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Chapter 15: Aboard the Freighter Hargen

    Jet and the others reached their goal of the small raft that took them out to the Hargen, a freighter docked several miles up the coastline. With their goal, the princess of Valis in tow, the Marmo bound mercenaries found respite in the lodgings upon the Hargen. The captain of the freighter, Hodge, once a known pirate of the southern seas, was now just happy to earn an ’honest’ living porting supplies back and forth from the Duchy of Marmo to the mainland Lodoss Isle. When the opportunity arose to help reestablish the Marmo’s freedom, the only thing that turned his vote to the people wanting power was the money offered. Even knowing that, Jet could still trust the man, after all. A man who is paid a large sum of money can only be boughten by a larger sum of money, and with the amount Hodge was paid the only way he’d be paid off would be if the merchants of Raiden paid him a hefty share of their profits. A not likely scenario in Jet’s mind. The princess’s room, while alone, was guarded with a rotating guard of one man on the inside of the room and two men outside the door at all times, the best way to make sure that even when freed from bondage, the princess wasn’t going to try anything. Sura, Aelis and Jet were granted their own rooms near the princess’s to keep an eye on the young woman if need be.

    Jet now sat alone on the deck of the freighter, ignoring the jabbering and movement of the sailors to rifle through his stratagems. There was still the matter of the Marmo docks in Salbad. Getting a Valisian princess off the boat could prove bothersome if not handled carefully. Before setting out from Marmo, Jet had paid off the dock masters, but, as with anyone whose motivations were earned by coins, there was always a chance that their ears and eyes have been bought. Furrowing his brows, Jet continued his work on how best to get past any unexpected contingency. A strategist’s work is never done until the war is won and the last enemy has fallen.

* * *

    After they had been settled into their rooms, Sura had coaxed Aelis to sleep. She had a myriad of ideas running through her head, and knowing Aelis’s tendency to become jealous, she wanted to keep him out of the picture. Quietly, the slight dark elf priestess slipped out of their shared room with her high-heeled sandals in hand to keep her steps from being heard. The room was next to Elianna’s, and on the other side of the princess’s quarters, were Jet’s. As Sura tip-toed out into the corridor, she put her finger to her lips and shushed the guards at Elianna’s room with a wink. She wanted to get her shoes on before she saw Jet though, as high heels always were a bonus to a woman’s figure.

    The dark elf leaned against one of the guards and used him for support as she put her shoes on. The Marmo soldier complied, apparently enjoying being of assistance to her. Maybe she’d thank him in her own way later. Once her heels were back on, she headed towards Jet’s door and knocked gently before allowing herself in. She wanted to get her foot in the door, after all. If she waited for him to allow her in, he might not be so accommodating. Unfortunately he wasn’t there.

    With a pout, Sura stepped out into the corridor again. “Where is Jet?” she asked the guards.

    “He went up on deck, I believe,” the one she had sidled up to replied. With a nod in thanks, Sura turned to go up to the deck. After searching for a bit, she found her target. A few sailors took notice of her, but she had her heart set on the handsome tactician. She stepped up behind him and leaned down over his shoulder. “How goes it?” she asked.

    “Frustrating,” Jet replied sourly. “Much like smelling another man on your lover. No matter how I look at it the docks are a bad choice to disembark. There is over a seventy-five percent chance that the eyes and ears of the dockers could be bought with more money than I expended earlier before our trip to Lodoss. If that’s the case we’ll be on the monitored status as soon as we hit port.” Jet stopped to sniff the air casually. “I don’t smell sour grapes, I’ll assume your follower has either fallen off the ship or fallen into slumber.” He gave a soft chuckle and put his hand on the back of her head gently. “If you don’t mind the sea breeze, would you mind joining me in my planning? Perhaps a woman’s touch is all my plans need to come to fruition.” It would be a pleasure I would not miss up to get ‘acquainted’ with you.

    Without missing a beat, Sura took a seat beside him—close beside him. The dark elf giggled lightly at his comments, and replied; “He’s asleep.” She was quite surprised by Jet’s positive reaction to her, and she only suspected that her charms—if putting everything on display was a charm—were working.

    Jet laid out his plans before Sura; “This is where we stand. Before we left, I took the liberty of adding coin to the purses of the dock masters to keep their eyes averted, however the time away from them may have had their purses filled by another to keep an eye on us. While I do not strike others as the most conspicuous chap, there is the fact that I’ve been seen in the company of dark elves, such as yourself. This casts a suspicious glare on me, as nasty as racism is. Now there are two ways we can go about it. The first is pretty simple, we head to the port anyways and sneak the princess onto land, which was the original plan, or do we skirt around the Marmo Isle and make shore on some remote beach? Our contacts are waiting for us in Salbad, but if we take the safer route, then our contacts will be waiting for someone who will never show. That makes their trust in us dimmer due to us being untrusting of their loyalty.” He paused for a moment and looked into the dark elven woman’s eyes. “What are your opinions?”

    The dark elf thought for a moment, eager to give him a helpful answer. He was not so easy a target to seduce as most men, she had figured out that much. Perhaps showing him that she had more than just sex to offer was the way into his bed. “Perhaps we should make it appear as if we have returned empty handed in Salbad? Of course, they don’t know why were going to Lodoss, or what we may return with. I say we make the princess invisible. If there is anyone watching us, what more could they report beyond our mere presence? Certainly nothing to catch us with if they can’t see it.”

    “That’s a wonderful idea,” Jet mused. “I have little knowledge of your magics so I wasn’t too sure whether or not to plan in account for them. It beats going on a contingency.” He sighed in relief. Knowing that he didn’t have to alter his plans made him feel a little better. But now brought up the question: what more could her magical powers do? “Pray tell, Sura, what other wonders can you work with your spell crafting?”

    Quite pleased that her suggestion went over well, Sura was eager to be of more help. “I am best with the dark spirits, unrivaled in my control of them,” the little dark elf said proudly, lifting her head. “I also have the curses of Falaris at my disposal. But...I admit, the other spirits are not as fond of me as dark spirits. Salamanders, invisibility spirits, some of the...darker fae, all of them respond well to me. I will do my best to help our cause, but Aelis would be better suited to summoning elementals.”

    “Aelis can do more than put up a sour disposition? I am quite surprised,” Jet said with a small laugh. “I figured his only talent was in being a drudgery. I’ll keep in mind his other talents then. If we need such precocious backing as the spirits I’ll make sure to have you two work your magics.” He gave a smile, but changed the subject. “Tell me more about yourself. I’m quite interested to know more of you.” If she was going to be flirtatious, then Jet would respond in like-mind. The best way to get information is to use many adaptable strategies to break the defenses of the enemy. A friend today could be an enemy tomorrow, as an ancient strategist would say, so learn as much about both friend and foe to make your survival count for more.

    The delicate dark elf blushed, surprised at the interest Jet was taking in her. “Well... You know I can...lose control of my emotions quite easily,” Sura began. “Because of this, my parents took me to the Temple of Falaris when I was very young. They couldn’t handle my mood swings, but they thought that the chaos in me could be of service to Falaris. I began training to become a priestess under a dark elf priest, Kaithara. When the invasion of Lodoss began, he and I went to Kanon where he became a high priest in a Falaris temple in Lever. At the end of the last war, Kanon assassins infiltrated our temple and killed Kaithara. I lost my temper and summoned the dark spirits to kill everyone. In the chaos, Aelis came across me, subdued me, then took me away from the city. After that, we survived as bandits just outside of Kanon until we met Thrash.”

    “How truly tragic,” he purred, stroking her cheek. So she is controlled by her emotions, an easier task I couldn’t have asked for. “I would have let you continue killing until you calmed yourself—as someone who truly respects you would,” Jet said, honeying his voice for her sake. He pressed his lips against hers for a moment and withdrew. “Ah, I forgot my place for a second, priestess. Forgive my rudeness and transgressions against your personage. I was sucked in by your beauty for a moment and couldn’t contain my...enthusiasm.” He looked away bashfully, acting the part and baiting the trap. The less control others had over her was in his favor, the more she fell for him, used him, the easier it was to manipulate her. A woman ruled by her emotions is ruled by the strings that tug at her heart. He who owns those strings owns the woman.

    Color rose in Sura’s dark cheeks; his approach was so gentle and romantic it made her heart flutter. She was absolutely oblivious to his true intentions, thinking that Jet’s affections were a genuine attraction. As he drew back, she wanted to pull him back in. “There is no need for an apology,” she spoke softly, reaching out to run her finger along his jawline, begging for another kiss.

    He needed no further enticement than that. Pressing his lips into the priestess’s, he drew her body against his, cupping the small of her back. With his errant hand he removed his spectacles, they’d only get in the way from now on, and placed them with his plans. Returning the errant hand to Sura, he gently ran his hand up her leg and kneaded her inner thigh—it was at this time that he invaded her mouth slowly with his tongue, stroking, coaxing her own tongue with a caress. He gave her enough room to draw away if she wished, but gave her the impression that it was only there as a courtesy. For all intents and purposes he wanted her, all of her, and if she let it, she would be his.

    Sura’s stomach fluttered with butterflies as Jet kissed her; there was a romance with him that she didn’t often encounter. Usually her affairs were lusty and brusque, straight to the point. Of course, the dark elf didn’t resist, or pull away. Instead, she moved and swung her leg over his, seating her slight frame in his lap.

* * *

    Unfortunately, Elianna hadn’t found her opportunity to escape. In fact, they had only been back on land briefly. All she managed to do, in a last ditch effort, was to drop a deck of cards from her vest in the small harbor they landed at after leaving Roid. The deck was unique enough for her brother to recognize, but the chances of him finding it, she realized, were slim.

    Now the princess was sitting on a bed, looking at the scruffy kidnapper who was her guard. They hadn’t been at sea long, so he was the first shift. She heard them talking about taking different shifts. It was an awkward setting, so the best she could do was stir up some small talk, and maybe glean some information. “So, what’s your name, mate?” she asked him.

    The guard within Elianna’s room sighed. “I’m not your mate, princess Elianna,” he stated bluntly. “I’m your jailer. If you’d prefer a more demeaning term, I’m your babysitter. Unfortunately for you, I’m not really one for small talk. It irritates me, makes me want to break something—or someone. Regardless, my name is Tomas,” he said, giving the false name he was instructed to give if asked without missing a beat.

    Elianna sighed. He wasn’t the most sociable, obviously, and those his threat of violence scared her a bit, she realized that hurting her would get him in trouble. Maybe if she got him angry she could find a means of escape; she was always the gambler, after all. “Well, if you don’t want to talk, Tomas, maybe we could play a game of luck? Do you have some dice or cards?” she asked.

    Tomas’s face went rigid. “What happened to your cards?” he asked Elianna.

    “I didn’t bring ’em,” Elianna said with a shrug. Hopefully he couldn’t see through this bluff. “I lost ’em a couple nights ago. I was expecting your master to bring his own cards, so I didn’t worry too much about replacing them right away.”

    “Then I’m afraid you’re out of luck,” Tomas said, buying Elianna’s bluff. “I have no cards to play with.”

    The princess sighed and slumped over, then flopped back on the bed. What the hell am I going to do? she thought.

    Tomas groaned and stretched, relaxing back into his standing guard position immediately afterward. “Perhaps the next guard will be so kind as to play to your dalliances. My shift’s near over.”

    Elianna sighed and the princess began to think about what she could do to make things more interesting, or maybe get her an opportunity to escape. Lazily, she scanned the room for anything she could use to perhaps trick the next guard.

* * *

    Below deck, Aelis had awoken to find Sura gone. What mischief is she up to now? Aelis thought with a groan. If she was gone, he had a good idea what she was up to, and no matter how much he held back, the thought of her with other men was a stab in the heart. The dark elf rolled out of bed and straighted his clothes and hair again before stepping out into the corridor. After asking the guards if they had seen her, he learned she had gone up to the deck and headed up to find her.

    Jet’s hands roughly drew Sura in as if to devour her with touch alone. With deep prodding strokes he pried away her clothing, baring her flesh to the sun. His mouth disengaged from hers to explore the length of her neck, nipping at her supple flesh with passionate eagerness. His lips kissed and plucked at her skin, with each longing peck he furthered his goals, driving her from her clothes and nearer to his loins.

    “If you want me you’ll have to take me...” he whispered in her ear, nipping at her lobe. “I’ll admit a tit of shyness on my part.” He wanted her to work for it, was the truth. He wanted her to be the one to seal the deal. This was all just prelude to loosening Aelis’s grip over Sura.

    Sura was more than willing to do as he asked, and with a fiery growl of passion, the slight priestess put a hand behind Jet’s head, tangling her slim fingers in his dark hair, then pressed her lips to his voraciously. Unfortunately, at that moment, Aelis came across the pair.

    The male dark elf scoffed, averting his eyes from the half-nude priestess and the tactician. “I should have expected as much,” Aelis said with a sneer, staring off toward the channel.

    Sura leaned back from Jet, grinning maliciously at her handler. “Do you have a problem, Aelis?” she asked, a sharp edge of warning to her voice. He knew where his jealousy would get him if left unchecked.

    He had no response, at least not one he was willing to speak. Instead, he bit his tongue, literally, to force himself from saying something to evoke her wrath.

    “Oh?” Jet gave a small smile as he kissed Sura’s neckline. “I don’t mind you watching, but is there some reason for your untimely interruption, Aelis? Or is this just a check up to see if Sura is well? If it were the latter, I assure you she’s in good hands now.”

    Aelis clenched his jaw as Jet’s words added fuel to the fire. He couldn’t risk Sura’s rage though, this was her nature, and whether he liked it or not, he learned that there was no changing it. Turning on his heel, Aelis stormed away, heading back down below deck to the room he had shared with Sura. There was a thud below deck, the sound of him slamming a door.

    Sura giggled and returned her attention to Jet. “Don’t mind him... He may be here to control my temper, but I have a leash on his jealousy too,” the priestess grinned while tracing a finger along Jet’s jawline. “So...where were we?” she purred, ready to enjoy everything this handsome tactician had to offer.

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