Chapter 571 – Before the Voyage

Thedia walked down from the gangway with a clipboard under her arm. Two shipwrights flanking her to either side were in the middle of a heated conversation. However, as they drew closer, Kanae realized they weren't bickering with each other. They were pleading to the beastman woman.

"The starboard hull is compromised. If you're hit with a bad wave at sea, this whole ship is filling with water in seconds!"

"When we unfurled the sails, there were gashes down the length of them. They must be replaced, too. We need a month before this thing can set sail, Miss Thedia!"

The conversation ended as soon as they walked up to Kanae.

"Uh. Is everything okay?" Kanae asked.

"No!" they answered.

"Yes," Thedia said. "It seems there is some damage, but nothing that cannot be quickly repaired. The ship will be sea worthy in three days."

Both men groaned into their hands.

"Well, alright…" Kanae let it go.

"Your more pressing concerns will be staffing this ship. Have you given any thought as to the crew you will be recruiting?" Thedia asked.

"I, uh… No…" She hung her head.

Thedia exhaled through her nose.

"Very well. I will draw up a skeleton crew of sailors from Rown Company and bill it to the Commonwealth. In the meantime, you should come up with a name for the ship. It is bad luck to sail without, and crew may even refuse to set off from port," Thedia explained.

"Really? Why?" Kanae asked.

She leaned in and lowered her voice. "Bad luck. Storms, rogue waves, mishaps on board, and other misfortunes are likely to occur. A ship without a name is a ghost ship that the seas will claim for the depths, and its crew doomed to be drowned and forgotten."

Kanae swallowed the lump in her throat and shuddered.

"It'll have a name before we sail. I promise!" Kanae exclaimed.

"Good! I shall be off to the shipyard to salvage parts for your ship. Rown Company thanks you for your patronage, Your Majesty." Thedia bowed, then signalled for a few dockhands to follow.

"Arenade is not going to like the invoice we're about to get." She sighed.

With extra free time on her hands, Kanae returned to the inn they were staying at for the time being. It was one of the more upscale ones in Port Kandis, built on an elevated rising which overlooked the shimmering seas. She landed in front of the entrance, and a young elven doorman bowed while pulling the door open for her.

"I'm in room 24 on the second floor," Kanae whispered, tucking a coin as a tip into his tunic pocket.

Ears turning red, the elf straightened his back and squeezed his legs shut. Kanae giggled on the way in. The lobby was full of people, vacationers most likely, from across the country. High elven Ortesians were among them, arrogant enough to visit the city-states despite rising tensions. Savirans, too, having come along the coast from Kandis. They lined up at the desks, waiting to be checked in by overworked clerks and receptionists. A couple of Ortesians shot her a dirty glare, clearly recognizing who she was.

Kanae walked past the lobby and into a fine restaurant in the adjacent room. A large glass aquarium ran the length of the walls, teeming with fish. Occasionally, a servant reached in from the top with a net to catch one and bring into the back.

"Over here!" Gretchen stood up from a table and waved. She was joined by Hilde and Vestrid, but no signs of Petyr.

"Where's Petyr and her boytoys?" Kanae asked.

"Not sure. They never joined us. So, how long are we going to be here?" Vestrid kicked a chair out for her.

They had already ordered an incredible amount of seafood. Lobster, fish, oysters, clams, shrimp, and beer. Vestrid seemingly ate the least. Her plates were mostly spotless, drenched only in juices. The utensils were untouched, still resting on their napkins.

At least, Kanae thought Vestrid ate little. The drakeling reached across the table to grab a whole lobster. She crunched down on it, shell and all. Kanae winced at the cracking after each bite. Butter and juices went flying, some landing as far as Hilde's plate. Gretchen shut her eyes, wincing at the sound and clearly not enjoying it.

"You eat like my daughter…" Kanae grimaced.

"Who? Feraline? Our bodies run fiery hot! We have to stuff ourselves with as many calories as possible. Only thing I can't do is eat large bones like Red. I guess that's why she's beefier, huh?" Vestrid flexed her arm and patted the bulging bicep.

Kanae imagined a much older Feraline, all beefed up like Sivvy Brenhallow, and still as wild as ever. She shook the thought away, wishing her baby to be a baby for a while longer.

"Anyway, Thedia needs three days. Rown Company's also going to supply us a crew," Kanae explained.

"I don't understand why we can't fly to Nu-hauta on my dragon," Hilde said.

"If something happens to your dragon, then we're stuck. It helps to have a plan B. Besides, this might turn into a rescue and evacuation mission. We're going to need the ship to sail people out of the islands." She reached for a lobster and bit into the juicy flesh.

This might actually be better than sex.

"Chase it down with some spiced rum. You're going to climax." Vestrid poured her a cup from a glass bottle fashioned to look like a mermaid.

Kanae did as the Saint Priest suggested. She tore into the lobster meat and drank the spiced rum, tasting notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and more spices. The flavors worked together as a delicious blend that danced on her tingling taste buds.

"This is so good!" Kanae squealed.

"That's the spirit! I'll have some more, too." Vestrid dragged the whole tray of lobsters over to her side of the table.

"Haven't you had enough already?!" Gretchen exploded, flinging an oyster shell at her.

It hit Vestrid square on the forehead head, but she caught the shell between her jaws on the way down. The sickening crunch that followed elicited a painful groan from Gretchen.

After lunch, Kanae and Hilde rode on the dragon to fly out to sea. She wanted to get a closer look at the volcano. They flew for an hour, but it didn't seem to be getting closer. The atmosphere was very muggy. Sweat beaded profusely on her skin. It had to be from all that lava still oozing into the water. All this steam was intense.

"All this beauty was just waiting to be witnessed, and we had spent most of our lives in a subterranean city instead. Oh, how I want to pick up a brush and paint this scenery. The volcano, however, can be omitted." Hilde sighed.

"Is that why you got into painting? Because you were living underground for so long?" Kanae asked.

"Not exactly the most difficult thing to deduce, but it is part of it. I also find immortalizing memories in painting an enjoyable process. For example, I very much loved painting the portrait of you." She glanced over her shoulder and smiled.

Kanae felt a hand rest on top of hers. Hilde's hand. They leaned closer until their lips were about to connect when the dragon lurched downwards.

"What? Steady!" Hilde pulled on the reins.

"Hold on. I think your dragon sees someone down there. Look!" Kanae pointed to a man on a rowboat rocking about on the waves.

They leaped off the dragon to fly down, finding a bearded elven man overcome with relief. He reeked of rotting fish. His body had been scorched by the sun, skin peeling all over. A single seagull squawked from one end of the dinghy as though laughing at him.

"Oh, this is even better! I don't care if you're hallucinations. If my final moments are getting a threesome with two succubi, then the Supreme One better spare me a few more hours of life!" The ragged elf dropped his pants, but his dick was soft and shriveled up. "Damn it! I can't even get it up? Gods, just kill me already!"

"You're not hallucinating. We're very real," Kanae said.

"If you would like a demonstration, then… get on your knees." Hilde's eyes flashed as she charmed the elf into kneeling.

"H-Holy shit! I'm saved! I-I am being saved, right?" he stammered.

They carried the elf onto the dragon and flew back to Port Kandis. As soon as they touched down on the docks, he dropped to all fours and kissed the ground. Kanae beckoned dock workers to fetch him water. He snatched the canteen out of their hands and gulped it down.

"Why were you out there? Did you get caught by the volcano rising from the seafloor?" Kanae asked.

"Aye. I'm a crabber by trade. Was checking my crab pots when it happened. The wave swept my boat away. I lost my oar, too!" the elf explained.

"Swept out? From Port Kandis?" Hilde arched her brow.

"Nope. From Azor Island of Nu-hauta," he said.

Kanae and Hilde gasped.

"You tell us everything you know about what's going on in Nu-hauta, and we'll buy you anything you want to eat," Kanae offered.

"Deal!" he accepted instantly.

They brought the elf who introduced himself as Dominiq to the nearest taproom. Kanae paid a small feast just for him, and the waitresses brought an endless supply of beer. Dominiq didn't hold back from stuffing himself, drinking four steins and devouring an entire turkey before being willing to speak.

"Aye the sad truth is Nu-hauta's sinking. Been sinking for decades now. Most of the beaches are gone. Another ten more years, and everyone'll be knee-high in seawater. I imagine that a volcano's gonna make things worse," Dominiq explained.

"And what about King Toro Squa? Any word on him? I heard he returned to Nu-hauta after being missing," Kanae said.

A lie, obviously. There wasn't even a whisper about where Toro Squa had gone after leaving Savir. Kanae hoped to draw out a reaction from the man, and it seemed to work. He snorted like a pig.

"That useless king of ours has been gone for… Peh, Supreme One knows how long. I haven't heard a thing about him being back. If he is, he might as well still be missing because nothing's changed. Well, that's not right. Something did change. Everything's getting worse!" The crabber threw his hands up in exasperation.

"What about Vestrid's colleague? The Frost Mage?" Hilde chimed in.

He shrugged. "Dunno a thing about no frost mage. Big ass fucking wall of ice shot up outta nowhere around the islands though. It wasn't enough to do a damn thing to save me."

It had to be Bocchiri's doing with Permafrost. He was the only one capable of creating something that massive to protect the islands.

"One last question. What do the people of Nu-hauta think about being evacuated to the mainland?" Kanae asked.

"Pft. Lady, I'm a crabber. Son of a crabber, grandson to a crabber. We've lived on Azor for centuries. I'll die on Azor, too," Dominiq explained.

"If all else fails, you and I can just Mass Charm them onto the ships," Hilde suggested.

The elf choked on his beer.

"That's going to be the last resort option for sure." Kanae agreed.

Night fell, and the lighthouse afar began its blinding rotation for ships coming and going. A warm fog rolled into Port Kandis thanks to the volcano. Kanae closed the blinds and stretched her arms. Everyone had gotten their own rooms for the next few days. With the exception of Hilde, the others were more inclined to solitary living arrangements. She already missed having the usual retinue along.

Knock. Knock.

But it wasn't too bad.

"Oooh. Dessert after dinner?" Isabella giggled from the desk.

"Quiet you. The last thing I need is you scaring someone off." Kanae groaned.

When she opened the door, the nervous doorman looked up at her. He had changed out of his uniform and into common tunic and pants. His eyes struggled to meet her own. There was a stark difference in their height. Kanae stood a full two heads taller than him, not counting the horns.

"I-I came as you asked, Miss. Is there s-something you need?" He gulped.

"I'm going to be staying here for two more nights and am in need of company. Would you like to fulfill that role for me?" Kanae asked, biting her lower lip.

The young man nodded eagerly.

Kanae extended a hand and invited him in, closing the door behind them.