A smaller vessel requested permission to board.

Of course, William accepted.

He did not expect its contents.

And so he found himself, first officer Sivira, Kirie, and Nova standing in front of Lyewa-Diurn.

Diurn was taller than Nova, more firmly built, with a wilder look in his eye. His hair was slicked back, and his clothing immaculate.

William decided he didn't like him very much. He carried himself quite differently from how Nova did.

" Commodore General William Masterson, I believe?" he said, as his eyes strayed to where Nova stood at William's side. " And Lyena-Nova."

" To what do we owe the visit?" William asked, smiling. " I heard you've been quite busy lately."

" Never too busy to pass up an audience with the Lyena," Diurn replied, a flat attempt at mirroring William's trademark enthusiasm.

" Always a pleasure to visit with you, brother. What has it been, three or four years? How have you healed?" Nova said, seething.

William found himself wishing he could get Nova to be quiet; he was doing his best not to be hostile.

Diurn laughed, and pulled down the collar of his shirt. A large, ugly scar was covering his neck; it looked like someone had made a very sincere effort to decapitate him.

" How do you think, Lyena? Three years since our last duel, and your blade still haunts me!"

William looked between them, trying to figure out how to bring the level of aggression in the room down.

" So what is the reason for your visit today, Lyewa-Diurn?" he asked, smiling.

Diurn's attention turned back to him.

" Funny you should ask, human," he said. " I have a proposition."

" Oh? And what would that be?" William asked politely.

Diurn put a hand on the hilt of the sword at his side. William saw Nova's hands twitch, as though looking to seize his own.

" I am interested in a duel," Diurn said. " And I would be willing to reward you with the Lyeha."

" I'm not interested in humiliating you in front of the DASS," Nova refused flatly. " Nor am I interested in hauling around the Lyeha."

Diurn smiled.

" You're mistaken about something," he said. " I'm challenging the Commodore General, not you."

William began to reply, but was cut off when Nova quickly stood in front of him, blocking his view.

" Brother, don't be ridiculous. Masterson is human, and humans are incredibly frail. You'd kill him. We don't need to agitate our relations with the DASS so recklessly."

Again, William tried to speak, and was cut off.

" I guess some things never change, do they, Lyena?" Diurn asked, in apparent mockery. " It hasn't taken you very long to grow fond of him, has it? Personally, I find humans to look too similar to children to be of any interest."

This rendered William speechless.

" If you want a duel, I'll gladly give you one," Nova threatened with a hiss. " And instead of a scar, this time I'll cut out your lecherous tongue."

William finally managed to wave a hand between them.

" Excuse me. Nova. Lyewa-Diurn. I'd like to say that I'm accepting the offer, but I'm a bit confused on this 'Lyeha' aspect?"

Nova whirled around to glare at him.

" Lyeha-Lesa," he spat, " is my younger sister. She has been in Diurn's custody. Masterson. Cease your idiocy at once. You are not accepting his offer."

" So you are fond of him," Diurn observed.

William had trouble wrapping his head around that; it wasn't anything he had sensed from Nova before. The man was all ice and thorns, prickly every time they spoke. Their relationship seemed largely shallow and professional. Perhaps he had been missing some flags? Cultural differences?

" Don't you think you'd be throwing too much power in with our base if we had two members of the royal family here?" he asked. " And Nova's rich tastes are already enough strain on my budget."

Diurn stared him down.

" And so, it would follow, that if you were to lose this duel, the Lyena would return to Storam."

Ah.

So that was his angle.

" I see. Double the reason to accept, then."

Nova looked over to William to protest again, and he realized that he had actual concern on his face. This was the first time William had seen it.

He smiled.

" It's alright, Nova. Didn't you say that'd you rather hold me in regard than Lyewa-Diurn?" he asked.

Only after saying it did he wonder if it was too forward to address him as such in front of someone who had already misinterpreted their relationship that way.

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