City of IF

[Key]

The story so far: You are Lodevar, the leader of a rebellion of sheephead slaves against their masters, the Bullroar minotaurs. You formed an alliance with the merfolk against the Bullroars, but have discovered that the merfolk King plans to betray you and allow the Bullroar fleet to pass through safely to your island base and slaughter your people. Meanwhile, you, the mermaid Lalomea, and your advisor Nelectitus, found the island where the merking was hiding his secret son, Lewellyn, who has the same unique form as you. Now you’ve heard that the merfolk King knows that you are here and is coming after you.

Last Decision: Wait for the merking alone, and send Lalomea to find Horchow and Nelectitus to find Lewellyn.

The waves wash in and out among the rocks, carrying you up and down. You feel adrift in choices. Things have been confusing ever since I came to the sea, you think. This is not my place.

But you are a Ram and a king, and you know how to take action. "We need a united front when the merking comes," you say. "Lalomea, go to the lagoon and bring Horchow here, if he’ll come. Maybe he’ll speak to the merking’s good side."

Lalomea nods, seemingly relieved that you are still trusting her, and swims off to the lagoon. You turn to Nelectitus. "Your job is to find Lewellyn. If he was telling the truth, he’s not far, just somewhere in the trees nearby where he can see us. I don’t know if he’ll take our side or not, or even if he does if his father will listen to him, but finding him is our best chance."

But Nelectitus is staring out to sea and doesn’t seem to have heard you. You look in the direction of his gaze but there’s nothing there. "Nelectitus!" you say.

"Uh! What? Oh, yes," he says, turning back to you but still looking distracted.

"Nelectitus, you have to find Lewellyn."

"Yes, yes, find Lewellyn, yes," he says, turning back to the sea.

You take him by the shoulder and spin him roughly around to face the shore, jerking your finger to the trees. "Lewellyn’s in there somewhere. Find him and bring him back here. Now."

"Yes, yes, find Lewellyn, yes," he replies distractedly again. "Find the fish that walks." And he wanders onto the shore, walking in a zigzag pattern, glancing over his shoulder. You shake your head as he disappears into the trees. What you wouldn’t give for a few good sheepheads right now.

And so you wait. And wait. And wait some more, as the sun crawls across the sky and the last of your pearls falls from your necklace. Lalomea comes back without Horchow. "He wasn’t in the lagoon, he wasn’t anywhere along the shore," she says, despondent. "I was afraid to go out to the deeper water where the guards are."

You sigh. "You did the right thing. I’m glad you made it back. Nelectitus is still gone, so I guess we’ll just face whatever comes ourselves."

Only a few minutes after Lalomea returns, the waves begin to grow and speed up, as though a storm is coming. And then only a few hundred yards out to sea, you see the enormous body of a whale suddenly launch out of the sea then crash back down, and then another whale, and another – dozens of whales, one after the other, breaching and crashing. Soon the water around you swells with their wake; the waves break over you, threatening to smash you against the rocks. You wedge yourself between them and hold on.

Then the whales are gone, and in their place rise hundreds of helmeted heads and torsos – merfolk soldiers draped with seaweed, silver-scaled armor on their bodies, sharp and slim tridents in their hands. In their midst rise two smaller whales –black and white, each with a single black horn protruding from the center of its forehead. The whales pull a chariot made of bone and with an irregular tubular shape, as though it had once been the vertebrae of some monstrous creature.

And in this chariot rides a figure you know well – with long white hair, wearing a crown of emeralds, and bearing his sceptre of whalebone and pearls. His face is dark. When the whales are as close to shore as they can get, the merking stops and the merfolk shake their tridents.

"Where is my son?" he calls out angrily.

You climb up the rocks. You want to address the merking from dry land. "Your son is safe," you call back.

"Give him to me!" bellows the merking.

"And what of my family and my people? Will you keep your word and protect them from the Bullroars?"

The king’s face grows red with rage. The merfolk shake their tridents again, and advance closer to shore. "You dare ask for favors? After all I have done for you? And after you’ve paid me back by trespassing on my most sacred island?"

This was too much. "All you did for me? You lied to me and plotted to betray me. Everything you did was meant to lead to my death."

"I have saved your life once already; if I choose not to save it again, what is that to you? It is your own land-dwelling wars that would cause your death, not any actions of mine. Yet you repay me by conspiring with my own daughter, invading this sacred land, threatening the heir to my throne. And now you ask for more favors! Surrender, give up my son, and beg for my mercy, and I may give it you. But defy me, and the sea will eat your bones!" And as he speaks this last sentence the wind picks up. Soaked with seawater, you shiver in the cold breeze.

You must tread carefully. But you will not grovel; you will not be a slave again. You say, "You have been plotting my death since the moment we met. But despite this, even now I have never raised a hand against you. I sought out your daughter only to save her life. I came here not to threaten your son, but to ask for his help. And I ask you now to protect my people – not out of mercy to me, but out of justice, as one king to another, in the sight of the Makers."

There’s a long pause. When the merking speaks again, he seems somewhat subdued, as though he hadn’t expected that answer. "All right," he says. "My son’s life is always in danger, and just by coming here you have made his home unsafe. But that can be undone. Lewellyn must go to another island, where he will continue to be hidden away. If you wish him no harm, let him go now. In return, I will take you to Freehome, and order my people to protect it from all attacks."

This seems as much as you can hope for. But you need to be sure it’s right. "What if your son doesn’t want to go?"

"He’ll do what I say." The merking seems annoyed at the question.

"And how do I know I can trust you?"

The merking glowers. "Now you insult me! But if you must have an Oath – I swear this by my crown. I can do nothing more."

What do you do?

Read the posts below, and click "Post Reply" to post a suggestion for the Lodevar’s next action. Anyone is welcome to post. You can suggest what he would do based on his personality, what you think he should do based on what would be best, or just in general what seems like a good idea to you. Feel free to comment on other’s suggestions, but please be courteous.

You're also welcome to ask questions about Lodevar's background or about the world of the Wheel.

Update: Voting has begun. Scroll down to vote.

[Smee]

Hey Key,

Ha - it seems we have really found the Kings achilles heel - his son is obviously more than just important to him.

Can we trust him? We have his oath - and he claims that is all he can give. Maybe this gives Lodevar a chance.

The King needs to find a new safe island for Lewellyn, plus he has promised to make Freehome safe from all attackers.

Explain to him that Lewellyn should stay on Freehome. There he'll have not only the protection of the king, but also of all the protection the sheepheads have set up. Plus Lodevar would have the better gaurentee that the king won't betray him.

Lodevar gets more assurance the king isn't lying again, the King gets more protection for his son than he could provide himself. Hopefully that would be a deal that could lead to a mutually beneficial solution.

Excellent chapter.

Happy Writing. :D

[Muaddib]

Stab him....hahaha just kidding.
I think you should appear to trust him, but should be wary of deception.

[ethereal_fauna]

Another wonderful chapter. I should think that at about this point, Lodevar needs to trust a little. He's called the MerKing out on his deception, but other than considering his own causes, the MerKing hasn't readily admitted his deciet, and simply expects you to trust him again.

Suggest relocating Llewellyn to Freehome, where he could be among other people (although not merefolk) and under the protection of the MereKing as well.

Perhaps stall, buy some time if you dare, and see if Nelectitus and/or Llewellyn reappear.

[Muaddib]

KEEEEEEEEL HEEEEEEEEEM, Im sorry Key but i was a bit doped when i wrote this...

[D-Lotus]

I agree with Smee.

One thing is strange: How the merking changed from one moment to another...a very mercurial personality...and mercurial personalities aren't to be trusted...how are we assured he won't change again...how are we assured that in order to save the rest of his peope from the bullroars and the emperor, he'll sacrifice his own son?

[The Powers That Be]

I agree with the others that Lodevar's gotten all he will out of the merking as far as promises are concerned, and he's just going to have to trust him now.

I like the idea of suggesting that Lewellyn moves to Freehome, but I can't imagine the merking even considering such a thing for two reasons:

1. It would give Lodevar incredible power over the merking. Any request Lodevar makes of him can be backed up by a threat against Lewellyn, who's basically surrounded by thousands of Sheepheads who are completely loyal to Lodevar.

2. The merking invested a lot of time and effort into making the Emperor believe that Lodevar is his son and lives on Freehome. He's basically put a big bullseye on Freehome. There's no way he's going to send Lewellyn there.

Hey, it can't hurt to ask - stranger things have happened. But we need a backup plan. Here's my proposal:

Let the merking pick an island for Lewellyn. Promise to give any aid and support he ever needs to help protect Lewellyn. Point out that Lewellyn should learn how to defend himself. Who's going to teach him that? He can't fight like the merfolk do, for obvious reasons. Is Horchow going to teach him to fight? I don't think so. He needs to learn from land creatures. Who better than the Sheepheads? Either he comes to Freehome for regular lessons or Lodevar or others go to his island to help out.

This may appeal to the merking, and it ought to appeal to Lewellyn - it's an opportunity for him to spend time with other people. Over time, Lodevar and Lewellyn can strengthen their relationship, and hopefully the relationship between the merfolk and Sheepheads.

[Chainfire]

awesome key, I just read it all and your book. I don't think he can really trust the king so just wait and see if anyone appears.

[D-Lotus]

powers, nice points...

I don't think anything you can suggest will convince the merking...the best solution is to lie to the merking, tell him Lellewyn is already in Freehome and that he went with his own free will. Also, if you don't return, Lellewyn would die. That way, if the merking believes it, and Lellewyn doesn't come out, the merking will be at your feet.

if not...just trust him, he gave you his oath....

[Ravenwing]

Excellent continuation Key. Like Smee has mentioned and others have supported, I think Lewellyn is the king's biggest weakness. Okay, maybe he has sworn an oath that all his promises are true, but I still don't think the king is still trustworthy. He has already lied once, how can we be sure he won't do it again?

Use Lewellyn as a security, and threaten his life to make sure the king's word is true.

[saxon215]

hey key nice chapter srry i havent caught up on it lately

Quote:
1. It would give Lodevar incredible power over the merking. Any request Lodevar makes of him can be backed up by a threat against Lewellyn, who's basically surrounded by thousands of Sheepheads who are completely loyal to Lodevar."
well the merking would have a massive army ready to attack set up all around the island that could easily let th bullroarers in and take over the place or do it themselves

Quote: Let the merking pick an island for Lewellyn. Promise to give any aid and support he ever needs to help protect Lewellyn. Point out that Lewellyn should learn how to defend himself. Who's going to teach him that? He can't fight like the merfolk do, for obvious reasons. Is Horchow going to teach him to fight? I don't think so. He needs to learn from land creatures. Who better than the Sheepheads? Either he comes to Freehome for regular lessons or Lodevar or others go to his island to help out.
[/quote]well because lewellyn wouldnt know how to fight and lodevar could easily kill him

[Key]

Poll is up. Happy voting :D

[saxon215]

im going with ask that lewellyn go to the sheephead island but if not then go with the original deal

[Araex]

I think we should accept straight off. He won't let us teach him due to sax's reasons, and I think Powers's reasons cancel out the hope of Freehome. Everyone has made some very good points here. Nice chapter Key!

[Guyron]

Excellent decision points , Key .

Though I incline not to trust the merking , because nothing can stop him to cross his word again , his offer seems appealing . In my country there's a saying , and perhaps you know it too guys : Fooled me once , shame on you , fooled me twice , shame on me .

And about the merking's son trying to convince him of his wrong actions , it could only work until the king sees his son safe . No use telling what happens next , of course , without his son to know it .

[Mother Goose]

I agree, the merking isn't likely to let Llewelyn go to Freehome, but it can't hurt to ask. If he is there, he cqn get the lessons in self-defense, which would be difficult if he were on another island.

[Key]

Thanks to everyone who posted and voted. There was a tie; however, since there were two other votes for accepting the merking's offer, I've decided that the choice selected will be:

Ask that Lewellyn go to Freehome, but accept the original offer if the merking doesn't allow Lewellyn to go

I'll have a new chapter up based on this selection within a week.