After several meetings with Raj and Admiral Yin, they had to arrange their men's lodging. Yin proved a formal, quiet man who spoke only when necessary and usually in short sentences. Apparently, he had served under Nagos' Father. Sahshir made the arrangements himself. Narcissa, meanwhile, had an argument with Raj about several things.

Nagos said very little during these. Sahshir almost thought he was daydreaming. But several times, he'd sit up and ask some questions that threw Raj or Yin for a loop. It was clear Nagos was far less flippant than he pretended to be.

When those were over, they retired in the waning daylight to eat. As they did, a satyr played flute by a roaring fire. Sahshir felt awkward, sitting with his mask in place with a sword when everyone else was clad in fine garments. He'd explained why he needed the blade, and Nagos had accepted.

However, he had forgotten to mention that he always ate in private. Now Nagos was looking at him in concern as a meal was served. "Aren't you going to eat anything?"

"I usually eat in private," admitted Sahshr. "My face is not something pleasant to look at." But, as was the custom, he hadn't eaten with Father or his men for years before he left. Likely that was why Uncle had felt he could remove him.

"It's only flesh and skin, Sahshir," said Nagos. "The body you were born in isn't you. It's just the thing you live in like a house. There are plenty of people in nice houses who are rotten to the core and plenty of good people who live in glass ones. I mean, rotten ones.

"Nevermind."

Sahshir wondered if Nagos actually believed what he said. There was a test. "Very well, you may wish to avert your eyes."

Serna seemed about to, but Nagos put a hand on her shoulder. Sahshir gripped his mask and drew it off. Serna put a hand to her mouth but said nothing. Nagos shrugged.

"Well, that's not nearly as bad as you made it sound," said Nagos. "Now, why don't we eat?"

So they ate. Sahshir found the foot to be heavily spiced and very rich. It was, however, absolutely delicious. Narcissa wolfed down large portions of it, probably a stint from her time on the street.

"So, what do you think of the food?" asked Nagos,

Sahshir found he had to eat slowly. Once he ate too much and almost choked. "It is excellent. However, I'm not used to such rich foods. In Kalthak, we do not use seasoning."

"But do you like it?" asked Nagos.

"Yes," said Sahshir. So why did he always press questions?

"It's wonderful," asked Narcissa. "How did you make these?"

"Well, they use some spices that we can get through trade routes," said Nagos. "That was five years ago before I became King."

Five years? "When did you ascend?" asked Sahshir.

"Two years ago," said Serna. "Nagos and I went all over before the Priestess of Safara found us. At the time, I was working with some pirates as a deckhand, but my bloodlines were right."

"You worked as a deckhand?" asked Sahshir, remembering his constant training. He'd taken to fighting like a fish to water. But Aresh, their Father before he became Tuor, had forced him to train in it constantly. He'd said that the ability to protect one's people was the most essential virtue a king could have.

"It's not something we usually talk about," said Serna. "Still, we've gotten quite a bit done. Nagos' relationship with the various pirate leaders has let us avoid their raids. He made favorable deals with them."

A man opened the door and rushed in. "King Nagos, we have a problem!"

What manner of King let himself be called on like an ordinary servant? Sahshir thought for sure Nagos would flare up at this. But he just smiled and stood up. "What is it, Sunshin?"

"A merchant is accusing another of fraud." said the man. "We need you to meditate."

"Fine, fine, I'll be there," said Nagos. "Just keep them in place. Being King is a pain in my neck." Then he walked out.

Sahshir was not sure what to think. Nagos seemed to regard his duties as a hassle, yet he did them from what he saw. Was he putting on an act? But why demonstrate such a familiar presence with his inferiors? A King must put forth an aura of strength.

"Your King is... eccentric," said Narcissa.

"I know," said Serna. "His Father was killed in battle with Sorn, and he was taken as a hostage when he was very young. But the ship was attacked by pirates when he was on his way to Sorn. So he grew up in one of the pirate towns all over the islands of power.

"That's where I met him. My family lived there, we were the descendants of slaves taken, and we became friends. By the time I was born, we'd become well off."

"So, how did he get back here?" asked Sahshir.

"Well, the Kings of this Island are all of an extraordinary bloodline. One descended from the God of Friendship, who's long since dead," said Serna. "Some priests ran into him on the island and realized he was the heir. At the time, Dinis was making plans to replace the King. So the priests feared that Dinis would try to annex the place fully.

"So they went and brought us back. Nagos wanted me to come with him, so we did."

"Does anyone respect him?" asked Sahshir flatly.

"Well, they all like him," said Serna. "And he generally can be relied on to make good decisions and take advice. The problem is he doesn't really care about formality at all."

They spoke of other things for a time. The flute playing was quite enchanting, Sahshir thought to himself. He'd never known satyrs had any music talent. And he learned a great deal. It quickly became apparent that Nagos was very active in the day-to-day affairs of the island.

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But rather than putting on the image of an invincible King of letting others come to him, he walked the streets. Not in disguise, as Baltoth was said to do, but as himself and in regular clothes. As if he regarded being King as merely an unwanted responsibility that came up now and then. If Serna was to be believed, he had used this casual style of rule to know things that might have been hidden.

Sahshir had once contemplated such a path.

He'd had to settle for eavesdropping from windows under cover of darkness. Then, when given a given sum, he did the math himself and checked it against others. His concern was for what the people were doing, not who they were.

As Nagos came back, he looked a bit stressed. "Sorry, sorry, the matter is concluded. I've gotten the two to settle the matter without punishment."

"Telagix, could you play another tune," said Nagos. "Something more lively."

The satyr bowed and removed the instrument from his lips. "Of course, King Nagos."

And he began to play another tune.

"How did you come to employ a satyr?" asked Sahshir, curious despite himself.

"Telagix used to make a living playing on the Islands of Power," said Nagos. "I believe he worked for King Alcaides for a while. Though that was before I joined him. We worked together as performers for a time. Then some pirates attacked our ship and all that fell apart. Still, no helping that.

"I freed him from McShore I became King and convinced him to come here."

"He's very skilled," said Narcissa, smiling. "I used to dance to this kind of music. Or, well, the other members of my troupe used to dance. I was pulled out of it before I came of age."

"Do you want to show us?" asked Nagos.

Sahshir was about to open his mouth to object. But Narcissa spoke first. "Well, I am a bit rusty. But I guess I could try."

"We should discuss the war," said Sahshir. However, he drew the line of bringing that abhorrent culture into things. "Away from our officers, I mean."

"Oh right, that whole thing," said Nagos, pretending to not remember it. "We ought to wait for the Emperor, shouldn't we?" But he glanced at Serna.

"I've gotten the reports from Admiral Yin. So it should be ready in time," said Serna. "The only question is how well it works."

"What is it'?" asked Sahshir.

"A new kind of weapon we're devising," said Nagos. "Steam canons, as we call them. Serna figured out how to use steam to propel balls of stone and iron through the air like a catapult. Only far more deadly.

"I think it might just win the war."

"When did you start the development?" asked Narcissa.

"Well, my father worked on it for some years and got down some general principles," said Serna. "But Nagos put us to work on creating it as soon as he became King.

"He said that Sorn would start another war soon, and nobody believed him."

"You can figure these things out if you just pay attention," said Nagos. "Sorn is always looking to expand, and Dinis is fading. So it was only a matter of time before things flared up. And all the warning signs were there. It's just that everyone except me was asleep.

"Serna, what was that letter Octavus sent to us about?" He sipped his drink.

"Apparently, he plans to come personally to oversee the victory," said Serna.

Nagos choked and nearly spat out his water. "Oversee the victory? What victory?"

"I think he is talking about the battle we haven't won yet," said Serna. "Sometimes Kings count their chickens before they hatch."

Sahshir came to a realization. "You were a peasant?"

"Hmm, well, no," said Serna. "Technically, I was a commoner, but my parents were training me to become a scribe. And Father was quite well-read and well-off. That's a much higher rank, and we hoped we'd go up in the world."

"Why not join the military?" asked Narcissa.

"She said she wanted to go up, not down," said Nagos.

Sahshir felt mortally offended by that. "Down?"

Nagos flinched as he saw Sahshir. "Well, um, you see, the Islands of Power took on a lot of Naminaen refugees after Kalthak was conquered by your people. So we've always believed the quill is much more important to a stable society than a sword."

"Do you have a quill here?" asked Sahshir.

"Yes," said Nagos, drawing one from a pocket.

"Hand it to me," said Sahshir.

Nagos obeyed. Sahshir stood up, threw the pen into the air, and cut it in two with his sword. Then, catching the pieces out of the air, he returned it and sat down as he sheathed his sword. "Warriors and farmers are the most important elements of society. If the artisan ceased to work, men could still fight and plow. If the scribe ceased to write, men could still fight and plow. But if farmers ceased to reap the fields, all would starve. And if the warrior ceased fighting, all would be consumed."

"By other warriors, you mean," noted Serna. "If nobody fought, there wouldn't be a need for warriors."

"If we did not thirst, there would be no need for water," said Sahshir. "If we did not hunger, food would not be needed. But we do thirst, and we do hunger. So I do not see how that changes anything."

"Focus, focus," said Nagos. "How are we going to beat Sorn? And are you going to pay me back for that quill?"

"Truth be told, I planned to leave the matter to Raj Danal and your Admiral," said Sahshir. "If things go badly and I survive, I can blame it all on him. And given my own lack of skill with naval affairs, I fully expect I'll botch it if I command.

"As for a quill, surely you could have another one made in seconds."

"It's the principle of the thing," said Nagos. "I always make my own. You should-"

"The war, Nagos," said Serna.

Nagos sighed. "It's not a good plan. Octavus is younger than me and really arrogant. If we don't command, he might. You can tell from his letters he thinks he's way more important than he actually is.

"At least the ones that aren't sent by his Mother."

"If he has no talent for war, why would he be Emperor?" asked Sahshir, remembering the valor and ruthless power of the legions.

"His mother put him on the throne after his father died of poison," said Nagos. "See, Octavus II was the one who really turned things toward Safara's worship. Naturally, the Zigildrazians didn't like that."

"I remember Zarana had us celebrate that day once a year" said Narcissa.

"Zarana?" asked Serna.

"The woman who raised me," said Narcissa.

"In any case, Octavus has never been the war, and when he ordered Zigilus destroyed, he wasn't even there," said Nagos. "My guess is he wants to prove himself, and he assumes that he'll win because he is invincible. Or something like that."

"What is your point?" asked Sahshir.

"You never want someone who thinks they are invincible in charge," said Nagos. "I've swabbed the decks of pirates who think like that, and they never last long. You need to be open to being wrong to be a good leader.

"So, we've got to win this war before he ever gets here."

"How can we do that?" asked Sahshir, surprised at his boldness. "Sorn has not even mobilized yet."

"Easy," said Nagos. "We just set things up on the board, so no matter what happens, we can't lose. That way, the Emperor won't have a chance to screw everything up."

"Baltoth has written of such strategies," said Sahshir, remembering his lessons. "They are powerful when wielded correctly. But, if misused, it can close your mind to opportunities."

"Fine, so let's chase some opportunities," said Nagos.

"What do you have in mind?" asked Narcissa.

"I say that since all of us are delegating authority, we get off this island," said Nagos. "We can head to some of my old friends and see if we can get them to help."

"Nagos, you're a King!" said Serna. "You can't just drop everything and go talk with Pirate Kings! And they aren't your friends."

"Fine, fine, negotiate then," said Nagos. "If we can get some of them to help us, it could give us the edge we need to win."

"It sounds like a worthwhile idea," said Sahshir. However, he said that considering that the war was, as things stood, hopeless. "But what assurances do you have they'll listen?"

"None," admitted Nagos with a shrug. "But it's either that or eat noodles until Octavus finally arrives."

"What if he gets here while you're away," asked Serna. "He might take it as an insult."

"Tell him we're getting more allies," said Nagos. "What's he going to do, punish us for giving him a better chance at victory?"

Serna sighed. "... You're not going to negotiate on this, are you?"

"No," admitted Nagos.

Sahshir shrugged. "Let us try for it."

"Great," said Nagos. "Then tomorrow, we'll set sail for adventure!"

The door opened, and Admiral Yin entered. He kneeled and set a hand over his heart. "King Nagos, the Emperor's flagship, has been sighted."

"...Or not," said Nagos, with the air of a boy caught stealing apples. "You want to go to meet him?"

"We have little choice," admitted Sahshir.

If nothing else, Sahshir could meet the man or order Zigilus obliterated. And possibly offer him congratulations when Narcissa was out of earshot.