Post by maurus on Oct 21, 2007 23:47:37 GMT -5
Darkness yawned and laid itself over the vault of the evening sky, stretching across the earth in a splendor of deep royal blues and purples as it shown brilliantly with billions upon trillions of gleaming stars, white and pure, that dotted its surface and out shown the pallid crevice of the waning moon. Their smiling faces played across the water's reflections,lighting the dull and dingy harbor of Nitance into a phenomenon of nature's utter beauty that no artisan's talent could ever master or match. The calm waters drifted across the harbor, causing the docks whose hinges, knobs and screws that had rusted or corroded under the salty foam of the sea, to screech forlorn wails into the silent night.
From the mouth of this harbor, a battered ship, whose flags were torn from their poles and whose canvas sagged with heavy water, made her way laboriously towards the opposite end, her hull creaking and groaning in pain, as her captain tried to guide her to an open dock to rest.
Men were out upon the deck, their cloths dripping, their eyes sagging, and their hair askew. They all hung around the sides of the ship exhausted beyond belief. It looked as if they had just survived the rage of a vicious storm, but it was more than a storm that they survived. Mingled among the sailors were other men; soldiers and warriors. Their faces were hardened and their eyes were grim as they sat upon whatever was available, their heads in their hands as they thanked the heavens that they were still alive. Not a man moved and not a man spoke, all were silent and pale. It took the captain all the last of his energy to sail his ship into a dock, his calloused fingers, trembling with a tremendous fear that still lingered in his heart and bereaved him of all his strength and poise. He was not a captain tonight; just a sailor like the rest of his crew. He did not have the heart to command his men, who all were still as shaken as he was, to roll the sails and to prepare the ship to tie off. It was too much to ask for after what they had all been through. Instead, he let the boat float, moaning in pain at the dock, letting his hands slump of the wheel and dropping his head against them.
His head rose, though, as the deck cricked under one man's heavy feet and his sodden eyes followed the man, as he went among the soldiers. He shook his head as the man lifted the soldiers to their feet until they all stood. The man's voice rumbled like thunder as he spoke. "Tie off this ship. I don't care what you have been through. You are soldiers and warriors. Prove it to me now, by tucking away that fear upon your face and get this ship mored."
The captain rolled his eyes disbelievingly at the man as his soldiers looked at one another in confused disbelief. If it were his men, the captain would never have asked such a thing. What they went through was enough to destroy the toughest of men, but alas, he was not the commander of those soldiers. It was Maurus.
When none of the soldiers moved the whites of Maurus's eyes could be seen as they narrowed in anger. He grabbed the man nearest him and thrust him towards the port side of the boat where the dock creaked beside it. "Here me? I don't care what the hell you have been through. Get this damn ship tied off!" He grabbed another man and shoved him forward. The man quickly got to work with the other, fumbling with the rope as he tried to figure out to knot it. He was no sailor and neither were any of the other soldiers around him, but they all moved at once. The men knew Maurus. He was far from sensitive and he was vicious and threatening. They all witnessed his anger before, and did not want to fall victim to it. On the battle field, they had all seen him slash down his enemies with such a vigor, that they cringed at the thought of opposing him or even being near him as an ally. It was enough to make a hardened warrior turn tail and run.
After several painstaking minutes, the men had tied the boat off, and under the command of Maurus, they began to unload the few arms that had remained on the ship onto the dock. Slowly, the sailors rose themselves and joined in. Maurus walked up the deck to the aft deck where the captain now stood, reflecting upon their horrible encounter out at sea.
“Where are we?” asked Maurus.
“I have no idea.” Came the answer. “Five days of thick fog has set us way off course. I never remembered there being a port out here.”
Maurus looked around fiercely and clenched his jaw. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean,” answered the captain haughtily, turning to face Maurus who was nearly two feet taller than him, “Is that as far as I know of, this place does not exist on the modern day map!”
It looked as if Maurus was going to throw him from to the ground, but he cleched his fists and gritted his teeth instead. “Will there be a way back?” he asked growling, as he tried to control his temper.
“I don’t know. I should think not.”
Maurus spun around and stomped away, throwing his head back to the captain, “Well, we shall see. I am off to find out. If the captain is not interested in finding out where the hell we are, then I’ll do it.”
The captain was glad to see the man go. All in all, Maurus was a strong and hard worker, but the captain hated his nerve and ambition. Muarus seemed to challenge his authority whenever he turned around.
Meanwhile, Maurus walked up the dock, his eyes set upon the lights of the city on the Warf above him. Even from here, he could hear loud boisterous voices- some joyful, others rueful. Where most men might be wondering why city would be so abuzz at night, Maurrus could care less. When he reached the wharf, he expected to see people, judging from the noise he heard below but there was no one. He followed the incessant clamor of voices, however, around the wharf and through a narrow alleyway of dingy houses until he seemed to reach the center of town. Here it was teaming with people. Some seemed brightly dressed and gaudy, while others had more rugged apparel. From the group of people, Maurus could smell the rank of alcohol drifting towards him and he curled his nose in disgust.
A man stumbled over to him from where he was leaning on a pillar, and Maurus could tell he was obviously drunk. The man came up to him and slumped against him as if they were friends. Maurus looked at the man as if he were some dead animal and brushed his hand from his shoulder taking a side step away from the man. But the man stumbled over to him again and gave him a sloppy smile. “Yur lookin lik a gurd man. How ‘bout ya spare bit ‘o change fer me soes I can get som’n ter drink.”
Maurus glared at him. “How about you turn around and leave, or I’ll stick you.”
The man’s smile faltered and for a moment sober recognition flickered across his face, but this was only for a moment and he broke into a boisterous laugh before he walked away. Maurus found the first open door he could get to. When he went in he immediately choked at the over use of incense. He looked around and found a couple of women sitting in some chairs to the left near a fire place and a couple of men sitting at the bar drinking. He walked up to the counter and looked around as he waited. In the far corner of his eye, he could see an man and a woman doing some profoundly disturbing things and turned away. A woman came up to him from behind the counter. “Do ya’ wanna drink or one of my girls?”
Maurrus rose his eye brows, “What I- no I don’t want one of your girls.”
“Then what drink will you want?”
“I don’t want a drink.” Said Maurus regaining himself again.
The woman put her hands on her hips. “Then what the hell are you doin’ here?” she asked.
“I was looking for some information.”
“I don’t give nothing with out a pay.”
“Well I don’t have anything to give you.”
“Then too bad.”
Muarus was on the verge of anger again but maintained his patience. He took a silver coin from his pants, for unlike his men, he did not wear his armor while traveling. “Wait.. I’ve got something.”
The woman snatched it up and looked at it. “What are you playing at. This ain’t gold! It’s silver.
“It’s all I have.” Said Maurus through gritted teeth.
“That is worth hardly nothing!”
“At least it’s worth something.”
“Fine. What do ya wanna know?”
“What is this place called?”
The woman looked at him very suspiciously. “What do ya me ‘what is this place called’? can’t ya read the sign-“
“What is the city called?”
The woman looked at him disbelievingly. “If the queen heard you say that-“
“Just answer my question!” he said angrily before adding in, “Please.”
“Well this is Nitance. Famous pirate port- only pirate port now that I come to think o’ it. Yah and if you forget your land too, It’s Tarantara.” She worded out the last word slowly and said the last sentence sarcastically, just for humor not realizing that Maurus had no idea where he was as he was from somewhere else very far away altogether.
“Are there any other cities?”
“Well yah. There’s Vyry- more of a village really and then there’s a dwarven seetlement, cause they got driven out of the Pearish mountains by the goblins and then theres-“
“Dwarves and Goblins?” Maurus was stunned. In his land, dwarves and goblins were of mere legend.
“That’s what I said, Isn’t it? Then there is Mylithia,” She put sarcastic emphasis on the next words, “the great city of men.”
“How far away is this city… Mylithia?”
“I don’t know… some four, five days on horseback. I never go up there. God… we’d all be in jail in a heart beat- what with their strict laws and all.”
“Can I hire someone to take me out there.”
“Wait.. You’re ask’n more than your worth.” She said.
Maurus pulled out four silver coins and gave them to her.
“Yah…. Any of us know how to get there. There’s not juust many of us who want to go there. You’ll have ta’ do some searchin around. Now I’m loosen my customers. Get lost.”
Maurus glared at her, but he was recovering from the shock he was in. Apparently they were in a different continent all together.
Maurus wondered up the town. He would have to find somebody who would want to take him to Mylithia.
From the mouth of this harbor, a battered ship, whose flags were torn from their poles and whose canvas sagged with heavy water, made her way laboriously towards the opposite end, her hull creaking and groaning in pain, as her captain tried to guide her to an open dock to rest.
Men were out upon the deck, their cloths dripping, their eyes sagging, and their hair askew. They all hung around the sides of the ship exhausted beyond belief. It looked as if they had just survived the rage of a vicious storm, but it was more than a storm that they survived. Mingled among the sailors were other men; soldiers and warriors. Their faces were hardened and their eyes were grim as they sat upon whatever was available, their heads in their hands as they thanked the heavens that they were still alive. Not a man moved and not a man spoke, all were silent and pale. It took the captain all the last of his energy to sail his ship into a dock, his calloused fingers, trembling with a tremendous fear that still lingered in his heart and bereaved him of all his strength and poise. He was not a captain tonight; just a sailor like the rest of his crew. He did not have the heart to command his men, who all were still as shaken as he was, to roll the sails and to prepare the ship to tie off. It was too much to ask for after what they had all been through. Instead, he let the boat float, moaning in pain at the dock, letting his hands slump of the wheel and dropping his head against them.
His head rose, though, as the deck cricked under one man's heavy feet and his sodden eyes followed the man, as he went among the soldiers. He shook his head as the man lifted the soldiers to their feet until they all stood. The man's voice rumbled like thunder as he spoke. "Tie off this ship. I don't care what you have been through. You are soldiers and warriors. Prove it to me now, by tucking away that fear upon your face and get this ship mored."
The captain rolled his eyes disbelievingly at the man as his soldiers looked at one another in confused disbelief. If it were his men, the captain would never have asked such a thing. What they went through was enough to destroy the toughest of men, but alas, he was not the commander of those soldiers. It was Maurus.
When none of the soldiers moved the whites of Maurus's eyes could be seen as they narrowed in anger. He grabbed the man nearest him and thrust him towards the port side of the boat where the dock creaked beside it. "Here me? I don't care what the hell you have been through. Get this damn ship tied off!" He grabbed another man and shoved him forward. The man quickly got to work with the other, fumbling with the rope as he tried to figure out to knot it. He was no sailor and neither were any of the other soldiers around him, but they all moved at once. The men knew Maurus. He was far from sensitive and he was vicious and threatening. They all witnessed his anger before, and did not want to fall victim to it. On the battle field, they had all seen him slash down his enemies with such a vigor, that they cringed at the thought of opposing him or even being near him as an ally. It was enough to make a hardened warrior turn tail and run.
After several painstaking minutes, the men had tied the boat off, and under the command of Maurus, they began to unload the few arms that had remained on the ship onto the dock. Slowly, the sailors rose themselves and joined in. Maurus walked up the deck to the aft deck where the captain now stood, reflecting upon their horrible encounter out at sea.
“Where are we?” asked Maurus.
“I have no idea.” Came the answer. “Five days of thick fog has set us way off course. I never remembered there being a port out here.”
Maurus looked around fiercely and clenched his jaw. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean,” answered the captain haughtily, turning to face Maurus who was nearly two feet taller than him, “Is that as far as I know of, this place does not exist on the modern day map!”
It looked as if Maurus was going to throw him from to the ground, but he cleched his fists and gritted his teeth instead. “Will there be a way back?” he asked growling, as he tried to control his temper.
“I don’t know. I should think not.”
Maurus spun around and stomped away, throwing his head back to the captain, “Well, we shall see. I am off to find out. If the captain is not interested in finding out where the hell we are, then I’ll do it.”
The captain was glad to see the man go. All in all, Maurus was a strong and hard worker, but the captain hated his nerve and ambition. Muarus seemed to challenge his authority whenever he turned around.
Meanwhile, Maurus walked up the dock, his eyes set upon the lights of the city on the Warf above him. Even from here, he could hear loud boisterous voices- some joyful, others rueful. Where most men might be wondering why city would be so abuzz at night, Maurrus could care less. When he reached the wharf, he expected to see people, judging from the noise he heard below but there was no one. He followed the incessant clamor of voices, however, around the wharf and through a narrow alleyway of dingy houses until he seemed to reach the center of town. Here it was teaming with people. Some seemed brightly dressed and gaudy, while others had more rugged apparel. From the group of people, Maurus could smell the rank of alcohol drifting towards him and he curled his nose in disgust.
A man stumbled over to him from where he was leaning on a pillar, and Maurus could tell he was obviously drunk. The man came up to him and slumped against him as if they were friends. Maurus looked at the man as if he were some dead animal and brushed his hand from his shoulder taking a side step away from the man. But the man stumbled over to him again and gave him a sloppy smile. “Yur lookin lik a gurd man. How ‘bout ya spare bit ‘o change fer me soes I can get som’n ter drink.”
Maurus glared at him. “How about you turn around and leave, or I’ll stick you.”
The man’s smile faltered and for a moment sober recognition flickered across his face, but this was only for a moment and he broke into a boisterous laugh before he walked away. Maurus found the first open door he could get to. When he went in he immediately choked at the over use of incense. He looked around and found a couple of women sitting in some chairs to the left near a fire place and a couple of men sitting at the bar drinking. He walked up to the counter and looked around as he waited. In the far corner of his eye, he could see an man and a woman doing some profoundly disturbing things and turned away. A woman came up to him from behind the counter. “Do ya’ wanna drink or one of my girls?”
Maurrus rose his eye brows, “What I- no I don’t want one of your girls.”
“Then what drink will you want?”
“I don’t want a drink.” Said Maurus regaining himself again.
The woman put her hands on her hips. “Then what the hell are you doin’ here?” she asked.
“I was looking for some information.”
“I don’t give nothing with out a pay.”
“Well I don’t have anything to give you.”
“Then too bad.”
Muarus was on the verge of anger again but maintained his patience. He took a silver coin from his pants, for unlike his men, he did not wear his armor while traveling. “Wait.. I’ve got something.”
The woman snatched it up and looked at it. “What are you playing at. This ain’t gold! It’s silver.
“It’s all I have.” Said Maurus through gritted teeth.
“That is worth hardly nothing!”
“At least it’s worth something.”
“Fine. What do ya wanna know?”
“What is this place called?”
The woman looked at him very suspiciously. “What do ya me ‘what is this place called’? can’t ya read the sign-“
“What is the city called?”
The woman looked at him disbelievingly. “If the queen heard you say that-“
“Just answer my question!” he said angrily before adding in, “Please.”
“Well this is Nitance. Famous pirate port- only pirate port now that I come to think o’ it. Yah and if you forget your land too, It’s Tarantara.” She worded out the last word slowly and said the last sentence sarcastically, just for humor not realizing that Maurus had no idea where he was as he was from somewhere else very far away altogether.
“Are there any other cities?”
“Well yah. There’s Vyry- more of a village really and then there’s a dwarven seetlement, cause they got driven out of the Pearish mountains by the goblins and then theres-“
“Dwarves and Goblins?” Maurus was stunned. In his land, dwarves and goblins were of mere legend.
“That’s what I said, Isn’t it? Then there is Mylithia,” She put sarcastic emphasis on the next words, “the great city of men.”
“How far away is this city… Mylithia?”
“I don’t know… some four, five days on horseback. I never go up there. God… we’d all be in jail in a heart beat- what with their strict laws and all.”
“Can I hire someone to take me out there.”
“Wait.. You’re ask’n more than your worth.” She said.
Maurus pulled out four silver coins and gave them to her.
“Yah…. Any of us know how to get there. There’s not juust many of us who want to go there. You’ll have ta’ do some searchin around. Now I’m loosen my customers. Get lost.”
Maurus glared at her, but he was recovering from the shock he was in. Apparently they were in a different continent all together.
Maurus wondered up the town. He would have to find somebody who would want to take him to Mylithia.
Shaking her head at the dim witted men she left them to talk their girly talk of pure loyalty. She hated loyalty. She hated kind words. She couldn't wait for Tash to come to her ship and see what torture his Capitan can give him. Instead she left them behind giving them cured names and a rude gesture.