The stars looked down upon the two noblemen, those distant eyes of the gods. Night had sapped the heat from the day and cold winds blew up from the sea to ravage their wine sodden bodies for their heat. Both Lucius and Raymi were of no mind to care about physical discomfort. Alcohol was a numb blanket, thicker than any tunic. At the older man’s direction, they both trekked up the walls of Rackvidd, to the site of collapse that Erdro Karakale had caused so many months prior.

A great network of scaffolding and on-site masonry had grown about the damage, delayed as it was by the need to dig out the rubble. I had given them some advice on reinforcing the structure before we departed for Hearth’s Bay, but without a suitable stigmata user the work could only progress slowly.

After a few signals from Raymi, the men on watch adjusted themselves to give privacy. Suitably alone, the old man leaned against one of the crenulations. “My daughter seems quite taken with you.”

Lucius kept his eyes on the mountains. “I would have thought she would be irritated with me. When I met her she had the ear of the princess and now she’s almost at the edge of the map.”

“You stood up for her, for your own reasons but just the same. My daughter isn’t stupid. If you talk with her too much, she’ll realize you aren’t the real Lucius. What should I call you anyway?”

Half a year of suspicion was confirmed, and all my pupil could do was grip the stone. “You should call me Lucius.”

“Yes, I suppose I should. But it’s not your name.”

He smirked. “What is a name if not what everyone calls you?”(1)

“Do you think you can fool the Solharts?”

“I have no intention of ever seeing the Solharts in my life. Getting sent to the desert is but one way of avoiding familial duties.”

The old lord scoffed. “I thought you’d like the assignment.”

“Oh, I do. I love the idea of burning heat, sleepless nights, and praying that insects will bite me in my sleep just so that I might know water is nearby. Let’s not forget the cannibals that live there. The demon worshippers. Soon enough I’ll be running for the bishop’s protection as the one good thing in the whole world. Do you know how many years it’s been since I’ve had blisters on my hands? I can already imagine the burns I’ll have from fighting.”

“A soldier’s primary duty is to suffer. Suffer the elements, the hunger, and the boredom of war. The actual stabbing is therefore rendered into a festival. It invigorates calloused nerves. Even better, if the man has someone waiting for his triumphant return.”

Lucius asked, “And you’d have that be your daughter?”

Raymi turned his gaze to the horizon and crossed his arms. “No, I suppose I wouldn’t want to see my daughter marry a liar and killer. I’m worried about the kingdom however. Vassermark was built on seven hundred years of faith to the water goddess. Our royalty was divinely ordained, from mother to daughter straight through the centuries until King Cassius was the only heir in the royal line. He certainly tried to spread his seed, but to make peace he married a foreigner. We all loved her of course, but she was only a single woman and brought no sisters with her. Perhaps for the best, but she died giving us her only daughter.”

“Kassandra will make a fine queen.”

“If her brothers don’t destroy it all, yes. But look at all the counts and barons. Families have been disintegrating ever since the sun worshippers were allowed to espouse their thoughts on monogamy. Entire lines of succession are being thrown into doubt. And then there are these lowborn vultures trying to find any noble son with a taste of envy to whisper in their ears about human rights and democracy.”

Lucius nodded. “So that’s why you brought me there.”

“Those men would kill my daughter and celebrate it, given half a chance.”

“So you come to me? How am I so different from them?”

“Aisha,” he said, his solemn gaze fixed upon Lucius. “You’re also trying to work within the system. You don’t insult the churches. You work for the people and think about the future. Of course, helping my daughter inclines me to like you, but it was when you stuck your neck out for the Canta girl that I saw you as more than an ambitious war hero. A man who’s good in a fight is no good for anything more than battle. Now I hear she’s with child and you’re making arrangements for her to be taken care. The idea of being sent to war doesn’t even phase you, but the idea that she might be in danger has you. Which is why I want an oath from you.”

“An oath?”

“I won’t ask you to marry her. My daughter can make her own decisions on that front, but if something should happen to me then I want your word that you will protect her. I’ll keep your secret and continue shielding you from the Solharts if you’ll give your word that you will protect her.”

It wasn’t nearly as good as a binding oath from Golden, but Lucius stuck out his hand and grasped Raymi’s forearm. “I’ll keep the vultures off of her.”

The old lord smiled. “Then you can go to the desert with an easy mind. I’ll take care of your woman.”

“When do I depart?”

“First thing in the morning. Your army has already set sail from Puerto Vida. You’ll have to link up with them on the continent. I’d let you rest a day, but your sister is most likely marching south as we speak. If you mean to avoid her, you’d best leave at once.”

Lucius grimaced. “You’re not giving me a very large ship, are you?”

Raymi laughed.

The next morning, Lucius walked down the harbor to the largest available ship in all of Rackvidd fit to transport someone across contested waters. He stared at the port official that had shown him over and the pudgy man said, “Every warship fit to be spared has sailed north in anticipation of the king’s meeting with Skaldheim.”

“So you expect me to take this?”

“Only until you’re picked up by the Blazen Arrow.”

“This is a fishing boat.”

“This will be ignored by pirates.”

“I’d sooner kill the pirates and take their ship.”

“Perhaps you could, but this is the best we can hire for you. Perhaps you should pretend to be in distress? They might try to ransom you.”

He shook his head. “If they aren’t sailing beneath the waves, maybe.”

Captain Ayaz of the Sandskipper laughed and waved him aboard the vessel, hardly bigger than a dingy. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you there plenty quick. Fresh sails and fast winds. On my honor. Just, you don’t have many supplies to bring with you, do you?”

“Just myself.”

“And one more!” Golden shouted as he marched down the harbor, silken arms waving.

Lucius spun. While I was leading the good doctor and his lover to the heart of the city, intent on good lodgings and freedom for the night rather than repeating goodbyes, Aisha accompanied the bird to see Lucius. “So there is another ship.”

The redhead frowned, stopping a few paces off from him. “That’s what you have to say?”

“I missed you already. I should have made sure to remember our last night together,” Lucius said, sweeping her into his embrace and twirling her about. Promptly, he set her down and gestured to the fishing boat. “But this is not an appropriate way to travel.”

She stared, open mouthed, at Captain Ayaz and his boy Hamza. The old sea dog chortled. “So this is the kind of trade negotiations you had to do, Missy.”

“What a small world,” she whispered.

Golden pointed at the ship and faced the port official. “What is the meaning of this? There’s no cabin. No mess. No place to drink or dine!”

Captain Ayaz shrugged. “You can drink by the stern if it pleases you.”

That momentary distraction was seized upon by the official, scurrying into the crowds so he might not be seen and pressed further. He had delivered Lucius to the ship. Suffering a stranger’s indignation was not on his agenda for the day. That left Golden no recourse but to question the poor captain about wine and spirits and games, music at the least.

Lucius held Aisha to him, regretting the layers of cloth and metal he had clad about his chest for he could not feel her body. That drew his thoughts to the life within her and old fear stabbed through his guts; fears he thought he would never feel again in his life. Within his mind, he was dragged back years and years to his days with Ezra and myself, to when Leomund was an unstoppable troll of a northerner beating the way of the sword into him.

“How long will you be gone, do you think?” Aisha asked.

“A trip like this? A month perhaps. I have promises to keep at the capital. We shall be the toast of the king’s court. And while I’m burning in the desert, you will be Felicia’s guest if you don’t mind.”

She laughed. “You’re trying to make a noblewoman of me, are you? I’m just a merchant’s daughter.”

“The way I see it, you’re as close to Giordanan nobility as it gets. Now then, I should get going before Golden has a fit.”

She asked, “you mean more of a fit?”

He kissed her goodbye and leapt into the Sandskipper. Golden followed suit, complaining that such a vessel was slower than him flying there even though he could no longer fly. The two lovers dragged out their goodbyes with much shouting and waving, apologies that they didn't have more time. Lucius’ voice was hoarse by the time they left the harbor and finished unfurling their feeble sails.

“Never thought I’d be ferrying a Vassish noble. This is quite an honor,” Captain Ayaz said as Golden uncorked the first bottle of rum.

“You should always be wary of unexpected honors,” Lucius said. “They might be trying to pushing you with them,” he added before taking a swig of the liquor as well.

This sentiment is only true for humans. Daemons care quite a bit about their true name.