Jackal Among Snakes

“The goals of this meeting are manifold,” Elenore told Argrave as they watched the horizon where the barge was liable to appear. Their own ship—a simple Veidimen longship, brought out to avoid attention. “Anneliese needs to study him with her [Truesight] to see if he’s made a pact with any gods. If he has, we break immediately. Furthermore, we need to find out how Governor Zen learned so much about Vasquer. It irks me that he seems to know as much as us as we do of him. As far as I’m concerned, if we can’t find out that information, we should kill him.”

“Need we thirst for blood so much?” Orion, sitting across from them on another of the ship’s benches, clasped his hands together. “He brings his family. We bring ours. That says much of a man’s intent.”

“No, I’m concerned just as much,” Patriarch Dras shook his head. “He knew me by name. Most in Vasquer are aware of the alliance between our peoples, but not so much the personages leading Veiden. That implies a deep infiltration of our higher power. We’ll come to know, or we’ll come to kill. There can be no middle-ground.”

Argrave looked at everyone. “We’ve experienced nothing but setbacks infiltrating their nation. Governor Zen has proved his capability. Now, we have the opportunity to gauge his malleability. He could prove to be another ally, or another like Ji Meng—a double-edged sword. Making him an enemy or a corpse should be a last resort, not the first or second.”

“I concur.” Anneliese stared down at her staff, placed atop her lap, as the longship gently rocked in the serene darkness.

“Chances are, his family won’t be half as good as ours,” Durran noted, lying down on the ship. Apparently, he felt ill. Indeed—a wyvern rider grew ill on a boat. The Sea Dragon had been an exception, for magic stabilized its surface, but now he was subject to the whims of the tides.

“We’ll know, soon. The barge approaches.” Orion peered out into the silent and dark ocean.

Everyone peered at the water. Given time, Argrave saw the square barge cut silently across the ocean, still and solid. Like the Sea Dragon, it had magic to stabilize its voyage—it was a high-class vessel meant for the Great Chu high society.

“Melanie’s looking after Sophia?” Argrave asked Elenore.

“The same as every other time you asked,” Elenore covered her eyes.

He was paranoid about this being some kind of distraction to pull them all away from Sophia and kidnap her, so he placed ample guards by her side in their absence. But those worries were soon overshadowed by those of his new arrival. One thing was certain—they wouldn’t be leaving this ship until an agreement was made, or an enemy. Ji Meng spoke of Governor Zen’s prowess often enough for it to make Argrave question if making a corpse of him would be so easy. That was excluding his grandchildren—unknown factors, largely, briefly spotted in transit by druidic scouts.

The gargantuan barge finally made its way by their ship, its huge bulk sending thick waves that made the waters harsher. Argrave’s Veidimen guards aboard lowered a ramp down to the longship, and Orion dutifully tied it to the ship until it was secure. Once it was, they all walked up, Argrave the second-to-last followed by his brother. They stepped aboard the pleasure barge, and at once, it felt steady enough that it felt they were back on land.

Grimalt, one of three commanders of Argrave’s honor guard, briefly summarized what had occurred. Governor Zen came with eight others—three elite Great Chu guards, all S-rank, and five others that were his grandchildren. Only the guards were dressed for war, but the five grandchildren were amply capable of it all the same. They waited, now, in a room at the heart of the barge. Without delay, Argrave and his party made their way to that room. Casting one glance out at the endless black ocean, a red sliver of moon hovering above it, they entered, sizing up the other party.

Governor Zen and his grandchildren sat at a low-lying round table atop satin pillows, wide-brimmed cups set out before them yet not filled with drink. Governor Zen was an S-ranked spellcaster. Both of his grandsons were between A and B-rank by quantity. Grimalt claimed they had several divine weapons on their person, and they’d not been confiscated. His granddaughters possessed no magic at all, yet did have some divine weaponry.

Governor Zen dressed practically—a thick black robe, a warm fur hat over his head. His grandchildren, however, wore grandiose and elaborate garbs well-suited for the high society of the Great Chu. His two grandsons wore brilliant reds studded with gold along the sleeves, the collars, and had necklaces and rings bedecked with gemstones enough to attract an eye without appearing gaudy. They appeared somewhat like their grandfather, though younger and more built.

His granddaughters, meanwhile, had clearly taken hours to prepare themselves. They were not spellcasters, but had a glamour equal to any witch of lore. Their faces were an impeccably smooth pale peach, their lips were a lovely bright red, and their cheeks had ample blush. Their eyes had black liner with faint red shadows, and their eyebrows had elaborate drawings that seemed to blend naturally into the brow—one a bird, another a dragon, and the third a blossoming tree. Their long and silky black hair was suspended by half a dozen ornate gold pins and pieces of varying styles.

Argrave couldn’t deny they were beautiful, but he wasn’t particularly affected all the same. The Great Chu was infinitely more developed than Vasquer, and as such, its elite society was developed far beyond what existed in Vasquer. The trappings of that high society pervaded what they wore—he suspected there was as much weight in makeup as there was gold on their heads—but Argrave had seen its like before back in Earth. Rather than stunned by their beauty or their wealth, Argrave was more simply stunned they’d go to this much effort even in a meeting miles out in the sea as they were.

The grandchildren rose to their feet along with Governor Zen, and each gave Argrave formal bows likely customary to their people that set hanging gold ornaments on their hair jingling. Notably, they all used his title; King Argrave. Even more notably, they showed the same respect to Anneliese. If they’d hoped to earn his favor doing so, they succeeded.

“I’d prepared to wait some time. I’m glad to know that you don’t perform cheap power moves.” Governor Zen sat back down, and his family followed.

Argrave and the rest of his family took their seats atop the pillows before the low table. Argrave took special care to make sure that Anneliese was sitting at the head of the table with him. She laid her staff across her lap as she sat cross-legged. Patriarch Dras sat to her left, while Elenore and Durran sat to Argrave’s right.

“So, has your agent relayed to you the results of our last conversation, or shall I set the stage before introductions are in order?” Governor Zen began.

“We’re aware of the conversation,” Elenore answered quickly.

“Mmm.” He pointed. “Because one of your people has been blessed by Lira, right? And your agent was relaying all we said.” He looked back and snapped twice, and one of his three guards leaned forward bearing a white bottle with a long neck. He pulled out new cups for each new person that sat at the table, and filled them for all including his own people. “You’re all rather stone-faced. Don’t worry—I just do my research, know who I’m speaking to before I play the game. I know that Lira is part of your Blackgard Union, and I know what her blessings are. It isn’t so much to extrapolate that one of your people might be blessed by her. That, plus his odd conversation ticks…”

“However do you get that research done? Do you speak to gods, what?” Durran asked, then picked up a cup and drank. Argrave thought he was bold for drinking, but he supposed Grimalt would’ve checked for poison.

“There are many ways to learn, King Durran. So many ways…” Governor Zen put the bottle down, then drank himself. He cast a glance at one of his grandchildren. It seemed to be a signal.

“I’m Zen Ming, Gold Scribe for the Grand Imperial Bank,” one of the sons introduced formally. “I handle the transfer of gold between bank branches and the production of gold notes.”

“Zen Da, grandfather’s belt ornament,” said the second man.

“Zen Da is the commander for the largest northern army,” Governor Zen bragged proudly, topping off his grandson’s cup. “And the youngest commander besides.”

“I’m Zen Ai, and my twin sister is Zen Mei,” one of the three granddaughters introduced two of them at once—the other seemed relieved she didn’t need to speak.

“And lastly, there’s Ji Meng’s daughter. Ji Li.” Governor Zen brushed her shoulder, and she dipped her head. “She’s taken a vow of silence before the heavens in an effort to make the tower in the sky disappear. You can see how well that’s going for her, I presume.”

Despite his ribbing, Ji Li did remain silent. Argrave tried to think if he’d seen her offer greetings back then, but couldn’t recall. These names would be a little difficult for him to remember, he felt. But their position, their titles—it was to demonstrate how much influence the governor had on everything here. He even had a link of direct access to the heart of the Grand Imperial Bank.

“They’ve all been briefed on each of you,” the governor explained. “Before we begin the game, I’d like to thank each of you for agreeing to this meeting. I suspect each of you are here because of my… bold bait, I’ll put it bluntly. By being so overt about what I know, I’d hoped it might make you realize what I’m capable of. I understand your apprehension about this matter, and I’m happy to reveal all… if we should come to an accord.”

Argrave took a deep breath and stared Governor Zen in his brown eyes. Calmly, he spoke his first words, asking, “What sort of accord were you aiming for?”

“Simply put? A new dynasty on the imperial throne. A path other than puppeteering Ji Meng, that treacherous scoundrel. We might establish the Sun dynasty, as it were, given your pseudonym of Grand Commandant Sun. I’m willing to compromise on this a great deal. Your man said that the lovely Queen Anneliese is the only one you intend to pledge yourself to.” The governor dipped his head. “I’m sure my daughters appreciate that perspective. It’s rare in the Great Chu—I myself have four wives. But…”

Governor Zen looked to Orion. “It doesn’t need to be Argrave sitting upon the throne. We may work out an accommodation with your brother, Orion. Or… even your father-in-law, Patriarch Dras, who I’m told is unwed.” He again looked squarely at Argrave. “Appealing to your reason, I’ll say this; you have personal experience in this matter. It’s much easier to take something’s place than it is build it anew. It’s why you took your father’s place. Just as you took your father’s throne, your nation could once again establish itself on the imperial throne, then work it, mold it from within. I’m the only one who can help you do that. It makes sense.” He leaned in, then said deliberately, “We win the game. It’s a rare thing, two winners.”

Silence stretched after Governor Zen laid out his plans. Argrave took his first drink of the brew the governor had poured. It was a clear alcohol, likely with rice as its base, but felt smooth. His black blood would neutralize everything, so he supposed it didn’t matter.

“You’re rather eager to come along with us.” Argrave set his cup down.

“A week of thinking, observing, planning… plus my own machinations of several decades. Not eager, King Argrave. I’ve always lacked an instrument of extreme force. I’d hoped the advent of the calamity might destabilize enough to allow an opportunity to change from within. And look—it has.” He raised his cup as if in toast. “Let’s discuss. Let’s come to an understanding.”

Anneliese looked at Argrave, and he nodded to her. She looked back and asked plainly, “Were you the one behind the attacks on the commanders we’d recruited to Ji Meng’s banner? We know you have sway enough to send a ballista with a message—to what extent have you had a hand in things in the south? Because we suspect it’s not a small amount.”