Across the ocean Book 1: On the run

Chapter Eighteen : Not A Friend, A Brother.

When Claörgh had left the dining hall to tend the relic, Alvindraft lost appetite for food and wine. Part of him felt betrayed by his Goblin friend, another was reassured, but both understood. As a local lord, it was his responsibility to govern over the inhabitants of Mildoyest, not to rule over them. There was a difference, and that was the source and nature of his position. The Emperor ruled over the Empire, a local lord governed a territory from within the Basal Order. He was accountable to the regent of the Peninsula of Eria in Colgaro, who in turn was accountable to the king of the Southern Kingdom, in turn also accountable to the Emperor. That was government in a nutshell, a structure of power which dictated what one could and could not do in office. Ruling, that was closer to what he had been doing in secrets with his population since the moment he took the place from his father, even if it felt entirely otherwise. The decisions he took were without any regard to those above him within the Basal Order, without any accountability to anyone except the Master.

All the risks he took to keep that monster happy in order to protect his citizens, they were but liabilities. Should the Church find out he was hiding an angelic relic beneath some ruins, in turn also kept secret, he would not doubt for even a second the real possibility of being excommunicated. Should the regent learn about the secret deals his minister of finances Soren was relying upon to smuggle in contraband items, such as heathen cult idols, relics, drugs, or whatever gizmo was demanded of him by the Master to increase his own wealth, it would fall back on Alvindraft and result in the Basal Order stripping him from any hereditary title. Yes, Soren made real profit from them, and he had to in order to hide the real reason for acquiring those items. The Military Chain of Command could not be allowed to suspect him, otherwise it would be only a matter of back and forth with letters before an investigation be in order. He knew how the high officers worked, and they were quite good at it. Oh yes, he knew, for they had once done so years ago, and that had costed the life of his wife as the Master and his proxies found a way to cover their tracks. The Military would not fail a second time so easily, especially not if given reason to believe they had overlooked on the first time. And all of these risks, the populace knew nothing of them. Yes, he was ruling in Mildoyest, and as the vassal of a monster.

-"Friends and family," he said with his chin high enough to look over the raised cup, "I propose a toast for the good fortune of this relative of our friend Soren. His name, I was told, is Mayen. May he find a wife amongst our daughters, a work to bring keriths for his children, bread to eat, and may he prosper along with us all."

It was a common toast, one he did when nobles would come to find a spouse for their bedless children. He would never use the word bastard, for it gave much dishonour to the only person which had had no power in the mater. Bedless, on the other hand, referred to the illegitimate and reprehensible perversity of copulating with a partner not your own: the child had been conceived by two people not sharing the same marital bed. In a way, Alvindraft was glad to have many girls born, as it allowed him to offer a much better social future to the unwanted, one without the stigma of adultery as one's origin. In truth, the joy he took in this was but an attempt to make his situation more noble. All the illegal activities and secrets weighted so much on his heart. Yes, the births were held as hostages to force him to cooperate, but it did not remove his nightmares at night of being accused, by those he loved, of being wicked.

People rose their cups. Nartûsh did so with a "gnoska''. Alvindraft knew enough from Claörgh regarding Goblin's expressions to recognize the different exclamations. "Gna", for example, was to express annoyance or irritation, with "gnarka" being a more intense one which denoted anger. "Gnaha" was one of surprise or excitement. "Gnaspé" was derisive. "Gnagnet" was like a "you can forget it" kind of no. "Gnoska"? That was a cheering yes. Some of his daughters even repeated the "gnoska". He smiled at Nartûsh.