Chapter 10

(Author's Note: Bonus chapter 1/7 for the week. I might have to increase it from 5 after this week since you all went ham on the Challenge haha.)

(BCE Leander POV)

I felt the sea breeze on my skin while we sailed to Kephallonia. I was holding a letter from someone I got acquainted with in my search to buy some wine from Kephallonia.

I was told that I should go to Kephallonia for the wine whenever I revisit Greece. Who told me this? It was Kassandra, my teacher, before I was blasted to the past.

Remembering her made me realize that it has been over two years since that event. Many unfortunate things happened, but I was recruited into a mercenary party.

It took a year and a half to gain control of the party. Then another half year to turn it from one dysfunctional ship to three fine war trireme.

We helped most smaller islands in the Aegean Sea with pirates and occasionally helped the Spartans or Athenians. We are based around Delos island, but now we should make a base on Kephallonia.

I sent a couple of my people to scout ahead and found out some exciting details. The island was controlled by a mercenary by the name of Cyclops. However, there was a minor power struggle when a man named Markos fought back with his misthios named Kassandra.

When I read the report and came across that name, I was surprised, to say the least. I ordered my people to give me more details about this person.

A while later, I got the report back, describing the person named Kassandra. It was then that I firmed the idea to make a base on Kephallonia.

I had my people contact that Markos person for a business deal on wine as a cover for my plan. I left some men to guard the base on Delos and headed to Kephallonia.

"Leader, the island is just ahead. We should be able to dock in an hour." Adonis, my right-hand man, said, waking me from my thoughts.

"Thank you, Adonis. Tell the men to prepare and follow the plan. I want Kephallonia under my rule by no later than the end of the day." I said with a vicious look in my eyes.

"Yes, it will be done, Drakos." He said before turning around and yelling at the men to prepare.

An hour later, we finally docked at the dock in Sami. The men disembarked quickly and formally like an organized unit. It took a while to drill into them the discipline for this organization.

I stepped up to disembark but froze briefly when I saw Kassandra looking at me. Then a man I recognized as the shipwright Telemenes said, "Dominus Drakos, welcome to Kephallonia!"

When I stepped on the land, I approached Telemenes and greeted him, "Thank you, Telemenes. Have you been well since the last time we have spoken? Also, how is my new ship coming along?"

Laughing, he answered, "I have been well. Your ship is coming along splendidly. It should be ready in the next couple of days."

Nodding, I look over to the woman greeting her, "Hello, you must be Kassandra, the one who is to show me to Markos. My name is Leander Drakos, but everyone calls me Drakos."

She looked at me for a moment longer before responding, "Yes, my name is Kassandra. Whenever you are ready to go, I can guide you to the vineyard where Markos is at."

"Good to hear. I am ready to go see this man named Markos." I said while my men were unloading our horses.

She turned around and whistled. Not even a minute later, a horse trotted up to Kassandra.

I marvel at the beautiful horse, asking, "Is that a Makedonian horse? Those are some wonderful horses. I am surprised to find one here on Kephallonia."

She looked at me, shock on her face, "Yes, it is. His name is Phobos, and he was gifted to me by Markos. Well, more like he owed me, and I took it." She laughed at her statement at the end.

After getting on our horses, we rode to the vineyard. When we got to the vineyard, we dismounted and walked to Markos.

Kassandra walked ahead, and Markos hearing us turned around.

"Ah! Here you are, and not a moment too soon."

"I've dealt with the bandits and gotten the wood for the bowyer," Kassandra said.

"I had every confidence in you, my friend."

Then Markos looked toward me, saying, "Here is my friend. Come to buy some wine?"

Smiling at his weird 'charismatic charm,' I said, "Hello, Markos. As you most likely expected, I am Drakos. I am here for more than wine thou. I have a better business deal for you. Are you interested?"

"What do you have to say, my friend?" Markos said with interest.

"I have come to wipe out the Cyclops and his thugs to make a base here on Kephallonia for my mercenary group. Since I know you are at odds with Cyclops, I am offering a partnership. You continue your operation on the vineyard, and I protect your merchandise sales off the island. You interested?"

Thinking about it momentarily, he said, "You have yourself a deal."

"Great."

"Well, since we are going to bring down the Cyclops, I have a plan to share with you then," Markos said with a gleam in his eyes.

Turning to Kassandra, saying, "The Cyclops and I have a score of drachmae to settle. The same score as you, my rough-and-tumble friend."

Kassandra getting a little frustrated with his comment, said, "He wouldn't be after me if it wasn't for you, 'my friend."

Markos and I chuckled a little at her comment.

"Right. But – I swear – this will put an end to it! After all, our friend here is going to take care of him. This will be just putting insult to injury."

"It's not a war, it's a pissing match."

"You know just how to hurt me, Kassandra." He said with a fake sadness.

She not caring one bit answers, "It's not that hard, trust me."

"Think! What does the Cyclops value most? His men, his land, his ship? No. His obsidian eye."

"Get to the point, Markos."

"Oh, fine. We're going to steal it."

Kassandra with shock, says, "Are you crazy? You borrow his drachmae, then you steal his eye?"

Then I interrupted, "Well considering his days are numbers to not past today I feel it is not that bad."

All I got was a sharp eye from her.