Dear Enemies

Rosamund woke up late again, mildly aware of a pleasant dream that he had. The entirety of the previous day crashed on top of his head as he was getting up. He pinched the bridge of his nose, choosing to focus on the delicate weave of the carpet next to his bed rather than allow his mind to escape elsewhere again.

He did a good deed. He was supposed to feel happy about it.

Not this... hollow.

He went to get dressed, ringing for the servants to bring him a quick meal while he was getting ready for the day. Bluebell came to see him with several notes left for him by Nivelir, and informed him that he, Adanita, and Teodolit all went to the city. Lilac was working late, to the point that he saw everyone at breakfast just as he was going to bed. A visit from Khamil frightened him enough to work on the teleportation circle through the night. It was nearly complete, but Lilac had about as much faith in his magic as an average software developer did in their code. The circle will require a few days of rigorous testing before he allows any human to even touch it, let alone use it. A special note from Nivelir said he also read the preliminary reports from Hexkey. The trash had left the city last night. Those news didn't quite improve his mood, but they certainly put his mind at ease.

He put on his bixbite cravat pin with unnecessary care. It wasn't made out of glass, but he was growing highly fond of it these days. He barely wore any other pins since Adanita gifted him with this present. It reminded him of those old traditions where a knight would tie a handkerchief from his lady to his wrist. The gem was the same color as her hair, so he couldn't really call it anything other than wearing her colors. Besides, it looked good. He felt rather handsome with it. Perhaps he should get her something, too. He wondered what would she like. A jewel...? Or perhaps- Aha! He got it! He will play the violin for her alone, once his hand fully heals. It was something only he could do for her.

His train of thought got derailed when another servant informed him there was an older one-eyed woman at the gates, shouting that she demanded to see him. He sighed and checked himself in the mirror one last time. The end result was more than good, which did in fact make him feel a lot better. Since he had to face Lotus for the second time, he should at least make sure he looks impeccable, and not disheveled after being kidnapped, thrown into a broom closet, and pushed into two consecutive duels. Looking fantastic was own act of defiance, if you will. That, and a gun, hidden under his coat in a leather shoulder holster he had made. No playing around this time.

He went outside. The sun was already high in the clear sky, promising another warm day. He walked down the long straight pebble path from his door to the gates. He could hear shouting from a distance, but from what he could see, the woman didn't take her sword out yet. Although, considering the hook, perhaps she didn't need to. The guards in the front seemed... on guard. Fittingly. He just then noticed Ekliptik was silently walking a few steps behind him, dressed in livery. His miniature bodyguard was passing for a servant again, it seemed. They seemed deeply concerned, focused on the scene in front of them, but they didn't say anything. Rosamund gave them a reassuring smile. They didn't react.

He approached the group and waved to the guards to open the gates. "Good day, Captain Lotus. What can I do for you?" he politely asked.
"You! Where are my men?!" she shouted at him. Her hook gleamed as she swung it through the air and pointed it towards him, more as a threat than anything else. He was out of her reach, and she had enough of a brain not to try to come closer. Rosamund held his ground, refusing to show he was intimidated.
"Officer Cinda and Mister Zaum are resting," he said, taking a proper look at her. The woman was still injured from their duel, she needed a cane to walk. It seemed she came from the city on foot, which probably took her quite some time considering the leg. Her clothes were dusty and her hair was an unruly mess. It seemed, to his surprise, that she came alone. First she helped to manage the people yesterday, and now she refused to involve anyone else? He could appreciate that. Her current hostility towards him was intentionally limited so that no one but her could get in danger. A calculated move - it was not a surprise how she reached the position of a Captain. "If you'd like to give them a visit, I will be happy to show you the way," he offered.
"You- wait, you would?" she asked. It seemed she came ready for a confrontation. Unfortunately for her, he had enough of that for the next week. "Where are you holding them?"
"At the doctor's office," he said calmly. "Where did you think they are?"
"I don't know! You stole them yesterday, for all I know they could be in a different prison!"
"I took them here for treatment of their injuries. It was the least I could do after my people caused them harm," he said. "If you'd like to talk about kidnappings, I'd be happy to tell you all about mine over a cup of tea. Until then, you may follow me to your people."
"My lord! She is armed," a guard said.
And so was he. And so was Ekliptik, the teenager showed quite a tendency to hide daggers in their clothes. They were standing next to him on high alert, ready to strike at a moment's notice. "I can handle it. Stay on your post," he ordered them. "Come along, ma'am."

She really tried her best. Unfortunately, her injured leg was slowing her down considerably. Rosamund politely matched his pace to hers, assuming that offering her a hand would be met with contempt. It looked like she didn't recognize the Spymaster, ignoring the small servant that walked alongside them. Not many people knew their face, it seemed. Or paid attention to them. It was suddenly not surprising that, when they were attending their official duties, they wore such an outrageous outfit.

"I'll have you know," she said. "People are expecting my return by nightfall. If I don't come back, you will have a riot on your hands."
"Charming. I was under the impression that Captain Vervain left the manor this morning specifically to prevent such a thing. You two must've just missed each other."
She winced. "I see you still have her wrapped around your finger, despite all that happened yesterday."
"I would say that I still have her wrapped around my finger because of what happened yesterday," he said. Let her chew on that! "Did you think I would bother killing you or locking you up after I've left you be for this long?" he asked.
"Aye."
Well, obviously. "I did not condone the actions of my guards. I didn't order them to harm your people, or to lock them away, and I am sorry for the pain they have caused. The assailants have been exiled from the city last afternoon, and left sometime before the nightfall."
"Hah! Do you expect me to believe that?"
"People who are used to lying are the ones who forget the sound of truth," he replied. "Or, I suppose in your case, you are too used to violence to understand the way I do things in my lands. If this is the way you expect a man in power to treat people he is responsible for, I am delighted I am no longer your prisoner, ma'am."
"Do you want me to apologize?" she asked, clearly disgusted at the idea.
"No. I do not plan to forgive you any time soon, so you don't need to waste your breath."
She had no answer to that.

Rosamund silently exhaled, calming himself down. Just because he didn't come here to antagonize the woman, it didn't mean he would let her walk all over him. He put his hands on his back and straightened out, trying to reassure himself. She was too injured to attack him again. He could get out of the reach of her hook in time. He had Ekliptik with him. And a gun. He was fine. And she had nothing to gain from striking at him now, of all times. If there were guards who were willing to attack her people during a fragile peace, imagine how well an attempt at his life would go. No, she was too clever to attack him now. He had nothing to fear at this time.

"I can ask my doctor to have a look at your leg," he said.
"Why?"
"You seem to be in pain. I would hate it if you got an infection, or if it healed incorrectly."
"Or you could have your doctor intentionally make it worse," she venomously said.
"Or I could have left you at the gates, and then had you thrown in prison after you'd inevitably attempt to trespass. You may accept my offer or deny it, but I won't have you slander my name. Or my intentions."
"You expect me to trust your kindness?"
"Of course not. But you do not need to insult me."
"Fine! Why would you offer something like this, then?"
"Because," he patiently repeated, "you seem to be in pain. I do not revel in the pain of others."
"So you are trying to reach sainthood?"
"Oh, did I forget to mention? I don't need that title, I have already obtained a minor blessing."
"What?!"
"I can see magic. I knew you were a witch from the moment I saw you, ma'am."
She stopped in her tracks, staring up at him. She seemed deeply insulted by him, or at least something similar to that. He wasn't quite sure how to read that expression, to be honest. It seemed she wasn't quite sure what to think of him either.

"Cheater," she said, before continuing to walk.

He let out a laugh.

"I thought witches were outlawed in Bretonia," Lotus said.
"How strange, it appears my eyes aren't working quite well these days. Perhaps witches have a way of hiding their magics from me. If you don't attempt to use your powers around other people, nobody will know," he replied.
"With that attitude, no wonder you're not in the Inquisition."
"It wasn't due to their lack of trying, that's for sure. Once the Church found out, they were on our doorstep on a monthly basis." Now that he thought about it, if Teodolit is right and all minor blessings come from minor gods, then it was no surprise they wanted to keep an eye on everyone who got them.
"A wise man would've kept it a secret. Both from them, and from me," she said.
"Unfortunately, they have their ways of finding out. Luckily, my position is privileged enough that they wouldn't dare to act on their knowledge."
"And you think this applies to me?"
"You may continue trying to test the depths of my patience, but I would be happy to spare you the trouble. You should ask Guard Captain Hexkey about the full story from yesterday - in fact, I will order him to tell you everything. Take it as a warning not to go too far," he said. "A lot of people believe that power is measured only by force you are willing to wield against your enemies. I prefer to be guided by wisdom, which perhaps puts me in a far more dangerous position than usual. But keep in mind that I have an ally in Captain Vervain, and her patience runs out far more quickly than mine."
She had no answer to that.

They reached the stone steps that led to the front entrance of the manor. He managed to not hesitate when he offered her a hand, to help her go up safely. Ekliptik was visibly distressed by it, but he'll be damned if he allows them anywhere within the reach of that hook. After a few seconds of deep thought, she accepted his help - which she was in dire need of considering how much she was leaning onto him to walk. He held onto her right forearm with one hand, and kept his other hand on her back to be sure she won't fall over. She kept her hook far away from him, certainly to use her arm for balance, and possibly to show she had no hostile intentions. For now.

He supposed she came to the conclusion that he didn't need to throw her down the flight of four stairs, when he was in a position where he could do much worse. He wondered whether this was a form of Stockholm syndrome, too. Does being nice to people induce Stockholm?

Wait no, Lotus was the one who kidnapped him. This was Lima syndrome.

Feeling much better about himself, he continued helping her even after they passed the stairs. Ekliptik held the door open for them, and he slowly led the group towards the office of Doctor Soxhlet. She didn't complain, which only told him how bad of a state she was in. He guessed she made it this far on foot only because she was fueled by anger and spite, and perhaps fear. Hopefully he melted most of those away and calmed her down.

She didn't try to start another conversation, and he could see she was too focused on going forward despite the pain she was in. He let her be. Doctor Soxhlet will have a look at her.

They finally reached her office, and Ekliptik knocked on her door. She opened a few seconds later and her eyes widened at the scene. She had no circles under her eyes, which made him happy. She slept last night, thankfully.
"Good day, Lord Governor. Who is this?" she asked, fixing the glasses on her nose.
"Captain Jason Lotus," he said. "Mind the hook. She has come here to check on her crew, but I'd like it if you also had a look at her. I severely injured her leg two or three weeks ago during our duel."
"Ah. Hm. I see. Come inside, ma'am. Mister Zaum is currently asleep, I gave him some pretty strong medicine so he wouldn't be in pain. And Mis- Officer Cinda has left a few minutes ago to look for you, Lord Governor. I gave her directions to your office."
"Did she tell you why she wanted to see me?" he asked, helping Lotus inside.
"No, my lord."
"In that case, I will find her and tell her to return here, Captain. Ah, and Tiktik should stay behind. Help Doctor with anything she asks," he ordered them. They looked extremely distressed and grabbed his sleeve. "Excuse me."

He handed Lotus to Doctor Soxhlet and allowed Ekliptik to pull him back into the hallway.
"I can't leave you! Cinda's dangerous," they quietly said, their voice reaching a considerably higher note than usual.
"Lotus is dangerous too," he calmly said, also keeping his voice down. Their concern was sweet, and he deeply appreciated it. "And my doctor doesn't have means to defend herself should something happen. Meanwhile, I have a gun. I need you to keep her safe. Please." He placed a hand on their shoulder to reassure them.
They looked at the floor, grabbing onto the fabric of their livery to calm themselves down.
"I will be quite alright," he promised. "And I don't think either of them will try to attack me at this time. I just need to make sure. Listen to Doctor Soxhlet, and keep your distance from that hook. It will be fine." He gently patted their shoulder. They still seemed deeply unhappy and concerned, but they gave him a nod. He gave them a warm smile. What a good kid.

He watched them go inside and left to find Cinda.


The lean woman was waiting for him in front of his office. She was standing straight and held her hands on her back, mirroring his own pose. She was provided with clean clothes, a large shirt with wide sleeves and tight pants, which gave her the appearance of someone ready for a fencing match. It seemed she also found the time to comb her long hair, which she allowed to fall down her back freely, comfortably reaching her knees. Despite the numerous injuries he could see on her face, and her knuckles being bloodied and bruised, she stood in front of him the same way as that day on Lotus' ship. Her face was cold and closed off.

Truly, a noblewoman.

"Lord Governor. I have been waiting for you," she said in place of a greeting. "I would like a moment of your time, sir."
She looked better than yesterday, that was for sure. Calmer, too. Her voice was serious, but neither commanding nor rude. It seemed she was looking at him as an equal, and not like vermin. Progress. "Certainly," he carefully said. She was unarmed, it seemed. "But you should know that your Captain made her way here from the city. She is currently getting her injury treated by my doctor. You may want to see her."
"Oh. I- thank you for telling me. Yes, I will go see her. Thank you." She hesitated. It seemed that it was taking her conscious effort to speak as politely as she was now, clearly she was far too accustomed to pirates at this point. "I would still prefer to speak with you first, my lord."

Well that was new. He didn't recall becoming her lord. Too curious to correct her, he went to unlock the door of his office. She was officially allowed inside, and he went to take a seat at his table. She sat down across from him, and he felt a strange sense of deja vu. Just like yesterday, it seemed he needed to breach the subject.

"I am very busy today, Officer, so please keep it short. What can I do for you?"
"I came here to thank you for the treatment you've provided for my man and me," she said.
"I appreciate the sentiment. However, this is something I have already explained to Captain Vervain, and I will keep explaining it as many times as necessary. I didn't do it for you. Or for him. Or for anybody else. I did it because this was the only correct course of action, and I refuse to be thanked for being a decent human being."
"You can't be serious-"
"But I am. The treatment I've provided to the two - now three of you, actually - is merely my way of apologizing for what has transpired yesterday. I failed to keep my men in check, and for that I am deeply sorry. Those people have been exiled from my city and they won't be able to reach you twice."
"I know. Captain Vervain told me last night."
"Very good. I would appreciate it if you informed me if this happens in the future. I must ask - Mister Zaum seemed to have old bruises on his body yesterday. If he returned to you injured, how did you not notice it sooner?"
"I did notice it! He simply refused to tell me what was wrong. If he told me, I'd have been ready for them, and they would be dead," she hissed.
"Please do not handle it yourself, Officer. I am here to deal with those problems for you."
"Well, fine. But what do you get out of it? What am I supposed to do for you?"
He sighed. She wasn't getting it, it seemed. Fine, he will get it through her thick skull. With a hammer, if need be.

"Officer. It is my duty to keep the people in my lands safe. How am I supposed to do it if my men are the ones who attack my citizens?"

Aha, that worked. Good. He continued. "The debt you feel you owe me doesn't stem from yesterday. You owe me because you had taken me against my will, threatened me, and forced me to duel you. I neither forgave you nor forgot, and I don't plan to any time soon. The experience was harrowing, no matter who came out of it victorious. Do you understand?"
"Then- then what do you want? Why am I even alive? Why is any of us still alive, and under your care?"
"Human lives are a precious resource. I will find a good use for the three of you. You are a crafty noblewoman, Mister Zaum left an impression on me, and Captain Lotus is certainly a delight to be around. One day, there will be something only you will be able to do for me. When that day comes, I will expect you to be there and repay me. I presume you've come to me today to offer me a favour in return for what I did yesterday?"
She nodded.
"In that case, you shouldn't look so frightened. You came to offer to put yourself in the same position as the one I am already putting you in. If you're worried I would order you charge to your death, I'd recommend you think about it again. Paranoia doesn't suit you, Officer, and if you plan to let it take root, you may stop calling me your lord this instant. Do you understand?"
"Yes... my lord."

It seemed she really did. Rosamund took a deep breath, softening his expression from a small frown to complete neutrality. She seemed to be calming down, too. She was staring down at the table, in deep thought. He allowed her the time to process what he said.

"May I... ask you something, my lord?" she asked, looking up at him.
Rosamund bit his tongue before he could say something idiotic, such as 'you already did'. He gave her a nod to proceed.
"Why do you think I would assist you after I had attacked you?" she asked.
"I don't think that. I hope for it. I believe in mercy, up to a point. I am offering you a chance to redeem yourself, Officer."
"But you exiled those men."
"Do you think people who abused their authority to such a degree are capable of redemption?" he asked. "Or that they deserve the chance at it here?"
She looked away again.
"Their crime is rooted in their position," he said. "Stripped of it, they may even learn something new. Having seen the condition you and Mister Zaum were in, my hopes are low. Perhaps they do, perhaps they don't. Whichever happens, it won't be anywhere near my city. They wronged the citizens, and they deserve justice. You've only wronged me. It is up to me alone to decide how you will repay me."
"I think you may be insane, but I suppose I understand."
"Thank you. Insults suit you better than this forced politeness, Officer. Crawling is hardly befitting for a woman like you."

Her lips twitched. She almost smiled at that, and Rosamund decided to call it a win.

"Is there anything else you need?" he asked her.
"No, my lord," she said. There was a hint of mockery in her voice, somebody was getting brave. This was far more enjoyable than being met with fear. He was happy to allow it, if it meant she won't make the same terrified expression as yesterday.
"Then you are free to go. The two of you may stay in the manor for as long as it takes you to recover. All three of you are freely welcome to visit or stay overnight at any time. Tell your Captain that there will be a carriage waiting for her to take her back to the city after her visit is done. She is more than welcome to return tomorrow. In fact, I am ordering her to, and I will provide a carriage for her. Doctor Soxhlet is too busy to entertain house visits, so she needs to come for treatment here."
"I will let her know. Thank you."
"Have a nice day, Officer."


He breathed a sigh of relief once she was gone. Dare he hope that these three clowns won't attack him twice? Surely, he thought. Surely this was enough to be safe, at least for a while.

They will learn, he firmly decided. They will all learn.