Stannir looked behind him as the fire eater unit walked in unison behind him. He felt his heart beat loudly in his ears. "Someone's feeling proud at the moment." He nodded and looked at them as they arrived at the docks. "Their tattoos on their shoulders show the unit they're in my unit... They're all fire eaters."
"You should be proud of them." Stannir nodded and looked at the unit as well as the remaining guards walking with him. He saw Drummen's worried face. "Relax... No innocents will be dying... We're here to stop that, and this unit is known for not taking innocent blood."
"There just words at the moment... I hope what you say it true." Stannir nodded. "I know what they can do, and the stories they've told me."
"He won't relax, until he really sees what happens over there... Maybe a few words to your unit once they're onboard." Stannir nodded looking around at the soldiers staring at them. "We'll talk more on board, about the mission details... Drummen, which one is the Princess?" He followed where Drummen was pointed and nodded. He looked at the unit. "Hold here... I'll be back shortly."
"You heard the guard... Hold here..." He shook his head at the unit leader. "A bit too much I think."
"We're the fire eater unit... Our leader is a bit too much, so we're a bit too much as well." Stannir sighed and looked at Drummen. "Relax... I know what I'm doing, and I'm certain they know what they're doing too... Come with me. Lets go see the Princess and its captain." He looked at the soldiers and people as Drummen followed him while theywalked through the docks. He leaned forward and whispered in Drummen's ear. "We have ears around us, listening and watching what we do, so we have to act like we're taking the island chains down... Once we leave port, what we're really doing will come to light."
"I believe you Stannir... I know you don't want them to die, and just those beasts... I just hate playing along with this... That's all." Stannir smiled. "At least you believe me... Now the captain of the Princess." He followed Drummen through the docks, until they stopped at a vessel, about to leave dock. "Hello captain..."
"Ahh, one of the brothers... Whos that? Is that another one of your brothers?" He watched as Drummen shook his head. "No, he is the leader of my group... He wants passage on your vessel... We want to go back, to do some rescuing, and city saving." He looked at the captain. "Come aboard... We can talk up here." Stannir nodded and walked up the gangplank with Drummen. "Follow me... I know what you want to say, but can't out here."
They followed the captain to his quarters and he stared at the captain. "Captain... We want to free those cities under attack by the beasts..."
"Hahaha... You're already late... Those cities your talking about have already fallen to them..."
"BANG!"
"Hahaha... He still has that temper of his... You know he is a good sailor." Stannir nodded in silence. "We still need to go there, and rescue those trapped inside."
"What about the other cities? I've been hearing the soldiers talk about the new guard heading there to wipe them all out." Stannir shook his head. He turned and looked at Drummen raising his hands at him. "There're just soldiers, they don't know anything." He heard Drummen curse and sigh. "You'll never get him to calm down like that... You need to talk to him with this." He watched as he poured a mug and handed it to Drummen and himself. "To the free cities." Stannir swallowed the wine and felt the warmth cover his body. He looked at the empty mug smiling. "What was that?"
"Its something from the island chains, a special type of alcohol they make using some sort of wheat they have over there." Stannir nodded and looked at Drummen. "I like it... Now to business." Stannir nodded and sat on a stool offered by the captain. "The guards and my unit want to take passage to the free cities that have fallen, and take them back from the trolaiths that have attacked. We aren't going after any occupied free city, and won't attack any free city... We plan to do our rescue mission, and leave."
"That's it?" Stannir nodded. "That's it." He saw the captain smile. "Very well. You may come on board, but I don't want to hear anything about your people saying we're going to destroy the free cities." Stannir nodded and looked at Drummen. "While in port, we may have to say something for the ears to report back about, but we have no ill intention towards the free cities at all... Just want those blasted beasts dead." He looked at Drummen as he heard a sigh of relief come from him.
"What do you need from me?"
"We need you to play along about attacking the cities while in port... I'm sure if we don't than we'll be attacked while on open waters..." He heard Drummen and the captain curse. "If its to keep our skins on, than I agree... The last thing we must talk about is coin... I expect payment, especially if we're going to those places... By the way which one do you want to go to?" Stannir watched as the captain pulled out a map of the island chains and pointed to six areas. "These are the cities that were attacked..." He studied the map and looked at Drummen. "Which one do you know the best?"
"My brother and I didn't go to them, but if I know Mouse, he would go to the closest city. Lets go there and meet up with him." Stannir nodded... "That seems fair..."
"I disagree..." Stannir turned around and saw Harnio standing in the quarters staring at the map. He sighed and looked at the captain. "Don't mind him, he knows what hes talking about." He turned to Harnio. "What's your suggestion?"
"We go to this one." Stannir looked at the map frowning. "I don't see it. What's the benefit of that one?"
"The port... Also it's a tiny island that only has that one city on it... We can find out where they came from... My guess is that they have either troliaths that swim, or some sort of burrowing trolaith, so they can move between islands."
Stannir nodded and looked at the captain. "Lets go to that one..."
"Fine by me... If you're all as good at fighting as Drummen and his brother, than you'll be welcome on my ship... Still the matter of payment." Stannir smiled and put a bag of coins on the captains desk. He watched the captain pick up the bag and weigh it in his hand before putting it away. "Aren't you going to check what's in the pouch?"
"I already did... Fine... Since we are of agreement, than you shall travel to that fallen city... We won't be stopping at their port, that would be suicide... You'll have to make your own way there."
Stannir nodded and walked out of the quarters before standing on the deck. "Fire eaters. Form up... We're going on a trip!" He watched as the unit started running towards him, some jumped and landed on the Princess, while others ran up the gangplank, standing at attention in front of him. "Good... Your orders are to protect the Princess while we're at sea. If any signs of danger from beast or man, your job is to keep it safe at all costs... Medics below deck, Snipers to the crows nest. Everyone stays out of the way of the sailors... The rest will keep watch. Dismissed."
He smiled at the unit moved about with their tasks. He turned and looked at the captain... We'll keep the princess safe as we travel."
"Good to hear... I hope you don't get in our way..." Stannir shook his head. "They won't get in your way or cause any trouble at all." Stannir looked at the captain with a smile, while stretching his arms. "Do you have any oars by chance?"
"That we do... We use them, in the case of no winds... What do you want them for?"
Stannir looked around at the port as soldiers and people started to board other vessels frowning. "I have no doubt that we'll be followed on the open sea... I would rather if we were able to move a bit faster, and not to have people watching our every movement..."
"Also to get there sooner... We have people to save." Stannir looked at Cliffhopper frowning. "Drummen... Your brother... Does he ever keep his mouth shut?"
He looked around as Drummen punched Cliffhopper in the arm. "Ouch, why did you do that brother? I was just going to say we need to save them from the evils that are there?" Stannir let a long breath he was holding in and glared at the brothers. "Ears... remember."
"I'll make sure he remembers... No one likes it when an uncle is angry." He turned and looked at the captain. "Those oars... I think we'll really need them now."
There're below deck, near the keel. All you have to do is open the cannon hatches and you can row from there." Stannir nodded and turned around. "Defense unit front and center!" He stood and watched as members from the fire eater unit appeared again on the deck. "We're going to some rowing... Get the oars at the keel and move the battery cannons out of the way... I want us in open water before we hit high peak."
He looked at the captain as they moved to the lower decks. "Should that get us some distance, from any pursuers?"
"Its a start... A good start, we'll need some good eyes to keep an eye on them, and good winds once we're out there in the open sea." Stannir turned to the priestess. "I guess your up."
"Leave it to me." He watched as she started to climb the rigging. He looked once again at the captain. "Since your the captain, and we're still in dock. I leave the rest to you." He stood back, next to the railing and watched as the captain took over. "Weigh anchor, release the ties... Lets get this Princess moving."
"Yes, captain." He turned and watched as the crew ran around the deck releasing the sails, as it started to head out of port. He turned and watched as other vessels also start to make their move. "It seems we have a crowd, and this crowd wants to follow us... Captain may I?"
Stannir looked at Harnio. "Are you sure?" He saw his nod and looked at the captain. "If you can help get us away from those that are trying to follow... It'll help us all a lot."
"Don't worry about that... I'll just put some wind in the sails to make us move faster, and the unit rowing will help keep the pace."
"Captain, that's our little brother... He has some very interesting skills... Don't make him angry, or he turns into a storm demon."
"A storm demon?" Stannir smiled at Cliffhopper and Drummen as they talked with the captain. "Captain just focus on the wheel... Leave the sails to me." He watched as Harnio started writing. He went below deck. "Rowers. hold oars... We'll be rowing shortly." He went back up on deck as Harnio had finished the writing and saw the sails filled with wind. He felt himself being pushed back and held onto the railing. "Don't fall overboard, eyes on the wheel."
He watched as the captain took over the wheel and piloted the Princess through the port of the Capital until they were in open sea. He looked up at the priestess. "No one can keep up... They're all far behind." Stannir nodded and looked at Harnio. "How long can you keep this up for?"
"Until we arrive, but than I'll be wanting a rest." Stannir shook his head. "You can stop now... The rowers will have a turn." Stannir felt the Princess start to slow down, and went below deck. "Rowers your up... Remember high peak. Now ROW!"