The Eastern and Western provinces of the kingdom of Agreya each bordered two great oceans. To the East lay the Aquaria ocean, the vastest in the world and touching out to three continents. This large water body supported the largest international trade network of marine ships. Everything from the Southern wheat of Agreya to the cotton and sisal threads shipped from the Supreme Alliance was handled through this network.
Henrik Marjorie was in the hull of a large cog ship on a course through the Aquaria sea. He was supposed to meet his wife Violet Marjorie, Hazel's mother, hallfway across the sea. She had been to the small kingdom of Sheckel on a business trip managing the sale of a diamond shipment, which had encountered a customs issue in the ports of Sheckel. Fearing that the Supreme Alliance may have had a part to play in the matter, Henrik had decided to personally fetch her despite the protests she had raised.
" I don't need you protecting me Henrik. You are a caring and protective husband and for that I will forever love you. But I swear if you show up on Sheckel trying to pull a damsel in distress on me, I will make sure you're the first Marjorie thrown overboard by their wife! "Violet had warned him on the day of her departure.
As he was still reminiscing over her, the first mate of the ship came to him with a pair of rusty binoculars in hand.
" Sir Marjorie, your wife's ship is in view. They are to the Southwest sir and are headed directly towards us. If you use these binoculars, you can see the Marjorie family insignia on the sails of the ship, " the lad explained as he handed Henrik the binoculars.
" Are you sure, my wife should be coming from the North. It's her alright but why on earth would she be so far off course? "Henrik confirmed it was her but aired concerns over the route she was using.
Almost as if on cue, the ship Violet was on fired of an emergency red flare that lit up the dull cloudy sky like bright lightning. When they fired the second round, the crew working with Henrik understood that help was needed and they immediately swang to action carrauling their ship to go see what the situation was.
" You still came even though I explicitly warned not to .I'm glad you did Henrik, " Violet met Henrik with a kiss and a sigh of relief after boarding his ship.
Confirming that his wife was okay and unharmed, Henrik summoned one of her crew members and started questioning him harshly, " Young man you better start telling me why she's so frightened before I send you overboard to the hungry sharks. "
" And this is why I never want you in my business, you old grump. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for these brave men. I'd probably be rotting in a cell back in the ports of the kingdom of Sheckel, " Violet leaped over to the defense of the young sailor, quietly gesturing for the lad to leave .
" Why on earth would they try to arrest you? We are a highly influential family and have harmed no one. Not to mention we've been doing business with them for years, "Henrik still struggled with understanding what was happening around him. The ports at Sheckel had many close acquaintances of theirs, making it really hard for a betrayal to occur.
" I also thought the same, so when I got wind of the plot to arrest me, I took an early departure from Sheckel but didn't immediately head for Agreya. I instead took off courses making circles around the Acquaria Ocean buying time for my spies to get to the bottom of this.
But the report they gave made no sense Henrik, is Lan Montreal dead? "Violet had calmed down but the last part of her statement raised her emotions once more.
" Lan Montreal was just fine when I left the kingdom. Your spies may be sending you the wrong intel, " Henrik disputed her.
"I'm afraid there's more to the story Henrik. The crown prince of The Great Alliance was spotted in the ports of Sheckel in the company of some high ranking nobles from Sheckel. My spies would never betray me, if what they say is true, that prince must surely be the cause of all this. And if he is involved, then I fear that that story about Lan Montreal may hold water, " Violet took a seat that had been brought for her by one of Henrik's crew members.
" The Great Alliance kingdom is the undisputed world ruler, ranking top in the Great Five. They are number one Violet and if number one is personally getting involved with the affairs of a small country such as ours, then Lan Montreal has pocked the bear real hard. Little is known about the crown prince of the Great Alliance, all there is to go around is that he is a man whose plans have never failed, " Henrik also sat down, getting tired from all the standing.
" Isn't that what I've been hearing Lan Montreal has now become ? " Violet wondered.
" Are you suggesting that the crown prince of the Great Alliance feels threatened by our Lan Montreal? " Henrik pondered, slowly starting to remember the words of Priestess Agar when she suggested that they form a global council to mitigate Lan Montreal.