The Capucine Sparrow

Chapter Four

Boats were prepared to sail across Urlan, the river that divided Konstanka in two and provided trade routes directly to Squall's End and the Grail's home island of Url. Besides Url, there were two far smaller islands that lay in the middle of the river, called the Sisters. The Sisters were uninhabited save for religious temples and shrines devoted to the three-headed goddess.

The three-headed goddess was worshiped by many, but most especially in the traditional cities, like Sokir, and Ishos, which sat on Konstanka's northernmost coast. There were many other gods, and the region of Estaqa on the eastern coast held stronger ties to a larger pantheon of gods beyond just the three-headed goddess.

The goddess had three 'heads': the Mother, the Greater Sister, and the Lesser Sister. The Capucines sailed through the strait which divided the island of the Greater Sister from her southern counterpart, The Lesser.

Of course, queens who had two daughters were historically thought to be chosen by the goddess, believed to have reigns which changed the course of the continent, but Ippa was never so religious to believe such a thing. Her magic, all magic, was tied to the gods, and perhaps her lack of piety was the reason she had never been a powerful witch.

Magdan was quite the opposite, known throughout the continent for her abilities which seemed to only come once in a generation. Most women could only do the most simple of magic, and were only proficient in a certain skill, like, say, perhaps they could bake a loaf of bread that would heal wounds faster, or say an incantation to detangle one's hair. Magdan was different, gifted with many different skills. She could float objects in the air, start fires with a snap of her fingers, even predict things before they happened. Even Emda didn't possess such power.

It was one of the reasons Magdan was named Karybda, 'the Greater,' at just four years old. Ippa grated her teeth at the thought. For Magdan to be the Greater, that left Ippa to be the Lesser. No one ever implied such a thing, but she knew the fact was lost on no one.

That was one of the things she liked about Capuca. Magic was weaker there, as Capucines had far less religious devotion than Sokirians or Ishese or the Estaq. A Capucines' worth was based on their own merit and strength. Ippa, through her athletic body and readiness to learn new skills, not to mention her ability in swordplay, was deemed quite valuable. Ippa liked being valuable.

Lost in her thoughts, Ippa didn't notice Tophys appearing at her side. She was leaning on the rail, hands clasped, and she turned to find him doing the same, staring out to sea. He took the loss of his father as any loving son would, and Ippa felt guilty, knowing she wasn't there for him as she had been in the recent days, too absorbed in her own issues. She reached out to hold his arm.

The two stood in silence for a few minutes, just being there for one another in a way only two people who knew each other as well as they did could be. Ippa wished she could put the mischievous she had grown so used to back on his face, but accepted the knowledge that loss like this, so unexpected, required time. So they stood.

"I've never been to Sokir," Tophys finally said.

"Really?" Ippa asked. She traveled much in her youth, from the mountainous regions of the north to the deep woods surrounding Estaqa, and had seen practically every major city and port in Konstanka. Even her time in Capuca allowed for travel through the river Urlan to the island of Url and the many other small towns on its banks. But yes, she conceded in her thoughts, it would make sense for Lord Tochyn's only son to remain in his home, should he ever have to take his father's place as Lord of Squall's End. Unfortunately, it seemed that his staying in Capuca for such a reason had all been for naught. He was passed on in the succession anyway. Tophys seemed to understand this as well, from the somber look on his face.

"It's-- beautiful," Ippa admitted, thinking of her homeland. "I mean, it's nothing like Capuca. It's busy, and packed full of people. The buildings in Sokir practically sit atop one another," she said with a chuckle. "But there's something about it, about all these people in one place, each with their own lives, their own families and things to accomplish and issues and skills... It's a city of possibility," she realized.

"It sounds overwhelming," Tophys said.

"You would think that, but it's really not," Ippa said, "Magdan, Kida, Ele, and I once snuck out of the castle one night in peasant's clothes. We went to a tavern, and I was only ten, but we danced and danced to the music in this big swarm of people. No one even recognized us," she smiled, reliving the adrenaline of doing something wrong, and doing it anyway. It would never happen in Squall's End, a much smaller city, a town, really. She knew everyone there, would smile and wave and ask about their families, how their shops were doing, what drama ensued. There was no fathomable way she could meet every individual in Sokir.

"Ele did that?" Tophys asked, surprised at their usually cautious friend's rash actions.

"Yes," Ippa said with a laugh, "though Kida had to practically drag her along. She begged us not to, too. Said it went against her honor as a knight."

"Ah," said Tophys, "that sounds more like the Ele I know."

"Twelve years old, not even through her training, and she only went because I told her there would be no one to protect if she didn't join," Ippa said, finally drawing a small smile from her cousin as he imagined the young knight's strong-willed nature.

It wasn't necessarily true, what Ippa had said to Ele all those years ago, Magdan would have died to protect her sister, Ippa knew. But Ippa preferred a sword to a spell, always had, and knew in a fight, even at that age, that Ele would go down swinging to defend her friend.

"I will admit, your sister scares me a little," Tophys said, "It's hard to believe Ulta would do something like that."

"She's a lot different than people think she is," Ippa said, thinking of her sister in her youth, "She can be devious when she wants to be--when she knows that it poses no real danger. It was her idea, actually. But don't tell anyone. It would simply ruin her stately facade," she finished sarcastically.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of saying anything against Ulta."

"You know, you don't have to call her that. You can just say Magdan."

"Okay." he said, then asked, "Although, I always wondered, why do you call her by her middle name?"

Ippa paused for a moment, wondering what Tophys meant. Magdan didn't have a middle name. She was just Magdan Therese. Until she realized--

"Tophys, do you think Ulta is my sister's first name?" she said slowly, suppressing her laughter.

"I-- isn't it?" he said, suddenly defensive. Ippa, gleefully, responded, "Toph, her name is Magdan Therese. Ulta is her title. The Ulta Magdan Therese,"

"But she's Princess Ulta Magdan, that's what everyone says!" he argued.

"No, everyone says, The Ulta Magdan. Or just, Princess Magdan. Did you think my mom and my sister's names were both Ulta?"

"Yes?" he said meekly. "That doesn't make any sense, though."

"Ulta is the title for the queen and her heir. It means, like, well, there's not a direct translation, I guess. But basically it means major or ultimate. Definitely not her first name."

Tophys grumbled in frustration. "Sokirians are so confusing. Why is everything so formal? Why does she have five hundred fucking names?"

"She was chosen by the gods," Ippa said with mock superiority. They both laughed, and Ippa felt relieved to see the familiar smile on his face again. She looked back towards the horizon, and this time, she could see, for the first time in ten years, the skyline of Sokir.