Chapter 576 – Nu-Hauta ho!

The civil war in Savir had escalated in part due to Toro Squa's lending a hand to the Harpy King. Kanae couldn't count on one hand how many times the Dervish Five had meddled across the three countries. All for what? To obtain power from a megalomaniacal mad tyrant? But maybe it worked. She glanced across the sea to the enormous volcano, the looming and smoking backdrop which served an ever-present reminder of its existence.

They brought Qoro Squa below deck of The Seductress, away from prying eyes to speak privately. Amethyst Hall had once again found themselves embroiled in another political squabble.

"I still don't understand. Why would the prince of Nu-hauta be made to live on his own in Port Kandis?" Petyr asked the one thing on everyone's mind.

Qoro shrunk under their scrutiny.

"If I may," Gretchen began and stepped forward, "I'm willing to posit that Nu-hauta isn't safe for Qoro, and that King Toro sent his son elsewhere safer yet close enough to be in reach. That being Port Kandis. But that doesn't explain everything, such as why Bocchiri threatened us for considering bringing the prince to Nu-hauta. I suspect his life is in danger. Assassins or rivals, perhaps?"

"H-How?" Qoro gasped.

"You gleaned all that with barely any information?" Kanae asked.

"Well, King Toro certainly isn't afraid of the islanders being swept away by the volcano-induced wave. It reasons Qoro would also have been safe otherwise. Which indicates that Bocchiri and your old friend from Savir have fear of an internal strife instead," she explained.

Vestrid left all of a sudden. Everyone watched her go, and no one tried to stop her.

"Then why did Qoro beseech us to sail him to Nu-hauta? To put his own life on the line?" Hilde wondered aloud.

"I don't think I'm that good at my job." Gretchen grinned.

Qoro twiddled his thumbs.

"Go on." Vesh nudged him. "You can tell 'em. I've been around Petyr and Kanae long enough to know they're kind people. Ain't that right, Motta?"

"Yeah, sure." Motta groaned, only to get socked in the shoulder by Vesh.

"I… want to go back home. My dad sent me to Port Kandis to lay low, because there are clans unhappy with his rule. Or the absence of, I guess. That was almost ten years ago! I've already forgotten how the sun felt on my skin, catching fish on a raft in the open ocean, and I miss the music! Every time I try to catch a ride to Nu-hauta, my dad's honor guards find me and force the captains to take me back to Port Kandis. If I can just talk to him, maybe I could convince him to stop all the in-fighting and focus on saving the archipelago!"

"I have a hard time believing your father sent you to live on your own without guards or a spotter. Especially when there are those after your life." Petyr folded her arms and eyed him suspiciously.

"As far as I remember, me being away from Nu-hauta is exactly what the other clans want. Also, I look enough like a mainlander to be left alone without tattoos. That's another thing I missed out on…" Qoro explained somberly.

Someone made a commotion above deck. Petyr rested a hand on the haft of her warhammer and stepped towards the door. Rubenard DeSalle bursted through, accompanied by several rough-looking men.

"Is it true? The son of King Toro is here?" Rubenard asked.

"What of it?" Petyr growled.

"What do you mean, what of it? Nu-hauta raids Flotsam constantly. Who else but the royal family is responsible? Hand Qoro Squa to us. He'll serve as the perfect deterrent against further attacks," the governor of Flotsam said.

Qoro hid behind Vesh and Motta, both of whom looked ready to throw hands.

"That's not happening," Kanae said.

"And why not? I granted you safe harbor here in Flotsam. The only reason your ships aren't leagues under the ocean is by my graciousness!" Rubenard huffed.

"Because I already promised Qoro I'd take him to Nu-hauta. What kind of empress would I be if I didn't keep my word? And Rubenard, you seem to forget who's really in control." With a flash of her eyes, she seized control of him and his muscles in the room. "Petyr here has already defeated two DeSalles. You don't want to add to her tally, do you?"

Petyr Stormcloud cracked her knuckles.

"No…" Rubenard gulped.

"Good. Now get off my ship. We're disembarking for Nu-hauta soon." Kanae smiled and released them from her Charm.

They scrambled away in terror.

"Did you really… mean it?" Qoro looked up at her.

"Of course. Captain Thedia, would you please prepare The Seductress for departure?" Kanae asked.

"Certainly." Thedia bowed.

It didn't take long for Thedia to rally the crew. Rown Company was quick to return from Flotsam and man their stations. After they double-checked for stowaways, the bell rang to signal their imminent departure. As the ships unchained and untied themselves from Flotsam, Kanae climbed to the upper deck to find Vestrid sitting on the bowsprit.

"You alright?" Kanae came up from behind and asked.

"I thought I could appeal to Bocchiri as a friend and colleague. He brushed me aside like dirt on the road." Vestrid sighed.

"I didn't realize you were close to Bocchiri. Always thought you and Delayn were closer."

"Haha! It may not seem like it, but Delayn and I don't mesh very well. We merely work perfectly together as a fighting unit. Bocchiri though, I could talk to that elf for hours, and he would just stand there with me and listen without a word. Good times!"

Kanae got hit with whiplash.

"Uh, yeah…" Kanae wasn't so sure their idea of friendship matched each other.

"I met Bocchiri when I was Knight of Silver. I took him under my wing, realized his potential, and vouched for his knighthood. My greatest mistake is not realizing how much the home he left behind still mattered to him. What about you, Amethyst? Surely, you grew up elsewhere before showing up in Orturic. Do you miss home?" Vestrid asked.

"Well…" She couldn't exactly mention Japan and Earth. "Sure, I sometimes think about where I came from. But the time I spent here still means a lot to me. I'd say even more. Bocchiri's got to feel the same way, but right now his priority is saving Nu-hauta. I bet it meant a lot to him that you were here."

The drakeling Saint Priest smashed a fist into her palm.

"You know, that made me feel a bit better. Next time I see Bocchiri, I'll beat some sense into him!" Vestrid flashed a toothy smile.

"Nothing about what I said should have indicated beating each other up is the way to go! Why are drakelings like this?" Kanae groaned into her hand.

"It's the fire in our blood, Amethyst!" She laughed.

Two days after setting off from Flotsam, The Seductress began to pass by smaller islands every once in a while. None of them were big enough to support a settlement. They were mostly crowned in thick forests and surrounded by a thin outline of sandy shores. Their flotilla dropped a couple of sails to slow down, allowing Kanae, Gretchen, and Hilde to fly out.

They brought back oval-shaped coconuts that grew on palm trees. Thedia produced a cleaver specially-designed to cut open their hard shells. When Kanae lifted the nectar up to her lips for a taste, an incredibly sweet flavor like honey and milk spread across her tongue. The inner flesh boasted the texture of ice cream but not as sugary as the juice.

"Good, isn't it?" Thedia smiled, partaking in it as well. "Out here, we call it the Lucky Sailor's Day Off."

"That's a funny name. Why do they call it that?" Kanae asked.

"There's a wild species of yeast that grows on the Nu-hauta islands. Many coconuts tend to grow large enough to crack open just a little for yeast to be blown in. That causes a natural fermentation to take place inside the shells. Nearly four in five coconuts become highly alcoholic, but the taste is masked by their sweetness. Sailors often take bets drinking one. Those who pass out get the day off. The ones that don't, keep working," she explained.

"THIS IS ALCOHOLIC?!"

All around them, Rown crewmen began to knock out or become incapacitated. Even Thedia had to lean against a barrel to stay standing.

"Kanae… Why are you spinning…" Hilde fell limp into her arms.

"I'm the unlucky one, huh?" Kanae sighed.

"This is great stuff. Better than Radevic Vintage." Vestrid crushed a coconut with both hands, letting the juices fall into her mouth.

"Meh. No more islands for us," she muttered.

With Thedia and a large number of the crew in a drunken stupor, the small number of those still sober had to pick up the extra slack. Kanae dragged Hilde into the bedroom with Gretchen's help. The high elven half-succubus had been familiar with Lucky Sailor's Day Off and didn't take the risk of drinking any.

The next morning, the crew awoke with the worst hangover imaginable. The Seductress groaned like it was a ghost ship.

"Land ho!" someone on the upper deck shouted.

Hilde curled up tighter in bed, pulling the sheets over her head and wrapping up in a cocoon.

"Kanae… Charm that man into silence. I beg of you…" Hilde murmured from beneath the sheets.

"Now I'm glad I got unlucky." Kanae climbed out of the ship's bowels and turned to the bow.

A large island came into view, much bigger than the ones they sailed past the last two days. Rogue rainshowers drenched the deck. Even with sparse clouds around, there still managed to be deluges. Deeper in the island, a green mountain which must be a dormant volcano appeared dwarfed by the active one. Rafts and rowboats dotted the waters. The people on the small boats stared at them cautiously, scooting out of the way of their fleet. At a quick glance, the grand majority were elves, whose complexions weren't dark like their dark elven counterparts but a light tan to a deeper shade of brown. She only spotted a few beastmen and humans among them.

Everyone shared one thing in common, and it was their tattoos. A small number had their entire bodies inked. Many sported them on the arms, legs, and small sections of the torso. The tattoos were patterns like rolling clouds or flowers and thematically geometric.

"Lift the sails and drop anchor!" Thedia shouted, emerging from below deck with a hand to her forehead and coffee in the other.

"We finally made it," Kanae said.

"Indeed. I believe we've landed on Hota'ree. In ancient Nu-hautan, that means verdant nipple," she explained.

Kanae pursed her lips, eyeing the mountain covered in vast forests. She wondered if the other islands had similarly blunt names.

"You three are staying on the ship, and that's final. End of discussion." Petyr marched ahead of Vesh, Motta, and Qoro, who were trying desperately to get through to her.

"But you guys promised to bring me to Nu-hauta!" Qoro protested.

"Yes, and we need to assess whether or not it is safe for you. Vesh and Motta will protect you on The Seductress. We'll fetch you once we figure out the situation on Nu-hauta," she said.

"Petyr's right, Qoro. We've kept our promise, haven't we? You're in Nu-hauta now. Just trust in us for a bit longer," Kanae urged him.

"Alright…" He sulked.

Thedia ordered one of the rafts lowered into the water for Vestrid and Petyr. The rest of the crew remained on standby.

"We're here now. Should you wish to sail to the other islands, return to us and we will depart immediately. If memory serves, Hota'ree is home to two cities with sizable populations. One is east along the coast, and the other is deeper in the island. My ships and I have two weeks worth of provisions. If we end up here any longer than that, we'll need to resupply at Far'hass, another Nu-hauta island that is north of here," Thedia explained.

"Alright. If we're not back in two weeks, don't wait up then," Kanae said.

They packed enough rations for only a few days. The island Hota'ree seemed fertile enough at first glance to provide them with forageable food. If that failed, they could always try their hands at fishing. Everyone gathered a few belongings, and Kanae stuffed Isabella into her satchel for the journey on land.

Vestrid hopped into the raft first and offered a hand to Petyr. She slapped it away, then jumped in herself. Kanae, Hilde, and Gretchen flew alongside them on the approach to the island. The waters were calm, save for the frequent rainy spells. They were drenched by the time the raft hit land.

"It is far too humid for my liking." Petyr tugged on her tunic collar.

"Really? I feel right at home," Vestrid said as condensation glistened on her cocoa brown scales.

"Well, that isn't helping. We're a lot closer now to all the lava. I guess the Nu-hautans are used to the mugginess. How tall do you think it is?" Kanae narrowed her eyes, still in utter disbelief over the sheer size of the volcano.

"I wager as tall as the highest mountain around Lograin." Gretchen paused and looked around.

If anything, Bocchiri's ice wall was even more impressive to still be standing. The magical ice seemed to melt much slower than its natural counterpart.

"A lot of someones are coming," Vestrid said, snapping in the direction of the treeline.

They drew their weapons immediately.

"Halt!" A woman's voice rang out.

"How brave of a coward to demand that while hiding behind foliage!" Petyr taunted.

A young elven woman of superb height, covered from thighs to neck in tattoos and war paint on her face, emerged alone. Her skin was tanned a light brown. She wielded a longbow, an arrow on the drawstring but not pulled. A skirt made of dried natural fibers from plants and vibrant feathers wrapped around her waist, but was mostly bare from the belly up.

"Your flags tell me you're mainlanders. I recognize the Rown emblem. But your retinue consists of a high elf, drakeling, and three succubi. An odd combination. Are you friend? Or foe?" the elf asked.

"We would like to be friends first. But if you recognize us as succubi, then you know there's not a lot you can do to fight us if this turns ugly," Kanae explained.

The woman chuckled, then motioned behind herself to stand down.

They watched in shock as maybe a hundred elves stepped out, all armed with bows and javelins. There were probably still more hidden there.

"Well, it certainly would have been a fight," Vestrid whispered.