The Journey 7.

Autumn. The Central Provinces. The Kingdom Of Terrindim.

The fleet flies throughout the rest of the day, and continues on it's way and doesn't stop when night falls.
Lord Ganulf, the lord of Highsun, and the advisor to the prince. Spends all day in his cabin onboard the flagship, the Dragon's Revenge.
Which is fine by him, as he doesn't particularly enjoy the company of others.
And he only comes out of his cabin in the early evening, when dinner is served in the galley.
Even then he only has his meal when most have already finished, and made their way from the galley.
Though after his meal, the advisor to the prince finds he has to interact with some of the others onboard. When one of admiral Halmack's aides informs him that the fleet admiral has called a meeting in his cabin.
The lord of Highsun, the largest city in the mountainous north of the kingdom. Refrains from sighing, and tells the aide he'll be there shortly.
Lord Ganulf, who was hoping to read a book this evening as the fleet continues westwards into the province of Smalsare.
Downs the last of his wine in his goblet, and after waiting for a bit, the nobleman who is the advisor to the prince. Gets up, exits the galley, and makes his way aft to the admiral's cabin at the stern of the battlecruiser.
A steward bows to the lord of the city of Highsun, and opens the door to the admiral's cabin.
Lord Ganulf refrains from grinning as the wardroom is packed, and everyone turns to look at him as he enters.
The nobleman who turned on his family and the faction they command. Enjoys the various reactions he gets from those in the large cabin that goes right across the stern of the flagship in the fleet.
There's more frowns than anything as lord Ganulf enters late, knowing that he's probably kept the others waiting.
Though there's a few scowls and hostile stares directed at him by some of those in the admiral's wardroom.
Here in the meeting are various captains and officers in both the fleet and army, some of whom are part of the admiral's planning staff. There's some aides and scribes, off to one side, watching and waiting to do their superiors bidding.
There's even a number of spellcasters in the large wardroom. From various warships in the fleet.
But the most important people in the admiral's cabin, is admiral Halmack himself, along with lord Ganulf as well. And the dragon riders Daeliss Komav, and sir Malfane. Arguably the last two are the most important by far.
The lord of Highsun makes his way through the packed wardroom, and those gathered part for him, so he can reach the table, to the empty chair next to the admiral's.
Before he sits, the advisor to the prince nods to the admiral, then slightly bows to the two dragon riders standing off to one side.
And though he doesn't mind bowing to rider Daeliss. He absolutely loathes bowing to sir Malfane. A man he detests for a number of reasons. Chief of which he's the rider of the dragon Firelight, the dragon lord Ganulf believes he should be the rider of, not the land poor nobleman from the western province of Halvarc.
Once the lord of Highsun is seated, admiral Halmack says "Good, we can begin". The admiral of the fleet looks to one of his staff, and nods.
As the officer starts detailing how things stand at the moment, with the fleet. And how soon they'll join the much larger fleet, and army who are soon to fight a battle against the enemy, the Golmard faction.
Lord Ganulf, a man in his early thirties. Tall, a couple of inches over six foot, and darker of hair, like a lot of the people from the mountainous north of the kingdom. Unlike those from the west and the south, who tend to be blonde and fair haired. A man who though is still the lord of Highsun, hasn't been back to the city of his birth in just over three years.
Glances over at the two dragon riders. And though he doesn't particularly care one way or the other about Daeliss Komav. Even though she's a commonborn dragon rider. She is from a family of dragon egg hunters, who have had Sunbeam since the egg. Something that he can respect.
The same can't be said about sir Malfane. Who lord Ganulf straight out dislikes.
The advisor to the prince, who left his family and original faction, because he didn't agree with the things they were doing. Who also left the Salmain faction for the chance of being the rider of Firelight the dragon.
As anyone, from the highest of the nobility in the kingdom, to the lowest of peasants.
Can be a rider of a dragon that isn't part of a family of dragon egg hunters.
So it was with bitter disappointment, that lord Ganulf, who was the first candidate put forward, was turned down by Firelight the dragon, and pretty instantaneously too.
The dragon just over three years ago, would go through a couple hundred potential candidates, before finally picking sir Malfane from the province of Halvarc.
The lord of Highsun, a city in the mountain province of Hanamede, nods as others do at something the officer in the middle of the wardroom just said.
Then he looks at admiral Halmack who says "Very well, the fleet is in pretty good shape after the battering we took the other morning" followed by "Though the mystery of how the enemy dragon Sunblaze was killed is still to be solved, we can say we've been relatively successful all things considered".
There's a consensus agreement to that from the gathered crowd in the admiral's wardroom.
Even lord Ganulf admits things went pretty well with the battle the other morning. And true they lost a number of ships. They did just as much damage, maybe even more. To the fleet in the Golmard faction they found themselves fighting.
But more importantly, an enemy dragon was killed in the battle. 
You could lose most of one's fleet, but if you were able to kill an enemy dragon. History here in Terrindim will tell you that you're the victor.
Lord Ganulf looks at admiral Halmack, who is speaking again.
"Rider Daeliss, since you called this meeting" says the fleet admiral, who then adds "I assume there's something you wish to discuss?".
"There is" says Daeliss Komav the dragon rider as everyone in the wardroom apart from her fellow dragon rider, sir Malfane, looks at her.
The nobleborn dragon rider is looking ahead, though keeping a discreet eye upon his fellow nobleman, lord Ganulf.
Daeliss the rider of Sunbeam, who is standing between her fellow dragon rider sir Malfane, and her older cousin, captain Jarmic Komav.
The lean, blonde haired young woman, whose family has had Sunbeam the dragon since the egg, briefly pauses before she says "As you know i went ahead to check on our other fleet and army we're to join".
There's nods all around at hearing that from the young dragon rider, who continues on with "All seems to be okay with them".
Daeliss Komav then gives a quick description of the Balford fleet and army they're flying to join, as well as where they are, and how soon they're likely to catch up to them.
After she does, the younger of the two dragon riders pauses for a moment or two, before she says "While i was observing our fleet and army, another dragon suddenly appeared on a nearby hilltop".
There's murmurs from some of the gathered crowd in the admiral's wardroom, who then fall silent as Daeliss Komav tells them "It was not an enemy dragon, it was from another faction".
In the silence here in the admiral's cabin in the stern of the Dragon's Revenge, the flagship of the fleet, the commonborn dragon rider says "From the Salmain faction".
There's more than a few looks directed at lord Ganulf, who sits there wondering which dragon it is, as he personally knows all of them in the Salmain faction, and their riders.
"It was the dragon Bluefire" says the rider Daeliss.
The lord of Highsun slightly nods as he knows that dragon well, and his rider, Sommic. Who is an old friend of lord Ganulf, as they served in the Salmain army together when they were younger.
Infact Sommic is one of the few friends from lord Ganulf's former faction that he misses.
"And his rider Marson" adds Daeliss Komav after a brief pause.
At the table, the prince's advisor goes completely still when he hears that name.
Though he clenches his right fist in obvious anger, which a few in the wardroom, including the rider Malfane notice.
The lord of the mountain city Highsun, who is looking down at his clenched fist on the table, relaxes his hand then looks over at dragon rider Daeliss, who along with her fellow dragon rider sir Malfane, he sees are looking directly at him.
"You know this Marson, lord Ganulf?" asks admiral Halmack.
"Yes i do" says lord Ganulf the advisor to the prince, who has just learnt that his old army buddy Sommic is dead.
"He's the young lord of the Northern Valleys in Hanamede" continues the lord of Highsun, who follows that with "The last i heard, he was courting my youngest sister".
"They're married now" says the rider Daeliss, who says that with sympathy.
Even so, lord Ganulf clenches his right hand into a fist of anger once again. While his face remains calm, almost laconic.
"Oh?" says admiral Halmack, who after looking at the prince's advisor sitting next to him, he looks over at the rider Daeliss.
"Sunbeam spoke with this Bluefire" says the commonborn dragon rider, who then adds "Dragons like to chat, even when they're from different factions, and they're not trying to kill one another".
Sir Malfane nods in agreement with his fellow dragon rider, who goes on with "From what i gather they spoke of fairly common things, and nothing of our war with the Golmard faction".
Daeliss Komav continues with "This lord Marson became Bluefire's rider fairly recently, just a month or so ago".
Lord Ganulf who feels like hissing through his teeth in anger, slowly nods his head, as he thinks about the young lord from Hanamede, who is now his brother inlaw, who is also now a dragon rider.
To say the lord of the city of Highsun is a little furious, is an understatement to the extreme.
The nobleman from the province of Hanamede, is absolutely livid with what he's just found out.
"If you would excuse me admiral" says lord Ganulf who stands up quickly.
"Of course" says admiral Halmack with a nod of his head, as the lord of the city of Highsun looks at the two dragon riders, who he gives a quick bow to.
Those gathered in the admiral's wardroom quickly part for lord Ganulf when they see the look on his face.
The advisor to the prince doesn't even wait for the steward on this side of the door to open it, he opens it himself as he hurries out of the large cabin in the stern of the Dragon's Revenge.
The nobleman from the province of Hanamede makes his way quickly down the passageway, where at the end of it, is the officer's cabin that he's been using.
He yanks open the door, enters the cabin, and slams the door shut behind him.
And back in the admiral's wardroom, even with the cabin door being closed. Everyone hears the scream of anger and outrage that comes from lord Ganulf's cabin.
The dragon riders Daeliss and Malfane glance at one another. Then everyone else in the quiet cabin, look at admiral Halmack, a nobleman himself, who clears his throat, before saying "Shall we continue then?".
Lord Ganulf, the lord of Highsun, is up till late, finally going to sleep sometime after midnight.
The nobleman from the province of Hanamede sat in his cabin when he wasn't pacing back and forth, seething in anger at what he learnt this evening in the meeting that took place in the admiral's wardroom.
His youngest sister Sorsha, not yet eighteen, married to lord Marson, the lord of the Northern Valleys. Who isn't all that much older than his young bride.
And though lord Ganulf got word in the last six months that young lord Marson was paying court to the youngest of the lord of Highsun's siblings, among other suitors for her attention.
There's no way in hell that lord Ganulf would believe the two of them would get married. For the simple reason that the lord of the Northern Valleys, is the poorest and least influential lord in all of the province of Hanamede.
And there's no way Ganulf's family, who are the most important noble family in Hanamede, who also happen to command the Salmain faction. Would allow young Sorsha to marry such an unimportant lord.
Unless that young unimportant lord, is not so unimportant anymore, as he's now a dragon rider.
The lord of Highsun, who is sick to his stomach at learning his old friend from the Salmain army, Sommic the dragon rider is now dead.
Is also sick to learn that an insignificant young lord is now the rider of the dragon Bluefire.
Though what galls him almost as badly, is that his youngest sister Sorsha has probably been forced into marrying lord Marson of the Northern Valleys.
Lord Ganulf maybe many things, traitor to his family and former faction. Absentee ruler of the city Highsun. Infact he has nothing to do with the city of his birth anymore.
But what he is though, is extremely devout to his siblings who are younger than him. And true he's a traitor to his family, and their faction. He still loves and cares about his five younger sisters and brothers. And wishes nothing but the best for them.
Not so his two older brothers, his father, step mother, and various uncles, aunties and numerous cousins.
He wants to see everyone of them dead. Even more so now that he's learnt that this lord Marson is now a dragon rider which is what he wanted to be, and still be. This lord Marson who has ended up marrying his youngest sister Sorsha.
Lord Ganulf is up early in the morning, and the rage and anger he felt last night is still there, but it's just simmering below the surface.
For if there's one thing that the nobleman from the mountainous province of Hanamede is good at, it's harnessing his rage, and using it in cool and collective manner to get what he wants done.
After eating with some of the crew in the galley, lord Ganulf makes his way up on deck of the fleet's flagship, on what's a cool but clear autumn morning.
On deck, the lord of the city of Highsun after looking around in the sky and spotting who he's searching for, he nods then waves out to one of the admiral's aides he sees nearby.
It's the one with the club foot, who limps to lord Ganulf, who recalls the youngster's name is Orvick.
"Airman Orvick have one of the ship's spellcasters join me" orders the advisor to the prince, who then adds "There is something i need done".
"Yes my lord" says able airman Orvick, aide to admiral Halmack, who limps away to find one of the flagship's spellcasters.
As he waits for the spellcaster to show up, lord Ganulf paces back and forth in a midships of the battlecruiser. The crew and others give him plenty of room, as everyone onboard has heard about his scream of anger and rage last night. Infact a lot of them actually heard it.
As he paces, the lord of Highsun, goes over some plans he's come up with. Though they're all rather dependant on getting something done first. He hopes one of the spellcasters onboard can help him with that.
Soon a sorcerer joins lord Ganulf in a midships, and asks the nobleman from the province of Hanamede "What can i assist you with my lord?".
"I want a message sent immediately to someone" says the advisor to the prince, who continues with "I need to ask them a favour".
"Of course my lord" says the sorcerer, who then adds "Who do you want me to ask?".
After a brief pause, lord Ganulf eases out a breath as he commits to the plan he's come up with, and he points away into the sky as he replies with "The rider Daeliss Komav and her dragon Sunbeam" . . . . . .