"Have you ever heard where women dominate men and govern a domain?"

"Look over there! Beyond the seas, you can find them hiding…" Lord Ameniah says it, as he follows with: "Is it that your proverb? Your way to introduce yourself towards the crowd, a way to somehow gather around you and listen to you when you are demanding an audience?" I mean he is not wrong. But it feels so awry when he starts using it before my presence and as such.

"I'm impressed you're right!" I praise him by giving him a smile while he's heaving the oars.

I don't mean to startle Lord Ameniah or whatnot, I am just confirming some misunderstanding about his identity and his pledge towards Lady Anda, the Carylle Family, and Kehina and her people. I am aware of the fact that we're both non-natives of this nation - we are both Inglovians. Well technically speaking; I am from the part of the Inglovian supercontinent, from the peninsular Đormogas, but not entirely from the jurisdiction of the crown. The Đormogas is a thalassocratic mercenary group of counties and a tributary state of the imperial lordship of Inglovia. Hence, the officials of my home nation enjoy a rather autonomous system. Lord Ameniah, on the other hand, was a former noble and held power. I don't know how tyrant he was or how benign he was. I don't have much record about him either.

"So, how about this ruse underneath this pretense? Your words alone are a menace… don't you think of that, Lord Gervðas?" he criticizes me.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I am not threatening you, Lord Ameniah. I am just asking for a vouch to whomever I overheard it from elsewhere. You maybe sly and deceiving, Lord Ameniah. However. Presumably. I don't have a slight skeptic about harming oneself - us. And you're not a man like that to begin with." I retort with conviction.

And as I add: "I am totally unarmed and defenseless right now. Does your conscience tell you it would be alright to kill me? Or do your assassin instincts exhort you to hurt me while you're at it?" suggesting, during that I am speaking, I let a smug get up to get him.

"Are you testing me, Lord Gervðas?" Lord Ameniah bellows at me, trying to induce fear.

I raise both of my hands, denoting my actions - I do not want to fight him either. As I am trying to convince him that I don't pose a harm to him. Flipping against Lord Ameniah is a different story, let alone deluging him is quite a predicament on my part. Lord Ameniah's experience towards sword playing is far more adept than I am. Lady Anda and several inner circle members said that 'practicing my swordsmanship eventually further my survivability during my excursion and when I am treading alone'. I am not so cocky to tinker myself against Lord Ameniah since he's among the instructors that I received a tutelage, crossing swords means death to me.

“Let me ask about this, Lord Gervðas…”

“Yes… ?”

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“Are you perhaps also an Inglovian per se?”

“Yeah…”

“Why are you stressing the fact that I was an Inglovian? Thus, are you implying something?” Lord Ameniah emphasizes, asking.

“No! Hence, - -...”

Lord Ameniah doesn't let me finish my statement - as I quote: 'Hence, I just don't justify it like that since I'm also an Inglovian' where blurts out, chiding: “What are you trying to say? That I am a traitor? Is that what you are attempting me to admit, Lord Gervðas?“ as Lord Ameniah interrupts me, while he is about to unsheath his weapon, preparing to trounce me at any time.

About Đormogas, in approximation of a hundred thousand steps away from the Inglovian throne. Đormogas is a peninsular nation embedded to the northwestern part of the mainland Inglovia. My country is incredibly poor and barren. Even farmers and investors were bailing out during my teenage years when I was under the guidance of Rev. Amas. Đormogas solely relies on supplying countries and kingdoms with its specialties - mercenary and information around Inglovia and known to the apparent ones. I was tempted to join the ranks of freelancing soldiership at first but when a light peeked at me. My mentor, Rev. Amas, told me that joining the group will tantamount my life into eternal damnation therefore I pursued in proselytizing people instead thereafter. The contract is enticing at the initial glance because they are two types of salary if one is serving the government. And those are: guaranteed stipend and client rental.

"Lord Ameniah, I suggest you stop being erratic and unreasonable." as I insinuate him to calm down first.

He then follows my instruction by answering: "Well, of course. I definitely lost my chill out there. It won’t happen again, Lord Gervðas." by apologizing to me in an undertone, with the allusion in his voice. But I certainly have become languid in the situation of sedation. While he is glaring at me, there's a sentient emotion of bloodlust and aggression. With a resemblance to the scene of 'cold steel sticking close to my trachea' sensation. Magic? I'm indefinite, albeit. "I didn't mean to harass you like that, Lord Ameniah…" saying in a placated manner. As we head to the shore on Lord Ameniah's discretion.

"Lord Ameniah, Lord Gervðas,..." one of the retinue salutes to us, as I walk past him, heading to the palanquin afterwards.

"Lord Ameniah, what's the matter with Lord Gervðas… ? He seemed in a bad mood. What have you discussed about, while you are sailing across the lake?" asks by one of the guards, overhearing the conversation.

"Nothing…" Lord Ameniah retorts, shakes his head, and waves his hand.

"Lord Ameniah,..." insists by the same cortege, with a mischievous voice.

"I said: Nothing…" Lord Ameniah dismisses.

Meanwhile, we are heading back to the villa. Silence. Both of us are close to each other yet no one dares to commence the talk between a body-length distance. Lord Ameniah's gaze is towards afar from the pane. Port hole panel. He never looks at me while I am fully staring at him the whole time.

I would like to know what's running inside the mind of Lord Ameniah. Indeed, it's fairly intriguing, I daresay. He doesn't emit a sinister sensation which by the opposite of it is daunting in a way. By evening, we make it before supper... thanks to these hardworking lads who carried us. Not a single word for an entire hour and we never had a chance to somehow correct the misnomer.

"Damn it! I shouldn't have instigated that!" I regret, contemplating, as I am speaking through my mind.