FLASHBACK: Night of Sola 2
Sjan-dehk blinked once. He wasnât quite sure what heâd expected to hear from Cynric as the latter stepped onto
Sada Kurauâs quarterdeck, but it certainly wasnât those words, strung together in that exact order, and spoken with the sort of blithe nonchalance one might use when sharing about plans for supper and not, as Cynric was doing now, openly declaring oneself as a rebel.
So surprised was Sjan-dehk in fact, that as he turned away from the pitch-black waters beyond the taffrail, and towards the Recompenseâs Captain, he wondered if perhaps heâd misheard.
âYouâŚâ Sjan-dehk began, his brows furrowed.
âWhat?ââIâm fightinâ taâ Caesonian crown,â Cynric repeated, just as casually as before. He lingered near the landing of the stairs thatâd brought him up to the quarterdeck, leaning against the gunwale with a smile on his face and an air of relaxed confidence about him.
âMe, anâ my ship, anâ my crew, weâre awâ âaving a fair go at the crown, aye we are.âSjan-dehk nodded slowly, the look upon his face laying somewhere within the odd intersection of curiosity, wariness, and abject confusion.
âIâŚSee,â he said, folding his arms over his chest and raising a brow.
âAnd you followed us here just to tell me that? Just to, how do you sayâŚConfess?âCynric laughed and shook his head.
âConfess? Nae, nae, yeâve got it awâ wrong, pal. A confession implies some kind oâ wrongdoinâ or other, aye it does, anâ fightinâ taâ crownâs taâ rightest thing anyone can dae, if ye ask me. âTis jusâ a bit oâ honesty frae me, Capân. I reckoned itâd âelp us start off awâ proper-like, anâ aw.ââStart off what?ââWell, I was thinkinâ a chat would be good, aye,â Cynric replied.
ââTis nae much. Jusâ somethinâ tae clear taâ waters anâ, well, see where the twa oâ us stand on things.âHe tilted his chin towards Sjan-dehk.
âMind if I join ye oâer there, Capân?âA frown tugged on the corners of Sjan-dehkâs lips, but he managed to not let it show. Part of him wanted to tell Cynric to leave
Sada Kurau immediately, and to forget that this conversation had ever happened. To be associated with a known rebelâeven if through a simple talkâwas likely a quick and easy way of drawing the unwanted attention, and perhaps even ire, of Caesonian authorities. Considering the Kingdomâs dismal views on magic, and that Sada Kurauâs complement now included a handful of arcanists, that was the very last thing Sjan-dehk needed.
But then again, the chances of anyone ever finding out about this meeting were incredibly slim. Aside from the lanterns hanging from Sudahâs masts, flickering like dim stars through the mist, there werenât any other signs of civilisation, let alone of another ship.
And besides, Cynric had thus far proven himself, if not fully honest, then at the very least amicable enough to deserve a chance to say his piece, as well as some suspended judgement. Sjan-dehk supposed that he owed him that much, especially after considering all the valuable help heâd given during the earlier incident at the tavern. That said nothing of the risks Cynric had taken, and was taking, to seek him outâshadowing
Sudah and
Sada Kurau had almost earned his ship a full broadside from the latter. Had it taken Sjan-dehk just a moment longer to identify the
Recompenseâby no means an easy task in the darkâCynric and his ship, and his crew, would by now be on their way to the depths.
Cynric then not only agreed to board
Sada Kurau unaccompanied and unarmed, but also agreed to lay his ship at anchor alongside her, well within range of her guns. It was almost as if he planned to place himself at as much of a disadvantage as possible. And to Sjan-dehk, that spoke of some form of sincerity.
âOkay,â he said at last, tilting his head towards the taffrail as he turned back around. He waited until he felt Cynricâs presence beside him before continuing.
âWhat else about you should I know about? It will be hard to talk if you still have secrets.ââEvery man âas âis secrets, Capân,â Cynric replied with a smirk.
âEâen you, I reckon. But yer right, I can be a wee bit mer honest, aye. First oâ awâ, taâ nameâs nae Cynric. âTis Cynwaer.âSjan-dehk nodded slowly.
âThen your ship?ââAh, sheâs nae Recompense, either. Sheâs Remembrance. Third oâ âer name, Iâd add.ââI see,â was all Sjan-dehk said. That Cynwaer used false names for both himself and his ship wasnât much of an issue to him. For one, he found every name to be equally difficult to pronounce properly. And for two, any rebel worth their salt wouldnât go around introducing themselves with their actual names right from the very start. That said, Sjan-dehk couldnât help but be curiousâjust how well-known was Cynwaer, that heâd have to be careful with his name, but could still walk around the Caesonian capital without issue? And just how active of a rebel was he, to already be on his third vessel?
Sjan-dehk pushed those questions to one side for the momentâthereâd be time and opportunity to find the answers to them, hopefully. He cleared his throat.
âSo, you say you are aâŚRebel. Please tell me, what is it exactly that you do?ââWell,â Cynwaer began with a shrug.
âWe try tae dae awâ sorts, aye we dae, but most times we end up jusâ gaeân after ships flyinâ a Caesonian flag. Thereâs nae shortage oâ âem, after awâ.âSjan-dehk bristled. His eyes narrowed.
âSo you are a pirate?ââOi, oi, daeân lump us in wiâ those wee scunners,â Cynwaer said quickly, a hint of an edge to his words.
âIâll admit we sometimes use taâ same methods, anâ maybe use taâ same sort oâ flags if it âelps end a fight âfore it eâen starts, but weâre nae pirates. We daeân âurt fellas wiâ nothinâ tae dae wiâ Caesonia, fer one. Awâ weâre interested in fightinâ are those who chose tae fight fer taâ crown. Anâ fer twa, unlike yer run-oâ-taâ-mill pirate, we daeân gae out oâ our way tae avoid warships. We hunt âem down like any other ship, aye we dae.âTo be very honest, it all sounded like sophistry to Sjan-dehkâs earsâplenty of words, but ultimately, they all meant very little. Cynwaer still plied a trade by hunting ships, and by the sound of things, unarmed vessels were also fair game to him. That made him a pirate in Sjan-dehkâs books.
But still, he asked,
âAnd the things you take from the ships? What do you do with them?âOnce again, Cynwaer shrugged.
âIâll be honest wiâ ye, Capân. It really depends. If thereâs powder and shot, weâll take âem fer ourselâs. If we find other cargo, weâll jusâ take what we need anâ what we can use, aye we will. What we cannae carry, weâll let sink wiâ taâ wreck. If thereâs a friendly settlement nearby, weâll share taâ spoils wiâ âem. Give âem what taâ crown willânae provide, anâ awâ.âSjan-dehk nodded slowly.
âAnd the prisoners?ââAgain, it depends,â Cynwaer said.
âIf theyâve nothinâ tae dae wiâ taâ crown, weâll cut âem free. Put âem on a boat anâ point âem in taâ direction oâ land, aye.ââAnd if they haveâŚThings to do with the crown?ââWell, Iâll leave âem a choice. They can either join us, orâŚâ Cynwaer trailed off, looking at Sjan-dehk with a cryptic glint in his eyes, and his face serious.
âI think ye know whatâs taâ other option, aye. Officers, though, I daeân let âem âave taâ choice, tae be very honest. Taâ regular sailor, they probably daeân know anythin, anâ only care that theyâre gettinâ paid. An officer, though, took a commission frae taâ crown, aye they did, which makes âem complicit, if yer ask me.âSjan-dehk grimaced. What Cynwaer was describing was sounding awfully less like piracy, and more like a policy one might adopt during a war. Strangely enough, that thought put him at easeâat least now he was now mostly certain that Cynwaer, despite his methods, was unlikely to be a pirate trying to find excuses for his actions, and was indeed rising in rebellion against the crown. It still left him with a question that refused to budge from his mind, howeverâwhy was he rebelling?
âComplicit?â Sjan-dehk asked.
âIn what?âCynwaer chuckled. Then, he took a step back from the taffrail and spread his arms wide.
âIn what? Well, in evârythinâ, Capân. In evâry inequality, evâry cruelty, anâ evâry injustice in Caesonia. Surely yeâve seen it, seen âow taâ nobles feast anâ gorge, while taâ common folk go âungry. Or âow they keep taxinâ their people taâ pay fer whatever shite theyâre wantinâ taâ âost in their estates, or taâ capital. Yeâve any idea âow much people are givinâ up jusâ so those at taâ top can âave their wee parties? Itâs feckinâ criminal, if ye ask me.âWell, Sjan-dehk couldnât deny that heâd thought about such things before. As much as he kept trying to tell himself that Caesonia was Caesonia, and Viserjanta was Viserjanta, he couldnât help but feel as if the way things were done here were simply wrong. That he could attend a feast in the castle in the morning, where food and drink seemed endless, and then take a stroll through the slums that very evening, where a single loaf of unblemished bread could be considered a luxury, just felt immoral. Were this place governed under Commonwealth law, someoneâs head would surely roll for such a thing.
âYou are right,â Sjan-dehk said.
âI have seen it. The food, I mean. I do not know about taxation.âCynwaer brought his hands to his hips and looked out into the darkness.
âI daeân blame ye. I didânae know about it âtil I saw it fer meselâ. âTis not awâways coin that they take, did ye know that? Theyâll take ye winter stores if they wanâ tae. Theyâll nae care if a few fellas starve, if a noble can âave a feckinâ tea party.âHe let out a derisive laugh.
âAnâ they wanâ us tae see witchesâI mean, arcanists as the enemy? They can awâ go feck âemselâs up taâ arse wiâ a feckinâ âammer. Taâ crown anâ awâ taâ other feckinâ leeches are taâ real enemy, aye they are.âSjan-dehk coughed into a fist, tapping a finger on the taffrail. While he could understand Cynwaerâs strong emotions towards the matter, he couldnât help but feel a touch apprehensive. His gut told him that the man would soon ask him for a favour, or propose some kind of deal or other. Neither sounded appealingâeven if Sjan-dehk sympathised with him, he was in no position to interfere with Caesoniaâs own internal issues.
âSo now that you tell me all this,â Sjan-dehk said slowly and carefully.
âWhat do you want from me?âCynwaer drew in a deep breath before speaking.
âWell, I was âopin ye could lend a handâââI cannot.âCynwaer looked at him and blinked.
âIâve nae eâen told ye what Iâm askinâ fer yet, pal.âSjan-dehk sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbed it for a while, then looked at Cynwaer with an impassive, serious expression about his face.
âI will not fight with you. You have myâŚSympathies, but this, everything you say, it is still a Caesonian matter. I am Viserjantan. If I interfere, if I start attacking warships like you, it can become war. You must know this also. And I only have one ship. Sada Kurau. Even if I help you, I cannot do much. I am sorry.âSilence descended over the two of them, broken only by the quiet rustling of waves breaking against
Sada Kurauâs stern. Cynwaer held Sjan-dehkâs gaze, his visage inscrutable.
Then, he laughed.
âWell, âtis good that Iâm nae askinâ ye tae fight, then.âSjan-dehk knitted his brows in confusion.
âYou areâŚNot?ââNae, nae,â Cynwaer managed to say between chuckles.
âI may be lookinâ fer allies, but Iâm nae desperate anâ nae daft enough tae drag ye guns blazinâ intae this feckinâ mess.ââThenâŚWhat is it that you want?âCynwaer took a moment to compose himself, catching his breath and wiping the smile off of his face. Most of it, at leastâhe couldnât quite get rid of the half-grin that pulled on a corner of his mouth.
âI jusâ need twa things frae ye,â he began.
âFirstly, yeâre one feckinâ lethal fella, Iâll geeâs ye that much, anâ Iâm nae keen on beinâ on taâ business end oâ yer guns. My gut tells me taâ witchhunts are gaeân tae get mer intense, anâ that means Iâll likely return tae type anâ start attackinâ Caesonian ships again, aye. Anythinâ tae get in taâ way oâ witchhunters, anâ awâ.âSjan-dehk nodded.
âAnd you want me to stay out of your way?ââAye.ââThat is okay. And what is the second thing?ââIâm thinkinâ oâ hittinâ taâ transport ships taâ hardest,â Cynwaer said.
âThose carryinâ witchhunters tae places farther out, or those carryinâ arcanists taeâŚWell, tae where theyâll be burned.âSjan-dehk grimaced. If there was one thing he truly hated about Caesonia, it was that. To condemn people to death for being able to use magic was simply barbaric. He couldnât think of any other way to put it. They may as well start executing people for having differently coloured hairâitâd make as much sense.
âThat means I might be freeinâ a lot oâ arcanists,â Cynwaer continued.
âI feckinâ âope so, at least. Anyway, I daeân wanâtae end up wiâ a bunch oâ people wiâ no place tae go, anâ yer taâ only fella I know who I can trust âem wiâ, aye ye are.ââI am willing to do that,â Sjan-dehk replied.
âBut you must remember, I only have Sada Kurau. Maybe also Sudah. I do not know how many people you are going to send, but we cannot take many.ââIâll find ye an island tae use, if thatâs fine wiâ ye.âSjan-dehk blinked.
âYou willâŚWhat?ââAye, I know jusâ about every feckinâ rock in these waters,â Cynwaer said with a shrug.
âI can already think oâ a few thatâll dae the job, aye I can. If that suits ye, Iâll find ye a place tae âide âem. Ye daeân eâen âave tae keep âem fer tae long, anâ we daeân want âem stayinâ still fer tae long, either. Ye jusâ âave tae keep âem safe âtil my pals anâ I can move âem on elsewhere.âSjan-dehk nodded slowly. It sounded like a simple enough task, but already he knew that it wouldnât be so, at least not until he could get the rest of the Viserjantans on board with the idea. As much as he disagreed with the witchhunts, it didnât change the fact that by harbouring Caesonian arcanists, heâalong with every other Viserjantanâwould be breaking Caesonian law. But as much as the thought of drawing the attention of Caesonian authorities sat poorly with him, the notion of doing nothing while innocent arcanists died was even more foul.
No, more than that. It felt like an insult to his very identity as a Jafin, as a Viserjantan.
âOkay, then I can do that,â he replied. He would just have to convince the others in the flotilla to see things his way. Well, to be more accurate, heâd have to convince Lady Adiyan and Captain Kaizahn. Maybe even a few of the other senior arcanists and crew aboard
Sudah, to be safe. Between the bunch of them, theyâd be able to sway the opinion of the others in his favour.
A grimace flashed across Sjan-dehkâs face. It would be a task easier said than done, but it would be a task for later. For now, it was all he could do to plan and prepare.
âFeckinâ fantastic,â Cynwaer said. He pushed a hand into his coat pocket, fishing out a small, very battered box. He flipped it openâthat single act almost tearing it apartâand brought it to his mouth. With his teeth, he pulled out a thin, rolled stick.
âI need a feckinâ smoke after awâ that talkinâ, aye I dae. Ye daeân mind, do ye, Capân?ââI do not."For a moment, and several moments after that, the two of them simply gazed out at the sea. Overhead, an overcast sky, thick with purplish clouds, hid the moon from view. Sudahâs lanterns continued to flicker, their dim light scattered by the mist. Waves lapped gently at
Sada Kurauâs hull, their gentle noise accompanied by the sharp clicks of Cynwaerâs lighter as he sparked a flame for his cigarette.
Sjan-dehk cleared his throat.
âI am sorry, but I am just curious. Just now, when you told me why you want to fight the crown, you talked a lot about food. Hunger. Money. Taxes. So I am just wondering, why are you going so far to help arcanists? I do not mean to say that it is a bad thing. Only I am curious.âââTis a fair question, aye,â Cynwaer said, plucking his cigarette from his lips. Then, he sighed and pushed it back into its perch, seemingly deep in thought. Only after exhaling a few puffs of smoke did he speak.
âIâve me own reasons fer daeân what I dae, anâ thatâs awâ I can say fer now, Capân. âTis nae that I daeân wanâtae be honest, daeân get me wrong. âTis jusâ...Some thingsâre âarder tae say than others, aye?âSjan-dehk could understand that. Heâd heard more or less the same words from many, many people over his years of fighting at sea. Not everything could be said easily. Some things never become easy enough to ever be expressed. That was normal.
âYesââ he began, but then stopped himself abruptly. With a slight grin, he said,
âI mean, aye.âCynwaer chuckled.
âNow yeâre gettinâ it! Sâpose I should pick up some oâ ye lingo meselâ, now.âSjan-dehk looked out at the sea. Deep in his heart, he couldnât help but feel a touch of apprehension. Was this truly the smart thing to do? He knew it was the right thing to doâthat was undeniable. But was it wise, and would manage to see things through to success? What even was success? The rescue of every last Caesonian arcanist?
Or was he just setting himself up for what could be the most terrible failure of his life?
He chewed on his lip, then shook his head. Well, whatever it was, it was too late now. Heâd already given Cynwaer his word, and heâd be damned if he didnât try his best to live up to it.
âNavigator, guide me on the proper path,â he muttered beneath his breath. He couldnât remember the last time heâd appealed to spirits or deities, but now seemed like a very good time to start.
âAnd come what may.âA chilly, midnight breeze washed over
Sada Kurauâs deck. Had Sjan-dehk been paying attention, and were it not for Cynwaerâs loud swearing as his cigarette went out, he might have heard a whispered, ethereal reply.
âVery well, my lost Jafin child.â
