Flashback: That Noon and Afternoon
Time: Noon -> Late AfternoonLocation: Sorian WaterfrontInteractions: Mentions: Attire:
It wasnât easy being a privateer in the Commonwealth. Becoming one, as Sjan-dehk had heard from a few former associates, was even harder. Prospective privateers, from what he had been told, were subject to a litany of checks into their histories and characters that left few stones unturned right from the moment they submitted their applications for a Sea Marque â a document which sanctioned its bearer to take offensive actions on the Commonwealthâs behalf. If they passed that, they would then have to undergo a barrage of tests and interviews â and pass them â before they were accepted into the Commonwealthâs service.
From start to finish, the process didnât actually take much time. It was simply very taxing on a person. Little wonder, then, that most of those former associates whom Sjan-dehk had known were former privateers, or those who gave up on their applications. Joining the actual Navy, they had told him, was quicker and much more straightforward.
Sjan-dehk could see the sense behind such measures, however. A privateer, after all, was someone who was given the same powers as a Navy ship, but without any of the training. The Commonwealth would be if it didnât properly vet those who wished to sail under the
Braided Dragon as private individuals. The seas would be awash with unruly mobs flying the Commonwealth flag, otherwise. Such a thing simply could not be allowed to happen.
Caesonia, Sjan-dehk assumed, would be no different.
And so, soon after dropping off most of his weapons and all of his armour aboard Sada Kurau â and while he was there, he collected a few documents he thought would be useful â Sjan-dehk set about looking for whatever place it was that handled the recruitment of privateers in Sorian.
That didnât take him long, or much effort, to achieve; a few stilted conversations with the dockworkers who serviced the ships adjacent to Sada Kurau directed him towards a two-storied building that was wider than it was tall. Nestled within a row of blocky, brick-built warehouses and workshops, the walls of white plaster, the shingled roofs gently sloping towards the waterfront, and the well-furnished veranda stretching before a pair of carved, wooden doors made the building stand out like a tree amidst an ocean. Sjan-dehk would never have assumed it to serve any sort of official purpose, if he had to be honest. If anything, the building looked more like one of the homes he had seen lining the streets closest to the castle.
âFancy seeinâ you here, Capân.âThe voice that called out to Sjan-dehk as he stepped onto the veranda was that of a girl, and was one that was familiar. It was also one that he hadnât expected to hear. He stopped, and looked to his left. Aislin, the flaxen-haired fishergirl, looked back at him from her seat at a round table towards the end of the veranda, right by the waist-high fence which wrapped around it. She waved to him, a friendly smile gracing her lips but not quite reaching her eyes. Curious, Sjan-dehk made his way through the sparse crowd to her.
âAi-seh-lehn, good afternoon,â he greeted with a nod. The fishergirl was dressed in more-or-less the exact same manner as she usually was whenever Sjan-dehk saw her: an off-white blouse blotched with the red and brown stains of her work, a laced bodice, and skirts with frayed hems. She had tied her hair into a pair of loose, messy tails trailing down her back. Wispy strands tickled her cheeks and brow.
There were three others with Aislin at the table: one woman, and two men. Sjan-dehk didnât recognise any of them, and they seemed more interested in whatever game of cards they were playing, than him.
âThis is aâŠThis is place for fighting ships, yes?â He continued to address Aislin.
âWhy are you here?ââThinkinâ oâ a change in careers, âtis so,â Aislin replied drily, but quickly shook her head.
ââTwas a joke, aye âtwas so. Some oâ my folk âave been runninâ intae more pirates as of late. More than the usual fare, aye âtis so. So I came âere tae put in a report anâ see if I can get any âelp, aye I did.â She let out a long sigh.
ââTwas a bloody waste oâ my time, as always.âSjan-dehk frowned. Something didnât feel right. Barely two days had passed since Sada Kurau and he had sailed to the rescue of one of Aislinâs fellow fisherfolk. At the time, nothing â neither anything he had seen or heard, nor anything Aislin had done or mentioned â had indicated to him that whatever he experienced was beyond the ordinary for these waters. And yet he was to believe that, within the short span between then and now, there was enough of an increase in pirate activity to be noticeable? Sjan-dehk couldnât help but find it a touch implausible.
But, he didnât have much reason to distrust Aislin. She had no reason to lie to him; not over something like this. And it wasnât as if she was even asking for his help. Besides, he knew nothing about how Caesonian pirates behaved or operated. For all he knew, their escalations were far more sudden and violent than that of those who prowled Viserjantan waters.
âHow many more?â He asked.
âMaybe I can help?ââEnough tae be worried about,â Aislin replied. Then, she looked up at him with a mirthless smile.
âCheers fae the offer, Capân. Anâ I really appreciate it, aye I do, but youâre still just one boat and one man at the end oâ it all, âtis so, âtis so. I cannae keep askinâ you fae âelp every time Young Tom gets âimself in trouble, nae I cannae.â She paused, her eyes widening slightly as if she recalled something important.
âOh, anâ speakinâ oâ âim, Young Tom asked me tae pass on âis thanks. âE says âe owes you and your crew a drink, aye.ââNot needed. It was not trouble,â Sjan-dehk replied with a wave of his hand. He didnât think that his actions that day deserved so much praise. He also had more pressing questions he wanted to ask.
âSo you come here, you ask for helpâŠâ He trailed off, brow furrowing.
âAnd they will not help?ââIâll tell you what I told Ash,â the woman at the table cut in. Her words were clipped, and her voice carried a sour tinge to it. Though the lower half of her face was hidden behind the fan of cards she held in her hand, Sjan-dehk could easily picture the frown that must be on her face. The tattered, dark coat she wore was in stark contrast to her fair complexion and soft features, though the sternness in her frigid, blue eyes as she gazed over the tops of her cards spoke of anything but softness. A single, red streak ran through her hair, its vivid hue bright against her loose, mahogany tresses.
The woman plucked a card from her hand, leaned forward, and tossed it onto a pile of similar cards in the middle of the table.
âItâs not that we wonât. We canât. Not without getting into trouble, at least.â She lowered her cards, revealing a scowl cutting across her sun-spotted face.
That only left more questions in Sjan-dehkâs head. And once again, the woman spoke before he could get a word in.
âAnyway,â she continued.
âAre you going to sit or what? My legs are getting tired just seeing you standing there all statue-like.âIt was only then did Sjan-dehk remember that he had come here for a reason. He hefted the small stack of documents he had tucked under his arm.
âI am here to joinâââTo join up with us eclectic lot?â This time, it was one of the men who interrupted him. Sjan-dehk drew in a deep breath and pursed his lips. He wasnât too fond of this emerging pattern. Nevertheless, he responded with a nod. The man looked at him with a friendly smile across his face, and a shine in his dusky, deep-set eyes. His boyish countenance and unkempt head of sandy curls gave him a youthful air, but the prominent lines around his cheeks, the crowâs feet pulling at his eyes, and the hints of grey tinting the ends of his hair betrayed his age.
âI would advise you wait for a while, stranger,â he continued, using the cards in his hand to point towards the building.
âThe staff of our Privateerâs Office are an industrious lot, but even they would be hard-pressed to see you right now with the deluge theyâre facing.âSjan-dehk followed the manâs gesture with his eyes until he looked through the Officeâs doors. Or at least, he tried to. The dense crowd within had started to trickle out onto the veranda, and all he could see was a forest of people, packed so tightly that it was a wonder any of them could even fidget. Frustrated murmurs and angry grumbles filled the air. Sweat clung to skins in glistening sheens, and glued clothes and matted hairs to bodies.
âPoor chaps are probably working themselves to the bone trying to keep up,â the man went on. He placed his cards face-down on the table, twisted around, and dragged an empty chair over to the space between himself and Aislin. The rolled-up sleeves of his white shirt revealed forearms covered in faded tattoos from wrist to elbow. There were pictures of animals, of cards not unlike those on the table, and various numbers and words which Sjan-dehk recognised as Caesonian. Their meaning, however, remained a mystery.
The man patted the seat of the chair.
âI suspect you might be waiting for quite some time, stranger. Better to wait whilst enjoying this fine summerâs day with company, wouldnât you agree?â ââEâs right, Capân,â Aislin chimed in.
âI cannae see the office folk gettinâ tae you anytime soon.âSjan-dehk hesitated, looking at the crowd once more with a frown. He would have much preferred to settle this privateering business as quickly as possible, but that wasnât likely to happen. Nothing about the crowd had changed. If anything, it had gotten even worse as people tried to squeeze and force their way into the Office, and newcomers continued to arrive. Why anyone would see such a mess and choose to join it, he didnât know, but he did know that he had no desire to suffer such discomfort. And so, with a resigned sigh, he pushed his hat back to let it hang by its chin-strap on his back, and took the offered seat. His weapons clattered loudly against the chair as he sat down.
âMy, youâre a well-prepared chap, arenât you?â The man quipped with a grin. He wiped a hand on his dark trousers and extended it to Sjan-dehk.
âOlivier Bellamy,â he introduced himself.
âCaptain of the Heyday. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, MisterâŠ?ââWasun Sjan-dehk,â Sjan-dehk picked up where Olivier trailed off. He accepted the manâs hand and gave it a firm shake.
âCaptain of Sada Kurau.âOlivier beamed.
âCharmed, Captain. Do pardon me if Iâm unable to properly enunciate such exotic names, however. My Caesonian tongue is far less travelled than my person.â He grinned and picked up one of his cards, barely glancing at it before flicking it onto the pile.
âAllow me the pleasure of introducing my fellows, Captain,â he said and gestured towards the woman with an open hand.
âThat fair maiden over there is our dear Evelyn VaneâââCall me that again, Ollie, and Iâll cut your tongue out,â she interrupted, her voice perfectly nonchalant, as if this was something she said daily. She didnât even look up from her cards.
âAnd Evie will do.âââCaptain of the Stars at Dawn.â Olivier continued as if she hadnât said a thing. He swept his arm across to the other man, seated to the right of Evie. A brown eyepatch sat over this manâs left eye, covering much of a deep scar that cut like a jagged valley from his brow to the middle of his cheek. A tangled mess of black hair, scraggly and coarse like dried seaweed, concealed much of his face from view. The cards he held up to his nose hid the rest.
âAnd last, but far from the least, we have our venerable Innokenty Suchik, Captain of the Summerdream.âInnokenty grunted. He added a card to the pile, but did or said nothing more.
âDonât mind Inno,â Evie piped up, shooting Innokenty a glare as she flicked a card onto the pile.
âGetting a full sentence out of him is harder than pulling teeth.â In a quiet mumble that Sjan-dehk wasnât sure he was supposed to catch, she added,
âIâd know.âSjan-dehk ignored the mumbled words â perhaps he had misheard? â and nodded slowly.
âThank you,â he first said to Olivier before looking to the two other Captains in turn.
âIt is myâŠNo, it is good to meet you. All of you.â Evie met his gaze briefly and shrugged. Innokenty barely reacted.
Placing his documents on his lap, Sjan-dehk tucked out of sight beneath the table. Even if few â if any â of them had sensitive information written or printed on their pages, he still thought it best to keep them away from as many prying eyes as possible. As he waited, his fingers drummed an erratic beat against the hard, coarse paper. Despite himself, he kept looking over his shoulder at the Officeâs entrance. And each time, he was greeted by the exact same sight. He saw the same crowd, still dense and static. He saw the same faces, all clouded by annoyances and storming with discontent. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and it felt as if this wait was truly interminable.
âAll this people,â Sjan-dehk began and waved his hand vaguely in the direction of the crowd.
âYou have so many coming here everyday? All of them, they talkâŠNo, they complain about pirates?ââItâs usually pirates, yes,â Olivier replied with a nod.
âYou do have the odd fellow coming here complaining about the weather and the waves and such, as if they were under our control, but those entertaining chaps are rare, sad to say.â He looked up from his cards and at the crowd, his expression darkening slightly.
âBut these numbers are a few steps above the norm, I would say, even for a noon crowd. Yesterday wasnât any better, and neither was the day before.â He turned back around to the table.
âFrom what I hear, it all mostly reports of sightings, and not many actual attacks, thank the Gods.â He added a card to the pile.
âItâs all so very peculiar. So, so very peculiar, indeed.âSjan-dehk nodded slowly, half in understanding of what Olivier had said, and half in agreement. There was at least one piece of good news Sjan-dehk discerned from his words, however. The surge in pirate activity hadnât been as sudden as what he had initially thought. Also, it seemed like everyone had been caught by surprise by this drastic escalation. It didnât make the situation any better, but it did bring it back to familiar waters for Sjan-dehk. Caesonian pirates werenât special. Like those that prowled Viserjantan waters, they couldnât simply escalate their violence overnight.
From experience, Sjan-dehk knew that most pirates acted either alone, or in small gangs. That meant that it could take weeks or months for news of a good hunting ground to spread, and during that time someone would surely notice that there were pirates congregating in any one specific region. And as much as what some Captains wished to believe, pirates werenât stupid. They knew that if they were to get too violent, too blatant in their criminality, they would only attract far more attention than they could handle. A good pirate, a pirate who wanted to survive long enough to enjoy their ill-gotten gains, would be one who knew when to strike, when to cower, and when to go on a rampage.
For these Caesonian pirates to act in such a brazen manner was â as Olivier put it â highly peculiar. There were only two reasons Sjan-dehk could think of for their actions. Either they were acting in desperation, or someone was controlling them. Neither were any better than the other. Anything that could push pirates to resort to such drastic action would almost certainly be something that could threaten all of Caesonian. And anyone â be it person or organisation â that could corral the chaos that were pirates into any semblance of an organised force would be someone powerful enough to similarly be a dangerous threat.
Desperation and organisation. Sjan-dehk leaned his head back and huffed, staring at the turquoise awning overhead. Such reasons were behind just about every pirate raid suffered by Viserjantan, be it when it was still a kingdom, still an empire, or now, as the Commonwealth.
Suddenly, his plan of privateering to earn money for
Sada Kurauâs upkeep became more complicated than what he would have liked. And yet, it was that very complication that made his heart race with anticipation and excitement. Figuring out how to combat pirates; how to seek and destroy an enemy on the open seas, those were things he knew how to do, and how to do them exceptionally well. He had no business fending off a fleet of pirates â certainly not for Caesonia â but he would be lying if he said that the thought of it, the expectation of the thrill and rush of it, didnât tempt him.
But, before anything else, there was one question he needed to ask.
He sat upright and looked at Evie.
âJust now, you say it is not because you will not help, yes? You say you cannot. Why is that?âBeside him, Aislin leaned forward with a catlike grin on her face. She rested her elbows on the table, chin on the back of a hand, and a finger entwining itself in one of her tails.
âAye, Evie,â she said with mischief in her eyes.
âPlease enlightân myself and the Capân âere. Why cannae you lend us smallfolk a hand?âEvie slapped her cards onto the table and fixed Aislin with an unimpressed glare.
âOh, donât you start this nonsense again, Ash. I already told you once before, and if you still donât get it, then itâs not my fault youâre deaf. Or stupid.â Despite the acidic bite of Evieâs words, Aislin continued grinning at her. She even cocked her head, as if she were listening to some interesting story. Evie scowled at her, then shifted her attention to Sjan-dehk. Her gaze softened, and she sighed.
âBut I guess Iâll repeat myself for your benefit, since itâs clear to even a blind man that youâre not from around here.âShe paused.
âWhereâre you even from, anyway? I thought you were Kimoonese, but you donât sound like any Kimoonese Iâve met.ââAnâ âow many oâ those âave you met?â Aislin asked cheekily.
Evie cleared her throat.
âA few,â she replied, her voice markedly not as strong as earlier. She then shot the girl a withering glare that evidently had little effect.
âShut up, Ash.âSjan-dehk resisted the urge to smirk. The interaction between Evie and Aislin reminded him plenty of how his third brother, Shim-sen, and his first sister, Idah, would speak with each other. Plenty of barbs, burning words, and all laced with cutting undertones, but devoid of any real malice. Sjan-dehk could almost see it now; Shim-sen arguing with logic, Idah slowly driving him mad with nonsensical words. Hara-tahn trying to keep the peace whilst enjoying the show, Sai-jom trying to hide his laughter and failing in the attempt. And Shi, the youngest sister, sitting by the side with words ready to ease the tension should they get too high.
âWell?â Evieâs sharp voice pulled him from his thoughts.
âApologies,â Sjan-dehk said quickly.
âYou are correct. I am not Kimooâ Whatever you thought I am. I come from Jafi. Viserjanta.â He made a note to find out more about the people Evie had mentioned. It would be interesting to see just how similar the Kimoonese were to Jafins, if Evie could mistake Sjan-dehk for one.
Evie nodded slowly.
âRight,â she began, dragging out the word.
âI wonât insult you by pretending like I know any of those places, so letâs move on.â She leaned forward, and for a moment appeared pensive, as if she was carefully considering her next words. But then, she shrugged.
âThereâs not much else to it, if Iâm going to be very honest. We canât help because our higher-ups wonât let us help. Gods below, we canât even piss without getting permission from them these days.âSjan-dehk furrowed his brow. Evieâs answer only gave him more questions.
âThey will not let you? I do not understand. Why?ââSee, thatâs what ticks me off the most,â Evie said, her voice getting more of an edge.
âThey didnât give any of us a reason. They just came in one day and told us everyone ranked five and above has to stay in port and await assignment. Can you bloody believe it?â The confusion on Sjan-dehkâs face told her that no, he couldnât even if he wanted to.
âAh, right,â Evie continued and scratched the back of her head.
âLook, donât take my word for it, okay? Youâll probably learn more later with whoever you talk to inside, if you choose to join us, anyway. But all of us here have a rank, from one to ten. Everyone starts at one, but itâs not difficult to climb your way up. Theyâll even let you jump ranks if youâre good enough.âEvie paused to catch her breath, and Olivier took the chance to interject.
âThe ranks donât mean anything, if I may be so honest. Weâre all still equals. The ranks merely help the Office determine what contracts we can take, and what contracts would be either a waste of our abilities, or tantamount to suicide.âSjan-dehk nodded, a hand on his chin. From what the two of them told him, Caesonian privateers seemed to be more akin to Commonwealth mercenaries than Commonwealth privateers. The latter, upon acquiring a Sea Marque, would more-or-less be left to their own devices. They might be tasked with assisting a fleet or asked to act in the capacity of an auxiliary ship on occasion, but those were rare exceptions rather than the norm. It didnât seem like that was the case here, based on what Evie and Olivier were saying.
It was all very interesting information, but just as before, it only led him to more questions.
âYour work, the contracts, what do you usually need to do?â He probed.
Evie shrugged.
âYou name it, weâve done it. Protecting people like Ash over there, patrolling the sea lanes, escorting merchantmen, hunting pirates, ferrying important peopleâŠThere was even once Inno over here had to fetch some noblemanâs daughter from a cruise that got a little out-of-hand.â She smirked and jerked a thumb towards the man. As Sjan-dehk had learned to expect, he didnât react. It didnât even seem as if he heard Evieâs words.
âBut yes, we do just about everything.ââI see.â Sjan-dehkâs face tightened in thought for a brief moment.
âThen your navy, what does it do?ââWhat do you mean?â Olivier asked.
Sjan-dehk cleared his throat and straightened his back before continuing.
âYou say that you patrol the sea, you protect ships. You fight pirates, you defend people. You have rank. Your work, you say that it can be assigned, yes? Your superiors, they can order you to stay in port.â He paused and looked at Olivier, then at Evie. He hazarded a glance at Innokenty, who surprisingly met his gaze.
âFrom what you say, it sounds like you do the work of a navy. You areâŠArranged? No, organised, you are organised like a navy. So I am curious, your actual navy, the one of Caesonia, what does it actually do, if you do all this work?âA mirthless smile spread across Olivierâs lips.
âYou hit it on the head, Captain,â he said.
âNow, I donât claim to be well-versed in matters of law, but to my understanding, the Caesonian Navy considers only external threats to be within their purview. Pirates, as I am sure you will discover, are considered internal threats as far as the law is concerned, and thus given to us privateers to handle.ââTheyâre just lazy feckers, âtis so,â Aislin grumbled.
âEven the city guardâs betâer than them, anâ thatâs sayinâ plenty cominâ frae me, âtis so, âtis so.ââBut if you ask, they still will not help?â Sjan-dehk asked.
âFrom what you say, it isâŠIt is very possible that there will be a lot of pirates coming soon. Then they, the navy, they must go fight them, no?âOlivier chuckled and shook his head.
âCaptain, perhaps it might be easier if you thought of them less as a Caesonian Navy and more of a Royal Navy,â he suggested.
âNow, I will admit that it would be remiss of me to imply that they would never sally forth, but it does appear that they are loath to do so unless the King or his family are imperilled, or if itâs the Kingâs property thatâs under threat. Of course, if Caesonia were to get into a proper spot of trouble, then I suspect they would perform their expected duties. But I would imagine that in such a situation, pirates would be the very least of our concerns.âSjan-dehk didnât know how to feel about all that. He didnât even know where to begin listing everything that was wrong with what Olivier had just said. First of all, the idea that the King had the Caesonian Navy as a personal retinue of sorts was odd. Not unheard of; such a practice had once been common throughout the Viserjantan islands, back when the Commonwealth had been an Empire. But it was certainly strange that an outdated, centuries-old custom could be found to be still alive here, on the other side of an ocean.
Secondly, Sjan-dehk wasnât too sure what to think about the Caesonian Navy. His immediate reaction was one of revulsion, for what navy â and the people staffing it â would allow themselves to be reduced to such a state? But then he remembered what Kalliope had told him a few days ago, that most sailors in the Navy didnât even know how to swim, and he added that Olivierâs implication that they would refuse to fight even if asked, which â to Sjan-dehkâs mind â suggested inexperience at best. Cowardice, at worst. Put together, and it gave him a picture of a navy which was really more for show than anything else.
Or perhaps this was merely his Jafin sensibilities being overly-harsh on the Caesonian Navy. A Jafin, after all, was nothing if not a fearless sailor who would always be fain to meet a challenger on the open seas. A fleet that shirked from battle was, therefore, antithesis to Jafin ways. Had this been a Jafin fleet, Sjan-dehk felt certain that his father would have seen its commanders dismissed and its ships scrapped as a mark of disgrace. Sjan-dehk couldnât say that he would have disagreed with such a punishment.
But amidst all this speculation and guesswork, there was one thing Sjan-dehk felt quite sure of.
âSo to the people like herââ he gestured to Aislin
ââyou are the navy.ââI suppose you could say that,â Evie said with a shrug.
âBut thatâs sad in and of itself, if you ask me. Weâre sailing brigs, sloops, snows, and schooners at most. Iâm pretty sure Innoâs Summerdream is probably the biggest ship weâve got, and she wouldnât even be considered a corvette by the Navy.â Then, she released a long sigh and shook her head.
âWell, it doesnât bloody matter now, I guess. With us high-ranked people stuck in harbour and waiting for fuck-knows-what, the only ones out there doing any work are just kids with gunboats and armed cutters.âSjan-dehk nodded slowly. That was indeed a rather dire picture. Gunboats and cutters were single-masted vessels. Small, quick, and easy to use. But they werenât built for fighting. In many ways, they were maybe just a step up from a typical fishing skiff or dinghy. Hardly the sort of thing one would want when taking on pirates.
âThen I can help,â he said, a grin slowly forming on his face.
âSada Kurau, she has thirty-four guns total. That is a good number to have, yes?âEvie let out a low whistle.
âThatâs a light frigate right there, Iâd say. Sheâd definitely be welcome,â she said approvingly. Then, she smirked.
âAnd while I like your confidence, your shipâs still no Edin Danrose. Unless youâve got another seventy guns hidden away somewhere, Iâm not going to expect too much from her. Or you, for that matter.ââEdin Danrose?â Sjan-dehk echoed.
âThat is your King, yes?ââNae, sheâs talkinâ about the other Edin Danrose,â Aislin said, drawing his attention to her.
âThe one thatâs the flagship âo the Navy. Big ship, wiâ oâer a âundred guns frae what Iâve âeard, aye.â Sjan-dehk arched his brows. A ship carrying that many guns must be quite the devastating force on the battlefield. But before he could say anything, Aislin turned to Evie and continued.
âAnâ aye, youâre right that this Capânâs boatâs nae Edin Danrose. Sheâs betâer, if you ask me. At least she sails out tae do things. I cannae say Iâve ever seen the Edin Danrose do anythinâ but sit in âarbour anâ look pretty.âEvie thought about it for a moment, then shrugged.
âWell, youâve got me there.ââWe even âave a joke about it,â Aislin went on. She looked at Sjan-dehk, a cheeky grin on her face.
âKnow why they call âer Edin Danrose? Itâs because sheâs only impressive tae look at, but sheâs really just a big âol fecker thatâs good fae feckinâ nothing, aye. Just like âer namesake, âtis so, âtis so.âSjan-dehk choked on a barely suppressed laugh. He covered his mouth and tried not to show too much of the smile on his face, for Evie looked anything but impressed.
âHey, try saying that a little louder,â she said in a quiet but harsh hiss.
âIâm not sure any of the guards heard you.ââI thought it was quite amusing, really,â Olivier remarked, chuckling.
âDonât encourage her!â Evie snapped at him.
âI donât want any of us to get into trouble.â Glaring daggers at both Aislin and Olivier, she picked up her cards and looked between them and the pile on the table a few times. With each successive glance, the scowl on her face grew larger and larger, until it became a growl as she threw her cards onto the table.
âOh, come on,â she grumbled.
âThereâs no way I can lose thrice in a row.â She turned to Innokenty.
âAnd all to you. Youâre up to something, I can feel it.âInnokenty looked back at her, his face blank and expressionless.
âDonât give me that,â Evie said, as if he had given her an actual reply.
âThe only one whoâs been doing the shuffling is you.ââI am good at the game,â Innokenty said plainly, his first words since Sjan-dehk sat down. He spoke with a heavy accent â though not so heavy that Sjan-dehk couldnât understand him â and his voice was gravelly, hoarse, and quiet. It was as if it hadnât been used for a very, very long time.
âAnd you are bad at it. That is all there is.â He placed his cards on the table and pushed them towards the pile.
Evie narrowed her eyes.
âAlright, listen up, you little Varian shitââThe two quickly descended into an argument â or more accurately, Evie argued, and Innokenty merely sat there and listened. Olivier took the chance to quietly collect the cards. As he shuffled them, he said,
âDonât mind them, Captain.â He glanced sideways at Sjan-dehk with a slight smile on his face.
âIâve known them for years and this is simply how they are. I find it rather entertaining, in fact.âSjan-dehk chuckled and nodded.
âYes, I agree. This sort of thing, I am familiar with,â he replied and leaned back in his seat. The various sounds around him, discordant as they might be, were surprisingly soothing, and lulled him into a warm sense of comfort. He closed his eyes, taking in the rush of crashing waves; the buzzing murmurs of a busy waterfront. The cooling touch of a gentle breeze against his face; the ruffling of the tarpaulin awning overhead. The smell of the ocean brine; the chirps and squawks of singing birds. And of course, Evieâs rapid banter and Innokentyâs sparse replies.
Pleasant memories surfaced in his mind. He saw faces that had been rendered vague by time, and people whom he would never again meet. And yet, through the wistfulness, he remembered their laughs and their smiles. He remembered fighting alongside them, celebrating victories with them, and inevitably, mourning losses with them. But more importantly, he remembered the senseless fun he had with them. Things that, at the time, had seemed so inconsequential and pointless, but now he saw as good times.
Well, as good as it could be during a war, at least. Perhaps they were more of islets of good times amidst a sea of dark, terrible times.
Sjan-dehk drew in a deep breath, and opened his eyes just in time to see Olivier distribute the cards to all at the table. Evie had stopped ranting at Innokenty, and Aislin was joining in for this round, it seemed.
âAh, Captain,â Olivier said.
âPardon me, but I thought you were resting. Would you care to join us?ââDo it,â Evie cut in. She leaned back and kicked her boots onto the table. Innokenty looked at her from the corner of his eye and clicked his tongue, but she either didnât hear him, or didnât care.
âI think Iâve got Inno figured out. His tricks only work if thereâs three of us. The more of us there are, the harder itâll be for him to pull something funny.ââAnâ youâve still got a bit oâ a wait, Capân,â Aislin said and held her cards close to her chest.
âBetâer tae wait while âavinâ a crack, aye?âIt all felt silly in a strange way. The dissonance between their early conversation â about a possible pirate threat â and what they were doing now was heavy and stark. And yet, it felt natural. What else was there for sailors like them to do? The pirates may be on their way, they may not. They might suddenly decide to be violent tomorrow, or they may wait a month, or they may simply quieten down. None of that was set in stone, but what was certain was that they werenât here yet. And if the war had taught Sjan-dehk anything, it was that a good captain knew how to seize every chance they could to unwind and relax.
âOkay, I will play,â he said to Olivier with a grin.
âBut you know, I haveâŠWhat do you people call itâŠI have beginnerâs luck? Yes, that. I have that.â The others at the table laughed, and once again, Sjan-dehkâs mind returned to his memories. Those days had been the best. But the bitterness they left, that was something he could do without.
For a place that called itself the Privateersâ Office, the interior looked remarkably like that of a tavern.
It smelled like one, too. From the moment Sjan-dehk stepped through the doors, he was enveloped by the heady whiff of strong alcohol, and the unpleasant odour of stale sweat. Parting gifts from the earlier crowd, Sjan-dehk suspected. The scents were reminiscent of those in the tavern â where he had met Cynric and the two noblegirls â from just the night before. In fact, he swore he could smell the exact same spirit which Cynric had drunk like water.
That was where the similarities ended, however. Where last nightâs tavern had been rough in both airs and appearance, this place was much calmer and more well-kept. The furniture â from tables, to chairs, and to the bar which spanned half-the-length of the wall to his left â boasted fine craftsmanship, even if they were simple in design. Their wooden forms were sheened in layers of varnish that were surprisingly free of both scratches and blemishes, a feat that Sjan-dehk knew from experience was hard to accomplish, especially when â as he assumed â the furniture were used on a daily basis.
Unlit lamps hung from the ceiling, and dimmed sconces lined the walls. Their metalwork â along with that of the fittings holding the very building together â had been burnished to a dull shine. Sjan-dehk could only imagine how laborious it was to keep them free of rust and salt damage. If the building was close enough to shore to hear the crashing of waves, then it was certainly close enough to suffer the same briney air as ships on the open sea.
The more Sjan-dehk looked around, the more he was reminded of a well-maintained ship. All this attention to cleanliness was the same as what any Captain would expect from their crew. And while there was still a touch of disarray to how things were placed, it was the same sort of disarray that Sjan-dehk expected from a living ship, and not one moored for display. The good kind of disarray, in other words.
A smirk played on Sjan-dehkâs lips. It seemed as if this Office was everything but what it was supposed to be. And perhaps that was the intent of its designers and builders, for there was painfully little that hinted at its true purpose and identity. There were a few counters sequestered away into an alcove at the very back of the building, with a couple of noticeboards on the walls around them, but that was about it. They looked like they had been added as mere afterthoughts, and had Evie not told Sjan-dehk about them, he felt more than certain that he would have missed them entirely.
Polished floorboards creaked under Sjan-dehkâs boots as he marched towards the counter. Groggy faces turned to glance at him with drink-addled eyes as he passed. Only for a moment, however, before they fell back onto the tables where they had been resting. Half-empty bottles, half-full glasses, and the sunbeams streaming through ajar windows were all that kept them company.
These early drunkards were all that was left of the earlier crowd. Much of it had dissipated roughly an hour or so after Sjan-dehk joined Aislin and the three privateers. Not many left peacefully however, with many a vexed expression on faces, and vicious words thrown over shoulders. Sjan-dehk didnât understand what it was they were saying, but he did understand their displeasure. It hadnât seemed as if many had their pleas for help heard. A significant number of those who had waited outside didnât even manage to take one step into the Office before they had to return to their jobs.
âToil waits for neither man nor tragedy,â Olivier had mused.
However, it seemed as if toil had completely forgotten about the lone man behind the counters, for he was the very picture of idleness as Sjan-dehk approached. Granted, the soles of his shoes had been ground to little more than smooth leather, likely due to being on his feet a great deal. But then again, the only reason Sjan-dehk could see those soles was because the man had reclined so far back in his chair that he could kick his feet up onto the counter.
His arms were folded tightly over his slowly rising and falling chest, and he had an open book covering his face. Dark ink stained his sleeves, the dots stark against the pale blue fabric. Pens, pencils, and all sorts of stationery were tucked into the pockets of his black waistcoat. His peacefulness almost seemed comical amidst the chaos that were the stacks upon stacks of files and papers surrounding him. They teetered on his desk, cluttered the floors, and overstuffed the cabinets behind him.
âExcuse me,â Sjan-dehk called out politely.
The man shifted, but otherwise there was no response.
Sjan-dehk cleared his throat and tried again.
âHello?âNothing.
Sjan-dehk frowned, then rapped his knuckles loudly on the counter.
That startled the man awake.
âBloody fuck!â He exclaimed, his voice loud enough to surprise Sjan-dehk as much as Sjan-dehk had surprised him. The man bolted upright, and would have thrown himself clean from his seat had he not shot his hands out to grasp the desk in front of him. Pages ruffled, stationery clattered, and the book fell from his face, striking the floor with a muted thud. The man slowly relaxed, his shoulders still heaving as he recovered from his shock.
âI swear by every fucking God there is out there,â he began breathlessly, pressing a hand to his chest. He swallowed before continuing, still hunched over in his chair and looking between his feet.
âItâs not going to be pirates that do me in, itâll you fucking cunts. Havenât you bastards heard that rousing a man this quickly can be dangerous? Gods above, I swear.âSjan-dehk resisted the urge to laugh. He didnât know what it was exactly, but something about the way the man spoke, and the entire situation in general felt amusing to him.
âI am sorry,â he said, keeping his tone as level and neutral as possible.
The man looked at him. Irate eyes turned to surprised ones, then to sheepish ones.
âOh, youâre not one of us,â he murmured awkwardly and averted his gaze. Clearing his throat, alternated between running fingers through his tawny hair and tidying up the desk as he continued,
âThe nameâs Reilly. Kerr Reilly, though itâs not like youâll have much reason to remember it. If youâre here to report sightings of pirates, or attacks by pirates, or any pirate-related activities, Iâm going to be honest and tell you that thereâs not much we can do about it for now.âHe sighed, picked up a stack of papers, and placed them heavily onto a different corner of the desk.
âYou can still leave your request with us, but I canât guarantee that itâll be handled anytime in the near future. Iâm sorry for the inconvenience.âSjan-dehk blinked.
âI am here to join you.âThat got Kerrâs attention in an instant. His head snapped up. For a moment, he remained silent, a pensive expression on his face. He swept his gaze over Sjan-dehk, up and down, and nodded.
âWell, fuck me,â he said, a tinge of approval in his voice. He teased a few more knots out of his hair and looked over the desk, muttering to himself as he looked for something.
âYou have a ship, I assume?â âYes,â Sjan-dehk replied and placed his documents on the counter.
âHer plans, I have here.âKerr shook his head.
âNormally, Iâd take them, butâŠâ He swept a hand over the disorganised clutter on the desk.
âWith all the shit weâve to deal with right now, and all the shit we havenât even fucking looked at, your docos are just going to get lost without anyone ever looking at them. Better that you keep them.â Pausing, he pulled out a folder from a stack, looked at it, and promptly shoved it back into the stack.
âBut Iâll ask you a few questions, if you donât mind.ââI do not,â Sjan-dehk replied.
âAsk.âKerr chuckled.
âWell, fuck. Here I was thinking that Inno was terse enough.â He turned around and looked through the items on the cabinets. Without looking around, he asked,
âNumber of guns?âIt took Sjan-dehk a moment to realise that he was asking about Sada Kurau.
âThirty-four,â he answered.
âYeah, I think I can just stop there,â Kerr remarked with a laugh.
âThirty-four guns? Bloody fuck, that makes your ship one of the most well-armed weâll have.â He removed yet another folder â Sjan-dehk couldnât see any difference between it and the one Kerr had discarded earlier â and looked at the title. With a nod, Kerr brought it over to the counter.
âHow soon can you sail?â Sjan-dehk picked up his documents and tucked them under his arm. Kerr gave him a quick word of thanks before placing the folder on the countertop.
âThis evening, that is earliest. But if emergency, we can sail as soon as needed.ââIf thereâs an emergency, those three cunts out there would be the first I call,â Kerr replied with a wry smile on his lips. Very carefully â as if he were opening some ancient tome â he flipped the folder open, turning the pages until he reached one which contained a list of what appeared to be the names of both ships and people. Sjan-dehk counted at least three dozen entries, and they barely filled half the page. And not every entry was written in the same way. Some were crossed out, others had been erased and rewritten in deep red ink, and a few had several circles around them.
Before Sjan-dehk could ask anything, however, Kerr spoke.
âAnyway, thatâs all the questions I have. If you still want to join usâŠâ His brows furrowed as he shifted a few things about on his desk, eventually picking up a pencil and placing it on the page.
âIâll just need you to jot your name and your shipâs name here. Itâs just for administrative purposes, and so we know whoâs still with us and whoâs not.âSjan-dehk hesitated. That was it? Just two simple questions and he was cleared to be a privateer? It felt a little too straightforward â careless, almost â to be true. He picked up the pencil, but merely held it over the page.
âThat is all?â He asked, his words slow and incredulous.
âThings like experience, background, that is notâŠYou do not need to know?âKerr drew in a deep breath and sighed.
âWell, we used to ask about those,â he said, then pointed to one of the noticeboards. What Sjan-dehk had assumed to be bare cork was in fact layers upon layers of posters, each of them a separate call for help, pinned and plastered over each other until it was impossible to know where one ended and another began.
âBut weâre not in any position to be picky. Everything on that boardâs just from the past two days, and we have more from today to process. Weâre going to need every privateer we can get, and then some.ââAnyway,â Kerr continued and tapped the page.
âPersonally, I gave up on asking that question because no one with a brain between their ears would ever own up to having no experience. Would you bloody believe it if I told you just how many supposed Varian veterans or Alidashti corsairs have come our way?â Another sigh left his lips, and he shook his head. His eyes gazed wistfully at the crossed-out names, and the ones in red ink.
âDamn idiots probably thought theyâd never end up as another notch on a pirateâs mast.âIt was only now did Sjan-dehk take a proper look at the man behind the counter. Kerr had the sort of face that was impossible to age; a pale complexion, full head of hair, and unblemished skin made him appear a youth, but the haggardness about him, the wrinkles around his eyes, and the jaded bite in his words were that of a grizzled and perhaps overworked elder. But what was unmistakable was his haunted visage. The regret that clouded his gaze; the slight downwards twitch of his lips, the setting and unsetting of his jaw as he looked at the page. All were things that Sjan-dehk had seen on many others, many times before.
They were the mark of a man who knew that he had sent countless others to their deaths.
Sjan-dehk could only imagine just how many of those crossed-out and reddened names had been people whom Kerr had known. At least with Sjan-dehk, he could fight alongside those who followed his orders. He could at least tell himself that he had done everything possible to keep his people alive, and it was simply a matter of fortune â or misfortune â as to who survived and who didnât. Someone in Kerrâs position didnât have such a luxury.
Sjan-dehk cleared his throat.
âYou do not have goodâŠI mean, capable sailors who want to join?ââNah,â Kerr replied.
âOur veterans have all been with us for years. Anyone who has their skill and wants to get into privateering now would rather try their luck in Varian or Alidasht. Canât say I blame them. I hear the prize money is twice or thrice of what theyâd earn here for the same sort of work. I'm honestly surprised that the likes of Inno, Evie, and Oli are still sticking around, to tell you the truth.â He shook his head.
âBut yeah, we donât exactly have experienced sailors lining up to join us. Iâd be happy enough with a fisherman whoâs strapped a gun to his fucking skiff.âSjan-dehk nodded slowly. The bleak picture painted by Olivier and Evie had been accurate; the Privateersâ Office simply didnât have the ability to keep up with the rise in pirate activity. Not with the inexperience and under-equipped privateers they were sending out. It all reminded Sjan-dehk of a particularly terrible type of battle; a meat-grinder. It was all the Privateersâ Office could do, to send ships and sailors one after another into the fray, and hope that eventually one of them would emerge victorious.
That thought didnât just sit poorly with Sjan-dehk. It disgusted him. And whatever lingering doubts that still remained in his mind about becoming a privateer vanished. This was where Sada Kurau, her crew, and he were needed most, he felt sure of it. He picked up the pencil and swiftly added both his name, and that of
Sada Kurau, to the list.
âThen it is good I am here, yes?â He quipped, grinning.
Kerr chuckled and spun the folder around.
âI like that confidence, but you better make sure you can back it up with action. Itâd be fucking embarrassing otherwise,â he said. Then, his face scrunched up in confusion as he saw the pictographs Sjan-dehk had written.
âWhatâs this? Some Kimoonese script or something?âOnce again, Sjan-dehk found himself wondering what the Kimoonese were like, if he could be mistaken as one of them so many times.
âNo, it is not. I am notâŠThat. I am Jafin. Viserjantan.ââRight,â Kerr said, dragging out the word.
âIâve no idea where that is, but I guess it doesnât really matter. As long as we can tell which names are yours and your ships, itâs good enough, and those pictures you drew sure are distinct, Iâd say.â As with earlier, he handled the folder with great care as he brought it down onto the desk, placing it in the only corner that was relatively clear of mess.
âSo, that is all?â Sjan-dehk asked.
âAlmost,â Kerr replied as shuffled over to the cabinets behind him.
âThere's some stuff I need to give you.âSjan-dehk nodded and leaned against the counter as he waited. The only sounds which filled the building were the scraping of wood against wood as Kerr opened drawer after drawer, and the colour expressions he used when he failed to find whatever it was he sought. Soon, however, Sjan-dehk decided to seize this opportunity to ask him a question that had been weighing on his mind all this while.
âJust now, I heard that you have some ships that are not allowed to sail,â he started.
âWhy is that?âKerr shook his head.
âTrust me when I say that if I knew, Iâd tell you. Bloody fuck, Iâd tell Evie just so sheâd stop moaning about it every damn time she sees me.â He squatted, opened a small cabinet, and then shut it just as quickly before moving on to the one directly beside it.
âI just relay whatever the higher-ups tell me to tell privateers, and all they told me was that we had to keep our experienced crews in harbour as much as possible. Bloody hoity-toity cunts always throwing us the tough jobs. Iâd love to see them keep a bunch of veteran sailors happy with that sort of news.âSjan-dehk furrowed his brow. That was almost the exact same as what Evie had said.
âThen do you have anyâŠAny guesses?â He pressed.
Kerr shrugged and pulled out a small, palm-sized book from a box.
âSome rich and important bastards felt nervous hearing about all these pirate sightings, I guess, and they want to make sure that theyâll have our very best escorting their ships at a momentâs notice.â With a grunt, he stood up and grabbed what seemed to be a rolled sheet from the top of a cabinet.
âTheyâre the only ones I can think of who can bribeâ I mean, convince my higher-ups to push out such a fucking stupid order. Iâd give it a week, maybe two, before they pull their heads from their arses and lift the restrictions.âHe returned to the counter with a few items in hand. There was the book from earlier, and the roll of cloth, as well as a yellowed, folded sheet of paper.
âBut you donât have to worry about any of that. The only ones confined to harbour are our veterans, and youâre not one of them yet.â He placed the items on the counter, one on top of the other with the roll of cloth at the bottom.
âAnyway, hereâs everything you need.â He held up the book.
âThis is the Caesonian Privateerâs Code of Conduct. Itâll tell you what you should do when you take prisoners, when and how you should engage targets. You can read it on your own time, but it's honestly worth less than the paper itâs printed on. Everything in thereâs written by someone whoâs quite obviously an idiot whoâs never spent a day of their lives at sea. Iâd personally use it as kindling.â He placed the book on the counter.
âBut Iâve a legal obligation to give it to you, so here it is.âSjan-dehk resisted the urge to laugh, and tried to keep his face as straight as possible. This was certainly a departure from how things were done in the Commonwealth. He wasnât quite sure which style was more to his liking just yet, however.
âAnd this isâŠâ He prodded the cloth with a finger. Its once-vibrant green had faded to a pale shade of olive from age, and wisps of dust clung to its rough threads.
âThis is the flag?âKerr grinned.
âYou catch on quick,â he said with a nod.
âThatâs the Caesonian Privateering Jack. The letter of the lawâs pretty clear on this. You should fly it before getting into a fight, otherwise your enemy could get you in trouble by accusing you of piracy.â He lowered his voice before continuing.
âBut donât worry about it if you canât. Iâm sure youâll have situations where you either canât fly the Jack, or youâd rather not because of some reason or other. Just do your job, and weâll take care of the rest.âSjan-dehk nodded. He could understand that.
âAnd this?â he asked and picked up the sheet of paper.
âOh, thatâs a map of Caesonian territorial waters,â Kerr explained.
âItâs maybe four or five years out of date, but our borders havenât moved in fucking ages so it should still hold up. Itâll at least let you know whether youâre straying into Varian or Alidashti waters.â He took a step back and looked at everything, lips moving in a quiet mutter for a moment. Then, he nodded to nobody in particular.
âLooks like thatâs it. Youâre all set, Captain. Anything else?ââYes,â Sjan-dehk said, picking up the items and tucking them under his arm with his documents.
âAnything for me to do?â Kerr started to point towards the noticeboard, but Sjan-dehk cut him off before he could get a word out.
âI mean, is there work no one takes?âKerr regarded him with a strange look for a moment.
âYouâre a strange one,â he said with a chuckle before sifting through some of the papers on his desk.
âMost people avoid jobs that others avoid, but if youâre set on taking an undesirable job, Iâve got one right here.â He picked up a poster and scanned through it before holding it out to Sjan-dehk.
âSomeone came in two days ago with word of pirates picking their way around the Felipina coast after sunset, just two to three hours south of Sorian.ââI just need to see what they are doing, yes?â Sjan-dehk asked and took the poster. Kerr didnât let go.
âYes, and no,â he said, a serious look on his face.
âI sent a privateer out to have a look that very same day we got the report, and weâve heard nothing from him since. No oneâs seen his ship, either. Whateverâs out there is probably dangerous, and thatâs why nobodyâs taking this job. Iâm not too keen on feeding whatever bastard of a pirate thatâs out there any new blood, either. But if youâre certain you can handle this job, then you go ahead. I have to hear it clearly, however. Now that you know the risks, are you certain you want to take this job?âSjan-dehk grinned. Kerr didnât return it, and instead tightened his hold on the poster.
âYes, Sada Kurau can do it. It will be no problem.â Kerr didnât look convinced, and so Sjan-dehk went on.
âShe, her crew, and me, we fight many, many pirates before, and in battles with many, many ships. This is not something we never do before. Do not worry.ââYeah, well, youâre not the first to tell me that,â Kerr said darkly, but nevertheless let go of the poster.
âTruth be told, I canât actually stop you if you want to take the job. My higher-ups would have my fucking head if I ever got found out.â He sat back down and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
âDonât do anything too stupid out there, alright? Just go, have a look, and come back. I donât care if all you get is a bearing on where theyâre going, or just a description of the ship. If you donât have to fight, donât fight. If you have to, well, then I trust that youâll be smart about it. Run if you have to. Nobody will say a thing about it.ââThere is no need to worry,â Sjan-dehk said, this time in a firm tone and with a serious look on his face. He had a rather good guess as to why Kerr had said all that. The man had likely lost so many new privateers under similar circumstances that he now wanted to err on the side of caution. Sjan-dehk could understand that. But
Sada Kurau wasnât just any ship, and her crew were far from inexperienced sailors. He had every confidence that they would make short work of these pirates, whatever they may turn out to be.
âWhat they do, I will find out for you,â Sjan-dehk said.
âAnd your missing privateer, I will find out what I can about them.âKerr sighed.
âWish I could share your confidence, Captain,â he said. He turned his head to look at a clock hanging next to one of the noticeboards.
âWell, fuck me. There goes my noon break,â he grumbled. Then, he looked back at Sjan-dehk.
âTime for me to get back to work, I guess. Good luck out there tonight, and I hope to see you with news of success.âSjan-dehk grinned.
âDo not worry. You will.âWith that, he quickly left the office. He stopped briefly at the veranda to bid Aislin and the three privateers farewell before continuing on to
Sada Kurauâs berth. He strode through the streets with purpose, and with head held high. It was time for him, his crew, and Sada Kurau to do what they did best.
A stranger stood on the pier.
Dressed in markedly non-Caesonian clothes, they paced about in circles right by
Sada Kurauâs gangplank, wringing their hands and throwing surreptitious glances at the ship every now and then. Sjan-dehk wasnât quite sure what to make of them as he approached. And judging by the confused faces peering over and down the shipâs gunwale, neither did his crew. It was a peculiar sight to see upon his return to Sada Kurau after spending the better part of the morning away from her, but Sjan-dehk couldnât say he was concerned by it. If anything, he was amused.
Because for one, the very fact that he could leisurely stroll up to the stranger, until he was close enough to hear their mumbled ramblings, and without being noticed, was proof enough that this person was no threat whatsoever. If they were a spy or some other clandestine agent, then they were a lousy one.
And for two, the strangerâs attire â while not Jafin â was certainly Viserjantan in nature. Sjan-dehk knew of only two places in all of Sorian where one might find Viserjantans, and since this stranger was very clearly not a member of Sada Kurauâs crew, they had to be from
Sudah. Although Sjan-dehk didnât get along with Kaizahn, Sudahâs Captain, it was purely a professional rivalry. He doubted that the man would do anything malicious towards him or his
Sada Kurau.
SJan-dehk cleared his throat loudly.
âGood afternoon,â he called out, a mischievous grin on his face and a curious glint in his eyes.
âWant to tell me what youâre doing in front of my crew and my ship?âThe stranger yelped and visibly flinched, spinning around so quickly to face Sjan-dehk that he thought for a moment that they would fling themselves into the lapping waves.
âC-Captain!â They squeaked. Flushing from the embarrassment, they quickly composed themselves, straightening out their skirts and tunics, and clearing their throat.
âI-I was sentââ They tripped over their words almost as soon as they began speaking, and the reddish hue of their cheeks deepened.
âFrom Sudah, I know,â Sjan-dehk completed for them.
Now that Sjan-dehk took a closer look at the stranger, he realised that they were, in fact, aâŠWell, his first thought was âmanâ, but really, this youth looked far too young to be called that. Mousey and with all the airs of an academic rather than a sailor, Sjan-dehk couldnât imagine the boy to be older than twenty. With long hair tied into a tail that sat high on his head, high cheekbones, and upturned eyes, Sjan-dehk would have almost certainly mistaken the boy for a woman had they simply passed each other on the street.
The boyâs complexion was that of freshly-baked terracotta, a marker of someone hailing from the southern reaches of the Commonwealth. In fact, based solely on his clothes, Sjan-dehk could even name the exact province he likely came from. The round-collared tunic, worn tight around the body and secured just below the collarbone, and the thigh-length skirt which flowed from it like tassets, were the trademarks of only one specific province.
âSo, what brings a Sedarahan to a Jafin ship?â Sjan-dehk asked, his grin still plastered across his face. He was serious about the question, however. The province of Sedaran was known for two things: religion and magic. And while a sermon was the very last thing he would ever need or want, the idea that Sudah would send an arcanist ashore to meet him, after he had specifically written to them about Caesoniaâs unfriendly attitude towards magic, felt almost insulting.
âWeâre all devout children of the Mother of the Waves here,â Sjan-dehk continued, his tone teasing.
âSo if youâre here to preach, Iâm afraid youâre going to be very disappointed.ââOh, no! Thatâs wrong,â the boy replied. Sjan-dehk raised a brow, and the boyâs eyes immediately widened in realisation, and a bit of fear.
âN-No, I did notâ I didnât meanââ He planted his gaze at his feet, and wrung his hands so hard that Sjan-dehk wondered if he was trying to snap his own fingers.
âI-I find you Jafinsâ I mean, I find Jafin beliefs fascinating, actually, and I-I donât actually know howâ Well, I do, but itâs only what Iâve heard from the priests when I-I was veryâââAlright, alright, calm down,â Sjan-dehk said and chuckled.
âRelax. Iâm just joking. Why donât we start over, and you can give me your name, and tell me why youâre here?âThe boy hesitated, then jerked his head in a clumsy nod.
âI-Iâm Aijah Yasawen of Sedaran. I amâ I mean, I was one of Sudahâs apprentice healers.â He fished out a crumpled, folded note from a pocket. Holding it in both hands, he bowed slightly as he extended it to Sjan-dehk.
âI came here to pass on Captain Kaizahnâs reply to your letter. The one from earlier.âSjan-dehk took the note.
âLike I said, relax,â he said.
âWe donât stand on ceremony here. Too tiring.â Then, he carefully unfolded the sheet of paper and scanned through it.
To the Fourth Lesser Marquis of Jafi, and Captain of Sada Kurau,
Wasun Sjan-dehk,
I write to you regarding the concerns you have raised in your last missive. Those of us aboard Sudah share them as well. You are right in assuming that our finances will be in dire straits if we are to stay in this city for a period any longer than two months. I would also rather not enforce austerity measures when we are so far from home, and the men are liable to homesickness.
As such, I, on behalf of the Expedition Council, applaud you taking the initiative to shoulder some of our financial burdens. You are therefore approved to engage in privateering activities on behalf of the Caesonian Kingdom, provided that you abide by the following rules and restrictions:
1. Under no circumstances are you to engage in any acts of war against another sovereign state whilst flying Caesonian colours.
2. You are to take no actions that would negatively impact the well-being of the expedition and its constituent members, both people and material.
Sjan-dehk barely repressed a laugh. He didnât recall asking for permission to do anything. Rather, he had simply informed Kaizahn and the relevant people aboard
Sudah of a decision he had already made.
Well, he supposed it was good that they approved of his plan. Having to explain himself â of everything he had done this afternoon â would have been a hassle.
As your ship will likely enter combat, we have taken the liberty of reassigning some of Sudahâs crew to aid you in your venture. The first will be the messenger possessing this letter. He is Aijah Yasawen, one of our junior healer apprentices. We believe that you will make good use of his abilities. There will be more sent to Sada Kurau once we finalise our duty rosters, so I suggest that you start making the necessary arrangements to add more crew to your vessel.
In addition,
In light of your report about local attitudes towards magic, the following guidelines must be adhered to for any arcanist or otherwise magic-user going ashore:
1. Under no circumstances are they to display any magical abilities
2. They are to be escorted by at least one non-arcane crewmember at any given time
3. Should they be arrested by local authorities, a report should be made to Sudah immediately regardless of the time of day. You, as Captain, are to also begin negotiations for their release as soon as possible
That will be all for now. Any new updates to the rules and regulations that have been outlined in this missive shall come in the form of official standing orders.
Good luck,
Sehseh Kaizahn
Captain of Sudah
Sjan-dehk looked up from the note and at Yasawen.
âSo, youâre a healer, are you?âYasawen nodded.
âYes, but only a junior one,â he said, then quickly added,
âB-But I studied at Sakaka! At the Institute of Arcanology. I-I specialised in both healing and geomancy, and although Iâm definitely not as good as Mistress Sehja, Iâve been told that I-Iâm quite talented andâââLike I keep saying, calm down. I believe you,â Sjan-dehk said and held out his hand. The Sakaka Institute of Arcanology, a school â well, more of a university â located in the capital of the province of Sedaran, was said to produce some of the best arcanists available to the Commonwealth. Then again, every school of the arcane made the exact same claim. But then again, again, Sedaran had always been known for the natural ability of the arcanists born in their lands, and only the best out of those would even get to smell the air of the Sakaka Institute of Arcanology.
In other words, Yasawen was likely plenty more skilled than he appeared.
âHealing and geomancy, huh?â Sjan-dehk said, sounding genuinely impressed.
âCanât say Iâve met many arcanists with that unique mix of skills. Though Iâm not too sure youâll be using much geomancy serving on a warship.â He grinned.
âWe donât really like sailing into land, you see. Doesnât do Sada Kurauâs hull much good, and would probably get us in a shitheap of trouble.ââOh!â Yasawen chirped. For the first time since Sjan-dehk met him, he looked eager.
âIf that happens, I can just move the earth to get us free.â His face fell slightly.
âI-I never tried it, though. Itâs all theory so far, but if I know the depth of the water, and know how far away earth is, I-I can move it.âSjan-dehk chuckled. He walked past the boy and stepped onto the gangway before turning around to look at him.
âThatâs good to know, but if we ever run aground, Iâd probably ask you to just fucking bury me. Iyen would never, ever let me hear the end of it.â He tilted his head towards Sada Kurau.
âAnyway, looks like you're one of us, now. Get yourself aboard, and go find Master Avek. Heâll get you sorted out and show you where you can berth yourself.âYasawen scrambled to follow behind Sjan-dehk.
âW-Wait! Whoâs Avek? Where do I go?ââConsider that your first task as part of Sada Kurauâs crew,â Sjan-dehk replied over his shoulder.
âFigure it out on your own. Explore around. Get yourself acquainted with Sada Kurau." He paused as his feet returned to the familiar planking of his ship's deck.
"I mean, I could show you around, but there's no fun in that. Besides, she's a special ship. She'll want you to get to know her on her own terms."