It felt like before Isaac knew what happened he was shuffling side to side in a carriage again. This time the carriage was much nicer though. It was a fully roofed carriage that was furnished on the inside and simple but ornate on the outside. The seats were cushioned and comfortable. Isaac considered taking a nap but he couldn't rest after sleeping the whole ride to Syagon not long ago.

  Instead Isaac found a book in his collection that had been conveniently packed by his stewards. The book was about southern magic practices and their histories. Isaac read it to pass the time but eventually found himself bored looking around.

  Directly across from him Nathaniel sat alone beneath where the driver sat above them. He flipped through the pages of what appeared to be a ledger and occasionally wrote in it. As always he was expressionless and unreadable to Isaac.

  On Isaac's left Thrawn sat next to him and stared out the window. Occasionally he shifted his body and looked around before returning to the window.

  Eventually Thrawn pointed out the window and remarked. “Look. Another road.” He looked at each of them one by one. Nathaniel seemed to just ignore him. Isaac simply didn't understand and looked at him confused.

  “Another road south.” Thrawn said as if to answer a question that wasn't asked. “I've seen a few now. None of them lead there?”

  It was silent beside the sound of the rumbling carriage. Isaac knew the answer but assumed the question wasn't for him. Instead he looked at each of them waiting to see which would speak first.

  Nathaniel finally peered over his glasses and looked only to find both of them staring at him. He sighed and closed his ledger and sat it squarely on his lap. He simply answered “one way or another.”

  Thrawn leaned forward and responded quickly with frustration. “Then why are we taking a ship? It seems unnecessary.”

  “Foremere is far south and its capital is on the coast.” Nathaniel spoke calmly ignoring Thrawn's tone. “The roads are not what they used to be and we'd be traveling through a handful of kingdoms. This way will be much quicker and we risk less delays this way.”

  “And I have to be here?” Thrawn said sarcastically.

  “Did you not ask to be a part of the court of our liege? More than just some foreman? Did he not make you the Court Architect? The court Engineer?” Nathaniel sounded like a parent calmly scolding their child. “and as a member of this court you have been requested to join this delegation. In a way you requested to be here by your own actions.”

  Nathaniel opened his book as if to assume the matter closed and Thrawn watched him closely. Isaac could feel the tension in the air. He pretended to look at his book but looked around repeatedly and waited for someone to speak.

  “That's fair.” Thrawn said as he leaned back again. “But I plan to drink myself into a deep sleep once we're on board and I'll be below deck until we get there.”

  “Alcohol isn't a remedy for seasickness.” Nathaniel said while scribbling in his ledger.

  “I don't get seasick.” Thrawn looked disgusted. “I don't get sick. A dwarf like me never gets sick.” He chuckled “The only thing that could maybe make me sick is a whole keg of Dwarvern Ale and I doubt they have that on your fancy little boat.” He looked out his window and continued to laugh to himself.

  “So you're scared then.” Nathaniel said, sounding certain.

  Thrawn scoffed. “By The Maker himself. Absolutely not. I'm not scared. I'm.. It's..” Thrawn searched for the words.

  “an aversion to it.” Isaac interjected.

  “Yes!” Thrawn exclaimed as he punched Isaac in the arm with appreciation. Isaac winced slightly and resisted rubbing his sore arm for the rest of the ride.

  Nathaniel snuck a smile then quickly hid it away. He closed his ledger to address Thrawn directly once again. “So. An aversion to water?”

  “No! The ocean! I'm building a dam for Daw’s sake.” Thrawn said proudly. “My grandfather always used to tell me Magdumir had no oceans or seas and Daw made it that way for a good reason.”

  Nathaniel looked perplexed and questioned Thrawn further. “Name one.”

  “You want a list? I know you love those.” Thrawn responded.

  Isaac covered his mouth to hide the fact he was trying not to laugh.

  Thrawn began his rant. “It's simply too big. Who needs all that water? It seems endless and bottomless and you can't do anything with water besides drink it but even if you wanted to you can't. It's filled with salt. Why? Who needs salty water? I honestly don't need to explain myself further. It's taboo quite frankly. Right Isaac?”

  Isaac looked at Thrawn confused “I do love your people's descriptions of your world. I understand the preference for a horizon that's always reachable and tangible.” Isaac rubbed his chin and thought for a moment before continuing. “But it also feels limiting in a way. I honestly prefer endless horizons and I seem to make my living off trying to grasp the intangible.”

  Thrawn stared at Isaac dumbfounded and then began to speak pretending to be upset. “I trusted you Isaac.” He lifted his nose and turned to the window. “Unforgivable.”

  “Aw c'mon. I'm sure it's great.” Isaac laughed pretending to sooth his joking friend. “Perhaps I'll spend some time underground eventually to better appreciate your position.”

  “Really?” Thrawn said.

  “More than likely.” Isaac shrugged. “Most likely when I'm dead.”

  Thrawn turned to Isaac again smiling and pointing at him. “Why you-”

  Three knocks sounded on the ceiling right below the driver. Isaac and Thrawn both went quiet and looked toward the source. Nathaniel looked up to where the sound came from then quickly looked out a window then at them.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt this chat but we'll be arriving at the dock shortly.” Nathaniel said “I intended to wait until we were on the ship but it seems that some of us will be preoccupied once on board.”

  “Heavily preoccupied!” Thrawn interjected with pride.

  “Indeed.” Nathaniel responded then continued. “This conversation we're about to have is just for us and I ask for your discretion.” He stared at the two of them patiently.

  Isaac was unsure what Nathaniel was waiting for until Thrawn spoke up.

  “To my grave.” He said with sureness in his voice.

  Isaac simply nodded.

  “The three of us. This delegation is very important.” Nathaniel began to explain. “Where we're heading right now could easily be considered the new heart of the South and each of you will be meeting with two of its most powerful leaders. The spoken reason we all must go is to oblige these leaders for diplomatic relations but the unspoken reason is opportunity. I need you both to gather as much information as possible. Don't be afraid to be friendly and ask questions. You are their welcome guests and I want you both to take this opportunity but remember where your oath of loyalty lies.” Nathaniel leaned forward. “I would hope neither of you would take anything they offer but I do hope to hear about everything you discuss.”

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  “An offer?” Thrawn whistled as he crossed his fingers behind his head and leaned back. “What if it's too good to refuse?”

  “You'd be very wise to.” Nathaniel answered Thrawn directly. “King Declan is a volatile and unpredictable man from what I've heard. His court and kingdom is a dangerous place to be right now outside of this event, especially for a dwarf. This King Declan you're chatting with has gone as far as to proclaim himself to be something like a god.”

  Thrawn sat back forward at this, paying proper attention again. “He claims he's a god? Like a real god?”

  “Of sorts. Which brings me to another point.” Nathaniel sounded more stressed as he went on. “Please do not offend these people. For your sake and everyone else's.” Nathaniel turned looking at Isaac. “You need to be careful too. Adam Reacher is not a king but he has a presence throughout the south and he may be just as dangerous. He's a hard man to get information on but he's constantly recruiting and growing his influence and what I have heard is unverified but concerning. You should be careful and refuse anything he offers. If not for your kingdom for you.”

  Nathaniel leaned in close and peered over his glasses and stared directly into Isaac's eyes. Isaac felt as if Nathaniel was looking into his soul.

  Nathaniel's voice got serious but Isaac could hear him pleading underneath. “But please listen to everything he has to offer. Indulge him. From what I understand they're interested in recruiting you. Use that.. I need to know I can trust you Isaac.”

  Isaac could feel his heart drop into his stomach and the pressure on his body. He could feel Thrawn watching him concerned and tried not to look back at him. He had actually heard a lot about Adam himself through academic circles but he tried not to think much about it. Nothing he had heard was good either. Now it all began to weigh on him at once. He decided he dreaded everything about this.

  Isaac swallowed and cleared his throat. “Of course. I understand.” He said.

  ***

  A few days and sleepless nights at sea had passed and Isaac had already explored the entire vessel, read every book he had brought, and drank himself sick trying to keep up with Thrawn more than a dozen times. He was aware that this ship was incomparable to a prison but that didn't stop it from feeling like one once he began to grow bored of the monotony.

  Isaac paced in the private quarters provided to him below deck staring at the wooden floor in front of his feet. With each step he picked up pace as his body got more tense and stiff. He furrowed his brow and ran his fingers through his hair and began to swear lightly under his breath.

  Isaac quickly paused in the middle of the room, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. After a moment he began to tap his foot uncontrollably and breathe roughly through his nose. I need some air. He thought to himself as he made his way to the deck.

  It was night time and the deck was abandoned except for a couple men still at their post. Not a word was spoken and all that could be heard was the creaking of the ship and the ocean around him. He walked to the edge of the ship and leaned against the railing trying to make out the mainland on the horizon as the coastline slowly drifted by.

  “The sun will be rising soon.” Nathaniel said as he suddenly appeared leaning on the railing beside Isaac.

  Isaac let his body go limp and hung his head over the side of the ship as he groaned. “I'm sure it will be and I just can't seem to sleep. I'm sorry.”

  Nathaniel looked around and then at Isaac confused. “Did I say something?”

  Isaac lifted his head slightly and looked at him. “I just assumed you wanted me rested for our arrival and I'm sure we'll be arriving soon.”

  Nathaniel chuckled quietly. “No. We're probably a little more than halfway there but still it'll be some time. I just thought you were admiring the sunrise.”

  Isaac looked forward again and his eyes searched for any sign of sunlight but found none. “No. Honestly I had no idea it was about to be morning. I just needed some fresh air. And you? Are you a man who enjoys beautiful sunrises and the fresh ocean air?” Isaac smiled, clearly humored by himself.

  “No.” Nathaniel said as he looked outward. “I'm just a man of routine and order for the most part. Everyday I admire the sun rise and set and take note of the time in between. Every minute, second, hour is accounted for, documented, and never wasted.”

  Isaac slowly looked at Nathaniel checking to see if he was joking but saw no sign and instead turned back forward. I thought I was eccentric. He couldn't remember what he ate this morning or manage his own time in the slightest yet that was Nathaniel's specialty. Isaac just smiled, unsure if this was proof of more they had in common or less.

  Nathaniel cut through the silence. “Can I ask you a question Isaac?”

  “Of course.” Isaac answered, trying to mask his concern.

  "What are you exactly?” Nathaniel asked plainly.

  Isaac looked at him slightly irritated. “I'm sorry. I don't know what you mean by that.”

  Nathaniel looked behind them at the deck before looking forward again. He spoke with a blank expression while looking through the horizon. “You were once a court mage like any other except you have no magical talent from what I've seen. I'd be lying if I said I didn't think the king was a little naive for choosing you as his mage. Our king eventually valued your opinions and thoughts so much he made you an advisor in his court instead. You've held the title of mage advisor in this court for over a year now but I'm sure you're aware this new position was created specifically for you by our majesty. You call yourself a mage but I've never seen you perform magic. I've seen you study like any other scholar might for history or science but I've seen no proof you've earned your title of a practicing mage. I've also seen you recently grow into a prominent member of this court with much more influence than a common mage. Whether unwittingly or not I wonder.”

  Isaac stood up straight no longer leaning on the railing and turned to face Nathaniel. “I don't know what you're insinuating? I am what I say I am. I am a mage and a scholar. I've studied every form of the arcane and everything that involves it more than any of my peers have. I've devoted myself to understanding. If I really wanted to do party tricks I'm sure I could but instead I try to provide more. If you ask me, my new role suits me. Plus you can hire someone else to do your party tricks now.”

  Nathaniel looked at Isaac seemingly unfazed as usual and continued to lean on the railing. “I did not mean to offend you. I just want to understand your motives, goals, and intentions. Most people are obvious to me. Consider it a compliment you aren't.”

  “Thank you I guess?” Isaac said as he rolled his eyes. “But I can spell it out for you plainly. I'm loyal to his majesty as a friend and as a sworn member of his court. I only want the best for everyone around me and I care about this Kingdom just as much as you.”

  Nathaniel gripped the railing tight and stood straight. His voice became stern and Isaac immediately sensed he stepped on a nerve. “No.” Nathaniel said. “I don't believe I enjoy that comparison. Your purpose in life may be understanding of the mystic but my purpose in life is the care of our kingdom and all of its people.”

  Isaac stepped closer to Nathaniel and started to raise his voice. “If you really cared about the kingdom then why are you holding back someone like Thrawn who I'll remind you is a member of this court too. He's working hard to improve this Kingdom for everyone in it and only wants the same opportunity he's been afforded for the rest of his kin. You'll ensure he's the exception and not the precedent at this rate and I'm certain even the king himself doesn't want that.”

  Nathaniel turned to face Isaac and he could clearly see the anger on Nathaniel’s face as his voice became like steel. “Strange. I came to admit to you that I don't know you and here you are claiming to know me and clearly you know nothing because you are not the man of my position. I am the right hand of the King, steward of Syagon, and servant to its people. I am not the servant of Thrawn or his Kin. When the kingdom is in need of labor I see to it that those already in the kingdom in desperate need of work get that work first so they can support their families. You'd rather I bring in outsiders? Leave our people in need and end with more mouths to feed when it's done. What's your plan for when the canal is done? More citizens but less jobs?” Nathaniel looked Isaac up and down and took one step closer to Isaac. “You know what I think it is? A lack of experience. You don't have the experience to understand the complexity of my loyalty. Perhaps this trip will give you the necessary experience to better understand.”

  Isaac stepped back with his eyes wide trying to think of something to say until his train of thought was suddenly interrupted. He could hear something in the distance.

  A low roaring sound slowly growing and coming from beyond the other side of the ship. Isaac turned to face it to hear it better and as he did a single burning light appeared over the ocean. As the sound got louder the light got brighter.

  Isaac just watched and almost forgot Nathaniel was there until he yelled “Get down!” as he tackled Isaac to the ground.

  “Get off me!” Isaac yelled as he tried to push Nathaniel off his body.

  They both froze as the sound began to reach its peak. They both looked up and watched as the light came into view directly above the ship. A giant flaming mass flew through the sky and its light bathed the ship as it flew past. They both stood up quickly and looked back towards the mainland where the ball of fire continued its path. The sound and light died out until it ended in an explosion that they could only assume had to hit the mainland.

  Isaac turned to look at Nathaniel next to him but he was gone. He quickly looked around to find him walking back below deck. “What was that?” He yelled after him.

  Nathaniel didn't look back but replied as he disappeared down the steps. “I was going to ask you that. I thought you'd know. Being an expert on the unknown and all.”

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