Translator's Afterword
Hrrul Arkinsdaughter has been accused, rightfully I believe, of a mental blind spot when it came to the failings of her protogee, AnnaMaria Dellasandros. An interesting example of this blindness of Hrrul's is shown in the “missing years” of Dallas' early career. Hrrul states that Dallas signed on with Wolf Larsen at about age 15, served under him for 3 years, signed on with Artemus Ward and after only two years of service under Ward was promoted to First Mate at the young age of 23. 15, plus 3, plus 2 equals 20, and I have been assured by students of Palladium Epoch Mathematics that the same was true then. What then, was Dallas up to during those 3 years, and when, exactly did they fall? Did she serve those years under Larsen or Ward, under another master, or was she working as a “free agent”? I have been able to verify through other documents that Dallas left the Wartshire fleet to serve under Wolf Larsen when stated by Hrrul, and that she was promoted by Ward as stated. When, exactly, she left Larsen's service and signed on under Ward I am still working to resolve.
Hrrul is also reticent on the subject of any romantic liasons that Dallas may have had during this period. Indeed, it has been suggested by later biographers of Hrrul, who never married nor mentions any romance on her own part, that the two were, in fact, lovers. This, however, I believe to be laughable. Hrrul was the very image of what we would think of as Victorian-era spinsterdom, and in her early life, genteel poverty. Most of her life was spent teaching, writing, primarily historical works, the most notable being her long tenure under the Albermarle crown. It is, in fact, even surprising that she devoted as much time and professional energy as she did on such an illicit figure as Dallas.
As hinted, Ward's vessel, curiously unnamed through this narrative, was not lost, as feared by Ms. Arkinsdaughter. Dallas, Ward, and the crew went on to further exploits, which I fear were more infamous than exemplary. After their re-acquaintance as described in the Introduction, Dallas and Hrrul maintained a correspondence, and seem to have met in person occasionally. This allowed Hrrul to publish further narratives of the life of AnnaMaria Dellasandros.
To "Chronicler of the Corsair, The Life and Works of Hrrul Arkinsdaughter"