Welcome to Gaia! ::

Baruti was quick to find Khaldun in the morning. Although he was now 100% human, he still felt as though sleeping was a waste of time. It would certainly catch up with him after a day or two of only a few hours rest, but for now he felt there were more important things to do. [[Pardon, Captain, I was wondering if you required anything?]]

He was curious of Khaldun's new features, but felt it best not to say anything. He was supposed to be a guide, nothing more, but just as before he felt himself becoming attached to these people.

Angela had waited below deck for Daemon to rise and eat breakfast before getting to work on the translation of his book. It was very awkward to see the young man without a shirt, but once the actual translation began, she became all business.

She waited on many things. In the mornings, she waited on her dresser to deliver her slippers while lounging in the comfort of her bed. At midday she waited on her escort to walk her around the frozen grounds of the great castle. In the evenings she would wait on the other wives of her husband before they all gathered by the fire to sit and gossip about the going-ons of the day. But news was one things Savana could not stand to wait on.

“You tell that silly beast man that if he wants a proper home to return to he must tell me his plans!” She was addressing a messenger, a small boy who was likely picked up along Entares' war path. He could not have been more than eight or nine, just old enough to remember what to say, but too young to fight. The goddess forgive him should he ever be caught, for those who sought information would see him only as a small bag to rip their treasure from.

He seemed to cower even before her false might. “I am only here to deliver the letters, miss.”

Savana's chin rose with indignation. “You will address me as your empress.”

“Y-yes! Yes, my empress!” His bow was so clumsy he nearly tripped over himself.

With a frustrated sigh, Savana motioned for the boy to rise. She was obviously going about this in the wrong matter. She poured him a small glass of brandy, something to ease the boy's fear. Handing it to him, she waited for him to tip the glass up and drink. She wanted desperately to step away from him at the sight of his sick face, but she schooled herself. Perhaps vomit crusted shoes were the price a lady had to pay sometimes.

“I need to know where my husband is going. I cannot send the troops he asks for unless you tell me where to have them go?”

The boy was doubtful at her sudden change of demeanor, but thankful that at least this side of the woman did not seem ready to strike him. “He said I was to tell no one, save the man in charge.” Once again the boy shrunk back, causing the warmth rising in his stomach to slosh around most unpleasantly.

“Well then, how am I supposed to send supplies with them? Surely the weather will play a large part in this campaign. You've already seen the unnatural storms and droughts plaguing all of Ethas. Perhaps just a warning as to what supplies will be needed?”

The tiny messenger bit his lip in consideration. It was a reasonable request, and after all she was an empress... even if it was just one of a dozen. “Well... I suppose...”

Savana smiled and sat beside him. “Very well, why don't you tell me what things were like where you were headed?”

“Well...”

**

Entares scanned the horizon, a sea of a thousand dead frozen grasses waving over the snowy hills of Danadur. He was sorely tempted to rush in now, to seize Danadur and its spoils before he lost his good luck. But that would be a fool's ploy. Danadur was known for its isolationist policy. So long as that was the only border against him, it would be far easier to grab the crumbling cities of Arcion before returning with full force and man power to take what was now his birthright.

He had been born in the former country of Aldmere in the city of Ashland, the mythic place where the ancestor of many of the Anchi had arrived from the great kingdoms to the east. The b*****d son of a lower upperclass woman, it was not long that she remarried and he was given a proper education far from home in Dorham. He had not been untouched by the effects of war, but his birth status seemed to be fate in that his family were not hunted down by the invading armies from the west or their family murdered by the poor.

A caw came from the sky above. Turning his face upward, he found a flock of black birds, likely ravens, flew overhead almost as though they played at being scavenger birds. No meal for you here, demons. Fly on.

A shiver ran down his spine signaling that the goddess known as Latianna was in his presence. He did not even have to turn to address her, knowing that if it were just the paranoia bringing him to speak the woman would likely be able to hear him anyway.

“We march north.”

“The wings of a thousand birds will hurry us along.”

“You speak in riddles to mock me.”

“I speak of truths to warn you.”

Now he did turn to her, perhaps to feel more as an equal to the woman whose potential power he could not comprehend. Or perhaps it was more so out of fear, something which he would not admit even to himself.

“My dear woman, the only warning I require is the blow of the warhorn. I am ready at all times to strike the enemy down.”

“To go north is folly. Your men will die.”

“What would you have us do? Go west? Into lands that are well defended as we freeze out in winter's hold?”

“To go west would result in only the same. You seem adamant on killing your men, my warlord.”

“What would you have me do, then?”

A smile crossed her beautiful lips, seeming almost too wide, as though it were only being mimed. Entares thought, not for the first time, What is this creature, this demon I've struck such a hard bargain with?

“I repeat, what would you have me do?”

“These lands are fruitless, my lord. What is a thousand years of history to ignorant dirt farmers? What does your legacy mean to those who will never feel the spark of magic? You should sail east.”

“Sail east?” He barked a laugh, his contempt masked only as amusement. “To where? To foreign lands that hold no meaning to either me or my men? To foreign lands to which the dangers we are unaware? If anything, my lovely goddess, you seem to have a death wish for us all.”

Entares was immediately struck by his words and her silence. Is this true? Then truly a madwoman I have before me.

After considerable thought, Latianna replied. “No, my warlord. Not for all, only some. And if you wish yourself to not be among their number you will go east. There is no sweetness of victory, just the remnant of ashes. To the east lies more than just the birthplace of your mutant kind, but of magic herself. If such a thing is truly your legacy, then that is where you should go.”

Anger boiled in his heart. All this way only to tell me to turn tail and head home? To cower into the sea! “Why should I listen to a temptress such as yourself?”

“Because it was I that handed you your sword and delivered you to the throne. You must trust someone in your life, Entares, so why not the one who has done so much for you?”

**

“Well,” the boy looked at Savana hesitantly, “He says that they are to prepare for a journey at sea.”

At sea? Where is he going now? Gallennia? Estunias?

“And that he will be returning with his armies. There is no need to send more men, my empress.”

Is he daft? Surely after marching north he would not return for his fleet if he simply needed them for war purposes. What is he playing at?

The empress dismissed the boy to deliver his message. Something did not feel right, and yet Savana did not know enough to place what it was. She was forced to wait for the return of her new husband. Perhaps there was a way to restore her homeland yet.

There was that word again. He had thought nothing of it before when he was barraged with so much information that was of far greater importance; however, now that he was again in his element and his head was a bit clearer, he pondered what it signified.

How much things must have changed since Baruti last walked the earth! [[Modesty!?]] Khaldun laughed. [[I see you know little of our modern world, friend. Magick is taboo, outlawed in many nations, including my own. To hide what you call my birthright is ensuring the trust and hard-work of this mostly foreign crew until I can better gauge their alliances.]]

[[Would you please enlighten me as to what a koreiana is? You have referred to me as such several times now...And what do you hope to gain by sailing with me?]] He was curious to learn more of this strange man, who could perhaps better explain to him how to go about fulfilling his responsibilities.

So many expectations! It almost seemed easier to give up without having begun. Not daring to look Baruti in the eye, Khaldun replied, [[Little has been translated as of yet, though a 'redeemer' has been mentioned. I'm afraid we know very little of the prophecies.]] Perhaps it's better that way...I hate to fail his expectations...as I surely will...

Why couldn't things be simple? He could easily support himself on the seas the rest of his life, and he knew how to preserve a ship. He thought he had left false expectations when he had left his life on land, but apparently, he was mistaken. When this was over, when he had done his part, would he be free, then? He doubted it. It seemed the fates intended to control him his whole life.