by Lars M.
Arack was peeking over the edge, smiling. "Come on, Uncle. You've come this far. You're not just going to be a loser and back down now, are you?"
The jibe might have worked on McFly, but I wasn't buying it. Especially when I stared at what lay before me. The chasm I had to cross was maybe the length of an eighteen wheeler. The drop below, however, went all the way down. A nice view, if you enjoyed that sort of thing. Up here, the wind blew harsh and cold, even with the nice weather we were having, causing the ropes to sway back and forth. It was a rope bridge - or, strictly speaking, it was what a rope bridge must have looked like before they had learned how to make rope bridges. One rope to place your feet on, one at chest height to hold on to for dear life. Of course, Arack had made it look easy. She'd traversed the damn thing like walking a tightrope. At one point, it even looked like she had let go of the upper rope, just because.
"All right, I'll try. At least you'll have a good story when I drop to my grisly death." My first tentative steps were easy, and I perked up. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as I'd envisioned. A few steps further, and I was forced to revise that thought. The rope I balanced on started swaying, and when I tried to compensate with the one at chest height, it seemed to only increase the rocking motion. The further I made it along the rope, the worse it got, and I soon found myself almost at the center of the chasm, holding on for dear life as the rope under my feet tilted wildly. I clamped my arms around the upper rope, while first one, then both of my feet were flung from the lower rope. Flailing wildly, I almost, almost snagged the lower rope with my foot, when my stamina decided to run out.
"Crap," won't go into history as the most inspiring final words - but then again, I didn't have the air to say it out loud. My fingers, white with the effort of hanging onto the rope, slowly lost their grip, and I dropped. One stomach-churning moment had me falling straight down, when the rope strapped around my chest suddenly constricted, dragging me to the side as all breath was forced from my lungs. If I’d made a sound, it was at most a half-strangled, prolonged grunt as I was propelled sideways at a nauseating speed. The impact with the side of the mountain stunned me completely and I lost all orientation, dangling at the end of the rope. My mind slowly roused as I stopped spinning. I regained my bearings as my shoulder started to hurt from repeated impacts with the mountainside as I was... dragged upwards?
"A little help here, bard?" The strained words from above managed to pierce through the fog clouding my mind. A couple of stamina points slowly ticked back in, and I managed to maneuver myself slightly to avoid getting snagged on protruding rocks as I rose into the air. I soon managed to grab the occasional handhold, helping a bit, until at long last, I dragged myself over the edge with a final curse. Tirane and Arack dropped to the ground nearby and released the rope that had been wrapped several times around the pole anchoring the rope bridge. "Damn, but you're heavy for such a scrawny thing." I let it go without comment, resting my head gratefully on the comfy rock ground. That was one experience I never needed to repeat. Soon, I staggered to my feet with a grunt. I inspected my clothes, which were now covered in dust and tiny tears. Damn; there went the chance of an immaculate entrance. I thanked the duo profusely for saving my life, and tried to gather my thoughts before matching wits with the Wisdom.
The Ruling Chambers were a work of art. I could easily have spent hours merely studying the facade of the place itself. Columns flanking the entrance were carved directly into the mountainside. The furthest columns were small, only twice the height of a man, with nearer columns progressively increasing in size and culminating in the twin pair framing the entrance, which reached the entire height of the peak above. In between each column, art had been displayed, showing off their artistic accomplishments. Giant murals, statues, even paintings, which had been treated in a such manner to withstand the hardships of the climate, all served to flaunt the opulence and richness of the place. The pieces assuredly also told stories about the lore, should one have the time to study everything in detail. I braced myself and entered the Ruling Chambers, ready to earn any possible right for Grant's Crossing.
I had to admit, the interior of the Ruling Chambers themselves managed to surprise me. I'd been expecting a repetition of the less formal chambers housed in the city below, with twice the wealth and artistry. I had not been prepared to witness this. The Ruling Chambers were not chambers, as such. There was no roof to the place, and the walls of the chambers appeared to be the hollowed-out, reinforced sides of the mountain itself. What remained was an immense, circular chamber - with an extremely confusing aspect. There was no flat floor. Every few meters after the entrance added a new plateau to the floor.
The overall aspect was that of a huge set of stairs, leading up to a platform at the very top of the far end of the chamber. I could barely make out the gathered Wisdom standing in wait. Climbing, I noticed that the colors of the walls and plateaus all were tailored to increase the appearance of having to travel towards a bright light, namely the Wisdom, as if the ability to carve out a frigging mountainside wouldn't be impressive enough. As I scaled each plateau, I marveled at the walls of the chamber. They had really taken both painting and carving to another level, resulting in an overwhelming spectacle of scenes and details from the history of High Hold.
Several minutes later, I approached the final plateau, huffing from the effort. The group was standing alone. Clearly, they believed that no guards were necessary up here. That, or... I looked overhead. Yup, a trio of armed harpies were circling right above me. The final plateau was reinforced as a balcony that extended over the mountain itself, and I had to force down a need to praise the sun as I walked over to trick the Wisdom into accepting my proposal.
Chapter 31 – Audience
They stood before a circular table, holding a number of items whose significance escaped me, alongside what looked like my agreement.
I bowed deep before the Wisdom. "Honored Wisdom, I heed your summons."
This time, they seemed less haughty, except the bald Wisdom Morvane. I suspected 'haughty' was his standard setting. He sneered as he spoke. "Oh, please. Do get up. I hate this groveling. Do they really think it brings them something?"
The thin Wisdom Tirone replied, sarcasm heavy in his voice, "Perhaps it brings them pleasure to be able to uphold a modicum of civility, Wisdom Morvane."
I kept my eyes fixed on Wisdom Belline, however. She seemed to be the deciding factor among them, even if their squabbling led to believe otherwise. A tiny smile played on her lips as she inclined her head a tiny fraction. "The emissary returns. We must congratulate you on your dedication. Rarely do we see a Probationary Citizenship earned as rapidly as yours. It is good of you to join us here, despite the... adversity of the climb."
I bowed again. "I appreciate your words, and I would face harder challenges, were it necessary to gain the ears of the Wisdom." Not much harder, though. That damn drop. I shuddered involuntarily.
The dwarf barked a laugh. "No need for posturing, son. We could see your struggles from up here." And indeed, the front door gave a perfect view of the rope bridge and my brush with death.
I smiled, hiding a pang of annoyance. "I'm not saying the Wisdom have made it easy for me. But hard-won victories are usually worth the most."
The stately female harpy raised an eyebrow. "So, you believe that you have already won? Do you consider your proposal that excellent?" She indicated the papers.
"I would not dare to assume as much. But I do believe that the Wisdom hold their title for a reason, and there is much to gain for both parties with little to lose for High Hold."
"Oh, really? You mean you didn't just try to convince us to give up our natural rights to half the forest?" Morvane's teeth clenched as he spoke.
Unexpected. He wasn't protesting any of the tiny traps I'd made, only... "I beg your pardon?"
He waved his hand at the proposal. "This... this garbage clearly states that High Hold would give up all claims to the eastern half of the for
est, except those areas already held by us."
I cocked my head. "It was our clear understanding that the area of High Hold was restricted to that of the forest strictly surrounding the city, and that you had no interest in expanding your boundaries. Were we mistaken?"
Wisdom Pallarson cut in with a dry voice. "You're not wrong, son. Even so, our scouts and warriors roam a large area. An area which, from this document, could soon be contested as belonging to Grant's Crossing."
I tapped my lips. That hadn’t even been one of my intentional traps. "Ah. An unfortunate misunderstanding. Of course, the agreement will be amended to specify all such territories as yours for posterity. Grant's Crossing does not intend to challenge your lands, only to establish an alliance to improve trade and protect both cities against any military challenges in the future. "
Mollified, Pallarson sat back. "There you have it, Wisdom Morvane. An honest mistake."
I decided to go on the offensive and attack them with sheer helpfulness. "I would love to hear your thoughts. At this initial stage, nothing has been set in stone, and I have been granted leave to negotiate the terms." Maybe not to attempt to con them, but hey, the Council wasn't here. "How did you find the terms on the possibility of opening a trade route to include your good city?"
The bald harpy looked like he had just bitten into something rotten. "Those terms were... acceptable."
The thin harpy scoffed. "Wisdom Belline? Could you take over here? We're clearly not going to get a civil comment from Wisdom Morvane tonight." He turned to address me. "We do apologize. The terms regarding the trade route are more than fair."
I was glad to hear that. I'd paid extra attention to that section, making it obvious that an alliance with Grant's Crossing would open up trade to the outside world. something sorely lacking in High Hold. The Council back home might disagree with just how generous I'd been, but hopefully not after they learned what else the agreement would mean.
Wisdom Belline gave me a thin smile, and for a moment, I figured I'd been had. But then she asked, "All told, Arcangelo, we find the terms of the agreement quite fair. Almost suspiciously so. Have you chosen a deity?"
"I... yes, I am a follower of Serune."
"Good. Then, before agreeing to this proposal, we require that you swear a vow in the name of Serune." Gah. Yeah. Totally busted.
"That... depends on the vow, obviously." Was I sweating? Think, damnit.
"We require you to swear that you do not know of any imminent threats to Grant's Crossing. Entering a mutual defense pact would be agreeable to us. Doing so if Grant's Crossing suspects any threats would be foul play, and we would not take well to that. To our understanding, neither would Serune, should you try to dissemble in her name."
Did I just manage to dodge a bullet? I composed myself and immediately replied, hoping I hadn't looked too guilty. "I, Arcangelo, swear in the name of Serune that I do not know of any imminent threats to Grant's Crossing." Adding on a little extra probably wouldn't go amiss. "Nor do I have any information on any groupings or peoples that mean the town any imminent harm." Heh. I was gathering a handful of grudges myself, but the town wasn't on any shit lists that I knew of.
My words seemed to satisfy Wisdom Belline, because she spread her arms to the others. "Anything else to add? Good. In that case, on behalf of the city of High Hold, we thank you for this arrangement. We have taken the liberty to arrange an amended version including the desired changes."
I took my time to investigate the amended agreement in detail - especially the, ahem, tiny concessions I'd included. Nothing was changed, except for the issues they had already indicated. The area they were claiming was rather large, but Grant's Crossing would never come anywhere near the place anyway. With a smile, I signed the document on behalf of Grant's Crossing. Boy, were they going to be mad when they figured out what they'd just agreed to. I hoped to be far gone at that point. "Oh, you even prepared an extra copy. Thank you very much."
Wisdom Belline smiled. "We do like to be prepared. Please join me."
Hesitantly, I followed her as she stepped onto the platform. I'd been impressed by the view earlier, but this... the platform was small and ringed by a solid stone railing, but once you approached the edge, it still felt like being suspended in free air, looking down on the forest and the small ant-like beings scurrying below. Unthinking, I spurted out. "They're like insects. I mean, it must be hard to stay in touch with the everyday life of the city if you stay up here too long."
She looked down on me, not unkindly. "Oh, it is a temptation. Life is easier, decisions less difficult, if we stay apart from the people. Emotion will not get in the way as much, and we can resort to logic as our only guide. Still, it also leads to a certain... distance. Contempt, even. As my fellow Wisdom displays." The glance she shot at Morvane was equal parts annoyance and compassion.
We stood in silence, staring down for a full minute. The lack of speech was becoming oppressive, and the only thing I could think of was... not the most diplomatic thing. In the end, I couldn't help myself, and blurted, "Is that why you agreed to the alliance? Do you believe that High Hold needs to get in touch with the surrounding world?"
She tapped her lips. "Curious choice for an emissary. You are rather outspoken. The specimens we tend to sign treaties with are unfailingly polite and reserved. Your approach is refreshing... in moderation." I accepted the reprimand with a nod. "To answer your question, yes. Not all Wisdom would agree on this count, but we do need to interact more with the rest of the world. Even though we do have the occasional straggler join us, and we are open to knowledge from the Chronicler Hub, we would stagnate if we did not begin to open our borders once more. I would like to know more about Grant's Crossing, however, to determine if we should perhaps send some people with you when you return, as a cultural interchange of sorts. In addition, I have taken it upon myself to arrange for a gathering of valuable information for you to take home to your village."
Damn. Why'd she have to go and be so sensible... even nice? I started telling her about Grant's Crossing, the people and challenges of the region, as well as the hopes and dreams of its founders. She smiled and nodded, interjecting when she believed that High Hold would have items, knowledge, or experience that might serve to aid in the development of the town. While I talked, my mind churned and my heart dropped. Was I really going to... "Oh, damn it all!"
Wisdom Belline looked at me in shock. "Excuse me?"
"I apologize. I'm the one who must beg to be excused." I extracted my copy of the proposal and tore it up, watching as her eyes flew open. "This one's going to be hard to explain, so here's the short version: The agreement you've just signed? It's riddled with traps and details to ensnare you and guarantee that Grant's Crossing comes out on top in the agreement. You would basically be signing over access to your Repository and sacrificing part of your militia on a permanent basis."
"I beg your pardon?" Her voice rose an octave.
"It's true. We will have to destroy the other copy, too. I don't want to go through with this."
"But why? Why would you act in bad faith?" She frowned, lips pressed together in a thin line.
I sighed. "The Council has nothing to do with this; it was all me. In all honesty, I was annoyed by having to jump through such extensive hoops to be able to present the proposal. I decided that I would extract the cost from your city... but now I can see that you're acting in good faith, and I just can't do it." I looked down.
The Wisdom looked at me, one hand held in front of her mouth with an inscrutable look on her face. "A change of heart, is it? How do you believe the Council would react if we told them what you had attempted? No deception, now."
I considered the question. "Gillem would be shocked, as would Mallard. If I'd gone through with it, they would eventually have accepted the deal, if only because it put Grant's Crossing in a better position. Mr. Callahan would've determined it to be good business sense, I believe. The Mayor... I'm not sure about her. She does seem to h
ave strict morals, but she's also a business woman at heart. In the end, however, they would all have praised the results while disliking my actual methods."
"And you would throw your result away because of... a change of heart?" Her high-pitched voice showed her confusion.
"I am not a clever man. My morals are sort of tarnished to begin with, but... apparently, there are things I cannot do. This has been a learning experience." I shot her a lopsided smile. "So may I convince the Wisdom into receiving a new emissary from Grant's Crossing? Perhaps forming a deal with Lyle instead? I promise, whatever he would write would be far easier to read than the legal nightmare I prepared for you."
The regal harpy considered me, eyes flashing. "That will not do. Did you know that the City of High Hold has no official deity?"
The non-sequitur had me stunned. "Erm. No?"
She fixed me with her eyes, and I dared not look away. "Since the Tallwing clan decided to forgo the usual predatory tendencies of our race and establish a fixed base in the peak of Mount D'Hail, a lot has changed. Our leadership has gone from a chieftain to the current meritocratic approach. We have realized that other races are not the enemy. One fact remains unchanged since that first day, however. We prize knowledge above all." The smile she shot at me warmed me like the sun after a downpour. "And knowing that those with whom you intend to enter an alliance do have morals, however well hidden, seems to me the best kind of knowledge."
She turned back toward the remaining Wisdom and clapped her hands. "My brethren, Arcangelo has raised my attention to the fact that there may be a few issues with the current proposal, and we will devise a new version." The Wisdom all started clamoring for information, but she spoke over them. "I know. I apologize for the delayed dinner, Wisdom Pallarson, but we do not intend to start our alliance with Grant's Crossing on a less than stellar basis, do we?" Looking me straight in the eyes, she concluded, ”Arcangelo has also insisted that the new agreement includes a couple of lessons on reading and creating contracts.”