Severed Were The Islands From Egillen's War-Crossed Mass That Somewhere Might Be Peace Remembered
Aboard the Foam Stallion two days later, Millim Takki Atsa joined Dirant Rikelta on deck to seek relief from a certain worry she had conceived. “We're sailing to Dittsen,” she began. An albatross glided overhead, a contrast against the pale blue sky until it was all but lost to sight when it flew before clouds so grand in their magnitude they might have concealed the fanciful palaces and towers of an unearthly realm within them. Closer to the pair, two children around ten years of age played on the deck. They were watched indulgently by their parents, amusedly by the sailors, and by Captain Reivsawm Hoidchaj Neuchipt Shchavliraj as little as possible. Watching them board in the first place had tested his forbearance enough, however much eminent Picker Foshkay laGabohnsay and his wife had apologized for the imposition.
The presence of the parents disturbed the captain less than their children's only on account of Lord Audnauj's effusive testimony regarding the assistance Mr. laGabohnsay had provided during the arduous eardron selection process. With that completed to the satisfaction of both Audnauj and Chunawm Metals, the former was free to stop in Dittsen before he returned to Yean Defiafi to check on the horse statue's progress while the latter could see its way to giving its star categorizer some time off in response to the former's weighty request.
“That is true. Even I perceive it, and yet any speed the sailors tell me seems credible with my knowledge.”
“Dittsen is a port city in Baosnesk.”
“Your statement comports with reality, unless there have been great changes in the world while we, ignorant, sailed around the Arch Sea.”
“I'm working up to something. Baosnesk is a member of the Adaban confederacy.”
“I apologize. We prefer to call it Greater Enloffenkir, and it is so.”
“Isn't that a problem? Nobody's acting like it is, but Redrin and Greater Enloffenkir have a troubled relationship, don't they?”
Dirant rejoiced at an opportunity to dispel Takki's anxiety. “Ah. There is no problem, as the trouble is on one side only. It is just the same as when I am commanded to watch the boy by his mother. Naturally all his activities vex and worry me, while to him I am nothing but his older brother and a playmate beside. I fear I placed my people on the wrong side of that analogy, so please forget it.”
“I'm sorry Ressi, but you summed up the situation far too well for me to do that. The peek into your family life was tantalizing as well. You should share it with everyone to soften your image.” While Takki did not look terribly sorry, she lacked also her usual humor-related bounciness. Dirant therefore suspected that to be sincere advice.
“An idea, certainly. Another is to leave that as your own exclusive glimpse into my true character, and that only because I have not yet learned of any ritual to erase a target's memory. I don't say there is anything wrong with a domestic character, and yet I must uphold my reputation as a genius of war, since mocking me over it is the sole entertainment for all Yumins on the continent without exception.”
Their positions then reversed. Takki felt compelled to relieve his disgruntlement, though she did not rejoice at the chance but rather regretted he had suffered at all. “But don't you think that's their way of dealing with the shock of hearing about the violent history of someone they previously considered a paragon of civility, cosmopolitanism, and consideration for others? The ceaseless ridicule is your welcome back into peaceful society, like in the tale of Poie Massu Ikke.”
“Perhaps you are right. I am unaware of that tale however, and I suspect that is generally the case among Yumins as well.”
“Oh, that's unfortunate. It's a cute story. Let's go find the others so I can tell it to all of you at once.”
“Very good, and does that include Mr. laGabohnsay's family?”
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“I hope it will.”
In such tranquility did voyages fare over the western stretch of the Arch Sea and the Aozur Sea even farther west as never would have been imagined a mere month before. Every person either aboard or associated with a ship, boat, or raft out on the placid, pirate-free waters owed a debt impossible to discharge to Stegzi, Baosnesk with its assortment of Ottkir states, and the dashing condottieri hired to assist the armies and navies of those resourceful countries. Most did realize it and prayed for the felicity of the participants, or at least of the condottieri. Borders on a map and cultural differences did nothing to disrupt a universal sentiment that those guys were cool and intriguing, the occasional defect with 8 Panache notwithstanding.
Owing to the boldness of righteous men, none of the passengers or crew suffered harm or even nightmares except for the captain, whose dreams involved the Foam Stallion being sunk by tiny devils riding horses in such a way that the blame fell on him. Another sea traveler had neither nightmares nor pleasant dreams for the reason that a veteran Ritualist summoned him to a bi-continental conference.
“Dirant Rikelta. What a pleasure that you accepted my invitation. I still haven't figured out how to give you a choice though.” Dirant had only ever seen Penneram Densos in a good mood, and the streak continued. “Divine Guidance (Hunch) is so unreliable, but it always works every time it works. I hope it did this time. I'm looking forward to your bewilderingly happy news.”
Dirant was getting a good amount of rejoicing done that day. “Everything is resolved.”
“Incredible!”
The junior Ritualist's detailed explanation satisfied Penneram Densos's expectations and then surpassed them as a bonus. “To think I just set up my Worldwide Edition Freeze Alert Ritual. I can't show it to you here, but the way it works is that a plate is suspended in the air by flux forces. If the entire world is subjected to Edition Freeze, the plate will fall. With that, I'm ready anytime to finish the Delivery Ritual. You might think a 50 Ritualist wouldn't be able to clear his calendar easily. Believe me when I tell you that's a misconception.”
“The contrary would be my guess. At that point, every potential employer must think you too expensive to hire.”
“I see you know about business. I've only ever dealt with things as they came up, so I was surprised when I fell victim to this phenomenon. Can you give me any advice about breaking out of that box? Once this project is done, I wouldn't mind doing a ritual on commission here and there.”
The discussion between the two about the financial side of ritualism went on perhaps too long, since when next the sun visited the Arch Sea Dirant struggled to wake up and stay that way. Fortunately, no one needed him for anything, a state which might have been considered dispiriting in other circumstances.
Captain Reivsawm Hoidchaj Neuchipt Shchavliraj's masterful seamanship ensured a direct passage to Lord Audnauj's destination for all that intrusive winds believed his Foam Stallion ought to have taken a more westerly course to land somewhere in Chtrebliseu. More ambitious yet, what about a trip north along the continent's western coast up to Saueyi? No. Dittsen. Once again human invention and skill bested nature, just as reason had outperformed superstition back in Lesser Redrin if not in certain other locations.
Though it lacked the modern harbor facilities Dwecosptichdeu boasted, Baosnesk's chief port awed the casual observer more because of its overwhelming traffic. Such a profusion of sails crowded the harbor and coast for as far as a sailor could make out that it seemed there the clouds had descended to drink from the sea, thirsty from their tireless work made harder to endure by the heat of the noon sun in withstanding the winds which sought to sweep all decoration from the sky. Coast-hugging hulks carried cargo to and from other ports in Greater Enloffenkir and Chtrebliseu, ocean-goers similar to the Foam Stallion ferried choicer goods to remoter countries such as Drastlif and Swadvanchdeu, schooners built in Ililesh Ashurin transported mail and passengers from more and more lands as the design caught on, and warships patrolled that belonged to the local fleet, weak as it was compared to Redrin's.
Someone with the will to look away from the splendor of sails and masts could see above them projections more prominent yet, for the spires of Dittsen proper showed courtesy to genuine clouds by rising to greet them rather than demanding they lower themselves to a city they were accustomed to favor with rain rather than their lofty presence. Even Dirant Rikelta, habituated to Greater Enloffenkir architecture for obvious reasons, was impressed when he began to comprehend the magnitude in every direction of Dittsen's grand edifices. Leaving aside their excessive size, they differed from the Fennizen standard in the evident willingness of the people behind them to lay down extra money for cosmetic improvements. Intricate cornices, statues on either side of arched portals, and elaborate murals glorified the city to such a degree that Dirant's home city, one of the richest in the confederation, resembled in comparison a refuge where religious ascetics gathered who considered grottoes and forests too luxurious for their contemplations. On the other hand, Dirant preferred mabonnpaper to the glass employed there, though doubtless gales from the Arch Sea made its use impractical.