Chapter 9 A Shaky Truce Destroyed

Homer traveled across Varrick territory to the Nubian colony along the shore. Homer bought a ship with Dracon’s emerald ring he swiped and sailed to the Mermaid Islands. Sailing his ship a few years to make himself captain, he directed the companions in their duties. A handfull of Nubian colonists seeking riches from the mermaids came along to trade wine in another ship. He waited two days for Lexie to decide if he could stay. He has two ships now to patrol the islands. Lexie granted his request and initiated him into her service that night. The mermaids came to his assigned lodge to bring him to the queen. They played music and danced along the way. He stood before Lexie as the mermaids stripped off his armor and weapons. Lexie then ordered his linen tunic removed because he must be absolutely vulnerable in this ritual. Barefoot, he was guided through a path of mermaids holding willow branches. Each mermaid tapped his head and shoulders as an anointment gesture. Then a mermaid with a deer skull on her head and gourd necklace around her shoulders painted symbols on his chest with dolphin’s blood. He walked up another path to kneel before the infant Prince Jax and Addison so he could drop handfuls of flower petals over their hero’s head. A stony lane came next and at the end was Lexie. She asked the mermaids if this elfman should be let in their inner circle. The mermaids cheered. She walked around reciting prayers to give him strength and gift of strategy to guard the mermaids, all the while hitting him with a linen whip. Lexie gave him a shark tooth necklace and then swiped sea snake venom on his forehead. The mermaids took him down to wash him so he always will smell like the sea. Lexie then came down to give him a tattoo upon his cheekbone of a starfish with a crescent moon to show every mermaid he belongs to North Sea queen.
He moved Ishtar and the children into their new home upon the hill. A grand courtyard surrounded by columns and murals greeted the new inhabitants. Gardens and animal homes led the family to the river cutting Adea in two. Ishtar had more furniture made and had the nursery painted with murals. He sent a message to Litsy for his brother to sail his livestock to his new home in Adea.

He renamed the fortress Vassily referring to the human ramparts surrounding it. Most of the Adea inhabitants were merchants from other parts of the world. Once Lexie took over making animal sacrifice and animal baiting illegal, many refused to give up their traditions and returned to their homeland. Many Kadacians, Caledonians, and Vinlanders set up trade shops along the market square in the center of town. Farmers and herders from Blythe and Lotan live in the countryside of mountains, rivers, and valley meadows. The lake on the western side of the island was surrounded by fishing villages. Roads and paths connected the villages to the city. Horse patrols trotted throughout the island delivering messages and collecting taxes. Stone fences often divided farming and herding lands but mostly surrounded vineyard villas of rich merchants. Upon the birth of Ishtar’s new baby girl Daphne, Lexie gave them a grand reception in the great hall bestowing a great gift, a magic crystal to Captain Homer. In that crystal held great magic to prolong his life and demigod powers like creating fire within your hands. To Ishtar she presented silver tableware. To the children, new beds for their nursery. He made a good living sailing all over the North and South Seas hawking mermaid goods. He tutored Colby, Serena, and later Prince Eiras in magic and different cultures. To be good magicians, they first must understand everything has a soul: the wind, the water, the earth, sand, stones, plants, and animals. To do magic is to control these souls much like training a horse to accept a rider or a dog to herd sheep. One must be careful that these souls, often called forces, do not control them instead. It was quite a concept to believe when gods and goddesses controlling natural forces were instilled and a human can only appease the gods and goddesses by sacrificing animals.
Colby learned this magic the best and became good friends with Homer. When Serena had a son, she gave up trying to have a daughter to be reunited with the Amazons. News came of Eiras gaining a baby sister Kira while he was away. He made an amulet for the baby and sent it with a messenger the next time they reached a Lotan port.

Soon word spread of Ithacan colonies poaching mermaids. Homer investigated three colonies along the North Sea. Two were found with mermaid body parts so he brought over his two ships and attacked the colonies. Armored mermaids spit out flaming arrows at any ship that tried to pursue them. Clay pots of quicklime and burning tar were tossed at suspected ships. Layla got her first taste of war stealing Ithacan ships full of supplies for the colonies. Homer’s two ships became six and his six became ten. In one year he seized twenty Ithacan ships and refitted them with elf sails that can move the ship with and against the wind. Anyone he did not kill was forced to row the oars. He earned the nickname Firefox from his threat to burn ships that did not submit. Soon the Ithacan colonies began to suffer a famine. Dead bodies lined the roads connecting towns. The King of Ithaca put out decrees to speak to the Firefox and forge a truce with him. He received vague descriptions from prisoners he marooned on islands so they would never know what Vassily looks like. Colby paid a small boy to deliver a leather parchment to the king. Big and honey haired was all the boy could describe of the messenger as. The message stated the Firefox will meet the king on his highest tower when the evening star rises. The king walked up to his highest tower in the palace and waited as the sun began to sink into the sea.

“You wished to seek a truce with the Firefox,” said a voice behind the king.

“Yes, my colonies are starving from your raids.” replied the king as he turned around to find a tall figure with a hooded cape casting a shadow over his face wearing knee high tanned boots with fringe and bead decorations.

“Good,” answered Homer.

“What do mean good? My people are dying from our supply ships not getting through.” rebuked the king trying to view Homer’s hidden face and clothes.

“My people are dying from your people’s greed. I know my mermaids are being slaughtered by the hundreds so your people can have fancy jewelry, cloth, and ornaments in your courtyards. There will be no truce until the carnage stops.” affirmed Homer.

“Your mermaids? You are a merman then.” asked the king.

“No. But I am their keeper all the same.” replied Homer.

“Oh, you are a man then who trades with them in the North Sea. The boy with your message said you had honey hair and only North Sea peoples have yellow hair.” questions.

“My friend gave the boy the message. I’m not that stupid to have a boy describe me to my enemies. Just as I don’t bother to reveal myself to you now.” answers Homer.

“Very well then. I will order my subjects to stop killing mermaids. Will that do, Master Firefox?” countered the king.

“No, it will not do, Majesty. Your promises and edicts mean nothing when your subjects secretly disobey them. I know kings before you who have no idea what their subjects are doing outside their palace walls. I want satisfaction.” asserted Homer.

“Then what exactly are your terms if mine are useless to you?” begs the king.

“You will enact mermaid hunting illegal under penalty of death. Mermaid body parts are illegal to sell under penalty of death. Colonies ceded to me where they continue selling of mermaid goods. Charms and seashells traded with mermaids are allowed. And finally, a child of yours sacrificed so you know the pain the mermaid fathers feel when their loved ones never return home.” answers Homer.

“Stiff terms,” retorts the king. “Can we negotiate here? How about I enact the no mermaid hunting or selling of goods under penalty of death, but slaves sacrificed instead of colonies or my child.” asks the king.

“You ask for my audience to insult me with deceptive promises and sacrificing of slaves who mean nothing to you. My patience with you is depleted. I am done negotiating if that is all you can offer, Majesty.” answers Homer to raise his arms to disappear.

“Wait, I can offer bulls to sacrifice, trading access for your fleet of my stolen ships, gold from Nubia, an island colony in the North Sea, and perhaps a betrothal of my son or daughter.” hastily reacts the king.

“That is better. I will accept one hundred heads of livestock, those edicts of poaching under penalty of death, an island colony in the South Sea ceded to me, and a betrothal of one of your children to someone I know. My nephew can come to teach our North Sea ways to your child and make sure your end of the truce is completed.” retorts Homer.

“All right, a hundred heads of livestock, edicts of poaching, Somers Isle ceded to you, and my daughter Mariah betrothed to someone you know.” negotiates the king.

“Somers Isle doesn’t belong to you,” answers back Homer.

“Oh yes, King Dracon ceded it to that wretched Queen Lexie when she attacked his city and forced all our colonists to Laurel. Bear Island then.” the king tries again.

“Bear Island, between Nubia and the Alastair islands. That will do.” agrees Homer.

Homer writes up a treaty for one hundred heads of livestock to be delivered to Bear Island, edicts for poaching and selling mermaids punishable by death, betrothal of Princess Mariah to Homer’s son Ilio, and Homer’s nephew Patrix to tutor her in one year. Both signed the leather parchment and Homer made another copy for the king. The king attempted again to look upon the pirate’s face while he was writing to no avail. He gazes at the man’s odd boots and glimpses the clothes underneath the cloak. Very North Sea linen tunic and leggings with a sash under his sword belt. On the sword belt, a crystal hung on a tattered string. Not until the sunset reflected off his eyes did the king get a glimpse of this feared beast to discover he was just another man with hazel eyes and honey colored eyebrows. His nose was large but cheeks were shallow. His lips formed a thin line and his chin protruded out so much his jaw line blended with his neck. He noted odd symbols along the hairline of his forehead. Homer’s casual glance up at the king intensified when he realized he was being observed and ceased to write. The king averted his eyes and the hooded man continued writing out the second treaty.

“Something catch your eye, Majesty. I am sure I am nothing that you have seen before.” initiates Homer. “Here is your copy.”

The king stares one last time into this pirate’s hard eyes as he grasps the held out copy. They both sign the second copy and Homer grips the edges of his cloak to swish them in front of his arms thinking of Ishtar. He disappears from the king to reappear in his Somers Isle fortress to see Ishtar counting shell beads to trade for a jar of fruit sauce and bread loaves for their guests tonight. When Valnar finished the capital city construction, he took to sailing again to trade in his new shops and mansion. He would bring Katarina and their children Aldric, Hector, and Gerda to vacation in Homer’s Vassily. Dracon never quite got over Homer killing his cousin and never sent any message with Valnar. Ishtar and Homer welcomed their summer guests to a feast and entertainment from the elf sailors. Homer took Valnar out in his chariot to observe the wheat and flax fields the elf sailors and their families had planted. Ishtar took Katarina out in a canoe to visit the mermaids cooking fish stew in copper cauldrons. The children rode horses and swam in the streams. The families took a day trip to the city of Adea full of Blythan colonists. Too soon the summer ended and their guests went back home. Valnar asked if Homer had any message for Dracon. As usual Homer had nothing to say to him. Valnar felt it was very sad the two friends refused to repair their bond when they were once so close. After all, he made a treaty with the King of Ithaca to save the mermaids. Homer changed his mind and sent a message to Dracon: If he can absolve him in his heart, so can Homer. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months but Homer never receive any reply from Dracon.

Soon the pirate king had another mission. Tin used to make bronze grew scarce. Tin was also used to make dinnerware and armor. Iron was abundant everywhere but it could only be make into small scale armor plates, knives, and axes. In addition it rusts so badly if not oiled. But on a better note, it can be sharpened with a rough stone whereas bronze must be reforged so it is popular among the poor farmers. Though, no one could form iron into long swords, helmets, or cauldrons so tin for bronze was very important to find. Homer sailed the seas looking for tin to trade, but soon bronze became too expensive to trade even for a pirate king and his sailors ravaged trading ships looking for bronze or tin objects to melt down. He is sure the rich king Dracon had no trouble buying bronze weapons for his servants and soldiers for only the wealthy could afford it now. Homer believed this shortage of tin was the key to his gaining great wealth. He even attacked friendly nation ships on his request for tin and bronze.

Then one night, Dracon appeared before him while sailing from a Nubian port. Dracon confessed he borrowed The Wizard’s magic cloak to find him. He asked that he not follow through on his threat to Ricky and Valnar about destroying human shipping with piracy if mermaids were slaughtered again. Homer assured the quaky king that he simply needs to rob ships for tin and bronze, the mermaid killings had ceased. Dracon heard about his treaty with Ithaca and wished for a similar contract with him. He would give anything to win his loyalty back, even forgive him for killing his cousin.

“Admit you are a bad king who can’t control his people.” demanded Homer.

“I’m a bad king who can’t control his people. Though I did have three princes executed for financing the killing of mermaids for their magical body parts.” answers Dracon.

“Fine. I will not make good on my threat to destroy human shipping, just take whatever metals I can find. Good enough.” assures Homer.

“Agreed,” said Dracon. “My wife has been missing you. Could you consent to a visit to my new capital. I have two more daughters since Lucius was born, Phoebe and Edwina.”

“I’m sure your wife does miss me, she moaned my name in her sleep enough times.” added Homer.

“Father, mother says your evening tea is ready.” spoke a voice in the darkness carrying a fish oil latern.

“Ilio, come meet my friend Dracon. He used a magic cloak like father’s to come here.” ordered Homer.

The tiny boy stepped into the moonlight to reveal a face Dracon had seen before.

“You will be as handsome as your father someday and break all the ladies hearts with your charms.” Dracon smirked at Homer.

“Barthas! You are in command of the weather deck!” shouted Homer before stepping down a ladder in the center of the ship.

Homer offered Dracon tea while gazing upon his crew sleeping. Hordes of ragged elves chased away from their Nubian homes slept huddled on narrow beds attached to the wall. Colby stirred upon hearing their chatter and joined them. The tea tray sat upon a cask of wine while the campanions sat on barrels of smoked fish. Ishtar poured the tea as Colby observed that Homer’s stories of King Jason and King Dracon must be true. Dracon asked if Homer would tutor his half-brother Prince Donovan for a few years, he has been missing him terribly and keeps asking when he his returning. Homer agreed to consider it. He was invited to a gala at the palace for the Winter Solstice celebration. Homer agreed to think about it. Ilio was most excited to attend a gala full of humans and begged to go. The Aphrodite landed on one of the Mermaid Islands to drop off the elf refugees to sail onto the Blythan port on the Island of Jaymee near Rikia. They sailed into the night to find a cove, up a river, through a marsh, and finally into a gloomy cave that behld stone steps guiding their way though the darkness to a mosaic leading into the great hall. King Dracon welcomed his guests and explained to Ilio that the steps go all the way up to the highest tower.

“Behold the great palace of Rikia,” announced Dracon as the sailors striding into the bright hall full of dancers wearing masks and dressed in shiny Kadacian linen.

A peal of a bell rung and the dancers parted to reveal a group of musicians followed by leaping acrobats. The actors twisted and flipped to the amusement of the guests. The drummers pounded fiercely at the rhythm of the acrobats while pipes whistled to the steps of the actors dressed as animals telling the story of a great wolf limping from an arrow protruding from his leg. A weasel eyes the passing wounded animal and offers to help remove the arrow from the great wolf’s leg. As the hunter closes in on the great wolf, the weasel attacks his foot causing the hunter to chase it and the great wolf runs away. The hunter bashed the weasel to pieces and left it to die forgetting about the werewolf. The great wolf carried the weasel to its lair and tried to nurse it back to health. As the weasel slept in the den, the great wolf howled to moon how this creature saved its life and begged the gods to heal it. An elf witch came by to nurse them back to health. The werewolf was so grateful he promised no great wolf would ever attack an elf. And that is why elves are never are bitten by werewolves as humans are.

“Never heard that story before,” declares Homer to Dracon.

“It’s a human story to explain why elves have no fear of werewolves.” explained Dracon.

Dracon stood up to applaude the entertainment and they bowed to him. The music stopped a moment and the guests conversed with each other. Andromeda came over to greet Homer and his crew. Donovan leaped on Homer so happy to be his pupil when he leaves. Eiras was pleased to see Donovan, Almar, Almar’s new wife, Demetrius, and Lucius again. Homer met Dracon’s daughters born after he left: Princess Phoebe and Princess Edwina who look just like their mother. Demetrius took Eiras to see the new foals in the stables. Homer snuck out up to the door leading to the tallest tower in the hopes of finding The Wizard or his friends Valnar and Ricky. The Wizard was in his usual melancholy self gazing up at the stars searching for omens. Ricky the hawk landed on Homer’s shoulder and twittered greetings. Ricky also confessed a new love for the goddess inside the Mirror of Anastia that he had jumped into during his grief over Layla. He searched every scroll and prayed to the gods for assistance in setting her free from the mirror binding spell. The Wizard believed his efforts were futile. Anastia’s parents and later admirers could never find a spell to release her spirit from the mirror. It is believed that only the spellbinder could undo the spell and she was cast into the stars many years ago. Nothing of her existence is on earth to tamper with.

Homer enjoyed the smell of the sea spray and was glad to be back in Dracon’s palace again. The Wizard announced no omens of importance in the night sky and took off in the shape of a falcon. Homer thought Valnar would be in his mansion if he had returned from his voyage to Ithaca. Homer decided to take a stroll down to the streets of Rikia and find Valnar’s tavern near the docks. He passed by Valnar’s mansion to see no lights gleaming out the windows. He paced by homes of artisans with open windows revealing families eating their evening meal. In the shadow of a shutter, he noticed a small boy lurking as if hungry for the meal the family inside was eating. Unaware of his presence, the family laughed and chattered about the events of the day. The girl had finished sewing her gown for the upcoming festival. The boy got into a fight with a street urchin trying to steal their dinner on his way home from the market. The boy lurking in the shadow of the shutter looked down to the ground with a stifled sniff and walked away. Homer followed him around the corner and saw him curl up in his cape inside an alleyway. He stood at the alleyway entrance and announced to himself that Valnar’s tavern should be nearby.

“Can I help you find something, mister?” the street urchin asked out of the still darkness. Homer jumped as if startled.

“Yes, dear boy. You know where The Coral Mermaid is, I know it is near the docks.” Homer replied.

“Oh yes I do, it is where Captain Valnar hires his crew. And his mother passes out food scraps after every meal. My friend Itmar was made cabin boy on one of Valnar’s ships.” answers the boy.

“Very good, take me there.” demanded Homer.

“What do you want at The Coral Mermaid, you look too good to need lodgings at a fishmonger tavern and seem fearless traveling down dark streets by yourself?” inquired the boy as they set off towards the docks.

“Captain Valnar is my friend, inquisitive boy, and I have no concern about being attacked.” answered Homer revealing the hilt of his sword hidden under his cape.

“Oh, then are you a ship captain too? I love to be a cabin boy and sail the seas to distant lands.” begged the boy.

“Yes I am a ship captain, but my son is cabin boy.” replied Homer.

The boy hung his head. They reached the door to The Coral Mermaid.

“But I’ll tell you what, if your parents agree you can be my cabin boy and I will move my son to valet or sail maker. Your parents do know you want to be a sailor someday, correct?” questioned Homer.

“No, mister. Captain, I mean. My father came here as a stone cutter and when the city was finished my mother and I came to join him. Mother died after having my baby sister Lilibeth and father was too sad to feed us so I fed my sister goat’s milk and stole food for us to eat. I joined a gang of thieves who stole money from travelers and one day they went to jail when I was home watching my sick sister. Then father killed a man in a tavern and was hung a month ago. I have no parents to agree to be your cabin boy. My baby sister is sleeping the alleyway where you stopped. I hate to leave Lilibeth behind.” answered the boy.

“What is your name, boy?” asked Homer.

“Jack, captain. What is your name, captain?” answered the boy.

“Homer. Very well, Jack, she can come too. Here is a coin for taking me to my friend’s tavern and here is another coin to buy yourselves a meal. I will meet you here tomorrow after the morning meal. Agreed?” replied Homer.

“Yes, Captain Homer. We will be here ready to go.” replied the boy before running down the street.

Homer chatted with Valnar’s mother about her son’s adventures and family. Homer thought Jack was taking too long returning for his free meal and wondered what stalled him. He set off after excusing himself to Valnar’s mother and found Jack being hassled by a group of older boys. A weeping girl was being held back as the older boys struck Jack down.

“You ain’t no cabin boy, Mudface, now who did you steal those from, we share our loot with you.” Homer heard a boy say.

“Be quiet, Mouse, or you don’t get anymore goods. I stole a new dress off a clothesline for you today.” spoke another boy.

“Unhand my new cabin boy!” Homer revealed himself.

“You can’t have him, he’s our boy. He belongs to our gang since his father was hung.” approached a teenage boy almost as tall as Homer as he drew a knife. “Besides, he’s a thief. Thieves don’t make good cabin boys.”

“Then I don’t have to worry over his moral dilemmas when I start robbing Nubian ships again,” explained Homer drawing his sword.

“You’re a pirate?” asked the teen boy gazing upon his sword shining in the moonlight and then at his own knife.

Two boys from behind the leader attacked Homer with their knives to be pushed back by the broad end of Homer’s sword hitting both their chests. Next he kicked the knife out of the leader’s hand as he plowed his boot into his stomach. As the boy toppled, he struck the hilt of his sword on his shoulder. The boy holding Lilibeth ran away into the dark alleyway.

“Come Jack, Lilibeth.” hastened Homer.

“I thought your gang went to jail, Jack.” demanded Homer striding to the palace gate.

“They weren’t my gang. Those are boys who live under the Baker Street bridge and rob travelers coming into town. We watch for coming soldiers and they share their food with us, but we don’t live with them like they said.” explained Jack. “And you never said you were a pirate.”

“Pirate, smuggler, fisherman, merchant, whatever serves my purpose at the moment.”

Jack accepted the explanation and waited for the gatekeepers to open the palace gate. Homer watched the gala continue without interruption. Homer found his crew full from the feast and seated Jack and Lilibeth. He let out a war cry and his crew joined him running across the hall to twist into mock sword fighting. The excited male guests joined this mock battle clanging swords with the sailors. Dracon and Homer did battle leading Dracon to scratch Homer’s sleeve.

“Watch it, Dracon, this is a new shirt.”

“I wondered how you wear finer clothes than me.”

“You don’t want to know the answer to that.”

“Thief.”

“Dreamer.”

Homer and his crew slept in the guest rooms. Jack and Lilibeth refused to be separated so they slept in Homer’s bed while Homer nestled upon a floating blanket. The morning proved uneventful as Valnar returned to the palace announcing his stopover in Caledonia causing his delay. He brought treasures from Ithaca, Mermaid Islands, Nubian colonies, and Caledonia. A prophecy from a Nubian seer announced an elf will murder the Nubian king and elves have been leaving Nubian colonies at thunderbird lightening speed ever since. The elves residing inside Nubia have been massacred and imprisoned ready for execution. Queen Lexie of the North Sea mermaids has declared sanctuary for the few who escaped Nubia. The elf in question is rumored to the pirate known as Firefox. Everyone in the room knew Firefox is the name given to Homer when he robs ships under threat of incendiary arrows burning them into the sea. The Nubian king has declared one thousand gold pieces in reward for his capture: Dead or Alive. Homer laughed, but no one else followed.

“It will take more than a thousand gold coins to outfox this fox,” declared Homer. “They better send wizards quicker than me cause this one always keeps a few tricks up his sleeve.”

No one said anymore about his death sentence, but once Dracon and Homer were walking upstairs alone he confessed that Homer would always have sanctuary in his lands even if under pressure he relents to the will of the Nubian king to keep the peace. In the passing years that Homer has been disconnected from Dracon, the soldiers guarding the newly built forts along the Varrick border had pushed out the Nubian colonists and decimated the Nubian pirates hiding in the cove. Though most of the fighting was with the Varricks, the king knows they are now under his control and sent an ambassador to negotiate peace terms. For the time being, the king is unaware of the connection between him and the so called Firefox, so he may have to sign his death warrant as part of peace terms with the ambassador. Homer assured him that he can not die because he had been given powers with his marriage to Ishtar to prevent death. His magic crystal gives him this prolonged life and only by his own will could he perish. Like what Iris did with The Wizard, he can transform into a spirit to give someone godlike magical powers, but never truly die in the human mortal sense of the word. But the question he knew Dracon was aching to ask was whom did he intend to become an aura for. He only assured Dracon that it would not be himself. Lastly, Dracon confessed that The Wizard foreseen that Homer does kill the Nubian king when his pirates raid the capital Tanis with an elf refugee army. Dracon assured Homer that many elf refugees have shown up on the coastal cities and welcomed by elf communities. Many have joined the army and navy in exchange for homes for their families. The elves are also good at keeping the human mermaid poachers at bay. If he releases the elves to fight Nubia, the mermaids lose their protectors. A shaky truce with Nubia was shattered once and Dracon much prefers to save his armies for the upcoming war with the Dacians pounding on the Varricks and Amazons, soon on Armorica north of Kadacia. Dracon continued walking down the hall to his bed chamber to prepare for his weekly temple visit and hear grievances from his subjects. Homer took his leave with a heavy heart.

Soon, a tussle broke out between a group of sailors and palace guards. The elf sailors requested an audience with the king and were refused. Dracon was on his way out when the riot was under way and he rode up on his horse to the gate demanding what was going on. He beckoned the soldiers to explain their refusal of the elves, he receives many messengers and emissaries in his throne room every day. The leader of the elves bowed and asked to speak. He explained they have been here three days asking for an audience to the king. Their island home was hit with sea waves and most of it destroyed. Their food storehouses were flooded, fields ruined by the salt water, docked ships smashed, and homes wiped away. Dead bodies were floating in every river. They salvaged from the mud what they could and set sail to other places tryng to buy food for their surviving people living in the mountain caves. The elves present were at sea at the time of the sea waves and most lost their families on land. The mermaids are in the deep sea and fish have migrated south for upcoming winter. Captain Homer’s ships are away trading and rescuing elves from Nubia so his wife gave what she could to them. The guards claimed for the past three days the king was off hunting and won’t be back for another week. The townspeople in the taverns said the king pays homage to the temples today so they vowed to wait at the gate until the king came out. The palace guards said they were blocking the gate so messengers couldn’t get through and started pushing them away. The elves refused to leave and the soldiers line up to charge them. The elves fought back with their rusty weapons. Then the king appeared.

Dracon thought a moment, got off his horse, and demanded the treasure they intended to present in exchange for food. He examined a handful of golden rings and necklaces, then rusty iron tools stashed in a chest. He demanded the guards guide the elves into the drawing room and provide a meal for his guests. They will negotiate the terms of exchange when he returns. He summoned Homer and Valnar to attend to the elf visitors. When Dracon returned, Valnar was haggling over the value of the gold jewelry. Homer was sharpening and polishing the iron tools. Dracon negotiated service in his navy for supplies of food to their island home. He was very interested in Homer’s report that the iron weapons were different iron mix than their own. The elves said they came from Caledonia where sprites have been adding charcoal or other lower class metals to the iron deposits to make them stronger, but the strength is uneven as the charcoal is uneven in the iron. Iron swords have also been created with this new technology. The stronger iron can make a longer blade, perhaps make helmets and cauldrons to replace the bronze tools and armor they have terrible difficulty finding. Valnar vowed to buy weapons in Caledonia for Dracon’s army and navy. The elf weathered fishing boats were torn apart and sold to carpenters when Valnar and Homer decided to take the elves home. Crews for their ships changed every port stop so the elves filled in as the crew when sailors remained ashore. The starving islanders were relieved to have grain with dried fruits and vegetables. At one island Homer talked several farmers into selling their livestock for Caledonian steel tools.

Crews from Homer and Valnar’s ships assisted the islanders build new homes and canoes for fishing. Valnar was soon off to bargain for new steel weapons from the King of Caledonia. Homer taught his pupils how to add an island to his leather parchment map of the North and South Seas. This destroyed community is on the edge of the Mermaid Islands to the east and never had a port to attract many sailors. Jack learned quickly about sailing and trading. Navigating is not as complex as a beginner thinks. The stars revealed their location and lodestone in water compass and knotted ropes measuring distance did the same in daylight. He also showed his pupils a new instrument from Vinland that measures the shadow of a stick injected in the center of a disk sitting near the prow. Coming into Homer’s island harbor, Jack noticed Homer shaving off his beard. Homer explained his wife hates it, but it makes him look fiercer out at sea. Jack agreed he looked very different without it. They came upon a ship wary they were pirates. Homer assured them they were not and four men from each ship jumped into a canoe to exchange news. Homer boarded the Blythan ship on the way to Anaki and was offered bolts of fabric in the hull. He traded some of the islander tools for six bolts of fine linen. Examing the wax seal on the end of the fabric, he suddenly sat down with his hands hiding his face. Colby asked what was wrong as the captain of the ship grew concerned of this reaction to his cargo he bought in an Ithacan colony named Laurel. Homer explained the wax seal of a griffin holding a snake was his brother’s and his brother had never used his own seal on his father’s merchandise when he took over the shop a few years ago. His father must be dead. The captain offered his condolences and ordered the six bolts of fabric taken to the other ship.

Ilio reported that the other crewmen said elf settlements in Laurel were growing because of the massacres in Nubia. Etonville had tripled in size. The Mermaid Islands can expect to grow with elves hearing about Queen Lexie’s declaration of sanctuary. The crewmen said they were worried they were Nubian pirates looking for elves to sell as slaves. King Dracon’s armies have kicked out the Nubian colony and pirate cove from former Varrick territory. They have been attacking everything in sight every since the truce between Blythe and Nubia had been destroyed. Kings of Nubia and Blythe may had forged a new agreement, but the pirates never had followed it. Homer left the ship in peace to continue on home. Upon hearing refugee elves joining Dracon’s army and navy, Queen Lexie of the North Sea mermaids paid Dracon a visit inside his private chambers and dissolved their truce because his war upon the Nubians would turn towards her sanctuary for the Nubian elves. Dracon humbled by his past defeat with Queen Lexie negotiated a new bargain. His ships would support Homer’s raid into Nubia to direct The Firefox’s origins away from her mermaid and elf islands. His skilled and tested soldiers can defeat any foe at their door. Satisfied, Queen Lexie had signaled Homer to raise his ships to invade Nubia at his whim.

After arriving at Homer’s island villa, he celebrated the New Year in his courtyard. Jack was introduced to his wife Ishtar with his daughters Marah and Godiva and infant son Evan. His sailors danced and drank the night away. Then he beckoned his first mate Colby to his side. He held out his hand and Ilio gave him one of the newly made Caledonian swords. Homer ordered Colby to kneel. He announced to the crowd that Colby had been promoted to captain of Homer’s fleet of ships and is now in command of The Mystique. He tapped Colby’s shoulders with the hilt of the sword and then held it upside down. Colby grasped the sword handle and pulled it out of the sheath. The sailors lined up with their own swords raised to touch each other making an arch. Colby walked under the archway swelled with pride and examined the piece of steel he was given. Jack reached for the prized possesion and rubbed his fingers along the golden hilt. He asked if someday Homer will honor him with such a gift. Perhaps, hope is a tiny light in the darkness that the darkness can never overcome. There is much hope in Jack. Colby insisted on Jack becoming a cabin boy on his ship, but Jack didn’t want to be separated from Ilio. He took in an orphaned elf boy in the care of his relatives instead. Interrupting the cheers, Homer announced their invasion of Nubia as soon as Dracon ships arrive in a month. In the meantime, he will obtain a powerful amulet to allow him to gain access to the King of Nubia’s chamber that will certainly by magically guarded. His men drank to that.

But first, he took his family to his hometown Etonville to pay his respects to his widowed mother. It was very strange arriving in Litsy to board rafts headed upriver. Colby insisted on coming along so he left Carter in charge of the ship to recruit sailors in the elf side of town. They passed a troll hiding under a bridge and an ogre fishing with a forked sapling. The family arrived at dusk and a very old woman approached them. The years had taken his mother’s beauty away but her strength resided still. She embraced her grandchildren and her daughter-in-law, but kept her distance from Homer. After the evening meal, she requested a stroll with Homer down the river. She spoke how his absence had hurt his father and herself. They had to depend on stories from his brother about his adventures. It was most unfair of him to desert the family the way he did. Homer said he regretted the pain he caused but he had his reasons for leaving. His mother had heard about the murder he committed to save his friend’s life and Dracon banishing him in all but publicly. His father sent a cousin’s son to Lagos’s widow and son in apology for the murder of their loved one. The widow sent the elf back to demand a ship. His father spent his life savings buying a ship being built in Litsy to give her. She is making a fortune trading with Caledonia while their family lived in poverty. After a few trips to the Mermaid Islands, his brother helped his father rebuild his lost fortune. Homer refused to apologize for killing Lagos and confessed to many more murders since then. His mother tried to understand his chosen path, but she could not let go of the shame he had brought to the family with his piracy. He simply explained that his path in life was his to decide. Where his life leads, not all can follow. They returned to the house in silence. The next day Homer showed his children the fields he played in, the river raft he built as a child that his nephews use, where he met Dracon, and the school where he met Valnar. His children laid flowers on his father’s grave inside a mound in the shape of a snake. After three days, they returned to Litsy to continue on back home. Carter attracted many recruits to fill the ship and stopped in Kara for trade goods to sell in Adea. After visiting Homer’s home village, Colby became his most trusted friend and confidant.