The Red Hand

Chapter 348 – The House Always Wins.

"That will conclude today's meeting. We'll reconvene next week to discuss further amendments before this is brought before the full Assembly for a vote." A black-haired wolf woman with red eyes spoke from a central podium. She was Chancellor of the Northwind Confederation, Gildra Mint, and she, as well as a dozen other well-dressed individuals, were seated at a half-circle table that stretched around an ornate room. They'd been discussing some contentions legislation that'd been proposed recently, and their discussion had gone on for far longer than expected to the point that daylight was now a distant memory. The conference room was filled with Tobacco smoke, and it was clear by the way the participants of the meeting spoke and acted that they were all members of society's elite. "Mr. Blumond, I'll have my secretary reach out to your office so that we can discuss the irrigation issue that you mentioned." She turned to a dark-skinned human man, who nodded before departing alongside his entourage, who were all bombarding him with questions and comments.

{Well, things finally wrapped up. I didn't think we'd spend five hours discussing a bill to overhaul discussing agriculture tonight but well... here we are...} (Gildra)

"Chancellor, may we speak a bit in private?" Jacabey took off his hat as he approached Gildra, wiping away a bit of sweat with a cloth. "I would normally wait until tomorrow, seeing as we just got out of extensive negotiations, but this simply cannot wait." As the leader of the largest opposition Party in the National Assembly, Jacabey held a lot of clout, and Gildra knew the Halfling well enough not to brush him off when he asked to speak.

"Only because its you... But let me grab a drink first, and we can talk." Gildra said with a sigh. She wanted to go home and sleep, but it was looking like the night was still young.

{No rest for the wicked I suppose...} (Gildra)

Following the wolfkin, the two politicians moved into the Chancellor's office where she got to work pouring two glasses of whiskey before sitting and taking a sip of the golden drink.

"So, what do you need to talk about?" Gildra said as she set the back of her foot on the table between them. "I hope this is a bit more important than a discussion about the Development Coalition myriad of bills sitting in committee." She sighed as she took another sip.

"Hah!" Jacabey let out a loud laugh and gave a toothy smile. "No, while I would love to talk with you about some of our current proposals until the wee hours of the morning, I'm afraid that I've got other business to discuss." He took a sip from his glass as he pulled out a cigar. "Do you mind?” He asked gesturing to it.

"Only if you've got one for me." Gildra chuckled as she was handed a black cigar, and the two lit up using fire magic. "So what's on your mind then?" She asked as she let out a puff. “Its not usual for you to pull me aside like this, but I've got the feeling this is about more than just politics in the Assembly.”

"Well, I've been thinking..." Jacabey took a puff as his monocle glared. "We're at a crossroads here, and one wrong step could see everything that we've worked for destroyed in an instant. Things have already started to move and I fear our nation will be caught in the middle of all of it."

"I'm going to assume that you're talking about that so-called Demon Lord?" Gildra asked as she held the cigar off to the side. "I'll admit that the devastation inflicted on Amdamell was unexpected, and even someone as detached from religion as I can tell that the Gods are in an uncomfortable position." She said as she let out another puff.

"Yes that's it exactly. Its a thorny subject to say the least.” Jacabey said as he took a swig. “I heard that you spoke with Lady Reflia the other day. I imagine that you spoke at length about this issue in particular?"

"It was one of many things the Goddess discussed with me, yes." Gildra nodded as she filled up her glass again. "She wouldn't tell me exactly what she was up to or what the current status of this so-called Demon Lord is, but... But that was the first time in my life that I've ever seen a literal Goddess nervous." She leaned back before taking another sip from her glass.

{I've never known Gods to be afraid, but when speaking of that so-called Demon Lord, she was definitely a shade paler than normal.} (Gildra)

"Well, I can't imagine that Gods would want to admit that they've got their hackles up." Jacabey laughed. "Lest we peons start believing them to be anything but all-powerful." His religion was money and money alone. In public, he would praise the God of Commerce Aldendre, but he had no real reverence for such a being. From his experience, wealth was not something obtained via prayer, rather it was something that required blood, sweat, and sometimes cold hard iron.

"I've placed our military on high alert, and we've already had a few encounters with this so-called Demon Lord's subordinates." Gildra sighed as she recalled a recent string of assassinations and suspicious deaths.

"Yes, the death of my dear colleague in the Agricultural Party was truly shocking. Almin and I didn't always see eye to eye with our politics, but I respected him greatly as a man of principle." Jacabey said with a look of sadness on his face.

{Could've fooled me. You're not known as a cutthroat merchant for nothing, and if I didn't know any better, I'd suspect that you orchestrated his death since he and his party were gaining ground in the Assembly.} (Gildra)

"So why did you want to speak with me about this?" Gildra's gaze grew sharp. "I know you well enough to understand that you didn't just want a status update, and if you did I could've given you one in the morning." She said stressing those last words.

"Part of it was my indeed my desire to know what was going on regarding this Demon Lord issue." Jacabey nodded. "But my primary goal here was to speak with you about what path our Nation needs to take from here on out." He paused as he let out a puff. "I've spoken with a few members of the Demon Kingdom's elite, and it seems that they're intending to take a hardline stance against this Demon Lord." He said as he set the cigar down on a small holder. “The general consensus seems to be that destroying this creature and its servants is a top priority.”

"As it should be." Gildra said as she swirled a glass in her hand. "The last thing we need is a repeat of Amdamell, and with this Cult or whatever it is taking up residence in their territory..." She slammed back the rest of the drink in her glass. "The only realistic way forward is to crush these invaders."

{End one war and start another I suppose.} (Gildra)

"Of course, of course, of course." Jacabey laughed while rubbing his hands together. "Such a destructive force cannot be allowed to do as it pleases, and I'd even go so far as saying that we should offer whatever help we can to the Demons in eliminating this foe." He smirked.

"Oh? Well color me surprised! I never thought I'd live to hear you so openly advocate for cooperation with the Demons like that." Gildra raised an eyebrow at the Halfling's proposal. "Since when were you all cozy with them? I thought you were firmly in the Anti-Demon camp?" Jacabey was never outright hostile to the Demon Kingdom, though he did tend to get into spats with them due to their reluctance to work with Northwind, largely stemming from its financial support to some of the Eastern Lords. On the surface the two Nations were at peace and even had trade relations, but underneath the calm facade was a swirling sea of backstabbing, political intrigue, and even a little bit of terrorism.

"Why is it so hard to believe that in times of Crisis, I'd put aside such petty disagreements to come together and face this foe?" Jacabey asked while acting hurt. "Did I not fund the Heroes training and equipment out of my own pocket? Did I not come together with your Progress Party to form a unity government during the war with the Spirits? So I'd hardly think my willingness to work with the Demons here is abnormal, despite my personal misgivings toward them."

{I would be inclined to believe you if I didn't know damn well what kind of man you were. You're a cutthroat political actor who NEVER takes an action that won't benefit you in the long run. This was proven during the Spirit War as you used the chaos to grow your faction's power base at the expense of others, and your move to pay for the Heroes' outfitting not only gave you a good relationship with them but completely shut out the Northwind Government from basically all interaction with them! So I know that there's no way in hell that you'd put forward FURTHER joint operations with the Demons if you didn't have a plan in mind, especially as you are ACTIVELY fomenting rebellion in their Easternmost provinces.} (Gildra)

"I suppose that even you may have a charitable bone in your body every now and again." Gildra said, keeping her real thoughts well hidden. "So what do you propose we do? I've already had some contact with the Princess-Regent on this matter, but they didn't seem to want or need our aid."

{We were politely told to mind our own business. Which is just their polite way of saying go fuck yourself.} (Gildra)

"Well, I was actually thinking of going a bit bigger." Jacabey grinned. "For you see, why not kill two birds with one stone here and not only deal with this Demon Lord but put the Demon Kingdom in our debt by saaaaaay helping them to deal with the City State Alliance?"

{And there it is, this sly bastard. I can't outright deny the value of what he's plotting here either, since with Amdamell seemingly falling in line with that so-called Demon Lord, it's looking like they've turned their back on the rest of the world. It would be the perfect pretext for war, and the Demons have been itching to crush those idiots down South for decades. Not to mention that with the Empire banging the drums of war louder every year, we may need to band together, lest Hadrus fulfill his dreams of reunification.} (Gildra)

"Jacabey... Why must you have a penchant for putting more work on me?" Gildra sighed as they continued their discussion well into the night, with Jacabey leaving via carriage just as the Sun began peaking over the horizon.

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"Ahhh. I love it when a plan comes together." Jacabey chuckled as he looked at the empty seat across from him. "Please do me a favor and tell your master that it looks like Gildra took her bait hook, line, and sinker. So don't worry she'll have her casus belli soon enough." He smirked as the shadow flickered for a moment before getting lighter as if something within had vanished.

{Forgive me, Gildra. It's nothing personal, and I know you know that. But when I go all in, I'd much prefer to do so with the hand that has a four-of-a-kind rather than a high card.} (Jacabey)

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