* * *
'Sy
* * *
Not a word about my wretch of a brother.
I make my way down the halls, controlling my steps as I do so and channeling within me a bit of calm. I have a long rest of the day ahead of me, after all. I've got several new trainees drafted in, I have an overfull nursery, and I've far too many problems that still need solving and far too many people that still need rescuing. That is why, I think, that when I turn the corner I find not an empty hallway but Elete, leaning against the wall and patiently waiting.
"I know I should be in bed, 'Sy," he says as he puts up a hand as if to fend me off.
"Good. I'm glad that you know. It makes you one step closer to doing it." I try to ferry him along towards the Poet Hall. Hell, I'll teleport him there directly if I have to. As it is I'm afraid that he won't make it back on his own two feet. He was dreadfully tired when I woke him for the ceremony, and while he kept his feet and balance in the Chamber and performed his role there perfectly, he almost collapsed when it was over. I told him to get himself to bed after that, while I went to talk to Jhe o'Radia. Of course he didn't listen. He never does, and what with his short life expectancy I suppose he never will.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I wanted to have a talk." Elete walks along with me willingly, not trying to drag behind or delay. He's leaning on my arm quite a bit, but he's keeping his feet at least. We might make it on foot, and I realize that I'd really like for us to.
I sigh. I'm too busy to set aside time for him, but the fact of it is that I'm going to miss my friend. "That is fine."
"Oh good, I'm glad. 'Sy, do remember the time I taught you how to swim? I was thinking about that while making my way back to the Hall. That's why I decided to wait for you."
Of course he has to go and talk about that. "I tried to block it from memory, but you've gone and resurrected it."
"Oh, good, I was afraid you'd forgotten. We couldn't have you forgetting how to swim, 'Sy. It's an important skill. Besides, I had a lot of fun in the lagoon, and I think you did afterwards." He sighs. "I did try to make it up to you in the boat."
I bite my lip. Damn us for not having enough time right now. "You... did."
"Splendid. Now, 'Sy, I know how you hate the water, but I was very surprised when I learned you didn't even know how to swim in it. A grown man, and all. That wasn't what motivated me to teach you, though. I was willing to leave you your pride and let you see to it yourself. But I had to be sure, you see."
I am getting the most dreadful, creeping feeling right now. Strange.
"I am a Time Lord, you know."
Ah. Yes, this dread is a premonition. I get it a lot right before Elete says that. "So you often say. What has that to do with the topic at hand?"
"Well, ships. I wanted you to be able to swim if you were on a boat. I do so love boats, you know. And I wanted to be able to go on a boat with you. That was fair motivation, but not really the chief one, and it has nothing to do with me being a Time Lord, I suppose. It's just a nice thought."
I roll my eyes. Poets. "Please, go on."
"You see, when I was thinking about bringing you onto a boat, all those years ago, and how you couldn't swim, it sort of triggered a pre-memory of a few minutes from now, and I decided back then that you definitely needed to swim because of that pre-memory. So, moving along, I wanted to be able to tell you that I'm glad that you know how to swim, because drowning today would be a poor way to end your story. 'Sy, there is a Chetharian flagship off the cliffs, waiting for entrance to the harbor. Considering everything, I thought it be best that I inform you of this early, before they're actually sighted. You should really meet them on the deck, and not let them set to harbor until you know what's going on. I am a...Time..." he shakes his head and lurches. "'Sy, I need to be in my quarters right now. I'm dreadfully sorry. But you can swim."
"Yes. I can swim on my own." I close my eyes, wrap my arm around him and see him to his room directly. There is apparently pressing business to see to.
"'Sy... I'm sorry, I'll sleep right away... but take a nicely-sized group with you, please. You'll need the company." Then, he's out like a light, and I have an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. I brush a few Shenanigans away from me. They nest around the Poet King. I make sure there's someone in the vicinity to see to him, and then I leave for the Armed Hall. I have troops to gather.
I decide to give my brother a bit of a word before I leave, though.
You might want to hide your little extra Treaty. Chethar's finally noticed there's trouble.
All I get in response is a bit of panic, and then silence.
* * *
I cannot find a few of my Armed, which is most distressing considering recent news. There are trainees missing, as well. There is, however, Gerald, who is grinning like a damned fool.
"Oh! Hey, Father. Listen, can I talk to you sometime, when everything's sort of blown over?"
I try not to facepalm, really I do. "Gerald, I don't know when-- look, we need to form a fighting party with all haste. I've found a few of them, but where is your twin brother?"
Gerald's resulting explanation is most frustrating, and worst of all I can do nothing about it. Well, it does make me want to destroy some things, but I am trying - straining - to withhold my ire. "And you say they left after the trial let out? Then they've had some time to get farther out than I can call back."
"Yeah, they've got a good amount of lead time! We didn't want to waste a moment, really. Don't worry, Gerude'll keep the trainees out of trouble. And they've got Erynn."
I almost strangle him. I'm his Father, I've got the right. "And so why did you stay behind?"
Gerald grins. "Someone had to make sure you knew what was going on. Hey, what do you think of Rachella?"
Oh. Oh is that why he's acting like such an idiot? You know, after all this, at least he's gotten over Katherine. "I think that it is a shame that you're not getting ready for a dangerous mission. We'll talk later about why nobody is good enough for you." With that, I try to find anyone else for the mission. Kevrin would be an asset, but he's busy keeping an eye on Djardrik and the new Windbird that apparently we are keeping. I've got to keep guards on Jhe o'Sul, and I'm keeping someone handy to watch Patrick as well, and there are those in place that are watching the Nursery considering how dangerous a large amount of adult minds in very new, clumsy, tiny bodies can be. All in all I just don't have enough Armed here that are capable of keeping their heads on a diplomatic mission that might possibly turn not-so-diplomatic. At least Camden is still here, and Jenny follows orders most times. Julia and Lute will be handy in case things go awry. Should I take more than three visible Armed beside myself, then? Hmm. Any more and it'll appear as if we're looking for a war. I wonder if I could borrow a few of Elete's Poets? They wouldn't be perceived as soldiers and if we put them up in front they could make for cannon fodder. Heck, they could fill the entire ship with Shenanigans. Chethar'll never see that coming.
It's a damn shame Katherine won't be with me. I prefer to have her at my side when facing Chetharians. Especially if Mitheoni-archo is on the ship.
Of course. He must be on the ship. He holds the same rank as I used to in Chethar, and he's the best counter against me. And of course, if Emperor Theos is sending a ship, he must be taking me into an account. Really I've no idea why Elete told me to bring fighters to the ship - a fight with Chethar bodes ill even if we win it.
But he is a Time Lord, after all.
* * *
"We could call them off, have them ride back to Beleth." Camden pushes up his glasses, then looks out from the slots of the pillbox built into the cliffs overlooking the coast. "I presume you've given that some thought."
"I did. It would take too long. Collecting them by teleport is possible, but..."
"But you approve of their mission?" Camden's smile has a razor tucked into it. Jenny just glowers in the back of the tiny rock room. I imagine she'd rather be out riding with the trainees towards certain doom. Can't really blame her - Chetharian ships are most impressive, even from a distance.
I sigh. "I'm not calling them back." I don't want to voice my approval of something so foolhardy and brash as a spur-of-the-moment invasion of Lyiannethe, especially by such an uninformed and untrained task force. However, they are doing what I wish I could right now - taking immediate action. Trainees have a certain luck that goes with their bravado, which Jaxhelshon has in spades. And, well, they do have Erynn, and he is a competent Poet who works very well with Armed teams, and has yet to get himself killed in an embarrassing manner. "I am also not voicing any opinion on their actions." I would, however, like to keep their heroic raid attempt as unofficial as possible, should things go wrong.
Besides, if they were going to cause something horrible, Elete would have warned me of it. Right?
"Ah. Is that so? Wise." Camden glances again at the observation slit, then takes the spyglass from me and pokes it through. "Too hard to get a headcount at this distance." He sighs heavily. "Still, if there are many Archo on board, we might have a genuine scuffle on our hands. Will we be taking prisoners?"
The breath catches in my chest. I hadn't even thought of that. While the thought of taking Mitheoni-archo prisoner does have a certain charm to it, I really don't want to contemplate what Emperor Theos will do in response. There's a reason we agreed to a Treaty with Audiva Rocale on his demand. The Emperor does not act lightly. As it is, on a certain level it's difficult even comprehending raising Arms against those who, before Radia was founded, would have counted as my fellow countrymen.
On the other hand, the thought has a certain allure to it that's almost perverse. I blame the prospect of cutting Mitheoni-archo down. I do not appreciate replacements, even in an Empire I am no longer a part of.
"We will try to be diplomatic." I weigh the consequences of a slaughter versus the consequences of taking prisoners. Possibly the argument of protecting our own people would have more sway if we had something to give back to Chethar afterward. "If it comes to it, though, take prisoners. Killing even one of them could bear dire consequences."
"Aye." Camden nods. "Then may we not notify them of imminent boarding and then all of us be off?"
I do appreciate that my Peacekeeper is a direct man who weighs his options. I also fear that my Armed are a little too eager for blood. At least Gerald seems to have pulled his head out of the clouds, and is looking quite serious about this. "Yes. Let's see what they want."
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