13. The Council

Angelica laughed, genuine flecks of happiness floating down to the deck as a counterpoint to the grim events. "But' she paused for breath "there is no such thing as a dragon" she said softly as she beamed at Antrayon.

The young guard did his best to mask his confusion, but it slipped past his court manners all the same. He remembered himself, bowed and replied "Thank you, M'Lady" with a smile to match her mood.

"In truth" she said softly "there are many wondrous creatures in this land, some friend, some foe. Until today I had thought Kraken to be a mere fanciful telling of some fisherman catching a squid. Alas it was neither fanciful nor wondrous. It was brutal, vicious, and costly." Angelica turned to Priestess Fael "the butcher's bill?".

"Not now, M'Lady" the Priestess replied gently but firmly. "You look ready to collapse, we shall speak again after dawn."

"But..." Angelica began, falling silent as Olga put her hand gently atop Angelica's and led her towards her favourite spot it against the lee rail.

The Healer had spoken, and there was nothing to do now but obey.

---//---

"What time is it?" Angelica yawned and stretched in a most un-ladylike manner more befitting a lizard languidly stretching to better sun itself on a hot summer's day.

"You missed dawn" Liva replied unhurriedly from beside her "such as it was, M'Lady."

The orange grey miasma draped over the world in every direction she looked. The light even stuck to the undersides of the low clouds above, oppressing the day with the stark reminder of all they had lost. Liva pressed a cup into her hand, and Angelica drank deeply without paying much attention to the crisp cold water.

There. What was that? Angelica peered hard. A Caspian Raven, the white feathers of its head picked out with orange glints.

"How long has that been following us?"

"It never left us M'Lady. It circled high above as we rescued the survivors, and dipped a little nearer when we harvested the kraken, but never did it venture within bow range. Its endurance is unnatural I venture."

"Come little one, come dine" Angelica called softly, whistling sharply past her teeth.

The raven dipped its wing, head pivoting, but it continued its lazy circling far above.

"Next time we catch some fish, throw one over for it." Angelica said absently, as she sipped more water.

"M'Lady" Alexandras replied, noting the order to be passed to the fishing ships, who spent their days betting over who could catch the biggest fish. Everyone knew by now who the winners were, and that there was an extra biscuit in it for whoever won on each ship. Maygus had taken three for the Kraken, with great ceremony telling everyone that Angelica would surely bestow a kiss on anyone who better that.

"So ... what did I miss?" she asked, blinking the fog behind her eyes away "How long was I out?"

"Tarvald and Ketoth both perished to the Kraken." Liva began to give report evenly without emotion. "The first you saw, the latter lost in the blast. Tori-Anna would have been killed for certain, had Ketoth not used copious amounts of tape to bind her wounds and stick her to the raft. He had strips of cloth worked with a sticky tree sap on one side, and bees wax on the other, rolled into a tape. Long may his bravery, quick thinking and ingenuity be remembered."

"For all time" said Angelica quietly, thinking of the young man with a ready smile, his soul lost forever upon the ocean to wander alone or worse "May the Qin see him home".

Liva nodded solemnly in agreement, then continued. "Maygus must have had the Qin themselves smiling upon him, he landed on his back and floated until one of the fishing ships found him. He really ought to have been snapped by the Kraken's blow, yet he seems to be fine. Indeed he keeps complaining about his dagger."

Angelica smiled "situation normal then. And?"

"Tori-Anna was not expected to survive, yet she lingers. And no, you may not visit, upon the Healer's orders." Liva supplied. "We also have several injured from the blast. Parts of Kraken hit two, and others are still not right including some how still cannot hear. Also ... most of the younger children don't want to stand close to the rails and refuse to look into the ocean."

Angelica nodded, and very deliberately stood, leaning on the rail with her back defiantly to the waves with their legion of unknown foes.

"We should have a council." she said after watching the dull day, her eyes having sought out and found all of their tiny little fleet, her heart on pause until she counted them all twice. "And ask Maygus to bring the one below."

"Very well M'Lady." At Liva's nod, Alexandras passed the word.

@->--- x/\x ---<-@

The sun was struggling to make a proper day of it though the clouds, the wind was fresh and free of the taint of ash, and the sound of water slapping against the hull pleasantly familiar.

Angelica sat in her favourite spot, but rather than a guard each side she had Liva to her left and Lady Violet to her right, everyone sitting casually upon cloaks on the dry deck in a large circle, save an empty gap beside an unclaimed pack opposite Angelica.

"No, I demand! I...! You can't! By the Peace I demand!" the babble of angry words heralded Maygus, who unceremoniously deposited a Mann in the vacant gap. His grubby ripped robe of firefly red-orange trimmed with gold flapped about to emphasize his animation, his matted orange hair screaming his captivity. Maygus left the tip of his blade motionless in the air before the Mann's face as he sat down atop the vacant pack, a broad grin his only commentary on the matter.

"Let us begin" Angelica said amiably. "Introductions?" she looked to Maygus.

"Duke Maygus, of ... well of the burning fields." he said with a dark grin. "You" he waggled the tip of his sword.

The Mann lifted his head, then jumped to his feet and bowed with proper court manners "Ithikari, the Keeper of the Flame on the River of Dreams, M'Lady." he bowed with a theatrical yet inoffensive bow.

Angelica could not suppress the flicker of anger that played over her face at the title, but she nodded her acknowledgement anyway. The Mann settled back to the deck seating himself with all the dignity he could muster, his eyes darting about the circle of nobles to seek any advantage or perhaps salvation.

"Countess Polite, of the Northern Kingdom, My Ladies." the girl in borrowed clothing courtseyed with flawless form, aiming precisely slightly to Angelica's right.

"Oh you are very good" Lady Violet said quietly and dipped her head in acknowledgement as well.

"Duchess Olga aos Dae." Olga said without rising, nodding past Liva to Angelica and Lady Violet.

"Wait, where or what is that?" Ithikari blurted out "what does that mean? Surely you cannot mean 'people of the day?"

"Shush" Marcus causally flicked the point of his sword to within a finger of Ithikari's nose for emphasis "and no, that is not what that means" he said quietly.

"Lady Liva" also without rising, nodded briefly, blushing in embarrassment as her hands smoothed down the already flawless fabric of the crimson and white dress she had changed into.

"The girl who played with her Father's cloak" Ithikari muttered.

"You don't need to say the rest if you don't want to" Lady Violet said kindly, reaching across to take Liva's hand in hers. "I am so very glad to see you safe."

Liva smiled and looked even less comfortable, until she remembered to take a long breath, and then lifted her eyes showing off a radiant smile framed by her long golden hair.

"No!" screamed Ithikari, lurching forward as if to attack, yet going nowhere thanks to Maygus slamming him into the deck. The Mann behind Lady Violet immediately moved to help Maygus, forcefully shoving the enraged Mann back into a seated position. "You can't live! We killed you! Every last one of you!" Ithikari's spittle rained down on the deck harmlessly.

"Thank you ...?" Angelica asked with a slight inflection, looking to the Mann.

"Telandior Trauna, M'Ladies, of the Neran." the fellow replied, as he moved his arm to get a better grip on Ithikari "I rode with Dragor."

"Certainly no common soldier then" Angelica replied carefully.

"Indeed, yet an exquisite baker, M'Lady" Telandior shot back with a genuine grin "although alas I presume it may be some time until I can prove my claims. Such pastries and cakes, fit for a king! I shall have to do even better for a Queen."

Angelica laughed, ignoring the red-faced Ithikari foaming at the mouth on the deck beneath. "Quite."

"But!" gasped Ithikari.

Liva flicked her hand and Ithikari was dragged to a kneeling position.

"Well, little Mann" Lady Violet said, the scorn dripping off her words "it should be rather obvious you didn't kill them all despite your bloodlust." She took a small gem and tossed it on the deck before him "All over those." She stood, and Alexandras offered the hilt of his sword to her without hesitation, but she did not take it up. "Had you an ounce of wit, you ought to have known they had more friends than you lot, and that burning their glades and slaughtering her people would make your old enemies renew their Alliance."

"They were fair targets, they were not signatories to the Treaty!" Ithikari spat, his eyes fixed on the soul gem.

"And?" Angelica said demurely "they were still our friends." she nodded to Liva, who nodded back "did you think Father or Mother was ever going to allow such to pass? You sought forbidden secrets, and when you were refused in trade you sought them though blood. Your life is forfeit."

The deck suddenly fell silent.

"By your leave?" Maygus asked quietly, his sword to Ithikari's throat, sweat running down the priest's face as he faced his last moments.

"Liva?" Angelica said quietly.

"Not yet." Liva said evenly, as if declining desert until after the wine.

"He really is not worth his water at this point." Lady Violet added calmly.

Liva replied "Perhaps he has something useful to offer in our discussion today."

"For his sake, he better" Maygus drifted his sword back slowly, as Telandior held Ithikari by the shoulders, hands now bound behind.

"My Mother was called the Fairy Queen." Liva stated matter-of-factly, her eyes locked on Ithikari, who turned various shades of red and purple, yet dared not move at all. "Long may you live, and bathe daily in the knowledge of your failure. You and your people are cursed for all time to fail when it matters most."

"He has no idea how just badly he failed, does he?" Maygus chuckled, patting Ithikari on the head like an errant puppy, "To business?" he appended.

"Quite." Angelica looked to her right.

Alexandras acted as herald, bowing low then brightly announcing "May I present her Highness the Lady Violet Esme Aberness Torciana Evalune of Trezyn Arch."

"But!" spat Ithikari "that's just a fairytale for children, anyone who believes in such nonsense has no sense!" Ithikari blurted "Impossible!" he sputtered.

Maygus raised one eyebrow, his sword poised high ready to sweep down and remove Ithikari's head. Liva smiled, but quickly realizing that could be miss-interpreted signaled "hold" with a discrete hand signal instead, her posture only relaxing when Maygus grinned and lowered his sword.

"May I present her Highness the Lady Angelica" Alexandras said in precisely the same tone, but he paused and looked about him.

Angelica nodded to Lady Violet, who did likewise. "Well then, that rather awkwardly brings us up to where we are now and what I would like to discuss with you all this morning" Angelica offered. "If you don't mind, Captain Zalori, Priestess Fael, and the young scientist Grav."

Lady Violet nodded, and the other three joined the circle.

"First, a moment to remember those we have lost." Lady Violet said quietly, and most bowed their heads. "And good riddance to Dragor" she hissed quietly.

"Oh?" Angelica said before she could catch her words.

"Insufferable Mann, always walking about like he owned the place. Obsessed by his armour and adding something worthy to the next space."

"Sorry about your crew and ship, M'Lady." Fael gently changed the subject.

"Thank you, and for your losses too. My thanks for retrieving us."

"That brings us to the main questions. Firstly, we were sailing for days with nothing much happening, then it seemed everything happened. Why?"

Various looks were cast about the circle, Fael nearly suggested the Qin willed it but didn't, and Zalori just scratched his beard.

"Got it" Grav said timidly.

"Go on" Liva encouraged him.

"The wind has been blowing towards the shore because of the furnace effect, ever since we escaped home." he gestured one way with his left hand. "The River has been flowing out the other way, with a lot of water from all the rain" he gestured with his right, fingers meeting. "So things are getting blown in, and also pushed out, all along this part of the coast. We were as well."

"Makes sense" Zarlori added.

"So" Grav was enthusiastic now "there has been a zone of everything, debris, survivors, and ships, all along this line" he waved ahead and back where they had come.

"And hunters" Zalori chimed in "the Kraken came because of all the food, and them" he pointed up at the Raven.

"Why haven't they come after us then?" Maygus interjected "if all of the Caspians have taken to ship, there must be an awful lot of them out there."

"Indeed" Zalori replied, tilting his head in thought "and yet, we're faster than they are."

"How so?" Maygus replied "I thought those pirates had the fastest ships of anyone."

"They do" Zalori replied "over short distances they can row upwind, and quick about it as well. But they will be like us" he looked about at the children listening in, and scattered about the deck some playing silly games. "As much water, food, and people as they could safely take on. That makes them slow. Also" he pondered "also they don't need to chase us yet. They will have weeks worth of things to go though in this line."

"Sound logic" Grav agreed.

"Except..." Lady Violet offered "we have the most valuable thing in Elyria right at this moment." every eye was on her, the knowledge that she was also a seasoned sea captain lost on none of them. "More sea-going ships. They can survive, but if they are laden, many will not survive a proper storm. They will come for us if they can."

"Well that all seems to fit. Which brings us to the next question. Where to now?"

"As we are" Zalori offered "with the wind, turning back would simply push us though that zone again."

"Agreed" Lady Violet stated emphatically "we can't turn back. I was sailing into it, and we didn't get though. A second pass would be inviting certain destruction."

"Right, that makes sense" Angelica agreed "but then where?"

Fael cleared her throat, then said quietly "Well from the prophecy the fires will end after the lightning."

"The land should cool quickly, with all the rain, and then the winds would go back to normal" Grav offered.

"But that still does not answer things." Maygus said gravely.

"He's right" Lady Violet stated "All the land we saw sailing this way was burning." she looked to the Captain.

"As was the land we passed" confirmed Zalori at her unspoken question.

"So it will all be ash without food or clean water." Maygus said solemnly "We couldn't survive in that."

"You're wrong though" said Grav quietly.

All attention snapped to the young lad.

"You're wrong about the water. If we can find springs, those will come from aquifers underground. The water should still be just as it was, even if rain over the surface is spoiled and unsafe."

Lady Violet jumped up, pulled Grav to his feet, and spun him around, followed by wrapping him in a huge hug followed by a kiss "you lovely boy! Bravo!" she sat down with a genuine smile lighting up her face. "The Arch will survive then."

"Can we... " Maygus began.

Lady Violet cut him off "No. You would all be most welcome" she glared at Ithikari "well nearly all, but we could not get there. It is perilous to reach normally, but it would be impossible given all this" she waved at the horizon.

"Once the winds change, could we just sail back home?" Liva asked timidly.

"Yes" Zalori offered "I have no doubt I could sail us there, given time. But..." he paused, weighing his words "... we might not have enough water if we cannot collect any from the rain."

"And you better like fish" Grav added. "When we get home, the soils will be covered in ash. We could not grow anything in that, it would need to be dug over until we can find soil. And all the fruit trees will be gone as well. The forests completely gone as well."

"So no hunting" Maygus added.

"Correct. No nothing. Just a lot of hard work for at least a season." Grav offered with a maturity that belied his years.

"We might starve there, but with water and fish we should be ok" Telandior offered "oh and seaweed, it's tasty if you find the right ones", hesitating he added "but the animals would certainly be in trouble."

"Ah" Angelica put her fingers to her lips, tapping them as she thought. "So no. We need somewhere to resupply with water and fodder before we go home. Right?" she looked up to her council.

"Yes. It is the only option if we want the animals to survive" Grav offered. "So logically, the next question is could we survive without the animals?"

"No, we could not" Maygus answered "too much of our industry relies on them. Wool, reliable meat, even bees. We could survive without them, but it would destroy our way of life."

"Then we must protect them." Olga stated simply "so where can we resupply that is unlikely to be burning?"

"I think there is only one option" Lady Violet looked to Zalori, who was shaking his head slowly, a look of fear on his face. "All the lands of the living are burning."

"Ah" Angelica said. "Very well, if we cannot think of a better option."

"A curse be on this day." Zalori muttered "Very well. May Sanguinis guide us to her home."

Fael made a warding sign against evil and whispered quietly "Luna, watch over us where the living have no business."

Lady Violet tilted her head and smiled, a strange look on her face. "I know I will eventually meet Death" she said whimsically "I just never imagined I would have to sail around looking for her."

"Just one thing" Zalori said as he leant on one weather-worn hand. "You want to find the place no living person has ever returned from, correct?"

Everyone nodded, some reluctantly, some more enthusiastically. But all nodded.

Ithikari started to laugh, slowly and quietly at first, then louder and louder. When he could contain himself no more, he yelled out the obvious between breathless laughter: "So where is it?"