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Post by Retrograde on Sept 21, 2017 22:29:52 GMT
Marielle rose from the steaming waters of the baths, sighing contentedly. All the tension in her muscles had disappeared, and now that her legs were freshly shaven she could feel the rivulets running down her legs perfectly. She toweled herself off, taking special attention to her hair, before she got herself into her skirt and blouse. It felt so much better to be wearing these clothes over her military uniform. Truth be told, she hated wearing pants and was happy to be back in a skirt. The day had been busy, with her having to inspect Imrena's coastal defences and make sure that the troops were prepared in case of naval invasion, but now she was thoroughly relaxed and ready to face the world. She rubbed some kohl onto her eyelids and fastened on her sandals and with that she was able to depart Imrena's public baths and head out into the city.
Imrena was a beautiful city, and it was only enhanced by the new warmth of spring rising off of the sea and winding through its colourful buildings and the glow of sunset now casting itself across the waves. The sound of the ocean rushing and receding against the coast was only barely audible to an outsider, but for a Tlem who had spent too much time in Pyracle she could hear it so very clearly and was glad to have its presence back in her life. She walked past bustling people who were now readily packing up, hoping to head back to their farms before it got too dark while the first of the night's drunks stumbled about, jostled around by the crowds. Eventually, she would be joining them. She took a deep breath of the air, relishing it. Imrena, in her opinion at least, smelled far better than any mainlander city. She assumed it had something to do with the ocean blowing away the scents that normally came with a city. Or perhaps, more honestly, it was simply a bit of pride in her city that helped her filter out the worse aspects of it.
She toyed with the string of pearls around her neck. They had been her mother's, before that her grandmother's and she was told that the pearls went back a good few generations more than that. They gave her comfort, and it bothered her that she had to part with them whenever she was filling her military duties. The reasoning was sound of course, for they presented such an easy target for an enemy to grab but it was hard to be mature and logical about something that meant so much to her.
She stopped in front of her destination and marveled at it. A great white building that rose out from the cobblestone streets, standing three stories in height with beautifully maintained windows and a door made of treated oak. A sign proclaimed it the House of Maryam in Tlem. The fact that it had a written sign instead of an icon showed what sort of clientele it was looking for - the merchants of the world. It was perhaps one of the nicest Oyster Houses in Imrena. She pushed inside, and was bathed in the delicious odours of seafood and wine. The lighting was low in traditional Oyster House style, supported by small candles at the great round tables rather than big chandeliers, adding an ambience that could not be found in traditional Trevastine taverns and inns. Her eyes caught sight of white skin which was unusual in many of the Oyster Houses that she had attended. It was quite common for any of the Oyster Houses to turn away non-Tlem as a holdover from times when the Tlem were more oppressed. The Houses were meant to be a reprieve from the harassment that the Trevastines levied at them. However nowadays some places - apparently including the House of Maryam - had become less exclusive and allowed non-Tlem patrons. Not that Marielle could complain. It was clearly doing well because of this policy and Marielle had long ago promised to let go of any sour feelings she had towards Trevastines. Still, there was still a part of her deep down that made her feel as though the presence of Trevastines was something of a violation of a sacred space.
She pushed the thought out of her head and told herself she was being silly, instead fetching herself a table. She looked up at the waiter, a handsome man with broad shoulders and narrow eyes. "Hello, I'm Marielle Tenderheart. I'm waiting for someone - a guild member. If she comes around and asks for me, can you redirect her here?" She asked, eager to use her Tlemkhet once again in place of Routais. The man nodded and disappeared.
So Marielle was left alone with her thoughts for a moment. For some reason the idea of interacting with another Tlem woman in a position of power excited her like a child. It showed just how far her people had come in just two short years. It didn't matter to her in the moment that they often voted opposite one another in the Assembly of the Masses or that their ideas of how the country should be run could run opposite. Instead, she was just happy to have someone who might know about her situation.
Tonight was going to be good, she could feel it.
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Post by Asinity on Sept 23, 2017 17:47:05 GMT
Having her base of operations situated in Imrena was one of the few blessings that Anaese Brightsail counted. As a Tlem, and as a woman in power, she hardly found herself in a comfortable social situation when she was in Pyracle, but here in Imrena things were completely different. The clan she married into was there, of course, though meetings with them were sometimes tense due to her taking over the family business. Her home clan of Waterspear, however, the one she'd been born into, was in a small village that was only an afternoon's walk away from Imrena. Anaese visited both families fairly often with her fifteen year-old son Emre, and was comfortable that they were close enough to help her keep track of him. He wasn't a bad son, of course, but without a father figure he sometimes got himself into trouble.
The thought made Anaese smirk as she walked down one of the more populated streets of the city. Dressed in her usual close-fit brown drawers, knee-high black boots, and loose white linen shirt with a gold-embroidered brown vest, the Tlem woman looked very much the part of a ship maker. Most of her outfit was worn for function, of course, but it also served to portray an image. The vest, with its complex embroidery, helped to set her apart as a leader among her crews, and she only wore it now because she was headed to the House of Maryam to meet with one of the three most important people in Routaille. Though she and Marielle Tenderheart often came to some disagreements during the Assembly, their shared Tlem heritage helped to keep most of the arguments calm.
As an inducted member of the Shipmaker's Guild, Anaese frequented the Assembly as often as she could afford to, which turned out to be quite often. Thanks to her fairly competent crews, the woman of thirty-five summers found that she was one of the more present members of the guild, and used used her position to leverage as much favor toward the Shipmakers as she could. Often the dark-haired woman was able to deftly represent the guild and argue for their position, but lately the meetings were becoming more and more trying, especially with the number of political groups now forming all over the island. When she started being referred to as one of the "Golds", the title annoyed Anaese, but after a while she began to own the term in order to dissolve any doubts about her stance as a Shipmaker. With trade stabilizing in Routaille, customers were pouring in from mainland Trevast, and her position as a "Gold" Shipmaker only served to help her business.
To the Routais and Osais, the Golds were seen as the business-oriented class who voted only in favor of earning more wealth. Anaese was quick to correct anyone who called her cold-hearted or greedy, but found that most people simply didn't own their own business and wouldn't understand how fragile the environment could be. Arguing for better tax rates not only ensured her business would stay afloat, but also that she could support her family. In truth, the Brightsail family had barely made it through the Revolution. Having supported the rebellion from the beginning, they had found themselves defending their very storefront from Royalist knights and soldiers. If not for the continued efforts of the rebel forces, as well as the support of Arno de Merov, the Brightsails would have been slaughtered and their business put to the torch. This, with many other reasons, was why Anaese respected Marielle Tenderheart.
With an array of thoughts running through her mind, Anaese finally made it to the House of Maryam, and walked up to the old wooden doors. Passing underneath the door frame was like coming home after a long day's work. The familiar scent of sea-born cuisine filled her nostrils, and the musical laughter of her fellow Tlem brought a warm smile to the woman's face. Just as she entered the tavern, a broad-shouldered waiter greeted Anaese with a bow. His apparent comeliness helped the woman's smile to linger, and she nodded respectfully toward him.
"You are guild member?" the man asked, as his eyes trailed along the dark-haired woman's outfit.
"I am," Anaese replied. "Anaese Brightsail. Do we know each other?"
A small grin played about the man's face, and he looked behind him before returning his attention to her.
"I'm actually supposed to tell you your friend is waiting," he admitted, while gesturing to a table where Marielle Tenderheart was sitting. "If you would please follow me."
Anaese raised her eyebrows, slightly embarrassed at her own forwardness, but followed behind the man until they both reached the table. In a show of respect, he pulled out her chair for her to sit down.
"Good evening Marielle," the woman greeted her fellow Tlem warmly, and waited with a smile as the other rose from her seat.
The two engaged in the traditional Tlem greeting of a hug and two cheek-kisses, and Anaese found herself fairly relaxed after the exchange. Marielle was admittedly a very pretty and influential woman, and the thought of her coming to Imrena to meet the Shipmaker made Anaese feel important. She finally took her seat, and nodded thankfully toward the waiter.
"How are you?" she asked at once, then realized the broad-shouldered man was awaiting their attention. "Oh, did you want any wine?"
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Post by Retrograde on Sept 23, 2017 19:23:50 GMT
"Wine sounds lovely... how about some Chalord Bubbly?" she said eagerly.
Of all the wines of Routaille, few had the prestige that Chalord Bubbly held amongst the richer peoples. Originally, it had been something of a wine for nobles, but following the Revolution it was now opened up to the masses and while it was still expensive, it was no longer barred to the common man of Routaille. It was a slightly sweet white wine with a pleasant tang to it and as the name suggested it was fizzy, even more so than many beers, which created a pleasant tingle in the throat. The Tlem had recently discovered that the wine went quite well with oysters, and so the wine had begun to make its appearances in the more well-to-do Oyster Houses. There were some who decried because they worried the Osais wine would push out traditional Tlem wines, but plenty of people were drinking those.
Marielle looked around at the patrons, and then back at Anaese. "So many lambskins here," she said a bit conspiratorially. "Think of it, ten years ago they would have never show their faces here and now they're all scrambling to get in." She giggled. 'Lambskin' was a slightly impolite term for the Trevastines, because the Tlem thought the pink skin of the continentals tended to look like that of a freshly shaven lamb, or perhaps a little more cruelly, the stretched lambskin of vellum. It wasn't quite a slur, exactly, but it was a term that some Routais and Osais had come to see as offensive. Not perhaps as offensive as the Tlem saw the continued use of references to vermin when used to describe Tlem, of course. But no one ever seemed to be able to take what they dished out.
She leaned back in her chair and looked Anaese over, and grinned. She could hardly believe the woman was in her mid-30s. There was something about that knowledge that made Marielle feel more at ease though. Anaese didn't look too dissimilar to how her own mother did, which did - and she admitted this was illogical - a lot to make Marielle like and want to trust the woman instinctively.
The wine was brought to the table, and as was tradition, Marielle poured Anaese's cup and kissed it for she was the elder of the two women. "A blessing to your health, sister," she said.
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Post by Asinity on Sept 26, 2017 20:33:15 GMT
Though she was noticeably surprised at Marielle's suggestion of Chalord Bubbly, Anaese smiled at her companion and rested one leg over the other comfortably.
"You're probably one of the few people who'd drink that with me," the tanned woman replied, with a small laugh. "That sounds great."
The High Marshal seemed to settle into the atmosphere quite easily, as if she had frequented the oyster house for some time. Anaese had no idea if that was the case, and didn't mind how confident the woman was in such a culturally-defined place when she spoke of the non-Tlem customers nearby. The dark-haired shipmaster eyed one of the patrons that Marielle spoke of, and a small smirk worked its way onto her lips. Indeed, her companion was right; times had most definitely changed since before the Revolution. When she was younger, the thought had never even occurred to Anaese that non-Tlem would even want to enter an oyster house, and seeing them in one now was honestly shocking.
"I do find it odd that only now are the Routais and Osais interested in Tlem culture," the tanned woman observed. "None of my customers have talked about coming to places like Maryam, but I always wonder, you know? If they think it's like a...taboo, or something?"
Anaese couldn't help but chuckle lightly, and leaned back in her chair just as the attendant returned with their wine. After Marielle had poured their glasses, Anaese raised it in blessing.
"And to yours," she replied, and took a healthy sip of the bubbly.
The refreshing bubbles tickled her throat on their way down, yet the sensation was unlike any other drink she'd had. For a moment, Anaese felt rather embarrassed to be consuming something so indulgent, but the feeling did not last long. The middle-aged woman had worked her way up from the very bottom of society since she was a child, after all. Did she really care if someone thought she was treating herself too extravagantly? Sure, the now business owner had come from a talented family, perhaps, but spear-fishing did not lead to the success that she had carved out in the ship-making industry. Anaese sipped the wine as one sips a waterskin after a hard day's work in the sun. She had deserved it.
As she held the wine loosely in one hand, the dark-haired woman rested her free hand on her lap.
"The wine is good," Anaese thought aloud, then turned her eyes to rest upon Marielle. "Tell me, do you think Imrena will change, now that the Revolution is over? I have customers from all over wanting ships for all kinds of things now. Merchants, sellswords, nobles...everyone is sailing. The business is good, but there are so many new faces in Imrena. Do you think they will change the city?"
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Post by Retrograde on Sept 26, 2017 21:12:22 GMT
Marielle gave a silly grin. "Well I figure I do enough work that I've earned it, you know? Spent all day inspecting forts and making sure the troops weren't slacking off." She giggled, and delved into her memories for a moment. She had developed a love for the drink after an assault on the Grand Duc of Chalord's fortress and ransacking his wine cellar. That siege had been one of the hardest of the war... She remembered getting incredibly drunk that night and not much else. The day after the whole army pretty much stalled to recuperate from the celebrations. How lucky they had been that no reinforcements came to attack them then.
She had no issue answering Anaese's question. "Imrena's always changing, I think, it just happens a little slower normally. I think Imrena's at least changing for the better this time. Our people are getting richer and it shows. I mean, I went back to the slums where I was born just a few days ago to have dinner with my brother and it's like a world of difference. The buildings are getting repaired, people don't look like they're starving all the time and I'm not afraid of getting mugged or kidnapped anymore. Yeah, we got a few foreigners and lambskins showing up but I think if that's all we gotta trade for a better life for my family, yeah, I'm willing to trade that."
She rolled her eyes. "You got me to start rambling again," she said with good humour. She felt strongly about Imrena and its future, especially when it came to the Tlem. For too long they had been an underclass in their own city and now they were finally coming into the forefront.
She took a long sip of her bubbly as a great cast-iron bowl was brought forward and laid down into a depression at the middle of the table. It was filled with raw oysters, already on the half-shell, drizzled with vinegar and oil and peppered with finely diced tomatos, chilis and crumbly cheese. Marielle looked down at the oysters and realized just how absolutely famished she was. She had skipped lunch to get things done quicker and it had left her stomach growling. Her eyes wandered up to the waiter, who grinned down at her. "You wouldn't happen to have any fried squid, would you?" The man nodded an affirmative, and departed to retrieve them some. Squid had long been a favourite of Marielle, at least when it was breaded and fried in oil. It seemed to disturb Geron, who said anything with that many arms should just be left in the sea, so she made a point of eating squid in front of the preacher as often as she could. The way his face contorted in disgust and horror was truly special.
Her eyes looked up to Anaese. Once again, Tlem etiquette dictated that as the elder of the two women, it was up to Anaese to take the first oyster. Once the woman did, Marielle felt free to begin eating, clearly enjoying the experience.
"Ugh," she said, eyes rolling back into her head. I haven't had these in too long. It's all sausage and beef and stuff like that in Pyracle. Pretty much no seafood at all. I really don't know how they do it."
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Post by Asinity on Oct 11, 2017 16:01:09 GMT
Anaese regarded Marielle appraisingly. The former Revolutionary was quite blunt about her opinion of Imrena, and inspired a sort of confidence that many Tlem women had, but few could utilize into a position of power. The realization made her smile.
Perhaps Routaille will have a better chance with someone leading like her, the dark-haired woman thought. Perhaps the Tlem will gain sway.
Before the shipmaster could reply, their oysters came to the table. The salt, spices, and tomato entered her nostrils and filled them with the most pleasant aroma; one of home, comfort, and the sea. She noticed that Marielle, although visibly hungry beyond doubt, was holding to tradition and allowing Anaese the first pick of the meal. For some reason the gesture caught the dark-skinned woman off guard, but she regarded it proudly. Anaese allowed no moment's hesitation before picking up one with a bit of spice and oil, and without thinking, brought it up to her mouth and used her teeth to tear it from the shell. Almost immediately she glanced down at the silverware on the table, and blushed slightly at her own manners. In the same action, however, she smiled warmly as the flavors spread over her tongue and down her throat.
"Well, I think you'll be glad you came here," the shipmaster replied after she swallowed the bite. "I haven't had oysters this good in a while."
With a wave of her hand, she gestured for Marielle to dig in, and waited for the younger woman to grab one before she grabbed another.
"I know what you mean, though," Anaese admitted. "Every time I go for Assembly, I eat there. The food is very heavy, sometimes too much spice, you know? It's like they're trying to get rid of it quickly."
The older woman chuckled lightly, and adjusted her posture so that her arms braced against the edge of the table.
"I'm glad to hear you think Imrena is doing well, by the way," the dark-skinned woman continued. "I can't complain much. Brightsail is doing well. But I'm sure you probably didn't come to talk about ships, maybe?"
She posed the question with a knowing smile as she slid another oyster into her mouth, then allowed it to settle in her stomach before taking another sip of bubbly.
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Post by Retrograde on Oct 12, 2017 20:38:19 GMT
Marielle raised her hands in surrender. "I'm afraid you've caught me, sister," she said. "I'm secretly here to talk about POLITICS! AAAAA!" She gestured wildly and bugged out her eyes, before leaning back in her chair and laughing. Hopefully Anaese found that at least a little funny. She leaned forward again, analyzing Anaese's face. The woman was the sort of person Marielle wanted to be. Confident, powerful, and friendly.
"No, but uhm..." Marielle said, brushing her hair behind her ear. "I don't have a lot of Tlem friends these days, and it's nice to have someone to talk to in my native tongue."
She looked around, and then wrinkled her nose. "I'm sorry, that was sappy."
She took a long drink from her wine, hoping it would do something to make her feel less like a needy little girl. Her loneliness was something she did much to deny, so the fact that she revealed it so readily to someone she only knew very barely was a little humiliating for her. She knew exactly why she did it - she was excited about being able to talk about these things with someone like her. She hadn't had any female Tlem friends in about a decade, since the Revolution started. She often wondered where her friends from the Shackled Cat had gone. Perhaps it was best not to think too hrd. Lots of people were lost in that dark time.
She shoved an oyster into her mouth to ensure she didn't speak any more.
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Post by Asinity on Oct 17, 2017 19:57:15 GMT
The dark-skinned woman found herself quirking an amused brow at Marielle's joke, before allowing the smile to turn to laughter. Anaese was slowly getting used to the other woman's transparency and friendliness, and she knew that if it were any other Tlem, the process wouldn't have taken near as long. Still, Marielle was charming and seemed fairly extroverted, which helped Anaese feel a bit more comfortable. It was much easier for her to talk with someone as outgoing as the woman across the table, than it was to speak to those who kept to themselves.
And then came Marielle's confession. Anaese had been taking a sip of her wine as her companion had admitted her true reason for meeting with the shipmaster, and she couldn't help but frown slightly at the revelation. Thoughtfully, she picked up her fork and began to remove an oyster from its shell. Strange, she thought.
In truth, Anaese had a similar problem, though it was something that only surfaced in her free time. Of course, being a guild member and a known personality in the Routaille market, Anaese had a fairly extensive list of clients and contacts, but none of them she'd ever invested much time into. Having a son and two families to help kept her busy, of course, but if she had to admit it, the shipmaster had a decent amount of free time. Losing her husband during the Revolution had created a void in her that had yet been filled by friends, lovers, or otherwise, and sometimes it was hard for Anaese to spend time alone. The thought that she had even more in common with Marielle caused her to faintly smirk.
"Really?" she thought aloud, though it sounded less like a question. "I'm surprised to hear that. I would have thought that all your old colleagues would come to you for money, eh?"
The shipmaster finally pried the oyster free, and held it to her fork with her thumb as she languidly put it in her mouth as Marielle apologized for her comment. A brief moment passed and a small chuckle escaped Anaese while she chewed at the oyster, which she respectfully shielded with a hand.
"You don't have to apologize for that," she enthused, and swallowed her bite so she could offer the woman a genuine smile. "Just say you're sorry the next time you raise my taxes."
Anaese's smile grew wider and she chuckled, before taking another sip of her wine.
"It's not easy," the dark-skinned woman admitted. "Being busy and running something, you know. I mean I'm busy enough with ships, I don't want to imagine a whole country! Bucket's not worth the water."
The older woman allowed a moment to pass, before she continued.
"I couldn't imagine not living in Imrena," Anaese thought aloud. "How often do you come here?"
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Post by Retrograde on Oct 22, 2017 21:05:03 GMT
Marielle shrugged. Anaese had a lot of what Marielle wanted. She lived in Imrena, she was close to the heartbeat of Tlem culture, and most importantly Anaese had a family. Marielle had always wanted to start a family but given the nature of her job she never really found the time for it. Not to mention many men found her to be too wild for their tastes. Women were another consideration, but it wasn't exactly possible to live a normal life in a same sex relationship. She was too public for that.
"Not often enough," she said glumly. Maybe once every few months if I am lucky. My job requires me to be in Pyracle as much as possible and when I am not there I am doing inspections around the Commonwealth."
She tilted her head as she ate another oyster, looking Anaese over. Finding the topic of her absence from her hometown to be depressing her, she decided to redirect the conversation to more happy things.
"So, how is your son doing?
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Post by Asinity on Nov 30, 2017 22:54:00 GMT
The shipmaster nodded her understanding toward Marielle. Clearly the woman wasn't too happy about not being able to visit the Tlem city, and Anaese knew she'd probably feel the same way. However, the conversation shifted rather abruptly to her son, and the dark-skinned woman's eyebrows raised with surprise.
"Emre? He's a good boy," she started, then took a quick sip of wine. "Gets into some trouble here and there, but he listens most of the time. He..."
Anaese rocked back in her chair a moment, as she tried to gather her thoughts. For the most part, she was proud of her son. He was a smart kid, and was fairly talented at realy anything he put his mind to. Unfortunately, at the moment he seemed a little lost. Since the death of his father almost five years ago, Emre had difficulty finding his path in life. As much as Anaese tried to be a good parent and guide him, she found that lately her son had become distant. Even when she pushed him to be open with her.
"He's just a little lost, right now," the shipmaster admitted. "His father died during the Revolution, when it started. We were Tlem, you know. We wanted to be treated the same as everyone."
The middle-aged woman shook her head once, and took another sip of wine.
"Ever since then he's had some...trouble, finding his way," she continued. "I don't think he cares much about ships, but he helps out. Strong boy, and has a good heart. I think he just needs a girl."
With that, Anaese chuckled and leaned forward. She gingerly picked up another oyster and got to work prying the meat from the shell.
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Post by Retrograde on Dec 6, 2017 4:11:27 GMT
Marielle watched the woman, analyzing her. She clearly wanted the best for her son, that much was true but it seemed like he needed a kick in the right direction. Getting him a woman wasn't something she could do... Well, actually, she probably could but it wasn't something she was going to do. The people she could get for this Emre would probably not pass muster for his mother's preferences. Yet she had another ace up her sleeve.
"Well, if he needs some structure, then I have a potential job for him" she said, plopping an oyster into her mouth, her eyes scanning Anaese for any potential reaction. "I've been looking for a batman. See, I have a lot of things to do in the day and sometimes I need assistance. If he's 15, he can probably do anything I need for him and it can make him some connections. The pay would be good, he'd get a portion and the rest would be sent to you to hold for him."
She grinned at the older woman. "Well, sister? What do you think? I promise at the very least he'll get experiences he'll have nowhere else."
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Post by Asinity on Dec 13, 2017 2:40:09 GMT
The dark-skinned woman struggled for a moment to keep the wine in her mouth. Her brows furrowed in what looked like irritation, and she leaned forward so that the wine was easier to swallow. Anaese quickly set the glass down on the table as she swallowed the mouthful and frowned at Marielle.
"Are you kidding me?" she asked, in shock. "You want to give him a job?"
After she received some kind of response from the other Tlem, the Brightspear woman shifted in her seat, and looked at Marielle with a mixture of surprise and hesitance.
"I mean of course I think that's..." the woman started, raising her hands and shaking her head as though trying to form the words. "That's like a no brainer!"
Anaese laughed at her own behavior and braced her hands on the table.
"So...a batman?" the dark-skinned woman asked, eagerly. "He would do like, busy work for you? I can tell you he is a strong boy, he can handle himself."
The prospect of her son working for the one of the leaders of the Revolution was equal parts terrifying and exciting. The opportunities available for him would surpass what she would be able to give him, even as the owner of Brightsail Ships. On the other hand, the dangers of such an office, especially with how other nations viewed the Commonwealth, was a little unsettling. Not only were there still groups who looked down upon the Tlem, but Anaese also knew that Routaille was still recovering from its wounds. If there was a time for other nations to take advantage of the eastern island, now was as good a time as any, the shipmaster thought. Still, if there was anyone to act as an example of striking out no matter the circumstances, Anaese knew she was it.
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