Judith Orloff
I’d told them. . .
I’d told them it all, yet it made no difference. . .
I was still loved despite remembering a past life. The concern and fear that I would be cast out of the family or hunted down and killed were wasted worries. It is sometimes said, ‘It’s not paranoia if they are actually out to get you,’ but in this case, with my family at least, they weren’t. Judging from what I was picking up, the Psi skills were probably more troubling to them than the memories of another life. However, Aleera seemed most annoyed by the multiple metiers.
As a family, it was decided to inform our advisors of the divine quest and the expanded skill list but keep hidden the otherworldly knowledge as a Silversea Secret and the multiple metiers as my ace in the hole. After similar scenes with each advisor, much like with my family and some time to digest and re-evaluate their thoughts, they were ready to impart or instead revise in light of the new information their advice.
. . .
From the Church
“Well, you are going to need to get stronger.” Sir Jacques put it simply. “It can be dangerous to travel between towns by land, sea or air.” He commented, acknowledging that I might make the journey differently to others.
While the Bishop had a slightly more political position. “The best armour for this journey is that of the Church. A noble family may be respected within a single country, although in Ponente, you may still find half of them arrayed against you, depending on how Aleera’s debut proceeds. But if you were a member of the church, then that protection will follow you throughout your journey across far more than a single country.” He advised.
“But I don’t want to pledge allegiance to the eight Anemoi of the church. I have another Patron,” I answered, referring to the Goddess Fortuna.
“While we acknowledge them as gods, it is more the Light of the Lodestar that gives us the system and allows us to level that is the prime tenant of the church. Following Fortuna does not bar you from being a member.” He tried to convince me.
“While I acknowledge the benefits being a man of the church would provide me and my quest. I have a home and enjoy my freedom to make my own plans for my house.” I politely refused the offer.
But the Bishop was not finished with his offers, “Alternatively, as a squire of Paladin Sir Jacques, the only oath you would need to make would be one of integrity, honesty and a pledge to walk in the light of the Lodestar.”
“As a squire, wouldn’t Sir Jacques have to accompany me on my journey?” I asked. I didn’t think they allowed squires to make unaccompanied journeys around the world.
“Well, yes.” He admitted. Whether it was concerning my well-being or a wish to continue his oversight over my growth, I couldn’t tell. “He could support your success as he accompanied you.”
“He would slow me down,” I objected.
“Hardly . . .” he refuted.
“I can fly. Can he?” While stats made a vast difference, flight was a game changer in terms of the speed of travel. But the Bishop had not given up just yet.
“A church messenger, then. No need to pledge allegiance. Or wait for others to accompany you. You would be able to travel between towns under our banner and protection at whatever speed you are able to. But flight might not be the best method if you wish to remain inconspicuous.”
“Or the safest.” Added Sir Jacques.
“Safest?” I asked.
“You live in the middle of the ocean. The few islands nearby have been colonised, and if there were any flying monsters, they have long been eaten by those of the deep, or their nesting grounds have been destroyed by the pioneers. You have yet to face a flying monster. On land, however, they are not quite so rare.” He cautioned.
Great. I muttered internally to myself.
“Regardless of what you decide to do. We will aid you in any way we can. After all, it is a god given quest and our duty to support you.”
He paused.
“We only want what is best for you, the Silverseas, and the island.”
I nodded in understanding. They had been eminently patient and supportive of our political positions, economic growth and our personal progress. I was not going to ignore their advice or refuse their support if it would smooth my journey. “Would you tell me about your trip?”
“Well . . . ”
. . .
From Lady Acacia
“This might be a quest, but there is no reason for it not to align with House Silversea's goals.” She said after time to reflect.
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“How so?” I asked.
“Visit each island and Silversea holding through the Azimuth Archipelago in the Cyan Sea as you head to the capital of Ponente for starters.” She said, “Be there for your sister’s debut. Support her through her acceptance as a Noble Lady.”
“Support her?”
“We are not just practising for yourself. To leave her debut partner in the hands of any other house would leave us vulnerable to whomever we had to ask for help from.”
“Ah,”
“Yes, despite your high level in dance, that doesn’t mean you haven’t gotten out of your instruction. You will need to learn several dances with her to support her through them. Admittedly your height is a little bit of an issue, but if you can waltz through the air, I see no reason that you cannot do so at the correct height to accompany her without making her look like an ogre leading a child.”
“OK.” I had hoped that having reached the highest level. I would be able to skip the dance lessons now.
“You will be expected to accompany her vocal and instrumental recital. It would be acceptable for me to accompany her for either of those, but it looks better for the house if they can provide their accompanist rather than rely on their tutor.” She continued to explain.
“Right.” I enjoyed playing but like to do so without the pressure a political performance would apply.
She had clearly put some thought into how this was going to go. “Even leave with us to return home. There will no doubt be much interest in our burgeoning house after her performance, and it might be best if all concerned consider you to have returned home with us. However, once out of our sight from land under the cover of darkness, you could begin your journey north.”
“Why north?”
“You have a unique opportunity to assess new markets and build new interest in Silversea products. You already have trade links West and South with Ponente and Libeccio. But under the protection of being a church messenger, you can deliver samples and letters from house Silversea expressing a desire to trade once you have passed on whatever messages the church would have you deliver. Messages for each church and town north as you go, but on crossing the border into Maestro, you also have the opportunity to visit the Elven kingdom. If you bear my seal, they will trade with you and should be able to provide you with finer clothing, weapons and food than you can imagine. More I cannot say.”
“North it is then.” I shrugged, not particularly hung up on the direction in which I circumnavigated the Compass Continent.
“It would even be worth visiting the Silverwood holdings of old. Arawn could meet you there. If he travelled separately north from the capital and went directly there.” She added as if only thinking of the suggestion when it was already planned far in advance.
“It’s an option,” I admitted. However, it did not necessarily seem wise to wake up whoever destroyed the Silverwood family all those years ago. Let sleeping tigers lie.
“Have you considered your method of travel?” she quizzed.
“Well, I was thinking of growing my own boat from scratch.” I started.
. . .
From Arawn
“I’m going with you one way or another.” He stated simply. The words whispered as he drew back his arrow.
“Even if you can’t keep up,” I smirked. Pulling back my own arrow. We were hunting the western woods and would have venison for dinner.
Releasing our shots together, we simultaneously took the deer in the neck and eye. I was improving, but I was not as good as him yet. We headed out from behind the bushes and trees, entering the small clearing where the deer lay already dead.
“I’ve given my life to this family ten times over. I won’t see the line end because you decided to waltz off into the sunset alone.” He argued as we approached the animal for dressing.
“Maybe it’s time for you to retire.” I joked. The joke landed flat in a world that had no such concept as retirement.
“I’m bound by blood and oath to protect you.” He repeated his mantra, a central part of who he was and how he functioned, even when it wasn’t immediately obvious. Knives out. He gestured where I needed to cut to begin dressing the animal. Despite my progress, every moment was still a teaching moment for him.
“I release you from your oaths.” I started watching the shudder as they released him. He no longer held any secrets of mine that my family did not know. There was no straightening of his back, no change in his posture. I wondered whether this showed that he no longer felt bound by his oaths.
“If you think that will stop me from accompanying you, you are far more delusional than your family thinks.” He smirked back. Taking advantage of my hesitation to take control of quartering the animal.
“And don’t think that I am alone in this. Namir is not going to want to lose his prize pupil either.” He grinned as he continued working on the animal, and I realised he was probably right.
No one was saying no to my quest, but neither were they saying yes to the idea of me riding off into the sunset alone. They all believed that I would be safer accompanied and were planning on how to make that happen one way or another.
We returned home carrying the meat.
. . .
From Namir
“You're not ready yet.” Namir objected to the idea of my solo trek around the world. We stood facing one another, rapiers extended.
“I can beat all my cousins.” I pointed out, leaping forward at the same time as I thrust. The rapier’s point closed in on him.
He leapt back, flicking his up to deflect my strike, “Can you beat me? Because you will be facing monsters like me, humanoid or otherwise not your cousins, in the wilderness between towns and cities.” He pressed forward, suddenly driving me back.
“I’m not planning on seeking out monsters,” I argued, defensively dancing back from the beastkin. The extra levels in dancing came in useful as I continued to evade his aggressive footwork and rapid strikes.
“And all your plans work out wonderfully, yes?” He asked, unimpressed at my naivety. He suddenly launched blunted, throwing daggers from his left hand, one too many to avoid, I got caught, and it drove the breath out of me. Allowing him to catch, trip and disarm me in my moment of distraction.
“Those aren’t yours,” I complained from my seat on the floor as I recognised my grandfather’s throwing daggers. Even if, this time, it was Namir wielding them.
“We will start delving to see just how well your plans and preparations work out in the face of reality.” He lifted me up and returned my rapier.
“Fine.” I wasn’t against more training, but it didn’t feel particularly pleasant to be told that you were not ready yet when you thought you were.
“Good; I’ll see you and your sister ready to face the world.”
. . .
From Father
“If you are really planning on this circumnavigation, you will need to get some solo sails under your belt.” He said as he cast a line out on the lagoon.
With Neriad steadily immigrating from the depths, we had to zone areas for fishing, lest we cause harm by accidentally hooking the new guests to our island. We were fishing north of the inner isle today. The zoning had been the most contentious issue of immigration with the islanders in Wester Town. Otherwise, they had been happy to explore new wares and have new customers to sell their wares to.
“I’m not asking to go tomorrow,” I answered him. “I’m happy to demonstrate I can sail solo between the isles.”
“You might be, and I’m not saying you’re not capable, but let’s build up to that ok. You manage to find far more than your fair share of sea monsters and pirates than any other sailor I know.” He cautioned.
As we spent the evening fishing, we planned out a route and a sailing trip where we would both have our own boats to captain.
I just had to grow mine first.