by NAK Baldron
Contents
Title
Copyright
WANT MORE?
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
WANT MORE?
Author Notes
Acknowledgements
Author Bio
OCEAN'S DAGGER
Chronicles of the Seventh Realm
Ren's Tale Book 2
By NAK Baldron
Ocean's Dagger by NAK Baldron
Published by
Aconite Cafe
P.O. Box 63
Marble Falls, TX 78654
www.AconiteCafe.com
www.NAKBaldron.com
© 2019 NAK Baldron
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact:
[email protected]
Cover by Aconite Cafe.
WANT MORE?
REN'S TALE CONTINUES WITH BOOK 3, Sorcerer's Trial, and Chronicles of the Seventh Realm is only getting started. There are several stories yet to come, and Nations left to explore.
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PROLOGUE
A COOL OCEAN BREEZE WAFTED through the spacious living room of the fifth-floor apartment. The source-light crowned the horizon, but the streets below were silent. The usual bustle of merchant's activities—setting up stalls and early morning trades—was not to be heard.
Shaya sat with perfect posture—her legs to the side—on a bench recessed into the floor, beside her mother. Tea cooled before them on a low table, but neither drank. Her brother Isamu hadn't returned home last night.
The last time she'd kept watch with her mother, Isamu was with them. It had been the night a rival clan's gang slew their father. Barely a year had passed, but such a bloody year it had been.
Her brother, Isamu, was now clan Kaito's ruling Thief Lord, or Tanken, but as they were the smallest clan, Isamu was forced to carry out much of the dangerous work himself. Any time Shaya voiced concern, he ruffled her hair and told her not to worry. She'd often clamp onto his leg to hold him back. Yesterday, he scolded her for doing so in front of his men.
"Weakness must never be shown," her mother had said. "Our enemies will use it against us."
Her mother was right. Life in the Bloody Square was tough, and twice so for a seven-year-old daughter of a dead Thief Lord.
Sitting with her mother, Shaya felt a shiver roll down her spine as she fought back tears. Somehow, she knew.
A knock on the front door brought her mother out of a deep trance. She rose with the grace expected of a noble widow. With no servants to attend them, she crossed the public room, slid the bolt out to unbar the door, and opened it wide to greet their guests.
Two men Shaya recognized from when they served her father stood outside in blood-stained clothes.
"Honorable Widow." They bowed to her mother. "Kaito-Tanken Isamu has died in honorable combat. We've prepared his body in the center square. Dress and attend your son."
The time of daggers—a yearlong clan battle—took Shaya's father on the first night, and brother on the last.
They bowed again and left. Her mother wavered for a slight moment, using the door frame to steady herself. The yearlong time of daggers officially ended with the first light of day. The other clans managed to kill both her father and now Isamu. Their clan had 14 years to rebuild before the next time of daggers.
"Shaya," her mother spoke to the sky. "Dress for a funeral pyre. Honorable Isamu has joined your father in the palace of Sueun."
When her mother faced her, Shaya saw a face of stone. The same one worn at her father's burning. Shaya fought back her tears, but a few slipped down her cheek.
Her mother slapped her.
"You are now Kaito-Tanken Shaya. That is the last time you shed a tear."
Shaya retreated to their shared private room to hide her face from her mother, sliding the inner door behind her with such force it popped off its track.
* * *
NO SHOP WAS OPEN. No stalls were manned. The entire east third of the city on Shinzo attended the funeral inside the stone walls of the Bloody Square. Shaya watched as volunteers placed Isamu atop the pyre, wrapped in white linen, dyed red from his own blood from his chest down. The clean linen covering his face created the appearance of a white crown.
At least they spared his face, for honor's sake. Her father hadn't been shown the same respect.
The six other Thief Lords stood at the head of the crowd cloaked in sapphire robes, symbolizing that all men rejoin the sea to take their place amongst Sueun in his eternal palace. Even Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi was present, held standing by two strong bodyguards, who strained under Hiroshi's weight. It took the death of a fellow Lord to bring him up to the surface, due to his excessive weight. The crowd formed a crescent moon around the north side the of pyre. Funeral pyres were a rare sight, only seen inside the Bloody Square as a sign of the wealth and independence from Imperial rule enjoyed by all clan members.
Shaya felt the Thief Lords' gazes upon her as she stood across the pyre from them. Her mother stood behind her garbed in her own unique sapphire robe, with ivory trim to show her personal connection. Shaya had worn the same when her father died, but today she wore the black robe—signifying Kaito-Tanken hadn't died, but transcended vassals.
From the moment of her brother's death until her own, Shaya would be Kaito-Tanken.
A young boy—maybe eight or nine—slipped the grip of his mother and threw himself before Shaya, knees on the ground, waist hunched over, head pressed to the ground before her feet. "I Akio swear fealty and beg the honor of being your first sworn."
Her mother hadn't prepared her for this. No one would have expected a noble's son to swear fealty to her. Not so soon with her clan so weak. What chance did a seven-year-old and a widow have of rebuilding a clan from the brink of ruin?
Her mother tapped the back of Shaya's foot with her own. Everyone watched with bated breath.
"Rise Akio." Shaya raised her voice so all could hear. "Let it be known that on this day Kaito-Tanken Shaya accepts fealty from Akio, noble son of the Bloody Square, whose name is revered by all clan's men."
If she were to have only one subordinate, best it be Akio. The other clans regarded the Kaito Clan as finished, but Akio's fealty raised doubts. His name would remind every noble of the Bloody Square's history and their game of clans. She was Thief Lord Kaito-Tanken Shaya, and vengeance for her brother's death would be hers. Shaya would plan with Akio and her mother, to reclaim their clan's honor. It was her obligation, and she'd need skilled swordsman to defend her clan from annihilation.
A knock upon the gates redirected everyone's attention. Four men rushed forward to crack them open, allowing two priests of Sueun to enter—one man, one woman. Both priests wore translucent golden silk robes. It was as if the light of Sueun shown upon their naked forms, as the golden silk danced in t
he cool ocean breeze. The female priest climbed upon the pyre and laid on Isamu's body. While the male priest stood next to it and chanted in the ancient tongue that none remembered outside the priesthood.
As the chanting progressed the female priest writhed upon Isamu's corpse, moaning. Her moans rose to screams, and a battle commenced between the two voices. The traditional death rite for all those who still held on to clan memberships, even if their clan heads weren't one of the seven Thief Lords. The Bloody Square held to the old ways.
Just as Shaya thought she was about to lose control of her face of stone—tears itched at the edge of her eyes—both priests fell silent in unison.
As one, everyone chanted, "Hail Sueun, Hail Sueun─"
The priest climbed down from the pyre, her translucent robes now tinted crimsons, and took a torch from the second priest. Together they walked to opposite ends of the pyre. One to the east, the other to the west and lowered the torches into the wood.
"Hail Sueun, Hail Sueun."
The pyre crackled at first, then erupted into an inferno of flames. Silence filled the square.
As head of the family it fell upon Shaya to recite the death rite.
"Hallowed Lord Sueun, your humble servant Kaito-Tanken Shaya pays the debt for Honorable Son Isamu to pass into your mighty palace." She tossed a gold square-coin, engraved with Isamu's name and a list of his deeds, into the fire. "May his name live on, and deeds be not forgotten. Sueun, accept Isamu into your eternal palace, and if he be found wanting, allow your humble servant Kaito-Tanken Shaya to pay the difference."
With the words proclaimed she threw herself face first into the ground, ignoring the pain in her palms as they scraped the ground and began to bleed.
The two priests flanked Shaya and lifted her to her feet by her shoulders. They spoke in unison. "Sueun has accepted Honorable Son Isamu, all debts have been settled."
Everyone chanted, "Hail Sueun, Hail Sueun . . . Hail Sueun."
With the rites carried out, they flung the gates open for all the city to see. Clan business would resume, but they would leave Kaito-Tanken Shaya to grieve for ten days barricaded in their home. The grief exile's rules were inviolable. Not even her new vassal, Akio, would attend her until the time of grief passed.
Shaya stood before the fire tears dried upon her cheeks and gone forever, watching her brother burn. As Kaito-Tanken she'd never cry again. As if able to read her mind, her mother placed an arm around on her back. Not overt enough to make Shaya seem weak, but enough to comfort a young girl as she died and was reborn Kaito-Tanken.
CHAPTER ONE
THE SOUND OF WOOD SPLINTERING, as the crate wall was pried open, brought Ren out of his deep thoughts and back into the present. Tomoko stood at the entrance to the crate, his silhouette blocked the blinding light.
Several moments passed before Ren could see again, as his eyes adjusted from total darkness. The swaying of the ship let him know they were at sea. Ren didn't know what Tomoko wanted, but hoped if he meant to hurt him, he would have done so already. As Ren stood up, he realized his cheek was sore.
"Captain says to bring you on deck." Tomoko gestured for Ren to follow him.
The first few steps Ren took were shaky, whether from being knocked out or the sway of the ship was debatable. But by the time they made their way through the maze of crates and to the stairs leading out of the hold, Ren walked as steady as any natural-born sailor in Kaito's crew. The two of them climbed the stairs to the deck and looked up to find Capt. Kaito standing on the quarterdeck peering down upon them.
"How's the boy?" The captain asked.
"He'll be fine, sir," Tomoko said.
Ren took in the bustling around him, all the sailors running about with ropes, each doing a small task assigned to them. Tomoko led Ren to more stairs which took them atop the quarterdeck.
Capt. Kaito shook Ren's arm. "Damn constables came aboard my ship. Apologies for any rough treatment, but we had no time. Barely kept them off my ship long enough for you to be hid."
"Thank you," Ren said, uncertain if he believed the captain.
Capt. Kaito bellowed with laughter. "Look at the boy. He's scared witless."
"Yes, sir," Tomoko said.
Ren's cheeks flushed with anger. "I'm not scared, just angry. He threw me into a crate with no explanation. Expect me to be happy? For all I knew, you were taking me prisoner to sell as a slave in the Onyx Nation."
The captain's eyes narrowed, and he jabbed a finger into Ren's chest, which forced him to stagger backward. "Question my honor or that of my men's again, and it'll be the last thing you ever do."
The captain turned his attention to Tomoko. "Take the boy back to his cabin and bring him some food. He'll be allowed full reign of the ship's decks, once I'm confident no one from the Pearl Nation will see us."
The captain walked off to speak to more of his men, and Tomoko grabbed Ren by his shoulder to lead him back down.
Ren watched the crates in the hold, surprised that none of them moved with the swaying of the ship. As far as he could tell, nothing held the crates in place—no straps or tie-downs. He didn't understand why they didn't slide about the deck.
Tomoko stopped at the doorway of Ren's room. "I'll have the cook send up food."
Bored and alone, Ren pulled out his portable terminal to read—the best option he'd found to pass the long voyage.
* * *
REN'S DAY SLOWLY PASSED AS he read the History of the Five Nations. It surprised him the book omitted the rise of the Onyx Nation. Mostly, he read within the Sapphire Nation section, desperate to learn about where he was headed. While the book went in-depth into the history of the royal family, it left much to be said on the culture. He did learn of their main island Shinzo.
In the past—before there were proper historians—the Sapphire Nation didn't exist but was instead a series of islands connected together by clan ties. Until Osamu Shima-Biruda summoned the earth beneath the waves to rise. Where there was once ocean, then existed land. The exact year has been lost to historians, but it is said that Osamu Shima-Biruda built the island Shinzo with his own hands which formed the heart of the Sapphire Nation. The clans swore allegiance to his house, and thus the line of emperors was formed. With Shinzo belonging to the royal family, and the smaller islands throughout the empire belonging to the clan leaders.
Ren wasn't sure he understood the people of the Sapphire Nation any better than before he started reading. He didn't understand why the textbook had included myths about Shinzo, and the formation of the Sapphire Nation islands. Shortly after the source-light sunk behind the ocean horizon, Tomoko came to retrieve Ren. They were to have dinner with the captain, a tradition for all new sailors.
The captain's personal quarters were atop the quarterdeck, tucked below the poop deck. They functioned as his living space, office, and personal dining room.
A long table sat in the middle of the room with the captain's papers pushed to the far end and three chairs circled the end of the table, closest to the door. Plates and cutlery were laid out before the chairs.
"Please join me for dinner." Capt. Kaito commanded in his stern tone reserved for on deck.
Tomoko pointed to a chair for Ren to sit in and took the chair across from him. Capt. Kaito sat at the head of the table, with his back to the door. He rang a bell and four men each brought in a dish and placed them on the table. The men left without a word and closed the door behind them.
"It's customary for new sailors to dine with their captain on the first night of the voyage. While you're no sailor, you are a guest upon my ship."
"I appreciate your hospitality," Ren said in the most formal voice he could muster.
With the basic pleasantries out of the way, the three men divvied up the dishes amongst themselves. The main course was a salted bird, a treat for Ren. Pearl Nation didn't have edible birds, only seagulls and weird flightless birds that made their homes on the Ice Plains. The second dish was steamed spinach, with sliced almonds, c
hunks of garlic, and tiny slivers of blood red pepper sprinkled throughout. The third dish was a pile of purple mash Ren didn't recognize until he tried a bite and found it to be quite similar to potatoes in flavor and texture, if not in color. The final dish was a dessert, a fruit tart made from several brightly colored fruits, arranged in progressing circles of a rainbow. Growing up in the orphanage didn't provide him with many opportunities to try exotic foods. Aside from the dried fruits they ate with tea, Ren never ate fruit.
Individually the dishes were great, but when combined into a meal they developed into a fantastic melody of flavor. The ships cook clearly knew what he was doing. The first bite of spinach brought tears to Ren's eyes as his mouth felt like it was on fire. Quick to act, Tomoko recommended the potatoes, which instantly counteracted the spice and allowed for a richness of flavor to fill his senses.
Once the three of them finished eating, they placed their cutlery upon their plates and leaned back in their chairs. Ren hadn't experienced many culinary delicacies, but Mr. Griffin had drilled proper etiquette into them, with the help of Ms. Belmuth.
"My compliments to the cook," Ren said. "I've never eaten so well in my life."
"Gerald will be thrilled by your praise," Capt. Kaito said. "He left the Emerald Nation as a young lad seeking treasures and adventure and ended up on a ship with me. He'd been a galley hand, and I a sailor. Once I got my own ship, he came with me to become our cook. Good food is one of the best ways to bribe men to join your crew." Capt. Kaito finished his explanation with a smirk.
"It bought my loyalty," Tomoko said.
Capt. Kaito laughed. "Don't listen to him. He's my sister's son. He's been sailing with me for nearly ten years now."
"Soon I'll have my own ship."
The captain waved his comment away. "I understand you're going to my country to see the Amethyst Examiners. And take the test to become a sorcerer?"
"That's the plan," Ren said. "Obviously I have no idea if I'll pass. However, everyone I've spoken to thinks I have a good chance. I met the two Amethyst Diplomats who announced the testing, and they encouraged me."