Chương 84: Chapter 83 - Thomas.

Nythera practically skipped as she made her way to the lift. Leaving this stuffy nobleland place will be so nice, fresh air here I come!

"If you think Stormbridge is bad, based on what my father has said, I do not believe you will survive a week in real noble society" Rowen's frown grew.

"Don't worry Rowen, we are going to stay far far away from any nobles and their schemings" Nythera continued her gleeful skipping.

"As if" he snorted. Nythera pulled up her status to check the populations. I think I am close to the next authority rank? That would let me get another domain core and some other fun stuff. Let's see here, Myrraval at 3, 225 and Mistvale at 1, 653. Not bad. Very close. By Kronan, Myrraval gained 500 people in about three weeks? Are they ok? Nythera stopped to pull out her communication array, rapidly typing out a message to Lance.

"Are you ok? Myrraval has gotten a lot of migrants lately" and sent. Not even a minute later her array lit up.

"Fine, we migrant, problem no, need house?" So I think this means they are ok, but just need houses? That's manageable at least.

"Lance ok?" Rowen leaned over her shoulder, eyes scrunching at the sight of Aurendorian script.

"I don't know, you tell me" Nythera smirked.

"Hmmm yes, it seems Lance is doing just fine" Rowen pretended to read. She drove an elbow into his gut but he caught it before she could drive it deep. Stopping before the lift, Nythera stared at the tower to her right, fresh-cut stone sat right at the edge of the cliff.

"Rowen, that wasn't here last time." she pointed. Rowen scowled "That would be the arrangement Father has with the Clock-keeper, see the metal contraption?" He gestured at strange, huge, metal bars that extended from its side, going both up and down, with sharp ends pointing inwards, like a metal jaw.

"What's it for?"

"They call it the crab trap, Father believes the Clockkeeper will give him something worthwhile. I have no idea what they intended to use it for" Rowen's scowled deepened.

"Something worthwhile indeed. It is not every century you find timeskill tomes, now is it" A condescending voice came from behind. Ah not this fucking lunatic again.

"In 0. 2 seconds you will be flabbergasted by my appearance" Nythera turned to face the Clockkeeper, a deep scowl now mirrored Rowen's.

"That fine tower there, that is the tool of ultimate justice. It will put a final, decisive end to a conflict that has lasted centuries between crustacean and time. As you would expect, time's victory is all but inevitable" As he spoke his gestures got more and more grand until he was sweeping his arms in wide arcs.

"What does it do?" Nythera wiped the scowl off her face.

"A good question, but adults are busy and the threads are converging. It is nearly past time for you to go, go Aurendorian whelp and conquer the seas!" He chuckled to himself, tripping over his own words. Rowen pulled her to the lift "Keep a distance from that man, he's not right." he checked over his shoulder again. Tension deflated as the lift began its descent. Can I get some time tomes? Those sound fun… The ship was readied with a full crew, one sailor, and two woodmancers.

Supplies for repair, including some fabrics, were strapped to the deck. My beauty, The Sea Empress. Nythera felt her heart rise with dread and anticipation, witnessing the repairs had not been pleasant. Within minutes, the ship was pulling out of the harbor and up into the sky.

"So, any idea who we should make captain?" Nythera casually asked.

"Yes, I have one candidate I think would serve our purposes well" She threw him a questioning glance "Who would that be?"

"We shall see, have some patience" Rowen said cryptically. Very well Rowen, if you don't, I'll find someone myself. Suppose it doesn't matter much, I can just enforce an Authority contract if I need to. Wind sent her hair into a tizzy, the smell of seawater tingling her nose. A feeling of profound freedom washed over her. Breathing deeply, the ship was brought around to make way to the northern shipyards. The men lounged on deck as it flew forwards.

Every time we leave, I come back stronger, either through me or my islands and people. One step at a time, I will carve my kingdom a space in this world. And then I will carve out the emperor's eyes. One step at a time. The cliff with three great hangar doors soon hung overhead.

"Alright men, prepare to dock" Nythera shouted, getting Rowen to take the console.

"I'm going to need to open the hangar doors from within, once I do, fly the ship in" Nythera instructed, then jump off the side of the ship onto the grassy field below. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Sent into a tumble, Nythera stuck out her arms to stop her rolling. Blasted Hel, I think grass got into my hair. Within minutes she had cracked the door and was tapping away on the hangar console. Let's see here, I think we need "Open Door 3".

The great door cranked open with a screech that made her cover her ears. Rowen glided The Sea Empress in shortly after, bumping one of the walls.

"OI! Watch it! That's my ship!" She yelled.

"Sorry" Rowen called back, allowing the ship to sink into the elevated dock rails.

"Sir, shall we begin repairs now?" the sailor asked.

"Yes, see if it's mendable at all, if the structural damage is not too great, patch the hull first then move onto the sails" Rowen hopped down while the men readied the materials. Nythera jumped up, grabbing onto the railings and pulling herself over. Time to see if this thing can fly. If I can't find another pass for someone else to pilot it with, I might just turn it into spare parts. Wait.

"ROWEN" Nythera shouted. He winced "What do you want? I'm right next to you." She hissed "How did you pilot the ship? We gave the pass to Leo." He sighed and pulled the communication array out of his cloak "Remember this thing? Well apparently it works as a pass for controlling the ships, I had my suspicions but when I placed it on the console a bunch of runes appeared and I could operate it."

"Well ain't that something" Nythera snapped herself out of it "I want to try that later, but I don't have more comms arrays, we need to find a pass here or this boat is scrap parts""Woodmancer, bind the planks here, the hull won't hold up unless you double layer it" the sailor was busy at work directing the mages. Nythera slid straight down the ladder into the central cabin. The dim glow of the aetherium crystal cast still shadows. Well it ain't completely wrecked, that's something I suppose.

The gaping holes in the hull, she was half certain she could fit straight through most of them. Ah Hel, did it have to be a grave site too? Corpses, nothing but bone now, were scattered all across the cabin floor, many of the bones had been shattered into tiny pieces. The clothes had long since rotted to ash. Leaving a scattering of tiny metal passes. Nythera gleefully scooped up one after another, rifling through bones. Don't mind if I do, with this many I should be able to make a small fleet.

Nythera's Royal Armada. The Queen's Fleet. I need a good name.

"Find anything down there?" Rowen asked, she could hear him stomping above deck.

"A little something, we need to clean this section out, it's full of bones" Nythera's voice squeaked with excitement. The stomping stopped "Is that a good thing?" he asked tentatively.

"Get your ass down here" Nythera said flatly. A moment later Rowen came sliding down the ladder.

"Looks like whatever put holes in the shit put holes in these men too" Rowen bent to inspect the remains.

"Dead for a very very long time, and not even a chance to get buried before their nation fell" his voice carried a melancholic note.

"We can bury them later up on the cliffside, look what I found" she dangled the clinking passes before him.

"That is a lot of new captains" Rowen's eyes went wide.

"Yeah, and if this ship floats, I think we have our first" Nythera pocketed the half dozen passes straight into Boxy. Darting through the chambers, she couldn't find anything else of value.

"Nythera, according to the mancers, this ship is probably fixable, the console works, I already checked. They did say it shouldn't be left in the water for too long, but I don't think that's a problem." Rowen informed her.

"Alright, who's your captain? Where do we need to go to get them?" Nythera prepared to climb up the ladder.

"THOMAS, please come over here now" Rowen called out. He brought the new captain with us? But I didn't see anyone of interest, just some workers.

"Milord" he bowed lightly to Rowen, "Your majesty" and deeply to Nythera. She shot Rowen a questioning face. He signaled her to relax "Present yourself to the Queen now Thomas."

"Thomas of Amplewoods, at your service Milady" he bowed deeply. Rowen clapped him on the back "That will do. Thomas has worked for my family for several years already as a dockhand, he knows when to keep his mouth shut and he is better with ships and the sea breeze than you would think." A sailor boy then? Very well, if Rowen trusts him that's enough.

"Very well, Thomas, do you accept your promotion to captain of this ship, as part of the Queen's royal navy?" Nythera straightened her back, standing just as tall as she possibly could.

"Yes milady, you honor me" Thomas kept his head down, as if afraid she would take it up if he so much as glanced. The room seemed to dim, physics almost bending to her as she pulled on her Authority, well over two hundred "I, Nythera Vel Aurendor, grant you the position of captain of this ship. You will never communicate knowingly to any of the functions of this or any other vessel like this. You will not abuse your post for personal gain.

You will follow instructions and work to benefit the people of the Kingdom of Myrraval" Chains of Authority wrapped around his soul, sinking in. Thomas fell on one knee "Yes milady." Thomas took to the ship well and within a few hours his ship, The Grace, was flying over the seas under the command of her new captain. The hull and sails had been patched, but she would never be fully sea-worthy.

The worst part was the flux battery, capped at half capacity, this ship would never be suitable for anything more than transport roles. The Grace and The Sea Empress raced back at flank speeds, reaching Grandport in record times, just three hours. Shouts from the docks greeted them on arrival. Quite the stir was riled up upon seeing yet another of Nythera's famous ships.

"Lawrence, we shall have a council meeting in two days, please inform all parties" Nythera flaunted from the prow, looking down on him. Big men look small if you're higher up, very deep and wise Nythera.

"Fine, but you owe me a beer" Lawrence grumbled. After docking her ship she made way to The Grace, "Thomas, we need to get you out of the water soon, I don't think this ship will hold too long" Nythera had noted one of the patched on planks already seemed to be leaking.

"You are to collect Aldric, Felix, and Simon as your first mission. Rowen will accompany you. You have two days, be back there with all of them before that" Nythera slowly walked down the deck.

"Understood" Thomas saluted. If I give him two days with Rowen, Thomas will be able to present himself as a proper captain. No one will see his blunders, at least not the first ones, and he'll have an easier time with his new crew. Rowen did not look too happy "I suppose it is the duty of a liaison to act on your behalf, very well." They departed shortly after all the same, bound for distant towns and fog-covered islands. Time to relax, for once.