“You know, Braydon. You should really stick around for longer than it takes for your ship to be ready some time. You’ll give a lady a bad impression if you are not careful.” Lani spoke to Braydon, once more on the dockside of Milmond.

“I should have more time once I return from Narabun, though would you want me around right now with Duke Burn pestering you?” There was a reason that Lani had left Cliforge as soon as he returned. She would have to renegotiate her relationship with the, now, sole hegemon of the south. And Braydon was not exactly in Duke Burn’s corner, even if officially the Duke was to marry his daughter to the King.

“Oh please, there is a reason why I never had to side with either him or Ryder. Do you really think that I have no power in our negotiations now that Ryder is out of the picture?” Lani had mentioned something like this before but had never elucidated what gave her such confidence. If he were to guess it would be some kind of secret that the Duke never wanted exposed.

“And you are sure that the Duke will never try to act against you?” If it were the truth then Braydon could only wonder why Duke Burn never acted to remove her. It might have cost him a loss politically but if he did not want something that she knew revealed, that would hardly stop him. Even more so now that it was unlikely that anyone would try and rebuke him with most all of his rivals taken care of.

“Not if he knows what is good for him.” Lani smiled in a way that somehow reminded him of when Nela was scheming. Though Braydon was at a loss for why she was so confident, he decided not to pursue it any further. She had been around in noble circles for much longer than he had, she could take care of herself.

“Then I might stay for a day or two on my return. Since he hasn’t sent word asking about letting his merchants through the embargo, I doubt he takes me seriously anyway.” As much as it hurt his pride to say it, Braydon knew that it was true. The Duke had been trading with whomever he wanted on his own terms for years, it was not like he was going to give that up now that he had nominally bowed to the King’s authority.

“Is that not what you are going to Narabun to discuss with the Grand Duchess?” Lani looked at him questioningly. Since Braydon now held decision making power on which Fiverian merchants could legally trade with Shuluk, it stood to reason that he went to negotiate her cooperation.

“That and a few other things, though getting either her or the Duke to comply would be a pipe dream.” Braydon doubted that she would defer to him on something as lucrative as trading with the merchants associated with Duke Burn just because he asked her to. He also noted that Lani called Alima Shuluk the Grand Duchess rather than Duchess Regent. That at least told him what she thought was going to happen.

“You think she will do away with her young son?” He had to ask.

“From what I gather, she is ambitious enough. If I were you, I would try to use that.” Lani declined to say any more than that when Braydon looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Looks like they are ready, Sire,” Gerald approached the pair and informed Braydon.

“Then I thank you for once again letting me use your ship. I will try not to get into a confrontation with pirates again.” Braydon smiled and thanked her.

“No need for the thanks, you are paying me for the privilege. And I doubt that you will not meet pirates. They have increased their presence massively in the past year. At least if the merchants that come here are to be believed.” Lani warned him.

“Is that why you have more muscle onboard than I remember?” Braydon asked.

“Yes, merchant fleets have also been joining together for even the shorter voyages now. Of course merchants flying Imperial colours have been just fine.” Lani rolled her eyes as she said that last part. It was apparent that the empire was hardly trying to hide their privateering at this point.

“Just another thing for me to discuss with the Grand Duchess. I shall take my leave here, thank you for the hospitality however brief it was.” Braydon made a slight bow.

“I pray for your safe return.” Lani did a small curtsy in response as Braydon turned toward the ship, Gerald in tow.

“Same ship as last time?” Braydon asked Gerald.

“One of her other ones, so no familiar faces this time.” Gerald informed him, much to Braydon’s disappointment. Captain has been an interesting story teller if nothing else. That and Braydon had wanted to tease him about his real name on the way to Narabun.

“A boring few days then.” Braydon commented. If he remembered correctly it would take about 3 days to reach Narabun.

“Just a question, Sire. I thought Lady Graham only owned one ship, when did she acquire another one?” Gerald had to ask.

“When Duke Burn blocks access to the riverside cities aligned with Duke Ryder, where do you think all of them will end up going?” As soon as the civil war had broken out, Duke Burn had made sure that nothing could move along the Harmony without his permission. And the civil war had lasted for months on end, there was no way that the merchants were going to wait that long to sell their wares.

“Duke Burn’s allies' cities?” Gerald stated the obvious.

“That too, but he never blocked access to Milmond. Lani is a smart woman, of course she would take advantage of something like that. War is great business.” Braydon himself was about to try and profit from the civil war in Narabun, he doubted that he was the only one who had such an idea.

Darkwood

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