The passing of pirate vessels did not go unnoticed by the Captain of the Defiance. The king's flagship would not be caught moored at dock. The message of their arrival had come via signal light from the frigate squadron of the 3rd Fleet that escorted the king's ship.

"Haul the buntlines and let fly the hawsers. Cast off Mister Edwards." The captain was none to happy about being disturbed during the dogwatch and this was obvioused by the tone of his commands. "Mister Edwards, pipe the gun crews to their mounts, stack the brass monkeys, make battle sails and prepare for action."

Each order was repeated aloud by the ship's sailing master, barked sharply to ensure he was clearly heard.

"Make fast that jackyard, look sharp you bilge rats, you have not been that long from battle." Still the captain marched the deck, fastening the buttons upon his jacket as moved along the deck. "They shall not run groundage upon us Mister Edwards. Open your gun ports, but do not run out the guns until the word is given."

The crew which had begun sluggishly, now began to move like a finely honed naval crew. Each station crisply manned, each action sharp and well practiced. The sound of the wood creaking and the masts moaning in protest as the sails filled with wind could be heard througout the ship.

"Let's keep the wind in a close haul Mister Edwards, make for the squadron."

"Aye Cap'n, making for the squadron. Helmsman make your course Nor by Nor Wes."

The ship took on the feel of the wind and sea as the frigate made her way through the harbor. Although longer and sleeker, the clipper one on one was no match for a frigate. However, the captain was of no mind to engage five of them at once. Nor was the security of this port any of his affair, no it was best to make for the fleet and re-enter the port under the king's command.

The seven ships of 3rd fleet's frigate squadron had laid up off the point that marked the entrance to the harbor. By midnight that number had grown to fourteen ships when seven ships of the line joined them. Seven frigates and seven man 0' wars was an intimidating sight in sailor's eyes. In the belly of one those huge ships of the line a meeting was taking place, a meeting to decide the future of the merchant princes of Melnibone'.

"Why should I send my merchant vessels into this god-forsaken port of backward monkey spawn when pirates travel so freely in and out' Why shoud I risk my fortunes on this whim of the king?" Prince T'ael's words were sharp and pointed as he spoke.

Around this table were two of the merchant princes, T'ael and Sha'Anoor, Admiral Gray of the 3rd fleet and a number of ship's captains. Fully, this gathering represented more than a third of the wealth and naval power of Melinbone'.

"I would choose my words carefully T'ael, lest some think your words border on treason. This fleet and those who command it, do as commanded by the king." Admiral Gray shifted his position a bit in his chair as he continued to speak. "T'ael, your father was a great man and an ambitious man, but his ambition was tempered by his wisdom. A wisdom that your youth and petulance precludes you from having just yet."

"Personally, I see the merits in trading here if the fleet can ensure our safety." Sha'Anoor's spoke, his voice smoothed by age. "I am sure we can fatten your pockets enough T'ael to soothe even your aching purse."

"Still, the the king has us dancing .........

"Dancing like what T'ael, would you care to share your thoughts with me personally?" Akhir's voice carried throughout the cabin as he emerged from the shadows. "Well, T'ael .......

The tip of the black blade just barely crossed T'ael's face as if it were being withdrawn, then in a flash and a flick of the wrist a long cut was laid across his cheek. A darkly disturbing moan came from the blade as its victims blood wetted the tip, the room fell deathly hush, not even T'ael's so much as flinched. Everyone here knew what could be at hand, when the sword began to feed and Akhir began to feel the madness, no living creature in range is safe.

Akhir could feel his heart race, nearly beating its way out of his chest. The steel gray of his eyes was replaced by blood red pools, the lust was upon him. He must kill this man, he must destroy everything about his essence. He must posess the very life essence that gave T'ael existence. Akhir's grip on the pommel tightened, the sword prepared to strike, it spoke to him, it clouded his mind, "take him Akhir, take him now, feel his life essence be added to your own, he will betray you, they will all betray you, take them all .......TAKE THEM NOW".

"Your majesty, I beseech you to stay your hand." Sha'Anoor's voice was clear and calming, this was not his first time to see the blade nor the lust in the eyes of a king of the Ruby Throne. "Reach inside and find yourself, do not become lost among your own."

Akhir's eyes shot to Sha'Anoor, but the blade did not follow. Akhir hissed at Sha'Anoor before he began to quell the lust. "I am master here, you will not speak unless I command it." Akhir struggled greatly within himself to regain control, it had been some time since it had been drawn from its sheath.

Sha'Anoor bowed his head in deference to the king. The only sound that could be heard was the drops of blood that fell from T'ael's face as they hit the table and the groan of the ship under shifting waves.

The blade howled mightily in protest as it was returned to its sheath. The howl was audible for all the room to hear. It served as a stark reminder to all just a small part of the power that those who sat upon the Ruby Throne wielded.

Akhir returned from the Inn in town and was furious. Appearing from the shadows and into his cabin his anger was obvioused by the destruction he began to wreak upon his quarters. The first to be sacrificed was a crystal bottle that sat upon his desk, many books and other asundry things would soon follow.

The marines who gaurded his quarters moved to burst in, alarmed by what appeared to be trouble. However, the curses in the ancient tongue marked all too well who was in those chambers.

Akhir settled into the wreck and shambles his quarters had very quickly become. Never had he ever been questioned in such a manner, he could not allow this. She questioned his integrity, not just that she questioned a time of great heroism and sacrifice for his people. His people who stood on the bridge of Jotunheim and fought back the tide of frost giants and Hrimthurs himself. The tapestries and banners to mark this great event had been ordered woven by Odin's command, the tales of the battle were put to song by his words and Freya's lyre.

Now she bade him prove it, prove it indeed. Who was she to command such from him, who would dare command such from the throne of Melnibone'. No one commands anything from me, Akhir's fist slammed into the desk as his thoughts roiled, he did care about her but still such insult to the throne.

His thoughts cleared for a moment as he pondered his options. He could leave her to her own devices, just ignore her and the feelings he had for her and move on. However, there was another option, he could take her to Immrryr the dreaming city. No, this was forbidden, his thoughts wrestled back and forth, but he was king, he made law. Perhaps if she was Aesir or Vanir it would be less problematic. Immrryr was the only place he could provide the proof she wanted. His cupped his head into his hands as he wrestled back and forth with taking here there, oh how he now regreted ever going to the Inn last eve.

"Vidar....Vidar old friend, where are you now?" Akhir whispered Vidar's name quietly to himself. He would seek out the counsel of the shadows, they would guide him to Vidar.

Akhir rose to his feet and began a few incantations which caused a swirl of light and shadows. The room righted itself under the cantrip incantation and Akhir began to make preparations to commune with the shadows. Only the lords of the shadows could find the bed of the wench that held Vidar.

The dark door slid openly without sound, wonderous for a door fully six inches thick. The room opened into a double diamond shape, with a v-shaped ceiling. On the walls hung many shimmering drapes that divided and marked the eight points. In the center of the room was a double diamond shape table of stone. Around this was fifteen chairs, one chair darker and mistier than the others held the Shadowking himself. He is the king of the plane of Shadow and a Lord of Balance. He is very tall, very thin, pearly-skinned with hard, ashen eyes, ashen hair, and thin, night-dark lips. He has an aristocratic bearing and an arrogant visage.

"Your most Umbrageous Majesty, Lord of Murk, your most majestic Gloominess, may I please present His most beatific majesty Akhir Tvar?" The smallish steward was lowered in deference, his eyes never once lifted to gaze upon the lord of the shadows.

"Be gone you useless troll, I know who this is." The Shadowking's words were sharp and cutting.

The little man scampered from the room post haste causing Akhir to stifle a chuckle as the large dark door closed behind him.

"Akhir, to what do I owe the pleasure of an emporer of Melnibone'?" His ashen eyes probed Akhir as he spoke, motioning for Akhir to sit as he does so.

"It is an honor to be received by one such as yourself, your majesty." Akhir pulled out the chair motioned to by the Shadowking. "I need a favor, I need to locate someone that only you can find."

"All these centuries later and you do not come to visit your kin, you do not come to pay tribute or even socialize, you just come to beg favors?" The Shadowking's words were pointed, if he jested he was not letting on.

"Surely not your gloominess, I bring that which you love most from our lands." Akhir retrieved from the folds of his cloak a large red crystal bottle trimmed with gold, such contrast in a monochromatic world.

The Shadowking leaned forward, the misty veil falling away, his ashen eyes alight. "Say it isn't so, can it be?" The Shadowking rose from his seat to retrieve the bottle himself, cradling it, admiring it. "Brandy from the first golden age of Melnibone', the Noorak dynasty."

Akhir cast a wiley smile as he watched the Shadowking fawn over his present. "There is precious little left."

The Shadowking paused and held the bulbous bottle by its long thin neck, his eyes narrowing on the king of Melnibone'. "Wait, what favor would you ask of me that warrants such bribery?" The Shadowking returned to his seat, still clinging to the bottle, a bottle that he had no intent of ever surrendering.

"I need you to find someone, I need you to find Vidar, the Nor..." Akhir did not get to finish his sentence before the Shadowking interrupted.

"The Norse God, yes I know who Vidar is." The Shadowking set the bottle on the table in front of him, folding his hands in his lap in contemplation. "That is a dangerous thing you ask Akhir, I know you and he are friends but the Norse gods take a dim view of being spied upon. Why do you seek Vidar?"

"It is some nerve you have to disturb my wenching, and to go to the shadows to do it no less. I always detested this place, it lacks terribly in color." Vidar's booming voice seemed to calm some as he spoke, settling into a normal volume.

"It is good to see you too Vidar. I see the centuries have been kind." Akhir got to his feet to embrace his old friend as he spoke.

Akhir had moved to arm clasp Vidar, but Vidar had snatched him tightly and pulled him to his chest, nearly squeezing the life from him. "It is good to see you Akhir, good indeed."

Akhir cringed in pain as Vidar released his hold on him, slapping him firmly on the back as he did so. "It has been entirely too long since we have broken bread and drank meade." Akhir jerked a thumb to the Shadowking. "Shouldn't we wake him?"

"Not yet. So I understand you have been looking for me, pray tell what for" Are we going to battle, a good war perhaps?" Vidar cast a sideways grin as the bear chested red haired leviathan spoke, his leather breaches creaking in protest as he seated himself.

"Nothing quite so grandios." Akhir returned to his own seat as they spoke. "It seems that I am required to provide proof that I participated in the battle on the bridge to Jotunheim."

Vidar was noticably taken aback as judged by his expression of first confusion and then anger. "Who would question your word and why would you even bother" That battle was legendary, we still sing songs of that great war. For seven days and seven nights we battled without rest, without sleep and without retreat."

"It is a woman." Akhir's reply was almost sheepish as the magnitude of the battle and to whom he was speaking to came into focus.

"A woman......A WOMAN, you interrupt my wenching for a woman?" Now Vidar's boomed again, the vibration threatened to shake the very foundation of the castle.

"I would not ask if it was not important." Akhir's own voice began to rise in tempo and volume. "You owe me as much!"

Vidar looked at Akhir, his eyes wide and bordering on anger before Akhir's last statement began to cool his demeanor. "Look, let me take you out into the world and show you wenching. You will forget all about this shewolf before the first nightfall."

Akhir shook his head for a moment. "No, I want to see this through."

"You always were a sucker for the fairer sex. Will you at least tell me her name?" Vidar queried, probing into who would cause Akhir to go to such extremes.

"Shylah Vulpecula" Akhir trying his best to pronounce her name as she would.

Vidar paused, rubbed his great red beard and shook his head. "Come I tell you, we will wench, drink and make merry, you will be better for it." Vidar appeared to be contemplating where to go with this. "However, I know you and I know better. I know this woman of which you speak, it is dangerous ground you tread upon. I will tell you this much old friend and it should quench her thirst for proof. Tell her to seek her answer in the wisdom of her father, I can tell you this and nothing more."

Vidar got to his feet and stretched for a moment before something caught his eye. The gilded bottle that sat in front of the Shadowking had Vidar smirking. "Is that what I think it is Akhir?"

Akhir nodded and smiled. "You are going to take it aren't you?"

"Why Akhir, you are a mind reader." Vidar snatched the bottle from the table. "Tell the old gloomy one there it was my price for him spying on me. Akhir be well my friend and when the shewolf gets the better of you, seek me out and we shall wench in grand fashion."

"Thank you old friend." Akhir knew to leave Vidar's curious answer where it was, it would have to suffice.

Both Akhir and Vidar would vanish nearly simultaneously leaving the Shadowking to awaken to an empty chamber and a missing bottle. Akhir could hear him call his name, his voice echoing with frustration as the shadows slipped away.

The marines who stood watch over the dock and gangway had allowed Shy to approach the vessel unemcumbered, as she was a recognized friend of the king. However, to board the vessel was a different matter entirely.

A young sailor on the dog watch peered over the railing and shouted down. "'ere now, who are you and what business 'ave you aboard this vessel?"

A small crowd began to gather around the railing as a woman's voice had not gone fully unnoticed. Bedraggled sailors and sharply uniformed marines alike began to peer over the railing. Quiet mumblings, idle cat calls and low whistles began to ring out.

However, all these things quickly quieted as heavy bootfalls could be heard crossing the deck. "Back to your duties or I will flog the lot of you." Which of course caused peering eyes to quickly dissapear back behind the railings.

Then at the top of the gangway was a mountain of a man, dressed in all the fineries of a naval officer. By all appearances, it would seem he is captain of the vessel.

"What business have you aboard my ship missy?"

The captain eyed her suspiciously with a slight tilt of the head. "I have heard thee tales before." He shifted position slightly before continuing his interrogation. "Usually his majesty gives visitors a letter of invitation or marque, did he give you neither? Oh well, it is no matter."

The captain turned to face someone on deck that was out of Shy's view. A few orders could be heard being issued, but none that could be heard to any standing on the dock.

The marines that fell under Shy's gaze, were battle hardened men as well obvioused by their battle scarred faces. Each part of their armor and weapons had a purpose, nothing wasted, nothing for show. They did not return her smile or even glance in her direction, they were rigid, at a attenion and on guard.

"I have sent word to the king, just wait there and I am sure word will come along shortly." The Capatin's words came down from the deck, having spoke his peace, he turned and walked from view.

Akhir was thumbing through some ancient tome when the knock came upon his cabin door. He would deliberately finish the passage he was on before answering the rap on his door.

The young sailor was quite nervous outside the king's door, bracketed on either side by the king's personal guards. Clutching his the bandana that had moments earlier covered his head in his hands.

"Come" The king's words were crisp and sharp.

The young man's hands trembled as he opened the door. His gaze firmly fixed towards the floor as he just stepped inside the cabin. "Majesty, the captain sends word, you have a visitor on the dock."

Akhir canted his head a moment, eyeing the young man up and down for a moment. "Has this visitor a name, or am I to be eft guessing?"

Now the young man began to stammer and stutter, struggling to get words past his lips. "I umm .....your majesty .....Shylah was her name."

The king lowered his tome to the desk, his reading glasses set aside. He rose from his seat, which sent the young sailor to his knees. Akhir had to stifle a chuckle with a thinly disguised cough. "Get up boy, go and tell the captain to show her below, bring her to my cabin."

"As you command majesty." The boy rose to his feet and quickly backed from the cabin and then ran down the passageway, not taking a moment to even so much as slow to a walk until he found the captain.

"Captain, sir ....the king commands you have his visitor shown below." The now breathless young sailor, again trying desperately to utter the king's command.

"Very well lad, return to your duties." The captain made his way to the top of the gangway, calling out to the lady below. "Permission to come aboard, his majesty will see you now."

The deck was neatly arranged, every lanyard squared away and the sheets smartly tended. Crew were busily polishing the ship's brass, squaring the rigging and tending to what seemed to be gun maintenence. On the deck the 24 pounders had been hauled back and were being swabbed, the brass monkeys neatly stacked with balls. The long nines on the bow were also being maintained. One could assume the gun deck just below was also flush with activity, peering down through a hatchway would reveal 42 pounders being readied and cleaned.

Shy would be shown to the aft quarter deck, a hatchway was opened by two marine guards. These guards no less equally armed and armored as the ones on the dock. Expressionless men of war and purpose did not even indicate in the slightest that shipboard guest was a female.

At this point they would be greeted by another man and Shy would be handed off to him. The captain excused himself and introduced Raftsanjani, the king's steward. Words were short and to the point, no frivolity or excess.

Raftsanjani was obviously not a naval officer as evidenced by his clothing. Finely dressed and well appointed in brightly colored breeches in some hue of red and wrapped in various robes in scarves of many colors. He would almost appear middle eastern in his wardrobe, but his facial features almost marked him as elvish.

Raftsanjani lowered his head for a moment in deference before speaking. A few silent words at first and a few small gestures with one hand. Once he was satisfied with whatever he was doing. "I would be pleased if you would follow me, his majesty awaits your arrival in his cabin."

At this point Shy would be led down a stairwell which would be rougly on the same level as the gun deck. The walls were teak and well oiled, the stairs were a rose colored wood, perhaps Madagascar rosewood, finely polished brass handrailings and lamps hung along the double wide passage way. A turn to the right would reveal a large hallway, equally well appointed marked by several doors and one set of double doors with guards on either side. The double doors marked an entry way aft, the marines who stood guard were different than the others aboard. These men wore blood red armor, highlighted with black piping. Their swords, and edged pugils were far more fierce and intimidating in appearance. The visors on their helmets were closed, eyes hidden by what appeared to be darkly tinted glass.

Raftsanjani paused in front of the double doors. He double checked the properness of his attire before knocking. A quick glance to Shy behind him, giving her a quick look over and then he knocked.

"Come" was all that could be heard from the other side. It sounded as if it was Akhir's voice, but it was muffled by the heavy oaken doors.

Raftsanjani slowly opened the door fully and took a single step inside. "With his majesties permission I would like to introduce Shylah Vulpecula." He was still blocking her from viewing the king, he would follow protocol to the inth degree.

"Very well, allow her to come in." Now this clearly was Akhir's voice.

Raftsanjani took a couple more steps inside and then stepped aside to allow her entry into the cabin, lowering his head to the king. "As you command majesty." He glanced back at Shy and discreetly waved her in with one hand. "His highness will see you now."