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She felt so ,” she said, pushing hi his waist “And try to keep quiet this time”
The final shift was more abrupt, as if Orena sensed her discomfort The deck of the Sea Sabre pitched continually that day, the seas around the Wensel Isle were rarely cal she offered, wondering why the tears came so easily Normally she had to force them, but that day they streamed unbidden from her eyes “I think such trivia is beyond us now, otten its own naasped as the finalinto Orena’s apologetic eyes, an uncertain shness?” Murel hovered at her side, touching a tentative hand to her shoulder
Lyrna stood and pulled the her waist as Murel rested her head on her shoulder “I only ever had ladies,” Lyrna told theave a final pulse, heavy with a sense of regretful necessity; a lesson she barely understood but needed to share: they can change
• • •
They thronged the docks to watch her go, drowning her in a tuplank to the deck of the Queen Lyrna, all those not chosen to sail the ocean and finish her great crusade; the old, the young and the skilled Many eeping, so to be allowed to join her A cordon of Real theto swireeted the Shield as he performed a precisely formal bow
“Highness,” he said in the neutral tone she found ever“The ships from South Tower and Warnsclave approach We will rendezvous ten nored the final jibe, softly spoken though it had been He and several of his captains had voiced objections to her decision to sail so early in the year, advising the winter storh seas He was unmoved by Brother Harlick’s carefully prepared tables of historical weather patterns, indicating the northern Boraelin underwent a five-week period of relative cal the hness,” the Shield had said, casting a dismissive eye over the librarian’s papers “Udonor doesn’t read”
“He may not, but I do,” Lyrna replied “Our ene and I will not pass up an opportunity to surprise them Our fleet will be complete within the aze went to the King Malcius, unfurling sail as she cleared the hed towards the horizon At the end of the ure seated before a vast canvas perched precariously on an easel Master Benril, corey sky and loo out the orders that would see the to detach lines and heave the beams into place to push theaze found a diure at the prow Alornis didn’t look up fro a s on its underside “My lady,” Lyrna said
“Highness” Alornis gave the pipe a final tap, s in satisfaction at the sound it produced
“If your work here is coo ashore”
“Sadly this new device requires h and crouched to inspect the s “I can’t possibly let it sail in such condition, Highness”
Lyrna went to her side, speaking in soft tones “I gave your brother the most solemn promise that I would keep you safe Now, remove yourself to the shore or I’ll have Lord Iltis do it for you”
“They killed Alucius!” Alornis whirled towards her, the ha across the deck as she tossed it aside, face livid, her shout heralding a frigid stillness on the deck “You proled tone though she forced the words out, her gaze tearful but unwavering “I have travelled the length of this Real murder and destruction with every mile, and laboured without sleep for months to provide you these deadly instruments All without request for reward or expectation of favour, because you proive this, Lyrna knew Even if she lives
“Fleet Lord Ell-Nestra,” she said, turning away “Please get us under way”
• • •