B4 Chapter 23: Think Like a Snake
B4 Chapter 23: Think Like a Snake
Consul Stonegrip kept his expression impassive and still. He refused to even allow himself the slightest twitch as the herald of The Betrayers spoke, and remained as steadfast as stone even through his performance. His gaze bored into the back of the human as he climbed back up to exit the chamber.
Stonegrip did not stop him. That would be ill-advised. As much as the bard claimed to be a third party, his words about consequences for his failure to return were true. Rome had sent this man as a diplomat. Sending his head back on a silver platter would be as good as declaring war on Rome.
It was still tempting.
When the man was out of sight, someone spoke.
“What in the chasm’s depths was that?”
Stonegrip finally allowed himself to look around the room. It was senator Firestone who had spoken, his voice quivering with barely-repressed rage and fear.
“A lot of bluster is what it was,” senator Glintvein rebutted. “It’s intimidation, plain and simple. That’s all!”
The dwarf tried to sound confident, yet nervous fingers combed through his red beard. Stonegrip found himself thankful that he’d kept it together for this long. The dwarf wasn’t exactly known for his restraint, and it didn’t take skills to see the distinct unease this encounter had left him with. Nor the similar mix of emotions reflected throughout the room.
The senators began to speak with one another, the chamber filling with their voices. Though the bard’s final warning had filled some with indignation, it had done as intended as well. The consul could read the streak of fear that pervaded the room.
He remained silent, listening intently as the various factions shifted and swayed around him. Before, there had been a fair bit of denial and disbelief, both about this empire’s true identity and their capabilities. Yet now.. While Glintvein remained adamant that this was all merely intimidation, the rest weren’t so sure. His faction was losing support.
It would take time to see how things shook out. Time and discussion. But before that, they had one more party to bring in.
Stonegrip lifted his head as a new individual entered the chamber. A taller dwarf than most, with a beard the color of brushed copper and a chain toga that matched Stonegrip’s own. The senators fell silent, standing out of respect.
“Consul Cragspike,” Stonegrip greeted.
Cragspike nodded grimly as he descended the long stairs. The second consul had been sent away as news of the diplomat reached them, as a precaution against treachery and assassination. But now that he was gone, Stonegrip’s counterpart returned to discuss what they’d learned—and how to proceed.
Stonegrip stepped back, yielding the floor as his fellow consul reached the dais. “What are your thoughts?”
Cragspike clasped his hands behind his back and paced. He’d watched the senate proceedings from his hiding place, the words relayed by a fellow dwarf’s skills. As such, they had no need to brief him.
“The human was obviously utilizing skills to sway your opinions,” he began. “His charisma must be quite impressive to have the effects that even I felt. However, the core of his message remains. I believe this confirms what we already suspected… and means that we have very little time to consider our options.”
The senators began to debate, managing to maintain some semblance of order. Some wanted to fight, to charge out and immediately answer this insult with steel. Others wanted to close their doors for good. Though they would never see the sun again, it was uncertain if that option would even manage to keep them safe. Their defenses were great, but still…
“...As loath as I am to suggest it…” one senator frowned. “Is there any realm where we take the human’s advice? Open ourselves to trade, to being conquered?”
“You would roll over and show your belly? To The Betrayers?” Glintvein brayed, his face reddening to match his beard.
Stonegrip held up a hand to forestall any more heated arguments. “We must consider it. While we have survived these ten thousand years, it has been a hard life. One could argue that a return to stability, however brief, would be a worthwhile change. It could rescue our dwindling numbers.”
He gestured to the multitude of empty seats in the senate chamber. But Glintvein was not impressed. “And it could damn us all. As much as they try to honey their words, that is what joining the empire would bring. Death. Weakness. Sooner rather than later.”
“We may already be on that path,” Cragspike pointed out. “Unless we find a way to change things.”
“I would rather seize death with my own hands rather than fall victim to The Betrayers again.” Glintvein growled. “If extinction must come, it will come on our terms.
Stonegrip drummed his fingers along his bicep. He agreed. He had no real desire to ally with the Romans. Not again. Yet despite their own bluster, their situation remained tenuous enough that they had little choice.
Cragspike grunted. “Perhaps when the empire falls, we shall have an opportunity to claim more land on the surface for ourselves. Especially with the disappearance of the orcs. However… there is one additional matter I wanted to bring up. Something I noticed about the bard.”
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Stonegrip raised an eyebrow, and his fellow consul continued. “For all of his hard words and threats… I did not get the sense that his words were mere intimidation. There was something else there as well. Something like compassion.”
The statement sent the senators into uproar. The factions were thrown into disarray, each offended or disturbed for different reasons. Stonegrip kept his face still, his fingers pausing their drumming. He didn’t say aloud that he’d felt the same thing.
The senators continued to debate for a while longer. To fight, to hide, or to roll over and submit? Which would he choose? None of them would yield more than death. It was just a matter of how quickly they wanted to rush into it.
Unless there was a fourth option.
Stonegrip watched the others, a plan beginning to form. A snakelike plan, one more befitting of The Betrayers themselves than an upstanding race like his own. But when trying to face a snake, sometimes it helped to think like one.
***
Marcus exited the senate chamber sedately and with his head held high, the very picture of poise. He didn’t look back once at the room full of dwarves whose eyes seemed intent on setting him aflame. Not that he needed to. He could feel their responses to his performance well enough.
Yet despite having pushed the boundaries of tolerable behavior to their absolute limits—and beyond, quite possibly—he remained as confident as ever. It wasn’t until he stepped out of the room that his regal stride abruptly became a rather hasty retreat. Who knew if the dwarves would rethink their toleration of him and his actions? Best not to give them a chance.
Luckily, the guards waiting outside seemed entirely oblivious to what had gone on beyond that door. And they were more than accommodating of the “urgent message” the senate and consul wished him to convey to the human leaders as soon as possible. Hopefully, they would outrun any orders to the contrary.
Of course, his escort didn’t allow him to make a full-speed flight through their hold as he may have preferred. But they still set quite a good pace.
Marcus sighed as they walked briskly back between the resplendently carved pillars. “I do regret not being able to stay and explore your fine city more. The little I have seen does stir my heart.”
Tora chuckled. “Well, hopefully we’ll see you soon. I’m uncertain about the rest of your kind, but you’ll be welcome back anytime. Perhaps I’ll be able to show you around my family hold.
“I would certainly welcome such an opportunity.” Marcus graciously accepted the offer. Though he suspected he may not be quite as welcome as Tora believed. Not by his superiors, at least.
Marcus smacked his forehead with his palm. “Ah! I nearly forgot! I meant to procure a gift during my visit…”
He cast a longing look over one shoulder, though he didn’t slow his pace. Luckily, one of the guards took the bait. A sly smile crept across the dwarf’s face.
“You know, my wife is a jeweler…”
The other guards groaned. “Shatterpick… Not this again…”
“What?” Shatterpick spread his hands innocently. “The man is in need of a gift. I’m merely helping him out.”
Tora rolled his eyes and nudged Marcus. “His wife made him carry around some of her works. He’s stuck with them until he finds some poor sop willing to buy them. He’s been up our arses about it for months.”
Marcus’s eyebrows rose with amusement. “Is there a particular reason why you haven’t purchased them?”
“Oh, they’re fine quality,” Tora grunted. “But they’re too expensive for my men’s tastes, and my own woman prefers to wear her own works.”
“Fine quality? Why, you won’t find finer anywhere under the mountain!” Shatterpick boasted. “Let me show you…”
The dwarf produced a number of necklaces and rings from a pouch at his side, quickly pitching them to Marcus as they continued toward the exit. They really were quite impressive. Marcus had never seen such delicate work in his life, not even amongst royalty.
Shatterpick seemed to understand this and was clearly trying to fleece him for everything he could. But Marcus had dealt with far better traders than this. In the end, he managed to leverage Shatterpick’s desire to be rid of his cargo and bought two sets of gold and amethyst earrings for his princesses. He even had some gold leftover afterwards.
They finalized the deal as Marcus retrieved his charm from the storage box near the entrance. Soon, he found himself standing outside the mountain once more, the door shut behind him. Marcus took a moment to collect himself and relax as he turned the corner and saw a detachment of Legionnaires waiting for him.
“You’re back. In one piece, too.” The centurion seemed honestly surprised.
“Indeed I am.” Marcus made a grand flourish. “And with news from the folk within the mountain, as well. But perhaps we should speak of this elsewhere.”
The centurion nodded. Within minutes, they’d retreated back to the camp and Marcus gave a summary of what had happened. Well, a mostly complete summary. He omitted the overt hostility of the dwarves and their history with Rome for the moment, preferring instead to focus on their indecision regarding how to move forward with the humans. If the dwarves’ animosity was directed toward humanity as a whole and toned down a bit, things would likely remain more tenable for a bit longer. Though they were details he would have to brief Tiberius on.
“...As it stands, I believe the dwarves will attempt to remain neutral,” he concluded. “There is a risk that they will turn more aggressive. But my impression was that they wish to be left alone. So long as we do not prematurely disturb them, they should not disturb us.”
The centurion grunted. “I suppose I should be grateful. I won’t trust them, though. I suspect we’ll find ourselves breaking down those walls soon enough.”
Marcus winced internally. “We shall see what the emperor thinks of the matter. Perhaps he’ll wish to pursue diplomacy.”
“Maybe.”
With his work completed, Marcus left the tent to go find Abel. His work was ostensibly done here, and it would be prudent to return as soon as possible. At the same time… the thought of having to return home settled over him like a heavy cloak. He was rather enjoying the freedom of exploration out here, the ability to go and roam as he pleased once more. He’d found these opportunities few and far between as of late.
He paused mid step and sighed, casting his eyes skyward. The sun glowed above, its blinding orb nearly finished with its long arc across the sky.
“Apollo, my friend. I hope that you appreciated that performance in there, even if it was rather… conservative… compared to my standard. Are there perhaps any errands you need a trustworthy adherent to run in this area?”
He felt the sun’s rays warm his skin as the sun god’s attention turned to him. A voice echoed in his mind, stronger even than last time he’d heard it.
“I think I may be able to think of something.” He could practically hear the smile in the god’s voice. “Though I don’t want to hear any complaints about the location.”