Of Old Times and New Friends

Adanita woke slowly with a stretch, much like a cat. It seemed her nap in the cabin did her as much good as his nap in the gardens did to Rosamund.

She blinked a few times, looking at him.

"Good afternoon," he greeted. Her glass was waiting for her.
"Good afternoon. How come you're here?"
"I was planning to work, you know. I was the one who didn't expect you'd be here all of a sudden."
She sat up, taking her glass. "I needed something from my cabin and I fell asleep here," she said. "It still is my cabin," she added. "I don't see why I shouldn't be here."
"I didn't mean it that way. It was just surprising, I suppose." He sipped some of the wine. Not in a rush. If she was feeling up to it, perhaps he could even hold his little presentation ahead of time.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

Well, that got him by surprise. "I am quite alright," he said. "I was about to ask you the same thing. Are you having trouble sleeping?"
"And what about you?" she defensively crossed her arms. "I heard from Ekliptik that you were crying this morning, and I also saw you asleep in the garden. My office has a direct view of that willow, you know."
"I didn't know. Who is Ekliptik?"
"Ah, right. They said you misheard their name, and they felt too horrible to correct you. You called them Tiktik, I think?"
"Oh, I see. I must apologize to them when I meet them again. It wasn't my intention to offend."
"I don't think they took it as an offense, honestly. I'd almost say you left a positive impression on them. They're very shy, you know."
"I did notice that much," he said. "They are very young. Must you have them be your spymaster?"
"Why should I not?" she asked.

Child labor laws do not exist yet, child labor laws do not exist yet. It was becoming a bit of a mantra for him. "They're much too young for such a dangerous job, wouldn't you agree? They're still a child..."

"I agree they are young, but they are highly skilled. They have near perfect memory, you know. And they are as good of a listener as you are. I gave them the position because I deemed that they could handle it, and besides, with them being my spymaster, I can keep them close to me. No place is safer in Hannau Cove than by my side, surely you agree."

He considered that for a few moments. He supposed there was some merit to what she was saying. "So, you do not send them out on dangerous missions?"
"No, I have them manage other spies for dangerous missions. They are very good at determining the perfect man for every job. They are very sensitive, you know."
It made sense, almost. It was hard to accept it, considering his age. But, taking into account everything she said, it was almost as if she made them into an analyst, not a spy. As long as she wasn't actively putting them in danger... Besides, if he thought about all the things Lilac was already capable of at that age... He let out a tired sigh. He didn't want to become an old man that doesn't let kids grow up. Perhaps the way he was looking at them was incorrect. If they proved themselves to Adanita, and if she wasn't making a rash decision just because her previous spymaster got blown up...

"What about Teo?" she asked, now somewhat amused.
"What about him?"
"You'd complain about me hiring a child – which, by the way, I disagree, they are not a child, merely young – but you are fine with me having a cripple climb a mast in the storm?"
"He is a grown man," he said with a shrug. "Judging by how he speaks of you, I'd assume he is not being ordered around in an unreasonable way."
"But Ekliptik is?"
"I apologize for jumping to conclusions. Please, let's move on." Goodness, was this her idea of mocking him? It seemed it was. He was being bullied, he could tell.

She seemed to be quite pleased with herself for a while there, before her face turned more serious.

"So, you were crying this morning?" she asked again.
"Yes. I had a nightmare that you killed my brother, and then I drowned," he said. His voice was calm. The nightmare was now a distant memory. He could let it go now.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize for things you didn't do," he said. Well, she did kill Lilac once. But she didn't give him a bad dream, his brain cooked it up all on its own. "And don't insult me by saying you don't get nightmares as well. Isn't that why you're here?"
"No, I was here for my naval maps," she insisted.
"Is that so? Well, what is it you need them for?"
"For- for piracy. That's what. I am about to commit a crime, Lord Governor, so – there!"

He sighed. He pondered telling her this the night that they talked about what she lived through in the future, but it didn't seem like the right time for that. She didn't need to hear that at that time, she was already feeling horrible. He observed the liquid in his glass, slowly spinning it around.

"I didn't tell you what my nightmare is to tell you to blame yourself, o Queen. I told you because I figured you'd understand. You have them as well, I am sure of it."
"What is it to you, even if I do?"
"I died once before myself, you know? So, you could say I understand what you're going through."

Silence.

He patiently waited for her to process it. He wasn't in a rush.
"You- you don't remember me killing you, what in the world are you talking about?" she asked.
"It wasn't you who killed me. Some thirty-six years ago, I lived in another world. I was killed there, murdered to be precise, and I woke up as a baby here, just a few weeks old."
"What?!"
"Do you think I am lying?" he asked her.

"No."

She was learning quickly, after that accusation that he lied about the Verlice Experiment it seemed. She didn't even hesitate with her answer. He was quite pleased with that. It wasn't something he'd lie to her about, and it wasn't something he could just make up, anyway.

"Would you tell me what happened?"
"Certainly. I lived there for fifty years. I was a lawyer, you see. I was killed by the people who disliked my... let's call it modus operandi. They tied me up to an anchor and threw me into the harbour. You can imagine how grateful I am to your rescue from that storm..." he said. How strangely quiet she was. Meanwhile, he found himself rather talkative. He had two glasses of wine while she was sleeping, he decided to blame it on that. "Not many people can live to appreciate how kind being saved from drowning is. I am... I do apologize if I left you with the wrong impression on that island. It is not in my nature to flaunt emotions or words around, as if they are nothing."

He sipped some more wine, emptying his glass. There, now she was also in the know about him. She seemed to be in deep thought. She usually always had a retort ready for him, so he enjoyed catching her off balance, even if it was just for a moment. The fact that it took the most traumatic event in his two lives to get there was easily ignored. Perhaps he was getting a bit drunk. Tipsy. Just a little.

"So," she said slowly. "Are you telling me that you are, in fact, over eighty years old???"

"Oh, for gods' sakes, Adanita! Of all the bloody things-"

She burst into laughter. He could feel his face burning, so he hid it in his hand. She was contagious, soon he was laughing as well. That perfect note of disbelief in her voice did it for him. What an idiot.

Well, he was laughing along, so they must've both been idiots.

After a few more moments, during which they'd stop laughing and then begin again, he realized she learned it from him. She distracted him with humor at just the right moment. He was almost proud of what a great teacher he was.

"So, what was the other world like?" she asked curiously, once they had both calmed down.
"Listen, I will tell you more about it tomorrow. For now, please, let's go back to the fact that neither of us can sleep," he said, setting the glass down. "I think your ship is making it worse."
"Well, I still don't think it would be a good idea for you to sleep in the city. You never know, and I'd not want Ekliptik to waste people on guarding you all night and all day. Our resources are limited. The issue is, however, that I think being on the ground is making it worse for me. Being locked up in a cell for months while waiting for my execution has a way of ruining sleep on the land."
"Alright then, I can stay on the ship." It was for his personal safety, it made sense. Nobody would climb aboard Adanita's ship without permission, after all. "What do we do with you, then? Would you sleep here and send me elsewhere?"
"That just sounds like it would be poor form. Hospitality and all that..."
"Then, should I sleep on the couch here and return the bed to you?"
"Or the other way around. I don't mind the couch."
He shrugged again. "Whichever you prefer."

They fell into comfortable silence for a bit. Adanita poured herself some more wine.

"Let's go for a walk tomorrow," she suddenly said.
"Oh?"
"I don't want to ruin the mood right now, but you've asked about my nightmares a few times. We can talk about it tomorrow, and then you'll tell me more about the other world you've lived in."

Well, that sounded like an equal exchange, if he'd ever seen one. "After that, we must talk about our next move," he said. "I am thinking and thinking, and all it's doing is giving Vice Admiral Khamil more time. He doesn't need any. I must return to Hipparcos quickly and manage the situation."

"You've almost died," she pointed out. "You needed some rest anyway. But yes. I won't ask you anything ahead of time. I am in no shape to think about any of this right now."

And just like that, an understanding was reached. He gave her a nod, agreeing to it wholeheartedly.
"Tomorrow, then."

Adanita got up, ready to leave. It was late afternoon, he assumed she still had work to do. She headed for the door, and after putting her boots on, she just about opened it before he called out to her.

"Captain Vervain," he said, catching her off guard.

"Aye?"

"You forgot your naval maps," he said.

Deeply amused, he watched her as her face turned a dark red color. She turned around on her heels, marched to one of the drawers, picked up a booklet, and marched out.

Victory.