Polasian Road Chapter

Three days passed since the Goblins attacked them again midday after their first attack at night. It was mainly the help from the mermaids who tipped multiple vessels over that the odds grew in their favor. Two ships were lost and about ten to thirteen men lost aboard each vessel. Most of the Cren servants gave their lives aboard the Lessiiv as the Vah Shir made short work of the goblin pirates. Senestra sat on a crate looking out at the tall rocks as they passed them.

Visdiar had made it clear to all Captains that none of their ships were to enter those reefs until they reached on that resembled a horse’s head. With each passing moment they were getting closer to the reefs as they seemed to widen every thirty feet. Most were far apart to allow the Lessiiv to go through not that it was the largest craft among their convoy. She felt relieved to finally be past the parts where they had to fight off any more goblin pirates.

The second attack was a desperate attempt to seize their ships for future raids and ambushes. At one point she recalled glimpsing a rather large craft deep within the reefs crawling with Goblins. It seemed rather large for the reefs but the goblins seemed to get it through quite easily. When she spotted it following them she saw it looked like nothing she had ever seen. Its sails were triangular and its hull was more rotten and hideous looking with age. Where did the Goblins get their vessels? It was a question she had to ask Visdiar who seemed to know more about these goblins. There was no question to where or how the Goblins replenished their numbers. She did not want to think about that for a second. It reminded her of what happened to Veltic heroines and maidens from Oross when captured by ogres and such creatures she would never want to see again.

She turned her gaze away from the reefs and over to Olverd recalling the moments before the attack by the Goblins. Senestra felt good after that until the Goblins came scaring her to the bones. There was something about his gaze that concerned her. His appetite seemed quenched this morning and he barely ate anything midday meal. What was wrong with him? Was it the Goblin night raid getting to him? Visdiar joined her as Olverd was steered along side a Veek vessel that was headed for a large gap in between four reefs.

“You see there Senestra, that leads to a path running through the towering rocks. It should be safe enough for us to go through with no pirates attacking us.” She said showing the emissary.

Senestra saw four rocks standing in the water like a gate to another city. On the tops of each one were battlements with ropes and chains dangling down into the ocean. Visdiar eyed Senestra’s dress as though it reminded her of something. The Crone did not bother asking her about the dress and addressed another matter as the convoy maneuvered into the path in the reefs.

“Those battlements are manned by the mermaid warriors who guard these waters day and night? Ceinius! Where are those mermen that are needed for these posts?” Visdiar shouted.

“No one can tell you that Crone! Merpeople are late for everything!” Ceinius complained from a separate portion of the deck.

“Typical Crowsians always flirting with mermaids. Look there Senestra a guard has come up for their daily duty.” Visdiar pointed somewhere and Senestra turned to look at where the Crone was pointing. On top of another reef that was wide enough to be considered a tower a mermen was climbing up the ropes dangling down from the battlements. Next to it was another reef with a battlement manned by an archer.

“Goblins never venture past these points because of the guards that man these reefs. Some reefs along this path have multiple balconies for more than one guard to stand watch over this path.” Visidiar informed Senestra who looked around them seeing more reefs with balconies and battlements. Merpeople clambered on to these tall rocks armed with spears, bows, and tridents. Somehow she felt safe in this path forged through the Polasian waters. A mermaid appeared before them and rested her breasts on the railing of the bow. She was topless before the Crone and Emissary.

“Visdiar is that you? Oh I’ve waited so long for your bony hands to grip my breasts. The curse you placed on me doesn’t keep the Goblins or Makool away from my chambers.” The mermaid smiled a lustful smile that said “please me” to the Crone. Visdiar cackled a little and reached for the mermaid’s heavy, firm breasts. Her bony hands squeezed the young mermaid’s breasts digging her fingers into them.

“I see they have grown since the last time I held them in my grasp.” Visdiar gave them a violent squeeze and began fondling them as though she meant to milk the mermaid who found pleasure in this. It was more than Senestra could ask for until she saw the Veeks aboard one of the escorts tit-fucking a mermaid. She saw a line of sailors with their trousers partially down and tunics lifted up. Several of them had hands clawing into their butt cheeks. Wanting no part in this sex festival going on, Senestra left for her cabins as did Levanna and Olverd, who seemed disgusted at this sight.

“It always bothered me coming this way. Mermaids have a way of luring men or anyone into such sexual behavior. There are times when Visdiar pleads to visit the Polasian reefs just for that reason. My mother always hated that Crone for various reasons! Her ridiculous behavior brought to many scoundrels to her inn. She had fourteen Mermaids come there for the pleasure of a hundred warriors who ravaged them all on the pier of her inn. It is located on an island near the Fist of Lothi or is it between the Blade of Angeris and the Fist of Lothi?” Levanna asked herself confused of the whereabouts of the island where her mother’s inn lies. It was confusing to hear about these different names for islands and lands that Senestra never heard of before.

“Will there be forts and settlements defending the settlements in this New Angothia?” Olverd asked entering the cabins after they did and shutting the door shut. Screams of delight erupted signifying more mermaids came aboard. None of the three sensible people dared peer out to see what was going on outside.

“There are numerous islands and fortresses along the coasts of the Blade of Angeris. However there are a few island fortresses and citadels that were abandoned over time. Those fortresses are closer to the southern tip of the Blade shaped island. Many of the Angoth settlements along the coasts have an outpost, or barracks of warriors to defend them.” Levanna answered. “We will be going to one of the Veek trading posts in the northern section of the Polasian waters.” Levanna continued down the hall to the map room.

Olverd brushed past Senestra who looked at him lustfully blinking slowly at him. He wanted her again badly this time feeling his loins ache from the craving he had for her. Senestra could almost feel the ache just looking into his eyes as they went to the map room of the Lessiiv. She walked alongside him grasping his shirt and kissing him on the chin before joining Levanna in the map room. He quickly followed her in discovering Levanna had a blank parchment set up next to another map of Crowsian colonies. She had a third sheet of parchment with the island of Kruskor drawn on it and a long column of reefs and islets stretching from the Crowsian colonies of Geveris, Onton, and Merconis. The others he did not recognize and saw several other islands being drawn in with Veek labels on them. They were all west of the Crowsian colonies. He looked at the map she was working on that had other Veek colonies on a group of islands and small continent. among them was one Crowsian colony called Eronos. He figured it was the one Apkis and Goldis were from that was part of some Hegemony. Senestra watched Olverd’s gaze as he watched the Angoth Mage sketch out the maps. Levanna looked up at both of them with her finger on a map where she began sketching out the Polasian reefs with a larger land mass at the bottom of the page labeled as unknown gates to other worlds.

“Here is where we are now, the Polasian road as this trail is called cuts through the reefs. It was forged by mages and merpeople. Dozens of rocks were demolished in the process with help from Veek engineers who are apt at creating roads, steam engines and siege weapons. There are other things they are well known for besides those, but getting back on subject the Veeks will leave us once we are in the northern parts.” Levanna told them continuing the sketch of the reefs.

Her sketch of the rocks did not have to be as detailed as the islands labeled on the other charters Olverd had. She turned to another blank one and began sketching out a fist then an arm before transforming it into another land mass on the parchment. Her hand drew an island labeling it the Hilt of Valos then a larger island below the fist labeling the Blade of New Angeris. Levanna’s hand continued sketching the rest of the continent and labeled it Emnos on the top. Senestra spotted one part near the central and western portion of the continent. It was south of the large mass that stretched further west than one portion. That portion resembled the knuckles of a fist with six bumps. In the most western portion of Emnos were strips of land stretching from the continent like fingers.

Senestra and Olverd wanted to observe the map Levanna was drawing for them when Visdiar and Leliin came to the doorway. Both the Crone and Hand Maiden looked at the three leaders invitingly.

“Come outside and see this splendor.” Visdiar suggested to Olverd and Senestra.

“Is that damned festival over?” Levanna asked glaring at Visdiar who nodded a “yes” to the Angoth Mage. Levanna chose to stay behind and complete her work letting the other two go with Visdiar.

Senestra was wide eyed at the site she witnessed as she walked out of the cabins. A massive natural arch stood over the path of the Polasian Road. Veek vessels went underneath two at a time and the Lessiiv went through it with no other ships next to her. Senestra gazed up at the arch as it stood above the Lessiiv with a tremendous height and width she had never seen on a rock islet before. Its upper portion was wide enough to be used as a bridge except the rough looking pikes on top. She assumed it would take some time to carve into the rock to get the smooth shape of a bridge made from stones. She also imaged the arch crumbling apart if there was any attempt to carve into a bridge.

“We are getting deeper into the Polasion Road tomorrow we will head northward to a Veek outpost. Captain Olverd, you should be wary of some parts in the north. For there are islands in between these reefs and the colonies infested with Ipama, as are the islands north west of Kruskor.” Visdiar informed them. Senestra returned to the bow of the Lessiiv to witness another Veek ship leave the convoy maneuvering itself towards a path that appeared to be forged in the rocks. Olverd joined her yelling at Jethaam to man the helm as always when he wasn’t needed. The Vah Shir sailed the vessel quite smoothly through the path that was getting narrower with very passing mile in the reefs.

“These reefs don’t seem as bad as I thought they would be.” Olverd observed with his monkey chattering on his shoulder. Oross looked around observing the world from his master’s shoulder. The little monkey climbed on his head gazing up at his new surroundings as they passed the tall rocks with battlements carved into the tops. Mermen guards armed with bows and tridents manned most of the battlements.

There were three lines of guard tower reefs on either side of the Polasian Road. Every one hundred feet was another path that led northward. Senestra found it strange that there were no trails leading south until she remembered there were Goblin Pirates to the south. She looked over to the south and caught a glimpse of a vessel following the convoy from afar. These Pirates are persistent in their pursuit of us. She said in her mind watching them following the convoy as more Veek ships left their convoy. They were down to six Veek escorts by the time dusk came to end the day.

Senestra slept with Olverd that night who did not seem apt at doing her since little Oross curled up against his shoulder. She found it adorable that the Captain named the monkey after the very Kingdom that could easily put and end to a Cren Order army if their lords and barons would just band together. The Kingdom of Oross was surrounded by natural borders of rivers that would be useful for a defense against the armies of the Cren Order.

Senestra’s mind pondered over the Kingdom of Oross that had the Velts for neighbors who never allowed any Cren Army to march into their lands unless it was to ambush it. Veltic Clans along the borders of Oross would always suffer the bantering of the Lords near them whose sons demanded land from them. That always became an issue when the clansmen tried to forge an alliance with the Kingdom of Oross, which appeared to be ruled by the Lords instead of the Royal Family of Senmar. Thousands of Cren warriors were known to venture through those areas and claimed them for Cren. Oross’ borders no longer ended at the Vorgod River where they would arrogantly clashed with the Velts whose people made every member of a village a warrior or a druid. Olverd’s heritage was not known to her nor did he wish to share it with the likes of her.

They both got out of his bed at the same time and dressed for the day. It felt strange being at sea for so long and having no word from your homelands except what the enemy told you. All the while she was aware of Amber’s triumph with the Veltic Clansman who was engaging Orossians and Cren warriors. She saw this her dream and believed most of her childhood friends were dead to her along Amber’s former friends who introduced her to nobles from the Isseult Kingdoms, Camiss, Manol, Ontassi, Adorcene and the single Isseult Kingdom on the dagger shaped island. She felt connected to Amber ever since they met in Etras and went on adventures together.

Senestra wanted to reach out to her, but had no way of communicating unless she wrote to her and sent it through the Crowsian colonies. She rushed down to her own quarters passing hand maidens and wenches on her way down the steep steps everyone kept forgetting existed. As she came down the steps she found Leliin and Triaunes locked with each other. The two love birds seemed so happy together. It made her feel lonely inside. Her mind went straight to Leothrad who must’ve been ending the battle with the Cren forces by now. Looking away she passed the two lovebirds to the hall that led to her quarters.

When she opened the door neither Crone nor Mage was present. Not even the pupil who slept with them fearing her Master’s wrath and obsession with her. Senestra spotted the bedside table she never used and had shoved in the corner. She had some of the crew members unbolt it from the floor. Her feet took her to the table and she opened the drawer and found a piece of parchment along with some charcoal to write with.