03-27-2020, 08:39 PM
Storms in Bandar Eban were far different than ones Jai grew up watching. They were much tamer compared to what was rolling over the sea. He was alone on the terrace, watching the storm slowly advancing landward. He glanced over his shoulder. Back indoors -- if that sort of space could be called indoors -- those in attendance of brief council meeting were still disbanding. These weren't Merchants updating their Lord on affairs of state. Not this time. Jai sometimes attended such things, but quickly grew bored and left early, or grew frustrated at their economic logic and left early. Either way, he had yet to sit through an entire session. If somebody wanted to kill Daryen in there, which Jai assumed most of them did, then letting him get axed would actually be doing the guy a favor. At least one of them would be out of their misery.
No. The purpose of the last hour was to update the king and his advisors regarding the perimeter of his rule. This was military. Specifically, the integrity of his borders. North was quiet. The southern border with Tarabon was simmering more than usual lately. And a small uprising in the east, in the forehills of the Mountains of Mist, was put down quietly enough. The trade routes through the mountains were expected to reopen with the melting snows, and that topic in particular seemed to come up more than once: that what an advantage they could have if the passes were cleared by ways of the One Power. With one Asha'man as an escort, to clear the brush so to say. More than one face glanced at Jai, lounging with a drink in his hand and apparently doing nothing but sucking down good sea air. Daryen agreed, and for half a second, Jai flinched with worry. Justifiably. If bloody Daryen asked him to babysit a caravan of Domani crystal through the snow, he might just fall on his own sword before they reached Lake Somal.
He hadn't. Thank the Light, and Jai raised his cup to the good Lord that suggested such in the first place. All available channelers to Daryen were being used at sea, while Jai was apparently busy being the shield for the King. Though the presence of Daryen's Gaidar muddled the rumor of Jai's role in Daryen's life, which was fine by Jai. So the snows would have to melt in their own time. By far the sea was the most perilous threat to his rule. A rule that depended so much on prosperity. Half the reason Jai still accompanied Daryen to the Merchant's Council was to keep a finger on the economic pulse of the nation. A guy didn't have to stick an arrow in Daryen's chest to get rid of him, though that would work just as well; destroying the pillar of prosperity upon which he conquered Arad Doman in the first place would see him ruined almost as easily. Almost.
Trade by sea was the most important pipeline Daryen had to him. Seas that were perilous in the best of times. Voyages frequently set sail only to never make port again; unless they were helmed by Sea Folk, and even they lost a ship now and then. More as they sailed into seanchan territory and so lost more and more of their Windfinders year after year. For good reason Jai had no intention of ever setting sail to anywhere. If he couldn't Travel there, well he just wasn't going to go.
But the bloody dickface seanchan. Daryen had as many channelers as he could spare on the water. Since then, no more of his ships were boarded for "inspections" as they crossed Seanchan controlled waters. Apparently the berths were most tense in Falme and Tanchico. As the Seanchan capitals had no way to tell which ship housed an Asha'man and which did not. It was a bloody mess, but somehow Daryen was determined to keep it contained.
He changed back into a white outfit again. Though the cloth was a regular coat this time rather than the sheen things Domani were famous for sporting. That is, if golden knots down the sleeves, birds of paradise splayed across the shoulders, and Domani crystals sewn into the cuffs a regular coat made. Which was an obvious yes; you couldn't swing a trolloc head in Maradon without hitting a guy in a crystal coat. A very black-clad Jai leaned against the railing behind him, thoroughly amused by the symbolism of it all. Beneath that gaudy coat, Daryen's shirt was open at the collar, more white. Absently, Jai’s hand draped upon the sword dutifully waiting at his belt, watching the king. Naturally, his thoughts reverted to the day the sword was gifted, and the gratitude Jai returned in kind. His lips curved to a small smirk, hinting at some of those thoughts. Well, you couldn't blame a guy. It'd been a long month.
So. Was the king practicing the noble art of laundering his own shirts like a freshborn Soldier cub? Or was he simply aware of how bloody bright the color was against Domani skin and sapphire eyes? Rumbles of thunder broke the humidity behind him. Jai almost laughed; the storms here were so different. There was still blue sky overhead, but the ocean was beginning to churn. Daryen glanced up at the faint sound, checked the sky briefly and found that someone was watching him. They met eyes, but Jai broke first, compelled to bow his head slightly. Just in case there was confusion about who ruled around here. He must have sensed Jai’s thoughts, for he winked and feel freely back into conversation.
Daryen was amused, but it was a General freed from the clutches of small talk that joined the Asha'man on the terrace, and Jai stepped out of his own head back to the present world, smoothing his sleeves as he did. Antony was nobility, but the long-time military family was raised some generations ago after honors followed the suppression of Domani civil war. Lord Antony Sadiq, though he preferred to be addressed for the soldier-general he really was, though he tolerated the politics better than Jai. Actually, it was rather impressive.
They shook hands.
"Welcome back, Asha'man," Antony greeted with a firm nod, gaze lingering only briefly on the faded bruise circling Jai's temple. It was almost faded by then.
Jai laughed, "Eh well I ran out of stuff to do. Figured it was time to wander back west. Besides, my tan was fading. And its bloody winter everywhere else."
Antony chuckled then clapped Jai on the shoulder. They’d sparred in the past, and Jai won as much as he lost. Antony was a force to be reckoned with one on one, but that didn’t mean be beat Jai. He liked to boost his friend’s ego once in a while with a good win. Just because you could throw the game didn’t mean you walked away from the table with nothing.
They both glanced as one seagull broke from the pack to dive lower in search of dropped morsels. For all Antony's dancing both sides of the aristocratic fence, the man behaved more like a soldier and less like a nobleman; which was probably why Jai liked the guy so much. Though with the stiff coat, cut Domani-style short to the waist, gleaming with polished gold buttons stamped with the Tree of Arad Doman, red cords draped across one shoulder, and a row of medals on his chest-- just to look at the man, it was hard to tell which side of those fences he truly walked. The slick hair and oiled mustache didn't help.
"You know you are awful clean-cut for a soldier." With a smirk, Jai glanced at his own nice white fingernails, and nodded with approval.
The General shrugged, "I like things clean."
"Sound like my brother," Jai muttered, recent memories flashing until his thoughts were consumed by the birds once more. River gulls were smaller than their ocean-born cousins.
"Your brother?" Antony glanced indoors, assuming Jai meant the Asha’man King.
Jai waved it off, and changed the topic, lowering his voice.
"Any headway with the bounty?" Another round of thunder rumbled, a bit closer this time. Blue sky had given way to thin clouds.
Antony frowned, "Nothing in weeks. Which worries me."
Jai agreed. Daryen had a price on his head. They both knew it. In fact, the bounty was the heart of many a heated conversation. Unsurprising, really. It was best to assume every ruler had someone willing to pay to lop off their heads. In this case, it was the seanchan willing to put up the cash. Which rumor said was a lot. General Sadiq had disbanded a couple of attempts already, before they were organized enough to warrant Trista's attention. But for every attempt, Jai figured there were twice as many which they didn't know about. Jai scratched his scalp, thinking.
The wind picked up about then. It tossed the gulls overhead. One came spiraling down and landed on the railing some ten paces away, unafraid of the presence of people. More like a pigeon than a gull, really. And pigeons were something Jai knew a thing or two about; hell, everyone in Tar Valon did; unfortunately. It hopped to the terrace and started exploring. Hoping to come across a snack. Apparently gulls liked pastries. Not that there were any around, also unfortunately.
That's when it dawned on him. A thoughtful smile slowly grew, and this time, Jai clapped Antony on the shoulder and led him away from ears which might overhear.
"You ever been fishing, Sadiq?"
The General glanced at the sea sprawled around his city. Then to the river which emptied into it.
"Of course," he answered slowly. Confused.
Jai nodded, "You know, until a month ago, I'd never gone hunting a day in his life. I think its time to give fishing a try." He grinned with the sort of mischief that worried the straight-laced General, but after hearing Jai's plan, Antony wasn't sure whether he should be impressed or worried. But he'd get the word out. "--You make sure they're delivered to the right people and I'll draft the correspondences myself," Jai went on to explain. "And we'll see who bites."
No. The purpose of the last hour was to update the king and his advisors regarding the perimeter of his rule. This was military. Specifically, the integrity of his borders. North was quiet. The southern border with Tarabon was simmering more than usual lately. And a small uprising in the east, in the forehills of the Mountains of Mist, was put down quietly enough. The trade routes through the mountains were expected to reopen with the melting snows, and that topic in particular seemed to come up more than once: that what an advantage they could have if the passes were cleared by ways of the One Power. With one Asha'man as an escort, to clear the brush so to say. More than one face glanced at Jai, lounging with a drink in his hand and apparently doing nothing but sucking down good sea air. Daryen agreed, and for half a second, Jai flinched with worry. Justifiably. If bloody Daryen asked him to babysit a caravan of Domani crystal through the snow, he might just fall on his own sword before they reached Lake Somal.
He hadn't. Thank the Light, and Jai raised his cup to the good Lord that suggested such in the first place. All available channelers to Daryen were being used at sea, while Jai was apparently busy being the shield for the King. Though the presence of Daryen's Gaidar muddled the rumor of Jai's role in Daryen's life, which was fine by Jai. So the snows would have to melt in their own time. By far the sea was the most perilous threat to his rule. A rule that depended so much on prosperity. Half the reason Jai still accompanied Daryen to the Merchant's Council was to keep a finger on the economic pulse of the nation. A guy didn't have to stick an arrow in Daryen's chest to get rid of him, though that would work just as well; destroying the pillar of prosperity upon which he conquered Arad Doman in the first place would see him ruined almost as easily. Almost.
Trade by sea was the most important pipeline Daryen had to him. Seas that were perilous in the best of times. Voyages frequently set sail only to never make port again; unless they were helmed by Sea Folk, and even they lost a ship now and then. More as they sailed into seanchan territory and so lost more and more of their Windfinders year after year. For good reason Jai had no intention of ever setting sail to anywhere. If he couldn't Travel there, well he just wasn't going to go.
But the bloody dickface seanchan. Daryen had as many channelers as he could spare on the water. Since then, no more of his ships were boarded for "inspections" as they crossed Seanchan controlled waters. Apparently the berths were most tense in Falme and Tanchico. As the Seanchan capitals had no way to tell which ship housed an Asha'man and which did not. It was a bloody mess, but somehow Daryen was determined to keep it contained.
He changed back into a white outfit again. Though the cloth was a regular coat this time rather than the sheen things Domani were famous for sporting. That is, if golden knots down the sleeves, birds of paradise splayed across the shoulders, and Domani crystals sewn into the cuffs a regular coat made. Which was an obvious yes; you couldn't swing a trolloc head in Maradon without hitting a guy in a crystal coat. A very black-clad Jai leaned against the railing behind him, thoroughly amused by the symbolism of it all. Beneath that gaudy coat, Daryen's shirt was open at the collar, more white. Absently, Jai’s hand draped upon the sword dutifully waiting at his belt, watching the king. Naturally, his thoughts reverted to the day the sword was gifted, and the gratitude Jai returned in kind. His lips curved to a small smirk, hinting at some of those thoughts. Well, you couldn't blame a guy. It'd been a long month.
So. Was the king practicing the noble art of laundering his own shirts like a freshborn Soldier cub? Or was he simply aware of how bloody bright the color was against Domani skin and sapphire eyes? Rumbles of thunder broke the humidity behind him. Jai almost laughed; the storms here were so different. There was still blue sky overhead, but the ocean was beginning to churn. Daryen glanced up at the faint sound, checked the sky briefly and found that someone was watching him. They met eyes, but Jai broke first, compelled to bow his head slightly. Just in case there was confusion about who ruled around here. He must have sensed Jai’s thoughts, for he winked and feel freely back into conversation.
Daryen was amused, but it was a General freed from the clutches of small talk that joined the Asha'man on the terrace, and Jai stepped out of his own head back to the present world, smoothing his sleeves as he did. Antony was nobility, but the long-time military family was raised some generations ago after honors followed the suppression of Domani civil war. Lord Antony Sadiq, though he preferred to be addressed for the soldier-general he really was, though he tolerated the politics better than Jai. Actually, it was rather impressive.
They shook hands.
"Welcome back, Asha'man," Antony greeted with a firm nod, gaze lingering only briefly on the faded bruise circling Jai's temple. It was almost faded by then.
Jai laughed, "Eh well I ran out of stuff to do. Figured it was time to wander back west. Besides, my tan was fading. And its bloody winter everywhere else."
Antony chuckled then clapped Jai on the shoulder. They’d sparred in the past, and Jai won as much as he lost. Antony was a force to be reckoned with one on one, but that didn’t mean be beat Jai. He liked to boost his friend’s ego once in a while with a good win. Just because you could throw the game didn’t mean you walked away from the table with nothing.
They both glanced as one seagull broke from the pack to dive lower in search of dropped morsels. For all Antony's dancing both sides of the aristocratic fence, the man behaved more like a soldier and less like a nobleman; which was probably why Jai liked the guy so much. Though with the stiff coat, cut Domani-style short to the waist, gleaming with polished gold buttons stamped with the Tree of Arad Doman, red cords draped across one shoulder, and a row of medals on his chest-- just to look at the man, it was hard to tell which side of those fences he truly walked. The slick hair and oiled mustache didn't help.
"You know you are awful clean-cut for a soldier." With a smirk, Jai glanced at his own nice white fingernails, and nodded with approval.
The General shrugged, "I like things clean."
"Sound like my brother," Jai muttered, recent memories flashing until his thoughts were consumed by the birds once more. River gulls were smaller than their ocean-born cousins.
"Your brother?" Antony glanced indoors, assuming Jai meant the Asha’man King.
Jai waved it off, and changed the topic, lowering his voice.
"Any headway with the bounty?" Another round of thunder rumbled, a bit closer this time. Blue sky had given way to thin clouds.
Antony frowned, "Nothing in weeks. Which worries me."
Jai agreed. Daryen had a price on his head. They both knew it. In fact, the bounty was the heart of many a heated conversation. Unsurprising, really. It was best to assume every ruler had someone willing to pay to lop off their heads. In this case, it was the seanchan willing to put up the cash. Which rumor said was a lot. General Sadiq had disbanded a couple of attempts already, before they were organized enough to warrant Trista's attention. But for every attempt, Jai figured there were twice as many which they didn't know about. Jai scratched his scalp, thinking.
The wind picked up about then. It tossed the gulls overhead. One came spiraling down and landed on the railing some ten paces away, unafraid of the presence of people. More like a pigeon than a gull, really. And pigeons were something Jai knew a thing or two about; hell, everyone in Tar Valon did; unfortunately. It hopped to the terrace and started exploring. Hoping to come across a snack. Apparently gulls liked pastries. Not that there were any around, also unfortunately.
That's when it dawned on him. A thoughtful smile slowly grew, and this time, Jai clapped Antony on the shoulder and led him away from ears which might overhear.
"You ever been fishing, Sadiq?"
The General glanced at the sea sprawled around his city. Then to the river which emptied into it.
"Of course," he answered slowly. Confused.
Jai nodded, "You know, until a month ago, I'd never gone hunting a day in his life. I think its time to give fishing a try." He grinned with the sort of mischief that worried the straight-laced General, but after hearing Jai's plan, Antony wasn't sure whether he should be impressed or worried. But he'd get the word out. "--You make sure they're delivered to the right people and I'll draft the correspondences myself," Jai went on to explain. "And we'll see who bites."
Only darkness shows you the light.