Chapter 38

Wakefulness

I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.

-Rabindranath Tagore

Every morning, Kiormund wished he was anywhere but the sea.

The Aureous Gale was the private craft of the Southswarder kings and princes, so comfort was a priority — comfort that was afforded to the young otter.

The Crabclaw was not the Gale. As the winter gales tossed the merchant's little craft, Kiormund could feel his food tossing around in his bowels.

At first Bragi had tossed away his complaints. He was unable to conceal his disappointment in his charge's inability to bear even the slightest bit of suffering, but by their third day the tossing of the sea had made even the hardy hare mostly bed-ridden, although by the fifth day both had mostly recovered.

Now, as they ventured into inland waters, Kiormund pointed to a light in the distance.

"That's a lighthouse, isn't it?" asked the otter, pointing at the faraway illumination.

"Yes, Sir." Bragi had not addressed him with 'Your Lordship' as he had not been officially invested yet, but Kiormund did not see a reason to correct him. "Probably next to a harbour."

"Then why are we still sailing away from it?"

"That's Eucherian," spat the hare. "They're closer to Kaldos than our harbour — Revesvakt, your new seat, is built on sea-cliffs, and landing there would be impossible. We have to take a detour, in order to get to the other side of the island."

Kiormund nodded. He had been at sea for days, and one more would not dampen his mood further. Unless Veil had something to add, he supposed. The otter cocked his head and waited. There was no sign that the ferret wanted to speak to him, and only the roar of the wind and the tides entered his ears.

"Lost in thought?" asked Bragi.

"Yes," mumbled Kiormund, nodding.

"It's been a long journey, sir." The hare yawned. "Perhaps it's a good time to return to your chambers? It's unlikely we'll spend more than another night on the waves."

"Alright." Kiormund moved away from the railings, taking care not to slip on the wet planks. "I have a question, Lord Bragi."

"A question?" Bragi's long ears perked up.

"How does one become a good ruler?"

"A good ruler…" The hare's grey eyes stared into the horizon, his grey tunic ruffled and wet. "What do you mean by a good ruler?"

"I don't really know, that is perhaps why I ask."

"Well, it's good that you seek the ways in which a lord seeks to govern well. A lord must learn to solicit advice from those under him."

Kiormund nodded. "And I'm glad you're here to advise me. Will you be the only one?"

"I will not. There will be friends of ours in Revesvakt, though there will be partisans of Lamont Streambattle as well. Be wary of them."

"I'd thought Father would have been rid of them by now."

"We need a proper lord to do that. For now, they keep spreading their poison within their holds on the island. They're talking to the Eucherians, no doubt. To improve their position on the islands, and drive a wedge between Kaldos and Wossaham."

"So what should I do about them?"

"Well, first and foremost you need to keep yourself safe most of all."

The otter felt a cold chill grip his pelt. "Am I in danger?"

"Probably no more than anybeast else," spat Bragi. "Lady Stenna and her clique will not lay a claw on you – to do so is to invite war and devastation. No, you're in danger from accidents and acts of Fate. Your first duty is to look after your body. Eat well, exercise, all that – you would know all about it if your father had told you about it."

"He, er, did not."

"That is surprising," mused the hare. "When I visited Kaldos a few seasons ago – you were in Redwall Abbey – Sigurd, your brother, appears to be a more active type. He has the instincts to become a great warrior, or a great ruler. Rarely has the world seen both in one soul." He pointed a claw at Kiormund. "You have neither of those instincts, but you need not worry. There cannot be any way in which you could do worse than half of the shrewlords.

"That's a good sign, at least."

"It had better be." Bragi gazed into the distance, at the faint glow of the lighthouse beyond the mists. "You, little lord, are to be the first lord of Helskerland to control all the islands. I promised your father that your line shall be greater than all its predecessors, up to and including your most illustrious ancestor, Hadagrim son of Altgar."

Kiormund's head as his eyes focused on the lights. Bragi had told him about his heritage, and his mother and grandmother before him, how his forerunners and ancestors had seized and lost kingdoms, but for the first time in his life, the otter felt the weight of their stare, one that pierced through his soul even from beyond the grave.

"I only hope to please my subjects," muttered Kiormund, "to give them succor and shelter, to listen to their concerns and address them."

"You'll make a fine ruler I suppose." Bragi pushed open the doors that led into the bowels of the ship, beckoning the young otter to join him. "But you will not make a good Helsker lord."

"Why would that be the case, Lord Bragi?" asked the otter, nervously crossing his claws together in curiosity.

"Because you're a foreigner," replied the hare. "You know almost nothing of the land of which you are to rule, just like more than half of the lords before you. You need to remember that I am but one of your subordinates, a castellan to hold one or more of your forts for you. And there are many, too many."

"And yet you're called a lord because…" Kiormund scratched his head as he tried to remember what Bragi had told him on their first night. "All of you have behaved that way since the shrew lords took over, and they were too weak to dislodge you."

"Correct." Bragi nodded. "Butyou can always count on my advice due to my loyalty towards you, I will act in your interest and protect you."

"You mean your loyalty to my father, right?"

The hare scoffed. "Yes, precisely as you say. However, you have to understand that not everybeast thinks the same way. You must assert your authority – you are the lord of all the islands, and no walls shall shield anybeast from your will."

"All the islands…" mused Kiormund, looking at the lighthouse and its ever-dimming flicker. Eucheria had disobeyed the rule of Helsker lords, but Erlend clearly thought his son would finally bring them to heel.

There was no way he would return to the mainland in shame. He would certainly give it his best.

Only in dreams did Kiormund find his footpaws on solid ground, but it was too much for an otter to ask for his spirit to be separated from the sea.

He felt like he had been lying on the pebbles of the beach for almost an hour until Veil finally showed up. Turning his head toward the ferret, the otter nodded at his arrival.

"It's strange, isn't it?"

"What's strange?"

"I just realised you haven't changed your clothes since we first met."

"I don't actually have those!" said the ferret playfully. "I just don't want to be naked in front of you – that's something you otters would consider to be a breach of etiquette." Veil shrugged as he sat down on the beach, watching the grey waves consume the coastline inch by inch. "But I suppose I can do a makeover."

When Kiormund turned to look at his companion, he found the ferret in a white tunic, the collar undone, embroidered with two creatures turned toward each other, each lazily staring into the sky, the red fox on his left turning towards from the black wolf on the other side. "It's nice of you to imitate what I have."

"Your mother clearly had good taste in clothes – these feel quite nice, though of course I had to get them to fit me."

"It isn't my fault otters are larger than ferrets!"

Veil smirked. "And it's mostly not your fault that you're larger than most otters, but it doesn't matter. The journey must have bored you to bits."

"So it did," said Kiormund. "I don't have a lot to do, and I'm not always in the mood to talk with Lord Bragi. He's a very stern hare, you know."

"I do, I was listening."

"I can't really put my claw on things," mused the otter, "but I cannot say I trust him."

"I thought a ruler wasn't supposed to trust anybeast."

"You're right," the otter said, looking across the sea. "But my father relies on him to keep an eye on Helskerland, and that means his vision is trained on me."

"I've heard beasts of your age desire privacy above all else," replied the ferret. "Well, I never reached your age, but I'd like to know."

"It's not a matter of that!" shouted Kiormund. "It's just that I want beasts loyal to Helskerland, loyal to me, as opposed to anyone across the sea."

"That is understandable, I reckon." Veil smiled. "But I imagine you should be satisfied with him, lest he be dissatisfied with you."

"I know." Bragi had clearly meant for Kiormund to restore order to the islands, and to set the lordship's eye unto what remained of Eucherian territory. "I hope he does learn to temper his expectations – I do intend to do my duty as Lord of Helskerland. I just don't know if what I think is good is what he thinks is good, or the other way around."

"Cheer up, rudderbottom!" chuckled Veil. "I'm quite sure you'll impress that hare. And all of your underlings as well. It's just a small task. You make sure everybeast knows that you have the best of intentions, and ask them to not stab you in the back. Or in the front, for that matter."

"That isn't exactly reassuring," remarked Kiormund, frowning. "I don't exactly want to die here, alone, with nobody to comfort me."

"If that happens," chuckled Veil, "you've lucked out."

Kiormund sat up straight and crossed his arms. "I don't see how that's in any way fortunate."

"At least you don't die surrounded by beasts who've always hated you."

The silence persisted until Kiormund's head dipped downward. "I think I should rest."

Veil nodded, rubbing his stomach. "You'd best."

The morning when the Crabclaw arrived at Sparrehamn was a quiet one.

Docking the small craft did not take long, and soon afterwards a small group of beasts emerged from the mists. Fewer than half of them were otters, thought Kiormund, and the one who stood in front was too short to be any sort of warrior, or any threat on the battlefield at all. The otter tensed regardless – one did not need a mighty stature or a well-travelled reputation to slip a dagger into another's ribs.

The short beast stepped up, revealing herself to be a shrew in a white dress. "Welcome to Helskerland," she said in a raspy voice. "We are here to serve you, young lord."

"And I am eager to perform my duties to my subjects," said Kiormund, wondering if he had done so too quickly. "I thank you for being here with me."

"I am Stenna, daughter of Bervid, husband of Lord Holmger, your predecessor," said the shrew. "You must be tired, Lord Kiormund. Do not worry, we were not waiting for long."

The otter nodded. "My travels were long," he replied, "but I have been kept safe, and to Lord Bragi I owe this gratitude."

The expected reaction from Lady Stenna did not come. "He is a good soldier and a good protector." She chuckled. "It would seem like a good idea if you decide to rely on him, but you must remember that Lords of Helskerland listen to all members of their council." She walked over and placed a paw over Kiormund's shoulder. "You are the son of a great lord, the nephew of the Steward of Floret and the grandson of an emperor, but this does not give you leave to act as you wish, without understanding the importance of consensus."

Kiormund nodded. "I will never dream of breaking with the traditions of my forefathers."

"We both know your grandfather and namesake will gladly do so if he gets even a drop of power out of it…" Stenna's eyesight hovered over Kiormund's neck, then dropped down, pausing at his webbed paws, his sturdy frame and his thick rudder. "But I'm glad you do not look like him. Or your father, for that matter."

"The rumours are false, Stenna." Both beasts turned to Bragi, who had been standing by the shore as well, his paws to his back. "Kiormund is the son of Lord Erlend, who is in turn the son of Lord Steffen of Kaldos, and not whoever the Steward thinks the Princess Lorelei finds attractive at the moment."

"Thank you, Lord Bragi." It did not take Kiormund long at all to know Stenna's gesture was disingenuous at best. "Our lord is of the Streambattle line, and the blood of wolves runs in his veins. But first and foremost, he is an otter who adheres to law and tradition, like his father. Is that all right for you, Kiormund?"

The otter nodded. "I would not be a good lord if I dismissed the way you see things."

"Then I understand you are the right choice to rule in Revesvakt, stranger though you may be. Now come into your lands, young lord, and meet the beasts under your rule."

The accommodations at Sparrehamn were not impressive. There was no grand palace or castle like Floret or Wossaham, there was just a small fortress that loomed over the harbour and most of the town.

When Kiormund asked Bragi why that was the case, the hare confessed to him that the revenues of the Lords of Helskerland were mostly spent on Revesvakt. "It's because previous lords have stayed in the city."

"What about campaigns and progresses?" asked the otter. "Surely they go around the islands?"

"Then their goal is to present themselves to their subjects and warn their enemies that they will protect the lands they rule over," answered Bragi. "Comfort is not a part of the equation."

"Oh."

"I understand that your life in Redwall has made you prefer an easy life," said Bragi, putting a paw on a worn stone arch. "However, this is a land where a beast of your age should know how to fight and rule and serve your vassals and subjects, and not to gorge oneself on candied chestnuts and strawberry fizz and pies so massive a pup could drown in one."

Seeing Kiormund's expression, Bragi shook his head. "I understand that beasts of your age are given to indulging in the pleasures life has to offer, but do keep in mind that you are born and made for greater things."

"I know," muttered Kiormund.

"You need not worry about the work of providing yourself with sustenance, at least." The hare's ears folded. "The lordly household has been diminished lately – Lord Holmger had his wife and his physicians, and the denizens of Revesvakt have suffered some crisis after they found their coins lighter."

"How did that happen?"

"Your father had new coins minted to conserve his resources, and they found their way here. The crisis has been contained by Lady Stenna, but I assume if he does not come to an accord in Gystra the situation could get worse." He patted the otter on the back as they passed through another grey archway. "You have no need to worry, you are well-advised to deal with this matter, even if you are not necessarily well-prepared. But enough about that, you have to meet your personal servant."

"I've never had one before."

"It's not a Travrikan thing, I must admit, and I imagine you do not remember yours when you were in where your mother housed you."

The pair went up a flight of stairs, the narrow tower lit by sunlight peeking through the clouds, before they reached a small door at the top. "His services are paid for by your grandfather, so I'd recommend you treat him well. We'd have to write him for a replacement if otherwise. I must say, however, you have been a very pleasant otter to work with."

"Um, thank you, Lord Bragi."

"I'd say it's because your father raised you well… but we both know he's not too involved in that too much. It is probably for the best… but the next time you head to Redwall, do send them my regards. They appear to be goodbeasts."

Kiormund nodded. Before he could wonder when he would return to the Abbey, Bragi had already pushed the door open.

Inside the room stood a pine marten, dressed in black aside from a badge of a rearing fox – the emblem of the Lord of Helskerland. Kiormund's emblem.

"The emperor insisted on him being young," muttered the hare. "Though I would have preferred an otter like yourself, and an older beast. It does not matter – Liutwin here will serve you well."

The servant bowed. "I am pleased to meet his lordship."

Kiormund stopped before he bowed in return, not knowing if it would be considered acceptable. "I am happy you are here as well."

"The marten here has already drawn up a bath for you," said Bragi, pulling the door to leave. "We should meet up in an hour – the town has prepared a meal for us."

As the hare left, the otter nervously turned to Liutwin. "I can't say I've had one of you before." He blinked. "Personal servants, I mean."

"And you don't know what's expected of me?" asked the marten, his ears flicking. "No worries sir, I will be fine, and his lordship will be as well."

"Would you mind if you stick to 'Kiormund'? Or Kio?" asked the otter. "Calling me 'sir' and all that feels a bit strange."

"Why?"

"Just a few months ago I was not expecting to be any sort of lord, but things changed quicker than I had envisioned."

Liutwin nodded. "I would advise always addressing you formally in public, Kio. I don't think you would enjoy having to explain the sudden familiarity between master and servant."

Kiormund smiled. The marten's thick yellow chestfur was visible underneath his doublet and shirt, and warmth leaked out of his gentle brown eyes. He kept his tail in place, and a subtle twitch of his whiskers indicated his displeasure that the otter was staring at him like some special piece of pastry. "Oh, and why did you choose to come to the islands? Surely there are other roles you can play under the Emperor's care?"

"My wife is from the islands," answered Liutwin." and I felt like she should return home." The marten's tail drooped. "If you would excuse the selfishness, I must also note that my salary is above average as well."

"That is good to hear, Liutwin." Kiormund's head dipped. "I apologise for staring at you – there aren't a lot of martens back in Mossflower, and–"

"I understand," interjected the marten. "You should not worry about this. Get into your bath, Kio. I spent quite a while heating it, and this marten is not truly disrespected unless you waste his hard work."

C/N: I apologise for being tardy! There are still places in the world where it's November, so my author *technically* made it over the deadline, huh?

Anyway, I finally arrived at Helskerland and met some new beasts. LIutwin seems like an effective servant, but all the rest I'm not quite sure about. They seem... shifty. But you should know what genre this story is. I do too. I hope.

Next chapter will be me again. I hope the writer doesn't delay this one by too much!