***
I left my father to seek out my brother picking up Willan on the way who I found stuffing his mouth with bread and fish. I was keen to find Ajator.
On route, I considered Ajator; he was the perfect officer. I was unkempt, where my twin was pristine in his naval uniform with its thick cloth in rich blues and gold and bicorn hat. I had taken to wearing an older style, wide brimmed tricorne hat, and long coat waxed and worked to a near black with cheap buttons, yet well made. Made to last the rigors of the sea, wind and rain. I wore comfortable and serviceable clothing while Ajator wore what was expected of the son of a lord admiral.
“Frilly fool,” I would tease Ajator who would then laugh, agreeing with a shrug of his broad shoulders.
I did not find Ajator that night, but the next morning Ajator found me instead, standing not far from the Sea Huntress where the ship was taking on supplies. About us men were busy loading the ship, with carts trundling past, gulls scavenging dropped food and women calling to the sailors to come and spend a little money. A rat dared anyone to hit it by standing atop a barrel sniffing the sea air. A cat was crouched low, creeping up on it. A ship’s bell chimed and a drunk sat singing under the eaves of a tavern, singing the Lost Maid of the Far Shores song. He would stop every so often to great passers-by with a "good mornin' to ya, sir."
“It was an honest fight, brother.”
“Who did it?” Ajator asked, tensing.
“It doesn't matter. I gave as good as I got,” I grunted.
“He gave you a black eye.” said Ajator, relaxing a little when he saw my flippant disregard for the hurt. It did hurt.
“Aye. It's true. It was one of the crew. A huge man called Jodlin. Lost all his teeth already, but I broke his nose.”
“One of the crew struck an officer?”
“I dropped rank for the evening,” I pointed out. For a second Ajator looked shocked, but then smiled, obviously realising that he might have done the same.
“We had a fight, we gave each other a beating. No harm done,” I said, rubbing my cheek which still ached from Jodlin’s crushing right fist.
“And what did Captain Crosp say when he saw your face?”
“I told him I fell down some stairs, to which he remarked that I was always falling down stairs.”
Ajator laughed, at which point, Jodlin appeared on deck and smiled a toothless grin when he saw me.
“Stop grinning you gormless idiot and get back to work, Mister Jodlin!” I scowled. Jodlin knuckled his forehead and wondered off, still grinning.
Ajator, bemused, said, “The man’s a monster!”
“Not too bright either, but when the time comes for a proper fight, I'm pleased we can call upon his services. As long as he isn't too drunk.”
Then Captain Crosp appeared on deck looking stiff and stuffed up in his finest clothing, hands held behind his back. He was doing his rounds and pointedly ignored me although he nodded at Ajator.
“That bastard’s a mean one,” I said in darker tones.
“You shouldn’t speak like that about your captain.”
“No? What’s the admiral like then?”
Ajator thought about this. “A little stiff perhaps,” he smiled.
How my brother could lift my mood. Even I would smile in Ajator’s company which would make the crew stop and stare as though something were wrong.
"How goes the fight against the beastmen?" I asked, changing the subject.
"A deadlock, it would seem."
Ajator had recently been fighting the beastmen invaders in the east. I had never seen one but I had read about the creatures in the papers. It seems they are men, but so twisted in shape and barbaric in nature that they could just as easily be compared to rabid dogs as human beings. Some even had the heads of animals it was said.
"Is it true they eat the flesh of men? Father says so." I had always wondered what that would taste like. Biting my own fingernails does not count.
"I believe so," said Ajator. "To be honest we've never been that close to them. We've sent a few of their crude vessels to the bottom of the ocean but I've never been close enough to study one or observe their eating habits. Next time I see them, I shall take notes for you, Mal."
"Could you?" I said, rising to the game of sarcasm. "Perhaps interview a few for the Gazette?"
Ajator punched my shoulder. It hurt. "How about the rebellion?" he then asked.
I thought for a moment. "Another deadlock I would say. We travel the seas as messengers and hunters mostly. We've had a few fights but nothing worth bragging about. The Empire is weak, Ajator."
"What? How can you say that?"
"Father said as much. There aren't enough ships. Not enough men. The seas are too big for us to hunt them down, their ports too well defended for a strike at their heart. We just keep them in check, but we can't stamp them out. We need the full fleet."
"These invaders can't go on forever losing men and ships. When they dry up, the full Ardalrion Navy will come down upon the rebels and then we'll see who's weak," Ajator said with a stubborn certainty.
"I hope so. I would like to see an end to this fight. It feels wrong to be at war with men so like ourselves. They were Imperial settlers not long ago, ploughing a piece of civilisation out of those barbarian lands. I think I would rather be fending off the beastmen or pirates. Perhaps even the Sea Lords of the Free States."
"We shall be captains soon enough, Mal. Then we can strike at them, you and me. We'll show them how the House of Ardalrion are the finest masters of the Inner Ocean."
"I would like that. I like the sea. I like the ships and the men," I said, extracting my pipe. "You know when we were children at the castle? I was not sure about going to sea."
"I remember. I told you, you'd like it."
"You did. It can be tedious, but I have found a place, Ajator. I fit about as well as a thorn in an admiral's arse, but I'm here and I think I could be a good captain one day."
"A thorn? Literally or figuratively?"
"Both," I said, smiling at the thought. "I would like to see more action though. I want to strike at our enemies. I want to show the fleet that the Sea Huntress has a sting."
"Be careful what you wish for, Malspire. The gods might be listening."