really glad that she got taken down a peg. I can’t remember how many times she did the same to me. Ah, but… don’t mistake me,” Kressa said. “I’m not here to ask you for anything, or… or take advantage of you, or anything like that. I just… I was very sad when you left. I cried enough your father thought I would miscarry.”

“My father’s dead,” Anneliese shook her head.

Kressa’s face tightened. “You know what I meant. My husband.”

Anneliese nodded calmly.

Kressa stared for a few moments, then said, “Dras claims you’re getting married.”

Veidimen way,” Anneliese

my time here… anyone that spoke ill of the king was hated. Everyone answers to him. But you… you’re so talented, smart, beautiful… I think you’re the reason he is where he is, hmm?” She smiled up at Anneliese sincerely, the spitting image of a proud mother. “Your

and

“If not, perhaps you could tell me

minutely surprised. She slowly lowered

Kressa nodded, stepping back towards the stove. “Shall we meet him? Or maybe we can

uh…” Anneliese stepped a little more inside the tent. “I fear

how forgetful of me,” Kressa shook

just that. I have other things I must attend to with Argrave. I’m afraid that it’s just not feasible to linger for too

then?” Kressa

her head. “Perhaps I can write, but we

said with a tight voice. Anneliese eyed her cautiously as her mother continued, “I fed you, clothed you, kept you safe, and you don’t want to even look at me, talk to me more than a

ward that away. Old patterns realigned in her head, and as they

Anneliese!” Kressa called out. This time Anneliese did not change course, and so she spat, “All I did for you,

as Anneliese’s steps quickened. She pushed past the tent flaps, then

#####

and sighed. “Rhomaden was a tiny little bundle when I left. Could fit him in my hand. Now…” Galamon looked off to the side. “I think I’m just a big man called ‘father’ to him. Missed so

didn’t know how to respond. Instead, he asked, “But Muriem… she was

lowered his head and

his brows. “See? I told you

his cold white eyes upon Argrave.

to get some details

to the tent and stepped in quickly. She paused when she saw Galamon and

time,” Galamon said, rising

Argrave as he rose to his feet. She rubbed her eyes hard, looking

bad, huh?” he said,

she replied drolly. “My head feels full of rocks. I

of her head and jostled it lightly. “Seems normal to me. Might be cement brain, though. Harder

and it is genuine, I know it. She feels these things as surely as she expresses them. The next… her tongue turns to acid. Such a hatred, just as pure as the love had been. I got out before it got as bad as it usually does, but… hah. Historically, I know it is best to avoid her. Still, afterwards… I always wonder if this time, things

of her head, holding her

when I was younger, too,” Anneliese recounted distantly. “She would cry, call me precious, hold me tight… but the inverse came just as quickly. And if I avoided her, she would say she was going

thought of something. “Is that why you

“Yeah,” Anneliese finished.

breath.

his shoulder. “Maybe I was just

shook his head. “Don’t think that

the last light of dusk. “I like thinking that way. I saw countless people that, when faced with one tragedy, turned it into five or six by weakness of will.” She shook her head. “Self-pity does nothing for no one.

for me?” Argrave tilted

you would not have come this far,” Anneliese told him, then closed her eyes.