“Tindwyl thinks that I can be both,” Vin said. “A woman and a Mistborn.”
“Tindwyl is wise,” Elend said. “A bit brutal, but wise. You should listen to her.”
“You just told me you liked me how I am.”
“I do,” Elend said. “But I’d like you however you were, Vin. I love you. The question is, how do you like yourself?”
That gave her pause.
“Clothing doesn’t really change a man,” Elend said. “But it changes how others react to him. Tindwyl’s words. I think…I think the trick is convincing yourself that you deserve the reactions you get. You can wear the court’s dresses, Vin, but make them your own. Don’t worry that you aren’t giving people what they want. Give them who you are, and let that be enough.” He paused, smiling. “It was for me.”
She smiled back, then carefully leaned against him. “All right,” she said. “Enough insecurity for the moment. Let’s review. Tell me more about your father’s disposition.”
“He’s a perfect imperial nobleman. Ruthless, clever, and infatuated with power. You remember my…experience when I was thirteen?”
Vin nodded.
“Well, Father was very fond of skaa brothels. I think that he liked how strong he felt by taking a girl while knowing that she would be killed for his passion. He keeps several dozen mistresses, and if they don’t please him, they get removed.”
Vin muttered something quietly in response to this.
“He’s the same way with political allies. One didn’t ally with House Venture—one agreed to be dominated by House Venture. If you weren’t willing to be our slave, then you didn’t get to contract with us.”
Vin nodded. “I’ve known crewleaders like that.”
“And how did you survive when they turned an eye toward you?”
“By acting unimportant,” Vin said. “By crawling on the ground when they passed and by never giving them reason to challenge me. Exactly what you’re planning to do tonight.”
Elend nodded.
“Be careful,” Vin said. “Don’t let Straff think that you’re mocking him.”
“All right.”
“And don’t promise too much,” Vin said. “Act like you’re trying to seem tough. Let him think he’s bullying you into doing what he wants—he’ll enjoy that.”
“You’ve had experience with this before, I see.”
“Too much of it,” Vin said. “But, you’ve heard this before.”
Elend nodded. They’d planned and replanned this meeting. Now he simply had to do what the crew had taught him. Make Straff think we’re weak, imply we’ll give him the city—but only if he helps us against Cett first.
Outside the window, Elend could see that they were approaching Straff’s army. So big! he thought. Where did Father learn to administrate a force like this?
Elend had hoped, perhaps, that his father’s lack of military experience would translate to a poorly run army. Yet, the tents were arranged in a careful pattern, and the soldiers wore neat uniforms. Vin moved over to her window, looking out with avid eyes, showing far more interest than an imperial noblewoman would have dared. “Look,” she said, pointing.
“What?” Elend asked, leaning over.
“Obligator,” Vin said.
Elend looked over her shoulder, spotting the former imperial priest—the skin around his eyes tattooed in a wide pattern—directing a line of soldiers outside a tent. “So that’s it. He’s using obligators to administrate.”
Vin shrugged. “It makes sense. They’d know how to manage large groups of people.”
“And how to supply them,” Elend said. “Yes, it’s a good idea—but it’s still surprising. It implies that he still needs obligators—and that he’s still subject to the Lord Ruler’s authority. Most of the other kings threw off the obligators as soon as they could.”
Vin frowned. “I thought you said your father likes being in power.”
“He does,” Elend said. “But also likes powerful tools. He always keeps a kandra, and he has a history of associating with dangerous Allomancers. He believes that he can control them—and he probably believes the same thing about the obligators.”
The carriage slowed, then stopped beside a large tent. Straff Venture emerged a moment later.
Elend’s father had always been a large man, firm of figure with a commanding posture. The new beard only heightened the effect. He wore a sharp, well-cut suit, just like the suits he had tried to get Elend to wear as a boy. That was when Elend had begun wearing his clothing disheveled—the buttons undone, the jackets too large. Anything to separate him from his father.
Elend’s defiance had never been meaningful, however. He had annoyed Straff, pulling small stunts and acting foolish when he knew he could get away with it. None of it had mattered.
Not until that final night. Luthadel in flames, the skaa rebellion running out of control, threatening to bring down the entire city. A night of chaos and destruction, with Vin trapped somewhere within it.
Then Elend had stood up to Straff Venture.
I’m not the same boy you pushed around, Father. Vin squeezed his arm, and Elend climbed out of the carriage as the coachman opened the door. Straff waited quietly, a strange look on his face as Elend raised a hand to help Vin down.
“You came,” Straff said.
“You seem surprised, Father.”
Straff shook his head. “I see that you’re just as big an idiot as ever, boy. You’re in my power now—I could have you killed with a bare wave of my hand.” He raised his arm, as if to do just that.
Now’s the moment, Elend thought, heart thumping. “I’ve always been in your power, Father,” he said. “You could have had me killed months ago, could have taken my city away at a bare whim. I don’t see how my coming here changes anything.”
Straff hesitated.
“We came for dinner,” Elend said. “I had hoped to give you a chance to meet Vin, and had hoped that we might discuss certain…issues of particular import to you.”
Straff frowned.
That’s right, Elend thought. Wonder if I have some offer yet to make. You know that the first man to play his hand usually loses.
Straff wouldn’t pass up an opportunity for gain—even a slim opportunity, like the one Elend represented. He probably figured there was nothing Elend could say that was of real importance. But could he be sure? What did he have to lose?
“Go and confirm with my chef that there will be three for dinner,” Straff said to a servant.
Elend let out a lightly held breath.
“That girl’s your Mistborn, then?” Straff asked.
Elend nodded.
“Cute little thing,” Straff said. “Tell her to stop Soothing my emotions.”
Vin flushed.
Straff nodded toward the tent. Elend led Vin forward, though she glanced over her shoulder, obviously not liking the idea of exposing her back to Straff.
Little bit late for that… Elend thought.
The tent chamber was what Elend would have expected of his father: stuffed with pillows and rich furniture, very little of which Straff would actually use. Straff furnished to suggest his power. Like the massive keeps of Luthadel, a nobleman’s surroundings were an expression of how important he was.
Vin waited quietly, tensely, at Elend’s side in the center of the room. “He’s good,” she whispered. “I was as subtle as I can manage, and he still noticed my touch.”
Elend nodded. “He’s also a Tineye,” he said in a normal voice. “So he’s probably listening to us right now.”
Elend looked toward the door. Straff walked in a few moments later, giving no indication as to whether he had heard Vin or not. A group of servants entered a few moments later, carrying a large dining table.
Vin inhaled sharply. The servants were skaa—imperial skaa, after the old tradition. They were ragged, their clothing made of torn smocks, and showed bruises from a recent beating. They carried their loads with lowered eyes.
“Why th
e reaction, girl?” Straff asked. “Oh, that’s right. You’re skaa, aren’t you—pretty dress notwithstanding? Elend is very kind; I wouldn’t let you wear something like that.” Or much at all, his tone implied.
Vin shot Straff a look, but pulled a little closer to Elend, grabbing his arm. Again, Straff’s words were only about posturing; Straff was cruel, but only insofar as it served him. He wanted to make Vin uncomfortable.
Which he seemed to be doing. Elend frowned, glancing down, and caught just a hint of a sly smile on her lips.
Breeze has told me that Vin is more subtle with her Allomancy than most Soothers, he recalled. Father’s good, but for him to pick out her touch…
She let him, of course.
Elend looked back at Straff, who hit one of the skaa servants on their way out. “I hope none of them are relatives of yours,” Straff said to Vin. “They haven’t been very diligent lately. I might have to execute a few.”
“I’m not skaa anymore,” Vin said quietly. “I’m a noblewoman.”
Straff just laughed. He had already dismissed Vin as a threat. He knew she was Mistborn, he must have heard that she was dangerous, and yet he now assumed that she was weak and inconsequential.
She is good at this, Elend thought with wonder. Servants began to bring in a feast that was impressive considering the circumstances. As they waited, Straff turned to an aide. “Send in Hoselle,” he ordered. “And tell her to be quick.”
He seems less reserved than I remember, Elend thought. In the Lord Emperor’s day, a good nobleman had been stiff and inhibited when in public, though many had turned to extravagant indulgence when in private. They would dance and have quiet dinner conversation at the ball, for instance, but enjoy whores and drunkenness in the small hours of night.
“Why the beard, Father?” Elend asked. “Last I knew, those weren’t in fashion.”
“I set the fashion now, boy,” Straff said. “Sit.” Vin waited respectfully, Elend noticed, until Elend was seated before taking her place. She managed to maintain an air of half jumpiness: she’d look Straff in the eyes, but always gave a reflexive twitch, as if part of her wanted to glance away.
“Now,” Straff said, “tell me why you’re here.”
“I thought it was obvious, Father,” Elend said. “I’m here to discuss our alliance.”
Straff raised an eyebrow. “Alliance? We both just agreed that your life is mine. I don’t see a need to ally with you.”
“Perhaps,” Elend said. “But, there are other factors at play here. I assume that you weren’t expecting Cett’s arrival?”
“Cett is of little concern,” Straff said, turning his attention to the meal: big slabs of barely cooked beef. Vin wrinkled her nose, though Elend couldn’t tell if that was part of her act or not.
Elend cut his steak. “A man with an army nearly as large as your own is hardly of ‘little’ concern, Father.”
Straff shrugged. “He’ll be of no trouble to me once I have the city walls. You’ll turn those over to me as part of our alliance, I assume?”
“And invite Cett to attack the city?” Elend said. “Yes, together you and I could hold against him, but why go on the defensive? Why let him weaken our fortifications, and possibly just continue this siege until both of our armies are starving? We need to attack him, Father.”
Straff snorted. “You think I need your help to do so?”
“You do if you want to beat him with any measure of assured success,” Elend said. “We can take him easily together—but never alone. We need each other. Let’s attack, you leading your armies, me leading mine.”
“Why are you so eager?” Straff asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Because I want to prove something,” Elend said. “Look, we both know you’re going to take Luthadel from me. But, if we ride together against Cett first, it will look like I wanted to ally with you all along. I’ll be able to give you the city without looking like a complete buffoon. I can spin it that I brought in my father to help us against the army I knew was coming. I turn the city over to you, and then become your heir again. We both get what we want. But only once Cett is dead.”
Straff paused, and Elend could see that his words were having an effect. Yes, he thought. Think that I’m just the same boy you left behind—eccentric, eager to resist you for silly reasons. And, saving face is a very Venture thing to do.
“No,” Straff said.
Elend started.
“No,” Straff said again, turning to his meal. “That’s not how we’re going to do this, boy. I’ll decide when—or even if—I attack Cett.”
That should have worked! Elend thought. He studied Straff, trying to judge what was wrong. There was a faint hesitance about his father.
I need more information, he thought. He glanced to his side, to where Vin sat, spinning something lightly in her hand. Her fork. She met his eyes, then tapped it lightly.
Metal, Elend thought. Good idea. He looked over at Straff. “You came for the atium,” he said. “You don’t have to conquer my city to get it.”
Straff leaned forward. “Why haven’t you spent it?”
“Nothing brings sharks faster than fresh blood, Father,” Elend said. “Spending large amounts of atium would only have indicated for certain that I had it—a bad idea, considering the trouble we took to squelch those rumors.”
There was a sudden motion at the front of the tent, and soon a flustered young girl entered. She wore a ball gown—red—and had her black hair pulled back into a long, flowing tail. She was, perhaps, fifteen.
“Hoselle,” Straff said, pointing to the chair next to him.
The girl nodded obediently, scurrying forward to sit beside Straff. She was done up in makeup, and the dress was low-cut. Elend had little doubt as to her relationship with Straff.
Straff smiled and chewed his food, calm and gentlemanly. The girl looked a little bit like Vin—same almond face, similar dark hair, same fine features and thin build. It was a statement. I can get one just like yours—only younger and prettier. More posturing.
It was that moment—that smirk in Straff’s eyes—which reminded Elend more than ever why he hated his father.
“Perhaps we can make a deal, boy,” Straff said. “Deliver the atium to me, and I’ll deal with Cett.”
“Getting it to you will take time,” Elend said.
“Why?” Straff asked. “Atium is light.”
“There’s a lot of it.”
“Not so much you couldn’t pack it on a cart and send it out,” Straff said.
“It’s more complicated than that,” Elend said.
“I don’t think it is,” Straff said, smiling. “You just don’t want to give it to me.”
Elend frowned.
“We don’t have it,” Vin whispered.
Straff turned.
“We never found it,” she said. “Kelsier overthrew the Lord Ruler just so he could get that atium. But we never could find out where the metal was. It probably wasn’t ever in the city.”
Wasn’t expecting that… Elend thought. Of course, Vin tended to do things by instinct, much as Kelsier was said to have done. All the planning in the world could go out the window with Vin around—but what she did instead was usually better.
Straff sat for a moment. He seemed to believe Vin. “So you really have nothing at all to offer me.”
I need to act weak, Elend remembered. Need him to think he can take the city any time, but also think it isn’t worth taking right now. He began to tap the table quietly with his index finger, trying to look nervous. If Straff thinks we don’t have the atium…then he’ll be a lot less likely to risk attacking the city. Less gain. That’s why Vin said what she did.
“Vin doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” Elend said. “I’ve kept the atium hidden, even from her. I’m sure we can arrange something, Father.”
“No,” Straff said, now sounding amused. “You really don’t have it. Zane said…but, well, I didn’t believe…”
Stra
ff shook his head, turning back toward his meal. The girl at his side didn’t eat; she sat quietly, like the ornament she was expected to be. Straff took a long drink of his wine, then let out a satisfied sigh. He looked at his child mistress. “Leave us,” he said.
She immediately did as commanded.
“You, too,” Straff said to Vin.
Vin stiffened slightly. She looked toward Elend.
“It’s all right,” he said slowly.
She paused, then nodded. Straff himself was little danger to Elend, and she was a Mistborn. If something went wrong, she could get to Elend quickly. And, if she left, it would do what they wanted—make Elend look less powerful. In a better position to deal with Straff.
Hopefully.
“I’ll wait just outside,” Vin said quietly, withdrawing.
27
He was no simple soldier. He was a force of leadership—a man that fate itself seemed to support.
“All right,” Straff said, setting down his fork. “Let’s be honest, boy. I’m this close to simply having you killed.”
“You’d execute your only son?” Elend asked.
Straff shrugged.
“You need me,” Elend said. “To help you fight Cett. You can kill me, but you’d gain nothing. You’d still have to take Luthadel by force, and Cett would still be able to attack—and defeat you—in your weakened state.”
Straff smiled, folding his arms, leaning forward so he loomed over the table. “You are wrong on both counts, boy. First, I think that if I killed you, the next leader of Luthadel would be more accommodating. I have certain interests in the city who indicate that is true. Second, I don’t need your help to fight Cett. He and I already have a treaty.”
Elend paused. “What?”
“What do you think I’ve been doing these last few weeks? Sitting and waiting on your whims? Cett and I have exchanged pleasantries. He’s not interested in the city—he just wants the atium. We agreed to split what we discover in Luthadel, then work together to take the rest of the Final Empire. He conquers to the west and north, I head east and south. Very accommodating man, Cett.”
He’s bluffing, Elend thought with reasonable certainty. That wasn’t Straff’s way; he wouldn’t make an alliance with someone so near to him in strength. Straff feared betrayal too much.
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