Clockwork Immortal

by Sam Ryan

  The woman turned her head, now looking directly at Sophia. She still did not say anything but words were unnecessary. Her eyes spoke loud enough.

  Sophia rose from the chair and slowly moved over to the bed. “So long,” Sophia whispered. “Madilyn.”

  Sophia let out a breath as she forced the memory out of her head. She had not thought about that time in a long while. She had sold the Cabaret off only a few years later. After Madilyn’s death her heart just was not in it any longer.

  Was the woman’s name even Madilyn? She could not remember now.

  Regardless, that had been the look that the current Madilyn had when she left the Iron Rose. She had done well to hide it. So well that Sophia had not even noticed it until she was departing. But there was no mistaking it.

  It was the look of someone who had lost the thing most dear to them and had nothing to fill the void that was left behind.

  Had she known that Madilyn was suffering so, Sophia would have tried to have done something. While she was sure Madilyn was not about to take her own life that did not mean she was going to live it either.

  Did knowing about Immortals really have such an effect on her? Sophia wondered. But she did not think that was it. Not really. It was not the fact that there were Immortals that had broken her spirit. Her spirit was broken when she realized there was nothing she could do about it.

  Sophia closed the book she had been reading and pulled out her pocket watch to check the time. It was almost dusk.

  Setting the book to the side of the large bed in the captain’s cabin, Sophia quickly threw on a shirt and dress over her undergarments and left the empty room. The rest of the ship was rather quiet as most of the crew were just enjoying the downtime. Sophia was sure that if she headed for the mess hall or to one of the cargo bays she would find it rather rowdy.

  Sophia opened the door to the bridge and scanned over the handful of people at their stations. Very few people were needed when the Iron Rose was moored next to a mountain like it was. She did find Yates on the upper deck looking down at the crew, his hands behind his back in his most stoic of poses. The hard life may have aged him beyond his years, but he owned the look none the less.

  “Evening,” Yates said with a nod at Sophia. “Something I can help you with?”

  “Just off to watch the sunset,” Sophia stated, heading over for the ladder that led up to the observation deck.

  The observation deck set atop the glass dome of the bridge. It was the highest point on the vessel and there was no better place to view the sun set from.

  “Hope you don’t mind some company,” Yates said as she passed by him. He gestured with his chin at the observation deck above the bridge. Sophia looked up and saw Jezebel standing in the large enclosed crow’s nest, her hands fidgeting anxiously. Her back to the setting sun.

  “She worried about something?” Sophia frowned, looking back down at Yates.

  There was a slight murmur of laughter from the rest of the crew.

  “She tries to put on a brave face,” Yates said. “Pretends that she doesn’t care. But she gets anxious easily. Especially when it comes to family.”

  “Is Clementine not back yet?” Sophia frowned, glancing back up at the observation deck. Jezebel had told her to be back before sundown. That was still a few minutes out yet, but this was pushing it a little close.

  “She does this sometimes.” Yates nodded. “Gets caught up in one thing or another and doesn’t return until late. I scold her for it naturally, but so long as her actions don’t put the crew in danger then there is little more to be done other than wait for her to return.”

  “You’re not worried?” Sophia asked, thinking his cool demeanor a little odd.

  “I’m her father,” Yates said, turning his head so he was looking at Sophia. “I always worry.” He turned his attention straight ahead again. “But it is far too early to be assuming the worst. And the captain and first officer would not look good if they panicked every time another officer was a little late. If she is not back by morning then we will go look for her.”

  “Tell me,” Sophia whispered, moving in close so the others on the bridge could not hear her. “Were you originally scheduled for bridge duty right now? I would think the first officer would have better things to do than just stand here and wait.”

  Yates did not say anything in reply, instead he stared off into the distance like he had not heard her.

  “I’ll go talk to her,” Sophia sighed.

  “Good luck,” Yates called after her, flashing her a half smile.

  Sophia climbed up the ladder at the back of the bridge to the observation deck, opening the hatch when she reached the top.

  “It’s fine,” Jezebel said, clasping her pocket watch closed and shoving it inside her coat pocket. “I got this watch. You can have the night off.”

  “That’s sweet of you,” Sophia said, lifting herself up on the deck. “But I just came to watch the sun set.”

  “Sophie?” Jezebel turned around, startled. “Sorry, I thought you were the night watchman.”

  “Want some company?” Sophia asked, moving next to Jezebel, not waiting for her response.

  “Sure,” she said flatly.

  Sophia turned and rested her back against the railing, her elbows propped up behind her. Sophia stared at the setting sun while Jezebel stared at the mountain that stood between them and Rouen.

  “Something troubling you?” Sophia asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Nothing,” Jezebel said, pulling out her pocket watch and checking the time again.

  “You know worrying gives you wrinkles?” Sophia teased elbowing Jezebel playfully.

  “If my hair wasn’t already practically white.” Jezebel sighed, shaking her head. She looked over at Sophia who had a silly smile on her face. “What?” She laughed.

  “It’s just funny to see you so worked up over someone,” Sophia said, shaking her head dismissively. “Doesn’t get any easier does it?”

  “In some ways I am glad it doesn’t,” Jezebel stated, tapping her finger against the railing. “I would hate to think what it would mean if I stopped being so worried about my children. You would think though with Clem being my granddaughter it would be a little easier. That the sense of respons-ibility would be lessened at least a little bit.”

  “Not when you stay young and are a big part in raising them,” Sophia replied. “You feel like they are just as much your child as their parents are.”

  “I thought you never had grandchildren?” Jezebel said.

  “I said that I asked my kids to never have any,” Sophia corrected. “I also said not all of them agreed.” Sophia grinned as she thought back on all the fond memories. “It is fun watching your kids deal with little versions of themselves. It’s like divine justice. Having someone else cause them the exact same trouble they caused you.”

  Jezebel chuckled with a nod of her head. Then she let out another sigh and checked her watch again.

  “You know.” Sophia frowned as a thought occurred to her. “I still have a bunch of stuff at my house in Rouen.” She looked over at Jezebel who was listening intently. “I wouldn’t mind going and picking some stuff up. And if we happen to run into Clementine along the way…” Sophia shrugged, letting the suggestion hang in the air.

  Jezebel let out a long loud sigh. “Fine,” she said, shaking her head. “I could never say no to you after all.” Jezebel did her best to play it off like she was being unconvinced but she beat Sophia to the ladder by several seconds and was already at the bottom before Sophia was even half way down.

  ***

  Madilyn was still wide awake when she heard the loud clank of the dungeon door being opened then closed again. And even for all of Clementine’s supposed apathy towards the situation, she was just as alert as the rest of them, wondering who was approaching.

  It was hard to tell time with no sun or visible clock, but it was still far too early for their executions, but far too late for visitor
s. Probably someone come mock Madilyn, no doubt. She was sure all the other knights were loving this. After years of doing everything in their power to force her out of the Knights order and being unable to, now here she was, about to be executed for treason.

  As the person came nearer, Madilyn could hear a repetitive clank of a cane tapping against the stone floor. Her heart began to race as she thought maybe Sophia had somehow come to their rescue. That hope was dashed when she saw the old man walking towards them.

  “Lord Malorin,” Madilyn said, instantly rising to her feet. She gripped the bars and pressed her head between them, trying to get a better view.

  Lord Malorin was dressed as formal as ever, his clothes looking clean and pressed. Though he no longer wore the sash that distinguished him as a high noble. He did not wear any kind of noble marking in fact.

  “Hello.” Malorin nodded at her. His voice seemed ten years older than it had when she had last seen him a month ago. And even in the darkness of the cells she could see he had a few more wrinkles around his eyes.

  “Please say you came down here to tell us this was all a joke and you are letting us out,” Max said in a single breath. “My lord,” she added.

  “Sorry.” He shook his head, giving Max a sympathetic look. “There is nothing I can do about this. I have been stripped of all my authority. I am only able to see you now because a few people still owe me some favors. But I felt that it was my duty to tell you the situation before the end. You deserve that much at least.”

  “What’s going on?” Madilyn asked, cutting to the heart of the matter. Her depression had slowly turned into rage as she had sat waiting in her cell for death. “Why are we being charged with treason?”

  “And what do I have to do with any of it?” Clementine pipped in. She was on her feet now, though she was not hugging the bars like Madilyn and Max were.

  “I am truly sorry that you got dragged into this, young madam,” Malorin said, looking over at Clementine. “I know you are an innocent bystander, but the Council of Lords has decreed anyone involved in this debacle is to be labeled traitors and executed. I was spared only thanks to my rank and age. It would be rather unseemly for the adviser to his Majesty to be executed as a traitor. So they have decided to brush me aside into quiet exile. Officially, I have resigned due to my age and failing health. All my titles and lands being passed down to my son.”

  “And what exactly is this debacle that we are involved in?” Madilyn pressed. She felt sorry for the old man, but he was not the one about to be executed. Nor did he have to spend his last night in a cold dank cell. “Why do they think we are traitors? Could you not explain to them what our mission was and why we had to go.”

  Malorin rested both hands on his cane in front of him as he let out a long breath. “A few days ago, an emissary from the Republic of Trevelia came seeking an audience with his Majesty. He explained how a Lear warship had snuck past their borders and had attacked their cities and soldiers unprovoked.”

  “For the Alfather’s sake,” Max said, rolling her eyes. “The Trinket didn’t even have weapons. You can’t call it a warship if it can’t actually wage war. I’m sure they were too embarrassed to say we were all women as well.”

  “They were.” Malorin gave Max a nod. “But regardless of the details, they have confirmed reports of a Lear Military Vessel and one of His Majesty’s Knights inside their lands, killing their troops.”

  Madilyn thought she was starting to see understand what had happened.

  “Trevelia has demanded reparations and has threatened invasion if not gotten,” Malorin continued. “They say these acts of aggression are a declar-ation of war on their nation. Meaning that if this escalates any further, then we will be considered the aggressors. Our allies will be hard pressed to support us in a war that we ourselves brought about.”

  “How could they possibly know that we were from Lear?” Madilyn asked. “Trevelia is surrounded by half a dozen other countries that would be just as likely to investigate what had happened. Did they send an emissary to all of them and wait to see who flinched first?”

  Even if the information had been tortured out of Tara, something that did not seem likely given what Madilyn now knew about her, there was no way they could have flown here so quickly. Assuming that Tara had broken immediately, again unlikely, the fastest ships the Trevelians had would still be a few days out.

  The only way they could have arrived so quickly is if the vessel had left right after they had escaped New Dentin.

  “They have only sent a messenger to us,” Malorin said. “And they knew that one of the people responsible was a knight, one was a sailor and they claimed that the last one was a mage. It is preposterous, but it was true enough to know that we had been caught.”

  That was not even the half of it when it came to Sophia.

  “Where is Madam Sophia?” Malorin asked. “Did she not return with you? Soldiers were sent to her home but they report she has yet to show up.”

  “She died,” Madilyn stated, pulling back from the bars and resting a hand on her hip. There was no reason to deny the lie at this point. If they knew that she was still alive, who knew how many people would die trying to take her in. “She was killed while we were trying to-”

  “I see,” Malorin said, cutting Madilyn off. He gave her a look that told her not to say anything else on the subject.

  Madilyn was not sure what he was afraid of, but she held her tongue all the same. “So the Council of Lords decided it was better to write us off as traitors and disavow all of our actions,” Madilyn said instead.

  “That is correct.” Malorin nodded. “His Majesty was reluctant to agree, but in order to avoid a war, he was willing to turn his back on an old man, a hated knight, a single female sailor, and a lowly commoner. Citing that it was worth sacrificing four lives in order to save the lives of the thousands that would die should our two nations go to war.”

  “That’s messed up,” Clementine said, backing away from the bars. “I wonder where he draws the line. Five people? Fifty? Five thousand? If the number being sacrificed is less than the number being saved, is any number alright?”

  Madilyn could not help but agree with her. She understood the logic of what he was saying. Given different circumstances, she would have probably even agreed with the decision. But when she was the one being hung out to dry, literally in this case, she could not help but feel that this was completely wrong. Why should she have to die when they had only done what they had been told to do?

  “As for how they knew that it was Lear,” Malorin continued. “I would imagine you have already guessed as much. My contact in New Dentin infor-med me on how you were ambushed at the test site.”

  “There is someone in Lear who is sending them information,” Madilyn sighed.

  “Correct.” Malorin nodded. “It is still unknown who that person might be, and his Majesty aims to find out. However, he is currently trying to soothe relations with Trevelia at the moment.”

  “His way of saying we may never know,” Madilyn scoffed.

  Malorin did not reply. He only looked down with an embittered look.

  “Did you know this might happen?” Madilyn asked, willing the old man to look her in the eye.

  “I knew you being caught was a possibility,” he admitted. “But the des-truction of that weapon was worth the risk. You were soldiers after all. Putting your lives in danger is something you swore to do.”

  He had her there. She had known starting the mission that it would be dangerous and that she might be killed at some point. She just never thought that she would be killed once she returned by the very people she had carried out the mission for.

  “I am truly sorry things turned out this way,” Malorin stated. “I wish I could say that your actions would be remembered by history at least, but I fear that may never be the case. All records will show that you and 2nd Lieutenant Maxine here conspired together with Madam Sophia to travel to Trevelia to sell secrets. When you we
re thought to be spies, you fled back to Lear where you were arrested and then executed for treason. However, I would like you to know that you may have very well saved this kingdom. Regardless of how people may view it later. Take solace in that at least.” Malorin gave a sorrowful nod before turning and leaving them alone again.

  All Madilyn could do was shake her head. The way he said it made it all sound so simple and dismissive. It made her wonder about the other traitors in history. How many of them were merely victims to circumstance and politics? How many heroes were like that as well? Their deeds far less glorious than how history remembered them. Simply being in the right place and the right time to win accolades.

  “For the record,” Max said, pushing herself back from the bars. “I think knowing is worse. At least before I had the hope that this was all a misunderstanding. But to know that I have intentionally been bent over the barrel by my own king.” She shook her head as she crossed her cell and sat down on her mat. “And that I should thank him for the privilege.”

  Madilyn could not help but agree as she sat back down in the corner of her cell. This was ironic in many ways. Strangely enough however, the first thought that ran through her mind as she sat there was that she would never be able to see a sunset again. Even that day with Sophia in New Dentin, she had not really appreciated the scene before her. Now looking back at her life, she really did wish she had filled it with more beautiful sunsets.

  After several more hours of sitting she could feel herself begin to nod off as sleep finally took her.

  “You just going to sit in here?” the voice rang out, stirring Madilyn from her not so restful slumber.