Author's Note (Please read): As probably most of you know, I had a sub plot going with Daine as the main character. Unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would because it required a lot of explanation and many extra laborious chapters. Although it would have matched up very coolly (in my opinion) with the main plot near the end of the story, its participation could be easily replaced. So after agonizing over it, I decided to take the plunge and completely delete it. For you Daine fans out there, she will still get a chance to play a nice heroic role in the end, but not be a main 'Riptide' character. (I did end up leaving in her introduction at the end of chapter three though.)

Author's Note #2: I am completely making up the amount of time it takes to get places in Tortall by sea. If anybody knows for sure, feel free to let me know. (And also, please let me know if I get anything else wrong. I'd love you forever.)

Now, after much delay, on with the story!

The three Tortallan envoy vessels were making very good time. Not good enough time according to Alanna. She was at the helm of Lady Providence (one of the vessels) directing very unpleasant thoughts at her king.

Alanna sat cross legged on top of a deck crate. Her arms were crossed upon the railing while her green tinged face pressed into them.

Stupid boats. I hate them all! She thought rather childishly. I shouldn't even be here. Stupid Jonathan. I hope he gets a splinter; a really big one. Even though she would never admit it, Alanna did agree with Jon's logic for sending her along. In fact, if he had been given more warning, he would never have sent his champion at all. But time and space was limited.

Miserably, Alanna lifted her head and stared out into the calm gray waters. Her stomach rolled as waves gently lapped against the hull. Goddess, she felt as if she were pregnant with the twins again! Only this time a bowl of George's raspberry and peanut pudding wouldn't soothe her ailing stomach. She had gained temporary respite when they had landed in Port Legann two days earlier. All to soon they had gathered the cargo and hit the open sea again.

Eight days down, She mentally reassured herself. Then she ruined it by thinking, only nineteen freaking days to go!

The other nine people on board Lady Providence felt sorry for her. They had given up on distracting her from her sea sickness after the first three days though. She was not in a sociable mood, and she didn't plan to be in one until her feet were firmly planted on dry Tortallan soil. Only then could she safely eat a meal without losing it soon after.


"Poor lady Alanna," Kel commented to Dom as the two of them played cards on the deck of Persistence. She glance at the vessel sailing next to them and watched the lioness heave bile over Lady Providence's railing.

"She's not the only one." Dom jerked his head in the direction of Darrwan of Jefer's View. Darrwan was hunched over Persistence's railing in a similar position.

"Now him I don't feel sorry for," Kel said as she studied her cards. "Every minute he spends throwing up is a minute less that I have to deal with him."

Dom said, "It's not like you have much else to do, we haven't run into much trouble."

Luckily they had run into only a few pirate ships lurking about the Emerald Ocean. Most of those had easily been outrun thanks to the their vessels' sleek designs. Lady Providence, Persistence, and Molly's Folly had all been designed for speed and maneuverability over anything else. They had run into a fast pirate ship once, but luckily the gifted people onboard had been poorly trained, and the war mages in the Tortallan/Yamani envoy had easily taken care of them.

"It makes me suspicious that we haven't had any trouble since we picked up the stuff from Port Legann," Kel admitted. "We're a beacon out here to any half decent scrying mage."

Dom shrugged. "Maybe the fog has something to do with it. Besides," he grinned his handsome grin at her. "It means I get to spend more time with you."

Kel ducked her head and told him shyly, "I enjoy spending time with you too."

Dom layed his hand down and leaned slightly forward. He looked nervous, with was an uncommon expression for him. "Kel, when we get back to Tortall, would you like to go out to eat sometime. Alone. Or go dancing."

Kel's heartbeat sped up. Was he interested in her as more than a friend? She hoped so.

She opened her mouth to say yes when her eyes drifted behind Dom.

"Oh no," she said.

Dom blushed. "Okay. I just thought that it w-."

Kel grabbed Dom's arm, interuppting him.

"No, I'd love to do something with you. But is that a ship headed right toward us?"

Dom turned around and whipped a spyglass up to his eye.

"As a matter of fact, it is. It's headed right toward us- about five minutes away I would think."

"Why weren't we warned twenty minutes ago then?" Kel demanded. She glared up at the Crow's nest. A yamani sentry stared calmly out to sea. She turned and looked up at Lady Providence's crow's nest. A yamani stood calmly there as well. She turned towards the last ship.

Kel had specifically scheduled there to be both a Tortallan lookout and a Yamani lookout at all times, but nobody was on Molly's Folly's sentry point. Or was there?

"Can I see that," Kel asked before staring up with Dom's spyglass.

A limp hand hanging off the nest's edge was all Kel could see of the Tortallan sentry. Kel had a very bad feeling gnawing at her stomach. She ran as dignifiedly as she could manage up to the Stern.

"Change course," she demanded of the first mate, who was manning the steering wheel. The Yamani man acted as if he hadn't heard her.

"I just gave you an order," Kel said, putting her hand out to hold the wheel.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Keladry of Mindelan." Captain Bloomroi stepped into view. No emotion whatsoever was displayed on his face.

A naked long sword gleamed in his hand.

Yes, I do realize I just left you at a cliffhanger. MWAHAHAHA!