Ajator paused.
“But what?”
"I might be mistaken. I felt the group, including Klarans were not all they seemed to be after a while. Talk would often be of the Empire and rebellion and I somehow felt questioned."
"Questioned?"
"As though they were trying to ascertain my feelings for the rebellion."
"Nothing odd about that. On the Sea Huntress we have little else to talk about other than the possibility of Captain Crosp having an unfortunate accident."
"Yes, but when I said that the rebels had a point, things took an odd turn."
"What? Use your head, Ajator. We all know that war isn't simple. The rebels fight for an idea. They fight the blood system, a system you know that I don't hold with, but we also know our place and know that we fight for an even greater plan. Don't expect others to understand this though! The Secret Servants probably have agents in the Ship of Mariners and they will keep a close eye on you if you say things like that."
"You don't understand, Mal. Shortly after, Klarans approached me and openly offered me a place in the rebellion. He told me that I would be able to keep the title and lands when the rebels win the war. He openly admitted to being a rebel agent!"
"Oh, I see. It's a test."
"A test? I thought of that. At first I thought that they were testing my loyalty to the Emperor after my statements, but he seemed so sincere."
"So what did you do?"
"I don't like these games of shadow and secrecy and tests. You know me. I left the Ship of Mariners. If they can't think for themselves then it's not for me."
"Good. What if he was sincere?" I had to ask. I knew it was not so, but my darker side just had to pick that thread.
"That has me worried," said Ajator and meant it. "Perhaps I should report it to the Secret Servants."
I did not like the thought of that. Stay as far away from the secret police of the Emperor as possible was my gut feeling. "Leave it be, Ajator. Don't dwell on it. Thinking too much has always been a problem of mine. Perhaps it runs in the family and only now have you fallen victim to this malady.”
“Ha! You say that I don't think?”
“You have the looks, Ajator. You don't need to think. I really must go now. I'm expected.”
I said my goodbyes and left quickly as a carriage pull up which I thought could have been Veinara and her father. I did not want to see her for fear of betraying my true feelings of anger and disappointment. I felt betrayed, but it was nothing a bottle of Deep Lorcant wine would not drown and so I headed back to the Sea Huntress, giving little further thought to my brother's words, but in time I would come to regret that. In time I would wish I had stayed with my brother, for Ajator, myself and the house of Ardalrion were set on the road to disaster.
Chapter Four
Some things you never forget. When a pistol, no more than three inches away, is pointed at your face, you come to realise how very small you really are. An ant under the gaze of a cruel child, a flea stuck between thumb and forefinger, a fly trapped beneath a cupped hand. I had never felt so small as I now did, staring down the double barrels of the long pistol at the stranger's eyes in which I saw only death.
That morning we had been at sea. To the north was the Quarvor Sea, to the south was the vast Inner Ocean. Dividing these greater waters was a string of islands and rocks that started as the lands of Calandia and ended in Umuron where I could see how the harbour was being fortified as the Sea Huntress returned from her patrol. The entrance had two newly finished gun towers. Not large but under the circumstances, still impressive considering how few resources where being spent on the war in the west. I thought back to the first time I had entered the port of Norlan. The entrance to the port is called the Gates of Norlan where two giant warrior maidens of old stand guard, naked and proud with great-swords granting a minimum of modesty. They are called Emla, and Anla. Old sailors
“But what?”
"I might be mistaken. I felt the group, including Klarans were not all they seemed to be after a while. Talk would often be of the Empire and rebellion and I somehow felt questioned."
"Questioned?"
"As though they were trying to ascertain my feelings for the rebellion."
"Nothing odd about that. On the Sea Huntress we have little else to talk about other than the possibility of Captain Crosp having an unfortunate accident."
"Yes, but when I said that the rebels had a point, things took an odd turn."
"What? Use your head, Ajator. We all know that war isn't simple. The rebels fight for an idea. They fight the blood system, a system you know that I don't hold with, but we also know our place and know that we fight for an even greater plan. Don't expect others to understand this though! The Secret Servants probably have agents in the Ship of Mariners and they will keep a close eye on you if you say things like that."
"You don't understand, Mal. Shortly after, Klarans approached me and openly offered me a place in the rebellion. He told me that I would be able to keep the title and lands when the rebels win the war. He openly admitted to being a rebel agent!"
"Oh, I see. It's a test."
"A test? I thought of that. At first I thought that they were testing my loyalty to the Emperor after my statements, but he seemed so sincere."
"So what did you do?"
"I don't like these games of shadow and secrecy and tests. You know me. I left the Ship of Mariners. If they can't think for themselves then it's not for me."
"Good. What if he was sincere?" I had to ask. I knew it was not so, but my darker side just had to pick that thread.
"That has me worried," said Ajator and meant it. "Perhaps I should report it to the Secret Servants."
I did not like the thought of that. Stay as far away from the secret police of the Emperor as possible was my gut feeling. "Leave it be, Ajator. Don't dwell on it. Thinking too much has always been a problem of mine. Perhaps it runs in the family and only now have you fallen victim to this malady.”
“Ha! You say that I don't think?”
“You have the looks, Ajator. You don't need to think. I really must go now. I'm expected.”
I said my goodbyes and left quickly as a carriage pull up which I thought could have been Veinara and her father. I did not want to see her for fear of betraying my true feelings of anger and disappointment. I felt betrayed, but it was nothing a bottle of Deep Lorcant wine would not drown and so I headed back to the Sea Huntress, giving little further thought to my brother's words, but in time I would come to regret that. In time I would wish I had stayed with my brother, for Ajator, myself and the house of Ardalrion were set on the road to disaster.
Chapter Four
Some things you never forget. When a pistol, no more than three inches away, is pointed at your face, you come to realise how very small you really are. An ant under the gaze of a cruel child, a flea stuck between thumb and forefinger, a fly trapped beneath a cupped hand. I had never felt so small as I now did, staring down the double barrels of the long pistol at the stranger's eyes in which I saw only death.
That morning we had been at sea. To the north was the Quarvor Sea, to the south was the vast Inner Ocean. Dividing these greater waters was a string of islands and rocks that started as the lands of Calandia and ended in Umuron where I could see how the harbour was being fortified as the Sea Huntress returned from her patrol. The entrance had two newly finished gun towers. Not large but under the circumstances, still impressive considering how few resources where being spent on the war in the west. I thought back to the first time I had entered the port of Norlan. The entrance to the port is called the Gates of Norlan where two giant warrior maidens of old stand guard, naked and proud with great-swords granting a minimum of modesty. They are called Emla, and Anla. Old sailors
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