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City Under Siege: Part 8b – Aftermath
Sebastian sat brooding at the gathering of the Captain’s Council. This time they had the good sense not to convene in the square. And yet much of Freeport was present, filling the Sea Lord’s Palace as never before. It was almost like the old days.
Emric smiled at each of the remaining council members. Twelve seats surrounded the throne. Dirwin Arnig the gnome was there, along with the Altherian Liam Blackhammer, Lady Elise Grossette, Marilise Maeorgan, and the high priestess of Yarris, Sister Gwendolyn. Then he addressed the crowd, more man than boy.
“Freeport has lost much this past week. But in any time of sorrow, Freeport returns stronger than ever before. We mourn the loss of Captain Xavier Gordon, Captain Marcus Roberts, Captain Hector Torian, Captain Garth Varellion, and Captain Buster Wallace.” He nodded at the five empty seats, each represented by a wreath of flowers. No one mourned the loss of Arias Soderheim and no flowers were on his seat. “But in the interest of rebuilding Freeport, I hereby announce the following new Council Members.” He turned to special seats facing the throne.
“Petra Fricke.” The crowd cheered. The leader of the Guild of Craftsmen was a popular choice. Petra came forward, bowed, and demurely took her seat.
“Captain Baldric.” The crowd cheered again. After all his efforts, Baldric had finally gotten the seat he so sorely coveted.
The grizzled old captain hobbled up to the dais, tears in his eyes. He bowed awkwardly and took a seat.
Kham leaned over to whisper to Beldin. “What’s up with Baldric?”
Beldin shrugged. “Something about losing his cat…”
“Morgan Baumann,” said Emric, “Captain of the Kraken’s Claw.” Cheers went up. Captain Baumann had fought heroically during the battle and redeemed herself in the eyes of many, but not all. Morgan’s detractor glowered at her from a nearby seat.
Baumann marched up, her eyes filled with tears of pride. She saluted Emric and then sat down in the Council seat provided for her.
“High Priest Egil Thompson of the Temple of Althares.” A man of medium height and build, with fairly short brown hair, brown eyes, and no distinguishing features, clapped loudly, leading the crowd into applause. It was Steel, K’Stallo’s form for when he wished to walk amongst humans.
Egil was popular but his suspicious connections to ssanu, even if they were friendly, tainted his legacy. Egil humbly bowed before Emric and took his seat. His appointment to the Council paved the way for a bill guaranteeing amnesty for the Hitthkai ssanu. But that was for another day.
“High Priest Peg-Leg Peligro of the Temple of Cadic.” More wild applause. Most Freeporters knew Cadic was the reason Freeport was saved and they venerated him as much if not more than Yarris. Few caught Lady Gwendolyn’s frown.
Peg-Leg stumped his way up to the dais, managed an awkward bow, and took a seat.
“Drak Scarbelly, Captain of the Bloody Vengeance.” There was an audible gasp. Then all the orcs in the room went wild, cheering and hooting, and even crushing humans in bearhugs.
Scarbelly hobbled up to the throne and bowed low, lower than any of the others. He slowly, painfully took his seat.
“And last but not least, filling the Privateer Seat…Kham val’Abebi, Captain of the Divine Fury II!”
The crowd went nuts, screaming and whistling and yelling Kham’s name. Touldrix gave him a long kiss before the Altherian took the stage. Kham walked up to Emric, ruffled his hair, and sat down in his seat. He was seated next to Liam Blackhammer.
“Two Altherians and a priest of Althares on the Council,” said Kham with a grin. “Wonder if it’s another Continental plot to take over the city?”
Liam smiled back. “Don’t be so sure,” he said seriously. “Altheria issued a statement indicating that Althares was angered at the waste of his gift of blast powder. He’s taken the special spark away.”
Kham blinked. “How do you know that?”
“Because I tried to make some,” Liam said seriously. “And I can’t anymore.”
Kham looked skyward. “Wow, and I thought Cadic was a hardass.”
You know what would make dis a perfect scene? whispered Zoltan’s voice in Kham’s mind. A crystal floating around your head. You can pretend I’m an ioun stone.
Kham bit his lip. “Shh, Zolt,” he said to the emerald on his collar that contained a sliver of Zoltan Zaska’s soul.
“Hmm?” asked Liam.
Kham focused his attention back on Emric. “Nothing.”
“To replace our beloved Commissioner Williams, I have chosen the most morally upstanding citizen of Freeport, who laid down his life to protect our beloved city. Beldin Soulforge, please step forward!”
Beldin stumped up, his beard resplendent with gold fastenings at the tips. Windcutter had returned to him, bonded as it was to his soulstone. The dwarf received a symbolic key to the city, provided by Emric.
The crowd cheered. Beldin took his seat near Kham.
Kham leaned forward. “Psst! Where’s Sebastian? Doesn’t he get any accolades?”
Beldin shrugged over his chair. “I think he has all the power he needs. He said something about researching his heritage.”
Satisfied that the Sea Lord of Freeport was restoring order to the city, Sebastian stirred from his perch in the crossbeams of the Sea Lord’s Palace, nearly a hundred feet above them. He spread his wings and flew out a nearby window.
It was time, he decided, to reclaim his own birthright.
Sebastian sat brooding at the gathering of the Captain’s Council. This time they had the good sense not to convene in the square. And yet much of Freeport was present, filling the Sea Lord’s Palace as never before. It was almost like the old days.
Emric smiled at each of the remaining council members. Twelve seats surrounded the throne. Dirwin Arnig the gnome was there, along with the Altherian Liam Blackhammer, Lady Elise Grossette, Marilise Maeorgan, and the high priestess of Yarris, Sister Gwendolyn. Then he addressed the crowd, more man than boy.
“Freeport has lost much this past week. But in any time of sorrow, Freeport returns stronger than ever before. We mourn the loss of Captain Xavier Gordon, Captain Marcus Roberts, Captain Hector Torian, Captain Garth Varellion, and Captain Buster Wallace.” He nodded at the five empty seats, each represented by a wreath of flowers. No one mourned the loss of Arias Soderheim and no flowers were on his seat. “But in the interest of rebuilding Freeport, I hereby announce the following new Council Members.” He turned to special seats facing the throne.
“Petra Fricke.” The crowd cheered. The leader of the Guild of Craftsmen was a popular choice. Petra came forward, bowed, and demurely took her seat.
“Captain Baldric.” The crowd cheered again. After all his efforts, Baldric had finally gotten the seat he so sorely coveted.
The grizzled old captain hobbled up to the dais, tears in his eyes. He bowed awkwardly and took a seat.
Kham leaned over to whisper to Beldin. “What’s up with Baldric?”
Beldin shrugged. “Something about losing his cat…”
“Morgan Baumann,” said Emric, “Captain of the Kraken’s Claw.” Cheers went up. Captain Baumann had fought heroically during the battle and redeemed herself in the eyes of many, but not all. Morgan’s detractor glowered at her from a nearby seat.
Baumann marched up, her eyes filled with tears of pride. She saluted Emric and then sat down in the Council seat provided for her.
“High Priest Egil Thompson of the Temple of Althares.” A man of medium height and build, with fairly short brown hair, brown eyes, and no distinguishing features, clapped loudly, leading the crowd into applause. It was Steel, K’Stallo’s form for when he wished to walk amongst humans.
Egil was popular but his suspicious connections to ssanu, even if they were friendly, tainted his legacy. Egil humbly bowed before Emric and took his seat. His appointment to the Council paved the way for a bill guaranteeing amnesty for the Hitthkai ssanu. But that was for another day.
“High Priest Peg-Leg Peligro of the Temple of Cadic.” More wild applause. Most Freeporters knew Cadic was the reason Freeport was saved and they venerated him as much if not more than Yarris. Few caught Lady Gwendolyn’s frown.
Peg-Leg stumped his way up to the dais, managed an awkward bow, and took a seat.
“Drak Scarbelly, Captain of the Bloody Vengeance.” There was an audible gasp. Then all the orcs in the room went wild, cheering and hooting, and even crushing humans in bearhugs.
Scarbelly hobbled up to the throne and bowed low, lower than any of the others. He slowly, painfully took his seat.
“And last but not least, filling the Privateer Seat…Kham val’Abebi, Captain of the Divine Fury II!”
The crowd went nuts, screaming and whistling and yelling Kham’s name. Touldrix gave him a long kiss before the Altherian took the stage. Kham walked up to Emric, ruffled his hair, and sat down in his seat. He was seated next to Liam Blackhammer.
“Two Altherians and a priest of Althares on the Council,” said Kham with a grin. “Wonder if it’s another Continental plot to take over the city?”
Liam smiled back. “Don’t be so sure,” he said seriously. “Altheria issued a statement indicating that Althares was angered at the waste of his gift of blast powder. He’s taken the special spark away.”
Kham blinked. “How do you know that?”
“Because I tried to make some,” Liam said seriously. “And I can’t anymore.”
Kham looked skyward. “Wow, and I thought Cadic was a hardass.”
You know what would make dis a perfect scene? whispered Zoltan’s voice in Kham’s mind. A crystal floating around your head. You can pretend I’m an ioun stone.
Kham bit his lip. “Shh, Zolt,” he said to the emerald on his collar that contained a sliver of Zoltan Zaska’s soul.
“Hmm?” asked Liam.
Kham focused his attention back on Emric. “Nothing.”
“To replace our beloved Commissioner Williams, I have chosen the most morally upstanding citizen of Freeport, who laid down his life to protect our beloved city. Beldin Soulforge, please step forward!”
Beldin stumped up, his beard resplendent with gold fastenings at the tips. Windcutter had returned to him, bonded as it was to his soulstone. The dwarf received a symbolic key to the city, provided by Emric.
The crowd cheered. Beldin took his seat near Kham.
Kham leaned forward. “Psst! Where’s Sebastian? Doesn’t he get any accolades?”
Beldin shrugged over his chair. “I think he has all the power he needs. He said something about researching his heritage.”
Satisfied that the Sea Lord of Freeport was restoring order to the city, Sebastian stirred from his perch in the crossbeams of the Sea Lord’s Palace, nearly a hundred feet above them. He spread his wings and flew out a nearby window.
It was time, he decided, to reclaim his own birthright.
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