Wanderlust - Chapter 25: Chapter 25

The next day started with a bustle of activity. They were woken up by a loud knock on the door, and a knight's voice calling through. "Lord Tanden, your presence is requested in Lord West Draulin's office."
Tanden groaned and nudged Soren's arm out of the way so he could sit up. "I know you're awake," he muttered.
"Your presence, not mine," Soren replied drowsily.
"Shut up."
"Lord Tanden?" The voice came through again.
"Yes, I'm awake!" Tanden shouted back, before flopping back down on the bed. "I hate my brother sometimes." He rolled over to face Soren. "Wake up, mate."
"I am awake," Soren grumbled. He opened his eyes a crack. "What does he want?"
"I don't know. He probably wants to plan a meeting with the King or make me give him a written copy of my travel plan for the next four years."
"Doubt it."
"I guess that would be a bit excessive, even for him," Tanden agreed. "I should go before he sends another guard. Or bursts in himself. We're sleeping in our first night at sea. I don't care if we're in the middle of a hurricane and the crew has all been washed overboard, we're not leaving my bed until noon." He sat up again, but this time actually got to his feet and rummaged around for clothes.
Soren sat up a moment later and crossed his legs under the sheets. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. The new ring glinted on his hand. "I don't sleep in your cabin."
That gave Tanden pause. He'd gotten so used to Soren being in his bed in West Draulin, he'd completely forgotten that they tried to be more subtle on the ship. "Well, maybe it's time we change that. If..." he paused. "Only if you're comfortable with that."
For a moment Tanden was afraid Soren would say no, worried that maybe he'd pushed Soren too quickly. But with everything that had been going on, it seemed the next logical step.
Then the moment passed and Soren nodded. "If I can face your brothers and their wives teasing me, I reckon I can face the crew. But I still want my cabin. Just in case."
"In case what?"
Soren shrugged. "Dunno. You get too annoying, maybe."
"That seems unlikely. I'm delightful," Tanden replied.
"Aye, right."
Tanden let the conversation fade, while pulling a clean tunic over his head. Soren agreeing to move into his cabin, at least partially, changed things. He started to go over how he'd tell the crew. It probably wouldn't come as a complete surprise, but it was important to ensure the crew knew Soren's position as first mate was a separate thing. It might be hard to convince them of that.
There was a knock on the door. "I'm sorry, my lord, but—"
"I'm coming," Tanden snapped, before grumbling to himself, "I swear, I'm going to kill Rael. Soren, you have things to take care of, right?"
Soren nodded. "I'll be in the port."
"I'll come find you later," Tanden promised. He yanked open the door and the young guard waiting in the hall flinched. "Well, we can't keep Lord West Draulin waiting." He brushed past the guard and walked down the hall. The guard trailed quietly after him the entire way to Tandrael's office. Tanden shoved the door open.
Tanden's brothers hardly reacted. Tandrael sat at his desk, and Tandar was leaning over the back of his chair. Their eyes scanned the parchment unfurled on the desk.
"Care to explain to me why you had me summoned like a child?" Tanden growled. He leaned across the desk to get a look at the parchment. It didn't seem particurly interesting. "I could have slept in."
"You did sleep in," Tandrael replied, as aggravatingly calm as always. "Tandar and I have been up for hours."
"Aren't sailors usually early risers?" Tandar added.
"When I want to be. So what is this?"
"This—" Tandrael indicated the letter with a wave, "—is from the King. He's been interested in coming to visit West Draulin and would like us to host a meeting of the Island Lords. He heard you were in the city and he's asking for you to be there."
Tanden was at a loss for words, a feeling he really didn't enjoy. He had met the King, of course, as a Tandran it was hard to avoid the royal family. But King Edarius had never paid him any real attention. He was the third son. He had never been important to the political sphere. "Why?"
"You may not consider yourself an ambassador, but every time you step into a foreign city you represent Zianna. King Edarius pays attention. He would like to hear about your experiences. He may also be hoping to hire you."
Tanden shook his head. "I'm not going to work for the King."
"Of course you aren't," Tandrael agreed. "If I couldn't get you to work for me, what chance does the King have? But you can be polite and hear him out."
With a groan, Tanden sat down. "I can suffer through it, I suppose."
"You love talking about your trips, I'm sure it'll be fine," Tandrael said.
"Yes, that part will be. But a meeting with the Island Lords? I don't want to sit through reports about Vasel or Lothin, let alone listen to the smaller lords talk about their villas."
Tandar chuckled. "Nobody wants to listen to them, little brother. But it's part of being a leader."
"I'm a captain," Tanden complained. "You should have disowned me six years ago. Protect me from the horrifically boring lives lords lead. We could have met up in secret. I'd still deliver goods to you, I'd just wear a disguise. And I'd be free from this."
"There's still time to disown you," Tandrael said lightly. "The King will be arriving the day after tomorrow. You'll have to postpone your departure. I know it isn't ideal, but if you could suffer through it with as much decorum as you can muster, it would be appreciated."
Tanden sighed dramatically. "Reckon I'll manage just fine, aye?"
"And don't speak like that at the meeting."
"You're absolutely no fun, Rael," Tanden pointed out. "But yes, I'll be on my absolute best behaviour. Don't worry about me."
The crew didn't seem to care, when he announced that they'd have to stay in West Draulin a couple extra days. Tanden gave them all leave again to make up for it, so it wasn't exactly a hardship. They were happy enough to go back to the taverns.
Tanden took advantage of the extra time to look through Tandrael's books on the Southern countries. It was hard to get a feel for cultures from books, but it was a start. He even wrote out a rough schedule of where he wanted to go over the next few years, just in case King Edarius asked for something like that. He definitely didn't like the idea of the King keeping tabs on his travel, but as long as the King didn't try to interfere it wasn't so bad.
Tanden assured Soren that he wouldn't have to attend the meeting with the King, and since the Wanderlust was ready to go, Tanden insisted Soren take some time off during the day before heading back to the fortress for the evening.
Which led to Soren sitting in a tavern with Ivern, Jerios and Roan. Not that he minded spending time with them, it was nice to get away from the Tandran family and all of their guards.
"Listen," Roan was saying. "The fish was longer than my arm. I'd've died if it bit me, I reckon."
"From a fish bite?" Ivern shook his head. "That's impossible."
"You didn't see it, mate. It was a monster!"
Jerios returned to the table then, carefully holding four tankards of ale. Soren took the one offered to him, although he didn't really want it. Jerios passed out the other two and took a large gulp from his own. "He still going on about that fish?"
Soren nodded. He gave Roan a chance to finish his sentence before clearing his throat to interrupt. "So, mate. Giant fish aside, did you have a good trip with your brother?"
Roan grinned. "Aye, obviously. Tried to convince him to ask for a job with us, but he's doin' well with his little fishin' boat, so—" he shrugged. "What can I do, aye? He seems happy, at least."
"That's what matters, isn't it? As long as he's putting food on the table," Ivern said.
"Giant fish, apparently," Jarios teased.
Soren cut in before Roan could speak up. "Ivern, what have you been doing, then?"
"Oh, I visited family, too," Ivern said. "My mother and my sister, they live a little ways out of the city. My sister's got a baby now. Her husband's... not the most reliable man. I know Iva appreciates my wages."
"I'm sure she liked seeing you, too," Soren said.
"Of course. We've always been close. We're twins, you know," Ivern said. "Luckily for Iva, we look nothing alike."
Roan laughed. "Come on, mate. Reckon you aren't too ugly."
Soren could have agreed, but he kept the thought to himself. While not particularly handsome, Ivern certainly wasn't ugly. "Twins are rare for Teltans, aren't they?"
Ivern nodded. "We got a lot of attention as children. Now, how about Jerios tell us what he did on leave?" He asked, but his tone made it clear he knew the answer, and it was something worth talking about.
"All right, I'll bite." Soren smiled. "Jerios, what did you do?"
Jerios took another gulp of ale. "I met a woman."
"And," Ivern prompted.
"And I asked her to marry me."
Soren couldn't have been more surprised. "Wait, what? What'd she say, mate?"
"No. She said we haven't known each other long enough, and told me to ask again next time I'm in West Draulin," Jerios explained. "I'll do it. I know it might a while before we're back, but I'll find her."
"I always assumed you would have someone waiting for you in Hoask," Soren admitted.
Jerios shook his head. "No, nothing serious, at least. So your turn, Soren. What have you been doing?"
Roan slammed his tankard, already drained, onto the table. "We all know where Soren was, mate. With the Captain."
Ivern sighed. "Roan."
"What? If I'm right you both owe me twenty siyas."
Soren glanced between the three of them. "You took bets on where I was?" He didn't really mind, except that he didn't like the idea of being quite that predictable. He glanced at the ring. He'd been nervous about it, but there was no real reason to be. Sailors wore rings often enough.
"Well, Roan wasn't supposed to say anything," Ivern said. "I said you visited family."
"I said you'd holed up somewhere with a lover," Jerios added.
"So," Roan asked, "Who's right, mate?"
Soren paused, remembering his agreement with Tanden to sleep in the captain's quarters. There would be no hiding their relationship after that, and it would be nice to tell his friends first. He could gauge their reaction to prepare for the rest of the crew finding out. He sighed and took a quick drink of ale.
"All right, mates," he said, steadying his nerves. "You want the truth, then? I was with the Captain. And I, well..."
"Reckon you are handsome," Roan interrupted.
Soren gave a start. "What?"
"In Co, Cap'n said he prefers the handsome men over the pretty ones," Roan said. "I ain't interested or anything, mate, but I don't think anyone would call you pretty, aye?"
Soren tried, and failed, to hide his surprise. "What?" he repeated.
Jerios tapped his hand on the table. "Pay up, you two."
Soren watched, utterly confused, as the other two pulled out brass siyas and tossed them on the table. "But... didn't Roan bet I'd be with him?"
With a grin, Jerios picked up the coins. "Roan bet you'd be with the Captain, but that you'd be vague about what you were doing. I bet you'd been holed up with a lover, specifically the Captain, and that you'd admit it. Honestly didn't think I'd win." He slipped the coins into his pocket. "We should bet on you more often."
"What?"
Ivern laughed. "Oh, Soren, relax. We've been onto you for months."
"But how?"
"It was clear enough. You weren't around before... well, before you were around," Ivern said. "Captain Tanden has never been particularly subtle, but the crew's used to that. He would disappear whenever we landed, we'd see him flirting in bars with women or men, he'd make comments." He shrugged. "None of our business, right? But we got used to it. Then you showed up and he stopped. So at first we thought it was because he was toying with you, but you said you didn't feel the same way, so we let it go."
Soren swallowed. "Um... 'we' being who?"
"Oh, I don't know. Likely most of the crew hasn't given any of this a second thought," Ivern said.
"But then," Roan picked up the story. "You and the Cap'n spent the entire time in Co together, and you brought him to Kipper to drink with us. So we began to get suspicious, right. 'Cause he's always been friendly with the crew, but he's never been friends with any of the crew, 'sides for Vosh. But suddenly the Cap'n's choosin' to spend time with us. Wasn't hard to figure out that he was choosin' us 'cause you chose us, and he wanted to be with you, right."
Jerios nodded. "We just didn't know how long it would take for you to finally tell us."
Soren groaned and rubbed his face. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because then I couldn't have bet on it and earned forty siyas," Jerios joked.
"Great. So do you think the rest of the crew knows?"
They all shrugged. Ivern picked up his tankard of ale and swirled the liquid absentmindedly. "Probably not. We figured it out because you're our friend and mostly because of the evening in Co."
"Well, it isn't going to be a secret for much longer," Soren finally admitted. "He wants me to spend nights in his quarters with him, so we're going to have to tell the crew."
Roan clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, mate. The men like you. Reckon this won't change much. And anyone who does care, maybe they should just quit."
Soren sighed. "Aye, I hope so." He was still shaken by the revelation that they'd known, but all in all, he did feel a little better about the whole situation. Maybe telling the crew wouldn't be so bad.