Two Princes 1/9

 Maertock Reave says, "Come come."
 Blight Reave says, "scout"
 Leonard Mathis asks, "Is this...A grave?"
 Mori Reave says, "Our fatha's grave."
 Leonard Mathis says, ". . ..."
 The titan of a boy steps forward, their neck craning down to read the contents of the grave. It were oddly unemotional for the sirenian boy, who simply stared in greater confusion than remorse. Death weren't something that phased Blight, even in the instance of his own fathers. It were a part of life, to Blight, and everyone were inevitably to face it.

In this day, even gods could anticipate that reality.

Their black pitted eyes glance over the contents of the gravestone, time and time again to read between lines so poetically drawn. They struggled, in truth, to properly decipher the words meanings.

So they read it. Time, and time again, until interrupted.
(Blight Reave)
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 Leonard looked at the grave and began reading it out loud. It was pretty peaceful here. And he's passed by this place so much that he never stopped to notice the grave.

"Murtock Reave (1781 - 1807). 'For just one time I would take the Northwest Passage, tofind the hand of Marendille reaching for the Kerdan Sea... Tracing one warm line.' . . . It sounded like he had a lot of adventures and this one was one that brought his tale to an end."

He said crossing his arms and trying to maintain focus on the situation, here. He looked over at his Shark Friend and placed a hand on Mori's shoulder.

"But that means you and Blight need to continue writing that tale."
(Leonard Mathis)
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 Noticing where Maertock had led the boys, she gave a solemn nod. She had passed this grave many a times in her life here, and always payed the respect Murtock deserved.

It was unfortunate though, she had heard so much about Maeartock's brother, but never got the chance to meet him. If she surfaced after his death and she was one of the longest remaining crew members, what does that say about Captain? What he's endured?
(Lenalla)
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 Perhaps, on the smaller side of things. Compared to everyone here? They were unresponsive as they stared at the grave. Over and over again, did he stare. Those words never left his head.

The Kerdan sea...All that he missed upon his dad. Everything that he couldn't meet, would change. After all, determination was sinster. "Continue writing da' tale...Da' sea will reach da' land and with it? It will too. Can't let da' sea be lonely. Gotta make dis place soo much prettier."

A half shrug before solemnly shaking his head. He truly missed his dad...But that was then, and this was now. After all, they all sank to the abyss eventually.
(Mori Reave)
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 Maertock would lead the ensemble of youths into the depths of the Siren Woods; contested grounds where even the witchdom and their dark summonings had no claim. The soil had been sanctified by the deep; Murtock's body a living marker of the Deep Company's influence upon the region. It was only a shame that it came at such a cost, though not one Maertock was willing to permanently allow to fit the bill.

"This is where Murtock died. Grave marks the battlefield where he drew his last breathe. He was the best friend I had; the two of us together seized the Pauper's Bride from our father and set sail for lands unknown and unreeved."

The Captain would dredge his clawed digits into the depths of the inky darkness that manifested his being, removing a bottle of rum he'd begin to empty on the grave to ensure it was well watered. Murtock would have had it no other way.

"Murtock and I were night and day. I schemed, he leaped head first into trouble without a thought. He walked in loud, I took the quiet route and worked with subtlety. Yet, it was the two of us together that maintained the golden age of our crew; the most profitable and most adventurous..."

The Captain would sigh lightly.

"What I'm trying to teach you boys is that at the end of the day, no matter what crew you bring together in the Deep Company to come under your reigns, your brotherly bond must never be shaken. It's because Murtock and I trusted each other so absolutely that we succeeded. He never desired to take captaincy despite his strength and well earned right to rule. Do you know why?"

Maertock would take a long, wistful drag of his cigar at that.

"It's because when we were children, we decided we'd divide the world in two. Two cities, two kings, two thrones. The King of Old Atlantis, and the King of New Atlantis. And we kept that oath to his dying day."

The towering shark would sigh at that, raising his arcanium amulet for the boys to see.

-Forged from the godmetal Arcanium, this is a pendant depicting the fabled city of New Atlantis - a fantastical place graced only by sea-dwellers. At the center lies a majestic castle of spiraling beauty, all surrounded by smaller dome-like buildings and giant Spires fashioned after or within giant Coral-like structures. Carved under the image is the sentence - 'Two cities, two kings'

The pendant itself cuts off as if incomplete, its shape giving off the impression that it fits together with another of its kind.

"Old Atlantis was my throne, and yet here I bare my dead brother's amulet and burden. The mantle of the two kings will fall to you when I retire boys, and you'll need to be ready for anything. You'll always have each other."
(Maertock Reave)
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Leonard Mathis says, "......"
Leonard Mathis says, "I wonder..."
Two kings. Two thrones, it would have brought a smile to his face....if not for a lingering cloud in his head. Yamanita. The only other sirenian he'd met during the academy.

And the only one irritating enough to reach for something to bond with. However....his father and his uncle were night and day. To divide the world in two...that was something they could truly do? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Regardless of such things, his eyes graced the pendant.

Staring at it with a breath of awe and slight fear. He'd never abandon his brother. There wasn't a notion to truly take the reigns, merely help out. Maybe that's the gift he held.

"Uncle Maertock? I...I'm honestly? Not sure what ta' say. But...where da' sea points. Ma' heart truly lies. Ta' help and conquer. That we shall do. Ta' build and ta' grow, that we shall prosper, but da' truth?"

A pause before they smiled ever so slightly towards the ocean. "Da' deep will never grow hungry again. What da' ya say brotha'?"
(Mori Reave)
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 {LONG DISTANCE TO: Amelia Locke pyr Aertas}: Dear Amelia,

Have you met Mori and Blight? Murtock's brood, they remind me painfully of his youth. So carefree, I hope they've stirred a modest, but not taxing amount of trouble for the academy.

You get the feeling we're getting old? I was sitting on the beach yesterday talking to some young raider, couldn't be more than two and twenty, and it suddenly dawned on me that the time I have left to truly make a mark vanishes by the day. The burden of introspection I suppose, it comes with one's thirties.

I send this letter as a follow-up to the last to confirm something that might even grab your interest. In the bowels of the kraken prince, I found a node ouf Sebathium black as night. Thought it was vomit at first to be honest, or an ink gland gone wrong. But the way it reacted to my shadows sung a pretty song indeed.

I understand if you don't desire to continue our work, but frankly I don't think I'll succeed without you. There's no other woman for the job; and frankly I'm getting sick of politics. Nothing should get in the way of progress. The research we could get from this melding of the apex of reanimation and technomantic assimilation...I can only imagine.

If you are still interested, there are ways we can meet with subtlety. I am reachable as ever by letter, do avoid getting kidnapped for old time's sake.

Well, unless it's fun. No fear.

Fondly,
Maertock
[22:25] Never tearing their otherworldly focused gaze from the throne, not a word from their uncle escapes them, as if his words were the only sound that existed; the song of finches, to the rush of water, were completely mute beneath the elder siren's voice. Even as wind tore subtly through the clearing, shaking the titan's ankle-height overcoat gracefully, the child didn't move.

Their black pearls for eyes shift only when their uncle spoke of his own brotherly bond with their deceased father, locking upon the amulet shown. Blight saw more than just a castle in that moment, more than just curiosity and wonder; but a goal, something that set itself at the vast close of an endless horizon. It gave Blight direction, where they otherwise lacked until then. Perhaps this were a talk the Siren needed.

Their back grows stiff as they would stare up to an endless horizon of stars; only to return their gaze to the creek, which flow beside them with a lulling rush.

They remain quiet, until all had spoken; their brother and uncle.

"Aye; but this ain' a continuation, brother. We's goin' ta carve our own legacy, and we's gonna find our Atlantis."

A firm look meets their brother, with a stiff nod, their gaze locked on their brother.


(Blight Reave)
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Leonard Mathis says, "Good for yo uguys."
 Hearing the story and seeing the two brothers together, a smile couldn't stop from being spread upon the aging siren's visage. Two drops of tears fall from each side of the lionfish's face as Lumos and Starmos quickly rush to wipe them away.

"Awwe I'm sure ya father's smiling upon ya two right now!"

Outside of Bell, no one really knew of Lenalla's love for fairy tales, and there were no such tragic but living tales as ones between two brothers.

"May ya rule the two worlds and rave what the old can give ya! Though As ya grow inta men, don't forget ya big sis. I'll be hear ta teach ya whichever king wants me if still kicking by then I wouldn't mind bein the royal surgeon an' all...oh and that goes for injuries now too, I will always, always take care o' them fer ya two."
(Lenalla)
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 Maertock would lean back in his seat as he clicked his rows of serrated teeth together, his icy blue eyes flicking between the pair of young Reaves with a sense of ambient pride. They'd grown up rather fast in a way, it was almost touching. They'd been forced to endure the realities of loss earlier even than Maertock.

Born to this land and the sea that surrounds it, they would inherit it all.

"That means you help each other achieve your dreams as well. The two of you will be the one's preserving the loyalty of the next generation of reavers. More than likely, your closest friends in the academy may one day be your mates running pockets like marathons."

The towering shark would nod firmly at that, beginning to dissipate into shadows with a soft hum.

"This is not to say I'm simply going to disappear some day. There's much work still to be done, meetings to be had, assurances made long before I at last retire. But when I do, it will be when both of you are prepared and ready to inspire fear throughout all of Esshar for the deep! I know you two can do it."

Maertock would nod firmly.

"But you'll need a crew. That's your homework boys; start casing out fellow students you think'd enjoy robbing people and living free. The vast wealth of the Deep Company will be inherited by you when you take control, and it is shared amongst those willing to reave for you. An enticing call as any; not to mention the ship."
(Maertock Reave)
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The shark only stiffens their back further at the point, a grin crossing their triangular features as their jaw parts but one more time into a sickening grin from three rows of teeth. There were always sense behind their uncle's words, that made Blight look at things a bit differently. Where their dread of the Academy may have once persisted, now, they saw it as an opportunity for many things.

A calm nod, once their uncle concludes speaking. There were a pause after such a gesture, before a firm voice would speak out, with the Siren's gaze shifting over to Leonard.

"Aye- Then I say Leonard gets free passage. Ain' nobody t'bother him if he's ta come through. I's got's respects fer th'boy fer sittin' through this."

With that much said, the shark's gaze would return to Lenalla, offering a nod.

"Aye. I ain' a forgetful person by any means, an' ain' no family o'mine bein' forgotten about any time soon, so don' ye worry."

Their gaze returns once more to the gravestone.

"Whaddya think, Mori? We ready fer our own crew, truly?"
(Blight Reave)
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Opportunities. Many of them, but who would truly wish a life of freedom? That...might be a bit harder to do. Yet there was silence still from the sirenian as they soon? Pulled out a pack of cigs. More than likely stolen in truth before taking a hard drag of it and sputtering.

"Never ta' early ta' start smokin'....But ya' know what? Lenalla? Ya' never forgotten in da' hearts of ours. Da' be da' truth. Leonard gets free passige, and so does Eztli. I trust da' man...but fer our own crew? Hm..."

Another short, yet pause as the sent of burning smoke filled the air ever so slightly before a crude smile drew upon their face yet again.

"Aye, its best we get a start on da' homework we got. I think we're ready for our own crew."
(Mori Reave)
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[22:52] Maertock Reave says, "Aye. Your choice boys. I care little for robbing children these days."
[22:52] Maertock Reave says, "More of an eighteen to twenty five gig."