Jaysehn (prime)/Reflections/The Legacy

Jaysehn sat at his desk within the Captain's cabin of the Onyx Eclipse. A firm but polite knock at the door interrupted his writings briefly, causing him to call out his admittance before carrying right along on his work. It was one of the Caligot crew, having brought him his afternoon tea. The man knew the routine well enough and placed down the silver tray gently on the nearby table, pouring a hot cup of steaming bergamot into Jaysehn's spiral-carved glowbark teabowl.

When the crewman left, Jaysehn placed down his valravn quill, the inky non-light around the plume drifting briefly before settling. He took a sip from his teabowl, taking the measure of his work before him.

Reading what he had wrote was difficult, as it conjured an unpleasant mix of emotions. Regret and rage, combined with a sharp streak of defiance that drove him to consider just tearing the thing to shreds. He didn't. Part of him knew it was the sort of decision his father would have approved of. An emotionless examination of the reality of the world around him. He didn't like the idea of having his father's approval. He especially didn't like the subconscious feeling of being...proud...that his father would have approved.

Even now, from the beyond the grave, his father's specter haunted him as surely as any of the undead he had battled in his life. More insidious for the fact that he could not dispel this particular geist with a blade or a symbol of power. Akenna often assured him that Jaysehn was not his father. And for this, he was always grateful. But some part of his father's darkness was in him, just as some part of every father rests within their sons.

Another knock heralded the arrival of Senzai Reise, the Caligos-born Comprador of the Fleet. Senzai was of sufficient importance and rank in the Fleet that it was not necessary for him to wait to be admitted into the Cabin.

"You are early, Senzai.", Jaysehn muttered, still staring down at his writings, scanning them for errors.

"Five minutes early is on time, Commodore. Is that not what you have always instructed us?" Jaysehn nodded absently, rereading a single line again...and then a third time, before giving a silent final approval.

"How many are there in your family, Senzai? How many survived Caligos?"

"Eleven Commodore. All are with Lady Omiko in River's Rest, as I was.", came Senzai's polite reply.

"Eleven...", muttered Jaysehn, "That is enough. Please ask my wife to join us here. Tell her it is time."

"Time, Sir?", queried the confused Caligot elf.

"Time, Senzai. It is time. Send all other crew off the ship as well. Pull up the gangplank when they are gone. Sweep the ship twice, do it yourself and ensure just the three of us remain. Then join us here."

The Comprador hesitated a moment in confusion but saluted and left quickly. The sound of shouted orders and footsteps on the deck confirmed that his commands were being obeyed. That was the joy and the hurt of being in command. He understood that now. About the need to stand in the face of Fate and greet it without rancor or fear.

His father's words came to him unbidden. Words that he hated when he first heard them a lifetime ago. "You rule men by your mind and by your magic."

Jaysehn didn't have the sort of magic his father meant. But...he had something better. That better thing entered the room with her warm smile and crystal like eyes framed by her sienna hair. She smiled at him, though her face still carried the sadness of recent days and her clothes still reflected the mourning black for the losses of Kasendra and Sayilla both.

Jaysehn noted her garments and asked himself if she would look like this when the time finally came for her take up his mantle. He hoped not. It was not her, these drab and lifeless things. That was his way. He was the one who dealt in death. Akenna was a creature of life.

Forcing himself to his task, he gazed back down at the document before him, reading it silently one last time as Senzai cleared the ship....

My Legacy shall bind every Commodore that succeedeth me and they shall swear before all Immortals, Dark and Light, in the manner set forth by me, Jaysehn Ranshai, Commodore and Founder of the Sentinel Fleet and it's Company, to accept this Legacy and forever keep it secret prior to taking onto themselves my mantle.

This is my Legacy,

First, there shall be only one Commodore at a time and they shall hath absolute, total control over the Fleet and the Company. Whatsoever the Commodore orders, it shall be obeyed. The Commodore's power is absolute in both the Fleet and Company.

Second, the Commodore alone chooses their successor who must be a Master of the Order of Voln and served as an officer in the Fleet at sea for no less than a year. The successor must pledge, in the manner outlined below, to the Cause of the Fleet and its Company. The successor must pledge to retire and pass from themselves the role of Commodore should they no longer agree to keep the Cause paramount in their actions and deeds as Commodore.

Third, at each Commodore's retirement, which shall be solely of their own decision and be at a time when it pleasures them, they shall take no more than 5 parts of every 100 in value for themselves. Such wealth may not come in the form of ships, armaments or cargo, nor may it come at the expense of land properties owned by the Fleet or the Company.

Fourth, each Commodore shall approve the election of the Comprador which shall in perpetuity come from the kin of Omiko of Caligos and the elven descendants of her clan, with preference given to the House of Reise.

Fifth, the successor assumes all debts, promises and obligations of the Commodore, in perpetuity and without modification.

Last, the Commodore shall swear their successor, whom they alone choose in the presence of the Comprador, to the Cause using the words set down in my hand in this Legacy.

Written this day, the 15th day of the month of Fashanos, 5123

Akenna's hand rested itself on his shoulder as he read, and his own hand found its way around hers in a loving grasp. He turned his head up to meet her eyes. He mouthed a silent, "thank you", before Senzai's knock announced it was time to begin.