金瓶梅第2部

Besides being a Lieutenant under Captain Krysaos, Tycondrius was a Lieutenant of the Sea Wolf Marine Fleet. Considering that he was speaking to a woman of the Kingdom, as well as the fact that she was observing proper military decorum... the latter title had substantially more weight.

Tycon waited through several moments of silence.

He did not mind. It was likely the woman beyond was perplexed as to why an unfamiliar male was requesting to speak with her.

The extra preparation time allowed him to smooth out his coat and trousers with his hands.

The voice finally beckoned, in the Kingdom's Old Language, "(Permission granted.)"

Upon entering the room, Tycon tried not to grimace at the effects in the Ship Captain's room so decayed. Proud flags, discolored and full of holes. Expensive maps, yellowed and cracked. With the general undeath magic suffusing everything about them, it was something that couldn't be helped.

A lithe woman wearing two swords on her waist turned away from a map on the opposite wall. The coat she wore belonged to that of the Kingdom's Royal Navy-- hers, fully decorated with ribbons and medals.

She wore the rank of High-Captain... a commander of a full fleet.

Tycon might have mistakenly assumed she was living by her skin tone-- pale and pink as opposed to the slightly transparent greens and blues of her crew.

...Then there was the fact that she cradled her severed head in her hands. From her face, she was young... and her hair was cut short, slicked-back, and rebellious. Her expression was set into a militant scowl, accentuating a sword-scar on her mouth that ran down her chin.

If her head was actually on her neck, she might have been taller than Tycon... and if that wasn't enough, the boots she wore were also slightly raised.

The High-Captain did not seem to take kindly to being looked down upon.

"Good morning, Madam," Tycon inclined his head, hoping the action wasn't insulting, "(I'm looking for the Captain of this vessel.)"

"Good morning," The woman pursed her lips... "Lieutenant... am I so simple a Grand-Capitaine zat I do not rate a salute?"

"I apologize, Captain," Tycon pursed his lips. "Marines do not salute indoors."

It was a peculiar rule... but all militaries had odd traditions, usually stemming from functionality. Still, Tycon would not violate a rule he had promised to obey-- unless he had good reason.

"This is my ship..." The woman shut her eyes, a tinge of frustration in her voice... "And I am ze highest ranking Officer here."

Tycon kept his face serious and his voice cool and collected, "With respect, Madam, Royal Marine protocol is signed off by the Fleet Admiral... Requesting me to salute places me in a difficult situation."

The High-Captain remained quiet, scrutinizing him with her haunting, sea-green eyes for nearly a minute.

Tycon was unbothered. He kept his back straight, chest out, and chin slightly tilted down... as was expected of a professional military gentleman.

"...I understand," The head sighed... "Your attire... it is familiar, yet it is not. (I was not aware of such a difference between our branches.)"

The woman strode forward, tucking her head beneath her left arm and offering her right, "(I am High-Captain Ho Byul of the Jade Arrow Fleet, the commander of the fastest ships in the Royal Navy...)"

Tycon shook the woman's hand. Her grip was firm, but not overbearing. Her touch was surprisingly soft but left a magical, tingling sensation upon his skin.

...If touching the other undead on the ship had similar effects... Captain Krysaos was likely having the time of his life.

"(I'd imagine there is a faster fleet faster now...)" Byul mused.

Tycon elected not to tell her that her title had indeed been lost. It now belonged to the Sea Wolf Fleet, which he, himself, claimed membership in. It was something High-Captain Lang Hai took great pride in.

The woman closed her eyes, ending her suspicious stare. Taking in a deep breath, she let out an exhausted sigh, "Forgive me, Lieutenant. How many years... (How long have I been dead?)"

Tycon cradled his chin in his hand... "The current Fleet Admiral is Grand-Capitaine Chantal De la Croix... and she is near thirty years of age."

"(Sacred gods,)" Byul cursed, "Ze girl has grown... fifteen or twenty years, then... I serve... non... I previously served under Fleet Admiral Guillaume De la Croix, ze little starling's father."

She turned on her heel and gestured towards a desk... and the two took their places seated across from each other.

Byul placed her head upon the flat surface while her body steepled her fingers, leaning forward, "Now zen, Lieutenant... as you have not come to free me from zis ghostly curse, I assume you have a different request."

"I'd like to share information," Tycon nodded... but suddenly, he grew curious about a different topic, "Before my main point... have you heard of the name... the Sugar-Titted Siren? I'd imagine the topic is a fairly recent one."

"Dead as I am, I am not deaf to ze tales of dead men," Byul glared...

"...Capitaine... Krysaos, I believe his name was," The woman shut her eyes while her body leaned back and crossed its arms, "(He is... what we call... a Reef Shark.)"

That sounded somewhat intimidating.

"Zat is to say," Byul continued... "He is... an opportunist... a vulture, zey say... Ze shameless scoundrel was known for picking off poorly defended merchant and passenger ships, fleeing at ze mere sight of a larger vessel..."

Tycon nodded in understanding. That sounded very much like his Brother-Captain.

"Do you associate wis zis man? Zat... Capitaine?" Byul raised an eyebrow, "(Forgive me, Lieutenant, but you have given me reason to doubt your character.)"

Her body had placed its hands in her lap... close to the hilts of her swords.

Tycon pursed his lips. He... technically did associate with Krysaos... but that was the wrong answer. An altercation was not in his best interests, as he still had much information to glean from the woman.

"Should it allay your misgivings..." Tycon pursed his lips, "I was formerly an agent of the Crown, working for King Adal's daughter, Princess Aurala Wyndham."

"Zat is true of every Marine and Sailor in the Royal Navy," Byul scoffed. "(And from your words... that is in the past.)

"(If that is all,)" The bodiless head glared, her sea-green eyes glowing eerily in the dim cabin, "(I will not be entertaining you any longer.)"

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