Chapter 7: Dining with the Captain

When Jade opened up the door to her cabin that would be her home for the next three weeks, she was amazed.

The room was lavishly decorated, with a massive canopy bed. There were multiple wardrobes for her clothes as well as what looked like an office where she could work at. The cabin even came outfitted with an ornate bathroom. In some areas it rivalled her own quarters in the palace.

"Looks like this boat ride won't be half bad." Jade was quite worried about having to live in economy class for 3 weeks, she was a princess after all. But with this cabin she couldn't find any fault, and neither could Collin.

"Pretty impressive, this is going to be more of a luxurious cruise than simply travelling across the sea." 3 weeks was a long time, travelling in such style would certainly be much more appealing.

Jade smiled agreeing with Collin before ushering him out to get more acquainted with her new home. Moving towards the bed she jumped backwards sinking into the soft mattress.

"Not bad at all."

"All ahead to their stations, men time to set off!" Captain henry arrived at the ship's bridge and gave orders to set sail. He spoke through a mana communicator that relayed his voice throughout the entire ship.

"Aye aye Captain!" Throughout the entire vessel each and every one of his able bodied sailors replied with vigour as they moved into position.

A couple minutes later, everyone was ready.

"Captain, everyone is in place, and the ships ready to sail." Captain Henry's first mate responded. He stood to the right of the Captain and was second in command.

"Good, set sail!" Henry pressed a large red button on his dashboard which initialised the ships mana engines. The entire vessel hummed to life and filled with power. On the deck, large sails made of special fabric imbued with mana crests deployed and the ship suddenly start to move forward and out of the docks. Through mana technology sometimes referred to as magicitech, nearly anything was possible. Even though the ship appeared similar in ways to the ones of old albeit far larger it moved much faster and far more efficiently. Mana sails would not only move with the wind but propel the ship through mana emission, far faster and reliable than just wind. Jade's hoverboard worked in a similar way.

Only large vessels with rich backers had such technology, the price to produce mana engines and sails of such size was anything but cheap, not to mention the fuel costs. Other than sucking mana from a mage most of these engines relied on mana crystals for fuel. Mana crystals were constantly in demand among all kingdoms, a prime resource in the current economy. Muterra was fairly lucky in that regard owning several mines thanks to their aggressive expansion over the years, but their reserves were nothing compared to an empire like Zoroba.

With the sails fully deployed the ship moved with rapid speed, leaving the docks and the coast of Muterra in a matter of seconds. Princess Jade had finally left home.

The journey on the ship was very pleasant, everyone from the passengers to the sailors were all very kind and welcoming to Jade and her entourage. Frequently she'd dine with the captain wherein he talked about his life on the sea, his many adventurers and all about the countries and coastal towns he'd visited over the years. Jade learned much from Henry's stories, including information about Zoroba. The captain hadn't visited Zoroba too many times given that it didn't have a port, but he'd heard many things, from merchants as well as some passengers. He described it as a mecca of technology and power. What was only available to the rich and powerful in Muterra was freely accessed by the lowest of citizens in Zoroba. He even spoke a little about the duke household that she was to marry into.

She hadn't even bothered to ask anything about the duke household until Henry brought it up, part of her didn't really wish to know, afraid to learn the truth.

"The Lionheim household is one of the oldest houses in the Zoroba empire, with strong ties to the royal family. They're a warrior household that garner great respect within and out with the empire. The current Duke himself is a lauded warrior with a significant battle record over the past few years, bringing his house to even greater status. Julian Lionheim is the youngest child of the Duke household and the only remaining heir. His brothers died in war, his father from illness and his mother from a very early age so his personality is known to be incredible cold." When Henry spoke about Julian Lionheim himself, his face showed a complicated expression. Finding it difficult to speak about given that his future wife was dining across from him.

"Please continue, Captain Henry. I would like to hear more about the man I'm about to marry." Although a little afraid, Jade asked Henry to continue.

"Very well Princess I'll tell what I know but I must advise you that I've not met the man myself, so I don't know how much is true." Henry took a large sip of his wine before continuing.

"Julian Lionheim has had three previous wives and as far as I know supposedly one has died and two others have gone missing all within the first year or so of marriage but none of this is confirmed only rumours, but in rumours there are some truths. The young Duke is occasionally referred to as the 'Fenrir' after his cold and vicious personality. His face although incredibly handsome is said to be stone cold and expressionless. In war he is said to cleave his enemies apart with a massive blade and is a master of ice based magic. His vicious and freezing aura is supposedly constantly in effect even when at home, filling any who stand near him with fear, his first wife was rumoured to succumb to this pressure, freezing to death." Henry spoke with deep gravitas and his words sent a chill down Jade's spine.

Seeing that Jade was feeling a bit afraid Henry quickly continued.

"Although there are many bad rumours regarding the young Duke there are also many good ones, it's just that these ones don't really get spread through the noble circle given that they're less interesting, gossip wise." Interested once again, Jade leaned forward in her chair, this would be the first dose of good news that she'd heard about her future husband.

"Beneath the gruesome rumours regarding his love life and his war exploits the man is known to be a great leader. The duchy he controls is said to have one of the lowest levels of poverty in the entire empire and each of his citizens look up to him in the same way Muterra looks up to you Princess."

'Hoh so his people like him.' Jade smiled greatly pleased with this information.

"He's well loved by the royal family and is close to the crown prince and third princess even with the bad rumours. Plus, the Lionheim house is known to support dozens of orphanages throughout the empire. In my opinion the duke is probably a good man just cold and haunted by demons, I for one know a little of what that's like." Jade grew even more curious as did Collin who was guarding the door. He opened his eyes and strained his ears to hear the old man's story.

Happy with the two kids reaction Henry smiled and decided to regale them a little about his time as a soldier or rather mercenary.

"Many years ago, when I was just a pup fresh from my parents' home I enlisted as a mercenary and joined up in the war between Muterra and Laakar. The war was bloody and horrifying, tens of thousands of brave men and woman died, and I was scared straight. Luckily surviving the war albeit with several scars I trained to become a sailor, to experience adventurers on the open sea but even to this day I'm occasionally haunted in my dreams by the memories of that time." Henry's eyes filled with painful nostalgia, he looked into the distance remembering the war. Henry was not a cowardly man by any means but throughout his entire career of facing pirates, sea monsters and who knows what else nothing ever filled him with such fear as the war.

"Duke Julian has experienced far more war than I have, I'm sure it haunts him." Henry actually pitied the feared and respected Duke Lionheim, to him ignoring the difference in status, Julian was still but a child not even in his late twenties yet.

Jade herself had never experienced war other than through history books and struggled to imagine what the ship captain or her future husband had been through. It made her think deeply. Whereas Collin had a similar look as Henry. Although he was too young to experience true war, he had had experience in killing foreign soldiers in minor skirmishes or eradicating bandits.

"Anyway, my point is that until you meet him yourself, you'll never know what he's really like." The captain then looked at his watch, it was time for him to return to the bridge.

"It's been lovely dining with you Princess, but I must return to my post, good night Princess."

"Good night captain and thank you."

"It was my pleasure your Highness." Henry bowed before leaving the room.