“Are you jealous that you’re not the last one to arrive for once?” Poisondagger asked.
“I’m willing to concede the honor from time to time.” She answered.
“I heard there was an accident at one of your mines last night. Quite catastrophic, if what I’m told is right, it will take a long while to reopen, a great shame.” Dante said.
“Your sources are surprisingly well informed. It’s nothing more than a very minor inconvenience. My vault is bursting with gold and silver. It’s not as if my house is short of funds. Now that would be rather sad, don’t you think?”
Poisondagger had a sour expression as he muttered. “Certainly.”
Among the seven families it was common knowledge that Poisondagger was the poorest. They owned none of the mines near the Forge and the incomes from their lands and skilled workers never came close to being enough. This was because the family head had a taste for the expensive and the exquisite. His castle was filled with rare books, marble statues, paintings, pieces of art imported from all over the Shattered Lands, and only the most beautiful and delectable slaves. Dante was perpetually in search of more revenue. It was no secret that his support was always available to the highest bidder.
A large reason for the hard feelings between Poisondagger and Corpselover was that Lilith had never felt any need to buy him off, despite having vast sums. Lilith had never thought him worth a single copper knuckle. Dante had always resented her for that, and over the years their conflict had grown only more bitter and acrimonious.
As she waited for the arrival of Lothas Blackwater, Lilith listened to the side conversations going on around her.
Xilos Soulbreaker was trying to convince Baldwin Blooddrinker to sell him a particular seamstress. Apparently one of Xilos’s silver smiths had fallen in love with the girl and wanted to marry her. Skilled workers were valuable, and depending on who owned the mother the children would either become smiths or textile workers. Xilos was offering five gold skulls for the girl, but Baldwin was demanding twenty. He was however willing to allow the silversmith to marry her, as the children would be his property. Xilos was unwilling to agree to that.
It looked like the poor silversmith was going to have to find someone else to marry.
Gawreth Wormwood was complaining about the harassment his merchants were suffering in Lothas and the other northern kingdoms. He felt they were treated with suspicion and forced to pay higher prices.
“They expect anyone from Alteroth to be a murderer or a thief!”
“Shocking,” Lilith said in a sympathetic tone. “Clearly those northerners don’t know us at all.”
“Just so.”
If they really understood us they’d build a wall along the border and kill anyone who tried to cross it.
“It’s because of those damn White Mages stirring things up!” Darius Heartless shouted, loudly adding his opinion. “They go around everywhere spreading their lies and building their conspiracies against us! All the suspicions we face are because of the secret plots being hatched in Avalon! We’ll never be safe until every last White Mage is dead!”
Lilith and the others all turned annoyed faces his way. This was a very familiar refrain. Avalon was Darius’s personal hate, and everything that was wrong with the world could somehow be blamed on the Misty Isle. He argued constantly that all their problems could be solved by laying waste to the island and putting every last White Mage at the sharp end of a pike. Never mind that Avalon was far away and Alteroth had no shoreline. Never mind that the White Mages had a massive fleet and were a great power. Never mind that openly attacking them would likely bring many nations into the conflict on Avalon’s side.
No one denied the White Mages were a problem, or that they would have to be dealt with. It was just that they were not the sort of problem that could be solved directly. They needed to be opposed with subtlety. The best way to defeat them was to damage their credibility and reputation.
When Lilith thought that she also thought of her son and what he was up to. She smiled slightly, what a wonderful justification this would make for his going about in white.
“Oh give it up Darius,” Gawreth Wormwood said snidely. “You’re the only one here stupid enough to talk about war with Avalon seriously.”
The two men openly glared at one another. Wormwood and Heartless were in the middle of a long running vendetta. It was the sort of blatant hostility that kept everyone on edge at every meeting.
“Did I say we should declare war on Avalon? If we can’t strike at them directly let’s instead bring down one of their puppets! Let’s invade and conquer Dregal!”
Five faces stared at him blankly.
“You really are an idiot.” Gawreth chided.
Before Darius could yell some reply Xilos also spoke. “War in the north would be too costly.”
“I agree,” Lilith added. “If we invade Dregal the other northern kingdoms will come in against us.”
“So what? Let them! We’ll crush all three and take all their lands!” Darius looked around the table hoping for any backing.
“I think it is an interesting proposal.” Dante said in a voice that oozed sympathy and understanding. “We should discuss it.”
Hearing someone else side with him only made Darius’s chest puff out and made him more determined to push his view.
Lilith sent an exasperated glance at Dante. She had spoken up in the hopes that it would be enough to end the ridiculous debate. Lilith was certain that the only reason Dante had voiced his support was because it meant opposing her. He didn’t give a damn about whether or not they sent to war; he just wanted to inconvenience her.
“Fine then,” Xilos sighed. “Let’s talk about it. Keep in mind that Lothas still isn’t here.”
Darius came to his feet and put his shoulders back, making every effort to look imposing. “We have a quorum and it only takes four votes. The reason why we need to crush Dregal should be obvious! While all the northern kingdoms are infested with White Mages, King Doran keeps one as his closest advisor and talks of bringing Dregal into the Alliance! He is nothing but Avalon’s puppet! If we do nothing then it will be an invitation for them to strike at us!”
“You’ve been saying that for years now.” Gawreth pointed out. “We all know how much Doran loves the whites, especially his pet Ramiel. Nothing you’re telling us is new.”
“And yet we have done nothing as Doran plots to sell his country to Avalon!”
“He wouldn’t dare,” Xilos said wearily. “He knows we would never tolerate an Alliance nation on our border. They know what we would do to them.”
The Alliance of Mist, or more commonly just the Alliance, was a league of several countries dominated by Avalon. The member states all kept their own governments and were, in theory, independent and equal. They were however required to adopt the laws of Avalon, allow free and open trade to Alliance merchants, and come to the aid of any member who was attacked. In member countries all monsters and non-humans were killed on sight, only White Mages were permitted to practice magic, slavery was forbidden, necromancy was forbidden, and all merchants from Alteroth were denied access.
The Alliance nations were far away, and except for Avalon weak and insignificant. But the White Mages could be found in every country spreading their lies and trying to seduce those in power to join them. Doran was the most obvious example, but far from the only one.
“Most of the nobles distrust the whites as much as they do us.” Lilith said. “They can all see that joining the Alliance means submitting to Avalon.”
“Doran is an exception! He’s been fooled by Ramiel’s sweet lies! I tell you he intends to join!”
“Fine,” Gawreth said. “Then when he does bring up the motion again and I will gladly choose war.”
“You would have us look weak then?” Dante asked.
“No one cares about small wars.” Lilith answered him. “If we invade Dregal then Wylef and Lothas will certainly fight, others may decide t
o join as well.”
“Let them!” Darius said. “They are all scheming against us, plotting with Avalon to destroy us! If they want to fight us so much the better! We’ll just get rid of them all and add their lands to our own! What can their little armies do to match our power? We’ll crush them all in a month!”
There was some truth to that.
Alteroth was much larger than all three of the northern kingdoms put together. If the seven houses put their full effort into it they could raise armies (of living and dead soldiers) five or six times as large as what the three kingdoms could. Defeating the knights and their levies though was not the main concern.
“What happens when we face an Alliance army with a hundred White Mages leading them?” Gawreth asked.
“Why do you think I want to attack Dregal in the first place? It’s so we can draw out the whites and bring them where we can actually deal with them!” He looked around the table. “You say it’s impossible to attack Avalon. Fine then! Let’s force them to come to us! Let them send a hundred White Mages! Let them send a thousand! Once we destroy them in battle that will be the end of the Alliance and of all their plots! No one will dare join them after that! Even if we can never invade Avalon their power will be broken!”
“Or ours will.” Gawreth said quietly.
Darius glared at him. “You doubt our strength?”
“No, I wonder about Avalon’s. Their mages are as skilled as ours and even if they lack monsters and undead their armies are not to be despised. Their knights are the finest warriors in the Shattered Lands and fearless. They also have something we don’t, allies.”
Now Gawreth too stood up so that both he and Darius were on their feet staring one another down.
“The entire world hates us, and no matter how strong we are we will never be strong enough to fight them all. We prosper; we survive, for only two reasons; because they are divided and because they fear us. Should they ever lose their fear, or should they ever unite, we are doomed. What you are suggesting will cause our enemies to unite against us behind Avalon’s banner! Can you not see that you loud mouthed fool?”
Darius’s face turned even redder than it already was. “They are already doing that! Every day their influence grows stronger! They are turning all the countries against us! If we do nothing we’ll find ourselves surrounded by armies of knights and White Mages! The only answer is to attack now, before it’s too late.”
“And start a war that may destroy us?”
“The whites have to be annihilated! There is no other course!”
“There is a third choice,” Lilith said in a soft voice. As she knew they would, all eyes turned in her direction. “Instead of attacking them directly why don’t we attack their reputations? Lies can be even more effective weapons than swords. They thrive by making people see them as just and heroic. Strip that away from them and people will see them for what they truly are; power hungry extremists. That would be enough to destroy their efforts without risking such a dangerous war.”
Darius and Dante frowned at her proposal. The others appeared interested.
Before Darius could rail against the suggestion they were interrupted. The doors to the inner chamber were opened by a man in black robes. They all turned towards the door expecting to see their last member. He had the familiar curly black hair and cleft chin of Lothas Blackwater, but his face was much newer and unfamiliar to them.
“Who are you?” Darius demanded. “You are interrupting a meeting of the Council of Seven!”
The young man smiled confidently and entered. “I am Tiberius Blackwater, second son of Lothas Blackwater and his third wife Amyla. It grieves me to have to announce the tragic passing of my beloved father. As his heir I claim leadership of the Blackwater family and its place upon the Council of Seven. I ask you to acknowledge me.”
Lothas must have let his guard down and become sloppy. Lilith thought. He had been in perfect health at the last meeting.
“You’re not the heir.” Xilos pointed out. “His son Farris from his first wife is.”
“Sadly, my brother Farris suffered a tragic accident, as did a few of my others.”
Oh ho, this one bears watching. Lilith thought.
Within the seven families it was not unusual for the head of the household to suffer an ‘accident.’ It was accepted that there was no place for the weak and that the strong were entitled to take what they could. (Which only made Dante’s continued survival all the more infuriating to Lilith and others.) What was unusual was for anyone but the designated heir to arrange that sort of accident. If this Tiberius had managed to eliminate not only his father, but all his rivals in one fell swoop, he was clearly someone with great ability and an iron nerve.
“You might at least pretend to be sorry your father and brothers are gone.” Gawreth said in obvious annoyance. He and Lothas had gotten along fairly well. “There is such a thing as civility you know.”
“I apologize.” Immediately Tiberius’s face became a comic extreme of sadness, with downturned mouth and lips quivering. “Is this better?”
Dante snorted a laugh while Gawreth’s eyes narrowed.
“Be careful boy, you don’t want to make an enemy of me.”
“I should hate to make an enemy of any of you. I hope we can all be the best of friends.” He came to a halt before the only empty chair at the table. “Before I take my seat, I would like to be formally acknowledged by the Council. That is only proper after all.”
This was normally just a formality. When someone seized control of one of the families the others usually just accepted it.
Darius took them all by surprise by being the first to speak and actually managing to not sound in a rage for once. “I acknowledge you as a member of the Council and as head of the Blackwater family. I sincerely welcome you and hope we can work well together.”
“I thank you for the warm welcome Darius Heartless. I wish for the same.”
“I acknowledge you as a member of the Council and as head of the Blackwater family.” Dante said quickly, making sure he was second.
“I acknowledge you as a member of the Council and as head of the Blackwater family.” Lilith said.
“I acknowledge you as a member of the Council and as head of the Blackwater family.” Baldwin said.
“I acknowledge you as a member of the Council and as head of the Blackwater family.” Xilos said.
“I acknowledge you.” Gawreth said.
With that Tiberius Blackwater was a member of the Council of Seven. He gave Gawreth a nod before pulling out his father’s chair and sitting down in it. “It feels comfortable.”
“It might not always.” Gawreth said.
“Well, this has been interesting.” Dante Poisondagger said. “However, let us get to the actual reason for our meeting.”
Chapter 25
Punishment Is Its Own Reward
“Well, this has been interesting.” Dante Poisondagger said. “However, let us get to the actual reason for our meeting.”
He motioned to one of the elven servants.
“Have my grandson brought in.”
“Yes master,” the girl said with an obedient bow. She then hurried out the chamber.
All of the earlier events had certainly been quite entertaining, but the original reason they had been called together was for a simple confirmation.
As they waited Lilith noted that Darius had given up trying to continue the debate for war. That was unusual. Normally he would press his argument until the council either told him to shut up or they actually went through the trouble of voting him down. Seeing Darius be reasonable for once was both a relief and a bit worrisome. He was making polite conversation with Tiberius and, amazingly, doing so in a civil manner.
It was all too obvious what Darius was playing at. Lothas Blackwater had been an associate of Gawreth’s and had steadily opposed all of Heartless’s efforts. He was clearly eager to bring Tiberius into his camp.
XXX
; It took a few minutes before a young man in black robes strode in. He was of average height and weight, with horsey teeth. Standing before them he bowed.
“I am Nunca Poisondagger and I have come in answer to the summons of the Council of Seven.”
There was a sheen of sweat on his forehead. Despite trying to look calm his eyes darted between his grandfather and to Lilith who just happened to be seated closest to the door. Seeing exactly where his eyes were going she deliberately leaned forward a bit while sitting on her robes.
“We have summoned you to confirm you have completed your First Quest.” Dante pointed to a spot on the other side of the table. “Stand within the Circle of Truth and answer all questions put to you by the Council of Seven. I warn you to speak only the truth.”
The (sort of) Dark Mage (Waldo Rabbit) Page 23
