Jackal Among Snakes

After Argrave and Elenore had come to a similar conclusion about their actions vis-à-vis Sataistador’s connection to the governor, they finally answered Stain, who’d been on hold for quite a long time.

“Argrave is willing to consider… further concessions regarding this alliance,” Elenore conceded on his behalf. “But you speak so much of how your family is at the heart of your influence, while you’ve introduced us only to a small few. I think a family gathering is in order, where we can work out the details of any further arrangements over the course of a day. We can furthermore iron out our plans to take the Palace of Heaven.”

Governor Zen looked to some family advisors, and they leaned in to whisper words of advice to the governor. When he’d received all he needed, he faced Stain clearly and said, “Alright. I can call over the vast majority of my family to join in for Orion’s wedding.” He raised his hand to preempt interruption. “I know that we agreed that it should take place after the war. But times have changed, as I’m sure you’ll agree.”

“You want to move up the date for the wedding?” Elenore was genuinely surprised—she thought it would benefit the governor more if they were betrothed, yet unwed. Bound, yet not fully.

“We both want the same thing—certainly, surety.” Governor Zen rose to his feet and held his arms out as if to embrace. “What better way to do so than to stop dragging out feet and tie our families together?”

Argrave hesitated somewhat, but he felt none of that same hesitation from Elenore. After a few moments, he bent to Elenore’s will. Orion had, after all, long ago agreed to this match. It did complicate matters somewhat. He had absolute trust in his brother after how far they’d come, but that trust didn’t blind Argrave to some of his… odder impulses. He didn’t know how Orion would deal with something like this—it was totally untested territory.

“We’re in the middle of a war,” Elenore reminded Zen. “Hardly suitable for festivities.”

“I don’t need reminder. But what better than a day of happiness amidst the tragedy? Besides—it’ll take some time to get armies in place, and to get the leash back on Ji Meng.”

Elenore advocated for accepting, but waited for Argrave’s consent. He could feel her thoughts through Vasquer, and she argued they needed time to plan our their method of attack. Moreover, they needed to start unraveling the web that Zen had woven with his family, and as they did so, they could put a nice bow atop their other schemes.

“Speaking of the leash… Emperor Ji Meng will be attending this wedding,” Elenore stated plainly. “He doesn’t have a good excuse to refuse attending and blessing his daughter’s wedding. There, we’ll ask for your aid in muzzling the rabid dog.”

“Very well,” Governor Zen agreed—his haste made Argrave satisfied, but it left Elenore wondering if they had missed something. “I’ll make all of the preparations. If Ji Meng is participating, we’ll hold it in the imperial palace.”

“The palace? Can you decide that so easily?”

“I can,” Governor Zen stated proudly. “Ji Meng won’t be able to refuse.”

#####

“That conversation took enough turns to form a circle.” Argrave rubbed his forehead as he sat in a private room in the Sea Dragon with Anneliese and Elenore, his two spearheads for this invasion of the Great Chu. “A wedding. Orion’s wedding. It’s like an elephant and a horse… he’s probably two feet taller than his bride. And once we get to the ceremony, we’ll need to usher Sataistador into a trap, while doing…”

“While doing half a dozen other important things.” Elenore finished his words with a curt nod. “But we will, because we can. And because we can, we must.”

Argrave himself was boosted by her confidence. “I never really did like weddings. Stand around for eight hours, dedicating your attention to two people… not exactly pleasant unless you like the pair. Thought my own would be fun, maybe. Anne and I took a different route in light of everything, and I don’t regret it. I still remember that night. Quiet. Fun.” Argrave sighed in wistful remembrance, and Anneliese smiled at him in silence. “Is it wrong to say I never pictured Orion, well…?”

“Married?” Elenore shrugged. “It doesn’t need to last forever.”

“I’m sure if he makes the vow, he’ll keep it.” Argrave cradled his hands together uneasily.

“But if you commanded him to divorce, I’m sure he would.” Elenore crossed her arms and leaned up against the wall of the ship. “He may value the Vasquer family above all, but you in particular… he worships you.”

Argrave waved his hand at her dismissively. “Nah, he’s just—”

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“I think she’s right,” Anneliese interrupted.

“Orion may be something of a dope, but I’ve come to like him well enough. He’s the biggest of us all, but he feels like more of a little brother than you ever did. Not that I don’t think you’re my… you know what I mean,” Elenore trailed off quietly. “Orion was the only one our father really fooled. Induen, Magnus, Levin, myself… we knew Felipe was wrong, twisted. Evil, even. But Orion hung on his words. He’s the only one I can honestly say didn’t know any better. I understand that, now.”

“Yeah. He’s young at heart, I guess, while I’m the old soul.” Argrave cracked his knuckles, somewhat dreading what he needed to do. “I guess… I guess I have to go explain to him what happened.”

“There’s another thing we have to do at this wedding, too.” Elenore closed her eyes. “Given what Felipe made out of Orion, we have to make sure the woman he’s to be married to won’t make a monster of him. We have to protect him from that woman if she’s a malign influence.”

Argrave nodded with conviction. “Agreed.”

#####

“It’s happening so soon?” Orion, resplendent in his golden royal guard’s armor, raised his brows in surprise as he held his helmet in the crook of his arm.

They stood in the deck of the Sea Dragon, where things were considerably quieter after the past days’ events. Only the bombardment from the sky tower, like distant fireworks, disturbed the rolling hills of the southern coastline.

“I’m sorry,” Argrave said, feeling it was necessary to say.

“Your Majesty needn’t apologize!” Orion said in comforting disbelief. “You are the family patriarch, and I am one of the members of House Vasquer. It is only the natural order of things that you should decide my marriage.” He put his hand to his heart. “The house’s prestige won’t be diminished by this. The daughter of an empire as vast as the Great Chu is a finer jewel than I deserve. She has all four limbs, and no apparent defects—I cannot deem Zen’s choice an insult to us.”

“Forget what you deserve—I’m depriving you of what you want.” Argrave looked at him squarely. “I’m not Your Majesty, now. I’m your brother. We’ve never talked about what you want for your family. I’d even venture to say you spend too much time thinking about Vasquer without realizing you’re an integral part of it.”

“I’m pleased you think I’m worthy.” Orion dipped his head. “If I am to describe what I want…” He lowered his head, sinking into deep thought. Then his gray eyes looked up, revelation warming them as he found the right words. “I am happiest when I am needed, Argrave. You apologize to me, believing you’ve done me a discourtesy by unilaterally betrothing me by political necessity. But I am pleased you have found a use for me, and I am happy to obey. I believe that is simply part of who I am.”

“But you never…” Argrave danced around the topic he intended, feeling that Orion—who’d brutally murdered people in front of him—was somewhat too innocent for it. “Has there ever been someone you’re attracted to? Someone who you’d like to start a family with? Am I depriving you of that?”

“You inquire if I am still flesh and bone? Have I felt the trappings of the flesh?” Orion laughed, and much of Argrave’s tension drained. “I’m glad you have to ask. It shows that I have mastery over lust. But yes, I’ve felt it all the same. That imperial princess is not an exception to that.”

Argrave raised his brows in surprise. Orion laughed once again, then carried on in a more somber tone when his mirth faded. “I have always been terrified of lust. I would not want to hurt someone. Argrave… the you that once was… I’m sure I needn’t explain to you the depth of his hurt, living as a bastard. I thought Felipe had some reasoning for it, some purpose. I was totally incorrect.” He shook his head. “Nevertheless, the world had a purpose for you. And I am glad I met you.”

“But… why?” Argrave asked, half by instinct. “Why does this make you happy?”

“You may have noticed I tend to prefer having someone tell me what to do.” Orion touched his chest, and his gauntlet rung against the metal. “On my lonesome, I often anguish, despair. I feel blind without another to stand with me. With Felipe, or the false pantheon of Vasquer… I followed their orders. Yet misery crept in on its own, like roots breaking through soil into my very soul.” He pointed at Argrave. “With you, it’s always felt natural. Proper. It feels as though following your directives is what I was placed here in this realm to do. I have been steeped in bliss.”

Argrave was taken aback by Orion’s words. He was beginning to see clearer what Anneleise and Elenore had been so certain of. He hadn’t ever met anyone like his brother, and he didn’t think he ever would again. Orion was someone totally unique. And ringing in his head, amplified by several magnitudes after this conversation, was Elenore’s advice.

We have to protect him from that woman if she’s a malign influence.

#####

Despite the fact that Governor Zen had agreed to make all of the preparations for the wedding, the following days gave them quite the headache. They had to find a way to corner Sataistador in a way that the other gods would find tantalizing enough to participate, had to sus out Zen’s plans, and had to make sure that Ji Li, Orion’s would-be bride, was up to snuff.

Governor Zen did contact Emperor Ji Meng and set a date for the wedding as he’d said. The union was announced as an imperial bestowment upon Grand Commandant Sun for his valor in battle. The shell shock from the bombardment of the sky tower was beginning to wear off around the nation, and indeed the Great Chu remarkably returned to some sense of normalcy. Perhaps it was a testament to the resilience of their empire for it to so quickly recover. The gods of the Blackgard Union reported happenings in the sky tower, but none of that bled through to the mortal world… and it didn’t seem like it would.

They didn’t know if the governor had something sinister in store, hastening the wedding so. But Ji Meng slowly reigned in the empire, obediently playing the part he’d pledged to play. Some semblance of order resumed as the shattered canals resumed transportation, as the fields once again gained workers to tend them, and as the imperial decree once again had the backing of the true emperor behind it.

Looming large above was the Palace of Heaven, host to the Qircassian Coalition and Erlebnis, who themselves must’ve been preparing desperately for Argrave’s assault.