/n/jackal-among-snakes-1520/c-180
chapter-179

“Met halfway?” Orion repeated Argrave’s claims.

Argrave nodded. “I know your situation. Without you, this camp falls apart. Your blessings are the only thing keeping the vast majority of the people in this camp alive, and more come every day.” Argrave stepped closer. “But with this many people, things become more difficult with each new body. Even with spellcasters to create clean drinking water, food is a pressing concern in these wetlands. You have to dedicate your royal knights to hunting just to sustain this place… and even then, the creatures of the northwest aren’t the easiest to swallow.”

Argrave stepped just before Orion, staring up at his older brother. Orion pressed more, asking, “What will you do, then?”

“I’ll get what’s needed to justify action—to justify an expedition into the wetlands, where we can put an end to the swamp folks’ gods. I’ll set things in motion. All I need is help when the time comes.” Argrave held out his hand. “Focus on your duty. I will focus on mine.”

A normal person might question all of Argrave’s actions, his claims. Argrave had never before plainly stated the root cause of the land’s troubles to anyone besides his companions—not with the Veidimen, nor anywhere else. But Orion was far from normal.

Orion grasped Argrave’s hand. Argrave could still feel some intense heat from Orion’s earlier display. “The gods whisper true. The tallest trees grown sprout from the smallest seeds sewn. It seems you stand tall as testament to that.”

Argrave tried to parse his meaning, but Orion pulled him in and hugged him once more before he could ponder deeply. Argrave accepted it, knowing that refusal was not an option.

“A herd wanders if left alone for too long. I cannot let them go too astray. I must return to the people.” He patted Argrave’s shoulder, then released him. “Wait here. My knights will escort you to a room within the keep for you and my future sister-in-law, and a separate one for your companions. I will await your proof, Argrave. I hope for your sake you speak truly. Know that the gods do not like lies of such proportions… and I am the instrument to express their displeasure.”

After bowing to Anneliese respectfully, Orion left the room, closing the door behind him. Argrave watched the door, then glanced at Anneliese before finally turning to meet Magnus. The prince still stood there with arms crossed.

“So, l-l-l-little b-b-brother,” Magnus said, imitating a stutter. “What is this? Get a new set of eyes, a woman at your arms, and you think that the world will part for you?”

“Don’t act like you care. Go back to eating, drinking, and whoring yourself to an early grave,” Argrave waved his hand.

Magnus crossed his arms and grew silent. It seemed to finally be dawning on him that things had changed vastly from when Argrave had been ‘Argrave.’

“Can’t picture why you’re here. You’re a hedonist. You do what you want,” Argrave noted, stepping closer. “Someone like you has no place at the heart of a plague. Are you gathering information for the Bat, looking for a pretty penny? Heard rumors of something desirable, seeking to make it your own? Maybe you’re trying to use Orion as a cudgel for some scheme?”

The questions were many and largely unfounded, but with Anneliese’s presence, he hoped one of his wild guesses might bear fruit and draw a reaction from the taciturn prince.

Magnus stared up at Argrave. “And I should buy your ridiculous story of wanting to help Orion?”

“I don’t expect you to buy my story. Good thing for me, I’m not selling it to you,” Argrave shook his head. “It’s a waste of time talking to you. Go back to wandering, be a happy man. And if you don’t… well, don’t step on my toes. Might be I have to show you why I’m so confident all of the sudden.”

Prince Magnus scrutinized Argrave carefully. There was tension, and Argrave kept his focus on Magnus’ hands in case the man tried something. Argrave knew that, despite their relative equality in terms of magic ranking, Magnus had many, many enchanted items vested unto him by his father.

Even still, he was sure he could win. He partly wished Magnus would try something.

Magnus walked past Argrave, sparing one last glance at Anneliese before opening the door and leaving. Argrave let out a sigh of relief once the door had closed.

“Anger should not spur you so easily,” Anneliese said at once.

Argrave walked to the table and scanned the documents on it. They were mostly maps for the region, refusals of requests for supplies, and other such mundane things. Orion did nothing underhanded, so perhaps it was a waste of time.

After a time, Argrave lifted his head. “Magnus isn’t pivotal for anything. He doesn’t even travel with an escort of royal guards like most of the other princes. No danger, no use—why hold my tongue? It felt nice.”

“These things are only certainties in the world you knew,” she pointed out, walking closer. “Magnus may not be consigned to just that.”

Argrave’s next words caught. “You’re right,” he admitted. “There’s deeper meaning for his being here—has to be. Speaking of, did you…?”

She shook her head. “I gleaned nothing of his motivations. He and Orion are like opposites—if one is an explosion of light, the other is a gray slate. Magnus felt little—not anger, not happiness, not anything.”

Argrave nodded. “Yeah. The oldest and the youngest children of Felipe’s second queen, polar opposites.”

Anneliese stepped around Argrave to look at the documents herself. “Yet despite Magnus, everything went more or less as you expected. We will set the groundwork, and then Orion will…” she looked up at him. “What was it you said those weeks ago?”

“Putt the ball into the hole,” Argrave finished, shaking his head. “Golf, hah. Living in Berendar really puts into perspective how lavish the—”

A knock came at the door, cutting Argrave off. Soon after, the door was opened, and some of Orion’s Waxknights entered.

“Our Holiness has instructed us to assign you and your companions a room,” the knight said.