Petrov stepped out of his cabin and was surprised that he was not greeted with the smell of rotting wood. There was a newly built bridge next to the boat, and the harbor had doubled in size and thudded instead of creaking when stepped on—he could tell that the planks had been laid sturdily and that the material was of great quality.
After leaving the harbor, a few uniformed guards immediately walked over. The leader of the group gave the family crest hanging on the Lionheart's flagpole an once-over and asked, "Are you... Sir Hull of the Honeysuckle Family?"
"Yes." Petrov nodded, feeling quite important. "I am Petrov Hull, and I came here at His Highness' invitation."
"Lord Iron Axe has already told us about you. Please come with me." The guard waved his hand.
"We're walking?" Petrov was shocked.
"Yes. All the stables have been demolished," the guard smiled apologetically and said. "Don't worry. The town roads are in great condition."
