"All right, ready when you are. Open fire at will."

Luke slipped off several short bursts of fire as the assault rifle rattled to life. Out to sea, the target was soon riddled with hits, most of them clustered on the upper half of the torso. Soon enough, Luke quit firing.

Greg let the binoculars slip away from his eyes. "Not too bad. You're getting better at this."

"I think it helps that I have something to shoot at instead of just the plain, paper target.

Greg started to chuckle as he looked back out at the target. Their standard one had been done up to look just like an image of the late Daimanos. Most of the enhancements had been added with marker, like his long, flowing dark hair and the glittering crown that held it all. The other accouterments were more real, such as having the late king's actual cape fastened to the board. It added a level of realness to the entire affair to see the cape blowing with the wind and waves.

"Ol' Daimanos never really stood a chance," said Jack, watching from the side. While he wasn't able to do any shooting with his wounds, he was still content to watch the both of them in what was becoming a daily ritual for them.

"I wonder if he would've preferred this outcome instead of being stabbed by Jack?" asked Luke while giving a cheeky grin to his commanding officer.

"What's it matter to him?" said Jack with a shrug. "Dead is dead!"

"It was probably a little more satisfying for him to poke Jack full of holes before he died," said Greg.

"I wasn't poked. I was slashed at. Big difference," muttered Jack.

"Does it really matter? It still earned you almost a week in the infirmary," added Luke.

"Sometimes I don't know why I tolerate you both," said Jack with a sigh.

Greg began to laugh. "Because this mission would be too boring without us."

Jack shook his head as the other two laughed. It died down soon enough as Luke centered his focus back on the target and fired off another few streams of ammunition.

"You got sloppy on that one, Luke. Try that again," instructed Greg.

"I already killed him, Greg," protested Luke while pointing to the bullet-riddled target. "I was just focusing on other areas that haven't been filled with lead already."

Greg gave him a knowing look. "That's the sorriest excuse if I've ever heard one. You should try that one with one of the marine drill instructors and see how far that gets you."

"Probably a boot in the ass at the very least, eh, Greg?" asked Jack.

"At the very least," confirmed Greg.

"Good thing there's not one of those here," muttered Luke.

Jack wound back his foot and launched it at the man's rear just hard enough to shock him. Luke nearly dropped the rifle as he started to curse, earning a hearty round of laughter from the marine.

"You wouldn't be laughing so hard if I dropped the rifle into the ocean, now would you?" asked a clearly irritated Luke.

"We'd probably be laughing harder because guess who'd be diving in to get it?" asked Greg while pointing down to the commander of the Valiant.

Luke once again grumbled under his breath and looked back at the target. Beside them, the coast of Sorella snaked alongside their ships, its brilliant yellow beaches acting as a guide to bring them back to Daimanos' city. They would arrive there this evening finally, after having spent nearly a week anchored off the shore of the ruined fort where the East Sorellan king had met his demise. Of course, most of the topic of discussion was about what awaited them once they arrived back at the city.

"I'm tempted to sail into port with guns blazing," said Luke on the topic as he sat back on his heels. "I don't care if this war really is over. I want them to pay for all the damage they did to the Valiant."

"I'm tempted to let you," said Jack. "The way they opened fire on you with no warning deserves some payback at the very least."

"I guess that brings us to the root of the question. Will the city resist us?" asked Greg while taking a seat off the deck. "Are we going to have to take it by force?"

"With what army though?" asked Jack. "We destroyed most of Daimanos' forces back at the fort. I can't imagine there are many left to defend the city."

"There was enough still there to man the cannons," muttered Luke angrily.

"And I'm guessing a man like Daimanos didn't leave his palace unguarded," added Greg. "We may have to call the boys up and storm the city once again."

"I'm sure word has gotten back to them by now of the king's death," said Jack. "I imagine it would've probably taken the fight out of them."

"And if it hasn't?" asked Greg.

Jack shrugged. "It's not much that a simple shelling couldn't fix. If we open up with the Destiny's guns from long range—where their cannons couldn't touch us—I'm sure they would soon come to terms."

Luke nodded at Jack's word. "I rather hope they do resist. I could use some action now. Maybe they'll be foolish enough to think they can withstand us."

Jack started to chuckle. "I got the impression that the only foolish person there was Daimanos. Especially when it seemed that even his own ministers were tired of his shit. We do know there were survivors from the battle, and I'm sure they've had enough time to make the long trek back to the city. Surely they know the war is as good as done. The only question I have is how the rest of the marines are doing? Would they be up for another battle?"

Greg started to laugh. "My boys were born to fight, and when they go too long without a battle, they're at their most dangerous. They'll always do their duty, I can promise you that."

"It's not so much their prowess that I'm worried about," said Jack. "I meant we've taken some losses since you've been aboard. Are we still in good fighting shape if we were to have to fight again?"

Greg nodded. "The current count as of this morning is one hundred and sixty-one fighting men ready to go. Several of the men that were down before have now since recovered. I have wounded men, all varying in range from just being grazed by a bullet to one who won't fight again. But if you think about it, we've had three major actions already."

Jack counted off on his fingers. "Taking back the Tiger, the fight on Lishkerra and holding the line at West Sorella. That's my three."

"Exactly, and the last two fights were the most costly in terms of casualties," affirmed Greg. "We've had about a nineteen percent casualty rate which for three battles is pretty damn good. Long story short, Jack—the boys are ready and raring to go."

Luke nodded toward the rear gun turret. "Looks like someone else is ready to go as well."

The three of them turned at once to find the king making his way toward the aft to join them. Heron raised his hand once he saw he had their attention, waving to them as his nimble footsteps brought them closer.

"Morning, gentlemen," called out Heron as he came to a stop by the three officers.

"Morning, Heron," said Jack. "The boys and I are just getting a little target practice in."

Heron nodded and then looked out to sea, spotting the launch boat and the target which happened to be adorned with some very familiar features. "I see that! Has Daimanos been giving you any trouble? With the looks of those weapons, I should hope not!"

Luke put on a wide grin. "We have it all taken care of, Your Majesty. That red cape of his makes for great target practice."

"That it does, that it does," said Heron before turning to look at Jack. "We should be arriving at the East Sorellan capitol in the next few hours."

"Yes, we were just talking about that right now," confirmed Jack. "Even though it feels like we just left it, how long has it been since you were there last?"

Heron's eyes rolled up in thought. "Let's see. It's probably been about four or five years since I was over to this side. Of course in those days, it was just a small settlement pushed against the sea. There was always a naval base there, and that was rapidly built up once it became Daimanos' capitol. Yet, I'm most eager to see this palace he'd built for himself. If Nikias' description of it is true, it will be most impressive to see."

"Oh, it's impressive all right," said Greg. "Built to satisfy one man's hubris."

"Right you are, Greg," said Heron. "But I think with this war over, I have other plans for the palace now."

"Do you think you'll move in, Your Majesty?" asked Luke. "Make it your own? Forgive me for saying this, but your own residence in West Sorella doesn't seem very grand," said Luke, assuming a sheepish look as all three men looked his way. "I mean for a king, that is."

Heron shook his head quickly. "No, no, that is our ancestral home. Sorellan kings have made that tiny castle their home for nearly two millennia. I couldn't easily leave the castle when it was built by the muscle and blood of my forefathers."

"What should you do with the new palace then?" asked Greg.

Heron shrugged. "Tear it down, brick by brick. Such a monument to my brother's ego shouldn't be left standing."

Luke's mouth dropped open. "That thing is huge though. Why tear it down?"

"It's simple really. As long as it stands, it's a reminder of our civil war. Had the war not happened, it wouldn't exist. How many people had to suffer for that ungainly palace to go up? Too many. I intend to level it to the ground and return it to what it was: a simple hillside grove."

"Not to play devil's advocate but I'm sure getting back some of that raw material will help with the rebuilding efforts," said Jack. "All that marble and stonework would go a long way to helping the city get back on its feet."

"My thoughts exactly too, Jack," said Heron while clapping the man on the back. "What better way to show the people of that city that they can trust me as their king?"

"I think by seeing that you're going to let them live will do that on its own, Your Majesty," said Greg. "Any man can see easily that you're not your brother. Once they see that, I'm sure they'll welcome you with open arms."

"We can hope but as the king, I have to be prepared for all eventualities," said Heron. "That's the thing about kingship. Sometimes you find you can never do enough to please your subjects. Even the best of intentions can backfire in your face. So I'm a bit worried about reintegrating them back into our society."

"Well, I'm sure helping them rebuild will be a good start, regardless," said Jack.

"Ah, but there's something else, Jack. Something bigger that will help our fortunes," said Heron with a twinkle in his eye. "My brother's treasury. My brother had enough gold to fill my entire quarters below deck. Most of it, of course, taken from the common people to pay for the war and his opulence. I have no doubt the palace was financed off the backs of the common people but if we can take Daimanos' treasury, it can really help to rebuild Sorella."

"That is as long as it's still there," said Jack. "Maintaining soldiers is expensive. How do we know that he didn't spend it all during the war?"

Heron shook his head. "Nikias has told me all about it. Daimanos kept it in a locked wing of his palace. Only himself and the ministers had the keys to it, which is why I know how much gold is in there. There's more than enough to kick-start our recovery."

"That does leave us one question," said Jack. "There's still one of Daimanos' ministers that is unaccounted for. The First Minister, Barak. If he's now the only other person who has access to it, save for Nikias, who's to say he won't take off with it?"

"Or fortify the city to protect it against us?" asked Greg. "If it's as much gold as you claim, that's enough to buy plenty of mercenaries and make us pay a heavy toll for taking it."

"He wouldn't have the time to hire that many men since the battle," said Heron. "Perhaps if we waited a few months but it's only been a week. I guarantee he's still scrambling and that's if he is in the city. Who's to say he hasn't scampered off and left the island?"

"The whole plan sounds rather foolproof," said Greg. "I like it—don't get me wrong. Enter the city like heroes, recover the gold, demolish the symbol of the tyrant, and put Sorella back together. But plans rarely go as they're written. I just don't think it will be that easy."

"We can only hope, Greg," said Heron. "Barring any catastrophes, it's our best course of action."

"Assuming everything goes according to plan, then what?" asked Jack. "Are we going to go back to your city? Back to West Sorella?"

Heron nodded. "Yes, we'll go back. The people are already rebuilding there, and they could use their king back as well. Plus, it will feel good to enjoy peace once more. Then maybe we can all grow fat and old on the tidings of peace."

"Hopefully not too fat and old," came another voice not far away. The men turned to watch the king's daughter, Elektra, making her way toward them. The young redhead wore a confident smile as she strolled into their presence, coming to rest by her father.

"Ah, Elektra, there you are," said Heron with a smile.

"Are you bothering our allies, father?" asked Elektra with a beaming grin.

"More like just strategizing about the next few weeks," answered Jack with a head nod toward the woman.

"Do you always strategize over target practice?" asked Elektra while pointing out to the launch boat. "Especially when it's done up to resemble my uncle?"

"Only on special occasions," said Luke with a sheepish grin.

"May I?" asked the princess, holding out her hand toward Luke's rifle.

"Of course," said Luke quickly while moving to stand up. "It's a little different than the muskets you're used to but the same basic principles. Just squeeze the trigger to fire when you're ready."

Elektra examined the NT-12 rifle for several moments before laying prone against the ship's deck. Taking careful sight of the target of Daimanos, she let off several short bursts of fire.

"Damn, great shot!" said Greg excitedly as he examined her work through his binoculars. "You're a better shot than Luke!"

"No way, let me see," grumbled Luke as he grabbed the marine's binoculars. He checked out the floating target on his own and soon could be heard muttering under his breath.

"Say, Elektra, would you like a position in our marines?" asked Greg directly to the princess as she pushed up from the deck.

"I'd say you'd have to ask my father on that one," said Elektra with a shy smile. "I highly doubt he'd let me fight in the armed forces of another country."

"You'd be right about that one," said Heron with an amused look. "Besides, you have a much higher calling than being a simple gun for hire."

Elektra took a deep sigh and then looked back out to sea. While not voicing any concerns publicly, Jack could tell something about her future bothered her. He suspected he knew the real reason for it, but it would remain a mystery until further confirmation. After a little more conversation on the aft deck, Jack was the first to excuse himself when he felt his stomach begin to rumble.

"I hate to be the first one to leave but I'm famished," said Jack. "I'm going to grab a bite to eat."

"I should probably get back to my study as well," said Heron with a quick turn. Before he left, he looked over at Luke and Greg. "If you two are planning any more target practice anytime soon, please let me know. It's been many years since I shot anything beyond a pistol, but I wouldn't mind trying my hand at one of your rifles."

"I'd be honored to have you shoot with us, Your Majesty," said Greg with a wide smile.

Heron gave one final wave before leaving the aft and heading below deck. While Greg and Luke were content to get back to their shooting, the only other participant to their conversation was watching Jack.

"Actually, I'm a little hungry myself. Do you think I can come with you, Jack?" asked Elektra.

"Of course," said Jack. "Just bear with me. I'm a little slow still because of this wound."

She gave a warm smile and followed him after they said their goodbyes to the other two men. Once they were a safe distance away, Elektra turned to speak to Jack.

"My father seems to like you," she started while they ducked into the nearest hatch. "It's been so long since I've seen a smile on his face that I'm just not used to it."

"From what I've seen, your people haven't had a lot to be happy about recently. Hopefully, we can turn that around now," said Jack.

Elektra nodded. "My mother used to be able to make him smile easily, even toward the end when my brother died. I swear when she passed, he became so withdrawn. I've never seen him like that before. All of a sudden, he wasn't the same father that he'd always been. He was colder and seemingly more resigned to his fate. It's a miracle you showed up when you did."

"My time in his kingdom has been well spent," said Jack. "I've enjoyed my time with your father and what our alliance means for our peoples. I'm also glad to hear that he seems like his old self."

"Especially now that we're on the cusp of victory. There's so many people who aren't alive anymore that should be the ones to witness this day. Mother, my brother Theo, and my sister Hera, all deserved to see this day. It's a shame that they won't."

Jack nodded in agreement as they reached the mess kitchen. Bidding Elektra to take a seat, he grabbed trays of food for the both of them and sat down right beside her.

"You're right—it is a shame," he started. "That they won't be able to see the new Sorella is a tragedy in itself. But the fates have provided you with a chance to start over. A new beginning. We can't squander that."

Elektra lifted her chin. "I don't intend to. Although I wish father saw it a bit differently than I do."

"What do you mean by that?"

She looked his way. "Tell me, Jack. What did you think about my shooting back above deck? Was it good?'

Jack blinked a few times before answering. "Good? It was great. Even Greg thought so, and he rarely gives out such praise on the first go-around."

"I've been practicing for years. Since I could hold a musket in my hands, I wanted to be a good shot. Of course, father was more tolerant of it when Hera was still around. As I was the youngest daughter, I was never supposed to inherit the throne so it didn't matter what I did. Even when Theo died and Hera became the heir apparent, it still didn't bother him much."

"But you wanted to be a fighter, not a queen," finished Jack. "And now you don't really have much of a choice."

Elektra scoffed. "Not according to my father. It's his opinion that I should just give up my training, find some noble man to marry, and then start popping out babies like I'm some kind of dog. That I can't be a warrior and a queen at the same time."

"I'm sure he's just trying to look out for you. He's your father—he just wants what's best for his daughter. Especially his only remaining daughter."

"Then he should let me fight, Jack!" said Elektra with more steel in her voice. "I don't need to get married. I'm only nineteen! I can lead troops and shoot with the best of our soldiers. I belong on a battlefield and not in some throne room."

"But you are the last of his children, Elektra," said Jack. "It is essential that you become queen and continue the line."

"I can still do that! I'm not saying I'll never get married but let me continue with my career while I'm able. I can still settle down years from now and pop out heirs all I want."

Jack gave her a confused look. "I'm sure he'd be fine with that. As long as you eventually married."

She shook her head fiercely. "He wants me to be courted right now! He wants to marry me off as soon as possible. I don't understand what the hurry is. I'm still young, Jack. We don't need to worry about that any time soon."

"True and you make a lot of good points," said Jack while taking a bite of his food. "But there is something to consider. He just lost all of these people close to him. Your mother and your siblings for example. You are all that he has left. I'm sure he's more concerned with you finding happiness than anything else."

"Happiness for me is being in the army," said Elektra bitterly.

Jack smiled gently. "There may come a time when your priorities change. What is so important to you today may not be as important tomorrow. It happened to my own sister rather suddenly too."

She looked at him with curious eyes. "What happened with your sister?"

Jack smiled as his eyes drifted off. "She used to be adamant about becoming a professor at a local university not far from our family home. It was all she talked about for years. Even attended the same college and ingratiated herself with the existing professors in order to make a name for herself. But none of it came to pass."

"Why's that?" asked Elektra. "What happened?"

Jack smiled. "She met my brother-in-law. One moment she was attending college events and working on her senior thesis and the next she was chasing one of her many children. They have three of them now, and the oldest one is eight. I asked her not long before this mission started if she ever regretted how her life turned out and do you know what she said?"

Elektra shook her head slowly.

"That she wouldn't change how it turned out for anything. That she found her purpose and what she was meant for. And she's completely happy with her new life even if it's not how she pictured it growing up."

"So you think I just need to get married and pop out babies too?" asked Elektra with a sour look on her face.

"Not at all. I think life has a way of flipping everything you thought you knew on its head. That's the beauty of it. We keep changing and growing as people. What I'm saying is don't fight your father so hard on this. You never know what the outcome might be."

"And if twenty years from now I still only want to be in the army and fight?"

Jack chuckled. "Then you can come find me and be the first one to say 'I told you so.'"

Elektra started to giggle. "I can see why just about everyone likes you. Now I know why no one has a bad word to say about you."

Jack leaned back and puffed out his cheeks. "That depends on who you ask."

"Like my uncle?" asked Elektra.

"He might have a few choice words," said Jack with a chuckle.

"Good thing he won't ever voice them again. Best thing you could have done was to kill him although I'm upset about one thing about it."

"What's that?"

Elektra turned to face him. "That you got to do it and not me. As far as I'm concerned, he's the one responsible for all these deaths in our family. I wanted to be the one to kill him and avenge them."

"Now you tell me. I could've waited for you when he wanted to spar with that sword of his," said Jack with a smile.

Elektra began to giggle again. "Perhaps a better thing that it was you then. I'm only good with a musket. If it was a sword fight, I would've been in trouble."

Jack pointed to the slash across his chest. "As it turns out, I'm not too good with a sword either."

"At least you're alive to talk about it!"

Jack chuckled. "That's true. Now I get the ultimate revenge. I get to go take his capitol city and give it back to the rightful ruler of Sorella."

Elektra smiled as she took a mouthful of food. After she swallowed she turned to look at him again. "So what's next for you? After everything is settled here in Sorella, where will you go next?"

"I'm not sure exactly," said Jack while remembering his conversation last night with Heron. "Your father gave me a lot of information about the other local islands, and he said we could go over a map of them when we get back to West Sorella. It seems like there are a lot of directions we could strike out from Sorella when the time comes."

"No matter which direction you go, you'll have to be careful, Jack. This area of the world is in a lot of turmoil right now. Not even just Sorella but everyone else. The Swabians are conquering everything in sight. The Galicians are impotent to stop them. Most of those people are skittish and frightened. You must be careful no matter where you go," said Elektra warily.

Jack nodded in understanding before giving a smirk. "One thing I've learned so far is that trouble seems to follow us. No matter where we go, we seem to attract bad attention. It may be out of my hands as I'm sure trouble will find us."

"Either way, you must be careful," said Elektra. "You've made too much of a mark on Sorellan society for you to get yourself killed for no reason."

Jack smiled. "I appreciate you watching out for us. That's always the sign of a good leader. Your father has much to be proud about in you."

"If only I could make him see that," said Elektra in an exasperated tone.

"Don't worry," said Jack. "I'm sure in time he'll understand. Just give him that time, okay?"

Elektra smiled warmly before eating the last piece of food on her plate. "I'll try. Anyway, I appreciate you letting me join you for lunch. Your company was very welcomed."

"As was yours," said Jack as the young woman got up from her seat.

"See you soon, Jack. And thank you," said Elektra as she slipped out of the mess hall.

*****

Late in the afternoon, Jack found himself at his command post on the Destiny, watching eagerly as the Tiger went forth to screen their arrival in the East Sorellan capitol. The sun had begun its descent over the western sky as the small, battle-scarred destroyer began to pull away from the rest of the task force to determine if the city was going to resist their arrival.

“Remember, Vicky,” said Jack into his command radio. “If they show any signs of hostility, I want you to beat a hasty retreat back to the rest of the task force. We’ll use our long-range guns to soften them up instead.”

“Aye, Jack, we’ll be careful,” said Vicky.

The Destiny and the Valiant remained just off shore, waiting to go into action in case the city resisted. Beside him stood Heron, also eagerly watching and waiting to return to the city that had led the charge in trying to depose him for the past year. If the king had any anxiety about his return, his body language wasn’t showing it.

“I can only imagine what you’re feeling right now,” said Jack quietly into the ear of the king.

Heron smiled warily. “There’s a storm of emotions inside me. I’ll feel better when we know what they’re going to do.”

Jack bit back a laugh. “You and I both!”

They awaited word through the radio as the Tiger slipped out of sight. It was close to an hour later when his command radio suddenly chirped. “Jack, it’s Vicky. I’d say it’s safe for us to dock here.”

“How does it look, Vicky?” asked Jack into the radio.

“Quiet. There’s a white flag waving over the city itself and all the cannons that were lining the hill beneath the palace are gone. We don’t see any signs of soldiers, but the common people seem to be watching our arrival. I don’t think they’re going to resist!”

“That sounds great, Vicky. Good work! We’ll be right behind you,” said Jack while flashing a thumbs up to the rest of the bridge. Most of them wore relieved smiles and even Anna, who had so recently been distant from him, flashed a small grin.

“Anna, take us back to East Sorella, please,” said Jack while pointing to the direction of the city.

“Aye, Jack!”

The Destiny cut through the waves easily as the task force began its approach. On the main deck, Jack spotted Greg and the rest of the marines in full uniform, prepared to do their duty should the call come for their help. Jack just hoped they wouldn't have to resort to force today.

Finally rounding the last peninsula before the city, Daimanos' capitol came into stunning view once more. Jack eagerly looked over the quiet city, his eyes darting over every feature. The city was still a stunning display of wealth inequality, with Daimanos’ palace dominating the entire hillside while the squalid housing crammed together tight against the coast. If he had thought the city looked bleak before on his first arrival, it was nothing compared to today.

The entire city gave off an aura of a conquered people waiting for retribution. Even the winds had seemed to disappear as nothing appeared to move—no flags waving, no tree branches whistling to a breeze. There weren’t many people to be seen, and the only thing that differentiated it from Heron’s city was that most of the buildings were still standing. War had different ways of showing its consequences, and as Jack watched a small crowd of emaciated East Sorellans gather near the docks, he knew that even Daimanos’ own people had suffered greatly during his watch.

Jack eyed the hills as they sailed past the long jetty and entered the port, finding Vicky’s claim to be true and all of the cannons removed. He gave a sigh of relief at the city being theirs for the taking and then directed the crew to anchor the ship in the same spot as the previous week.

“Right over there, Anna,” said Jack while pointing out the window. “We’ll drop anchor in this spot and take the launch boats.”

“Do you want to take the marines to shore with you? Just in case?” asked Abigail.

Jack nodded. “Definitely. We can never be too careful. Twitch, will you get word down to Greg and let them know to ready the launch boats?”

“Aye, sir,” came the reply from his deputy as he quickly left the bridge and headed toward the stern.

Jack turned to look back toward the main city docks to where the crowd of people had gathered. Jack felt déjà vu at once more crossing into the city, only this time without Daimanos' presence. He just hoped they’d have better luck this time around than last.

Jack felt a presence at his side and looked to see Heron staring at the docks as well.

“Looks pretty quiet,” said Jack while gesturing to the city. “Are you ready?”

Heron took a deep breath and then nodded. “As ready as I’m going to be.”

“Let’s get moving then.” Jack then turned to Abigail. “Keep your guns trained on the city. If you see us in trouble or hear my commands, send the rest of the marines. I’ll be taking a platoon with me just in case.”

“You got it, Jack. We’ll cover your back,” said Abigail with a smile and a nod. “Be careful out there. Don’t get into any sword fights,” she added cheekily.

With those final words, Jack and Heron descended from the bridge and made their way to the stern of the ship where several fireteams awaited their orders to board the launch ships. From Jack’s perspective, he could see Greg watching them eagerly and waiting to give the command.

“Let’s launch now,” said Jack as soon as he closed the distance between them.

“You heard the Commander,” roared Greg to the rest of the marines. “Get in your boats and let’s get moving!”

The launch boats were quickly filled with the entire platoon plus Jack, Greg, Heron, Nikias, and Elektra and set a course toward the dock. Of course, Nikias knew the city and the palace the best of anyone so he was instrumental in the plan to come ashore, but also Elektra wouldn’t have any place remaining on the ship when there was the potential for danger. She carried with her an upgraded NT-11, given to her by Greg from the ship’s armory in recognition of her superior weapon skills.

As the boats came closer to the dock, the small crowd that gathered became ever more vibrant in their attempts to catch sight of the newcomers. Several of them pushed up onto barrels and crates for better views while others fought their countrymen to get to the front of the crowd. Jack could see another plain, white flag waving from the group, a relieving symbol that they didn’t intend to fight them.

The boat just in front of Jack’s arrived at the dock first and the two fireteams scrambled out to establish a basic defensive perimeter for the arrival of their commander and the king. Jack could tell by the frightened expressions on the people’s faces that they weren’t sure exactly what to expect from their landing and the sight of coordinated movements and heavy assault rifles had the people soon eerily silent.

When Jack’s boat arrived at the dock, it was quickly tied to the side as Jack managed to pull himself up to the dock only with great difficulty. Thankfully, most eyes weren’t on him as Heron emerged and stood proudly, returning to the city only after a long absence. The common people on the docks took one look at the king and began to beg for forgiveness.

“Bless my stars, it’s Heron!”

“Heron, we surrender! Please don’t kill us!”

“We’re your loyal subjects once again. Daimanos is dead!”

"You don't have to kill us!"

On and on the people protested their innocence and the fact that Daimanos had been the one to turn their city astray from their rightful king. It all became almost too much to watch as each successive person went to greater lengths to demonstrate their loyalty in fear of how Heron may treat the conquered city.

Any other king might have acted drastically toward the population of the city. He might have punished them, chastised them, or banished them from the kingdom. At the very least, he may even treat them as lesser citizens than those that had remained loyal to him during the way.

Any other king but Heron would have had a negative reaction to the crowd. Instead the king raised his hands to his misguided children and called out to them. "The war is over. We are friends once again. You have nothing to fear from me and my men. We want a return to peace, and we want to rebuild our home. Sorella will be one again!"

At his last statement, the crowd gave a deafening roar. Those who had been so worried about the king's reaction suddenly found themselves shouting his name over and over. Women wept and children danced about like it was their very own name day. And Heron took it in with a fatherly (and grateful) smile.

"Heron! Heron! Heron!"

As the crowd moved forward to surround the king, Greg gave the orders to the marines to let them pass, and their defensive position started to relax. Jack suddenly found himself surrounded on all sides by hungry-looking and thin Sorellans, all patting whichever part of this body they could grab onto. He lost count of the number of hands that touched his shoulder or offered to shake his hand, all the while the crowd moved to pick up the king and carry him on their soldiers.

"Carry him to the palace. Heron is back!" they cried as the entire group surged from the docks through the city to the grand staircase at the base of the hill. Jack had never seen such a commotion, and judging by the look on Heron's face, never had he. The king beamed down as he was carried by the people, no doubt thankful at the euphoric response.

As they reached the footsteps of the great palatial hill, the crowd set the elated king back down on his own feet and began to chant his name once more. Heron opened his arms out to the crowd and gestured to speak.

"Thank you, my countrymen! I'm as thrilled as you are to have this deadly war firmly in the past. We are going to set things right and begin to rebuild our shattered country. With your help, we'll make a new Sorella. A better Sorella for our children and grandchildren!"

The crowd yelled in one voice, a firm stamp of approval to the king's message. Around them, several members had grabbed the forgotten standards of Daimanos and had begun to rip them to shreds, spitting on the red and black standard as it fell to tatters on the streets below. Another chant was soon taken up. "Death to Daimanos. Long live the rightful king! Down with the usurper Daimanos!"

The chant had an unusual effect on Heron and the smile that had filled his face since they landed at the docks slowly dropped. He signaled to speak to the crowd once more.

"My countrymen, now is not the time to fill your hearts with hate. My brother has already caused too much division between us and too much sorrow. There isn't a family in all of Sorella that hasn't experienced loss from this conflict, mine included. But I ask you now, let's move forward from the past. Let's put Daimanos in the past and work on rebuilding for the future."

His speech seemed to have the intended effect as the chants about the former king largely ended. The crowd once again roared his name as the entire party began to ascend the hill. It was slow going for Jack, and he found himself lagging behind the rest of the group on the way up, however Heron and Nikias stopped to wait for him to catch-up once they reached the crest of the hill. Jack gave a grateful nod to the two for waiting and together the whole group took in Daimanos' palace.

Like the rest of the city, it appeared to be in a sorrowful state. The grounds were completely empty without a servant in sight. The great fountain that so adorned the western entrance had been turned off and the group found instead a tranquil pool in its place. It was almost like the palace had been abandoned.

"Come this way, Your Majesty," said Nikias as he pushed forward from the group. The rest of them followed across the well-manicured grounds until they arrived at the stately marble columns that presented the entrance to the palace. Pushing inside the large, double doors, everyone let out an astonished gasp at what laid inside.

The palace looked like it had been completely ransacked.

The very first thing that greeted their eyes was a smashed set of china right next to the entrance. Several plates that looked like they had carelessly slipped from someone's fingers landed in several distinct piles and littered the beginning of the great hall. Others had clearly ransacked the wine cellars, leaving behind empty bottles at the spot where the last drop was consumed. A painting that had hung near the entrance was curiously missing, only noticeable by the light shade on the wall where it had once hung.

"Guns ready," said Greg, seeing the devastation. "Start scoping out the rooms."

The marines settled out to begin clearing the rooms one by one. A few fireteams waited outside the great palace as a precaution while others fanned out and looked for any possible brigands. The rest of the group waited in the great entryway as the marines cleared the palace.

It didn't take long for them to report back that the palace was largely empty. Whomever had ransacked the place didn't stay around long enough to be caught. As each team arrived back and shook their head, Heron began to look around and gape at the wasted opulence of his brother.

"All this vanity," muttered Heron. "What did it buy him? Nothing that he could've taken with him."

"Some men never pass that stage," said Jack while standing near the disappointed king. "They hear the word king and think ultimate power. For some, it never goes away."

"When I hear the word king, I just think of responsibility," said Heron with a subtle head shake. "Daimanos just saw opportunity. Thankfully, our father wasn't alive to see this."

Before Jack could respond the last fireteam arrived back to the entryway. Or rather half of the team. While usually four men made up a team, only two had arrived back. Both of them were out of breath, like they had run the entire distance from across the palace.

"Sir, you have to see this," said the one man, Nunes, while clearly panting. "We managed to stop them, but you have to see what I'm talking about."

"Lead on, marine," said Greg. "We'll follow in your wake.

Nunes nodded and turned with the other man to lead them deeper into the palace. They took a route that Jack had no familiarity with, having stayed in another wing during his brief stay during the banquet. They crossed around corners and led them down two flights of stairs into the very basement of the palace buried within the bedrock on the hill. At the entrance to the basement, the body of a dead soldier had been found, identified by his clothing. Though he lacked his musket, Jack had no doubt that whoever had killed him had taken the musket with them. They stepped around the body and quickly entered the rest of the room. What they found next earned another round of shock from the group.

A false wall had been discovered, a portion of the stonework that had been set on a track and had easily been pulled to one side to reveal a deeper passage hidden within. It had been expertly made and when closed, it would've been hard to discover to the discerning eye.

"How did you find this?" asked Greg as he inspected the false wall.

"It was wide open, sir. We didn't realize until we were inside that it was meant to conceal this portion of the palace," answered Nunes.

The major frowned. "Why conceal?"

Nunes swallowed visibly. "You'll see why soon enough. This way!"

The passageway beyond the false wall was noticeably darker and less grand than the rest of the palace. For Jack, it reminded him of a dank wine cellar forgotten by time. At this level of the palace, there wasn't any part that received direct sunlight, and the darkened corners and gray stonework held many secrets within.

"Just over here, sir," said Nunes as they approached the last corner. Greg was the first to cross the threshold, followed by the rest of the group shortly after. What they saw in front of them had many in the group speechless.

The other two members of Nunes' fireteam were the first in sight. Together, they held their rifles at a group of four men who were pressed against the stonework with their hands secured behind their heads. At their feet laid a single musket, and Jack realized they'd found who had robbed the dead soldier of his firearm. Judging by their clothing, Jack could tell they had been servants in the palace yet their tunics were all pulled high above their waists, exposing the lower halves of all their bodies.

Just beyond the men were a group of women, probably about fifteen in all. They were closely huddled together for protection and they watched the group of male servants with darkened eyes.

"What's been going on in here?" asked Greg as his eyes darted between the marines, the servants, and the women.

"We found those men in here, sir," said Nunes. "They were . . . with the women. We could hear the noises they made as soon as we discovered the false wall. The women were screaming so we made our way down here. Once we saw what happened, we surprised them. That one was guarding the other three while they had their way with several women." Nunes pointed to the man on the furthest end, a blank-faced man in his late twenties.

"Who are the women? Where did they come from?" asked Heron, his face a curious mixture of confusion and concern.

The women looked amongst themselves as they tried to nominate a speaker, finally settling on one who looked like she would be the oldest. That wasn't saying much as from what Jack could tell, she was only about mid-twenties in age. Recognizing the crown of Heron, she prostrated herself near his feet when she came closer.

"Your Majesty, we belonged to the harem of Daimanos," said the honey-voiced woman. "We are his personal comfort girls. Whenever he needed us, we'd appear to give him relief from the rigors of ruling the Sorellan people."

Heron made a disgusted face. "You're whores!" It was both a question and an accusation. The woman pulled away from the king as if she'd disappointed him by the admission but eventually nodded her head.

"Yes, Your Majesty. We serve at the personal pleasure of Daimanos."

"Bless the gods," muttered Heron. "How many of you are there?"

"Fourteen presently, Your Majesty," answered the woman. "There used to be fifteen of us only recently."

"What happened to that girl?" asked Heron.

The woman bit her lip hesitantly. "Antonia no longer pleased the king. She left one day and never returned."

"What a tragedy," said Heron while shaking his head angrily. He balled his fist while his nostrils flared as he struggled to contain his rage. The whore shuffled away from the king, no doubt frightened that she was about to become the first victim of his anger. Heron noticed her panicked response and beckoned her to come forward.

"Come here, child," said Heron. "You're free now."

"Free?" she asked while looking confused. "What do you mean free?"

"Daimanos is dead," said Heron. "He was my brother and he was killed a week ago. He is no longer your king."

"Daimanos is dead?" whispered back the whore.

Heron nodded slowly.

"You're the king now?" she asked while gesturing to his crown and his robes.

"That is correct. I am Daimanos' brother, Heron."

"But what is to become of us?" she asked while pointing back to the other women. "All we've known is this life within the palace. What are we to do now?"

"Your lives are your own now. You're free to do whatever you please. Whatever brings happiness to you," said Heron.

The whore bit her lip again. "Perhaps we could serve at your pleasure now? We could constitute your own royal harem?"

Heron began to laugh. The anger which had so gripped him earlier began to dissipate. After laughing heartily for a few moments, the king began to shake his head. "I'm not my brother. Ah, um, what is your name, my dear?"

"Melora, Your Majesty," answered the whore.

"As I was saying, I'm not my brother, Melora. I have a family of my own, and I have no use for pleasures of the flesh. Even though my queen has long since passed away, her memory sustains my soul in such a way that the temporary physical could never touch. I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to do with you."

Melora nodded, seeming to understand his reasoning if not being a little disappointed by his response. "I'm afraid I don't know what we're to do with ourselves then, Your Majesty. Most of the girls are only trained to be concubines. Many of them have never cooked a meal before or handled a sewing needle. What are we to do with ourselves now?"

Heron brought his hand to his chin and stood in silence for several moments. Jack could see the man's eyes flickering back and forth between the girls and wondered what solution he would come up with. He was pleased by Heron's initial response not to take over the harem, but if they truly had no skills, Jack wondered what they would do for survival.

"I have it," said Heron finally with a fatherly smile. "My palace back in my city has a wing that is closed off, only because we never needed it. Too much space for too small a family. You girls are welcome to come with me, and I'll provide for you while you try to reintegrate yourselves back into Sorellan society. I'll help you in whatever way you need in order to learn a skill. But I don't want you to go back to whoring. Do you understand me?"

Melora gave the king a shrewd look as she contemplated his offer. Even though Heron's offer was much better than she expected, accepting it would mean leaving behind everything they had known. It was a daunting thought for them to start over again in a new city and with no skills.

"May I talk to the rest of the ladies first?" asked Melora diplomatically.

"Of course, Melora," answered Heron. "Let me know when you've decided.

Melora nodded gratefully and approached the rest of the group. Jack looked on while they deliberated between themselves. Several of the girls had their eyes fixed on Heron while they discussed his offer while others kept their dull whispers contained between themselves.

Curiously enough, one girl kept her eyes trained on Jack. For a moment, Jack wondered if she might have been blind by how intensely she stared at him, and he figured that she must not have any control over her eyesight. Yet, he saw the woman blink several times, and at one point, she turned her head to look at the group before quickly returning her gaze back to him.

She was a pretty thing, even if she was a bit on the younger side. The most remarkable feature about her was her short, shoulder-length cropping of blonde hair. She wore a determined look on her face as if she hadn't yet decided what to think of him. It was rather off-putting to say the least and Jack found his attention resuming back to Heron.

Finally, Melora pulled away from the group and approached the king once more. Bowing before Heron, she quickly announced the results of their meeting.

"We'll accept your offer, Your Majesty," announced Melora with a flourish in her voice. "If you'll take care of us, we'll do all we can to learn how to sustain ourselves with your aid."

Heron clapped his hands excitedly. "That's wonderful news, Melora. It will be good to see a little liveliness back in my castle once more. It has been quiet for far too long."

"Your Majesty is most gracious to us. We didn't expect to be treated this way," said Melora.

Heron blinked at her. "What else would you have expected?"

The woman shrugged. "If you hadn't taken us for yourself, we expected to be thrown out into the street. We're not oblivious to the fact that our lives are better off in the palace than back out in the city. Many of us would not survive going back to that life. Especially with men like that out there." Melora thumbed her finger over to the four servants, still arraigned quietly against the wall.

Heron smiled kindly. "I don't think anyone grows up with the intention of becoming a whore. Circumstances seem to push us in most unexpected ways, and before you know it, you've gone too far down a path that you shouldn't have. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a second chance."

Melora beamed with a smile. "I'm looking forward to seeing your home, Your Majesty."

Heron nodded. "I will arrange for your transport back to my city. I'm afraid this palace won't be standing for much longer after my plans are put into motion. If you'll come with me back to the main level of the palace, we can get you girls situated. Are you hungry?"

"Starving, Your Majesty," answered Melora as the rest of the girls began to stand. "We've been locked down here with only water provisions. We haven't eaten in days."

"We must take care of that first," said Heron. "While it looks like most of the palace's stores have been raided already before our arrival, I'm sure we could round up some food to take care of you for the time being."

"I know where there should be extra food stores," offered Nikias. "I can go see to it at once." Nikias then leaned closer to the king and whispered something inaudibly into his ear.

The king nodded excitedly. "Excellent, thank you, Nikias! Now, follow me ladies, and we'll go up to the main hall."

"What about these men, Your Majesty?" asked Greg, pointing to the servants against the wall.

Heron's face darkened. "I will not tolerate rape in my kingdom. I'm sure my brother had a prison cell. If you'll be so kind as to find it, I'd like these men to think about their actions in there for a long time. We'll move them back to my city when we destroy the palace."

Greg nodded. "You heard the king," he said toward the Marines. "Get these shitheads locked up."

"Roger that, sir," answered Nunes as they began to pull the four men from the wall and then marched them out of the cellar. As soon as they were gone, the rest of the whores breathed easily and began to emerge from the deepest parts of the room.

Heron led the way back to the main floor as Greg and Jack hung back to make sure every girl got out.

"At least Daimanos had good taste in women," muttered Greg quietly as the women crawled out.

Jack smiled. "You saw how he reacted to Abigail the first time he saw her. He had an eye for beauty, that's for sure. Too bad he didn't have an eye for kingship."

Greg chuckled. "Too bad Heron didn't want the harem though. I would've volunteered to take it over willingly but no one asked me."

"Yeah, there's a reason for that," said Jack with a laugh.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty," came a voice from their side.

Jack turned to look around Greg and found himself staring at the blonde-haired girl from earlier. Now that she was out of the shadows, he could really take a good look at her. She was indeed very pretty, and her best feature was her bright, blue eyes. She wore a kind smile and seemed to approach him with a mixture of awe and excitement.

"Excuse me?" asked Jack, suddenly remembering the way she stared at him from earlier.

The woman looked down to the ground and then back up at him. A shy smile filled her face as her gaze met his once more. "Thank you for freeing us, Your Majesty."

Jack smiled gently. "I'm afraid you have me confused with the king. The other man who was just here, Heron, is your king. The man who was talking with Melora."

The smile dropped from the woman's face. "That can't be right. Who are you then, sir?"

Jack's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "My name is Jack Easterbrook. We're from the nation of Java, and we're allies with the king." Jack pointed back toward Heron even though the man had long since gone back to the main floor. He was more confused by such an innocuous question.

"Are you the king there?" asked the woman.

Jack smiled and then started to chuckle. "No, not even close. I'm just a naval commander. I command three ships but that's about it."

"Surely there must be more to you than that," said the woman with a confused look on her face.

Jack chuckled again. "Sorry to disappoint you."

The woman blinked several times while holding his gaze as if she was unsure what to make of him. Her eyes drifted lower, sliding over each portion of his body before meeting back to his own amused gaze. She did it one more time, and Jack's gaze darted over to Greg, who mouthed the word "crazy" before looking away. Jack struggled not to laugh at the scene in front of him.

Finally, the woman's eyes settled back on his. "You must be a great man. I can see that clearly. Only a great man would have freed us from that monster, Daimanos."

Jack opened his mouth to respond but no words came out. He struggled to think of a suitable response to her last charge but kept coming back empty. He couldn't decide if the girl was just crazy or desperately in need of food. By this time, it was only the three of them remaining in the cellar and Jack wanted to get back to the main hall with everyone else.

"Perhaps you should follow us and get something to eat?" he said, thinking a good meal would do her a world of good.

The woman grinned in excitement and nodded her head. "I'll follow you to the hall. Just bring me with you, all right?"

Jack smiled cautiously. "That'll be fine. This way, I guess." He grabbed the girl gently by the arm and began to walk toward the false wall. At the slightest touch, she sighed with content, thoroughly enraptured at the close contact with him. Jack couldn't help but find the entire situation slightly farcical and even looked back to Greg who was obviously thinking the same thing.

They emerged on the other side of the false wall and quickly ascended the stairs to the main level. As soon as they were out in the open, Jack had to quickly divert his eyes. It wasn't as easy to tell in the darkness of the cellar, but out here in the light, the woman's clothing was so thin that it was nearly transparent. Her nipples stuck out prominently from beneath the white-colored fabric, a fact that Jack tried to ignore as much as possible. However, the woman giggled once she saw him struggle to avoid eye contact with her body.

"It's okay, sir," said the woman with another giggle. "They're just tits. Every woman has them and I'm sure you've seen plenty."

Jack felt himself go red in the face. Perhaps the woman wasn't as delusional as he thought. "We'll have to find you some proper clothes though before you leave here. Can't have you dressed like that out there with all those soldiers around. You'll drive them crazy."

She turned and gave him a beaming grin. "You think that I'm pretty then, I take it?"

Jack nearly choked in response, avoiding the answer to that question. She took his silence for confirmation and continued anyway.

"I was Daimanos' favorite, you know? He liked me the most of all the girls," she said with a hint of pride in her voice.

Jack nodded slowly. "I can see why. You're a very spirited girl."

She beamed with a smile once more. "My name is Vera. May I eat my meal with you, sir? I'd like to sit with you, if that's all right?'

Jack smiled politely. Something about the girl was odd but there was an innocence about her that spoke volumes about her persona. There seemed to be more to Vera than met the eye despite the awkward moments of their introduction.

"Sure, Vera. That would be fine," said Jack as they entered the great hall.

Vera clapped her hands excitedly before rushing to put her arm around his own. Jack just wished he knew the cause for all of her enthusiasm and more importantly, he hoped he wouldn't regret not ending his contact with her right there.

They arrived back in the main hall with the rest of the group shortly after. By that time, Greg had dispensed most of the Marines to take a defensive position around the palace while Nikias had rounded up a couple servants who were still left in the palace and had not partaken in the devastation of it. In that regard, they were able to pilfer some of the remaining stores from Daimanos’ personal stocks and feed the girls. Even though most of the good food had already been stolen or eaten, they made do with what was left.

“How did you find yourself in this part of the world, sir?”

Jack smiled at the inquisitive blonde-haired woman by his side and thought about his answer before speaking. Vera watched him with intent eyes before slowly biting into a piece of old, stale bread.

“I was sent on a mission by our emperor,” answered Jack. “We came to this part of the world to find new allies. Luckily, we were able to meet Heron and that’s what brought us here to the palace.”

“Is your emperor a nice man? Is he kind like Heron?” asked Vera.

Jack bit his lip, trying to think of a suitable answer to the question. While there wasn’t anyone alive who would describe Charles IX as a nice man, he couldn’t exactly tell Vera the truth of the matter.

“I haven’t met many men that are as kind as Heron,” said Jack with a grin. “But our emperor watches over all of us and protects us.”

It wasn’t stretching the truth too badly and it was technically correct. Vera bought the answer with a nod of the head and returned to her bread. Jack looked around the room and watched as the rest of the women were entertained by the king, who was telling stories of his family and his children. They watched with rapt wonderment at the man who had so recently freed them and offered up his home, their faces adorned with happiness.

At one point, Nikias returned to the king with a worried look on his face and whispered something into his ear. The smile that had worn so prominently on Heron’s face dropped at once. He issued a series of largely inaudible orders to the minister and Nikias took off again shortly after.

“Excuse me for one moment, Vera,” said Jack as he moved to stand from the table. The girl nodded before returning to her meager helping of bread. Jack moved quickly to sit by Heron who still remained quiet with the girls as he processed whatever Nikias had told him.

“Any problems?” Jack asked, concerned about the quick change in demeanor of the king.

Heron nodded. “Not here. Let’s move away from the table.”

The two of them walked away from the rest of the girls and headed toward a quiet corner. Once they were out of earshot, Heron’s shoulders slumped.

“What’s the matter? I could tell something was wrong as soon as Nikias came back,” asked Jack.

Heron took a deep breath. “I sent Nikias to find the vault where Daimanos kept his treasury. It was empty when he got there.”

Jack’s eyes went wide. “All of it?”

“All of it, Jack. There wasn’t so much as a single coin that fell out of someone’s pocket as they emptied out the lion’s share,” said Heron. “Someone cleaned it out.”

Jack’s mind began to race. “Could it have been the servants? They didn’t see any issue raiding the rest of the palace? Could they have stolen it?”

“According to Nikias, only a few people kept the keys to the vault. He did, Barak had one, Alcydes, as well as Daimanos,” said Heron. “It couldn’t have been the servants.”

“Could Daimanos have moved it before he left the city?”

“Nikias said it was still there when you left the city over a week ago,” said Heron with a shake of the head. “If he and Alcydes left together, that takes out two options right there.”

“And Daimanos wouldn’t have the time to have emptied it before he was killed,” said Jack. “That really only leaves one option—Barak.”

“We need to find that man,” said Heron while making a fist with his hand. “We need to recover that treasury. Without it, we’ll have a much harder time rebuilding Sorella.”

“What do you want to do now? Search the city?” asked Jack.

Heron nodded. “If you can help with your men, we’d appreciate it. I have Nikias checking every remaining nook and cranny, but I suspect the gold is no longer in the palace.”

“How much was there?” asked Jack. “How much gold are we talking about?”

Heron motioned for Jack to come closer to him. “Enough to fill a decent-sized wagonload. Nothing but pure gold coins, all bearing the likeness of Daimanos. There’s no way all of it got out of the city without somebody noticing it.”

“Unless it was covered in some way,” said Jack. “But how do you cover that much gold?”

“We need to find out what happened quickly. The more time they have to escape, the less time we have to find them.”

“I’ll get word to the rest of the marines immediately,” said Jack. “Don’t worry, Heron. It could not have gotten far. We’ll find it.”

“I certainly hope so,” said the king. “That much gold could cause us some serious issues if it fell into the wrong hands.”