H - 104: Means Rather Than Motives (Patreon)

Their council of war convened at the newly established public table. Kaln sat in the center of one long side with the Commander floating at parade rest at his left shoulder; across from him sat his three consorts, with Tiavathyris in the middle. The drakes, all of whom were still in larger forms, had been sternly told by their mothers that they could observe, quietly, from a respectful distance. So far, they were keeping to it.

“I agree with Kaln’s and Tiavathyris’s assessment,” Izayaroa said, beginning the meeting proper. “This maneuver from Savasmittar makes sense only as a negotiating tactic. If he truly considered us a threat to dragons, he would have attacked unannounced and not involved Shamissar’s interests.”

“I’m not arguing, but it does seem odd,” said Emeralaphine. “Declaring war, as a way to open a discussion?”

“It’s been done,” Tiavathyris replied. “It is a high-risk strategy and only makes sense in certain very specific circumstances, but very much precedented. I have observed such gambits in person; several times, they resulted in the formation of an alliance between the two parties before actual combat could begin.”

“Precisely,” Izayaroa said, giving her a gracious nod. “That is likely his intention; a god of dragons aligned with his interests better serves him than a dead godling.”

“I see.” Emeralaphine drummed her claws upon the tabletop once. “Hm. And we are…quite certain Savasmittar is taking this approach? I will grant that it can be a sensible move, in theory, but it matters whether he is…the right kind of sensible.”

“Shamissar has prospered greatly under his reign,” said Kaln. “He undoubtedly has character flaws, as do we all, but Savasmittar is clearly not a fool. To judge by his Sovereignty’s defensive foreign policy and lack of military ventures, he is also not belligerent by nature.”

Izayaroa nodded approvingly at him. “He has avoided contacting me or my government in person, apart from normal trade agreements and the like—Shamissar and Rhivaak are too distant to need much formal contact—but in various public statements he has broadly hinted that he would appreciate my attention. I have been…reluctant to grant it.”

“I met him once,” said Tiavathyris, “but it was so long ago I question to assign much significance to the impression he made at the time. He struck me as vain and callow, interested in little beyond personal aggrandizement. But he was little more than a drake at the time; are we not all that way, at that age? I did have a similar impression, though,” she added, shooting Izayaroa a sidelong smile. “He clearly wanted to flirt with me, but did not dare.”

“Well,” said Kaln, reaching out to touch the unrolled scroll on the table before him, “this doesn’t give the impression of cowardice you describe…”

“You may be under a misapprehension, husband,” Tiavathyris said, still smiling. “I would call it sensible circumspection, rather than cowardice. Courtship between dragons is a struggle for dominance—a literal, physical one. I was already a seasoned veteran at the time. I’d have slaughtered him, with no malice and very little effort.”

“I…see,” he said slowly. “Well, that sounds…less than romantic.”

“Oh, dragons are as capable of romance as anyone,” Emeralaphine said with a wry grin, “just not when breeding is on the table. It is a female’s biological duty to ensure that any genes she passes along are an improvement upon her own, at the very least.”

“You are aware that such talk is regressive nonsense when applied to most mortals,” Izayaroa added. “Dragons do not correlate reproduction with love or social dynamics in the same way, husband. As you know better than most, we are most certainly inclined toward love and romance. Just…”

“Nearly always with mortals, not each other,” Emeralaphine said. “Think of it this way: how many of your relationships, with every other mortal you’ve met, turned romantic? It’s a relatively small percentage even if you are among the most promiscuous, and for most, even smaller. So it is with us. A tiny percentage of, not only our relatively uncommon encounters with other members of our rare and solitary species, but a tiny percentage of the small percentage of those encounters which do not turn to violence.”

“Breeding aside, dragons rarely meet without finding something over which to fight,” said Tiavathyris, nodding. “Our kind do fall in love with each other, it’s just that the circumstances almost never align. I’ve only heard of such relations forming between females who are unrelated members of the same male’s harem.”

The other two nodded in agreement.

Kaln blinked, and glanced at each of them rapidly. “Um…”

“No,” they chorused in unison, wearing identical expressions of wry amusement.

He held up his hands in a peaceable gesture. “Can’t blame a fellow for wondering. Ahem, interesting as this is, and obviously draconic relationships are very relevant to my life, I think we should focus now on the matter at hand.”

In the near distance, all three drakes made overlapping noises of derision, and then all tried to glare accusingly at each other as their mothers turned cold stares upon them.

“It may be pertinent to our business that Savasmittar is probably attracted to you,” Kaln continued smoothly, “but we had better not hang our strategy on that.”

“Indeed,” Izayaroa agreed, “it would cause problems to make even implicit offers we have no intention of fulfilling. What we must do now is negotiate—if, as I assume, it is your intention to make peace rather than meet Shamissar in battle.”

“It is,” Kaln agreed swiftly. “For the same reason that Savasmittar is going to have the upper hand in negotiations: his grievances are valid. We are cultivating a god of dragons, and that is inherently a threat to him. Izayaroa, you said he is likely to want an actual alliance out of this?”

“As a head of state, Savasmittar has shown himself socially progressive but strategically conservative,” she said, nodding. “It is not Shamissar’s pattern under his rule to preemptively destroy threats. Aligned with you, he gains…well, what we do.”

“Part of what we do,” Emeralaphine amended, smirking. “I believe we have all said that we won’t begrudge you the odd dalliance, husband, but if you indulge with another dragon we may begin to feel…territorial.”

“He is a looker,” Tiavathyris mused, wearing a mischievous little smirk. “In his greater form, at least.”

Izayaroa divided a sidelong look of annoyance between the two of them, but did not interject.

“With the greatest of all respect, ladies, the three of you are more than enough for anyone and about all I can handle,” Kaln said with a grin. “Back to the point, then: we seem to be of the opinion that Savasmittar wants an alliance, and has done all this to place himself in a favorable bargaining position. What, then, is our best approach to—”

“Forgive the interruption, husband, but there is another concern here,” Tiavathyris cut on. “Savasmittar is not our real opponent, but merely an asset who has been leveraged by them. The information he possesses about you reveals he must have been in contact with the shadow. This business with Shamissar will not suffice to inflict on you…whatever revenge that thing is plotting. It is therefore a part of a greater strategy. Another attack will be coming shortly, while we are distracted dealing with this.”

“Kaln,” Izayaroa said seriously, “this may seem a redundant question, but did the shadow seem knowledgeable about dragons?”

“Very,” he replied, nodding. “It told me exactly how to, um…forgive me for putting it this way, but pacify the lot of you: by killing Atraximos. At the time I dismissed that as nonsense, but… Well, the thing is, the Entity is knowledgeable…in general. That is its real strength, I think. It knew how to trigger my apotheosis, with that Timekeeper contraption and an artifact which required layer upon layer of incredibly specific steps to acquire. It knows how to lay meticulous plans to achieve its ends, using information almost nobody should have access to.”

“And yet,” Emeralaphine mused, “it complained right in front of us that its gambits tend to fail in the end. That could have been a ploy, but given the situation, I do not think so.”

“This is the crucial point,” said Izayaroa. “Did it expect you to reach the arrangement with us that you did?”

“I cannot say absolutely for certain,” Kaln answered slowly, thinking back, “but I don’t believe so. It’s a smooth talker and very good at covering for surprise, but me coming in here and accepting your offer was a turning point for us. Up till that point I’d just been following its instructions; after that, it started wheedling and manipulating me, as if it was no longer getting the responses it expected or wanted.”

“Now that stands to reason,” Emeralaphine stated, nodding once. “If its divine aspects help guide it to factual answers, it is likely to have a counter-balancing weakness: in this case, a degree of blindness to the motives and reactions of individuals.”

“I agree,” said Izayaroa, nodding to her. “This, then, is the situation as I see it: the shadow will have arranged this with the expectation that as dragons, our next move will be for the three of us to go to Shamissar, leaving Kaln here. That is when it will strike at Dragonvale through some other cat’s paw we have not yet identified.”

“Wait, what?” Kaln demanded. “I think you skipped a few steps, there! Wouldn’t it make sense for me to go talk to Savasmittar?”

“Husband, you have the ability to control him outright,” Tiavathyris said gravely, “and in fact, to annihilate him with an exercise of your will as you did Atraximos. He will never permit you into his presence until and unless you establish a strong accord with him first. If you approach Shamissar in person, Savasmittar will have to assume it is an assault on his domain, and in fact an attempted decapitating strike against his regime. You cannot be personally involved with these discussions.”

“And the three of us have to go,” Emeralaphine continued, grimacing, “because we’re already on the back foot in these planned negotiations, and a show of strength is our only leverage. He has the moral high ground; all we have is three elder dragons to emphasize in person that we will not be pushed around.”

“But he knows there are three elder dragons here,” Kaln protested, “plus a godling, three drakes, and the Phantom Legion. Wouldn’t it better to leave the threat unspoken and have one person talk to him politely?”

“I’m afraid presentation and staging matters more in these affairs than perhaps they should,” Izayaroa said quietly.

“Also,” Tiavathyris added, “that we have three elder dragons is an entirely different matter than our ability and willingness to deploy them. Dragons, especially older wyrms such as ourselves, are both fractious and inclined to be passive. Izayaroa is right: seeing the three of us as a united front, willing to come to his domain in person, sends a message that nothing else can.”

“There’s also the matter that if negotiations go poorly, three elder dragons represent a force he can’t crush,” Emeralaphine added with an unpleasant grin. “One, even two? With the resources of a nation behind him, maybe. There is nothing Shamissar entire can do to the three of us that won’t at best extract a devastating toll he will not want to pay.”

“In time, husband,” Izayaroa said, “as you have gained a deeper understanding of dragons, you will see we are right in this matter, even though it is not exactly as things would be, were we simply two national governments negotiating. For now, though, I ask you to trust us. Among dragons, this is how it must be. This is our only prospect for securing a favorable peace.”

“And the shadow,” Tiavathyris finished in a grim tone, “being familiar with the habits of dragons, also knows this. Its plan, then, is to tie us down in Shamissar and leave Dragonvale open to attack. An attack for which we cannot lay detailed plans because we have no idea what form it will take.”

“The shadow works via intermediaries,” Izayaroa murmured, “which means the possibilities are both too many and too few. Nearly every major power in the Evervales at least might be persuaded to risk an attack on us, if they knew Atraximos had been removed from the equation, but we have no specific information on which of them might be planning it. By now, the major religious institutions, national intelligence agencies, secret societies, and adventurer guilds will have noted that Atraximos has not been seen for an unusually long time, and Vanimax’s abduction of Percy will have confused a lot of their normal calculations. The sum of this is a dense fog of war.”

Emeralaphine sighed and slumped back in her chair. “Well, on the bright side, the shadow’s involvement does let us know that someone is going to try something. If it hadn’t tipped its shady hand, we wouldn’t have any advance warning of that.”

“Okay,” Kaln said slowly, “I follow everything so far. The question, then, is…what do we do? Should we hunker down and wait to see what’s coming before we deal with Shamissar?”

“If we go straight to a defensive posture,” said Tiavathyris, “Savasmittar will reasonably conclude we intend to fight. Since he has squandered his element of surprise, once he believes battle is inevitable he will not delay—at least, not if he has the advice of competent generals.”

“Shamissar is peaceful, but he values skilled counselors and is not above hiring foreign experts,” said Izayaroa.

Tiavathyris nodded. “That, then, is the risk of delaying: it accelerates the onset of true conflict with Shamissar, and once that begins, the ensuing negotiations will become more difficult. Not to mention that if we are actively under attack, whatever else the shadow will direct at us is likelier to find an opening. No, I’m afraid we must step into the trap. Shamissar cannot be put off. If one is forced to put a foot in the snare, the best option is to trigger it in a way its designer did not intend.”

“I…have an idea,” Izayaroa said with an uncharacteristic hint of hesitation. “It’s one I know none of you will like, because I very much do not like it. But I believe it will work, and we are short on viable options at this point.”

“Countless heavens, then, stop trying to cushion the blow and rip off the scab,” Emeralaphine said in exasperation.

Izayaroa’s lips tightened momentarily, but she continued without further objection to Emeralaphine’s tone. “It is clear the shadow’s plan is to force the three of us to divert ourselves to Shamissar, and remain tied down there while we handle diplomatic negotiations—one of the slowest processes in the catalog of sapient experience. Whatever it has prepared to attack Dragonvale will therefore depend on having a comfortable timeframe in which to work.”

“That seems like an unwarranted assumption,” Kaln objected. “If we don’t know what is being prepared to come at us, how can we predict its timing?”

“We cannot say with certain, but I think she is most likely right,” said Tiavathyris. “This putative threat would have to be significant enough to meaningfully challenge three drakes, a godling, and the Phantom Legion. There are few powers in the Evervales which could do that at all, and none able to deploy at a moment’s notice. Such a thing either requires leeway in timing, or the backing of an enormously powerful benefactor—and not powerful in the way a dragon is, but in the way an empire is. Logistically. I suspect Rhivaak could barely manage it; Shamissar has a slim chance of fielding such a force itself, even if it could land one on these shores.”

“It’ll be adventurer teams, not armies,” Emeralaphine opined. “There are plenty of those in the Vales. They can move faster, but there’s no one team with enough oomph. Coordinating several is… Well, even adventurer guilds don’t deploy en masse for that reason. If you want to field a large force, you need soldiers. Adventurers will just run around doing their own thing.”

“Okay,” Kaln said, rubbing his forehead. “I am…uncertain. But taking all that as given, for the sake of argument: the shadow has effectively forced us to send the three of you to Shamissar. And it sounds, Izayaroa, like you have a way in mind of completing your business there and coming back before this unknown enemy force can fully organize and attack?”

“Exactly,” she said, nodding.

“A way to expedite treaty negotiations?” Emeralaphine wrinkled her nose. “You are right to be skeptical, husband. But it must be said that if anyone has a chance of pulling that off, it is Izayaroa.”

“I’m afraid it will not be a question of my expertise or any hidden tricks I know,” Izayaroa said gravely. “What we must do is exercise speed and force—arrive in Shamissar immediately, all three of us in all our power, and force our way into an immediate audience with Savasmittar. And then…cut short negotiations in the only manner that will work: by immediately and without argument giving him whatever he wants.”

All of them stared at her.

“Within reason,” Izayaroa amended. “I wouldn’t propose it against some opponents, but Savasmittar mostly wants assurances that he is not in danger, and probably to have Kaln’s power aiding rather than opposing him.”

“I see the logic,” Emeralaphine said, interlacing her claws and, elbows planted on the table, resting her chin upon them. “I just hate it.”

“As do I,” Tiavathyris murmured. “A dragon’s pride revolts at such a prospect. Which is exactly why it would not occur to the shadow that we might do such a thing.”

Kaln glanced over at the drakes, who were all staring now with identical expressions of mingled alarm and outrage. To their credit, they were still managing to remain silent, though Vanimax was visibly trembling with the effort.

“What,” he finally asked carefully, “do you think he is likely to demand?”

“Not one of us, if that is your concern, husband,” Emeralaphine said with a vulpine smile. “Despite his established crush upon two of our number. Dragon relations do not work like that.”

“That honestly hadn’t even occurred to me, but thanks for the reassurance.”

“We may have to make some commitments in your name, husband,” Tiavathyris said, tightening her jaw. “As godling with power over dragons, there is much you could do to advantage Savasmittar and possibly his offspring.”

“They’re all dragonborn, right?” Kaln said. “I think I have some influence over dragonborn, to judge by how well I could sense the one who came with the diplomatic mission. I had the impression my influence would not be as powerful as with a full dragon.”

“Interesting to know, if not unexpected,” Emeralaphine mused.

“Consider also,” said Izayaroa, “that if we are successful in establishing the long-term relationship with Savasmittar that we are assuming he wants… Well, change is the only constant in life. Beginning our alliance in a subordinate position is not ideal, but there are countless potential reasons for terms to be renegotiated. And as much as the three of us are many times a match for him in a potential fight, we are also capable of arranging…let us say, influencing factors, if the progression of events fails to furnish them naturally.”

“That’s a point,” Tiavathyris mused. “The terms on which an alliance begins aren’t often those upon which it continues.”

“That’s some comfort, at least,” Emeralaphine muttered.

Kaln drummed his own fingers upon the table, staring down at the scroll from Savasmittar and thinking rapidly.

“All this is based on an uncertain assumption: that whatever is going to come at Dragonvale will take long enough that accelerating your business in Shamissar will enable you to return in time to confront it. Or, if that fails, that we and the Legion can hold off any attack.”

“In war, there is no such thing as certainty,” Tiavathyris said quietly. “We have an incredibly defensible position and powerful combat assets. It…galls me extremely, to leave you exposed even that much, but we must be realistic. Even without us, husband, you will be amply defended.”

Off to the side, Pheneraxa and Vadaralshi nodded emphatically. Vanimax looked over at them, clearly less enthusiastic, but his expression was also resolute.

“You are confident in this plan, Izayaroa?” Kaln asked.

She inclined her head once. “You know well the uncertainty surrounding this situation, husband. My strategy involves further risk, but I believe it is the best option before us.”

“And you?” Kaln looked at Emeralaphine and Tiavathyris in turn. “Are there any objections?”

“It’s as she said,” Emeralaphine answered with a disgruntled sigh. “This is not a good alternative, but no, I do not have a better one. When it comes to diplomatic confrontation, there are few anywhere so expert as Izayaroa. If she is confident in our chances, I am willing to embrace the risk.”

“War and politics are differentiated by means rather than motives,” said Tiavathyris. “If we have not the luxury of a secure situation, we at least have a viable plan. I endorse Izayaroa’s strategy, and would add that we must not dither.”

“Yes,” Kaln said softly, “speed will be of the essence.”

They all nodded, eyes fixed expectantly on him.

He’d done things his way—seeking the advice, and then the approval, of his much more experienced consorts. Now, it was time for what he knew they needed from him, as the head of a dragon household. Decisiveness, and command. Traits which did not come naturally to Kaln, but which he had found himself able to cultivate thanks to their support.

Even if they managed to keep it brief, he was not looking forward to facing a potentially dangerous situation without them.

“Then we have a plan,” Kaln stated, pushing aside his feelings and putting forward only resolute certainty. “Even I know the truism that no plan survives contact with the enemy; everything will hinge on your ability to strategize and take action in the field. Fortunately, all of you are more than capable of it. Our biggest advantage is that our enemy understands dragons well enough to count on you valuing pride above all else; our victory will hinge on your ability to exceed this expectation. Ladies, follow Izayaroa’s lead so long as matters remain political, even if her decisions challenge you. And Izayaroa, you know well their areas of expertise. You must be willing also to defer to it as the need arises. The rest of the family will be counting on you, and I promise you can count on us to protect each other and our home.”

He paused, steeling himself—bolstered by their eyes, by the pride and determination he saw in them.

“Godspeed, my loves, because speed is of the essence. Make whatever preparations you need to quickly, and then let us see this finished.”