1 Off the Boat
Alex held his head as the bobbing of the ship sprung to life another terrible headache. He rubbed his eyes as he sat up in his small cot. Alex felt terrible, but he kept himself from upchucking. Nights of no sleep, coupled with the churning sea was an unsightly combination only the dumb would mix. He guessed that made him stupid.
He got up from his cot and stumbled to the small sink in the back of his little room. He was able to see just enough with the few rays of sun that slipped past the blinds of his window. He grabbed a rag and ran warm water over it before scrubbing his face. He made sure to avoid the patch that lay over his left eye. He didn't like the patch, it just irritated him, but he knew it helped him focus.
Alex dried his face and looked at himself in the small mirror above the sink. He brushed his messy hair with his fingers and rubbed the dark bags under his eyes brought on by exhaustion. He then ran his fingers down the many scars that marked his face. Most had been caused by avoided blades and stray arrows, and the others by his own recklessness.
His emerald green eye shined in the darkness of the room. It was the only thing that connected him to his lineage, all his family sported these same eyes. He shook his head, it reminded him too much of his father for his liking. There came a knocking on the door and he turned the faucet off, "Can't I be left in peace."
He opened the door and regretted doing so quickly. The sun invaded his room and blinded him as he put his hand over his eye. He was expecting one of his underlings to be reporting the morning's body count, but instead it was the Captain of the ship. The captain was a stocky man wearing a white uniform. He smiled through his thick black beard.
"Commando Mooring, I-" the captain stopped speaking as Alex's shirtless chest distracted him. He closed the door and hid in it's shadow, "What do you need, Captain?" Alex sounded rough as he realized he had said few words during the entire week-long voyage back North.
The captain stood up straight, "I came today to thank you personally for your service," he saluted, "on behalf of the entire crew, I salute you." Alex frowned but hid it with a salute of his own. He couldn't tell if the captain meant what he said, or if he was just trying to earn points with a high ranking military figure. Whichever it was, Alex just wished to be left alone.
The captain put his hand down, "We are docking today, we can already see the northern shore. Make sure to have all your things." Alex nodded and the Captain walked away to complete his thank yous. Alex didn't like them, they always felt hollow, and this time was no different. He closed the door and caught himself in the mirror.
He had dozens of scars lining his abdomen, chest, and arms. Some were shallow, others were deep and dark. He put on a shirt to cover himself up finding the scars hard to look at for very long. After making sure he had bagged the few items he called his own he donned his military officers jacket and slung his backpack over his shoulder and exited the small cabin.
The ocean stretched to the horizon and it seemed to him to never end. He knew better as he imagined the western lands over the sea and it's rolling planes. He had only ever read about the far off westernlands, but what he heard in stories rarely added up to reality.
They say the west is where the dragons fled to after they were hunted to near extinction. He was told by the maids of his house that the dragons lived in peace and flourished in the untamed mountains and alps of the west free of their hunters. This was a wives tale told to children, but he had never heard different. He may find out one day, but his expectations were low.
Walking down the side of the boat he met with other soldiers. They all avoided him and moved out of the way or looked off in another direction. He never found their behaviour rude, given his position he would do the same. He just ignored the others like he's always done, besides there was nothing to talk about.
After a short walk he made it to the point of the ship where multiple tables have been set up for the soldiers to eat and meet at. He guessed word had spread they were arriving today as he counted more men than usual. Many of the men conversed in groups and laughed, they were in high spirits for today.
Why shouldn't they be, many were returning home to their wives, unborn babies, and their families. Alex, he wasn't coming home to his family. Alex's father and he were the last two descendants of the long line of Moorings. He sat down at an unoccupied table near the point of the ship as he stared at the growing northern shores.
He could already feel the northern air welcoming them back with it's cool embrace. He shivered as he felt the wind on his face, it was pleasant to feel the northern air he was so accustomed too. The East was muggy and the winters mild, he was glad to get away from the heat. He breathed in the air as he remembered the winters, some of the only good memories of home.
He touched the dog tags around his neck, "Sorry I couldn't bring you back." "You and me both, son." Recognising the voice he stood up with a salute, "General." A bigger man with a big red beard sat down at the table, "It's just Flint now, I resigned." He motioned for him to sit back down, "It's good to see you out of that cabin, I thought I was going to go crazy over all the missing body count's from you."
Alex sat down, "Sorry, didn't feel much like getting out." Flint smiled, "Trust me, it's all I can do to get a peaceful moment. Now that I resigned, that won't be a problem." Alex nodded, General Flint was one of the few people looking out for him. Alex wished he had met him five years ago rather than three.
Alex looked off into the waves, "So, what will you do." He twisted his beard, "I'll be going back to my Inn." Alex raised his eyebrow, "You own an Inn?" He laughed, "Sure do. The Send Off, nicest place in the lower city. Best pies in the city too." Flint was salivating just from the thought, "Good pie, it's been so long. What about you Alex, I haven't been able to predict what you'd do yet."
Alex would have answered him if he knew. He touched the tags again, "I'll live up to my promise first, but I couldn't tell you what lies beyond for me." Flint didn't need to read the tags, "I see, if you would like, I wouldn't mind acompanining you?" Alex shook his head, "No need, I'm sure someone is waiting for you. I can handle this, I promised him that much."
Flint looked down at Alex's trembling hands, "I'll leave it to you then. If you need a warm bed, look for me north of the church." Alex made a mental note, he didn't have anywhere else to go. He would like to avoid his father for as long as possible. "I might just do that."
A passenger boat sailed past them and the people on it's deck cheered and whistled at the soldiers. They waved awkwardly unused to such things. In the east many citizens ignored and avoided them. It may have been a mental thing, many of these men were not heros of war. Alex blocked out some memories by going back to staring at the waves.
After a short sail they passed a giant seacliff and sailed into a large cove. All the men ran to the front of the boat to get a look of the city as it came into view. "Look, there it is." "It's been so long." "I can't wait to get back to my children, I hope they will recognise me."
Exlaria, the northern capital. Nearly completely made of marble the city shined in the sunlight. It's great outer walls surrounded the city on all sides besides the huge dock. The City was made of three sections: The lower city, the upper city, and the castle. The castle was by far the most magnificent thing in the city, and perhaps the entirety of the north besides it's snow capped alps which could be clearly seen from even there on the water.
But something new caught Alex's attention, "General, that tower?" A single solitary ivory tower sat in the middle of the city. It was marked with gold symbols and a great golden orb on the top. Flint rubbed his chin, "That is the new magic construct the king had created. They say it's the most complex protection device ever created in the city. They're calling it… the Illumneal."
Alex recognised the shining golden symbols. They were all protection runes of the highest quality with each taking years to conjure by themselves. The amount of them surprised him, the king must have been expecting an all out attack on the city. With the war over, it seemed like a waisted effort.
They passed more traffic in the cove, mostly fishing vessels. The blue finned marqural was a delicacy here in the north. The other ships they saw were loaded down with supplies like wood, stone, and other building materials. Alex knew the situation was bad for the eastern kingdom, but it eased his heart to know the King was not leaving them with nothing but bloody battlefields.
The boat sailed into port and docked. With the gangway dropped the soldiers started waking off all with smiles on their faces. He watched as the men filed off and got up himself. Flint followed his steps, "Whelp, I have to talk to the captain before getting off. I'll keep a drink cold for you." He waved and headed back into the ship leaving Alex to stare at the marble dock.
He didn't want to get off, but he had too. He took out a piece of bloody paper with faded lettering, "...I know I promised, but…" Alex sighed and walked off the boat and began reading the directions left on the paper by an old friend.
