The Arbiter Returns

Coming Home

“I’ve written this four times already and now I can’t figure out how to get it started,” she grumbled to herself as Serena tapped the quill gently against the table creating little black pools. The weight of what she was trying to convey was a heavy burden to bear.

“Dear Citizens of Gearford…No, that isn’t right. Honored Friends of the Baron…Where did Tiberius get this cursed list anyway? He should be the one writing this wretched thing. Introductions are impossible.”

Serena rolled up the dotted parchment and walked out onto the deck of The Arbiter. The buzz of the engines whipped through her blood-red hair as the massive airship slowly made it’s way home.

“Lady Delgado,” snapped Tiberius to attention, posted right outside the door to the captain’s quarters. “Have you completed your missive? I can send a dispatch immediately.”

“You know these people better than I do,” Serena told him, handing him the mostly blank message. “Why can’t you write it? I simply don’t know what to say. ‘Hi, I’m looking for my younger brother. Have you seen him?’”

“My Lady, this must come from you. With all due respect, if I were to write it, the recipients would be more likely to fear you than support you.”

Serena grumbled and wandered away from the Captain of the Black Sleeves. A small detachment had brought the Delgado airship to transport her back to the family home in Argenstrath. She found a nice section of railing to lean over and stare down at the ground far below.

“Nester, where the hell are you?” she sighed. It had been so long since she’d seen her brother, not since during the revolution. The fact she was still alive was to stay hidden from the technocracy for as long as possible. When Serena heard the news of her brother’s disfiguring accident years ago, she was heartbroken that she could not be there to support him.  Only now, with no one to preside over House Delgado, she had to return to take over the role.

She tore up the parchment and tossed it over the side.

A Brief Welcome

The deep, whirring hum of props shook the air around them with so much force it vibrated the very bones of those abroad her. It caused the teeth to rattle and the body to quiver. Most eyes seemed to get used to it but made it impossible to wear glasses. Many of the crew felt the worst part was the disorienting feeling of being back on solid ground. They called it the “Arbiter Aftertaste,” the taste of bile that would linger in the throat.

It had been the first time Selena had ever set foot upon the behemoth of a ship but assumed it wouldn’t be the last. She would have to get used to it, but for the time being, her feet seemed to betray her as she wobbled upon the finely cut grass of the east lawn. After a few feet of difficulty, she stopped to pull off her boots and socks before continuing on with finer composure.

The marble floor felt cool beneath her feet as she stepped through the rattling glass doors of her family’s estate. Despite it looking much smaller compared to when she lived there as a child, Selena was quick to get her bearings. She’d gone through the wrong entrance. Instead of entering the east entranceway, she’d walked into an unfurnished dining room through what were essentially large windows. Never the less, she appreciated the moment's respite to slip back into her boots before dealing with whoever was arguing loudly in the next room.

“Should the claim to the estate be compromised, the city of Argenstrath is entitled to possession of the land,” a man insisted, condescending of the other party.

“The claim isn’t compromised,” replied an agitated man with a deeper voice. “The Baron…”

“The Baron isn’t here, is he?” the first voice interrupted rather sure of himself. “And if you understand, then you know what the city is entitled to if the Delgado family is no more and that’s all there is to the matter.”

Selena remained in the dining room, just out of sight. It was best to understand a heated situation before getting in the middle of it.

“The Baron takes his leave whenever he chooses,” the deeper voice insisted.

“He does do that a lot doesn’t he? Shouldn’t he be here? Shouldn’t he be dabbling in whatever dark secrets this disgusting place hides within its walls? Or has his so-called adventures finally caught up with him, hmm?”

“The Baron is merely away, I explained that earlier. It hasn’t been more than a fortnight, that’s no reason to assume he won’t be returning.”

“Oh? Is that him aboard that ungodly weapon of yours? You realize there is no need for a ship of that caliber to exist. The war is over, and it should be too. It should’ve burned with the rest of the Delgado family.”

“That’s about enough of that,” said Selena as she entered the fray.

The two men’s heads swiveled back to see a tall woman with deep-red hair striding into the room. Each click of her heels accentuating every step as her hips lightly swayed. Selena strode up to the men with a smile and proudly waited for her introduction.

“Mr. Durant,” said Commandant John Clay, a distinguished-looking gentleman with blond hair sweeping across his forehead. He did what he could to hide his relief. “I’d like to introduce you to Lady Selena Delgado. The elder sister of the Baron.”

“My pleasure, Lady Delgado,” the visibly older man sneered slightly as he gave a slight bow. “Assuming you can prove who you are.”

“I think so,” Selena replied with a smirk of confidence. “If it’s still where I think it is. Follow me.”

Durant could’ve screamed at Clay for keeping this turn of events a secret from him, but Clay just smiled confidently as the trio walked into the main hall, down the corridor, and into a large sitting room.

There is the sitting room above the mantle hung a large family portrait. Mother, Father, three boys of varying ages, and a red-headed young girl with purple eyes. Those same eyes were now staring down Durant.

“And I have this,” said Selena as she withdrew a small metal tube from a leather pouch on her waist. It had the wax stamp of the Delgado family crest sealing it closed. She feigned handing tube to Durant, but as he reached for it, she swiftly gave it to Clay instead while grinning at the unwanted interloper.

“You know what this is, don’t you?” Clay asked Durant. “Or are you going to make me open it?”

“Don’t bother,” grumbled Durant. He had immediately recognized the unique token that each of the Delgado children had taken with them. It was a symbol of their lineage, to prove who they were as they grew up and matured away from home.

“Her resemblance to the girl in the portrait is uncanny,” Clay boasted, “But surely even you must concede if she carries the ashes of her grandfather in this reliquary.”

Durant paused briefly, digging at something to respond with, some loophole.

“Now that you know who I am,” said Selena to the unwanted guest, “Tell me, who are you?”

“I am Lucius Durant,” said the man through a greyed beard. “I represent the local government of Argenstrath and the Technocracy. I am here to collect what rightfully belongs to the city, but seeing as you’ve unexpectedly appeared, I have no further business with you.”

“Sounds very important, I’m sure,” taunted Selena. “Important enough to find the door I assume.”

“I expect a full writ of this to be authorized and delivered in accordance with the articles of the title,” Durant barked in frustration, “and the contents of that thing,” he continued, pointing at the reliquary, “will be inspected for authentication.” With that, Durant stormed out of the room.

“Clay?” Selena said softly.

“Yes, My Lady?” replied Clay.

“Please instruct the Black Sleeves that they are to immediately execute Mr. Durant if he ever returns.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Fine, just shoot him in the foot or something,” she said rolling her hand dismissively. “Now, about my brother. What’s happened?”

“Right,” Clay replied. “Please follow me, My Lady. I have some matters to explain on the way.”

As the pair made their way through the Delgado estate, Selena could see her younger self in those same halls while the memories swelled within her. Much of the estate was just as it was as if she never left, but it all felt so empty without the rest of her family. She smiled, wiping a tear away as she remembered her brothers playing through the very halls and rooms she walked past now. For the time being she kept thoughts of parents out of her mind, unable to bear the weight of those memories and the emotions they would bring. As much as she wanted to continue to relive these moments and take time to grieve for her family, there was still hope that her brother may still be out there. He was all that mattered now.

“A brief introduction, My Lady,” Clay said to Selena as they walked. “I am Commandant John Clay, the keeper of the estate and the Delgado family affairs. I’m also the only member of the Black Sleeves to have an official title aside from Commander Tiberius, whom you met on the voyage. I’ve been in the service of your family since, well, since you left.”

“A pleasure,” Selena softly sighed.

“I’m so sorry for what you must be going through right now,” Clay sympathetically replied, and the two quietly continued on.

The two eventually disappeared through a bookcase and entered the map room, hidden away from curious eyes. Once inside, the entrance closed behind them and Selena stood quietly admiring the space for a moment.  

“Is this what you use this for now?” she asked.

“Yes? Why? What was it before the war?” replied Clay.

“A storage space for alcohol usually. We used to play in here as children to hide from our nanny, and to sneak a peek at the presents our parents would keep in here sometimes. I’d always hoped I would come in here and find a land squid,” Selena sighed with a smile. “So, my brother?”

Clay nodded and proceeded to lay out a few coordinates on a sprawled out map.

“Dimburghast,” Selena noted as she recognized various landmarks and quickly drew suspicions. “Why here?” she asked with concern.

“About a week before the Baron departed, an informant in the underground by the name of Maslim managed to produce a reliquary nearly identical to the one you handed me today.” Clay withdrew a nearly identical metal tube from his waistcoat and handed it to Selena. “Maslim claimed a sick man under a doctor’s care gave it to him to bring back here to Argenstrath. It’s safe to assume what happened from there.”

“Pietro,” Selena sighed.

“Are you certain it was his?” asked Clay.

“Yes, they are color-coded, you see?” Selena demonstrated to Clay. “The seal on this one is in green wax, where mine is in purple, so it must have belonged to Pietro. Nester’s seal is yellow and Rowan’s is silver, but how did this one end up here?”

“I’m afraid I have to ask,” Clay began, “but do you know if Pietro traveled to Dimburghast? The records here haven’t been updated since the war.”

“No, he didn’t,” Selena replied looking to another nearby map of Orr. “Pietro was supposed to go to Tyr, but he never made it.”

“The Baron felt that perhaps the return of his reliquary was a sign that Pietro could be in trouble,” Clay explained. “He was very eager to rush to his aid, or at least investigate the origins of it.”

“Pietro is dead,” Selena stopped him, her purple eyes coldly affirming her words. Clay didn’t press her on how she knew.

“We did ascertain that it may be some sort of trap,” Clay assured. “In addition to his usual entourage, the baron took four of our top Black Sleeves agents with him for protection.”

“Durant,” Selena said, “He was so certain Nester wouldn’t be returning. Did that seem odd to you?”

“Yes, absolutely,” Clay replied. “The Technocracy does like to assert themselves on occasion, but they’ve never insinuated the baron was deceased, at least not since the accident.” There was a brief pause as Clay allowed waited patiently for the lady to respond. “Did Tiberius inform you about the baron’s physical state?”

“He did,” Selena sighed. A heavy silence fell upon the room for a moment as she dwelled on what the commander had told her. “I know there is nothing I could have done to prevent it, but I would have come home in a heartbeat had I known sooner. I know it was for my own safety but the war is over isn’t? Why must our family continue to add to the casualties?”

Silence again before Selena continued.

“Maslim? Where is he?”

“He went with the baron from what I recall,” replied Clay.

“I have no choice. I’m going after them. What have you got? I can’t take that thing outside, they’d see me coming for miles.”

“I have a smaller vessel prepared and ready for launch, My Lady. They should be starting the engines now. A contingent of Black Sleeves awaits, Commander Tiberius will be going with you to ensure your safe return.”

“I think you and I are going to get along,” Selena replied with a faint smile. “We’re getting Rowan next. No more of this nonsense. I’m bringing my family home.”

It was hard to leave her home already after having been away for so long. She ran her fingers along the wall to remind herself she wasn’t dreaming. So much time had been lost, but it wasn’t the time to think about that. She had a brother to rescue and another to track down. She would have her family back and destroy anyone who stood in her way. 

Something In The Night Sky

The voyage on The Broken Bull had certainly been much calmer compared to her trip on The Arbiter. In a different time, Selena would have used the opportunity to get to know the crew, members of the Black Sleeves and their stoic commander, but with her brother’s life on the line, she couldn’t take her eyes off the horizon. Throughout the trip she was determined to spot a ship, a campsite, anything that could possibly be a sign of Nester. Tiberius would insist that his men would let her know the moment they saw anything, but she would dismiss his concerns for her. As much as she appreciated the support, only one thing was on her mind now and she couldn’t rest until she found what they were looking for.

Fire in the sky during the middle of the night awoke the whole crew with a jolt and lit up the deck with a eerie glow. Selena hurried over to Tiberius who was already scanning the surface below.

“It’s a signal flare, My Lady,” Tiberius explained. “One of ours for certain, but I don’t see a ship anywhere.”

A crewman sent out a response flare and soon a faint glow began to emanate from the dark surface below.

“That’s them,” Tiberius pointed out, the light glimmering along the metal features of his prosthetic arm.

“Take the ship down immediately,” Selena commanded.

“I’m sorry, My Lady, but we can’t do that,” Tiberius objected. “We don’t know what the topography is down there. We could crash into a forest.”

“Then lower us enough that I can go down by rope,” Selena responded, growing somewhat agitated.

“I’m afraid I can’t allow that.” The commander turned to Selena and placed his good hand on her shoulder. “You might be the last Delgado. I can’t let you go alone.”

Those words, ‘the last Delgado’, weighed heavily on Selena’s shoulders. She reflected on it momentarily before conceding to the commander with a nod.

“We’ll touch down at first light. Whoever is down there, they survived this long. They don’t seem worried about giving up their position and the flare pattern suggests they aren’t in immediate danger.”

Selena focused on that small light below, a sign there were close.   

“Get some rest,” Tiberius offered. “Tomorrow is going to be a long day and your brother will need you at your best.”