Book Two, Chapter Two: Night Terrors

Unable to determine the source of the rot, its nature eluding her, Ludo settles into a fitful sleep, full of nightmares. Spoilers ahead.

## Characters

-Ludo

-Luck

-Jamis

-Honeyfoot

-Lady Roni

-Lord Karamir

-Dr. Quin

## Summary

The chapter starts off with a history lesson of the relations between the two cities; Lucentia and Kartana. There had been a centuries long war, which ended a few generations ago because of the actions of a Lucentian lady, Roni, who proposed a marriage alliance to the Kartanian lord Karimir to end the war. It didn't end right away, but together they negotiated a peace between the two cities. This also started the tradition of nobles from the cities marrying into families from the other city, ensuring the nobles of both cities had both Kartanian and Lucentian heritage. Roni and Karamir turn out to be ancestors to Remy, Ludo, and Honeyfoot, with Roni's daughter, Lady Iola's, likeness carved into the bow of the Gallant.

After the history lesson we find Ludo bemoaning her apparent lack of intelligence. She's yet to figure out the Rot that plagues the Gallant. It's clear she's sleep deprived as Jamis attempts to soothe her with some food. They're almost arrived at Swiddentown, and Ludo is no closer to discovering the source of the Rot. Thinking about how they're almost at their destination, and exhausted, Ludo falls asleep on the cabin floor. It morphs into a Maldoror dream.

A predatory creature declares that it's finally caught Ludo, and she dodges its first swipe before it runs off into the darkness of the 'woods'. Ludo huddles, terrified, her hand that was bitten leaving a glowing trail that resembles smoke. Just as Ludo comments on her surroundings' familiarity, the creature reappears, taunting Ludo and forcing her to run so that it can give chase. It's determined to torment her. Every time she pauses it tells her to run and scream, biting at her. When Ludo smacks a branch into its face by accident, it whimpers, giving Ludo falsely earned bravado to tell it to back off. It then declares that it will hunt her for real. Just as it starts to monologue about her death, the terrified Ludo does not notice a shadowy multi eyed figure behind her. It leaps out and bites the predator's head off, causing it to scream, and Ludo flees in terror once more.

Before long Ludo comes face to face with the area she had dreamed of before. Remembering, she then wonders what happened to the 'annoying spiky creep' from before. Maldoror appears, displeased with that description, declaring itself to be the 'Herald of the deep', 'embodiment of [her] god's hate and rage', and takes the form of a multifaced dragon.

Maldoror says the only reason Ludo and her ship have been spared is because they've been chosen to deliver Maldoror back to the first island. Ludo realizes and comes to terms with the fact that Sausage is in fact Maldoror, and the fact she's put a little bow on Maldoror. Luck is quick to say it's only because they willed it. As Luck takes on a more human form, and dialogue about their greatness, Ludo interrupts by calling Luck a pervert in an attempt to make them stay away. Luck is thrown off by the accusation, saying they only licked Ludo to wake her up, as opposed to biting or clawing her. Maldoror rises up, indignant at Ludo's accusations, and it appears Luck has a fight with themselves, forcing their monstrous half into submission. Luck tries to wave it away and tell Ludo to wake up but she latches onto the fact Maldoror said they were very old and had reincarnated.

Ludo is excited about how Maldoror, with all their knowledge and memories, are basically a library. After Ludo educates Luck on what a library is, Luck breaks the news none of their past lives were fishes, including sea sponges to Ludo's disappointment. Luck insists Ludo wake but she runs away in an attempt to find the first Maldoror. Luck quickly stops her, and insists she's meaningless and should stop trying to figure them out. Ludo retorts that Luck has remembered her name and how to address her, so she must not be so meaningless. And then she wakes herself up by biting her nail.

When Ludo wakes, her nail is bleeding and she's forgotten her dream, although she does remember it was an odd one. Jamis was worried because of her tossing and turning but rationalized that she hadn't slept in a while so it was better not to wake her.