Interlude: Isolation XII

The war had been going well for long enough that Armin had started to be a bit anxious. When the Loyalists finally managed to pull together enough force for a reversal, catching the Reformists off-kilter, he had almost expected it.

He suspected they only managed it because far too many people seemed to consider the war almost won already, when he knew it wasn’t. Of course, their side had won some victories and pushed the Loyalists hard. That was unmistakable. But the Loyalists still had a lot of troops left, and their houses had deep pockets. It was a mistake to disregard them, and it certainly wasn’t the time for the Reformists to start quarreling among themselves. He wished they realized that, but unfortunately, it seemed not everyone did.

That was also why he thought this whole debate about leadership was a bad idea, or at least coming at a bad time. They really couldn’t afford to fracture right now, and it was obvious Madris was reluctant. Armin understood why, and he supposed he was probably glad she reacted that way. While clear leadership would be good to have, it wasn’t like appointing a war leader or whatever other title they settled on would magically solve all underlying tension, and in the meantime, it was one more thing to fight over. Perhaps it was a good thing this debate had seemed to lose momentum recently, then; if only because of the need to respond to the Loyalists’ renewed aggression.

If all of that aggression was conventional military attacks, they could have handled it more easily. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple. Or so he suspected, and his suspicions were firmed up the more he heard about sabotage of their supplies or enemy assassins striking the leadership of a minor house that had leaned their way.

“It has to be connected to Clasen’s preparations,” Madris said, pacing up and down the room. “We were wondering what he was up to. Clearly, it wasn’t influencing just the pricing of army supplies. A lot of this are things you can’t do without a bit of infiltration and preparation. Something more easily accomplished before the outbreak of the war.”

“We don’t know that,” Armin responded, playing devil’s advocate, as he’d heard it called in the Empire. “It might be that Clasen was involved, but it might not be, either. Even if there are hints of psychic involvement, the Loyalists have other psychics of their own.”

Madris gave him an unimpressed look. “I’ve met what sorry excuse for psychics they have,” she said. “I doubt they could have set something like this up on their own.”

“Have you?”

“Not directly. Well, mostly. There was that fight in the eastern water tunnel —“ She cut herself off and gestured impatiently. “I’ve sensed them and felt their touch on people’s minds. Most of them aren’t really prepared for anything like this, and I’d be surprised if they’re not constantly distracted by their own issues. They really only became active recently, I think. Not long enough to set some of this up. As I’ve said.”

“Not all of them.”

“Yes, a few could have been working with the Loyalists, or what would become the loyalist faction, earlier,” she conceded. “Which brings me back to the point, because I doubt they would’ve gathered together like that without something, or someone, prompting them.”

Armin sighed and nodded. He was the one who’d actually been here, but he didn’t understand psychic senses well enough to say anything about this aspect, while Madris certainly did, so he accepted her explanation. It was probably better to assume there might have been enemy actions than to optimistically pretend it didn’t happen, anyway.

“Are there any leads in particular we can follow up on?” Ray finally spoke up, turning to face them. He looked slightly wan and drawn, and Armin wondered if the separation from the Starlit Hive was taking its toll on him. Maybe it was just the stress of the situation.

There were only the three of them in the room right now. Armin was slightly thankful for it. It was a bit different with the people who’d come from the Empire (if only recently) rather than local dark elves. They could speak differently, a little. Not that he wanted to exclude Vares or the others on principle.

“Several, but I’m unsure how useful they will be,” Madris said with a sigh. “I will investigate as much as possible myself, and I should send a few of my new students to the look into the rest — but only with backup. I’m not really sure they’re ready otherwise, but …” She frowned. “At least they should be better than whatever the Loyalists have prepared. Especially if they go in pairs. And with backup; we need other people to send as well, competent ones we can trust.”

“I think there are a few Brotherhood men who’d be happy to help and who will be useful,” Armin suggested. “I can speak to Sarkol and the others. I doubt they’d refuse going on a mission for you.”

Madris smiled and nodded. “That would be good. I suppose we should inform the other Council leaders and perhaps get an official mission in the first place.”

They all exchanged a look. He knew they were probably thinking the same thing.

“Well, it’s not an official operation, is it?” Ray said. “You’re enough of an established leader that sending people to follow up reports of enemy activity doesn’t exactly bend the rules. They’d probably expect it anyway. If we need the Council involved or official decisions made, you can talk to them then; and better to do it with more information, anyway. Besides, what are we likely to find? What hints do you find concerning? The thing with people claiming they saw Esavian’s ghost telling them to run away?”

“Well, if we’re really unlucky, they captured the Director and are just keeping her stashed somewhere, to unveil at the worst possible moments.”

Armin snorted slightly. “It would make it easier for Anevien to claim leadership of the Loyalist cause and the Eternal Dark itself,” he commented. “But is that likely to be a big issue for our side? I don’t think we were exactly counting on either of the Sovereigns to be on our side. We’re kind of rebelling anyway — especially the Brotherhood, of course.”

They both looked at him in silence for a moment, Madris obviously considering the situation, while Ray’s expression was a bit odd.

“What?” Armin asked.

“Nothing, it’s just that you said ‘we’,” Ray explained. “You really consider yourself one of the group now, right? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that’s wrong, I just noticed it. You are a citizen of the Eternal Dark, and if you want to stay …”

“I’m still not sure I want to stay,” Armin said, a bit stiffly. He rolled his shoulders. “But it would be stupid to pretend I’m not involved when I’m fighting for the Reformists.”

“And leading,” Madris added. “Of course, you’re right.”

He supposed that was mostly true, even if Armin didn’t really see himself as a leader. But he still meant what he said. While he still wasn’t a dark elf, it would be stupid to insist that he wasn’t one of these people. At least for now. Which meant this wasn’t just some problem he was helping some friends with, he was involved, too.

“What can we do to help?” he asked therefore.

Madris paused for a moment. “You could accompany me to one of the things I want to investigate,” she finally said. “Ray, I think it’s best if you stay here and keep an eye on things for now, remain available to represent the Empire.”

Ray nodded. “Will you be gone long?”

“Hopefully not, but we can’t be sure.” Madris shook her head, then turned and went to, presumably, grab a bag. “Make sure you’re ready to travel roughly,” she called over her shoulder.

Armin didn’t need to prepare much. They had not really settled down anywhere for long enough to put down roots, and he’d gotten into the habit of being packed and ready to move quickly. Not that he would need everything he had here, but one of the advantages of his position was that he could at least be sure a bag of his would be transported with the baggage train and remain in good condition.

So it was only a few minutes later that they stepped out of the building currently housing them, although it was mostly a porch and a shallow entry section built over a cave in the wall of a cavern. Armin came to halt as soon as he exited, following Madris, who had stopped and crossed her arms, looking unimpressed.

Specifically, at the two men who were standing outside the house, in obvious guard positions. Madris must have known they were there, but she was looking at one of them with narrowed eyes. “Why are you here, Alco?”

Alco as Anevien met her gaze squarely. “To stand guard over you and your deliberations, of course.”

Madris huffed slightly. “I don’t recall asking for guards. Why are you standing sentry? You must have more important things to be doing.”

“Hardly more important, Mistress,” he denied with a shake of his head. “You are a primary target for any infiltrators or assassins. Protecting you and your council is of the utmost importance, I think.” He paused for a moment. “I will of course return to other duties should you tell me to.”

Armin frowned slightly, resisting the urge to speak up. It occurred to him that technically, Alco should be calling Madris ‘Eminent Mistress’. Addressing someone simply with ‘Mistress’ when it wasn’t her official title — and this was technically a different case — was generally reserved for members of the same house or people directly under a woman’s authority, like perhaps a commanding officer. Madris technically was neither. Although this certainly showed where Alco, and presumably his men, stood on the political question.

“Well, it hardly matters now,” Madris sighed. “I am leaving, with Armin. We just need to arrange a few things first. You should feel free to return to other issues. Although I would like a few recommendations for trustworthy men.”

“Of course, Mistress.”

The officer fell into step with them, and Armin listened to their conversation with one ear while glancing around. He noticed they still kept a single guard on the house, guarding either Ray or Madris’ possessions, presumably.

Most of the army was not based here, but it was still an important central node. More importantly, there were several tunnels leading in most directions originating from this cavern, or nearby locations. Several branched off into smaller side-tunnels as well, if he recalled. It should allow them to travel discreetly. After a few minutes, Armin separated from Madris to hunt down a map or consult a tracker and to confer with Sarkol.

Everything went almost irritatingly smoothly. He got to speak with several of their most decorated scouts without delay, got a map of the tunnels drawn, and Sarkol even waited for him outside once he was done, after he had let another Brotherhood messenger know he needed to speak to him.

“You’re leaving, then?” Sarkol asked.

“Only for a short while. I’m helping Madris with an investigation.” He paused, frowning. “Everyone is being really helpful right now, you know.”

“Of course they are,” Sarkol shrugged. “Why wouldn’t they be? Do you need me to scare up some escorts for you?”

“That would be appreciated. And a few other skilled people who can act on their own …”

It didn’t take long to arrange everything. Sarkol had people in mind, and by the time Armin returned to Madris, she seemed to have already started vetting and directing them, communicating psychically. He busied himself with ensuring they had mounts and supplies, and preparing a route for them to leave discretely.

That route ended up taking them through the back passages connecting this cavern with several adjacent ones, where some refugees had set up tents. It was also where several field hospitals were located, and the sounds and smells weren’t particularly welcoming. Armin still didn’t comment when Madris slowed down and rode past them more slowly, even pausing to watch. He could guess what she was thinking.

The healers were still busy even though the last battle had been several days ago. Most of the injured would have been treated already, but there were always some who required longer-term care. And their magic was probably exhausted, anyway. Armin didn’t envy the healers’ jobs. He was just glad they had a properly organized system for seeing to the injured. It had been refined over the course of the war so far, too. The healing tents were one place where it hardly mattered if you were a professional soldier, fighting directly for a house, or something else.

In contrast, as they kept riding, the civilian parts were much less organized. Armin saw rumpled children putting up a lean-to against the cavern wall, using wooden boards that left a hole free at the top. There were tents as well, and a few more solid looking huts. Some people rested inside them, others outside, and a few people in the center of the street stepped aside to let them pass.

A surprising number of the people here were gnomes or dwarves. Or perhaps not that surprising, after all. He also saw a few humans and a few elves. Dark elves were probably still the majority, but it did give a view into the demographics of the Eternal Dark, and its most disadvantaged classes. Or just those suffering from this war, driven out by the Loyalists, he mused, risking a glance at Madris. Her jaw was clenched, and he didn’t have to be a psychic to guess what she was feeling.

Well, she was clearly hiding their identity as well, considering no one paid them much attention, and she was recognizable enough someone should have, but that wasn’t all. Armin noticed the way her fingers twitched slightly. He pressed his mount a bit harder.

“The best thing we can do for them is to win this war quickly and let them go home, I suspect,” Armin said quietly once they got past the people into an empty stretch of tunnel. “Not that we shouldn’t try to have them taken care of as well.”

Madris grunted quietly and didn’t reply, clearing thinking or using her abilities. It took until they passed two more turns before she spoke.

“Maybe not the best thing we can do,” she mused. “There have been a few proposals in council lately that I’m not sure I like.”

Armin frowned, searching his memory before he recalled what she probably meant. “The thing where a few of the matriarchs wanted to take captives from enemy prisoners and send them to work for their houses?”

“Something like that, yes.” Madris shook her head. “We want to reform things, to be better than we were before. There are a few things that have to happen. The captive system needs to be torn down, not just modified.”

“But that is what we’re fighting for, isn’t it?” Armin looked at her, noting the subtle signs of tension in her posture. “House Oliren and others did already stop using captives even before all this. I don’t think it should be that difficult.”

“You’d think so,” Madris muttered.

Armin fell quiet for a moment, considering things. He consulted his map briefly to make sure they were going the right way.

“Is this an issue of — what they call civil rights in the Empire?” he asked.

“You know, I’ve been realizing something. Almost all our leadership are dark elves from established houses or the military. The Brotherhood is for soldiers, who want to get a voice in decisions. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll advocate for any other disadvantaged group. Arguably, it would be unfair to ask them to. The burden is on the Governance and Reform Council now, on us — we decide how far reforms will go. It’s not like their extent is already settled.”

“You think other races and former captives could get left in the dust,” he realized.

Madris grimaced. He saw the shadow in her expression, and her nod was slightly stiff.

“Then we will need to advocate for them, at least until they have prominent speakers of their own in place to defend their position,” Armin decided. “After all, if not us, who will?”

Madris smiled slightly. “I never doubted your commitment.”

“What’s that supposed to mean,” he sniffed. But he couldn’t help smiling back at her, either.

He supposed they would have to hurry up and make sure they weren’t gone too long. But it’s not like the Loyalists’ actions could wait — they would just make the situation worse — so they had to be addressed. Besides, while there were a few people he was unsure about, Armin broadly trusted the Reformist leaders they left behind. Madris’ family, Vares, they wouldn’t let things go to the dogs even if the two of them weren’t there. No, he should probably focus more on their own mission and its dangers.

With luck, they might even find some useful leverage.