In my past, I'\/\/e leaned hea\/\/ily int0 m'o\/\/\/\/n \/\/iolet grandeur. I \/\/\/\/ould \/\/\/\/rite about h0\/\/\/\/ r0mantic m'duty t'th'Empress \/\/\/\/as. I \/\/\/\/0uld \/\/\/\/rite about h0\/\/\/\/ I yearned t'b'm0re than the role I \/\/\/\/as b0rn t0 perf0rm. Yet. In all 0f my time. I could ne'er truly aband0n bein' an 0rphaner. That is \/\/\/\/hat th' tender 0' st0machs among ye \/\/\/\/ill ne'er understand. They lo0k at a tr0ll \/\/\/\/h0 has taken up a n0bler station, \/\/\/\/ho has stepped bey0nd the slaughter-galleys an' the \/\/\/\/0rk of imperial necessity, an' they assume that the old name must'\/\/e been shed like a bl00died coat. Th'think that th'redempti0n arri\/\/ed \/\/\/\/it' a fresh uniform an' a ne\/\/\/\/ solemn \/\/0\/\/\/\/. Sins sank beneath th' tide. That is nonsense. Th'sea keeps e'erythin'. I became th' Game\/\/\/\/ard. But I ne\/\/er lost m'position as Orphaner truly. I may stand at the edge o' th' great beach an' see th'branchin' fates 0' a th0usand Alternias flicker about like lanternfish in' th'dark. I may learn th'mo\/\/ements 0f d00med grubs, \/\/\/\/ay\/\/\/\/ard empires, false pr0phets, failed heiresses, mutin0us religions, an' entire \/\/\/\/orlds to0 stubb0rn or too sick t0 die pr0per. I may preser\/\/e. I may stay my hand. But, still, I am an 0rphaner. The 0rphaner \/\/\/\/aits belo\/\/\/\/ th'decks 0' m' conscience. He sharpens his h00k. He listens. \/\/\/\/hen an estranged Alternia drifted all too far fr0m sense, an' th' Empress fattened up on stagnation, an' th'let the br00d r0t on their ca\/\/erns. That is \/\/\/\/hen I am called up0n. I am called upon by Her. Gl'bgolyb. She dunnae speak as lesser beasts do. She dunnae bark, nor plead, nor perform language. She ain't a monster. She ain't a pet. She's pressure itself keepin' th'sea nice an' calm. She is the s0ng sang \/\/\/\/hen keelhaulin'. She is the \/\/ast, \/\/\/\/et \/\/\/\/a\/\/es beneath th'empire threatenin' t's\/\/\/\/allo\/\/\/\/ it \/\/\/\/h0le fr0m toe t'tip. \/\/\/\/hen She stirs, the sea quakes in fear. \/\/\/\/hen She dreams, the \/\/\/\/0rld leans c0mfortably int0 its abyss. \/\/\/\/hen she hungers, ci\/\/ilizati0n is just an appetizer fer her. My relationship \/\/\/\/ith Her has ne\/\/er been a simple ser\/\/ice. I care fer Her like y'd care fer a st0rm in a dr0ught. I'\/\/e feared Her like sh'\/\/\/\/as m'0\/\/\/\/n stern Lusus. I'\/\/e 0beyed Her like a b0ttle adrift in tide. \/\/\/\/hen I am th' Game\/\/\/\/ard, I hold back th'end fer beasts \/\/\/\/it' b0th hands. \/\/\/\/hen I am th' 0rphaner, it is \/\/\/\/hen I all0\/\/\/\/ th'end passage. It is a sacrament. Thr0ugh... recent... de\/\/elopments. I ha\/\/e learned 0f Alternias that cannae be sa\/\/ed by c0unsel. I ha\/\/e \/\/\/\/alked their harb0rs in dreams and \/\/\/\/aking sel\/\/es. I ha\/\/e seen fleets cre\/\/\/\/ed by \/\/\/\/igglers. I ha\/\/e seen jade ca\/\/erns c0mpletely silent. I ha\/\/e seen sead\/\/\/\/ellers mistaking their little aquarium as their o\/\/\/\/n Ocean rather than her resting sp0t. In th0se times, I must return t'th' Crosshairs an' set things right if I can, or I must m0\/\/e 0n. This is th'function I \/\/\/\/as gi\/\/en in m'ne\/\/\/\/ life. Sa\/\/e \/\/\/\/hat I can, \/\/\/\/hen I can, from Her. She calls t'me. Asks fer m' allegiance. I pr0\/\/ide it. I al\/\/\/\/ays \/\/\/\/ill. The Orphaner title is a blade kept in salt. It is the mantle I take, n0t t'reli\/\/e th' glee o' m'y0uth, but t' silence 0ld songs. She sings them s0 beautifully. I \/\/\/\/ill not pretend 0'er\/\/\/\/ise. Age has been a cruel tut0r. N0\/\/\/\/, I feed her \/\/\/\/it' a bit 0' grief. Kn0\/\/\/\/in' that all I'm d0in' is delayin'. She \/\/\/\/ill pass in time. She \/\/\/\/ill falter in time. Th' R0yal Lusus is naut fer th' Heiress. Rather, it is th'Lusus of Alternia itself. It is 0ur r0le t'appease her. Yet, as an 0rphaner, I no\/\/\/\/ kn0\/\/\/\/ \/\/\/\/hen it is time t'let her go. I bare \/\/\/\/itness t'th' ole girl's ho\/\/\/\/lin'. Just out 0f range of its radius 0' death. I obser\/\/e from behind r0se-tinted goggles. On a platform just \/\/\/\/atchin'. \/\/\/\/aitin'. She has no Master. I am not just her ser\/\/ant. Sh' is th' truest de\/\/otion th'likes o' m'self can offer. \/\/\/\/hen She calls, I ans\/\/\/\/er. It is that simple.
⊹₊˚{ WOWWWW! how.... NOBLE!!!! how dedicated! }*u*{ }˚₊⊹ ࣪ ࣪⊹₊˚{ you are one of the few who are as learned as the #deepmaidens, which is honestly so, like. omfgggg. i genuinely cant evennnn }˚₊⊹ ࣪ ࣪⊹₊˚{ HAIL DREAD GLBGOLYB! ALL YE LOST ONES TURN YOUR FINS TO THE DEPTHS + HEED THE HUSHED MUMBLEGLUBS OF MOTHERARMS \}*o*{/ \}^o^{/ \}*o*{/ #yayyyy }˚₊⊹ ࣪