Raiya- Early Game

by Russell Wilbinski

  The Admiral gave him a look that said “really?”. Skree realized, he would have bought it regardless, especially if all islands were in a similar state. Still, he didn’t like that the Admiral had withheld the information. He took a deep breath, allowing his anger to bleed away as he exhaled.

  “You could have told me the truth upfront.” He said, displaying only frustration and disappointment.

  The Admiral nodded. “I could have, but you would have fought me on the price, even after the deal I was offering you. It’s just business, nothing personal.”

  Skree knew he was right, he would have tried a lot harder to get a lower price, even with the bargain the Admiral had offered him. He sighed, letting the last of his anger fade away into cold acceptance. He would fight anyone or anything to make this his home. A smile slowly tugged at the corners of his mouth.

  “Fair is fair, after all I probably would have paid a lot more to get the deed.” He patted the Admiral on the shoulder and strode out of the room, happy that he could get the last word.

  Chapter 21

  After leaving the office of the Admiral, Skree and Priestess found Al, exchanged pleasantries and paid the balance for their deed. They shook hands, and he led them from the manor house with a smile and a bow, waving as they disappeared into the streets of Theseldora.

  “What should we do now?” Priestess asked cheerily.

  As they walked, the joy at having purchased the deed and for a decent price had really buoyed his spirits. “What do you say we see about arranging transport to the Island? We can stop by the harbormaster’s office and see if he can help us secure a ride to our new home.”

  Priestess considered his suggestion, finding no fault with the idea. She continued to walk with him for a few minutes when she broke the amicable silence. “I need to talk to you.”

  He nodded, still smiling and walking with a happy ease he hadn’t felt in days. “What's on your mind Priestess?”

  She didn’t speak immediately, taking time to organize her thoughts. “I know that King Sawbones gave you a considerable amount of gold. Gold used to restore our people to greatness. But, that was a considerable amount of gold you spent on an island.”

  “I prefer to say invested instead of spent. We have a place now, for all of us. It was, and will be worth every bent copper we have to spend.” He said easily. “If I have to sell everything I own, I will make Carver’s Bay a place worthy of Sawbones vision.”

  She crossed her hands behind her back, feeling the soft fabric caress her scales as the gentle breeze caused her robes to sway back and forth. She breathed in the air, salty and clean, so unlike the depths of the warrens where she had grown up. She steeled her nerves and asked what had been weighing on her mind.

  “What do you imagine my role will be in this new endeavor?” she asked nervously, rubbing at her scales with her claws.

  Skree stopped, brows furrowed in concern. “What do you mean?” he asked.

  She huffed. “What do you think I will do once we get to the island?”

  He shrugged. “Help me run the place, I hope.” Seeing her look of dissatisfaction, he dropped to one knee and met her eyes. “What’s reallyon your mind?”

  Her eyes darted around nervously and she looked at the ground, tail swishing against the cobblestone street. Skree lifted her chin gently.

  “Kamilla, just tell me what’s bothering you.” He said, using her given name for the first time in a long time. “Please?”

  “I don’t want you to leave me behind.” She whispered as tears welled in her eyes.

  Skree reeled at the statement. “Leave you behind?” he said, shocked by her words. “I would never leave you. You are my best friend, and we have a settlement to build. You are the only one I trust in the entire world.”

  Her gold-rimmed pupils glittered in the mid-day sun, twinkling with tears. “You will have to leave the settlement at some point, to fight and to earn money. I don’t want you to leave me in the village as some den mother. I refuse to spend the rest of my life hidden away on that island.”

  “What makes you think I would leave you behind?” he asked.

  Her eyes snapped to meet his, tears streaking her iridescent red scales. “On the ship, you trained every day, learning to sail. You sparred with Fenna, and you spent so much time with your own kind.” She sniffled, wiping the tears away. “You seemed different, happier than I had ever seen you. You were back amongst your own kind, reunited with your real people. You barely spent anytime with the younglings. You even left Zuka on his own.”

  Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. He wanted to say something, anything in his defense but she was right. Day after day on the ship he had trained, studied and left her to deal with the younglings on her own. She had the few adults to help her, but they had not sworn an oath to protect the kobolds. They had just escaped the genocide of their people and he had left them mostly alone in the dark cargo hold, on a strange ship filled with humans.

  “Priestess, I…” he said, but she cut him off.

  “I swore to serve you, to follow you and to bring glory to my people.” She said, feeling her resolve grow. “I can forgive you for the ship. It must have been so wonderful to know you weren’t alone anymore. To spend time with other humans, butyou also swore an oath.” She grabbed his hands, meeting his eyes with determination. “No matter where we go, no matter what we face, I will be by your side. Promise me.”

  He didn’t hesitate. “I promise. You will always be by my side.”

  She smiled happily, straightening her robes and wiping away any traces of her tears. “Good, because we have an island full of trolls to kill.”

  ~~~

  Skree rapped on the door to the harbor master's office. The familiar gruff voice bid them to enter. Pushing inside, it shocked Skree to see Fenna and Hawkins standing idly by the harbor master's desk, each holding a mug of frothy ale.

  The ever stoic Hawkins nodded once to each of them. “Skree. Priestess.”

  “Oh hey you two, did you miss me so much that you had to chase after me?” Fenna asked playfully.

  “Hello Captain.” Priestess said. “Master Hawkins. What a pleasure to see you both here.”

  “Yeah, what are you guys doing here?” Skree asked.

  “They are here to arrange the details of the auction of the Golden Rose.” The harbor master said irritated at the interruption. “Unless you two have immediate business, I would ask you to sit over there.” He motioned to a row of chairs against a wall. “Quietly.”

  “Oh come now Ricard, no reason to be so mean to our friends here.” Fenna said. “They helped with the capture of the Golden Rose.”

  Ricard, the harbor master, harrumphed. He pointed to a sign hanging behind his desk that read: No idle chatter. “My office, my rules. Can we please complete the details?”

  Hawkins grunted. “Please continue.”

  Ricard nodded, adjusting his glasses as he read the parchment resting on the desk in front of him. “Captain Fenna captured the Golden Rose, formerly owned by Captain Rojelio Alma Vasquez Delavega. The ship sustained substantial damage, but my boatswains will restore it to good condition. You have agreed that the temporary Captain… one Elaina Monteforte would receive a portion of the sale to distribute to the defeated crew. At your request, I will bar Captain Delavega from the bidding, if he ever returns.” He gave Fenna a hard look, but she only shrugged.

  “He was being a real ponce about the whole thing.” She said defensively.

  Without giving a response, he continued. “Based on the damages and the total value of the ship, the assessor believes the auction should begin with a bid of 325 gold. Do you find this acceptable?”

  Hawkins leaned over, whispering in Fenna’s ear. She listened carefully, nodding as he spoke.

  “Seems fair harbor master.” She said with a slight bow.

  The harbor master marked the document with a heavy mechanical stamp. “Excellent. The auction will be tomorrow afternoon. It does not r
equire your presence, though you are welcome to attend. Now, if there is nothing else I can do for you?” he asked, not expecting there to be any more business.

  “Nothing at all.” She said, turning away from the gruff man and moving to stand before Skree and Priestess. “What are you two here for?” she asked.

  He felt that tingle in his stomach, the one that told him he was having something akin to romantic feelings for the gorgeous captain. “Uh, we, uh, we're looking to charter a ship to our new settlement location. Figured the harbor master was the man to see.”

  Fenna gasped. “And you didn’t even think to ask me first? I’m hurt!” she said.

  “You have already done so much for us, Captain Lis.” Priestess said. “Thought we might try to take care of this on our own.”

  Fenna nodded to the door. “Walk with me?” she asked.

  Skree and Priestess exchanged glances, wondering what she was after. “Sure.” Skree said. Together the four of them left the office and walked to the end of a nearby pier where the Golden Rose, in all of it ostentatious finery floated. It was a battered hull, still covered in hasty patches from the multitude of hull breaches. It looked like it had suffered more damage in the return voyage, but here it was, safe and mostly sound.

  “Look at this big bastard.” Fenna said, waving a hand from stem to stern. “A lovely prize if there ever was one. She’s got nothing on the Typhoon, but still a mighty fine ship.”

  Skree had to admit that he agreed with her assessment. Even when they had taken the ship and spent several hours separating the Typhoon and the Golden Rose, he knew then it was a mighty fine ship. He took in the holes in her hull, the fine shape of her bow and the dark, almost black wood that comprised her deck. She was a beauty.

  “It would be a shame if some two bit pirate with a pocket full of gold just bought her uncontested at auction tomorrow, don't you agree?” Fenna asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Why would that be a bad thing?” Priestess asked. “I thought you wanted to sell it.” She watched the Captain with interest. Despite how far she had come with the language, Priestess still found the strange double speak that humans used to be confusing at the best of times and downright frustrating at others.

  By the look on Skree’s face, it was clear he also did not get her meaning. Fenna muttered something under her breath then explained slowly, like she was talking to a pair of drunk fools. “You need a ship don't you? Why not buy one of your own and hire a crew? That way, you don't find yourself stranded out there on your tiny island while you try to get your settlement up and running.”

  For a moment, Skree let his eyes wander the length of the ship, taking in the strong lines and stunning scroll work that decorated the railings. Finely carved sea creatures almost seemed to dance along the wooden supports along the edge of the ship. It really was beautiful. He shook his head, sighing in disappointment. “I don’t know Fenna, the auction could easily push it out of our price range, plus the repairs, finding a crew and sailing it there myself? Seems risky.”

  “Come now, where is the brave and reckless man who leapt into a stormy sea without hesitation. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Fenna replied.

  Hawkins stepped closer to him, placing a fatherly hand on his shoulder. Skree was happy that his teacher had grown to like him during their lessons even though he knew it was mostly because he had rescued Fenna from drowning.

  “She is right lad, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. Building a ship of this size and beauty would cost nearly twice what it would get at auction and take months or even years. You learned to sail, earned your first profession and now you would let a beautiful ship like the Rose, one you helped capture no less, fall into the hand of some random merchant or pirate?” he squeezed Skree’s shoulder gently. “Trust me, you want this ship.”

  Skree looked at Priestess who was grinning madly. “What are you thinking?”

  “That you will finally have plenty of time to teach me how to sail.” She said excitedly.

  “You really think we should buy this ship?”

  The Kobold Priestess whacked him playfully with her tail. “We should. Think of the adventures we could have, sailing the open seas.”

  “Then it’s settled.” Fenna said, clapping her hands together happily. “You will buy our prize out from under the only other likely bidder.”

  Together, Skree and Priestess look at her, suddenly realizing she had manipulated them again. They scowled at her but she only smiled brightly at their offended looks.

  “What? You need a boat, and I don’t want a particular someone to have it. Seems like we both win.”

  Skree rolled his eyes, huffing in agitation. “Fenna, who is the other bidder?”

  “You remember Butt-face, don’t you?”

  Chapter 22

  After leaving the docks, Skree and Priestess wandered the streets of Theseldora, taking in the myriad sights and sounds. For Skree, it was like returning to his old life, as hundreds of men and women went about their day, oblivious to their presence. Some carried packages and others walked hand in hand, expressions of love plastered on their faces. If he had to describe it, he would have said it was peaceful chaos.

  For Priestess, it was a wild departure from the life she was used to in the deep dark of the warrens. While she was never alone in her old home, she could easily find solitude and quiet just a short walk away. Here in the packed streets, she felt anxious as the crowds flowed around them. There was nowhere she could go that wasn’t bustling and loud with unfamiliar sights and sounds.

  “Are all human settlements this loud?” Priestess asked, eyes darting back and forth.

  He smiled, thinking about cities like Chicago and Los Angeles. If she thought this was loud, he would hate to see what would happen if she ever visited earth. “Humans love noise. It reminds us we are social creatures, and the sounds of a bustling town or city are just something we have always lived with. I barely even notice it to be honest.”

  Her lips peeled back in a contemptuous snarl. “It’s quiteannoying.” She continued looking around, watching as people carried heavy bags toward the docks to be loaded onto waiting ships, people drinking ale from mugs on benches in front of restaurants and children playing catch or pretend sword fighting in alleys and open areas. “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “We are heading to the vendor district.” He patted the nearly bottomless bag hanging from his belt. “After purchasing Carver’s Bay, we are running low on funds. I need to sell as much loot as possible and hope we can win the auction tomorrow morning.” He explained, though she could hear the concern in his voice.

  “How much gold do we have remaining?” she asked.

  He pulled up his inventory screen and checked the currency tab. “Less than 200 gold. 184 to be exact. I hope we can pull in at least another hundred.” He sighed, “Even if we do, I doubt that we will win the auction. That ship is worth a fortune and even if we win, how will we be able to hire a crew and buy the building supplies we will need to set up Carver’s Bay?” He kicked a rock and watched as it bounced down the cobblestone street. “All we can do is try.”

  She fished around in her pocket and pulled out a small pouch. “In the warren, we used gemstones to trade, but they weren’t worth much, mostly just as curiosities. They fascinated Carver though, said they twinkled with an inner light he found mesmerizing.” She shook the bag. “Do humans consider gemstones valuable? Perhaps we can get something for these.” She tossed him the bag. Raising an eyebrow, Skree opened the small pouch and peered inside.

  You have found Small Diamonds x 25, Rarity: Rare, Quality: Superb, Durability: 100/100

  You have found Medium Emeralds x 15, Rarity: Rare, Quality: Superb, Durability: 100/100

  You have found Small Rubies x 5, Rarity: Rare, Quality: Superb, Durability: 100/100

  You have found Large Scintillating Fire Opal x 2, Rarity: Epic, Quality: Legendary, Durability: 500/500

  Skree’s jaw dropped as he read the promp
ts. “Priestess, these…” he trailed off as he stared at the glittering gemstones. “These are incredible!”

  “So they might be worth something to the humans?” she asked, still not sure if it was their value or beauty that had him so excited.

  He dropped the stones back into their pouch, then lifted Priestess from her feet, hugging her hard, spinning round and round. He set her down and grinned. “These might be worth more than the island we purchased! Where did you get these?”

  She clapped excitedly. “I am thrilled. I have a lot more of them back at the Boarding House. Like I said, Carver was quite the collector of shiny rocks. When you were securing Carver’s workshop during our escape, I found his collection of stones and took them, hoping that they might be worth something. I did not understand that humans valued such trivial things as shiny rocks.”

  He was about to explain, but then he realized, he had no idea why they did either. Back on earth they were purely luxury, but here, they might be commonplace or even worthless. Then again, the humans in Raiya had been nearly identical in every way to the humans on earth, the Golden Rose being a prime example of their love of opulence and fancy. With newfound pep in his step, Skree grabbed Priestess's hand and marched toward the Market District that Mills had told him about when they were on the Typhoon. When they reached the area, he knew they were in the right place. Stalls lined the streets and hundreds of people milled about, exchanging coins for fabrics, food and even weapons from the more questionable stalls.

  He asked a passerby about the best place to sell goods and the man told him to find Hagar's shop at the end of the road. He thanked the man, tipped him a copper coin and headed in that direction, smiling the whole way. Things were looking up for their new settlement. Following the directions, they found the shop with little effort as it was fairly hard to miss. Constructed from rich, dark wood with large windows that revealed the warmly lit interior, it positively reeked of wealth..

  Upon entering, Skree knew this was the place they needed to be. Finely made glass cases lined the walls, and high shelves loaded with every kind of bauble that one could imagine created aisles like a department store. Vases, carvings, masks, you name it; it was probably somewhere inside Hagar's shop. As they moved through the shop, the sheer number of items available for purchase astounded them. Skree casually inspected a small black dagger embellished with dark red gemstones.