Bonesplinter Ravine [M] Viva La Vida

As Herod’s laughter slithered through the chamber, echoed by the thrumming chorus of the crowd, Machiavelli’s pulse hammered a warning in his ears—a cold, sharp fear he could not suppress. But if fear must show, he would let it glint in his eyes as a weapon, not a weakness.

Perhaps she speaks truth, my Abbot, he murmured, locking Herod in an unblinking gaze.

Pharaoh might indeed dispatch an army over one mere servant if he believes that servant stolen. Leaders, when slighted, are notorious for extravagant measures, he mused, casting a vague gesture into the shadows around them. And further still, when one is threatened by forces beyond their comprehension, they are inclined to overcompensate. Uncertainty has a way of breeding spectacle, even in the mightiest.

The gathering around them grew hushed, stirred by the quiet conviction in his tone. Leaning further, he let his gaze settle on Herod, pale eyes glittering with disdain. Surely you’ve heard the tales of Akashingo’s Pharaoh, he murmured, the words steeped in grim implication. Such a force is not one to provoke lightly, not if we value our people, our families—none of whom are soldiers fit for such a struggle.

The crowd’s eyes flickered between Herod and the Prophet, the earlier mockery now replaced with a ripple of uncertainty.

So, if an army truly looms on the horizon, why waste vines upon her—a mere messenger? Binding her would serve only as an insult, an affront Pharaoh would take as a challenge. A wiser ruler would avoid open war if given even the slightest chance. Ask yourself—why send her unarmed, without so much as a single guard, if not to open dialogue? She was sent to offer terms, I wager, he continued, his voice calm yet tinged with the gravity of consequence.

Let us take her aside, away from eager eyes, and grant her the courtesy of an audience—if only to demonstrate our diplomacy and mercy, he said, his voice a balm over the charged air. Machiavelli again placed a steady paw atop Herod’s, eyes begging him to see reason. There can be no harm in entertaining her words, surely, as your Prophet has long made his choice. There is no mystery in that.