Jackal Among Snakes

Alongside the cheers, Argrave didn’t miss the pleas. The people pleaded, prayed, that his next target would be the sky tower. Even if he had an answer to give them, they were simply too loud for him ever to be heard. He would protect them if he could, but it didn’t depend on his actions alone.

They proceeded through the streets on horseback, over the bridges and the through the streets, until they passed by the palace guard standing by the entrance to the imperial palace. Only there did the noise of the crowd fade.

Palace attendants took their horses, and then Argrave climbed the stairs to the imperial palace with his guests. He didn’t bring an excessive amount of people, but even in these small numbers, this was a potent group. Barring the groom and Raven snug inside the Ravenstone, there was also Anneliese, Melanie, Durran, Galamon, Patriarch Dras, and one person he’d brought a very long way for a small role: his cousin, Nikoletta.

His cousin, heir to the duchy of Monticci, had graciously agreed to come and act as a conversational tool. Unmarried, related to Argrave by blood, she fulfilled what Zen was looking for. But to Argrave, she was an effective barrier; just as Argrave didn’t intend to genuinely consider marriage, he didn’t intend to marry off Nikoletta. Haer presence could nonetheless promote some further control over the negotiation.

As Argrave looked to her, he caught her pink eyes staring at him with an indiscernible expression. In the walk up the long stairs, he asked, “What?”

“You sailed overseas as an invader. Now, the same people you declared war upon are cheering you as you enter their capital city.” Nikoletta shook her head, and her short black hair swayed gently. “It defies reason, that’s all. Doubly so now that I’ve witnessed this city, this empire, and that accursed tower.”

“Feeling nervous? Every inch of this place has been scrutinized,” Argrave comforted. “We’d never bring anyone here if that wasn’t so.”

“Of course I’m nervous.” Nikoletta’s hand grazed her stomach, which he suspected was aflutter. “But I owe you loyalty. My house owes you loyalty.”

Argrave patted her shoulder. “It’ll be fine. You’re polite, reasonable, and quick-thinking. Just let us take the initiative.”

“Right.” Nikoletta nodded, trying to steel herself with his words.

They passed beneath black-roofed silver archways until they entered the main hall of the imperial palace. The carpet before them was a dark, rich blue, adorning the polished gray tile throughout the rest of the hall. In the back, he could see the emperor’s throne. It was wrought wholly of silver and decorated with gigantic gems. Rubies cut into the shape of crescent moons and serpentine dragons adorned its armrests and its back. Even as the ruby moons and garish silver shone brilliantly, Argrave’s first thought was that its square seat and metal exterior would make it mighty uncomfortable. Fortunately it wasn’t his seat.

The hall, largely light gray and blue, shone brilliantly due to the hundreds of faces within it. Their party was the last to arrive, as had been planned. Orange-robed eunuchs acted as servants to the guests. The attendees—all of whom Argrave knew were members of the Zen or Ji families directly or by marriage—seemed like they belonged here. Dressed grandly, they conducted themselves with the ceremonial dignity of the Great Chu. Argrave understood a little bit of Nikoletta’s nervousness as he sized them up.

At the back on a platform midway up the stairs to the emperor’s throne was the position for those of highest status—the emperor, the subjects for this festivity, and the guests of honor. The emperor sat atop a large pillow on an elevated platform, further raising him up above those beside him. His empress, who had the regnal name Tai Si, sat to his left with her father, Governor Zen, and her daughter, Ji Li. To the right, three pillows remained empty. One for Argrave, another for Anneliese, and the last for Orion.

“Grand Commandant Sun,” Ji Meng’s voice boomed across the hall, silencing all present. “We bid you, your wife, and today’s groom join us here in the position of honor and enjoy a day of festivity. Eunuchs—prepare a place for the guests of our honored commander.” His snap of command echoed loudly, and they hastened to obey.

As Argrave walked to the spot Ji Meng had prepared for him, leaving his companions behind to join with the crowd and converse, the emperor continued to speak. “Our Grand Commandant has arrived just in time to witness what he will doubtless enjoy for years to come. The artists of the court have prepared entertainment for our return.” As Argrave took his seat just beside Orion and Anneliese, Ji Meng snapped. This close, it was loud enough to hurt the ears. “Grand Eunuch—tell our guest what is to come.”

An orange-robed eunuch stepped out and kneeled down. “Firstly, the finest ladies of the capital shall regale the court with musical performances—some singular, others working in pairs, triplets, or more—while the first meal is served. After a tour through the palace, we shall return for vital artistry. Our greatest warriors shall create works of art using spells to commemorate the son of heaven’s return and this joyous union.

“After the second meal, the son of heaven intends to grace the city with his presence,” the Grand Eunuch continued, and Argrave felt this event was already sounding ridiculously long. “His tour shall end at the Chou Opera House, where its performers will strive to give a performance that recreates even a fraction of the glory of the war won. The day shall end with the wedding ceremony between the unsurpassable Ji Li and the glorious Grand Commandant’s greatest fighter and brother, Orion, whereupon we shall have the third meal.”

A music show, magical artistry, and an opera… it was an excess that surely fit the title of emperor. But with all the time allotted, it game them ample time to maneuver. The politics happening behind the scene wouldn’t give them much time to enjoy the performances for what they were, Argrave suspected. The tour of both the palace and the city would be the perfect time to talk, but now that Argrave had sat down, the game had already begun.

Argrave studied the empress discreetly. She was a spellcaster just as her father, and thus hadn’t aged as quickly. She looked at best in her late thirties, but she already had quite a few children at an age of majority, so she must’ve been older than him by decades. Tai Si, just as her daughters had, wore a staggering amount of makeup and had an incredibly grand crown woven into her black hair. Even past all that, Argrave saw her resemblance to Ji Li, the bride sitting just beside her.

Conversations resumed all around the imperial hall as they waited for the first performance and the first meal to be brought out. It didn’t seem to be much longer.

“When last you spoke, Grand Commandant, my daughter had taken a vow of silence,” Governor Zen began, and Argrave’s gaze turned to him.

“Rest assured, I convinced my daughter to break it. She was unable to brook protest, you see, unless she did. The girl listens to her parents first,” the empress said, her voice sharp yet endearingly pleasant all the same. “Ji Li? Greet your groom.”

Argrave got the not-so-subtle meaning—their daughter was under their influence before even her own vows. It sounded rather forceful.

Ji Li lowered her head. “Hello, Prince Orion. I apologize I did not greet you properly on our first meeting.” She spoke very slowly. Her voice sounded much like her mother’s, though without the harsh edge that made the empress seem authoritative.

“I need no apology, but I am glad to hear you speak. Other ways of conversing would take far longer,” Orion answered back, his usual straightforward yet humble self.

Ji Li smiled sheepishly yet went silent once again, seeming all too happy to melt back into the background as Governor Zen spoke again as though she wasn’t even there. “I’d like to thank our host, the son of heaven, for permitting us use of the imperial palace.”

“It is our own daughter who’s to be married,” Ji Meng’s eyes went to her, and Argrave saw the imperial princess close her eyes tightly beneath his gaze. “And our faithful governor went to great lengths to be certain my answer would be positive. We might say he showed his hand.”

“Only a finger of the hand,” Governor Zen assured. “I believe we have a great deal to discuss today. To begin with, a question I’m sure the emperor has asked many times before—how was the imperial court compromised? The answer, I’m sure, some of the present company is aware of.”

“Our servants have checked the ancient array beneath the palace meant to counter divinity,” Ji Meng answered for him. “It was broken, wholly. The spirits contained were stolen, doubtless plundered. In this manner, those blessed by the divine, and their servants, are able to move freely. That is what happened.”

“But who broke it?” Argrave cut in, playing his role ably—he had to act as though Ji Meng was struggling to break free, and Zen and himself were cooperating to bring him back into the leash. Schemes on top of schemes, enough to melt the brain. “And how? These are questions you must have, but lack the answer to.”

Governor Zen nodded. “You’ve seen one finger of the hand, great emperor. Let us name it the smallest finger. And having seen it, perhaps you can reason for yourself how large and strong my hand would be.”

As they spoke, the first of the ladies of the capital walked out just as the eunuchs carried out serving trays of food for all the guests in the hall. The musician was colored totally white—her dress, her face, her hair, even the gemstones adorning her hand shone white. The lady’s servants carried with her a strange stringed instrument that Argrave was unfamiliar with. It had a large wooden body and quite a few strings atop it, and was a dark black in stark contrast to how she’d presented herself. When she placed it on the ground, she gave it a few testing plucks to ensure it sounded right.

“Lady Zen Yue, niece of the betrothed, will begin the day of celebration on the guzheng with a classical piece to celebrate her relative’s union,” a eunuch announced.

“Think on it,” Governor Zen said quietly, “As we enjoy this union, my emperor.”

His gaze, however, floated to Argrave. The words carried two meanings, Argrave felt—one for the emperor, but the other largely for Argrave.