Salazar could not surpress a grin, which quickly flashed over his face when he, sitting lonely on the hill, saw the homin stumbling out of the window, his trousers almost down to his ankles. He then was amazed that the fellow crawled down the tree like a Gibbai, fast and with the grace of someone too used to actions like this. His first thought of someone's lover, discovered by a jealous, angry husband was quickly replaced by the awareness that either a thief or murderer - a marauder anyway - were the more likely options. But why should a thief - or a murderer, for that matter - let down his trousers? He watched the homin slip into the shadows, the shouts of the City Guard just like an echo somewhere in the back of his skull. Should he call them?
While Salazar's symphaties for marauders were more than just limited, he had some respect for their will and ability to live through hard times. His own stay during the years of the exodus was exhausting, depressing and far from fun, but he had kept away from the marauders as well as from the Kitins - he pretty well remembered the tales of Melkiar's invasion of the New Lands, and he remembered very well the murder of Still Wyler, the mad Muang whom he met more than once, the abduction of Stevano and Akila's efforts to blackmail Karan Yrkanis - they both had drawn their swords, and then Yrkanis had almost beaten the living daylights out of her, until she fled. Anyway, they were dangerous, bloodthirsty, unscrupulous and evil, and their hunger for power had led them on a path of corruption plastered with dead homins.
On the other hand, he also remembered the Alliance of Honor. He had fought against them, but also with them, and while he had loathed some of the rather irrational things they did, he had respected them as great fighters, and for their pride and firm belief in Jena. He liked to think that they had some respect for the Argo Navis as well, although they never voiced it; but then, his Order had never voiced the respect it had for the Alliance of Honor and some of their members. Also, Salazar had never seen them as as evil force. Misguided, perhaps. But they had not fallen from the grace of Jena.
So what about that ... villain? By now he had left the city, no doubt. Salazar decided to have a word with the Guards - it was their task to keep intruders out of the city in the first place. If they could not manage that - by Jena, what did they all have to expect the next time the Kitins came? Or the Kamists? Or the Marauders with all their force, for that matter? That one homin, he was of no consequence today. But they had to stuff the hole he slipped through. The next intruder might be less predictable, less harmless, and he might come with murderous intentions. Weren't there enough homins around trying to provoke a conflict, probably even war? They had to be alert at all times. That homin had just teached them a lesson.
They should be thankful for it.
While Salazar's symphaties for marauders were more than just limited, he had some respect for their will and ability to live through hard times. His own stay during the years of the exodus was exhausting, depressing and far from fun, but he had kept away from the marauders as well as from the Kitins - he pretty well remembered the tales of Melkiar's invasion of the New Lands, and he remembered very well the murder of Still Wyler, the mad Muang whom he met more than once, the abduction of Stevano and Akila's efforts to blackmail Karan Yrkanis - they both had drawn their swords, and then Yrkanis had almost beaten the living daylights out of her, until she fled. Anyway, they were dangerous, bloodthirsty, unscrupulous and evil, and their hunger for power had led them on a path of corruption plastered with dead homins.
On the other hand, he also remembered the Alliance of Honor. He had fought against them, but also with them, and while he had loathed some of the rather irrational things they did, he had respected them as great fighters, and for their pride and firm belief in Jena. He liked to think that they had some respect for the Argo Navis as well, although they never voiced it; but then, his Order had never voiced the respect it had for the Alliance of Honor and some of their members. Also, Salazar had never seen them as as evil force. Misguided, perhaps. But they had not fallen from the grace of Jena.
So what about that ... villain? By now he had left the city, no doubt. Salazar decided to have a word with the Guards - it was their task to keep intruders out of the city in the first place. If they could not manage that - by Jena, what did they all have to expect the next time the Kitins came? Or the Kamists? Or the Marauders with all their force, for that matter? That one homin, he was of no consequence today. But they had to stuff the hole he slipped through. The next intruder might be less predictable, less harmless, and he might come with murderous intentions. Weren't there enough homins around trying to provoke a conflict, probably even war? They had to be alert at all times. That homin had just teached them a lesson.
They should be thankful for it.
---
Salazar CaradiniFilira Matia
Royal Historian
Member of the Royal Academy of Yrkanis
First Seraph of the Order of the Argo Navis