Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave expected to speak to the Patriarch of the Veidimen at their capital, Veiden. They teleported there using [Worldstrider]. Argrave hoped to give Galamon some time to visit with his family. Instead, he was informed that the leader of the snow elves waited at Katla, the portside city that Argrave had first made it to when negotiating with the Veidimen.

Though Argrave was disappointed he could not give one of his close friends the long family visit he deserved, he expected a trip down memory lane might do both him and Anneliese some good. Instead, what he saw was that Blackgard was not the only city that had grown significantly.

Anneliese’s talk about the Veidimen prospering from the trade was not her conjecture. Veidimen vessels were the only to take harbor in these icy waters, and with them alone the oceans were crowded and cluttered. Argrave walked about the docks with a small escort of royal guards bearing divine weapons as they awaited Dras’ arrival.

“King Argrave.” A familiar voice made Argrave turn his head, and he rested his gaze upon Patriarch Dras, flanked by his guards. He was short for a snow elf, dressed in ceremonial white clothes befitting his station, and remained with shaven head and bone white eyes. “And the year-old daughter of mine. In what capacity do you two visit? As family, or as sovereigns?”

“The latter, unfortunately.” Argrave put his hands together as he walked closer. “I have a rather serious proposition to discuss, and little time for anything else.”

“You’ve finally come to the point I have, where time is precious. The missive mentioned you wished Veid to be present as well. Then, come.”

Dras beckoned Argrave onward, leading them through the ever-growing city. The city sprawled wider, and the buildings stood taller. The practical wooden homes had been replaced with stone as though the trappings of man were soon to catch up with them. But the patriarch took them past all of that, into a large new building nestled up beside a tall hill of snow-covered rock. Argrave saw large animal skulls lined up all along it.

“I imagine this will do you little good to prepare you for what questions await...” Dras stepped closer to Argrave. Their honor guards—Argrave’s royal guards and Dras’ personal guard—seemed to be incredibly wary of each other, even though both were Veidimen. “…but Veid has very earnestly wished to speak to you, Argrave. Almost as much as her mortal champion.”

“Alright…” Argrave took little comfort in that. He didn’t think he had done anything especially interesting enough to draw the eye of the goddess of the snow elves. “I’ll be on my best behavior, I suppose, if only because it’d bother Galamon if I weren’t.”

Dras glanced at Argrave. “A little respect can go a long way. A lot of adversity can be avoided.”

“We are well familiar with the value of respect. And this relationship our nations hold is something to be respected. You would agree with this, yes, father?” Anneliese stepped up alongside him.

The word clearly brought him pause, but he accepted it resignedly. “You’re as diplomatic as any daughter I could hope to have. Should I be half as blessed when that day comes…” Dras stopped at a large stone door, and his guards moved to push it open.

They entered inside the building, and as a wide set of stairs descended five steps downward, he realized this place was much more spacious than it appeared from the outside. Veid sat in the back, in all her divine glory. Her chamber was no throne indicating superiority—she lived as her people did, in fur clothes made for warmth, with weapons made to hunt, and with white eyes that seemed to look for any opening. There were two thrones in their chamber. They were not for king and queen, but rather for god and patriarch.

in the large throne beside Veid, and waited for them patiently. Argrave stepped up with Anneliese and Galamon at his side. His knight-commander didn’t kneel before

“It must bust be complicated, this leadership situation between you and Dras.” He stood firm and straight. He liked both of those present, but as he said, he was

I am given this chamber.” She spoke with extreme brevity as she looked between him and Anneliese. “I have other matters I wish to speak of. You

on something that Argrave would prefer to leave untouched. Still, he inhaled and answered with as brief an answer as her question. “Correct. As for why, Gerechtigkeit takes

itself makes the government dishonorable. This, I do believe: we both want the best for our people. In this way, our perspectives are ice and water;

Veid truly believed in what she said. In her world, what she did was best for her people. Argrave fiddled with the

world around them. What we establish today might not be all there

words with a humble nod. Dras watched all parties involved, and spoke only when silence extended between them. “Speaking of the foundation of a government… Galamon informed me that you endeavor to create

still a breach of information. “I’ve learned the power of the status quo. People fight very desperately to keep it. All we have to do is establish a status quo that serves the people first

long enough. You

He’d been told that Veid intended to have a conversation with him, but this felt a little… short. Would their true conversation come later? Argrave couldn’t answer that, but as he lost himself in thought Anneliese

the terms to a deeper alliance than what we have now. To put

is it? There’s a lesson to be learned there.” He tapped the armrest to the throne. “Let us

#####

without an answer under the pretext of referring

to her without the same sort of deference the others might’ve given her. He had to be this way,

up to him. “Would you become a footnote in another’s triumph, so

she was divinity for a

I, watching you in these years. And now, being here, I can pose that

a slow spin, Dras strolled to collect the answer he’d been lacking for many years. He could hear the footsteps of the god behind him. Perhaps that was

position of power. He’d been desperate, hungry, and wanted change. And when things got better, survival morphed into forging an opportunity for something better. And that opportunity spiraled until he had unified this continent. The boy he was… he did

Veid’s vision, whether it meant glory for himself or

Dras turned back to Veid quickly.

be overshadowed. You will be a great conqueror just as you

“What do you mean?”