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Guarding a ship was a small task – few pirates dared prowl the waters in the wake of the Mara (though their numbers were recovering), and the dangers that lurked beneath had space to prowl. In all his journeys to and from Serenia with his family (while disguised), Raemos had never once been attacked.

Still, he didn't turn down the assignment, and so he was there, on the merchant vessel, with its cargo of fine goods and its small compliment of passengers, on its way to one of Serenia's lesser docks. His fine, light-wrought armor and well-kept Guardian uniform kept there from being too many concerned looks at the sight of an Oblivionite aboard an Orderite vessel, and the crew were familiar with his parents. His superiors had also issued him a pass that would – hopefully – ensure his safety at the port. Alas, it would not work in Ashen city, but he was glad for the opportunity to set foot in Serenia. He needed to compare it to Soldul, to make sure his head was clear of evil influences.

He had sent word ahead, so – with luck – he would be able to meet and catch up with his sister during his brief stay in the port. His orders were, however, to return to Eowyn and report to the Taliuma headquarters for further instructions. He was of the Tukyere branch, but the Taliumans needed the assistance and they were all of the same guild.

He looked out over the softly churning ocean beneath the ship. Useless in this probably safe endeavor though he thought he might be, he was glad for the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the water around him...

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As he contemplated the horizon, Raemos's breathing began to match, subconciously, the ship's rocking motion. It was peaceful, the sailors who commanded this boat nearly all drunk, asleep, or both. Soon, though, it would be a hive of activity, assaulting his ears with buzzing and clanging and shouting.

He was not expecting a 'hello'. He turned smoothly, his hand already on his wand in it's sheath, his brain assessing his surroundings. He relaxed when he saw the dovaa woman sitting on the railing, a rope tied to her waist.

“Hello.” he said, bowing in greeting – in part because it was polite, and in part to hide the hand that slipped away from the wand and, thus, the danger that the woman could have been in. There was, truly, no danger on this boat – after all, the rope had been tied from this end. Thus, she was a passenger who had been... what? Overboard? For some reason? Her garb was certainly too high-class for her to be one of the few Dovaa sailors. “To what pleasure...” he said, with eloquent stiffness, “Do I owe this vision from the sea?”

It was actually a quote from a poem he liked, and he wasn't trying to hit on her or anything of the sort... though... goodness. She was wearing very little, and what she was wearing was thoroughly soaked... He glanced and blushed.

Yep. Completely through. He cleared his throat.

“You must be cold.” he said, offering her his cloak.


(532/1500)

Raemos relaxed slightly as she covered herself, making to assist her with the rope. “Ah. I see.” he said. It would indeed make sense for a dovaa of a clan associated with water to take comfort in it's presence. He himself did not take comfort in the darkness of his magic, but he knew, also, that he was an unusual case.

He did not hold his hand out for her to shake, since she was holding the cloak closed with her hands. Instead, he stood at attention, hands behind his back. “Corporal Raemos Medrol, of the Guardians, at your service, Ma'am.” he said, “If you need any assistance, do not hesitate to ask.” he added.

“Have you business in Serenia?” he asked, curious. Obviously she did, and he didn't think anybody would mind her – unlike himself - “Or is it merely a stopover to a different destination?”

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“Ayr? Goodness.” he commented, “That is far from most civilization.” considering that she was so well dressed, he had to wonder... “What sort of work, may I ask, do you do?”

He peered out over the ocean for a moment. “As for me, I am guarding this vessel and its cargo until it unloads in port, and then I am meeting an... associate in port before returning to Taliuma.”

And his protection might soon be needed, as – over the side and lurking near the ship, a glittering blue -scaled spine broke the water before slipping under to join its comerades...


(766/1500)  

She studied dragons. What a strange thing to study – strange and dangerous. One would think, then, that he would have heard of her. Such a dangerous field of study should, by its very nature, require the hiring of mercenaries, especially the honorable and decent Guardians.

And yet he had not heard of her, and so he thought that she must either be more powerful than she looked, or have friends who protected her. Were they here on the ship with her, he wondered, Sleeping below in the quarters, or were they waiting in some accomodation in Ayr? Or, perhaps, had they abandoned the scholar to her fate, as uscrupulous people were wont to do?

He set that question aside for later, when it was more appropriate to the conversation. Possibly over breakfast, with good food and drink – not that there was much for a passenger on this vessel.

“That is very impressive.” he said instead – and it was. Mastery examinations meant that you were being considered for the highest ranks of your craft. To pass, meant that you were the elite. “More so, still, that you have achieved this in such a difficult field... Dragons are dangerous to study while alive, and cannot be studied dead... I wonder...” he said, beginning to weave his questions in with care, “How do you...”

The sudden surge interrupted him, and he gripped the boat for balance, reaching for his wand again with his other hand. His adrenaline spiked: Had he felt it? How could he not?

“Yes.” he said, taking his magical wand out and peering over the side of the ship. He saw nothing, but nothing was about as ominous as something.

Perhaps thought Raemos, This will be more dangerous than I expected.

As if in confirmation, walls of scintillating water loomed around the ship, brought upward by no natural force. Raemos hissed a curse as the warning bells on the vessel began to ring, and the sailors came up from their tasks. His small Guardian crew, awakened, sought him out.

He could see them coming to get their orders, and he could also see that – by the time he was able to give them – the water would be upon them. Quickly, he summoned his magic, throwing a scattered counter spell of voided darkness into the encroaching water, cancelling out and absorbing the magic behind the water. It fell, propelled by gravity alone, to the water and the ship, pattering against the deck like rain.

“You three –“ he gestured to the two warriors and an archer that had been placed under his command, “See if you can find out what caused this. Anything you see, you apprehend or, if that is not possible” as with a dragon or a monster, “...shoot. You – with me.” he pointed to the Orderite mage with him, “Ready counter spells and shields.” he turned to Esmeralda. “Well, Ma'am,” he said, his breath coming quickly, “I suspect your research is off to an early start.”

Because it was most likely dragons.

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“Are they not always angry?” murmured Raemos... but of course, he had known dragons who were not angry. Those dragons had been smug and murderous. The young Oblivionite didn't know which he preferred – the angry or not angry, but he knew he preferred, over all, the dragons that were not there.

He turned at the sound of a splash to see a water bolt heading for him, but it was disengaged before he could throw up a counter shield. He gave Esmeralda an appraising look. “Would it be possible...” he asked the dovaa, “For you to lift the dragons out of the water, at least as much as it would take to expose them?”

He stabilized against the rail as the boat rocked, though he felt his stomach jerk sickeningly along with it. “That would be... very helpful indeed.”

(1420/1500)    

Raemos wasted no time. “Fire!” he commanded, a bolt of magic striking and engulfing the dragon. It did more disabling than damage, but that was what he wanted, as a hail of arrows sailed into it's hide and it crashed into the sea, vaporizing with a puff of air.

He heard a hiss, like steam, as the dragons below took notice. One, quickly, sailed out of the water for a better look, summoning a wave with it. It dodged the arrows of one of Raemos' troops, snatching the young orderite off of the deck with a crystalline claw of water. It dived down to her, trying to capture her in its waiting jaws... perhaps, Raemos mused offhandedly, the dragons were just hungry.

It was soon dealt with too, and the dragons, enraged, returned to more subtle, safer, aquatic plots. The ship began to rock as they dove beneath it, creaking alarmingly as they assaulted it with force and magic.

Raemos cursed – quietly. “Three more, by my count, beneath the ship...” he reeled, the deck nearly vertical with the next roll of the waves. He looked, with misgiving, at the cargo, “They need to be dealt with. Fast.” He could hear shouts and cries, and he knew that his teammate was still down there, floating in the brine and very much in danger. For a brief moment, the ship was stable as the dragons began to rock it the other way. “Help me if you can, Scholar...” he said, looking into the surf as he climbed up the railing. “Cover me!” he called to his troops as he leapt overboard. He needed to deal with this problem, this mess, himself: he was their commanding officer, and this was not something they were trained for or ready to handle. Not yet. He would bring them through, he would protect the ship.

He readied his magic before he hit the water, hoping to deal with the dragons in one, final strike...

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