Once Upon a Time on Earth

That evening, Adanita came to the cabin after Rosamund had already fallen asleep, and she left in the morning before he woke up.
Surprisingly, he didn't wake up to a nightmare. He was groggy in the morning, but even if he had a bad dream on the way, he didn't remember it. The power of open communication!

He caught Tiktik - no, Ekliptik - again. He apologized to them for the confusion with the names, and managed to get them to fetch him some tea and something to eat. He didn't need to have all meals in the city, did he? Pondering the optics of turning a teenage pirate spymaster into his personal delivery service, he got to work. He read through Adanita's diary one more time, while Ekliptik was looking over his shoulder. Now that he was sitting and they were standing, he could see they had bright cyan-colored eyes. Not much else was visible, though.

"Wait, do you also know what Captain Vervain has experienced?" he asked.
"Mm. She told me some stuff," they said. "I don't think she'd make it up. But dunno. I'm not a mage, I don't get any of that."
So, Ekliptik and Teodolit were in the know. He wondered if there were more people, but he doubted that. She may have been elected into her position, but even people who voted for her could have done it for any reason. People you can trust in a place like this are limited in number. "Teodolit has no idea how it could have happened either. I hope Lilac may shed some light on the situation when he comes..."
"Your brother?"
"Yes."
"Mm... I'm just keepin' an eye on Captains for now. I'm not sure I should act on stuff they did before, since it didn't happen yet now..."
Ah yes, her fall from grace. Aside from being framed for piracy after receiving the royal pardon, a few of her colleagues had turned their backs on her after she ended up imprisoned. "They were trying to survive, from what I can tell. They did not assist her, but if she has no evidence that they helped in framing her..." He considered it for a few moments while they watched him. "I think you chose correctly. Only keeping an eye on them for now is the best option. See if they have any connections to Duchess Almukantarat, if you can. Or, if you'd like, I can have my secretary look into that."
"Secretary," they said. "I can't really... send people to Bretonia. It takes time. They're far. Information travels slow. I don't have a network there, or anything."
"I understand. When I go back to Hipparcos, I will be sure to tell him." He turned back to the notebook and flipped through a few pages. "Have you had any ideas on Khamil?" he curiously asked.
"Mmm..." they awkwardly stepped back. "You said I can think on it. I'm still thinkin'."
Rosamund looked up and gave them a smile. "It's alright, take your time and don't worry. I'll think of something sooner or later." They may be able to handle matters in the Cove to some degree, and even figure out what to do in the situation Adanita put them in, but they were still a child. He almost regretted asking them for their input, but seeing how they took him so seriously, as if he gave them the most important job in the world...

Ah, to be young. He went back to work.


At noon, he went to town with Ekliptik again, where they met up with Teodolit. He paid for their meals, and Rosamund let them talk in peace. They were talking about Hannau Cove, of course. He was in the company of the two people who practically ran the city even while Adanita was here. They had a lot to discuss and a lot of work to do, so he wasn't about to interrupt them. Next to Teodolit, Ekliptik turned into quite a little chatterbox. He still wished there was a way for them to have a normal childhood, but Adanita and Teodolit seemed to be doing their best taking care of them. It was... alright. Or at least, it was acceptable.

After lunch, he and Ekliptik went for a walk again. They got Teodolit to permit Rosamund to wander around the Cove for a bit, as long as they made sure he doesn't come close to wherever it was that Teodolit was hiding the mages in this place.

Rosamund chose the way while he could, going uphill at a nice, slow pace. There, on the narrow cobbled street, he finally saw children walking around. Looking down at the harbor below, he now knew what Ekliptik meant. If an enemy ship landed into Hannau Cove, they'd first focus on cleaning up the main street and the harbor, and then head for the manor above the city. The narrow side streets were winding around up and down the surrounding hills, forming a fine labyrinth where anyone unfamiliar with it would easily get lost in. The people living up here had a lot of time to hide and to escape.

He was passing by the vibrant painted houses, and men and women eyed him suspiciously as he walked. It seemed Ekliptik's presence was improving his reputation, though. They were greeting some people on the way, clearly familiar with the town, and a few children started to run after the two, excitedly telling them stories they've heard. The spymaster wasn't joking that they had ears everywhere, it seemed. He walked in silence so they could work.

They reached a small square, barely large enough for some benches and another tavern's outdoor tables. It had a water pump in the center, made of metal, with moss and weed growing out around it. Several children were playing around with a ball made out of cloth, while some girls were playing cards on the ground. The windows were decorated with pots of various herbs. The buildings around the square had as many as three floors, clearly able to house several small families. The scents of cooking were mixing with the sea air in the gentle breeze. It was a lovely sight, but he continued onwards, now going downhill on the other side. He didn't want to disturb these people's daily lives.

Ekliptik followed him, walking on a meter tall stone wall that separated the street from another large garden.
"Does some Captain live here? It is a lovely garden," he said.
"Nope. Teo."
"Really? I'd have assumed he lives closer to the docks."
"He wanted a garden to keep," they said. "During the times of crisis, he stays in one of the warehouses. But when things are goin' well, he's here. He likes plants."
"Does he use them for magic?"
"Dunno. I'm not a mage. Y'oughta ask him instead."
"I will, at some point." That man was quite a mystery. He didn't even know which country he was from, let alone how his magic worked. "Do you think he hates talking about it? Or, about himself?"
"He loves to talk, but I don't think he tells a lot. Maybe if you get him drunk?"
Ah, truly the way of the pirates. Now, if he drags him to Hipparcos with him, and sits him and Lilac down and gets them both drunk, perhaps they could get to the bottom of this magical mystery. Or, considering how Lilac takes alcohol, maybe not. "And what about you?"
"Wha?"
"Would you tell me about yourself?" he asked, leaning on the stone wall. What a beautiful garden. From what he could tell, it grew mostly medicinal herbs. Perhaps the man was some sort of a healer.
Next to him, Ekliptik shuffled around awkwardly. "Dun wanna," they mumbled.
"You do not need to," he assured them. "You can tell me about yourself at some other time, when you feel like it. Or not."
"Alright."

He let them be in silence for a bit, watching the garden. The air was filled with sounds of cicadas and birds. He could see several small wooden constructions hanging on an olive tree. Teodolit seemed to have had some birdhouses built. It was a nice little decoration. Perhaps he should have them painted at some time. He could also see a tiny house though the untamed garden, now that he was looking at it better. Too small for a Captain to live in it, if they had a similar hoarding problem as Adanita. Perhaps Teodolit had more self-control.

Ekliptik started walking up and down the wall. "Y'like flowers?" they asked.
"Yes." It was a bit of a newfound passion for him. The nobles loved to flaunt their knowledge, so as a child he was taught many plant, animal, and mineral species. Along with classes in math, politics, history, astronomy, religion, magic, and etiquette. Honestly, he didn't need to study this much when he was in college. Or perhaps he didn't remember college that well anymore. But, plants and flowers really had a way of growing on him.

Pun.

"Do you like plants?" he asked. Perhaps Ekliptik would, much like Teodolit, enjoy an impromptu class. Rosamund knew a lot of interesting facts.
Or, perhaps the teenager sensed what was coming at them. They stepped away from him. "No, not really."
He graciously let them retreat. He wasn't about to go around and bore children half to death.

Ekliptik looked up at something behind him. They gave a small wave, hopped off the wall and walked away.
Rosamund curiously turned around to see Adanita walking down the stairs that led to the street above the houses behind him. In her signature sky blue coat, her tricorn hat, and a bright smile on her freckled face.
"Hey!" she greeted, approaching.
"Good afternoon, Captain Vervain," he wished. "How are you doing?"
"Better!" she brightly said. And she did look better. Her eyes, he now realized, usually didn't have grayish circles around them. "You? Had a nightmare again?"
"I wouldn't know. I woke up fine."
"Aye, you seemed to be sleeping peacefully. I didn't want to disturb you so I just left."
"Thank you. I needed that sleep."
"Aye, me too." She leaned on the wall near him, looking at the garden as well.

"Do you think Teodolit would dislike it if I went and asked more questions about his magic?" he asked her.
"I think he can very well tell you to leave him be if he does," she said. "And I'm sure you can take the hint before he tries to stab you with a spoon."
WELL, THAT WAS ODDLY SPECIFIC. "Quite," he said. "I will give it a try, then." He couldn't really just ignore it, he never saw a crown like his, and witch magic was not something he was taught about. He also didn't know anything about magic that could turn the time, though. It seemed there were a lot of unknowns floating around.

But, until then - he had Adanita here. "Tell me about your nightmares," he said. "If you feel up to it."
"Well, I do feel better... but it sounds so stupid now that it's been some time. I shouldn't be afraid of a bad dream like this."
"Why not?"
"It's not real. I have better things to do than to lie in bed, afraid to close my eyes."
Hmm... "But, doesn't it feel real when you dream?" he said. She turned to look at him. "For that time, it is as if it is. I don't think it is shameful to be afraid of it. Or to wish it hadn't happened, once you wake up."
She slowly nodded. "I suppose you have a point..." She let out a sigh and took her hat off. She placed it on the wall next to her, and the golden beads in her hair shimmered in the sun.
He turned back towards the garden, letting her gather herself in peace and quiet. It takes courage to open up in any case, but especially when you should talk about something you think is stupid about you.

"I dream I am in that cell again," she said. "I'm locked up and I can hear people talking. They accuse me of things I didn't do, or mock me. That porcelain witch then appears..." She shuffled around a bit. The quiet clinking let him know she was running her fingers through her hair again. "She starts talking. Vile shit, I'd not like to repeat. Something about me bringing this all on myself... And then a rope appears around my neck. It glows black. And then I die. Or wake up."

He gave her a few moments to gather herself. "Better?"
"I hate it, but yes. It's so stupid now that I am awake and well."
"It is, isn't it?"
"Aye..." she sighed. "So, tell me about your world now."

Aha. There we go. "I'd argue I've lived here for long enough to call it my home, wouldn't you agree?" he said.
"You have a sense of humor under all that posh, I see right through you."
"Oh woe, I was caught. Alas. What would you like to know?"
"Did you get the idea for the Verlice Experiment from there?"
Oh, rude. "Yes."
"HAH! I knew it. You are no sailor."
"I didn't exactly copy it, in my defense. A large tanker ship - a ship entirely made out of steel - dropped thirty thousand toys into the ocean," he said. "The toys were shaped like little ducks and could float on the water. Thirteen years later, they were still out there, and smarter people than I realized they could use them to map out currents." He was reasonably sure scientists would normally use something that would send out a signal instead of rubber ducks, though. This was just a convenient occurrence, not their normal way of work.
"Please wait, I have several questions. Why was a steel ship carrying thirty thousand toys?"
"It carried a lot more things, this was just one container that fell off. They can carry hundreds of such containers. And, well, they had them for similar purposes like other merchant ships. To sell them."
"Do toys sell that well?"
Ah, to be in a world where the idea of consumerism didn't take root yet. "Yes. In that world, they do."
"Alright. How does steel float?"
"A marvel of modern technology. I wouldn't know, myself. As you said, I am no sailor."
"How does it move? What are the sails made out of?"
"It has no sails. Please wait, I need some time to think on how to explain it." Hmm... Well, this would be the simplest one, but he really needed to call on all of his high school education. "A few centuries before I was born in that world, people realized that they could make an engine that runs on steam. Boil water, and the engine can even make a large ship move on its own, without the need of favorable wind."
"Right. So, the water engine powered this thing, then?"
"Steam engine. And no. As the technology advanced, the engine started using..." What did they call it again? "Combustion? Internal combustion? Burn oil and you can sail."
"How does that work?"
"I am afraid I have no idea. I was a lawyer, not an engineer."
"Right. What did you do, then?"
"Criminal law," he said. He figured she could tell that that meant, and why he died from it.
"Right. Alright. What was your name before?"
"Really?"
"I want to know what I should call you," she said.
"Call me Rosamund, that is the name my parents gave me," he said with a smile.
"Oh, do they know?"
"Yes. I told them when I was four years old."
"Really?"
"It seemed like the right thing to do. I waited that long, because I needed to learn a whole new language. And I wanted to be able to speak and be clearly understood... They took it well, although my father's jokes about his son being older than him grew old after a while. After first two times, to be honest... You see, I was waking up to the same nightmare for years," he explained. "They were beyond their wits about it, they tried to call every doctor and every priest in the Capital. I needed to tell them that it's not their fault. The nightmares started slowly ceasing sometime after I was maybe ten, or twelve. It got better only because of how patient they all were with me."

She clenched her fists. "So, it does get better?"

"No, not really. You see how easily they come back. You just learn to live with them. You grow older. If you're surrounded by kind people, you can learn to move onto something new. Something better. Suddenly that horrible memory isn't your entire life anymore. It's not a wound that's openly bleeding. Just a scar that hurts when the weather gets bad again."

"Oh, I get it now. I should just work so much I forget about it!"

If only he had a rolled up newspaper, he'd happily whack her on that idiot head. "No. You should take the time to heal, and tell me when they happen again. I'll hear you out." At least she didn't ruin his metaphor this time.
"Hah! Fine. How did we get here again? Tell me your name instead."
"Rosamund Alsop en la Dale," he said with a smile.
"That's not it!"
"How do you know I didn't have the same name before?"

That made her pause. For a second, he could tell he fried her brain just enough to make her believe him, but that passed in an instant. "There's no chance that would happen."
"Oops, you caught me." It deeply amused him how much she insisted on the name he hasn't used in almost four decades. He realized he had a smug smile on his face, so he turned his head away from her, trying to get it under control.

"You look nice when you smile," she said.
"I am aware I am handsome," he replied.
"No, I mean, the act of you being cold and posh gets old after a while. You don't need to do all that, you know."
"I am afraid I am both cold and posh. I was like that on both worlds, just because I laugh on occasion doesn't make it any less me," he said. There we go, his face was back under control. He turned to her again. "Should we get to work now?"
"Let's go to the manor. Tell me about your family and how you lived while we walk."

Was this some attempt at sneakily learning his previous name? Well, he could play along for a bit. She picked up her hat and put it on again before heading off. He let her lead the way and walked next to her. "I was born and raised in a well-off but extremely ambitious family. I had no siblings. I became a lawyer after going to a very famous and important college." Simple and easy. The amounts of stress he had to endure as a student wasn't something she needed to know.
"Did you also have long hair there?"
"No, I was bald before thirty," he said. "I am, however, very vain. I must follow the fashion trends of this world, and high ranking men either wear wigs or have long hair. I am not a fan of wigs," he added.
"And the beard?"
"Of course I had a beard. My hair was brown, though, not this blueish colour. I must admit, it was very strange to be in an all new body, but I managed to adjust somehow."
"Were you left-handed before? I noticed it when we dueled."
"No. I was right-handed. It was just one of the new things that I needed to get used to in this body. There is a thing in your brain that decides which hand is dominant. New brain, new thing." Honestly, the words he used were simple and stupid, but this was genuinely his level of understanding of it. Sometimes he wondered how much he has changed from the person he was on Earth solely because he needed to get used to the body he found himself in. Little things such as that truly were off-putting when he was younger. Frightening, even. But she didn't need to know that at this time.
"Did you do anything there that you also do here?"
"Yes. I started to learn to play the violin when I was twelve. Here, I needed something to get my mind off of things, so I asked for and got it as soon as I could stand on my own."
"Oh. I'd not think you would play an instrument. But I suppose, if it was anything, it would be a violin."
Was he a cliché? Oh goodness, he was. Distinguished upper class lawyer turned into a nobleman. Of course the violin fit like a glove.

"Did you have a lover there? Or, were you married?"

Ah...

"While I was in college, I met another man, a fellow student. His name was James, and he was a year younger than me. We were together for five years," he said. "However, we had different interests in life. We continued to work together and stayed on good terms, but he wasn't as career-oriented as I was."
"Only him?"
"Well, yes. As I said, after we broke it off, I didn't quite have the time to consider looking for another partner."
"And here?" she curiously asked.
"I kindly asked my parents to refrain from arranging any marriages for me, and they agreed. When I was younger, the idea of being in love with someone who was as old as my current body was repulsive, to say the least."
"I guess that makes sense..."
"And you?" he asked. She asked it first.
"I had a few men and women," she said. "I am not married, and I didn't get married in the future either. You called that being career-oriented?"
"Yes."
She sighed. "And now we're both older than thirty. Was that strange in your world, too?"
"No, some people never married. Some were together, but without an official ceremony."
"Hah. Interesting."

He could imagine the culture shock she was having. He, too, needed years to adjust to being here.

"That world had only one moon," he added. "And magic didn't exist."
"Really?!" she exclaimed.
"Yes."
"So it was all about those steam engines? Or, the other ones?"
"Yes. They powered everything. We also managed to use technology to send lightning through copper wires, too, to power a cooking stove, for example."
"Why do you not know how to do that?! You could've learned it instead of being a lawyer!"
"Come now, even if I knew how it worked, we'd need a hundred years worth of technology to get there from this point in time," he said. "Besides, I often go looking for clever young inventors and give them ideas based on what I know."
"Like what?"
"A steam engine powering a massive steel vehicle, with wheels that can only move on tracks. It was called a train. I know of a group of people who are currently trying to figure out how it worked."
"What else?"
"I am trying to convince enough people that fingerprints can be used for identification of criminals. If I succeed, it will become a part of the investigation process."
"What are fingerprints?"
"Look at the lines on your fingertips. No two people can have those lines be identical. Whenever you touch something, you leave a print of those lines on it."

She intensively started staring at her fingers.

"Show me yours," she demanded. He let her take his hand and have a look for herself, comparing her left hand to his. After a bit, she let him go and continued walking. For whatever reason, it seemed this gave her quite a lot to think about. "You need to let Ekliptik know about this," she said.
"Very well." He could imagine every reason why a spymaster would need to know an instant way of identifying people.

They reached the main street after going down a different route than the one he took with Ekliptik. They climbed up the hill in contemplative silence. It seemed that, for now, she had no further questions about Earth. He could tell her more later, anyway.

Ah, right.

"Do me a favour and don't spread the word of it. Only my parents and my brother know, aside from you," he said.
"I wasn't going to," she replied. "It's not something you go around telling people. I'd know."
"Ah, yes. I've noticed Teodolit and Ekliptik both know you have died," he said. "Is there anyone else?"
"No, just the two of them." She hopped on the wall around the manor, even though the gate was right there - pirates, he was in the company of career criminals these days. Private sector career criminals. He raised his hand up so that she could help him onto the wall, and she easily pulled him up.

They made their way into her office, and she reached into one cabinet, taking out a tokay and two glasses.

"Lightning in the wires," she said. "Isn't your brother an alchemist? Perhaps it could be done with magic."
"It is one of his projects, but it is difficult. There needs to be a mage or a magical engine powering it, after all. In my world, the wires could enter every home and power entire cities. It's not something you can create overnight."
"I see... "

He took a seat while she paced around the office for a few moments, before finally stopping in front of a large window, looking at the willow below.

"Tell me, what should we do?" she asked.

"I must return to Hipparcos and deal with Khamil," he said. He took a deep breath. Here goes everything.


"And you should request a royal pardon."