Piscara Finds His Target

The wind always blows for the patient sail. An ancient saying of the Seabreaker clan, it reminded the conquerors that the wheel of fortune turns for all. So while it was unusual for Grazia, Patient Sail was a traditional name for his people. He was born to the second son of King Raezar, a nobleman who should never see the crown. In that same week, his cousin, Ignatius, was born. And though Ignatius was to be king, the fact never came between them. And I had the pleasure of knowing this first-hand. I am Talnad Sot, and I was tasked with the Grazian education of the Seabreaker lordlings.

Now, I was glad in those days for the brotherhood Ignatius and Sail shared, for their adventures together helped shape Ignatius into the noble-hearted crown-prince he is today. But, it is of some concern to me that perhaps Ignatius will place too much of a burden upon Sail. It saddens me to say that he is simply not that bright. He is a distracted boy, and never alights upon the point of my teachings. He does not prepare for his classes, nor does he review. While Ignatius double-checks his calculations, Sail is already off and running to some wild adventure.

It’s not that I don’t care for the boy. He is far too likeable for animosity. It is my great regret that he did not have the spark which Ignatius has shown. I wish I had been able to inspire him more, or to affect his life more profoundly. He thinks all this is a game, and he does not care for its rules. He should have been an entertainer, the way he parades and capers and dreams. At the beginning of the season, he handed me a sealed envelope. Today’s date is written across it, so I expect to find the culmination of his joke before the sun sets. Probably some sordid powder to sting the senses. A jester he is.

But, my personal loss is Grazia’s gain. Ignatius will make a fine king, and his time comes soon. His father is in his dying days, and the empire is sad to see his chapter close. Though the prince is understandably melancholy, his people are confident that he will continue the legacy of prosperity.

Thank you, stranger, for indulging my rambling thoughts. I am not so young as I once was, and the paths of conversation seem to grow ever more obfuscated with time. But I really must be going now. I have a class to teach.