Bloodsword: War of the Leaf

Political Maneuvers

The object of the elf's thought groaned as he weakly thrashed against his chains.  The last bit of water that they had forced him to drink must have been drugged.  Because it almost immediately made him sick and dizzy, his head spinning more than usual.

"Has he been given the nirava?" a deep voice boomed, echoing slightly in the big chamber Tev and the others were chained in.  Another voice quickly answered.

"Yes, my lord Botha, with their last ration of water."

"Excellent," the one addressed as Botha replied.  "Have Lord Estranos join me as soon as his flyer lands."

"Of course, my lord."  Then the door to the chamber was being unlocked with the rusty scratch of a key in the worn lock before it swung open with a creak of un-oiled hinges.  Heavy steps then descended the short flight of stairs to the chamber's floor, followed by more steps towards the dangling prisoners.

Drained by the drug and his current position, Tev didn't even look up when the footsteps halted in front of him.

"Human," Botha's voice boomed only a couple hand spans from Tev's face.  "You were last to possess the Sword of Blood before we captured you.  Its signature was all over your body."

"So?" Tev managed to croak.

"So, human, I wish to know the secret of activating the Sword of Blood."

'These imbeciles thing the S'ia sword is the Sword of Blood!' Tev realized through the haze that covered his mind.  And as he did, he almost started laughing out loud despite the pain and discomfort rocking his mind and body.  'Fools!  They can't even see the truth when it is boldfaced in front of them.'

Willing the pain and dizziness aside, Tev managed to lift his head enough to look at the Solavar who stood so confidently in front of him.  'But they'll realize their folly when I bring this city down around their ears without the S'ia sword in my hand,' he thought grimly, the anger surging through his body almost enough to push aside not only the effects of the drug the Solavar had called nirava, but the magic of the shackles as well.

"I don't know the secret," the human finally replied in a hoarse voice before letting his head fall back onto his chest.

Botha, the big Solavar, frowned in confusion.

"Then why did you have the power of the Sword of Blood all over you?  And why was the Sword of Blood in your possession, if you don't know how to activate it?"

"You tell me," Tev hissed, raising his head to glare at the big elf.  "I found the damn thing in a tomb on Kuosh Island, in the Kardells.  All I know is that it sometimes starts to glow.  And when it does, things happen."

"By your admission we can add thievery to the list of your crimes against the empire," Botha said thoughtfully, tapping his lower lip, his other hand on his hip.  "Things will not go well for you in a tribunal."

Tev snorted out loud at that, his anger having finished its job of burning out the last of the nirava drug.  His head was now as clear as a midsummer day on the Meridian.  With that clarity, he momentarily considered summoning the blood magic and ripping this smirking idiot into pieces.  But, after considering their rather tenuous position here in the heart of the Solavar's empire, he realized it wasn't such a good idea.  So, as he did in Mar Tolvanos, Tev decided to bid his time.  That is, if the Solavar didn't attempt to kill him first.

"No Solavar tribunal can make charges against a non-citizen," Tev rasped.  "Even I know that.  Besides, what are the charges levied against me?  Piracy?  That vessel was mine and mine alone.  I stole it from no-one.  The papers you would have found confirming that, were in the main cabin.  As for any other crimes, I haven't spent enough time in your empire to break any of your laws."