Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave stood in Elenore’s office, deep inside the parliamentary hall. Orion stood at the doorway, while Anneliese attended to another matter regarding Mial and the other prisoners.

“First among our tasks… distribution of what we’ve stolen from Erlebnis,” Argrave said, reading a paper that Elenore had handed him. “I think I can do this with my listener present. I might even get some satisfaction knowing that we’re dividing the loot from his vault while he listens.”

“I did want to hear your thoughts on that before I made any choices,” Elenore nodded.

“…there’s a lot of stuff,” Argrave confessed. “I was going to ask Hause for help appraising all of it.”

“Don’t you know?” Elenore raised her brows.

“I’m not a machine. I don’t remember all of it,” Argrave defended. “Anyway… the majority of the weapons, we should give to Durran’s god-slaying retinue. He’s dealt with a lot of the baddies, but more of them could still pop up before the toughbastards like Erlebnis and Kirel Qircassia start manifesting. Just make things easy for him.”

“I suggest we set aside some to distribute to the nobility,” Elenore advised. “It will enhance their ability to defend distant territories, while also ensuring their loyalty. These artifacts… what are they truly capable of?”

“One of them could probably put you on par with Galamon, physically,” Argrave said with a shrug. “Others have specific effects. I think… I think one of them might help Valeria. Temporarily. I can finally keep that promise to you, maybe.” He looked at Orion.

The golden-armored knight blinked in shock. “You mean… I might speak to my mother when she is rational?”

“Yep,” Argrave nodded. “Won’t last forever, but it’s a start. From there, I’ll be looking out for other solutions. Non-divine solutions. Unless your stance on divinity changes.”

Orion slammed his fist against his chest hard enough to bend his armor. “Thank you, Your Majesty!”

“Orion’s mother,” Elenore crossed her arms and looked a little pleased. “If one of them might do that… they’ll all be incredibly useful, then.”

“Yeah. We pilfered some other stuff. A dragon egg. I usually sell those, unless I’m playing as—” Argrave cut himself off, hesitant to mention anything related to Heroes of Berendar, even if it was innocuous and vague. “Point is—this’ll take time. Let’s do it while I’m far away, so I can assess things one by one.”

“Okay,” Elenore agreed. “I’d like you to tweak some things about your Domain of Order presiding over the town. It should help make the city safer and more efficient. Crime is basically non-existent. It’s been wonderful, but it could be more.”

Argrave read the paper, where her desired changes listed out for quite some time. “I see that,” he mumbled after a second. “Alright. And then?”

“I’m going to construct a… a mailbox for you, shall we say,” Elenore held her hand out. “It’ll be connected via my blessing from Lira, allowing me to transfer documents to you for you to stamp with your magical signature. Other things, too, but that’s my use for it. We’ll retrieve it after you change the Domain of Order.”

“Alright. And then?” Argrave pressed.

“Just a last-minute census, a few other minor things to deal with, some public appearances, speaking to a few members of parliament… trivial things, but they need to be done. Oh, and I’d like to communicate with the gods in our alliance.”

“Alright. And the last entry… surprise,” Argrave narrowed his eyes, then opened them wide. “Oh. I was in business mode. What’s the surprise?” He paused and shook his head. “Wait—it’s a surprise, duh. You can’t tell me.”

“Precisely,” Elenore took the paper. “Now… let’s get you to work.”

#####

with many of his favorite people in a small, secluded building in Blackgard. This was his surprise—a private banquet. It wasn’t overly grandiose, but nor was it excessively humble. In other words, precisely the way Argrave liked things. This surprise was a welcome one after the day of tedium he’d endured. The

night, the Alchemist awaited. Argrave would be sure

with him on the heist was here, alongside Elenore. Castro had joined at Argrave’s invitation. Some of his people were absent by circumstance or choice—Nikoletta and Onychinusa, for instance—but altogether, it felt

last supper before prison.” He left out the next part, saying

of Elenore’s chair proudly and possessively. Elenore didn’t seem to mind. “We’d best make

smiled at the two of them together, then said after a moment’s pause, “We should make it good for Elenore, too,

have the decency to respect my nights, at the very least,” Elenore looked at him pointedly,

second that. For different reasons than her, I imagine,” Durran added, and laughed when Elenore turned

wear his golden armor—Argrave’s request. With a neat braid on his black hair and a tight combing

His Majesty intends for it to be grander than it was,” Castro

Ingo?” Argrave

to describe how it feels to simply teach him magic with nothing else as

servants dressed in

a little straighter,

from the fields, or from the livestock… all of this was grown here in the bounds of this valley.” The servants piled the platters up in the center of the

grow up faster than I remember,” Melanie said as she reached and retrieved a steak. “Or we’re killing

that, I’ve imported spices from the

asked Argrave, but she seemed to already be certain of the answer as she retrieved some. “And I remember

the spices to this dinner. She had

miss you,”

broke off into their own conversations as they ate, leaving them

hope so,” Anneliese said in half a

Anne,” he rebutted

broadly, face flushing somewhat. “Yes,” she agreed shyly. “Hause told

closer. “Where is she? I’ll go

him grin, and she ignored him and continued, “In the past, her calling me that would have resonated. Now… now, not so much. I feel secure. With you. With

built this,” he placed his hand over hers. “And I feel

I am finally strong enough to admit that I grow weary of it all,” she looked back at the table. “I

fight for it,” Argrave responded. “Only

My nerve is as cold and hard as ever. I

me. If there’s one thing you suck at,

more planned for us after this… but hearing that, I may reconsider and

Argrave went rigid and

she ordered him, words interspersed with

#####

his abode of obsidian.

his last goodbyes. He said to the Alchemist, “Didn’t realize