Jackal Among Snakes - Chapter 635

Chapter 635: The Three Principles

Elenore looked at the debate raging all around between many different parties, and felt a rather peculiar feeling. She was certain that she was witnessing a historical event of far greater magnitude than even the organization of the parliament. That was merely an institution, and they could rise and fall. But today, they strived to create something that defined the essence of their government henceforth.

Argrave had created a very effective cudgel. By limiting what was to be written to a small document that didn’t dictate law, but rather fundamental aspects of how the citizens of Vasquer were to be treated, he could effectively force the crueler aspects of the heroes gathered to compromise. In the event that they could not obtain superiority over another, they would be far more likely to settle for equality.

Everyone on their side adamantly refused to separate human from elf, as was agreed. They refused to cement the idea of nobility or divine right. Long-standing traditions were challenged, and people were forced to be honest with one another. Beyond mere tribalism, there was very little dividing the races from each other. What few differences existed did not warrant dramatic difference in governance. The majority of these people had made their names known by merit, and the merit of the many demonstrated that superiority could come from any walk of life.

“You’re doing a lot better than I did realizing my dream.”

Elenore was whipped out of her thoughts, and turned to someone. He had the features of the Vasquer family—black hair, gray eyes. He looked upon Argrave with a certain measure of pride. He had the right to be proud, perhaps—he was Felipe I, the founder of their family. He had endured Gerechtigkeit with Vasquer, yet ultimately, his own blood betrayed him and founded a kingdom instead of carrying on his vision.

Elenore had heard Vasquer speak of him many times. Felipe and Vasquer had intended to establish a militant order that loosely governed the region, without much interference other than defense against invaders and raiders. After Gerechtigkeit, they had no regional competition. Their children didn’t care to carry on that vision—rather, they established a hereditary monarchy after their betrayal of their parents.

Elenore regarded him curiously. “How does it feel, to see how things have changed?”

Felipe stared ahead, thinking. “Relieving,” he finally said. “And depressing.”

“...because of Vasquer, I imagine,” Elenore guessed. To miss her by only a few weeks must’ve been unimaginably painful.

“Hmm.” Felipe nodded. “That’s one piece of the puzzle, but you’re missing a lot of context. You don’t get together with someone older than you by millennia and expect to outlive them. I just never assumed it would be me.” He looked over. “You must think I’m a real psycho. Maybe I am. It probably does take a psycho to see a golden feathered serpent and decide ‘yeah, that’s the one.’”

“Uhh...” Elenore sputtered, caught off-guard.

“Frankly, it was an accident that neither of us expected,” Felipe admitted. “I didn’t exactly choose. I got chosen. By fate, the universe, whatever.”

Elenore narrowed her eyes, growing more and more confused. Are children something one does by accident? With people, certainly. But with a snake?Expplôre uptodate stories at no/vel//bin(.)com

“When accidents happen, you do the best you can. It’s harder to raise children when one of you doesn’t have opposable thumbs, let alone arms, and you’re dealing with the aftermath of the war against the world’s millennial butcher.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. It turned out alright in the end, because you guys came of it. I wish it turned out alright before my little rascal stabbed me, but I’ll take what I can get. Corpses can’t be choosers, despite what these bastards today are arguing about.” He looked at Argrave, who was laughing in the face of the southron elf emperor. “I take none of the credit for you all, by the way. Vasquer did it all. I don’t have more than one kind bone in my body, but somehow, her nature must’ve distilled down to today.”

“She is...” Elenore caught herself. “She was great. I’ve never met someone so warm.”

He looked at her. “She was the best. The very best.” He smiled. “But what you’ve got today... it’s better, in some ways. Our kids hated each other. You two... working together, cooperating... it’s so damned nice. Wish it could’ve been like this with mine. Tried to give them everything they wanted, but all it led to was them wanting more. I yelled at them a lot when they were greedy or immoral. Called them hurtful things. But I never had the heart to actually do anything to stop what I saw them becoming.”

Argrave and his companions fought hard against the legends of the past to create something that applied to all people neutrally, and ensured a nation in which any race willing to exist peacefully alongside others was allowed to. The presence of people that held animosity against others turned from a troublesome thing to a boon—if they could not oppress their opposition, they insisted firmly upon equality. After all, from their perspective, if they were made equals, their kind’s innate superiority would naturally prevail.

In the end, despite bringing together some of the brightest and most fiercely independent minds of several millennia... the document was drafted. Not all were happy—few enough were, actually. But it was something that they had agreed on. Why had they agreed to it?

Because it was fair.

#####

Argrave sat at the table with his close family, tapping his foot nervously.

“I don’t know how someone that can call every emperor an idiot multiple times looks this nervous when the draft is heading out,” Elenore commented to Anneliese.

Argrave looked at her. “You’re not nervous? What we’ve worked on for a whole damned week is going to the people.”

“Most of them can’t even read it,” Durran reminded him.

“But it’ll get read eventually,” Argrave argued. “And... hell, I don’t know. What can we even expect from this? It’s a lot different from a movement started among the people—it’s a top-down imposition of liberty. What if it’s not wanted? What if—”

“It’s not law. It’s not legislation,” Elenore interrupted.

“Meaning?”

Anneliese explained, “Meaning, it’s merely the foundation for a very long struggle. The true challenge begins in extrapolating what was written there into the structure of the government, and the magical institutions of the world. We’re sending forth a sentiment that can capture the heart of the people. Once the seed takes root, we can grow the nation we intend, uprooting the power structures of old with something of our design.”

Elenore put her hand atop Argrave’s. “You have another matter to focus on. The Shadowlands. Your mercenaries have had their fee paid. Think only of that, Argrave. I don’t want you to get hurt within thinking of what’s happening here.”

Argrave nodded, pleased to see his sister had set aside her disappointment in him. Finally, after so much time... Argrave, Anneliese, and Durran would venture into the Shadowlands with great heroes at their back. All others would remain behind to maintain the integrity of the Blackgard Union and the Kingdom of Vasquer.

Only a few more days, and the hunt for Traugott would begin.