Rebirth of the Nephilim Chapter 592 589: Princely Bargains

Airship construction was a lot simpler than it looked.

That assessnt was wrong, Jadis acknowledged a mont or two later. The magic and skills that existed on Oros made airship construction look far simpler than it actually was. In truth, there was a trendous amount of work that went into the production of a magical airship. Everything from the finely worked wooden fra to the alchemically treated cloth to the magic engine and enchantnts that powered the flying vehicle; all of it required specialized resources and skilled craftsn and craftswon who were capable of utilizing those resources to create a dirigible worthy of the sky. Back on Earth, Jadis had no doubt that similarly sized creations would take many months, if not years, to complete. On Oros, however, the tiscale was far more forgiving.

"The Svana was completed last week," Jay explained as she watched several workers, including Sorcha's father, maneuver two large pieces of an airship cabin together. "I'm sure you saw her leave the capital."

The Svana was a Leviathan class airship, the second of her kind, and had been made for Eir's father, Einer Aedraheill. Jadis had let the Margrave choose the ship's na, and he had imdiately decided to na her after his wife. Einer had imdiately put the vessel to use and had loaded it with trade goods and sent it southward, to his ho territory. Jadis could already see that introducing airships to the empire was going to have a massive impact on the nation, not just from a military perspective, but for economy as well. It normally took a week for shipnts to travel the sa distance that the Svana would be traversing in just a day.

"We've already completed two of your ordered Behemoth class airships," Jay continued. "And you can expect the rest to co along at about the sa schedule. However, if you are interested in changing any of your orders to Leviathan class airships, I'm open to negotiating new terms and prices."

"Sabina has made amazing progress in such a short amount of ti," Prince Kestil comnted after taking a sip of the sweetened lemonade Oats had made for him. "Already the first design has been expanded and improved upon. Trendous work, truly."

"Thank you," Jay replied politely. "I'll tell her you said so."

"I am beginning to feel cheated," Prince Hraustrekr stated plainly, both hands clasped behind his back as he watched the work yard with a hawk's gaze. "You sold the smaller model when you were already working on the larger."

"Behemoth class ships are still useful for fast transport of personnel or supplies that don't require a lot of cargo space," Jay countered calmly. "They just don't have the capacity of a Leviathan. You're getting exactly what was advertised. But like I said, if you want the bigger model, we can discuss."

"Is that your Behemoth there?" Kestil indicated one area of the work yard before Hraustrekr could growl out anything dickish. "I understand that it was damaged during the debacle in Glanum. I didn't think it was quite that damaged, though."

Jay's eyes slid across the scene, taking in the progress that had been made thus far. The original wagon had been taken apart, the balloon having been removed entirely and the large wheels taken off. The side panel had also been removed, and the back of the wagon was still open thanks to the hole Jadis had made when she had removed the engine.

"Since the engine was… lost, Sabina is taking the opportunity to do so significant remodeling to the Behemoth. If things work out the way she thinks they will, we'll probably have to co up with a new ship designation."

"What differences will there be?"

Jay smirked, not turning her gaze to look at the younger of the two princes.

"That's sothing you'll have to wait to see. I wouldn't want to spoil anything, especially since Sabina is largely in the theoretical stages for that design."

Thanks to Violetta getting her class and her father and brothers joining her at the compound, Sabina was able to produce an incredible amount of smithing and enchantnts. However, even the boundlessly energetic smith had her limits, and she did need to sleep from ti to ti. Side projects like the Behemoth Mark II, as they had all dubbed the redesign for the ti being, took a backseat to more pressing matters, like getting everything ready for the trip to Volto.

"When will this new airship be completed?" Hraustrekr asked as he motioned with one hand towards the vessel that Sorcha's father and others were currently locking together. "It is still all timbers and holes."

"The work goes fast at this point," Jadis responded lightly. "We have good carpenters and craftsn here. This one should be done by the start of next week."

"I will buy it," Hraustrekr stated imdiately, almost as though he was trying to make sure he got his words out before Kestil, though the second prince was still calmly sipping his drink. "Twice the price of the Behemoth model you have sold ."

"Sorry, this one is spoken for," Jay shook her head with a smile that did not reach her eyes. "The second half of my rcenary company will be following us to Volto on this vessel, after we ride ahead."

The ntion of Volto caused the first prince's frosty features to turn glacial. Jadis could hear the creaking of his jaw bones as the elf clenched his teeth. Jadis didn't know how dentistry worked on Oros, but she pitied whoever had to take care of the prince's oral health.

"We can work on a new ship for you after, though," Jay said after a short pause she used to appreciate the elder prince's anger. "Or just the enchantnts, if you prefer to make the actual vessel yourself."

Jadis wasn't denying Hraustrekr purely out of spite. The plan truly was for Tegwyn and his team to follow Jadis and her companions on the second airship after it was completed. Part of the deal Jadis had made with the Voltonian Ambassador, Quintus, was that Fortune's Favored would use their ships to transport refugees who had ended up in the empire back to Volto. There were a lot of families who had been separated, and getting people back into their holand where they would hopefully be able to reunite with those who had survived the initial demonic assault would bring a lot of comfort.

Keeping her thoughts focused on the princes, Jay addressed the other elf sharing the balcony with her.

"Speaking of, how are your new airships coming along, Prince Kestil?"

"Splendidly," the elf replied with a smile that tugged to one side of his handso face. "So well in fact that I see no reason to change my orders for the enchantnts that will power them. I look forward to delivery and the days that co after, when all five will fly together."

Jadis nodded along, unsurprised by Kestil's comnt. The second prince's ticulous nature ant that he stayed in consistent communication with Fortune's Favored and had tid his own airship production to coincide with what Sabina and her workshop were capable of outputting. Jadis had no doubt that the man was working with highly skilled enchanters to duplicate Sabina's creations for himself, but that was fine. Anything that he might co up with would always be behind the mad creations that Sabina brought into the world, especially considering the other-worldly advice that Jadis was able to feed to the insatiable enchanter.

Ideally, Jadis needed to get an even bigger area for airship production. However, she had pretty much reached the limit of what she could accomplish inside the walls of Eldingholt. If she wanted a bigger production yard, property would have to be bought sowhere in the farmlands surrounding the capital. Aila and Eir were both investigating what might be possible, though expansion wasn't a huge priority. The real bottleneck wasn't space, but eleria.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

All of the airships required large amounts of eleria to produce the enchantnts that allowed for flight. Jadis had received a good amount of the precious gemstone as part of her deal with Kestil, but the supply was already running low. Buying more wasn't just an issue of money, either. The supply of the magical gem was limited to begin with, and the war with the Demons reduced what was available even further. That was a big part of why Jadis had asked the two princes to et with her at the compound. If Hraustrekr and Kestil were interested in getting bigger and better aircraft, then she would bargain with them to get more eleria.

"If the whole of your reason for inviting here today was to gloat about your airships, then I see no reason why I should stay," Prince Hraustrekr stated coldly, utterly frustrating Jadis' plans for so kind of trade agreent with the man. "Send a letter on what you are willing to sell your wares for, and I will have my accountants respond appropriately."

As the first prince turned to leave, Jadis sighed internally.

"It's not the only reason," she did her best to keep the growl out of her voice. "There is another matter involving you both. Would you be willing to speak inside?"

As the first prince ungraciously nodded his assent, the second prince smiled charmingly.

"Of course. I do love what you have done with your new office, by the by. The desk platform is quite clever. And whoever painted that portrait of you and Lady Eir has a fascinatingly unique style."

"Thank you," Jay said as she led the two elves back into her top story office. "That portrait was a gift from Brush and Canvas."

"The Demons," Hraustrekr said flatly as he walked up the platform in front of Jadis' desk to take one of the seats.

"Yes, the Demons," Jay confird as she moved to her own chair. "The non-hostile Demons who just want to spend all of their ti creating art."

"Until they get it into their heads to start killing people and innocent citizens will pay the price."

"You an like how so people seem to get weird ideas about leaving innocent people to die when they could absolutely do sothing to help? That's a price you don't seem to be complaining about."

"My responsibility is to my citizens, who you seem to have no qualms about endangering at all!"

"For soone who cares so much about his citizens, you sure have a stupid way of protecting them from the massive threat that is growing just outside of the empire's borders!"

"You do not have the slightest mote of experience compared to mine when it cos to military strategy! Do not presu to lecture on affairs where you are so apt so show your woeful ignorance!"

"I don't have to be a general to know that letting my enemy mass their troops over an extended tifra is as dumb as your yellow ass!"

"If you think my own n sit idly by, untrained and untested, you are even more dull witted than I previously assud!"

"And ass like you can make all the assumptions that he wants; either way, you're still wrong and still an ass!"

"Fulso mooncalf!"

"Snot licker!"

"If you both don't mind," Prince Kestil interjected before the argunt between Jay and Hraustrekr could devolve any further. "I do have a few other appointnts today. If there was sothing further you wished to discuss, Jadis, I am all ears. If you are going to continue to hurl insults at my brother, I can return in a few hours, after the two of you have exhausted your vocabularies."

Jay settled back in her chair, taking a deep breath to clear her mind and release the anger she had unintentionally let flare up. She noted that Prince Hraustrekr was also taking in slow, asured breaths. He was doing his best to recapture the detached expression he had worn for most of their short eting thus far, but she could tell that he was embarrassed by his own outburst. Or possibly by the fact that he had just been chastised by his little brother. Either was possible.

"I'm certain that both of you know that I spoke with your father yesterday," Jay began, her speech slow and calm. "And I wager that you probably have at least so of the details of what was said."

"So," Kestil admitted. "Not all."

"I do not spy on my father's affairs," Hraustrekr stated while glaring at his nonchalant brother. "But yes, I do know that he called you to see him."

"I didn't et them, but I saw your wife and children while I was there," Jay said with a little less ice in her tone. "It looked like they were all doing well. I'm glad for you."

Hraustrekr looked slightly taken aback, though it only took a second before he recovered and nodded his head in acknowledgent.

"Thank you."

"I thought you only had two kids, though," Jay said, the question lingering in her mind since the visit. "But I saw three? A boy, a girl, and a toddler?"

"The toddler is not my child," Hraustrekr stated flatly.

"Oh. Uh, well, he or she or whichever… I just assud since they looked like a half-elf and they have silver hair just like Sorulf…"

"Kori is my child," Kestil interjected as he slowly swirled the lemonade in its glass. "Despite the many nursemaids in my employ, Lynn often insists on caring for her."

"Oh," Jay blinked, processing the new information. "I didn't know you were married."

"I am not," the elf smiled wanly at her. "Kori is a bastard. She has not been officially recognized, nor has her existence been made public. I would greatly appreciate it if you kept your knowledge of her to yourself."

Seeing that she had not only managed to get an unexpected bomb dropped on her, but that she had also sohow walked right into the middle of a minefield, Jadis quickly pivoted away from the sensitive topic.

"Right. So, part of the reason why your father asked to see him was because he wanted to ask a specific question during my next oracle ritual with Destarious. Eir, Alex, and I completed the ritual last night and I got the answer. Since it involves both of you, I wanted to be upfront and tell deliver the information directly to the two of you, at the sa ti, so there's no argunt about favoritism or so other bull crap like that."

Both princes looked intrigued. Jadis supposed it would be hard not to be. ssages coming directly from gods was a rare thing, even for royalty, and she was certain that if soone had co to her saying the sa thing that she had, she would want to know what had been said by D as well. Sure, he was the god of chaos, but he was still a god.

Not wanting to drag things out any further, Jadis dove straight ahead.

"D told to tell you, Hraustrekr, that he wants Kestil on the throne. Kestil, he told to tell you that he wants Hraustrekr on the throne."

The two stared at her, unblinking, for several uncounted seconds. Neither man moved, both completely silent. ntally shrugging, Jay leaned back in her seat and let out a small huff.

"That's the whole ssage."

"That's it?" Kestil was the first to find his voice. "Destarious told you to deliver that ssage to us?"

"Those instructions are completely contradictory to each other!" Hraustrekr nearly shouted as he gesticulated with both hands. "That is a pointless ssage! We can do nothing with it!"

"I do not often agree with my brother," Kestil shook his head in amusent. "However, I am forced to in this case. Neither of us can use Destarious' apparent blessing to further our claims to the throne. The ssage counteracts itself."

"Yeah, I know," Jay replied. "I'm pretty sure that's the point, actually."

When Kestil raised his eyebrow in question, she continued.

"Look, I'm not going to claim to know what's going on in D's mind. I'm pretty sure that's impossible. However, I have had more face-to-face conversations with him than any other person on the planet. I feel like I understand him a little. My guess is that he told to tell you both that he wants the other one on the throne because it literally does not matter."

"It doesn't matter?" Hraustrekr questioned her, his face flushed with anger. "I assure you, it very much does matter who sits on the throne! The future of the entire empire could be irrevocably altered for the worse if this cad beca the emperor!"

While Kestil rolled his eyes, Jay pushed forward.

"Not from D's perspective," she said, laying both hands down on the desk in front of her. "The only thing that interests D is a good show. He wants chaos. He wants excitent. He wants things to go up in flas, just so he can watch the ants try to put out the fire. What I'm saying is, so far as the God of Chaos is concerned, it doesn't matter which of you ends up being the emperor. The results are going to be extrely entertaining for him, either way."

"And what, pray tell, do you suggest we do about such a dire prediction," Kestil asked, his tone like poisoned honey.

"I don't know," Jadis said with full honesty. "I've got enough of my own problems. I don't have the answers to yours."

"Utterly useless waste of ti," the older prince snarled as he pushed back his chair and got to his feet. "This has been nothing more than an attempt to undermine my authority."

Before Hraustrekr could take more than a step, Jay called out to him.

"I don't have answers, but I'm willing to ask questions for you. You have my word that I will reserve one question for each of you to be used during the next oracle ritual. If either of you have a follow up to ask D about what he has said, I will ask and I will deliver his ssage back to you. That's my offer."

Both princes stared at Jay as she got to her feet, looming over them even with the platform that raised their height.

"The next ritual is in thirty-five days. Think it over and get back to . Until then, I'll be in Volto."