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The Gimble Molyneux led the funeral procession from Ganda back to Molyneux Island, a fleet of Molyneux and non-Molyneux ships following behind them. When the fleet entered COS waters, the COS coastal patrol met them, and escorted them in, all the way to Molyneux Island.
It was sunny when the procession carried Nina, on foot, back to the estate. A piper led the way. Estate guards blocked off the main road to the estate, and when Nina passed, they saluted. Boats gathered around the island, coming from all over the Confederation, to catch a glimpse of the funeral. A Molyneux had died, and now there was tradition to be seen.
Nina was laid to rest in a plot reserved for her branch of the family. She was lowered into the ground by her father, her senior uncles, and Xiphos. Cait and her crew stood back with the family. Cait held her hands in front of her, her eyes leveled at the casket, moving only to wipe away an occasional tear. Billy cried hard on her shoulder.
The procession dissolved into the afternoon, moving back to the estate. Xiphos stayed behind, kneeling on the disturbed dirt near the open grave. A couple of the grounds keepers waited under a nearby tree, watching Xiphos. They left when Galle shooed them away. He joined Xiphos, standing a distance behind her at first. He drew out his approach until he was sure she was aware of his presence. Xiphos looked up at him, the fur on her face still damp. She had managed to scrub much of the blood away, but the peak of white near the top of her face still carried a stain.
Galle nodded down at her. “We didn’t get to speak properly earlier.”
Xiphos sighed. “Sorry,” she said.
“Think nothing of it,” Galle said. “I was touched that you wanted to help carry Nina. I wasn’t aware that she had found someone.”
Xiphos nodded, her eyes drifting back to the grave stone at Nina’s head. Her name, birthday, and date of death had been carved into the stone, the letters fresh and sharp. The stone itself had only been delivered a few days before. “Cait knew.”
“Yes,” Galle said. “She would, wouldn’t she?”
Xiphos closed her eyes, tears streaming out. She wiped them away with the back of her hand. Galle said nothing behind her, though he too wiped away his own tears. After a while, he gently touched his hand to Xiphos’s shoulder. “It’s time to go.” He held his hand out, and Xiphos took it. Galle pulled her up.
“I don’t know if you would have liked it, but I would have welcomed the thought of adding you to our family.”
Xiphos, caught by surprise, looked up at Galle. “Sir?”
“You made her happy,” he said, keeping his eyes on the path ahead. “And that’s all I ever wanted for her.”
Xiphos considered this, sliding her hands into her pockets. “I don’t think I’d have liked that.”
“It’s not a very good family, is it?” Galle said.
From their vantage point, they both could see the Dinghy pull up to the cemetery gates. They walked past generations of Molyneux, through the shadows of Nigel and Rose and Gimble, holding their breath as they did.
“She-” Xiphos started, her words caught by a small sob. She swallowed, and then tried again. “She made me want to be better.”
Galle nodded. “Me too, Miss Haari.”
Billy waited at the Dinghy. He hugged Xiphos when she got near. “Kitten?” He asked. Xiphos just shrugged, and climbed into the back. Galle followed. Billy pulled out of the estate, leaving the grounds keepers to finish their work.
—-
By that night, the Rose and Kelonio were underway, back towards Peck Harbor.
Cait spread a map across her desk, and along with Tre, started marking all of the possible islands where the Travelers could have escaped.
“It is possible,” Cait said, turning a compass on the map, “that they could have gotten this far if we assume a constant 30 knot speed.” She finished a concentric ring that emanated out from the position of the Rose during the attack. “But that only takes account for one day.”
Tre nodded. He started crossing off islands on the map outside the circle, and Cait soon picked up on the pattern he was seeing. Most of the islands in that area were controlled by or under the influence of the 21 Kingdoms to the west, and Lat to the north. To the southwest of their attack, just above the antarctic circle, were a small collection of islands, a well known pirate stronghold. Cait did the math. “Over 10 days to here,” she said. Tre nodded, but Cait knew what he was thinking. They — the pirates, the Travelers, or whoever — would still be sailing. But it also seemed as unlikely a place as any other. Still, Cait circled the islands.
Tre drew another ring. Two days, and that only got them to the COS, Lat, or Ghanda. They wouldn’t have been on Ghanda, not the pirates, even as neutral as it was. The whole Molyneux fleet was there, and that would have been the end of them. Cait turned on the Relay.
“Rose to Kelonio. How is your search going?”
The Relay crackled. Then, Galle’s familiar voice: “We’re out of ideas, Cait. In the time we lost, they could have gone anywhere.”
“Yes, we are seeing that too.”
“We’re working on it, Cait. We’ll let you know if we think of anything.”
“Aye,” Cait said. She set down the Relay receiver. Hands on her hips, she looked over the map. Tre mirrored her stance, sighing hard through his nose.
“I wasn’t informed there were maps involved,” Billy said. Tre stepped away from the door and let Billy in. He scanned the map.
“We’ll never find them this way, Cait. There’s just too much ocean to cover.”
Cait stared at the map. “We are not giving up just like that, Billy.”
“Who says anything about giving up?” Billy picked up a pencil and plotted a course to one of the larger islands in the area, south of Lat territory, and north of 21 Kingdoms domain. “Lúme,” Billy said. “No pirates allowed, but no political affiliation with any of the super three, either. And they tend to turn a blind eye to those of lesser repute if they behave themselves. No extradition treaties, no participation in La Patrolo. Which makes them a nice, quiet home to the Information Traders.”
Cait looked up at Billy. “The Information Traders?”
“Someone wanted that map,” Billy said. “It’s a weird, very singular map, and someone wanted it. The Information Traders know all about it. I’d put my career on it.”
“You said there were no pirates,” Cait said.
“These are useful pirates. Blind eye and all. The Lúmese government likes them for the same reason we want them.”
“Where did you pick up all of this?” Cait asked.
“What do you think I did in the Lat navy?” He tapped the pencil on the page. “Three and a half days. Then we get an answer.”
Cait looked at Tre and nodded. “Let’s go.” She picked up the Relay again. “Rose to Kelonio. We have a lead.”
“That is good news,” Galle said. “We may have one, too. We are going to an island just outside Lat territory called Lesse Rote.”
Cait looked over at Billy.
“It’s abandoned,” he said. “Or it should be. It’s worth checking out.”
“Aye,” Cait said. “We are heading to Lúme. I will have Tre forward the coordinates.”
“Right,” Galle said. “We’ll split then. Let us know what you find.”
“And you as well,” Cait said. “Get some sleep.”
“You first,” came the response. And then the Relay fell back to static.
[g]
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I really hate it when someone says “it’s time to go” at a funeral. It’s so sad.. an instant tear-jerker.
I miss Nina already.
They have to go so they can track down the people who did this to Nina. Hopefully, they can get some closure.
funeral prOcession? Multiple occurrences
“welcomed the though of adding you to our family”
Check and check.