Isuelt had stayed on the dock for a while after the ship had sailed. Laufeia and Umrae'diira had set sail early in the afternoon after the wind had turned favorable. They were returning to the Island of Shadow to report to Lenai, the High Priestess, the progress her daughters were making in the city of RhyDin. War had been declared on the Scathachians here, and therefore upon the Scathachian Nation.

The hefty ship that carried away two of the greatest warriors Isuelt had ever known was not even a dot on the horizon any longer, yet she stood there still. There was the sensation that if she did not leave, then they truly would not be gone. Yet, she knew that as they left as two Scathachians, they planned to return as more. Reinforcements, while not urgently needed, would be greatly welcomed. There was a serpent playing with the heralds of justice, a cat toying with them. Outright war, it was not. Yet, all of the Scathachians could feel the rumblings of thunder threatening at the windows.

The sun was preparing to set, and the wind was still blowing out to sea. Isuelt hugged herself, letting her cloak flap in the breeze. Her steely gaze was sharply trained on where her Sisters' ship had disappeared beyond the horizon. Great Champion Scacthach, bless their steps and quicken their paces ever back to us. A deep breath forced the chill from her spine as she uttered a blessing upon her traveling Sisters and turned her back to the sea. It was time to focus her attention to those Scathachians that awaited her back at the Sanctuary.

Chapter 27 The Lightening Game

Her books and boots packed, her weapons strapped, and her hulking form unhappily clothed, Delphinea stepped off of the ramp and onto the Rhy Din dock. Her green hues looked from side to side, and seeing the vast array of activity here, she knew that finding the Daughters of Scathach might be something of a task.

Her bag was now slung over a very muscular shoulder, and she ventured forth to begin her search.

"Excuse me?" her lowered voice did little to detract from her massive body.

"Yah, I'm busy. Take a flyin' lea—" the dockworker turned an impatient eye from his tangled net to his left to address the voice, only to look square into the chest of a woman. His squinty dark eyes followed her up, up and up, until he was looking into her face. He swallowed only once, then a suave jolt came over his features. "And what can I stick to you, lass?"

Delphinea inhaled a breath, letting her shoulders expand even more. She continued, "If it's not too much trouble, I'm looking for the Scathachian Temple."

"Sure you are. You girls like 'em big, huh?" his gaze began to drink her in shamelessly.

"I don't suppose you know where it is?" Delphinea's patience was beginning to wear thin.

"Oh I could tell ya, lass. But how's about us goin' for a drink or somethin'" I mean, I can't be sendin' ya into the arms of those lessies without first knowin' the slab of Yann meat. Yah?" He licked his lips, practically tasting Delphinea on them. "You've got quite a rack on ya. Why you want to waste it on those carpet slurpin' Scaths?"

Even though Delphinea's holy resolve was dwindling, the dockworker kept at it.

"I got whatcha need, lass. Now, now there ain't no reason to be shy in askin' for it. I'll give ya a taste right over there," he pointed to the bait shed about fifteen yards off. "Come on, lass. Free sample of Yann meat. Then to be a good sport and all, I'll buy ya a drink." He started off, dropping the semi-tangled fishing net where he stood.

Delphinea had half a mind to walk the other way, but there was something about the way he called her Sisters "carpet slurpers" that needed to be addressed. Her big, bare feet followed Yann.

"That's right, lass, just follow me and I'll give ya something you ain't gonna get over at that lessie Temple," and into the shed .

The stench of chum and fish was nearly overpowering, but Delphinea followed him in and dropped her bag. The sound of the sturdy luggage hitting the floor was enough to startle an old near-sighted man from his gutting work and persuade Yann to turn around. As he did so, Delphinea struck with a large paw to back-hand the dockworker. Yann's face was rocked to the side, though he would see more action before the story was done. Delphinea reached out and gripped Yann's throat in a vice-like hold. She then backed him up against the dirty wall and started to push him upwards until the man was literally on tip-toes. The near-sighted old man who had been quietly working in here before this affiar had come to a head, was watching all of this through gargantuan spectacles; his jaw unhinged.

"The next time you are rude to a lady, I surely hope that you will remember this event. And the next time you offer to share meat, I sincerely hope that you are speaking of what is cooked on the plate before you," her thick fingers were closing Yann's greasy throat and forcing his eyes to bug out and his mouth to futilely sip at the air that wouldn't come. It was ironic that he closely resembled the fish which he so often had caught in that ratty net out on the dock.

Delphinea allowed her powerful hand to strangle him, in order to drive home her point for a few more non-existent breaths before she finally let Yann drop into a crumbled and gasping heap on the floor.

She then turned then to the old man, who still sat as if he were a shocked statue. She bowed to him, "Afternoon, sir." And with one more glance to the gagging and sputtering Yann, she turned and exited the shed looking for someone else to direct her to the Temple.