The Past

Prince of waves, king of storms

We left Maiwerth the next week, and journeyed to the lower continent. It had no name of its own, as most people considered it an extension of Vynao. However similar, the cuisine proved to be quite different. Yes, that is my primary memory of Vynao.

We didn't actually spend long there, because of a rather flat landscape, with only one cavern system in the entirety of the mostly-uninhabited continent.

A large part of the time we did spend was due to my own newfound obsession with the odd variety of teas and sweets that they boasted. One of these was a milk-brewed sugar-infused tea, with chewy orbs that were meant to be sucked into your mouth using a rather strange utensil. It was beyond delicious.

"Kinheal, you'll love this," said Remor, bringing me a colourful steamed bun. As I bit into the cloudlike bread, I was shocked to find that it was subtly sweet.

"Oh my gods," I muttered, mouth full of bread. "This is the best thing I've ever eaten."

I was wrong, of course, because, that very night, we dined at the most respected hall in the city. It was one in which you'd sit at the table with the chef as he prepared a variety of raw fish on white rice. One of those was a specific type of bluefish belly with a texture so buttery that it melted, and enough flavour to not require anything more than a small bit of lemon. I would gladly have abandoned my search and spent the remainder of my life in that city, if not for Paves and Teirr's baby.

I was beginning to think I did not want children.

"No, it's not that I dislike children," I said to Remor as we sat, chewing on a custard-filled rice sweet. "It's that they are loud, and stinky, and occasionally very annoying."

"They are almost always annoying. If we do wed, do you wish for children?"

"I am a princess." I swallowed. "I must produce heirs. Besides, Erisin's blessing almost guarantees fertility, so children are not easily avoided."

I paused on that thought, wondering how many people were in the Three Kingdoms now. In the Motherland we had had nearly a hundred when I left, as most people had at least half a dozen children, usually closer to a full dozen. By now, most couples must have had another two, maybe three. Perhaps we truly would be powerful nations one day.

"But you do not wish to parent our children?"

"No, children are heirs and nothing more. That was my mother's approach, and worked fine. I will certainly care for them, but I will not be the one changing their swaddling, that would be absurd."

"You've truly changed since we first met," he said, a hint of disappointment in his tone. "Perhaps you are right. A future queen does, after all, have other duties to attend to."

"Yes, precisely."

"Where shall we go now?" Even as he asked, he glanced to the east. It was the only place left to go.
Eventually, we would come full circle, but before then, past the eastern countries, there would be the land my mother came from.

"I do not know the world. We will need another ship, another crew." I looked at Remor, hoping for a solution.

"We need no crew nor ship. I am god of storms, the god that sailors pray to. Among my offerings there was a ship."

Or a shipwreck.

I looked up and saw it just offshore, ripped sails and decaying wood, yet floating lightly over the water.
Glancing back at Remor, I saw grey in his eyes. This ship must not have been a good memory.

"We will sail to the east, and find the Mirror. Will you marry me when we return to Orion?"

"I will." He was the only option. Kind, loving, and patient, Remor was everything good that a man could be.