“I would advise against flying the Unsinkable III into the mists of angry dragons, Captain.”
My-re stopped at Havelock’s words to her. She then continued to pace the bow of the ship as the lookouts in the crow’s next scanned for any signs of Varick, Vomarian Fae’s party, or Araminth’s parents on a destructive course of action towards the Rirorni Empire. It seems like it had been two weeks since leaving the Twisted Lands where she failed in her mission to stop the two mere dragons from reaching their owners. Now, word had spread in the dragon community that Araminth was dead, not true, and her parents Feriale and Yrioth the Ancient had likely set out to rain fire down on the entirety of the Rirorni Empire, true.
“Do you have any thoughts of how to find Vomarian Fae, Captain?” Archmage Havelock asked?
“I don’t know.”
“Do you have any thoughts on how to find Varick, Captain?”
“Vomarian is tasked with finding Varick. Not me,” My-re retorted.
“Do you have any thoughts on how to find Araminth’s parents, Captain?”
“Yeah! Look to the sky or look for smoke on the ground! The nine hells Havelock, I know I’m flying us blind!” My-re snapped. The Shagornan elven crew’s eyes turned at her raised tone. Snorting, she didn’t ask to be captain and didn’t want the responsibility. There was awkward silence for several heartbeats. Cursing under her breath, My-re then began pacing again.
“Captain! Starboard side! Dust high in sharp columns! Movement on the ground!”
My-re ran to the right side of the ship. There was a large mass of men moving in the far distance. Pulling a spyglass from her belt confirmed Rirorni cavalry was on the move. In addition they were flying yellow banners; the color of the Great Khan Karameikos.
Rushing to the navigation wheel, My-re said to a Shagornan elf, “Follow that group, but stay high with the sun above us. I don’t want to be spotted.”
“Those Rirorni are not marching south. I do not think they are looking for dragons,” Havelock said approaching her.
“Perhaps. However, they’re in a hurry to be someplace important and possibly somewhere we’ll want to be,” My-re replied.
“Ah, you are using logic young woman. You are beginning to sound like an archmage,” Havelock commented.
My-re smiled.
“Apprentice,” Havelock finished.
Scrunching up her nose at the comment, My-re said in a flat tone, “Keep the sun above us.”
* * *
Vomarian Fae left the Rirorni, Shagornan elves, Bal’taz, and the Great Khan Karameikos outside and followed behind Varick into the fighting mine pit. The entrance had an iron bar gate with two crossed war hammers. Opening it, he lead him down a rock tunnel with its wooden supports spaced every thirty paces. Torches provided a perpetual gloom, exacerbated by the smells of animals and unwashed people, as sound bounced off the walls. They passed small iron prison cells, all empty. The conditions were abysmal.
Varick’s head was right in front of him and within striking distance of his battle axe. It was like he didn’t have any fear of being instantly killed. While tempting, the dozens of pit gladiators he passed all watched him and he wouldn’t last long afterwards. It would also condemn Araminth to the same fate. His best course of action was to slay him in their Dark Arena match.
Entering a large cavern, in the middle was a large circular pit lined in stone. The pit gladiators filtered around it with about a dozen blocking the entrance they just emerged from. At the far end was a straw-lined cage with escape-proof iron rods. Inside gripping the bars was a young woman.
“May I present, Araminth Goldeneye. None the worse for ware,” Varick said and motioned for him to verify.
Approaching the enclosure, her red hood was pulled back. A fresh, pale face with the appearance of yesterday’s youth stared at him with light, golden brown eyes with a freckled nose. Long, silky, tawny red hair reached past her shoulders.
“Lady Araminth Goldeneye. I’m glad to see you alive and unharmed,” Vomarian Fae said nodding respectfully.
“Oh, I am not a lady,” Araminth retorted.
“Don’t worry. I’m going to rescue you,” Vomarian Fae said.
“I am not worried and I do not need to be rescued. Why do males think they need to rescue someone? Though, I might add you Shagornan elves are a tenacious lot. If it was not for you, I would not be in this cage, still remain in hiding, and living my life in peace back in Shadowspire with Westwind. Now, you have gone and mess that all up,” Araminth snapped.
“Lady Greywand-” Vomarian Fae began.
Interrupting, Araminth questioned, “Lady Greywand? She is behind this!? I might have known. Doing the bidding of my parents no less?”
“Um…”
“Westwind told me about you when you visited the Dragon’s Hoard looking for me. Now, where is your female companion, My-re?”
“She’s traveling to the Twisted Lands and trying to stop the mere dragons Kata and Kuki from informing their owners of your passing,” Vomarian said.
“Kata and Kuki? I do not know their names. However, I know the two families there. The whole lot are haughty inbreed drakes that have nothing better to do with their time than plan petty schemes. And it will be the nine hells before I am mated to one of them. So, My-re is heading to the mad realm of the Twisted Lands? That was unwise,” Araminth said.
“Why? She’s trying to keep your parents from wrongly hearing about your death,” Vomarian replied.
“Yes, I dare say they would not be pleased to hear that. Nothing passes faster than gossip amongst my kind,” Araminth said, but more out loud than to him.
“Yes, the entirety of the Rirorni Empire is at risk,” Vomarian said.
Shrugging in agreement, Araminth asked, “So, what was your plan?”
“I’ve challenged Varick to a Dark Arena match for your freedom,” Vomarian Fae replied nodding his head to his opponent by the stone laid fighting pit in the ground.
“That was unwise,” Araminth said.
“Why?”
“You won’t win.”