Blood Shaper

Starting as a small dot in the distance and growing in size as they approached, the island of Sel most resembled a flattened dome with gradual slopes that rose to a fairly flat top where a city sat clustered around a grandiose building of stone and colored glass that glittered in the sun. The slopes of the island has a number of smaller clusters of buildings built against the incline that looked like groups of homes or small villages, all connected by a winding array of stone staircases that criss-crossed over the island and eventually led to the top. Following Eleniah’s directions they circled around to the western side of the island, opposite the direction they were coming from. Kay could make out the tiny figures out people who stopped to watch the unknown ship sail by and a handful of small boats, the ones he got a good look at rigged up for fishing, moved closer to the island to stay out of the way.

“Welcome to Sel.” Eleniah said to him the crew began pulling out large flags from storage and waving them to exchange signals with someone on shore.

“I’m not sure why, but I was expecting there to be a volcano.”

“One of the chains of islands that make up the Isles has a lot of volcanic islands, but that’s further to the west.”

They sailed out around and past a curving stone protrusion that extended out from the shore at an angle. There was another similar structure on the other side that made a horseshoe shape and together they created a miniature artificial bay with a series of small docks clustered in the center.

“That’s the clan’s docks,” Eleniah explained, “We built those a long time ago to make bringing ships in easier since Sel doesn’t have any good natural harbors.” They continued sailing for another few minutes and passed what Kay had thought was more island, but in reality it was a significantly larger version of the previous structure. “This is the main dockyard Alahna had built once she united the Isles. When it was just the clan ruling Sel we didn’t need this much infrastructure, but once this became the capital of the whole country…” She shrugged and pointed further along the shore. “There’s another artificial bay on the other side that’s the royal docks, which is where we’re going. It’s restricted to the royal family and visiting dignitaries.”

The main dockyard, as Eleniah explained it, was also an artificial bay created with two curving structures that made a horseshoe shape, but each was hundreds of feet long and dozens of feet wide, large enough to hold small fortifications on the ends with guards that tracked their ships progress. The Royal Avalon swung wide to avoid any other ships or small boats, but Kay could still see dozens of craft docking or leaving the large collection of piers that covered the entire arc of the area. Smaller piers were clustered together at one end where fisherman were unloading catches or hopping into their boats to head out to sea while the middle section was dominated by larger, wide docks that served full size ships. Two ships were docked at the moment and Kay could see groups of people lowering crates, barrels, and other cargo off of the ships and carrying them inland. A handful of large warehouses were sat directly behind the central docks and there was a constant flow of movement going in and out of them. On the far side opposite the smaller fishing docks was an area obviously reserved for the military, with three warships docked and armed guards at each entrance to that side of the dockyard. One of the warships was a wide, squat ship with ballista mounted around the edges while the other two were smaller, sleeker ships with heavy rams on their prows and dozens of grappling hooks hanging on the inside edges.

The royal docks were shaped the same as the first two but were somewhere in between in size. While the clan docks could fit one large ship at most and the main dockyard could handle dozens, once the Royal Avalon docked alongside the two other ships already there the royal docks would be at capacity. One of the ships they moored by Kay recognized as Captain Icerose’s ship, which Prince Carlile had traveled on and Kay didn’t remember the name of, while the other was a massive floating edifice he’d never seen before that resembled a palace carved of wood. Every visible piece of lumber beside the deck was decorated with detailed carvings of ocean life and majestic waves. It had two large ballista mounted on each end that glowed faintly, showing off how heavily enchanted they were, and the ship was half again as wide and long as The Royal Avalon, an already large ship.

“That’s Alahna’s private ship.” Eleniah told him, “She doesn’t like it that much since it’s slow and ponderous, but it was a coronation gift from a group of her highest nobles so she can’t get rid of the thing.”

Kay and his guard kept out of the way as the crew began tossing lines down to the workers on the docks and grabbing lines sent flying upward from below. Eleniah stayed with him instead of going to help the crew as she’d done during the trip here and Kay used the time to check in with the small entourage he’d brought with him. With him being gone from Avalon for multiple months at minimum, there was no way he’d been able to bring one of his ministers with him, but a number of experienced people had been attached to him for the trip from the essential ministries like the Ministry of Finance. Gathering them up, making sure everyone had everything they needed, and getting them ready to disembark took most of the time the crew spent securing the vessel.

“You really do need to get a majordomo or whatever.” Eleniah commented after she’d assisted him with role call. “It’s… I was going to say ‘unseemly’ but that’s a little extreme. There’s an image problem with the king doing menial tasks like this where people can see him.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Amanda’s been handling recruitment for me since my time’s been better spent on other priorities, but there hasn’t been anyone that meets her criteria yet. She’s being extra stringent now that I’m a king instead of a lord.” Kay shrugged with a ‘what can I you do’ look, “I’m hoping that someone with a Skill like Cindy’s Colen just shows up and saves me all the hassle.”

“That’s not impossible, you’ve gotten lucky before.”

The gangplank was dropped and secured, and Kay headed down after a half of his guards and with the rest of his entourage behind him. Prince Carlile was waiting at the bottom, flanked by several people that looked like functionaries. The prince stepped forward with a large smile. “Your majesty, I’m am most pleased to welcome you to the island of Sel, home of the Selthoran Clan and capital of the Seramist Isles.”

“Thank you, your highness, I’m glad to be here.”

“If you’re ready, please follow me to the palace, her majesty is ready to see you as soon as we arrive.”

Kay glanced over to Eleniah who shrugged in response. “Very well, we’re as ready as we’ll ever be.”

“Fantastic. Your luggage will be handled and we’ll have your people directed to where you will all be staying.” He gestured to the people with him and several split off from the group as they began directing workers to transport luggage and one started speaking to Kay’s entourage and leading them away. A few of the Blood Guard stayed with them for safety as the rest followed Kay down the dock and toward the city.

The royal docks once again stood somewhere in the middle between the clan docks and the main dockyard when it came to the path to the city. The clan docks they’d seen first had the same narrow stone steps that Kay had seen crossing the other side of the island, while the main dockyard used for heavy shipping had a large avenue with no stairs that allowed wheeled carts and wagons to travel up to the city. The royal docks had a series of flat walkways with a short set of stairs leading from one to the next, with small ramps on the edges of the wide staircases. The path wrapped around the island and reached the top next to the main thoroughfare that led to and from the main dockyard and showed off gorgeous views as they moved higher and higher before reaching a locked and guarded gate a few hundred feet away from a much larger open gate that had bustling traffic moving through it.

The guards bowed to Prince Carlile and carefully watched Kay, Eleniah, and the Blood Guard as they passed through into a small private street with no other people. The walled walkway swept around the opposite direction from the walkway leading up from the small port and eventually lead to a section of the palace’s grounds that sat at the edge of the flat area on top of the island, overlooking the ocean. They stopped at multiple guard checkpoints and passed through thanks to Prince Carlile leading the way.

“It’s easier to have a private means of getting from the palace to the docks,” Carlile explained as they waited at the heaviest guard checkpoint, the one leading into the palace proper. “There was more than one occasion where a crowd formed and slowed down all the traffic when mother needed to get somewhere, and it makes keeping assassins away a little easier if everyone who wants to get into the royal street needs prior permission.”

After being allowed deeper into the palace the prince escorted them into a waiting room near the main court receiving area.

“You’re a visiting monarch, so her majesty is going to have to formally receive you before any private meetings to discuss the specific nature of your visit.” Carlile said, being nonspecific in front of the functionaries following him. “I have to go in now, you’ll be led forward and presented when it’s your turn.” He gave them cordial nods and left.

They waited quietly in the comfortable sitting room with a pair of guards standing outside the open archway that led inside. It was only a few minutes later when a palace worked stepped into view and asked them to please follow. A massive pair of double doors waited just around the corner, decorated with jewels, precious metals, and sea shells.

“Ready?” Kay asked Eleniah, who was gazing up at the doors.

She took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah.”

Two guards opened the large doors, and a crier declared them as they stepped forward to face Eleniah’s cousin, Queen Alahna Selthoran of the Seramist Isles.

“Presenting King Kay of Avalon, the Lord of Spilled Blood, accompanied by Eleniah Selthoran, cousin to Her Majesty Queen Alahna, the Indomitable Fist!”