Chapter fifteen A.

When I woke, it was to sun light streaming in on my face. I stretched and realized I was alone in the cabin. I headed to the bathroom. Sasha had left clothes out for me on a countertop, black pants, a light short-sleeved shirt, boxers, socks, and the flatboat shoes I had.

The smell of sizzling bacon wafted into the room as I made my way into the gally. “Good morning master Grayson, how did you sleep?” Came the kind voice of May. She was busy over the stove and looked at me over her shoulder.

“Very well. What time is it?”

“It’s just about mid-morning my lord. Here now, why don’t you have a seat at the table and I’ll bring you some breakfast.” May said, busying herself with a pan.

I went to the table and bemoaned, not having found any coffee on the planet. I was not up late, but this morning was the first time I felt like I had a real grasp on the world I was in.

May brought over a plate with thick cuts of bacon, potatoes, and eggs. She as well set a large mug of something black in Infront of me. “Did not know how you liked your coossa. Take a sip and tell me if you want any cream or sugar.”

I sipped the drink, and by all the divines, it was coffee or at least close. It did not have the bitterness to it and was much richer. Closer to hot chocolate. “I’ll take it as is, this is great; why have I not had this before?”

“Well not many like it to tell the truth, usually one can only find it in the fanciest restaurants. Looks like the food merchant sold you some as a spice, to drive the price up. Cheating bastard.” May said.

“We’ll all I have to say to that is bless his soul, coffee. Or coossa. The last thing I was missing from my old world.”

May laughed at that and headed back to the gally, busily humming to herself. As I ate, I noticed the room was relatively devoid of, well, everyone. It was at this thought that Timothy came down the stairs.

“Good morning my lord, how’s the breakfast?”

“Excellent, May really does have an amazing touch. Have you eaten, has everyone else?” I added.

“Yes, my lord, we all had a most wonderful meal earlier. I must thank you again from myself and the rest wanted me to say thank you as well. Most of us only eat this good on holidays if we’re lucky.” Timothy said as he came to join me at the table.

“Well as I said before it’s no problem. Where is everyone?”

“Oh, their all up on deck, at least most of them. Few of the dryads are still sickly, as well as two nymphs, and most of the fairies. There all curled up together resting. It will be a few days until there fully back on their feet.”

“Excellent; have you experienced any problems with the ship?”

“Besides being a bit cramped. No. Sails like a dream on waves of starlight. Passed a few merchant ships but they were farther out to sea then us.”

“Speaking of cramped. I wanted to make the ship bigger, but was wondering about the marina at the college; will there be room? and can you all live abord?”

“The marina is huge and could easily handle a ship twice as big, if not bigger. And yes, slaves may live abord at the college, in fact many of the richer nobles and merchants who attend the school keep their pleasure yachts to live out of while there. I don’t see how you can make the ship bigger though, there is not a dry dock between her and the capital that could work on this vessel. The capitol is the only place where you might be able to get work done.”

Finishing the last of my food and with a big gulp of coossa, I said, “I have my ways… I have my ways. May, I have a request can you prepare a large lunch as a picknick for today?” I said, turning to the gally and raising my voice.

“Why of course my lord…yes…ok…yes Master Grayson.” She said, going from accepting to confused, puzzled, then landing back on acceptance.

I went up the stairs and onto the back deck. The captain’s chair was to my right and behind that was a large area that was lined with benches. Zora and Holly were sitting, along with Sasha and Milly. Sasha was working on what looked like a pillow while Milly was using a small contraption to turn butter. Anya and her bright orange hair sat next to a nymph I had not met yet.

“Good morning.” I said as I flopped into the empty captain’s seat.

“Good morning, Master Grayson.” Came a chorus of voices.

Timothy followed me out shortly and found a spot in the back. Looking out over the front of the boat, I could see the nymphs and dryads sprawled out in the sun over the front deck. The day was just this side of warm with a pleasant chill. The waves on the lake were calm, and the wind came from the southeast providing pleasant sailing weather.

I was almost loathed to turn to shore and give up this fine day of sailing. I knew I had to though, I had to find a spot where I could settle the ship and grow it once more. I hoped that the more impressive the ship, the fewer problems I would have. But when dealing with the nobility, or those newly ascended to the position, one could never truly know what they were going to do.

I flipped the switch that gave me manual control of the ship. I turned the boat slightly and headed to the coast. It took only fifteen minutes of sailing to find the perfect location. A small river ran into the sea at the location I had chosen. About fifty or so yards (45m) upstream were the sand turned to soil, and another fifty yards (45m) past that was where a coastal forest began.

I sailed right up to the beach by the river lowering the sails, and when the ship was close to bottoming out, I infused my mana into the ship. Once more, thick roots sprouted from the bottom and walked the ship to where the sand met soil. Once in the proper location, the roots grew rapidly. Sinking and spreading out from the bottom of the ship.

When the boat was fully stopped, I turned to the group on deck, who were all now standing and looking over the side. “Today is going to be a beach day, gather every one up. I’m going to be working on the boat.”

“How, I’ve never… just…how?” the dryad Arial asked. The look of wonder and fear on her face was priceless.

“Magic, what else.” I said with a cheeky grin.

The roots rose to the side of the deck and created a long gangplank down to the ground with railings for the kids. It was when I walked confidently onto the beach that I noticed a grouping of boulders begin to move.

With a loud grinding of rocks, an approximation of a human, a gorilla, pulled itself from the sand and stone. It stood nearly twenty feet tall, even hunched over on all fours as it was. I heard a few screams come from the boat as I said, “can’t have this ruin our beach day.”

I used the inspect ability on the monstrosity, and that kick off the combat. With a loud roar that sounded of boulders falling down a hill, the monster stood on its two legs, raised its arms, and tilted its head back, and screamed.

Rock giant. Level 28. Weakness: fire. Experience: seven thousand. Health one hundred percent.

Shaking my head while its arms were still raised in the air, I held my right hand out. With a focus of my mana, I cast the spell [plasma beam: 45.1 mana]. The bright incandescent orange beam slammed into the rock giant and made it take a step back. Three seconds later, the center of its chest was a glowing molten ruin as the beam flew out of its back.

As I ended the spell, I watched as reality caught up to the monster. It took a few steps forward then fell to its knees. With a muffled crash due to the sand, it fell face first. [You have killed rock giant, seven thousand experience gained.] The soft voice in my head informed me.

Sweet I leveled, I thought to myself. I’m going to have to see what Timothy knows about leveling; Sasha and I still must distribute our points.

I scanned about the beach for a moment, but it appeared the rock giant had kept this area of beach clear of any other monsters. “Ok, it safe to come down.” I yelled back up to the ship.

Hesitantly the others slowly disembarked. They stood in a loose half-circle around me. Some of the fairies and dryads did still look dead tired, but I figured the warm sun and relaxing day would do them well. They all just looked at me in shock.

“Well…right… you all are going to have a pleasant beach day and relax. I will be growing my boat. I will set a barrier spell up and make a few things. Sound good?” I said.

“Yes, most exalted lord. We shall endeavor to have a pleasant beach day.” Timothy said with newfound respect but still held a mocking air of friendly joking.

The others just nodded, and I turned to Sasha, “Why don’t you armor up and stand watch while I work.” I said.

Sasha smiled placatingly and said, “Oh… all work and no play, very well.”