by Andur
It would take us two months to get back to our islands..... and our blockade on the smaller continent would be broken.
We aren't protecting the main continent because we are the nice guys. It's just because the mainland wouldn't stand a chance against the Phenex Empire. They are too concerned with fighting their own little wars.
And who would be the next on the list after the mainland? It would be us of course. And the Nation of Mist wouldn't stand a chance if the Empress had the resources of both continents in her hands.
The time flies by and slowly the sun appears on the horizon. Unfortunately I can no longer close my eyes before the situation as the morning dawns. The engagement started with one hundred and ninety four ships in the imperial fleet.
Our fleet accounted to two hundred and eleven ships. During the night we lost seventy four ships. The imperial fleet is down by about thirty ships.
Their fleet has taken some losses but it's just a dent compared to ours. Maybe we have stalled their plans for the main continent but I don't believe it.
Fifty two of our losses can be counted on those white flashes. So the Immortal Empress alone is responsible for the most kills in this conflict. If we keep this up we will face a complete defeat.
I have to decide on a route of action. Unfortunately I don't feel confident in breaking through the empires fleet. Even if the last white flashes were smaller I can't count on the exhaustion of the Empress.
Probably she simply decided that it isn't worth to use a blow at full power to deal with a single vessel.
I am not confident to run from them against the wind either. The imperial ships are a little slower than ours because they are build more bulky. But not by much.
While clenching my teeth I look at the map. If we are unlucky and hit a slow current the imperial ships could catch up to us. And our blockade has been broken in any case. The mainland is on its own from now on.
Even if we start running now we will probably still loose quite a few more ships. From what I see there are at least twenty to thirty ships which aren't in a good position to run and disengage.
“Tell the fleet to turn south. We are retreating.” I continue to stare at the map while I speak those words. I can't remember a time when the proud Nation of Mist had to retreat from a naval battle?
What a shame! I am the first general who calls for a retreat! My assistants around me have disturbed expressions but they can judge the situation for themselves. They are old enough and experienced like me.
“Tell those who are in impossible positions to fight and cover our retreat. We have to save as many ships as possible. We will need them after we had proper time to investigate the situation and found an answer to that new imperial spell.” I turn and leave for my cabin. We need to find a way to protect our ships against that white flash! Or at least a possibility to get close enough to deal some damage of our own.
22 - The dance.
Norfolk, Fellmar
“Why are they looking at us like that?”
Celestial takes a look around the great hall in which the Ball of Fellmar is held. Many nobles are staring at us without trying to hide it.
I smile broadly. “They are staring at -me-. First because I left my homeland, which accounts to outright betrayal. Second because I am one of the few who ever got a wish granted by the Academy. …..and third group is obviously ogling your body.”
Celestial puffs her cheeks and starts to mumble. “If anyone tries to touch me I will rip out their eyeballs and shove them up their.....”
I nod while I lead the mumbling Celestial towards a bar to get something to drink. “It's so refreshing to have such a ~nice~ companion.”
“Why did that sentence feel like pure sarcasm?” Celestial grabs my arm tighter while I fight to keep my smiling face.
Of course it was sarcasm! Well. Breath in. Breath out. Everything is fine! I am still able to do anything I want in this world.
Getting a cheeky and dangerous wife is just a little unforeseen circumstance. I can deal with her taking over my principality! No problem! At least she seems to have some skills in managing a country. I am not interested in administrative work anyway! Let her do the annoying part.
I just want to do my research. Having power and money is just a means to an end. Researching magic, science and building my machines is my primary goal.
Taking care of Violetta is another concern of mine. And as long as this scheme works out it's fine.
And how often do I get the chance to meet someone else who remembers his past lifes? I lived so many lives, I don't even remember most of them. It gets a little boring if you are caught in this loop for so long.
Yet I never met someone like me. Geez. Why does she have to be such a.... . Well. I guess if you live that many lives you get a little strange and opportunistic. I can remember that I still had some ideals a few hundred years ago.
Hmmm. I guess you start to distance yourself from your whole life. After all you know that everything will change as soon as you die. You die and boom! Different family, different world, different culture, another annoying language.
I take one glass of some strange liquid from the servant and sip at it while observing the hall. There are huge windows with coloured glass on all walls. The magical powered light sources behind them dive the whole area into a strange combination of colours.
Everyone is dressed differently because there are guests from multiple different Nations.
All invited guests have their own tables and there is a big dancing floor in the middle of the room. From what I heard the Jarl decided that the first part of the evening should be reserved for talking between the leaders of the different nations.
So we will be spared from having to deal with the really big fishes.
“Sigh. Too bad that this nice room will be most likely blown to bits.” Celestial takes a look around with a sad expression.
“Blown to bits?” I arch an eyebrow and take another look around.
“There are nobles from Mislow and Jamaian here. How long do think will they need to start a fight?” Celestial tilts her head while looking at two groups.
Now I too realize that the nobles from Mislow and Jamaian are forming two camps. I snort and take another sip from my glass. “Then let's try to not get involved.”
“We could go to the dance floor and have a little duel.” Celestial steals a glance at the few couples who occupy the dance area.
“Hoh? A duel? Whoever steps on the others foot first wins?” I start to walk towards the dance floor while pulling Celestial after me.
“I thought more about going as fast as possible and whoever can't keep up looses.” Celestial follows with agitated steps.
“Actually that sounds even better. Of course I am allowed to use magic. Aren't I?” I glance at Celestial.
“Of ~course~. It would be no fun otherwise.” She smiles.
“ASCATHON!”
I am halted in my advance as someone calls for me from the side. “Oh please! He is still alive. I had hoped he was buried nine feet deep in some mass grave.” By turning my view to the side I see my father and my mother advancing towards me.
“Your parents?” Celestial takes a wild guess. Hm. Maybe not so wild as she may have recognized some family resemblance.
“Yes. Ignore them. Let's go to the dance floor.” I take a step onto the dancing area which is slightly elevated over the normal ground.
I pull her towards me and start to dance while I move us away from my family. I hope they aren't rude enough to start a commotion in the middle of the dance floor. And indeed my parents remain at the edge of the dance floor while staring holes into us.
“Don't you feel anything for them at all?” Celestial looks at me with a sad expression.
This question angered me. Why is she prying? “I have even more reason to hate them than you. Besides. Someone who tortures his own child shouldn't be counted as a parent. So why should I love any of them.”
I quicken
my steps while applying a magical enhancement spell to my body. I will have to pull some tricks in order to keep up with Celestial.
“So it is true? You don't allow yourself to be involved with them any more? But which came first, Ascathon?” She places her head on my chest while we dance to the music. She goes even faster and I fight to keep up.
“What do you mean? Which came first?” I look up at the chandelier while wondering about her reason for asking about my past.
“Did they mistreat you first? Or did they realize that you don't love them?” Her response carries obvious dismay.
“I was a little child when they threw me into some kind of training camp. So I couldn't have done anything to them that would justify their actions!” I spit the words out of my mouth and we keep dancing.
“I just thought that they may have realized that you were different from their previous children and felt... frightened?” Celestial tilts her head while thinking.
I shake my head. “I still don't think that it's correct to forsake your child without trying to confirm the problem.” Again I increase our speed to a level where lenient talking becomes almost impossible.
Half an hour later the music stops and the musicians step out to take a little rest. “Haah. I guess I have to face them now.”
I turn in their direction and see that they are already advancing towards us. Celestial steals herself closer to me and puts my arm around her shoulders. Then she smiles brightly at the incoming enemy while hugging me from the side.
“Ascathon! How dare you! Treating us like that after everything you did! And even holding Violetta hostage!”
I sigh. “May I introduce you. These are Tendril Arenzien, my father. And Irda Arenzien, my mother. Here we have my wife, Celestial Asceron.” I point at Celestial with my free hand.
“You married a slave?” My mother has a shocked expression on her face. She may fall unconscious at any moment from her expression.
Oh? So they have some information about me? I wonder how well informed they are.
“We are here to take Violetta back!” My father is unconcerned by my introduction.
I shake my head. “I fear that nothing can be done about that. I legally bought the slave you call Violetta and adopted her. She is Violetta Asceron now.”
My father's eyes almost pop out of his head. “YOU!”
But I interrupt him. “Scram! You sent assassins after me and tried to abduct Violetta. You should finally realize that I am not one of your minions! You are nothing more than dirt on my shoe! I have my own principality and more land and money than you ever attained in your whole life.
“Belonging to a magical bloodline isn't about money.” Tendril snaps.
“Is Violetta doing fine?” My mother finally asks the one question they should have asked first.
“She is doing fine.” I don't let my heart waver and change my expression to a smile.
“Violetta is the only one who can continue the house of Arenzien! You have to give her back to us.” My father spurts out another ridiculous line.
“Why should I care for your house? Were my brothers killed in one of the raids for you to be that desperate?” I shake my head.
“They will both fight in the war with Jamaian. We don't have high hopes that they will survive.” Mother answers with a sad voice.
I shrug my shoulders. “They are the first and the second sons of the house of Arenzien. If they can't take care of themselves nobody can.” My voice is filled with sarcasm.
“You know that they are nowhere as capable as you.” My mother bows and turns to walk away, ignoring my father.
Tendril looks after her and then towards me and spits on the floor. He follows my mother with long steps.
“Well. Looks like we have to find someone else to get information about my parents.” Celestial looks after them with a disturbed expression.
23 - Son in law!
Norfolk, Fellmar
“What do you think of calling our dance-duel a draw?” I ask my husband after confirming that Tendril really intends to leave. But i get no answer.
Ascathon keeps staring at the spit on the ground like frozen while Tendril walks away. I poke his cheek with one finger but I get no reaction.
Did this gesture of ultimate despise by his father short out his brain. Why is he so affected by it? I thought his father tortured him.
I want to know what's going on in his head. Somehow his expression seems really conflicted?
Suddenly he raises his arm towards his father and one of the many female servants throughout the ball room trips spectacularly. She was walking close to Tendril and her plate with food and drinks flies forward in an unnatural arc.
*Splatter!*
Tendril just stands there with his back towards us while the servant starts to prostrate herself in front of him. Some people around him start to chuckle while looking at his unfortunate state. Then he turns towards us and shoots a hateful glare while I am able to witness the mash of food and drinks all over his clothes.
Ascathon starts to grin while Tendril leaves the hall.
“You are such a child.” I smile while looking at him.
“I don't think that you are any better.” Ascathon keeps watching until Tendril has left the room.
“Soo.... anyone else whom we could ask about Mislow?” I look around while searching for someone else to talk to.
“I think that Kane and his girlfriend could be around here somewhere. You should be able to find them. I will go for a little walk and ask for an appointment with the Jarl.” He smirks at me. “Try to bear the loneliness while I am gone.”
“If you think that it's necessary to make an appointment? But I guess the Jarl is a busy person. Better to make one sooner than later.” I kiss him on his cheek to startle him which works perfectly fine.
Ascathon walks away while wiping at his cheek like some dog just licked over his face. I walk my own way while searching for some Mislow nobles who could be pried for information.
The whole area for the ball is actually really huge! I didn't realize it earlier but the huge room which we entered first is just something like a starting stage. It has the size of about fifty metres in length and width. But there are even more rooms like this!
After walking a short distance I find out that another exit leads into another room and from there yet again into another one. They should have drawn a map for this event! Well. I will just walk through all of them fast to get an overview.
So I start walking fast and with purposeful steps.
It looks like each hall has a purpose. The first one we entered was mostly reserved for dancing. Then I found one in which food was served in huge quantities. Another one was filled with people who tried their best to entertain the guests in various ways. There were various items on display too to look at. Everything had the purpose of entertainment.
The fourth hall I enter seems to be mostly occupied by people who are talking to each other. So I decide to stay there. It's easier to talk to someone who is obviously looking for interactions than to disturb someone who is occupied with something else.
I walk up to a pair of women who look like nobles from Mislow. “Hi, are you two from Mislow?”
One of the women turns towards me with questioning eyes. “Yes?”
“Could it be that you have some informations about the house of Jasmine? I had some friends there and our contact broke off completely when the borders were closed.” I smile at them while trying to keep a straight face.
“Jasmine? I am not sure but weren't they located close to the Jamaian border? I think many noble families who lived there suffered quite a bit. I heard some bloodlines even completely perished.” The older of the two women starts a useless rant without any actual information.
“I see. Do you happen to know someone who could have some detailed information?” Maybe there is some high big cheese around who has concrete knowledge?
“You could try to talk to Marquise Grez, he is an of
ficial ambassador. He should be in that group over there.” The younger lady points towards a group of old men at a table in the corner of the room.
“Then I will try it over there, thank you.” I leave both of them behind and head for the table which was pointed out.
As I approach them in an obvious manner, two of the five men on the table set their attention onto me. “Please, excuse my intrusion. But I am searching for information about the house of Jasmine. I was told that Marquise Grez could help me?”
One of them has a pipe in his hand and is busy with puffing small rings of smoke into the air. He takes the pipe out of his mouth and answers with a deep voice. “I am Grez. Why to you seek information about that house?”
“I am the daughter of Arduin Jasmine and Idala Jasmine. When the raids started I was abducted by a Jamaian raiding party and couldn't go back nor get information because the border was closed.”
The old geezer arches an eyebrow and his jaw drops. “Wait a second!” He places the tips of his left hand's fingers at his temple and concentrates. A communication spell? After a few seconds he removes his hand again. “Just wait here with us. Your parents should turn up in a few minutes.”
They are here? “They are alive? Both?”
“Yes. Both of them are alive. They came here to search for information about you and your sister. Unfortunately your estate got completely destroyed. Actually Mislow is currently trying with all its might to get to know the whereabouts of all abducted individuals.” Grez draws another breath from his pipe. “What about your sister?”
“She is fine. Why are you trying find them that hard?” It can't be that the government got nice and helpful all of a sudden?
“For hundreds of years the bloodline for mind-magic was an exclusive trait of the nobles of Mislow. And now the Jamaian barbarians are trying to attain it by abduction and murder. How can the king watch this happening while doing nothing? Every abducted person with even the slightest possibility to pass on this trait to the next generation has to be accounted for.” Grez shakes his head.