Chapter 383: Long-Distance Planathon

Argrave came upon Anneliese sitting in the roots of one of the giant redwoods, well concealed with several Veidimen on watch. She opened her eyes when he alighted on the ground, soaring from the trees as he did. A few heartbeats later, her Starsparrow took its place on her shoulder.

Orion and Artur followed behind Argrave, and he directed the both of them to give him some space. There was no way that his brother was leaking information to Erlebnis… deliberately, at least. Still, he wanted to take no chances. Or so he would justify. Half of it was getting some time to breathe with one of the few people he could breathe with.

“You return. How did it go?” Anneliese looked up at him with her amber eyes, blinking as she adjusted to the light after scouting with druidic magic.

“What, you didn’t come along with your bird for a listen?” Argraev joked as he came to stand before her, offering a hand to help her stand.

“You gave me work enough to burn my mind, refining this threadbare idea of yours,” she returned, taking his hand as she rose.

“What can I say? I’m an ideas guy.” Argrave smiled, then explained, “The meeting went well. The battle will be five days from now. It was really damned hard telling them just enough to satisfy them when they’re placing so much on us… but if Erlebnis has people in the elves, he won’t know what’s happening exactly. On top of that, Nikoletta might actually get a chance to meet with her father once again after all.”

“And the gods?” the queen pressed.

“Couldn’t talk. They’re gathering their power for the big fight and weren’t feeling very talkative. All the better, I suppose… less time for them to see the god of knowledge hovering about.”

“Let us walk,” she gestured, then paused mid step. “Mmm… on second thought, let us climb.”

Argrave raised a brow as Anneliese turned and sped up the roots. Argrave followed after. The redwoods of the elven forest were not smooth, polished wood all the way down—trees seldom were. There were lumpy patches of bark, faint gouges from where sap leaked, and branches all the way up the top. It was far easier to climb than a cliff face, doubly so with slow fall enchantment acting as a boost to their courage. They climbed up the side quickly, Anneliese taking the lead by a wide margin with her boots from the Order of the Rose.

At the top, Anneliese waited with her hand extended down to help. Argrave took it gratefully, climbing up to a thick branch.

“I managed to locate all the places you needed me to,” Anneliese began, crouching down. “If the centaurs are there…” she pointed their spot out, though the cavern with the ice lake they would undoubtedly seek refuge within. “Then I’ve worked out a path you’ll need to take to provoke everything in the forest.”

“Oh yeah?” Argrave listened and watched.

“First, you’ll need to lead them into the giant’s camp,” Anneliese explained. “Like you said, they have mud homes in a low-lying area—very crudely made. Grimalt and Vasilisa are there, working things with a small number of Veidimen. This is the place the plan is likely to succeed, and then die shortly afterward… so I put the two I think most reliable there.”

Argrave rubbed below his chin. “You like Grimalt too, huh? He’s capable.”

“I agree,” Anneliese nodded. “This is where we find out how well this will work. Personally, I think the centaurs will disengage the moment you entangle them with the giants.”

“I don’t know,” Argrave spoke distantly as he shook his head. “I’m really good at making people hate me.”

“Sure,” Anneliese looked back to him briefly with half-hearted agreement, then back to the scene ahead. “I’ve designated Rasten to a task near the centaur—he has the bulk of the Veidimen forces. They’re supposed to antagonize the centaurs until the designated day of assault.”

“What, like rattle them, make them paranoid? That might make them more cautious, less likely to chase,” Argrave countered.

“No. Enrage them. Provoke them,” Anneliese looked back. “I sent word back to the fort outside. They’re sending some horses in.”

“Horses,” Argrave repeated, looking at her incredulously.

“You wanted them to hate you…” she turned her head. “We shall make a mockery of them. Horses are quite important for that, I should think.”

Argrave laughed slowly, then grabbed her head and kissed the top of it. “That’s beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.”

Anneliese sounded a little happier as she continued, “Anyway… Artur and Bastel will be keeping up with the pack of Amaroks. The wolves roam the forests, so it has been quite hard to keep track of them… and indeed, even harder to coordinate a move against them. So, on the day of, you will have giants and centaurs chasing you like some fairytale… the unlikely outcome, in my opinion… or alone, where you can provoke them as we originally intended.”

“The faith is making me weep,” Argrave bit at his knuckle, lost in thought.

“Bluntly put, I cannot see this coming to fruition,” Anneliese sighed. “The centaurs’ pursuit will stop at the giants, and by then Kirel Qircassia’s forces will be upon them both. I am confident in the plan coming that far, but any further? Even if someone had committed genocide on my people, I am uncertain I would pursue further. It cannot happen.”

Argrave lowered his hand and didn’t respond. He looked back and said, “You saw the giants’ leader, right? That half-giant, half-human?”

“Indeed,” Anneliese confirmed. “A rather scary man, if he qualifies. Though how a human and giant… or indeed, why…” she looked uncomfortable. “The image disturbs me greatly. But I cannot deny… never mind.”

“He, at least, is capable of rudimentary reasoning,” Argrave walked down the edge of the tree branch, not wishing to touch that subject with a giant-sized pole. “He’s the reason those brutish giants have mud houses, even. I’m thinking… if we can lay some groundwork there… that’ll be the key to making this funhouse work.”

Anneliese shifted her body to look at him. “Are you suggesting conditioning the half-giant?”

Argrave nodded, his arms crossed. “And rather than chasing the Amarok pack around, why don’t we keep them in a specific location, primed for the day of reckoning?”

“How?” Anneliese stood up and followed Argrave down the thick tree branch.

“How else do you make an animal return to the same spot again and again?” Argrave turned on his heel.

“Food,” she finished in revelation. “Easy food.”

Argrave pointed finger guns at her and clicked his tongue.

“By Veid… I suppose I was thinking in defeatist manners,” she rubbed her eyes. “No, I cannot excuse myself. I apologize for my shortcomings.”

Argrave laughed. “We all get lucky notions sometime. Don’t sweat it. You’re pretty damned far from coming short…”

She smiled, but Argrave could tell she was disappointed in herself. “What about the Mishis? Those cats roam, each of them solitary. Occasionally they meet, but it…”

“It’s a big orgy,” Argrave said, and Anneliese furrowed her brows. “What? I’m right. They only meet for mating.”

“Is that what that was?” Anneliese looked surprised. “It looked… very painful.”

Uncomfortable thoughts surfaced, but Argrave spared her details as he continued, “Honestly… the Mishis is where my ideas ended. I can’t exactly throw a bag of catnip, have them all rush towards it. I don’t know how we’re going to get them entangled with Kirel’s forces.”

“Catnip?” Anneliese repeated.

“Some herb, cats love it. Roll around in the stuff, eat it, sniff it… little addicts.” He chuckled thinking of it.

“Herbs. Herbs…” Anneliese raised her hand to her chin, walking away as she thought. “Argrave, is there anything there? Forget the Mishis—is there anything you can think of that might make the whole of them go wild?” As her brain reached that conclusion, she stepped back eagerly.

Argrave processed her words, his face contorting in half a different dozen ways. “Alchemy? Well, I… I tend to put alchemy out of my mind, seeing as how no potions affect me. Let me think…” he trailed off, mind running through half a dozen different herbs in this forest and what they brewed. “All of the herbs are underground, because nothing grows on the forest floor… but maybe…”

“I am confident in locating where they drink. The giants, the centaurs, the wolves and cats… all of them,” Anneliese said eagerly.

“The centaurs probably boil their water to clean it,” Argrave calmed her down. “But… as for the rest… well, something is coming to mind. It’s not precisely what we want—it’s a tonic for strength. But hell, who’s never heard of roid rage?” Argrave smiled at her, and though she seemed excited missed the joke entirely. He patted her shoulder and said, “Let me think on it.”

“Well enough.” She looked back where the fighting was to be held. “Barring that… we have the godnapping hoax. The inciting incident. I believe you told me to make it spicy?”

“I may have,” Argrave nodded.

“I believe it is. But first, some background to it all—and some comfort in the Erlebnis matter. I spotted an old friend,” Anneliese looked at him.

“Who?” Argrave tilted his head.

“Matesh, you said his name was.”

Argrave’s eyes widened. “No way. From the wetlands? You remember that? What am I saying—of course you do,” he shook his head quickly and then asked, “He’s here?”

“He’s the poison in the well,” she nodded in confirmation. “He talks of Orion, largely, but mentions you as well. They listen to him enraptured. And by Veid, and I am glad it is only that…” she lowered her head onto his chest. “It is difficult to sleep, thinking Erlebnis watches us.”

“Not like we sleep much anyway,” Argrave comforted her.

“Now that we know what it is, we know how to use it to our advantage,” Anneliese looked up. “You wanted provocation, Argrave? I believe it is yours.”

#####

Four days later, Argrave and Orion walked side-by-side, discussing the plan. Given that Argrave would be present alongside him, it didn’t necessitate too many specifics. Nevertheless, given the precision of it all, he still thought it necessary to talk to his brother. And by the end of it all…

“We may be in combat for twelve hours,” Orion looked at Argrave seriously. “Fleeing from the centaurs’ assault, the giants, those pack of wolves who can merge with the wind, those long-tailed cats that can fell trees with a swipe of their tail… and at the end of it all, we fight the abominations that Kirel Qircassia looses upon this foreign soil in the final strike, the gods at our sides.”

“…could be,” Argrave admitted slowly, stopping to look at his brother. “It’s a little like the wetlands, isn’t it? And I’ve improved a fair bit since then. I’ve got royal-forged armor, too,” he added, pulling his duster.

Orion looked down at Argrave, his gray eyes hard. “It is a knight-commander’s duty to protect their king.”

“That is true,” Argrave said cautiously.

Orion slammed his arm atop Argrave’s shoulder and squeezed. “I shall protect you and Her Highness every step of the way, Your Majesty. This shall be glorious… sleep well!”

Argrave smiled up at Orion… but stewed on the words he spoke. Indeed… tomorrow was to be long. Perhaps the longest day he’d ever seen.