Elsanne

The Lords of Jade Lake

Part I

(Two Hornets)

The sun was setting over Eplas, when the ‘Corsair’s Gold’ broke through the clouds and saw land. It lay flat, the large natural port inviting and the waters calm, but for the sinister pointy heights far to the south that marked the great barrier of the vaunted Pale Mountains. The impassable land border between Ancient Wetull and the rest of Eplas.

Eikenport itself, one could easily miss alltogether. No large structures were visible, no towers guarding the approach to its harbor and the city beyond it appeared abandoned. Smoke columns though, rising in several places were the sign that people still lived in the ruined city.

Wayland ‘Yellow’ Dawson, stood next to her on the rails of the quarterdeck, early the next morning and after they'd spent the night staring at the dark ruined city, leaving his second to prepare the ship for docking on a newly rebuilt part of the port. The final approach always nerve-wrecking in a difficult harbor, but not this one, as he’d explained to her earlier. With all its faults, Eikenport was a good location to build an anchorage.

“That’s Felmond River,” The experienced buccaneer, a moniker he’d preferred, informed the Princess of Kaltha. “It comes from the Neseen Mountains, deep in the desert. The last good water source, on this side of the continent.”

“What about the Lake?”

“Neither Jade Lake, nor Dragontoe River have clean water, Princess,” Wayland glanced at her profile. “You can drink it, but there’s a chance ye’ll get sick.”

“That’s... promising,” Elsanne commented deictically.

Like not at all.

“Haha, aye it’s a strange place, as you’ll find out,” Wayland agreed and scratched his rough beard for a while, his weather-beaten face had aged spectacularly in the last week. He sighed, whatever he was thinking about troubling him.

“What is it, Mister Dawson?” Elsanne inquired politely. Whatever the man’s sins were, she had enjoyed his company and for the most part the journey on his ship. While not exactly how she’d originally imagined it, Elsanne’s dream of seeing the rest of the Realm held significant appeal still to the young woman.

“Ah, just wanted to say some parting words, Princess,” Wayland replied, a little moved. “It’s not every day a man like myself get to meet a noble-blood, deserving of the moniker. None more deserving than yerself.”

Elsanne blushed at the praise. “Gratitude for the kind words, Mister Dawson.”

“Wish I could offer more, Princess,” He grimaced, searched about himself, found something in a pocket of his heavy frock coat, the yellow sash striking on his waist and offered it to her.

It was a large iron button, or coin. It had a skull carved at its middle, the mouth open in what appeared to be a grotesque smile.

“Ahm,” Elsanne said unsure, not wanting to insult him.

“The Laughing Skull will tell any brother, or sister, yer a friend of the pirates, Princess,” The man explained. “They’ll offer ye help, next time ye need it,” He shrugged his shoulders. “In any tavern, and at any port. Just show it, Princess.”

“Thank you, Mister Dawson,” Elsanne said much moved at the gesture and hugged him, at the surprise of those present, none more than Captain Wayland himself.

The first impression Elsanne had from Eikenport and Eplas was underwhelming. The city itself razed almost to the ground in most places. Ancient hills of rumple and tall glass walls, remnants of what was once villas and buildings that reminded her of Jelin architecture mixed in with structures completely alien. Sloped pyramids and smaller mastabas now collapsed, all roads starting at the port, build radial from it in a semi-circle, or a half-wheel, its spokes extending to the edges of the ruined city.

“What happened?” Elsanne asked, breathing heavy and constantly fanning herself almost delirious, as the heat blasting on them from the moment they stepped foot ashore was mind-numbing.

Prince Radin puffed out, himself not immune to the scorching winds coming from the Great Desert and gave her a curious stare.

“Surely you know your family’s history, dear.”

“I know Reinut lost his fleet at Eikenport,” Elsanne replied with a glare.

“That’s correct,” Radin said with a smile, checking up on their luggage being loaded on the carriages by his guards and at least twenty workers. A local official working for him had brought them the two enclosed wagons, after a five hour wait. The weather had turned hotter as the day progressed.

“How does destroying a fleet, spills out and dooms a city?” She asked, wiping the sweat off her face. Loes had collapsed in the middle of the street on a box and was slowly melting away, a look of despair on her pretty face.

“The crews were stationed there, or something,” Radin explained. “The details are murky and what’s written, well… it’s rather fanciful.”

“What’s written?”

“The Empress had brought her Wyverns,” Radin replied and seeing her raised brow, shrugged his shoulders indifferently. “When she realized, watching from above, the crews had escaped, she let them loose on the city itself, killing friends and foes alike.”

Elsanne placed a hand on a destroyed wall, the stone bricks turned to hard glass, lukewarm to the touch and sharp at its points. “They did this…” She murmured impressed, as much as terrified.

“To the buildings and people,” Radin commented, watching her reaction with interest. “Most of them that is.”

“What happened to the rest?” Elsanne queried pulling her hand away.

“They ate them, dear,” Radin replied casually. “The Zilan and their pets kept the same diet.”

“That’s horrifying,” Elsanne gasped, having difficulty breathing. Then remembering her lessons frowned. “Why hadn’t she used them against Reinut then?”

“I can only offer theories, dear wife. It’s a heavy subject, for the hour.”

“Do you intent on helping them load our stuff?” She asked him innocently.

“Don’t be absurd,” Came his pointed reply.

“Then, we have time.”

Radin sighed, at her insistence.

“Fine. I don’t know much.” He started, looking for his flask of water. Radin had some, poured the rest over his head and let out a sigh of relief. “Gods, this I haven’t missed. Where was I? Ah, yes. Well, to make a long story short; Reinut had disembarked his raiders near Goras, sacked the city and put it to the torch, the whole affair. By the time the Empress learned what had happened and came back, he was gone.”

“How did he escape without a fleet?” Elsanne asked, that part always bothered her.

“Nobody really knows. He didn’t swim around Crabs Talons that’s for sure, although people have suggested it. Through the Pale Mountains is the most likely answer.”

“Is there a way to cross them?”

“Not that I know off. Then there’s the Acid Lake, Merodras River and its beasts. I’m surprised he even made it out alive.”

“What happened to her Wyverns?” Elsanne asked.

“Why not bring them to Lazuli Peninsula, is where you’re going with this, right?” Radin teased her, with a smile. “She couldn’t, or she made a mistake. Remember the volcanoes went off at that time, there was mayhem within the empire.”

As if flying beasts would stick around to get burned to ash.

Elsanne pouted, not buying it. She had subconsciously sided with the Queen. “Why would she make a mistake?”

“She set a trap for Reinut. They are… were vain creatures. A large host of warriors had disembarked at Shifton River, where Tirifort today stands, force-marched through the desert to hit Reinut from the back, while he sieged Oakenfalls and the Queen of Queens. It was a good plan.”

“But for the Horselords treachery,” Elsanne pointed, narrowing her eyes.

“Or Reinut’s acumen to cut a deal. Kudos to your ancestor, right?” Radin countered. “Anyway, my ancestors destroyed the relief army, Reinut won the siege, put everyone to the blade.”

“The rest is history,” Elsanne added, looking at him.

“There’s other things to talk about wife,” Her husband’s naughty smirk was bursting with lewd promises and she felt her core flame up even more, the dress she wore restricting her to the point of torture. “By the way, dear,” Radin added, seeing her sweating profusely, completely flustered. “You might want to make a change in your wardrobe.”

A day later, they had reached Laun River, one of the two birthed out of Jade Lake. Its waters a distinct yellow-green, darker at places and the stink of brimstone making her eyes water. They crossed the stone bridge over it as fast as they could and made camp amidst the bizarre Oasis that hugged the large lake, its banks now visible to the east.

“You’ll get used to it,” Radin said, seeing her having trouble standing. The heat and hardship of the climate, multiplied by the suffocating humidity of the environment taking a toll on the Princess.

“Can we see the lake?” Elsanne croaked, staring at a slave cooling her with a large fan, the boy himself to the point of collapse. “And let this poor thing rest a bit?”

Radin frowned. “He’s a slave, dear. As for the lake, while it’s cooler there, ahm… this part is better crossed posthaste.”

Elsanne glowered at him and then stared at their men clearing the area around their camp of plants and cutting down small trees and even uprooting most of the vegetation.

“Are there snakes?” She asked, the idea of facing one as exciting as terrifying.

“Plenty,” Radin deadpanned. “But it’s the plants I fear the most.”

“The plants?”

“Those yellow-orange ones are poisonous,” Radin explained, pointing at the local flora, all serious. “The green and white, have flesh eating cavities hidden, camouflaged as rotted palm trunks, or roots. Yes, like this one,” Radin grimaced, seeing her jump away from a suspicious piece of wood on the ground.

“Flesh-eating cavities?” Elsanne droned, her eyes ogling with bewilderment.

Radin snorted, unsheathed his sword and run the suspicious looking root through. Mercifully, it turned out it was, what it looked like.

Dead wood.

The Prince smacked his lips, opting to be cautious and stabbed it again and again, before elucidating on her previous query.

“Mouths.”

This was the biggest hornet Elsanne had seen in her life. Larger than both her thumbs placed side by side, loud as a kid making scaring noises with his mouth, while hidden in a cellar and incredibly persistent.

“HELP!” She screamed, seeing the monster approaching again.

“Hajot get it, for fuck’s sake!” Radin griped and turning to her, he repeated his earlier instructions. “Close the drapes dear, to keep it out this time.”

Elsanne thought about poking him in the eye.

“It’s ungodly hot, dear!” She screeched instead.

Radin sighed pretentiously.

Oh, you’re getting a poke in the eye smarty mouth.

“Here, take this off. You’re wearing too much stuff—” Elsanne ducked under his hands, not that she objected getting fondled like last night, but she was sweaty, probably smelly and they were basically in public!

Sort of.

“I can’t breathe,” She insisted, also true, keeping him away with both hands. Radin pushed against her, slipped an arm through her defenses, found the top knot of her bustier and pulled it hard and rather expertly for a man, before she could smack his hand away.

“Everything okay, Princess?” Loes asked from the front seat of the carriage, where they had exiled her earlier.

“Fine, Loes,” Elsanne replied, keeping the loose top closed with one hand, using her left shoulder and arm to keep her husband’s hands and body away, almost shoving him onto the wall of the enclosed carriage. “Wardrobe malfunction.”

“You wish me to come inside?” She asked, rather alarmed.

Oh, poor thing. We’re way past that part.

“I can manage, thank you.”

“Hajot reported the Hornet has been slain, Princess,” Loes said.

Good riddance, she thought and reaching opened the drapes wide, to let more air in. In came the cool air and another two hornets buzzing angry as all hells and probably close family to the recently deceased. Elsanne jumped to the door in pure panic, pushed it open, almost breaking the latch and jumped outside, managing to land on her feet and hands, to the bewilderment of their guards and the mustached driver, who recovered quickly and clicked his tongue bringing the slow moving carriage to a full stop.

Hajot, dashing atop his horse, gave her a slight bow with his head and Elsanne opened her mouth to thank him, when she caught out of the corner of her eye Loes, making a series of grimaces, winks and warning signs with her eyes. Elsanne kept her jade eyes on Hajot, a light flushing on her ebony cheeks barely noticeable, the guard’s face remaining remarkably cool, while she used both hands to return the two now open parts of her bustier top in the right position. Loes jumped down the next moment and moving fast alike a seasoned professional, produced a silver clasp pin out of a fold of her own dress and secured both parts, leaving a daring opening at the top and lower portion of it, quite roomy and pleasant.

A startled Elsanne breathed freely for the first time in days.

“Damn it, wife,” Radin griped, stepping out of the carriage, a couple of large welts on his face and looking pretty unsteady. “I told you to keep those darn drapes closed!”