Chapter 15: Are you...travelers, perchance?

Over the next year, Lyude found himself spending more time in Nashira than he did in the palace. He rarely even went back to the Embassy that King Ladekahn had supplied for Lyude to have his own residence. He preferred to spend his waking hours in Nashira. Neither Alfard, nor Diadem were really interested in commerce with the other. He had, of course, continued his lessons and was scheduled to spar with King Ladekahn himself. He had been training in the sword as well as his normal training.

Lyude was now eighteen and was quite comfortable in his ambassadorship. There was little use for worrying about his purpose there. He could be at least moderately content to remain and settle small disputes. He really had little to do, but at least he could be a good example of his people. Which, truth be told, he really didn't have many of the traits a typical imperial soldier possessed.

He still wrote often with Matthias, but the two friends had not seen each other since their parting a year previous. Almarde had not been able to come again as she had suspected she wouldn't. All in all, it was a bit lonely. As well liked as he was in the village, he just couldn't be as open with the citizens. He had to maintain a small amount of aloofness for his status' sake. So open personal discussion was out of the question.

It was a troubled day in Nashira, the Lesser Celestial River was flooded and he had brought his new imperial sailboat in for maintenance and a system's check. After nearly two years, the Empire had decided to finally replace his boat. It was a sharp looking vessel and very becoming of a young soldier.

Andrea, a small girl had begged him for a ride, but he had been forced to refuse her. Seeing as it was only meant for one passenger. The cloud passage had been made fairly safe since Lyude's last rather unfortunate encounter with the stripers. So Lyude promised to walk with her instead once the flooding receded. Mardian, the young boy that often wandered around the dock, was currently bombarding him with questions. Asking him if he was going to dangle upside down like he had the first time he'd been working on a boat when he had first arrived in Diadem. Lyude laughed. "Thankfully, that won't be necessary. I just have a bit of polishing to do, and a simple system's check. Nothing in depth."

"Awwww...but you looked so funny."

Lyude grinned as the boy smiled at him fiendishly. Lyude chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint you." he got into the boat and checked the computer systems. Completely operational and quite nicely equipped. He got out of the boat as he started a second system's check that would take quite a while.

A few moments later a young man and woman walked out of the fishing storage building and paused at the sight of him. Lyude had not noticed this. He turned to watch as a group of cloud gulls flew by. No matter how long he had lived here, he still marveled at the simple beauties surrounding him.

After a short while, the young man and woman approached him looking slightly nervous. Lyude turned to the newcomers. He took the two in. A young man close to his age with a darkness over his soul, one that could be seen clearly by all. Even small children, it seemed, as he saw Mardian giving the stranger a doubtful glance. The girl however, was a sharp contrast. She seemed to shine with kindness, but she seemed very troubled as well. Seeing their reluctance he decided to try to place them at ease. "Hello there. I don't believe we've met. Are you travelers, perchance?"

The blue haired young man squirmed uneasily. "Um...yeah, you could say that." he said, his shoulders hunched.

Lyude nodded with a smile. "I see." he said kindly. " I'm not a resident of this village, but I hope you enjoy your stay. It's a great place to relax. I tend to spend a lot of time down here away from the city and the Embassy. I prefer the humble atmosphere of this village to the glitz and glam of the city."

The kind looking blonde standing beside the darkened stranger looked as if their worst suspicions were confirmed. "The Embassy... Then you are from the empire..." she said.

Lyude hid his own discomfort. So that was it, they weren't too fond of the Empire either. Not that there were many that were. "Yes. My name is Lyude, Imperial ambassador to Diadem." he said with a smile. He walked toward his boat looking out across the sea of clouds pensively. He sighed. "...yet the title of 'Ambassador' is but a name. An excuse for sending me away. The relationship between Diadem and our Empire has always been a little shaky. Even today, there is little if any exchange between the two nations. When I first arrived, the villagers were suspicious. They thought I might be a spy!" Lyude shook his head. Perhaps it was the natural trust that he felt toward the blonde young woman that was causing him to be so open with these strangers. "Besides, the Empire cares very little about people of other nations..." he said with his head bowed. He turns back to the two strangers with a kind, sad smile. "Thus, my post is much less important than it sounds."

The young man let out a sort of grunt. "I see..." said the young woman. "And you spend all your time here?"

"This village is very nice. There's a vast sea of clouds, and the villagers give their best every day to make an honest living. They live every day with pride- for their village and for their way of life. I wonder how they do it. I always like coming here."

"I see." said the young woman with a kind smile. "Well, it was nice meeting you. C'mon Kalas, we should be going."

"Goodbye." said Lyude.

After a while Gibari came into port and waved to him. "Hello, Gibari. How was the catch?" asked Lyude.

"See for yourself." said Gibari with a grin.

"Impressive." Lyude said grinning also, noting the large amount of Sea Bream Gibari was towing in a net on his boat. "I still marvel how you can catch so many of these gigantic and strong fish."

"I still have to drag you out sometime to try your hand at it."

"Me? Oh, no thank you. I'd be dragged under in less than a minute. I simply wouldn't have the leverage with my slight build."

"And you think Justin and Silas do? You wouldn't do bad in fishing with a net."

Lyude shook his head with a smile. "I'll have to pass on that."

"Suit yourself, but I'll keep working on ya, you know." said Gibari slapping Lyude on the back amiably.

"How is the Lesser Celestial river looking?" asked Lyude.

Gibari's face turned grim. "Same as it has for the last few days. Flooded just as high as before."

"That's unfortunate." said Lyude.

"Yeah, I'm going to go check it out here in a bit. See why it's flooding. See ya later, Lyude."

Lyude nodded and said goodbye as Gibari moved his catch to the storage house and entered Anna's tavern. A few minutes later Gibari walked out with the two newcomers and they boarded his vessel.

Lyude tried to ignore the exchange between Gibari and Reblys just before they set off. Those two would be arguing for the next week.