Words could not describe the immense ship currently eclipsing the sun. I thought our ships in the neighborhood ports were massive, but this ship was on a whole other level. Yes, it belonged to giants, but there was a difference between hearing about the ships of the Orion and then seeing them in person.
Steele's shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly beneath my momma and me. I didn't know if that was merely because Steele was a little older or if he was wary and nervous for what was to come. Whatever the reason, I was prepared for nearly every scenario. Sure, I didn't have my emergency bag, but all I needed was my sword and hidden dagger to start problem solving.
My momma reached over and held tightly to my left hand. I assumed it was because she liked the reassurance or that she needed the stability as we sat there perched on Steele's shoulder, but neither of us spoke as we rode up to the Bennevis.
The ocean rocked and churned under the dinghy, feeling a bit like a bucking horse, as Steele stood and followed Wofur's lead in standing and grasping the rope ladder that hung over the edge over the bow of the ship. As Steele grasped the ladder, two of the oarsmen leaned over and held the bottom of the ladder to keep it from twisting and pulling away from the ship.
"Allow us, Ser," they said in almost perfect unison.
Ser? For some reason, I imagined the word capitalized and spelled with an "e" and not an "i," but that was usually reserved for knights and officers.
Wait…
I looked up at Steele, glimpsing only part of his profile, as he kept his keen violet eyes affixed to the top of the ladder and the bow of the ship. An odd sensation crept over me as I braced for each step that he ascended.
Steele told me he was part of the military and that he studied warfare as well as some of the battles and strategies he used, but he never said where he was in the fray. Was he a grunt? A foot soldier? Or was he a knight? An officer?
I gazed up at Steele in awe.
There was still so much I didn't know about him.
I decided to interrogate him about it later. For now, I kept my eyes wide open as Steele finally made it to the top. I glanced down and instantly felt a partial wave of nausea swirl in my gut. I haven't felt something like that in a while, but looking down at the dinghy and the ocean from what was surely a lethal distance made me the slightest bit uneasy.
I didn't let it show though. I swallowed dryly and turned my attention to the deck of the ship.
There was so much to see that I could have spent hours evaluating the scene before me. There were a few dozen deck hands scurrying around this way and that performing different tasks. Some of them were cleaning the deck. Others were checking the rigging. Others were swinging from ropes making sure the sails were being taken care of.
Regardless of what they were doing at the time, the moment Steele stood on the bow, all of them stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. Silence settled over the ship and nothing but the occasional flapping sound of a tarp being jostled in the wind broke the veil of silence.
It wasn't until the shrill scream of a whistle snapped the crew to attention that anything happened. I turned my eyes to the Captain's quarters and felt my jaw slacken as I spotted someone who I could only assume to be the Captain and the First Mate, but this isn't what caught me by surprise. It was the fact that they were both women.
The Captain, Tanna Aludor, wore a light blue frock coat that was the same shade as the vests of the crew members. She wore a tri-pointed brown leather hat that sat on top of straight black hair that fell right to her shoulders. Her dark brown eyes were that of a predator, ready to strike and sound off a command without hesitation. Her knee-high boots sounded heavy as she strode across the wooden planks toward Steele. Her movements were sure and determined, just like how Steele had taught me to be.
The First Mate followed immediately behind, a mousy looking girl on the outside, but a burning blaze in her green eyes. Her light brown hair was tied back into one long singular ponytail that flowed behind her with an unearthly flow.
As the Captain passed, all muttered, "g'day Captain," and kept their heads bowed until she had completely passed them.
Feeling it was only polite, I dared to stand on Steele's shoulder as he subtly fell into some stance that must have been "attention" and maintained it until the Captain was within arm's reach of him. Her charcoal eyes flicked to my momma and me just for a moment, giving me just enough time to imitate the gesture I saw the other crew members perform and for her to recognize it before her eyes flicked back to Steele.
"Captain, permission to come aboard," stated Steele in his native tongue, keeping his eyes straight forward without looking her directly in the eye. My heart pounded excitedly, getting to see everything firsthand.
Then, with her right hand, she bent her elbow up toward her shoulder, keeping her palm facing her. She did not put her arm down and said nothing for several seconds. Mesmerized, I watched as Steele's eyes widened before he shifted ever so slightly and mimicked the motion, but he kept his palm away from him, not toward himself. Then, after a moment, he lowered his hand, and Captain Aludor did the same. Only then did the Captain speak.
"Ser, permission is not necessary for someone of your rank aboard my vessel," stated the Captain. Steele smiled and shook his head in amused disbelief.
"I am retired, Captain Aludor. The ship is yours regardless of my once esteemed rank," replied Steele softly. I could tell he was maintaining formality by the words he chose to use, but his tone was friendly enough to promote conversation. "Please, allow me to introduce my comrades - my hanai. This is Raina Toro and her daughter Terrilyn Lun."
There was an instant spark of curiosity from the Captain as she looked to Steele and then to my momma and me. Once again, I gave the same bow as before, but I dared not speak just yet. I had suddenly been thrown into a new set of customs and I was not about to interject incorrectly.
I made sure to make eye-contact this time though, ensuring Captain Aludor that I was not going to be overlooked. Steele taught me about the importance of eye-contact, and I was not about to back down entirely. Respectful, but not submissive.
And she saw it.
There was a moment where I swear I saw a flicker of intrigue before she looked back to Steele.
"Well, I shan't keep you long then, shall I. Please, will you join me in my quarters for a discussion?" asked Captain Aludor as she stepped to the side and gestured to the Captain's quarters at the stern of the ship. Steele, glancing back once more at his friend, turned and nodded once. Captain Aludor spun on her heel and, without another word, began marching toward the stern. Steele's footsteps were significantly quieter, him not wearing any shoes, compared to the Captain's bold stride. Still, Steele commanded the attention of the deck just as the Captain had done.
It made me wonder more and more about Steele's background. He told me stories, but never spoke of his rank. I never thought to ask because of how he told the stories. He always sounded like he was among the soldiers, with them and not above them. Was this how the Orion organized their forces? Or was this how Steele conducted himself?
I knew what I would be doing tonight.
The Captain's quarters were simple but sophisticated. A massive window took up nearly the entire stern of the ship, letting in the scene of the ocean behind her. There was a cot, desk, oil lamps that hung from the ceiling, maps and charts showing the topography of the ocean floor as well as lines showing the tides and flows of the ocean. There were odd devices measuring distance as well as dials and devices that I had no inkling of what they could do. I stared at the map for a few moments, really taking in the scope of the entire world.
What an amazing place….
What adventures awaited the horizons sketched on that paper?
The Captain and First Mate maneuvered around the desk and sat, gesturing to Steele and Wofur to sit as well. Steele nodded politely before calmly walking over and taking a seat opposite the Captain. For several seconds, the silence returned when the Captain leaned forward in her chair, clasping her fingers in front of her calculatingly, and peered over at Steele.
"Shall I overlook the formalities and address the subject directly, Ser?" Captain Aludor asked, speaking in their homeland's native tongue. Steele, leaning back in his chair and clasping his hands in his lap, nodded.
"I believe that would be the best course of action," agreed Steele, smiling politely as he glanced over at momma and me to make sure we were comfortable before redirecting his attention to the Captain.
"Very well," sighed Captain Aludor. "We are on the brink of war."
At this, Wofur stiffened while Steele remained completely unblinking. I knew this silence, and it was a contemplative one. Steele was pondering something, measuring the tone and situation as well as events leading up to now. In a matter of moments, he responded.
"With Keonune and Laryuen?"
The Captain's eyes widened in surprise. Evidently, Steele had hit the nail right on the head. But how?
"Your reputation precedes you," stated Captain Aludor. "Zeto, please retrieve the documents." The First Mate, who hadn't uttered a word, spun on her heel and rummaged through a drawer by the desk, and emerged with a stack of papers as long as her arm. For someone of my height, it was easily eight times my height. She set them on the table in front of Steele, but he merely looked at them as First Mate Vela Zeto began her explanation.
"Ser, this is all of the documentation we have had over the past few moons. Events have been building to their current status, and if the trajectory isn't altered, all Orion will be in all-out war within the next moon, if not sooner. The counsels have already begun… preparations…."
I didn't know why, but Steele's demeanor shifted ever so slightly. His shoulders tensed suddenly, to the point where my mother and I had to readjust to make sure we didn't slip noticeably to the other Orion in the room. More importantly, I don't know why the First Mate looked specifically to my momma and me as she hesitated in her words. The pause was more than her trying to find the right word. It was like she was being… cautions. Sensitive. Careful.
Steele glanced at the pile of documents before looking back at the First Mate and the Captain. He didn't even bother reaching forward. He merely shook his head, a tired smile pulling his lips upward, before he addressed them.
"As I have said, I have retired, and my last encounter with the leaders of Keonune and Laryuen is far in my past. I am retired - exiled if we want to call it what it is - and far removed from current events. What insights could I possibly provide that you have not already obtained from these documents?" Steele asked. I listened to his diplomatic tone and his cool, level headedness.
"Ser, it was your diplomacy that broke through to both of these leaders. It was your negotiations that prevented what would have been the bloodiest warpath of our time. I've read all of your work and others' evaluations of your battle tactics, and your actions that day alone saved countless lives," piped up the First Mate Vela Zeto. Her eagerness and tone told me she was well-read about Steele.
Was he really so well-renowned?
"And I am certain you will be able to sufficiently subdue them once again. Meet their demands and be willing to compromise," stated Steele. At this, Captain Aludor readjusted in her seat and lowered her clasped fingers.
"Ser, their demands are unable to be met. If you would review the documentation, you would see what they are asking for," stated Captain Aludor.
"Pouring over documents is for the council members and scholars who are immersed in recent events. It is one of the reasons I have been content in living in exile, among other whys and wherefores. I have paid my dues, and now I wish to wash my hands of this," stated Steele.
"Are you saying you would be willing to allow this war to proceed?" asked Captain Aludor, voice as stiff as her upper lip and the look in her eye sharp as a sword.
"As I said, I have been content living in exile. There are others far greater than I whom you can seek counsel from, but the solution you seek does not lie with me. I offer my sincerest apologies that I was unable to assist you and that your travels were not as productive as you intended," stated Steele.
I looked to the Captain and the First Mate before catching Steele's stern look. It was a look I knew from years of trying to wheedle favor from him. He was obstinate and it was practically impossible to convince him to change his mind once it was made up.
With a single, courteous nod, Steele pushed himself up and smiled politely at both the Captain and the First Mate.
"Thank you for considering me and for considering my counsel, but I'm afraid I am unable to assist. Now, if you'll excuse me," Steele said and, with one last nod, turned to his friend, Wofur Otagun. "If you will escort me back to the mainland, I would be most grateful."
I could see Wofur's apprehension. It didn't take much to see he was waiting for the Captain to give some kind of acknowledgement in approval. I glanced over my shoulder, suddenly realizing that I could feel my pulse in my neck. Were nerves getting the better of me? I could only hope I wasn't shaking as I waited with baited breath for something to give between the others.
Then, as the Captain's eyes met mine, I knew she had been bested.
"Well, thank you for your audience, Ser. I am sorry on behalf of our own counsels that aid was not provided sooner, and I am sorry to have waisted your time. We will be departing in the next few days, but you won't have to worry about us breaking the Directive of Noninterference. I only ask that you think about the circumstances once more and consider all of the factors. Regardless of your final decision before we leave, we come and go in peace and as allies," stated the Captain. She rose to her feet and once again saluted in that same foreign way, waiting respectfully for Steele to dismiss her.
With a relieved smile, Steele acknowledged her gesture before he turned and strode toward the door. I could feel him shaking beneath me, but kept my head held high in confidence. Steele would have a million questions to answer from me later, but right now was not the time.
We needed to be the united front we always were.
The other Orion sailors saluted as Steele passed, but the passing glances between him, my mother and I, and the Captain conveyed their disappointment that Steele was not staying aboard.
The voyage back to our homeland was uneventful and silent, but also tense. I could practically feel the confusion in the air. What was there to be confused about? If they wanted to force him back, they could. Was it imperative that he come willingly?
We touched ground as my questions formulated and swirled in my head, threatening to make it ache, and Steele disembarked from the vessel. I heard his sigh of relief as he took several steps onto land.
"Steele." Wofur had stepped off of the vessel with Steele and had followed after a few paces, far enough away from the other sailors who had brought us to and from the ship for them to not hear. They continued to speak in their native tongue rather than the Common I grew up with. "Please, reconsider."
"My friend, my argument has been presented and my evidence laid out. I do not know what else can be said about the matter," stated Steele. Wofur, hanging his head and nodding ever so slightly, reached into his coat pocket and withdrew the documents that were on the Captain's desk. I didn't need to see Steele's expression to feel the way his posture and energy changed at seeing his friend present him with these immense documents.
"I ask only that you read through the circumstances and see what may await us on the horizon. It is not just our lands they are threatening. You heard the First Mate, right? That preparations are being made?" implored Wofur. "For the sake of you and for your hanai, please just read through the documents and think about it."
I looked up to see Steele's features harden as if they were turning to stone.
"You would press me on this, my friend? You would bring my hanai into this?" Steele's voice rumbled in his chest, making his shoulders tremble beneath me. I glanced from Wofur to the partial profile I had access to while glancing up at Steele. "Careful, Mossback, because your words sound dangerously close to a threat."
Wofur shook his head in disbelief and actually scoffed, both of which made me bristle defensively. I knew it wasn't my place to speak out, but I couldn't just keep quiet any longer.
"You heard my father," I stated firmly, using my firmest and most decisive tone as I spoke in their language. All eyes turned to me, and I realized I needed to remember my manners. "Please, do not trouble him with your issues further. If he says he washes his hands of this, then respect him and his reputation to heed his advice."
Wofur straightened up ever so slightly as he looked at me. I wasn't sure if he was trying to establish superiority by emphasizing his height with a stretch, but I found myself mirroring his movements to show him I wasn't intimidated. It wasn't until I caught the glimpse of emotion in his eye that a spark of worry ignited within my thoughts.
The look was almost of concern and pity.
"If he will not read the documents, then I ask that you do. Perhaps you will understand the urgency and insistence we Orion have in requesting his attendance," stated Wofur. He stepped up to the edge of the cliffside and carefully set down the stack of parchments and reports. He turned and looked back at me before offering what I thought to be a curious smile. "I can see much of him in you, young one, and I can only hope you've adopted more than his fighting spirit."
"She certainly has," complemented Steele as he glanced to me, smiled, and then returned his gaze to his friend. "Thank you, my friend, for coming. If I do not see you again before you depart, know your presence filled my soul. It has been too long since I've seen a familiar face from home."
The two of them shook hands before Wofur turned and departed.
I watched all of them become nothing more than specks on the horizon as their ship remained anchored a fair distance away from our land. Something about seeing those sails tied tight made me believe that we had not seen the last of them.
Steele, with a sigh, finally tore his eyes away from the horizon and turned to the documents. He rested his hand on them absent mindedly as he raised his other hand for momma and me to step on.
"Steele?" called momma as she stepped forward and carefully placed her hands against his thumb. His violet eyes were distant as he stared blankly forward. He was obviously deep in thought.
Rather than take the hand down, I decided to take an alternative route and, despite my momma calling out for me to not do it, turned quickly around and climbed down Steele's arm and ran along his forearm to stand on top of the documents he seemed vaguely focused on.
Finally close enough to see the words scrolled onto the parchment pieces, I took a few steps back and let myself read the foreign tongue I had been taught.
Immediately, however, I almost wished I hadn't started reading.
The very first document was a topographical map, and I recognized the territory instantly. It was our homeland, but more specifically a set of islands right off of the Eastern coast. For the most part, I had only studied this area vaguely and knew that the people there often supplied fish to the towns and to the inland areas.
The marks around it, however, were what made my blood boil.
The marks around the island had only one word – captured.
Captured? As in the land had been taken over? By whom? The Orion? Did this have something to do with those two territories the Captain mentioned earlier? Keonune and Laryuen? Why were they invading our land? What about this Directive of Noninterference thing? Were they not holding to it.
I glanced over my shoulder to see Steele's eyes no longer focused on the parchment pieces, but on me. He was looking at me expectantly, as if he wanted me to speak first; and so I did.
"Steele, would it be alright if I read through these? I want to know what your friend meant," I said. My request made Steele stiffen, but he nodded.
"Yes, of course. You do not need my permission to learn," said Steele.
"And if I have questions?" I prompted, wanting to ensure I had his support.
"You may ask them, and I will tell you," he stated. Those violet orbs of his barely glimpsed the map at the top of the page, and his eyes filled with mild regret and frustration. His sigh sounded like a distant gust of wind over the fields as he turned and leaned against the cliffs, shoulders sagging slightly.
I listened as my momma tried to console him, but I knew instantly that Steele suspected from the beginning what those documents I was standing on contained. The problem, however, was that I didn't know, but I was about to learn.
I hurried inside to our home and gathered all of the candles and lanterns I could so that I could read uninterrupted for the rest of the night.
Goodness knew it was going to be a long one.