Chương 1289: [1205] - Y06.105 - Gold Port I

The walls of Gold Port were tall, thick, and beautiful, adorned in the banners of the Floria, white upon purple. The guards matched such, adorned within their breastplates over chain, with long cloaks of purple falling over their shoulders, long spears in hand, the shafts white, their spears tipped in purple, but not like the purple of puthral, but the deeper purple of coralsteel. One might have wondered which protected the city better.

Thankfully, Commander Silversky dealt with the guards, and though he had offered to bypass the tax, Kitool held out the pouch of silver for the guards, informing them of their business within Gold Port.

'Eh?' one of the guards thought, glancing aside to their companion, and then to the Commander. The Commander just nodded, and gave them a look that informed them that of course this was all complicated, they were dealing with Iyrmen. The Commander led the group to a small outpost within the city's walls, muttering a few words to the soldiers within, greeting the other Commander, who instantly realised the gravity of the situation as several Iyrmen stepped out of the carriages.

"Brother Adam," Commander Silversky called, having dealt with the smaller issue of keeping these fellows all but locked up.

"You promised you would not cause trouble."

"Yeah." Commander Silversky swallowed, unsure how much he should trust this half elf. He glanced aside to the other soldiers, who spied up the new group, noting the large number of Iyrmen, and each whispering between one another.

"Then… your companions may travel as you please within the city, but you, Brother Adam, must take a soldier with you if you are to leave the outpost. I hope that you will not spend too long out, and will return for roll call every morning and evening." Adam tilted his head lightly, but smiled, holding out his hand.

"Thank you, Commander. From now on, whenever we swing by a fort you're involved with, I'll be sure to be on my best behaviour."

"Thank you." Commander Silversky hoped he wouldn't regret the faith he was placing in the half elf, for this was political suicide if Adam caused even a hint of trouble. Unfortunately, there were more important matters to deal with, the Commander swiftly retreating towards the palace.

"Alright, guys, you hear that?" Adam called, placing his hands upon his waist as he eyed up the businessfolk all around.

"No trouble! Commander Silversky has been nothing but decent to us, so we can't betray his trust. You hear me, Taygak? No beating up Florians." Taygak flushed lightly.

"Cousin Adam…" Jurot and Kitool exchanged a look, almost certain the half elf was going to cause a massive issue, resolving themselves to also escort the half elf wherever he may go.

'Seriously! We've got to deal with these fools? I didn't join the army just to watch over some savages!' The soldier quickly straightened up as he approached, the figure they needed to pay the second most attention towards.

"Hello, hello," Adam said, holding up a small chest.

"I was wondering who I needed to hand this chest full of heavy silver to, since your other Commander seems a little busy."

"I will take it," the soldier said, accepting the small chest, and since she didn't seem to react at how heavy it was, Adam supposed she had either carried large chests before, or was well trained in not showing her emotions. It was certainly the former, because the vitriol in her eyes had been rather evident as the half elf approached her.

"Right, and uh…" Adam reached into his inner robe, holding up a small pouch.

"I wanted to donate this to the soldiers, for the trouble of looking after us. Just something to add to the drink fund, or whatever you might have here." Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

'At least he knows how to bribe!' The soldier smiled, taking the small pouch of silver.

'Hmm? I guess it's only about ten silver? What a stingy guy! Why didn't you give me a gold coin instead of making me carry a pouch as well as a chest?' Once the soldier returned, she beamed with joy as she nodded towards the half elf, for those eyes of hers had not seen the glint of ten silver coins, but ten gold.

'I'll keep handing over about twenty gold, no, thirty gold each day they keep us, so that way they don't get too mad at us. I'll leave them with an extra pouch of silver once we leave too.' Adam sighed, stressed by how much silver and gold they were spending, but at the same time, he couldn't help but smile, since he was able to spend so much money and feel like he was someone important.

The outpost was like a large estate, walled off from the rest of the world with stone walls, while most of the buildings were wood, with a section full of stone buildings. There were towers at each corner, but it was the tower which was most impressive of all, for it loomed within the centre of the complex, and split the outpost into three. It was roughly one and a half times as tall and as wide as the other towers, with the chain of command forming their base in the centre.

Adam and his companions remained within a single section, a smaller section full of buildings with a small yard. A couple of soldiers patrolled the walls of their section and a handful of soldiers remained within, keeping to themselves mostly, but focused on keeping an eye on the group and the half elf. Sometimes they would glance towards the figure with the highest priority, who sat beside her brother and cousin. The Commander of the fort eventually approached, having dealt with his matters.

He was tall and muscular, his hair a burnt amber, his skin rough and worn, darker, revealing his Aswadian heritage, but he fashioned his beard into a goatee, not like a respectable Aswadian. As he approached the group, he first made his way to the Priest.

"Brother, Lady's blessings upon you," the Commander said.

"Many blessings upon you," Mork replied, glancing aside towards Dunes, bemused.

"This noonval heat bears so terribly this year, do you not agree?"

"I do."

"It must be due to the Reavers, who have brought chaos to this land."

"It must be so," Mork half agreed, eyeing up the Commander, though as he did, he spotted Chosen eyeing the man curiously.

"I am Commander Joseph the Black, for my beautiful skin," he said, smiling wide.

"Though my father says it is because of our family's merchant company, the Black Sea Company."

"Ah!" Mork said, raising his brows in surprise, for who had not heard of the Black Sea Company?

"Is your uncle Black Sea Sword?" Chosen asked, furrowing his brows further in thought.

"My uncle is named so."

"My granduncle is Bloodblade."

"Your granduncle is…" Joseph seemed almost unbothered, until the name clicked within his mind, and he smiled brightly, the brightness reaching his eyes.

"Bloodblade Shasen?"

"Yes," Chosen replied, the Iyrman full of pride, though that was to be expected, since he was an Iyrman.

"How many blessings come to me this day?" Joseph laughed, his laughter rippling out like a wave.

'Damn! You Iyrmen really know everyone!' Adam's brows remained stuck as they were raised, for the Iyrmen continued to surprise him, in a way that shouldn't have been surprising in the slightest. Joseph sat with Chosen, speaking with the young Iyrman, as well as Brother Mork, for quickly they realised the Commander worshipped Lady Tempest deeply, more so than any of the Divine.

"They have me stuck upon land, but I hear the sea whispering sweetly to my ears," Joseph said, his ears twitching.

"There I may find my own Bloodblade, who will cut me deeply and leave me for dead, and when we see each other next, we will drink!" Chosen laughed alongside Joseph, glad he could finally show off his family too, not that he didn't have the opportunity, but this time the Commander held a greater connection to his family.

"I have come to accompany my cousin, Adam," Chosen admitted as they finally fell upon that matter.

"He is quite the fool, but I grew up with his brother, and I am to see the madness he brings with my own two eyes."

"What madness does he bring?" Joseph asked, only then recalling what Silversky had told him.

"He is the Crazy Father," Chosen replied simply.

"That is too much madness," Joseph said, tutting as he poured the Iyrman another drink.

"I must watch over him carefully."

"He promised to behave, so please watch over him lightly."

"I have my position to consider."

"I will deal with him if he misbehaves," Chosen stated firmly, catching Joseph's eyes.

"I will afford to him what I have promised, but he is under my eyes now, my eyes which can spot a single copper within a sea of bronze, a single silver in a sea of platinum, and an Aswadian ass in a sea of Aldish, but the last is least impressive, for their woman are built thickly, while ours are built too thin." Chosen took a moment to see how the Commander viewed himself, and he smiled, bowing his head.

"We will head to Aswadasad soon, and I will see for myself." Joseph slapped the Iyrman across his thigh, howling and cackling with laughter, glad that this young man was more his speed.