Chapter 19

Endearment


Be a craftsman in speech that thou mayest be strong, for the strength of one is the tongue, and speech is mightier than all fighting. -Ptahhotep


Wossaham did not change much each time Lorelei looked at it. The canals were still clogged with boats and ferries, the bridges were infested with merchants and farmers peddling their wares, and every now and then some citybeast would praise her father's good, revered and eternal name.

Situated on a lagoon on the eastern edge of the Ring Sea, the city was just as good a trading hub as it was a defensive chokepoint. "It's immune to siege!" exclaimed the emperor once. "No tower can breach the sea, nor can any ram break through."

It was all thanks to Lorelei that his statements had not been put to the test, and a part of her still fumed about how little gratitude she was given after what she had done.

"Lori!" exclaimed Empress Marla as she laid eyes upon her daughter for the first time in two months. "You look quite well after you disappeared. Again. Where was it this time?"

"Tarelis, Mother. Tarelis," replied Lorelei as she took a seat across her mother's third-favourite armchair. She did not have to hear about Redwall Abbey, Szaila and Redwall again. Her tale would either scare her or bore her to death, and neither choice proved particularly appealing. I should probably inform Corrado that keeping his muzzle shut is a terrific idea. "I distinctly recall telling you about it."

"Hm? I suppose that was a while ago…"

The princess gave her mother another look. She seemed to have lost some weight, but otherwise her sight was still sharp. Her arms were as thin as usual, and her belly was narrow from all the food she did not consume and all Lorelei's hypothetical siblings she and Kiordan decided not to bring into this world after sleeping apart since she had been born. Not that she would have gotten along with them easily. Two pups were hard enough to manage, and nephews and nieces would see her patience erode over the seasons, each one longer than the last.

"Mother, you're not exactly remembering well."

"I know, I know, your father told me first. You'd expect a beast to know when they're forgetting something, but not what they've forgotten. How was your trip? I thought of asking Cory about it, but he wasn't on most of the journey."

"It was quite standard as these trips go," replied Lorelei. "King Gudmund and I pretended each other was just a trick of the light, and I had to speak to my husband's other consort."

"Rainpeer? We've only met once… but you got to meet her pups. All four of them!"

"Mother, they aren't your grandpups."

"They're so sweet they could have been! Well, maybe not Sigrun if you catch her in a poor mood, but I'm still glad her twin's decided to pay me a visit. How did you find Sigurd?"

"He's a beast gifted with a good heart and the courage to express it."

Marla's whiskers shook. "Ah, wonderful. I cannot wait to speak with him - you've always been a good judge of character. I wish I could say the same about myself… but it's perhaps a blessing that you don't really take after either of us."

Lorelei forced a laugh. "It's a pup's duty to learn from their parents, from what they did correctly and what they didn't."

"And now you're stealing my quotes, hm? You learn so quickly…"

"I have the best teachers, mother," replied Lorelei. "I've always had."

A heavy paw rapped on the doors a few times, and Marla smiled. "It's the tea I asked for, I assume. Could you go get it for me?"

The younger otter nodded and flung the door open, only to be faced with Hirsent. The wolfess had changed into clothes that suited her better since her latest encounter with Oswin. A restrictive dress had now been replaced with grey robes Lorelei had commissioned for her from the palace tailor. Old Simmal had been shocked into silence once Lorelei had described the dimensions to him, and again once she dragged the wolf to put a rest to his doubts.

"What are you doing here? And where's the tea?"

"The Laskarines have arrived, and they are quite insistent that they find somebeast of suitable rank to talk to. Oh, and they spilt the tea. On me, I must add." Hirsent's lips curled into a frown as she pointed at the back of her clothes. "I think Isangrim might have bequeathed me with a fussy sense of fashion. I doubt the other Hirsent minds the stains."

"Other you?" asked Lorelei before she shook her head. "Never mind, I'll ask you later. I am to handle some beasts who are usually insistent that otters are too barbarous to be treated with, while you will have to handle my mother." The otter sighed. "Fates be with you."


Etched on the walls of the Golden Chamber were maps of all nations and their coats of arms, and just to drive the point home there were globes flanking the thrones in the middle as well. The beasts sitting there commanded all lands and all seas, at least in name, and it was their responsibility to make sure everybeast left the city content.

Lorelei could remember her father pointing out which head of state had which titles and styles, and how their envoys should be treated. There was a table of ranks, from the lowliest wordsetter and spearplanter to the emperors themselves, and each of them deserved to be courted in different manners and according to different protocols. Kiordan always referred to diplomacy as a complex, risky, impeccable dance, and over so many seasons of assisting him, his daughter could boast of learning the steps well enough to manage.

But then, the Laskarines always twirled around to the sound of a different tune.

The princess's attire was simple, with little more than a tunic and an embroidered jacket on top. Southswarders and Tarelians could both be awed away by what Wossaham had to offer, but Laskarines could not be so easily impressed.

The twin doors to the Chamber were opened, and a tall rat with pale brown fur walked in, every step confident until he fell down on one knee in the middle of the room. With a nod from Lorelei he returned to his original posture, and he took a scroll from one of the two bags he carried, adjusting his spectacles on the way. A smooth, well-practiced motion preceded his speech.

His speech was overly correct like everybeast from the Laskarine Department of Barbarians that produced diplomat after diplomat. "I, Rissos Lekannites, emissary on behalf of Gregorios Poryphyrogennetos, one, true and only Emperor of all lands known and unknown, greet you, Lorelei, daughter of Kiordan, Ruler of the Otters, and wish you well. I have come with three messages."

Biting back numerous insults about his condescension Lorelei flipped her paw. "Pray tell, friend from the south, and quickly. Your emperor must have sent you here for a reason, and judging by your sudden appearance it must be important."

The otter knew what Rissos's first would be. The rat's ramblings about the port city of Trazond were not going to be over quickly, but the envoy's words were more direct than the last three's. The city's population spoke Laskarine, it had been the co-capital next to Kalopolis, nobeast wanted the rudder-tailed barbarians there anyway, et cetera, et cetera. By the time he was done Lorelei was almost asleep as she regretfully informed him that nothing could be done without her father's explicit permission, but Rissos's only reaction was a brisk nod.

"This would bring us to another of the missives that I do carry on the Emperor's behalf. The venerable Emperor Gregorios is aware of the plight with your false husband, Erlend Lord of Kaldos, son of Steffen, and sends his condolences. His Serene Radiance knows that your union is invalid due to Erlend's previous actions, and that your father has not granted you the power that you deserve. He and you both are unhappy beasts trapped in solitude, so he suggests giving you what you lack by means of what he possesses."

"I am not sure what your master means by that last sentence."

The rat's whiskers moved up and down. "In my humble opinion that is a marriage proposal, Your Highness. He intends to fashion you into a true civilised empress instead of a barbarian usurper."

The Golden Chamber fell silent as Lorelei's eyes slowly widened before they snapped shut as she busied herself with a collection of thoughts. "Your so-called sole emperor should be paired with other lynxes instead of 'some riverdog that reeks of fish', as your compatriots say."

"His Radiance is adamant," replied Rissos.

"So he says. He is already wed, with a daughter and heir as I recall."

"She can be cast aside if the circumstances call for it."

"And I assume this logic could one day be used on me as well."

More silence followed as the rat's face remained impassive, though the twitch of his whiskers and the tension in his spine revealed a degree of unease hidden from the unobservant. "It is up to His Radiance's capabilities - and yours as well."

"I know that," scoffed Lorelei. "Now return to your lynx. And when you return please spare me his disappointment - he tends to be very predictable."

But the rat refused to leave. "While in other circumstances I might be able to, I have one last matter to tend to. How fares my kin in Garlesca?"

"I don't seem to recall-" Lorelei blinked. "Oh wait. Your surname sounds familiar. Ignazia's nephew, I take it?"

"Grandnephew, to be exact. My grandfather never spoke much about his siblings, but curiosity often gets the better of us Laskarines. I would have loved to meet her myself, but a winter journey across the mountains is unthinkable."

"I can tell you that she is well, as are your father's cousins. I can write to them that you are here, and perhaps they might meet you soon."

Rissos's teeth ground together as his eyes seemed to bulge. "I am very glad for the offer, but I am afraid my mission is going to lead me across the sea to Gystra."

"Lord Lamont, no doubt. You'd best be prepared for him - I can assure you he is no friend of your state."

The rat shook his head. "Oh no, your father is headed there, and I intend to meet with him."


After dinner with her mother, her son and Sigurd (during which Erlend's son was assaulted with questions from Marla), Lorelei decided to do some reading. When she was but a mere pup she had not shirked her studies as her father had done. Her mother was determined to give her the best education any highborn otter could afford, and any tutor who did not succeed in meeting her standards was dismissed with a small pension.

When Kiordan was finally an adult he had learned to speak different tongues to different beasts. There was his native Garlescan and the neighbouring Ilsadian, the rough and gutteral Otharnic languages, the common Southswarder (or Tarelian, depending on who one was speaking to) tongue he used when he conversing with his allies from across the seas, as well as the Skelan and Laskarine his wife insisted he learn. All of them were taught to his dear little daughter in her formative seasons, but he was quick to give up when he realised that fluency was a long way beyond her reach for most of them.

The little princess preferred her history anyway. There were tales of doomed heroes like Finnbarr Galedeep and the Magister Militum Eucherius, of accursed tyrants like Tsarmina Greeneyes of Mossflower and Rotharic of Valence, and of complicated beasts who did what they could to avoid suffering what they must - a category her father would most likely find himself in.

Where, oh where, would Lorelei Skyward be sorted by posterity? Outside her father's shadow could be a good start…

Thoughts like these always drove her into the arms of fiction. The Wossaham library was stacked with romances, like The Song of Askelin and Corrina and The White Serpent of Szaila, while the epics were taken by Corrado to Ruggeru. However, those Lorelei liked the most were those which were about a leap into the unknown. There was one old tale about a group of beasts sailing across the clouds to find a new land to live in, as well as treasure beyond the Western Sea that turned out to be a deadly trap. Her favourite, however, was the voyage of Manouel Gavras to the moon and then back. The Conjurer had enjoyed absurdity before it pounced into her life.

Tonight Lorelei was not seeking to reread her old favourites, but to seek out a guide. She pulled out The Old Traveller's Pawbook, furiously scanning its pages for any sign of information about Helskerland, of Kaldos, or Gystra, but all she got was a passing reference to Gystra being abandoned by the Old Briscans, and references to how everybeast with a rudder was to be avoided at all costs, lest they take you prisoner and force you to ingest their foully-prepared fish.

Grumbling about how somebeast should write a New Traveller's Pawbook, Lorelei slammed the book shut and turned away, only to collide with Hirsent.

"I think you should at least put the book back into the shelf," said the wolf, rubbing her chest with one of her massive paws.

"What are you doing here?"

"Getting a book to read for the night." Hirsent's ears folded. "Don't worry, I'll have that returned by tomorrow morning."

Lorelei nodded. "I always knew you were a reader, but I have never really known which sort of book you like. I mean, when you were still Isangrim I never caught you with anything to read."

"You know perfectly well I'm not proud of my past life."

"Most beasts choose to distance themselves from their pasts from what I know," replied Lorelei, chuckling. "I mean, you were there when I grew up. Isangrim was, in any case."

"He would have broke out into maniacal fits of laughter while recounting each and every one of your puphood transgressions, and keep on wheezing while you tried to find a hole to dig yourself into and forget about everything," said the wolfess. "I'm quite happy with not being him - a revelation that came at the cost of his life."

"What did dying feel like?"

The wolfess's ears folded. "I don't feel like discussing it. Not ever."

The otter looked on as Hirsent scrambled out a book from the shelves - a heavy tome that required both paws to carefully lower.

"What are you doing with Hadagrim and Eucherius?" asked Lorelei. "I thought Corrado took it away - but it's in Travrikan, so he'd probably not read it. It's quite unlikely you're going to finish it in one sitting."

"I know, but Sigurd was quite insistent that this is the greatest work of literature ever created by the paws of beasts, and I proceeded to let the curiosity get the better of me."

"Knowing Erlend, it's probably the only book he told his son to read." Lorelei shook her head. "But this one still has some good parts. Especially-"

"I'd love to finish it by myself before having the plot be revealed to me, thank you." Hirsent's tail swished around as she smiled. "I know that most of the plot is set in Helskerland, and that lots of beasts die, and that's it."

Kiormund might find this fascinating once he gets to the islands. "I wish you a good read then, Hirsent. I'll be off to bed now - I might get to see Father again."

"And the other otter from your visions? The one that looks like Oswin does?"

Lorelei nodded. "I have a feeling we're going to find more about him than he'd expect us to."

The otter exited the library empty-pawed, and went up the stairs to her room. Once she got in she slipped right into her warmest nightrobes and plopped right onto her bed. Lorelei had no problem being alone - all three otters who had shared nights with her were either dead or forgotten, doing what they had to do across the sea, and when the dawn broke she would set sail too.

She closed her eyes and prepared to dream. There would be no rest forthcoming for the daughter of Kiordan Skyward, Emperor and Conjurer.


C/N: Can't talk. Sleeping.

What do you mean my pagetime will be cut if I don't interact with the readers? I told you, I'm- did you say I'm getting four chapters? In a row? Fine...

It's high time I returned to the world of politics. I know, I know, it bores you all, but that's the role I was born to do from the beginning, dealing with beasts like Rissos et cetera. It's not something I enjoy that much, but someone has to do things right, and that someone is seldom my father. Or my husband. Or little Kio, I fear. As the main character of this novel I feel like I just have to set an example.

There. I said my piece. Time for dreams. Night, everybeast.