Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave stared at Nikoletta without batting an eye even as her eyes wavered on the point of frustrated tears. He couldn’t blame her for being distraught that he’d not come to help when her father had been captured. Were his reasons understandable, logically? He thought so. He had to prioritize stabilizing the country over saving one man. But with her father caught by Vasquer loyalists and dragged across almost the whole of the country, reason probably didn’t factor into the equation for her, presently.

“I’m sorry, Nikoletta,” Argrave said earnestly. Earnest apologies had solved a lot of his problems in the past.

This time, the apology seemed to make her angrier. “That isn’t what I asked,” Nikoletta shook her head, and the bird above her cried out, drawing Argrave’s eyes away. “Why even come now? Had you forgotten? Did my father and I jump into your head as an afterthought one night, Your Majesty?”

Argrave shifted on the back of his horse, looking to the Veidimen behind him before focusing ahead on her. “I came to help.”

Her firm posture crumpled somewhat, and her head nearly met her horse’s as she bent over. “Well, you’re probably too late to do that. The only thing missing to pronounce his death is his body. If indeed we can find that—perhaps he’s been eaten by the centaurs.”

With those last words, Nikoletta turned and rode back towards the fort that she’d just come from. Argrave watched her ride away for some time, then looked to Anneliese somberly. She gave him a sympathetic glance.

Orion rode up beside Argrave. “Cousin or no, that was disrespectful. She should be reprimanded, Your Majesty.”

Argrave side-eyed Orion. “Her father is missing. Don’t tie the noose yet.”

“Does that give her total amnesty?” Orion’s gray eyes seemed sharp even through the small holes in his golden helmet.

Argrave looked at him pointedly. “Think about how you acted when you lost family.”

Leaving the prince to stew on that, Argrave directed his horse forward after Nikoletta. They took things at a slower pace, giving the garrison of the fort ample time to see the approaching honor guard of Veidimen. As had been the case at Relize, they watched with awe at the sight of the hulking warriors.

There was a small stable established at the side of the fort, and their party trusted their few horses with the people there. They walked through the gate to be greeted by three: Nikoletta, Mina of Veden, and Magister Vasilisa. The blonde sister of the Archduchess of the North was a little taller than Nikoletta. Mina had grown her golden hair out long—it was as though she and Nikoletta had traded hairstyles, with Mina’s long and Nikoletta’s short.

“Your Majesty,” Mina bowed her head somewhat. It was strange hearing her refer to him as something other than her nickname for him, ‘Grave.’ She looked to the next, greeting, “Prince Orion. And your friend, Anneliese.”

“Wife,” Argrave corrected flatly, trying not to sound proud.

Mina stared at him with her greenish yellow eyes. “So she’s not your friend.”

Nikoletta long ago, and he looked at her to see if she thought the same. It did, evidently, because a small smile played about her lips. Soon enough melancholy took its roots in her head again, and the air between them grew somber as

Argrave, then looked at Anneliese. “I suppose I should call you Your Highness, now. I think you’ll be a good queen.

smiled. “Thank you,

niece,” Vasilisa continued. “Is she representing my

looked back at Nikoletta. “To the point, though. That little natural disaster I saw on the

busy fighting those damnable woodland creatures. They nearly killed me.

want you to scout out the roots, tell me what you see. Orion—help me get the Veidimen situated here at camp. I want to make some observations

time,” Nikoletta called out as Argrave started to walk

as Anneliese’s Starsparrow surged out, already moving to scout as he directed. “Very impressive. That means you have reached C-rank. I

top of the redwoods. Even behind walls, one

“I’ll figure things out,” he

at him. He wasn’t sure what she was thinking at that

#####

scouting deemed it safe to approach a decent way closer. Argrave was beyond curious. Enemies couldn’t dynamically transform the terrain in Heroes of Berendar—not enemies you could fight, at least. He had his suspicions, but nothing more. He wasn’t

asked him as he stared at the great mound of roots that had overtaken

roots, acutely aware of Mina’s gaze boring a hole in his head. Orion and Vasilisa both stood in front of him as though the thick wooden tendrils might come alive again and assault their

to Argrave. “Wood elves. And mayhap they will

we fought that thing that puppeteered corpses. Waqwaq. These trees look quite similar now to it now that

planted by that centaur Orion fought. Matesh.

wandered between the two of them. “When do you

her once again now that she’d said something outlandish. “When I can

that won’t be soon, I’ll go

father would like it if you died searching for him against the advice of people that

agreement, but Nikoletta was undeterred. “What do you know?” she turned

father?”

he did miss his real father on Earth, but it felt… different. Regardless, it seemed to

stripes of that now—the irreverence, the cynicism, the drive. He hoped to turn the car around before she came to that point. But frankly… he

silence, Anneliese abruptly walked away. She headed for the somewhat distant shore. Argrave watched her, puzzled.

“Checking something,” she said.