Day two. No signs of the Thracians. The weather was nice. A few clouds. There were dolphins following alongside the ship. The atmosphere on board the osprey was cautiously optimistic.

Proteus looked out over the sea, a few ships had been seen but all merchant ships. He had just finished his report and he watched the dolphins play alongside the boat. They greeted him with a whistle and a jump. Proteus smiled. He went up to the bridge where Admentus was steering.

"Hey Admentus. What did you want to talk about?" He asked all good cheer.

Admentus tilted the wheel slightly. "Did you finish your report?"

"Every last awful detail." Proteus laughed, "I can't wait to get back."

Admentus gently kept them on course, "Me too." He looked down at the deck where Traea was helping Quorun with his bad shoulder. She was stretching it for him and pressing around the joint to feel for swelling. That would occupy her for a bit.

"Proteus you made Marlos say thanks to Traea didn't you?" Admentus asked. Though it was more of a statement.

Proteus raised an eyebrow, "Did he?"

"He was shaking."

Proteus frowned, "He was insulting Traea behind her back."

Admentus sighed and tilted the wheel to the right, "Word of advice, Traea hates it when people defend her." He smiled, "I tried it once and she chewed me out."

"What? Why?"

"Because she fights her own battles, or that's what she says." He shrugged, "She's got pride Proteus, and even if we defend her it won't solve the problem. Especially if you do."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you're a prince dude. If you show her too much favoritism people will talk."

Proteus frowned, "Favoritism? She deserves respect."

"Yeah I know, but people see things how they want." Admentus looked at his honor bound friend. "Just be careful alright?"

Proteus looked at Traea, "Why do people hate her so much? I don't understand it."

"It's probably because they don't understand." Admentus followed Proteus's gaze, "It may not seem like it to you two, but somethings that ya'll do are ridiculous."

Proteus looked at Admentus, he was smiling. "So, because they don't get her, they don't like her."

"To people who don't know her she can come off as a bit, eccentric, and stiff." Admentus said, "She's not, but you can't deny that she does things in her own way. Which is what I like her for." Admentus grinned.

"Marlos called her god touched." Proteus said. "You know I couldn't let that go."

"Yeah. But, it's not the worst thing they've called her. It is the most common one." Admentus thought he'd give Marlos a little visit later.

"But that's not fair. It makes it seem like she doesn't work hard or deserves her success." Proteus shook his head frustrated, "That's the worst kind of thing. They don't even take the effort to know her."

God-touched, it meant something akin to an unnatural gift. It was often used to refer to someone who's talents couldn't be explained. So strange and other worldly they could only exist through interference by the gods. Proteus hated it.

"It's nice that you care so much Proteus." Admentus sighed, "But like I said you can't fight her battles for her."

Proteus nodded, "I understand. Thank you." He looked over at Admentus, he had a lot of questions on his tongue that he wanted to ask, but thought it might be inappropriate. How well do you know her? Why are you so protective? Why does she call you guppy? Why guppy? I mean, Guppy?

Admentus looked over at Proteus who had been staring at him for a bit, "What?"

Proteus smiled, "You're a good friend Admentus."

Admentus raised an eyebrow. "To who? You or Traea?"

"Both." Proteus pushed him, "But now you're getting all snarky."

"Of course, I'm stressed."

"You are?"

"How are you not?" Admentus asked gently shoving him away, "I can barely think straight I'm so worried."

Proteus grinned, "You seem the same to me."

"Well I'm not, you unobservant bastard." Admentus rolled his eyes, "Be a little concerned please."

Proteus smiled, "I am. But since I can't do anything about it right now I'll have to be patient."

Admentus frowned as Proteus clasped his hands behind his back. The captain looked down at Traea who was just finishing up Mo's shoulder. "Do you think she's worried?"

Proteus looked at Traea who was joking around with Mo while she kneaded his arm. "Not sure." Proteus tilted his head, "She does seem… prepared."

Admentus nodded, "Do you think she's been waiting for this? In some way."

Proteus frowned, "If you were a general, would you?"

"I don't know." Admentus sighed. "I really don't."

As if she felt their eyes on her Traea turned around and smiled at both of them. She said something to Mo and then bound up the stairs.

"Hey you two!" She waved, "How we doing?"

"We're on course." Admentus said.

"We're fine." Proteus smiled.

Traea frowned and chopped the Prince on the back, "Relax. Both of you." She reached over and pressed her thumb into Admentus's neck, "We can't have your nerves fraying before we get back."

Admentus nearly collapsed with a moan. He managed to keep his feet by holding onto the wheel, "Damn it Traea! Don't do that when I'm steering!" He was red up to his ears and righted the steering wheel.

Traea backed away grinning, "Sorry." She winked at Proteus, "He tries to be this guy who doesn't care about anything, but he's really a big softie."

"I am not!"

Admentus's first mate appeared on the bridge, "Of course you are captain." He handed Proteus a loaf of bread. "The biggest softie I know."

"This is mutiny." Admentus muttered.

The first mate kept a straight face. "When was the last time you slept Captain?"

Admentus frowned, "I'm fine Prich."

"By my count it's been two days." The first mate looked up thinking. "Your highness what do you think?"

"I concur Prich." Proteus agreed.

"Are you guys stalking me or something?" Admentus asked.

"We're all on one ship Admentus." Proteus pointed out.

"Ya'll are being weird." Admentus ignored them.

"Maybe it's time for you to sleep sir." Prich said plainly.

"I have to steer." Admentus looked over the bow stubbornly. "I'm not sleeping now, it's not even nighttime."

The first mate sighed and turned to Traea, "Do you mind general?"

"Mind? Mind what?" Admentus looked at all three of them.

"Very well." Traea rolled up her sleeves, "He's not going to like it."

"I'm sorry general, but he can be so very stubborn." The first mate said.

"What are you doing?" Admentus took a step away from his friends.

Traea quickly took a step toward Admentus and he reeled away but not fast enough. Traea calmly reached around and pressed her fingers into his neck.

His protest was cut off and just devolved into a grunt. Traea then turned him gently around and slid her hand around his jaw and behind his ear, putting just enough pressure to count as pressure. Admentus's mouth stopped working, so did his legs and hands too. He managed to grunt out a few noises that almost sounded like words.

Proteus watched in fascination as Traea practically worked the captain into a half vegetable state. He looked at the deck, it felt a little wrong to be watching it actually.

"Why don't you go to sleep." She said soothingly, "I'll give you a head message that'll help."

Admentus nodded compliantly.

The first mate had taken the wheel and Traea winked at him. She signaled to Proteus to help get their stubborn friend down the stairs.

"I know what you're doing." Admentus mumbled as Traea traced the muscle at the back of his skull.

"But you're going to do it anyway right?" Traea rested his head against her chest.

"Yeah."

"Good."

Proteus took Admentus down the stairs and looked at Traea, "You scare me sometimes."

Traea grinned. "Good."

They put Admentus to bed and Traea gently squeezed specific parts of his head, neck, shoulders and face until he was asleep.

"And done." She got up and they closed the door.

Proteus whispered, "and I thought you were the one with bad sleeping habits."

Traea rolled her eyes, "Guppy is secretly an earnest person and that's why he doesn't want to be an earnest person."

Proteus laughed, "Isn't that true."

They got on deck and Traea waved at the first mate, "He's down for a bit."

"Thanks General!"

Traea nodded. "I told you these hands are magic."

Proteus grinned, "Oh, I know."

"Traea!"

Traea turned and threw Marin onto the deck, "I told you no sneak attacks right now. I might throw you into the water."

"Yes sir." Marin pouted on the ground.

"But it was good form." Traea said, "Work on your approach next time."

Marin grinned and saluted. "Hey Proteus."

"Hey Marin."

"What's the bread for?"

Proteus realized he was still holding it, "Uh, for me I guess." He took a bite, "Want some?"

"Nah I'm okay." Marin got up and went to join the other soldiers who were off duty.

Proteus broke off a piece and handed it to Traea, "Here."

Traea took it, "Thanks."

Day three. No ships once again, cloudier then yesterday. A few seagulls were tagging along with the crew. The other two ships were coming along fine. Near sunset they neared the mainland of Italia. They would round the end of it by night fall and then be only a quarter of a day away from Syracuse.

It was nearly sunset, and clouds were rolling in purple and red. The water was calm with barely a breeze.

"Captain. Look." His first mate pointed behind them.

Admentus looked and frowned, there were a few ships sailing after them.

"Do you think they're friendly?" The first mate asked.

Admentus squinted trying to see the ship's colors but it was hard to tell from such a distance. "I don't know, but keep an eye on them."

"Something wrong?" Proteus asked.

Admentus shook his head, "Not sure. There are a few ships behind us, but I can't see if it's the Thracians or not."

Proteus squinted at the horizon. "Hm. I'm going to put the guys on alert anyways. We can't be too careful."

"Got it." Admentus turned and whistled to get Traea's attention.

Traea heard him and looked up. He signaled to her and she nodded.

"Anything wrong general?" Hadid asked.

Traea looked around, "We're on standby until I say." She nodded at the deck, "Get the boys ready."

"Yes sir."

Traea saw Rip and gestured him closer, "Keep the ambassadors close. Admentus spotted some ships."

"Thracian?"

"We don't know yet, just be ready, and don't panic the ambassadors too much."

"If it's the Thracians it took them long enough." Rip frowned. "Do you think the Thracians would attack us? This close to Syracuse?"

"I don't know." Traea said, "If they're desperate enough maybe."

Everyone had their eyes trained on the ships in the distance. Proteus could count four. They were already back dropped by the night sky so it was getting easier to make them out as the red glow of the sun offset them against the dark background.

Traea stood near the center of the ship. She still wasn't very comfortable with water and as it got darker it didn't exactly put her ease.

Proteus smelled something, it was like rotten meat. He had gotten just a wiff of it. He frowned and went down to the deck where Traea was standing looking in the opposite direction. She also had her nose up in the air sniffing.

It didn't smell like bad fish which was only to be expected, but rather a greasy sulfurous smell. But the second it hit his nose it vanished on the breeze again.

"Traea." Proteus stood next to her about to ask what that awful smell was. Then he looked up, he saw a speck of white in the sky. "What's that?"

Traea looked up and instantly pushed Proteus to the deck, "Get down!" She lifted her sword and the sheathed blade crashed with the talons of a Harpy. She grit her teeth bracing the sword with two hands. The harpy bounced off the sword fast as the wind with a scream.

"Harpy!" Traea yelled watching it circle back around. "Get down!"

The harpy circled around screaming its insults. It was as fast as the wind, Proteus had problems keeping an eye on it. It raced back toward the boat talons out and ready.

Proteus got to his feet. As everyone else ducked for cover.

It came screaming down on them and Traea planted her feet and focused her grey eyes on the winged beast. At the last moment she whipped her sword out of its sheath and cut the huge thing in half.

The blood sprayed out on the deck and the two halves splashed into the water sinking into the sea.

"Sailors Form up!" she shouted. "Diplomats inside! Admentus! Do not let us slow down!"

The soldiers instantly formed up, half forming a perimeter around the deck, the other half guarding the sailors and diplomats.

Traea looked around for Proteus, he was nowhere to be seen. "Proteus!"

Proteus appeared at her side after helping Lord Almeno below decks, "I'm here."

She flicked the blood off her sword, "Stay next to me."

"Sure thing." He turned, "Admentus! Bring us to shore! We need cover!"

They always hunt in packs, where's the others? Traea searched the sky. "where are you."

There was chaos on the other two ships. Admentus signaled them three times but they didn't seem to be listening.

"HEY ASSHOLES LISTEN!" He roared at the top of his lungs and the did the signal again with exaggerated motions.

Proteus saw the Harpies emerge from behind a cloud, "Traea! There!" He pointed.

"Archers!" she shouted.

Half of the soldiers pulled out bows and arrows.

The harpies split screeching. They descended on the ship in a flurry of feathers.

Some of the archers managed to shoot off arrows, but as skilled as they were the harpies were insanely fast.

Four arrows found four harpies, one in the chest, one in the wing, another in the leg, and the last in the eye of the woman faced monster.

Traea stepped in front of Jin who was fitting another arrow to his string. She smacked the oncoming harpy away and it screeched as it fell over the side of the ship leaving a fair amount of feathers behind. It splashed once but struggled into the air once more.

A harpy almost lifted Quorun into the sky by his robe before it got shot in the chest and Hadid grabbed Quorun and pulled him out of the harpies talons.

Some of the harpies wheeled away to dive in once more.

"Starboard! Starboard!" She shouted.

Some of the soldiers managed to turn toward the starboard side. Luckily they were able to form up in time and the harpies were met with rather prickly spears when they tried to dive in this time.

But just as they were stopped another group tried swooping in, they weren't allowing the crew time to reform.

Traea saw the three waves that the Harpies had set up. Her thoughts ran lightning fast. Her soldiers were getting battered left and right. Harpies were annoying and they'd never fought the ugly things on a ship before.

"Portside!" She shouted as the third group tried swooping in. Taking up a bow she fit an arrow to the string. "Archers! Fire on my mark!"

Three of the Harpies hurtled toward them low across the face of the water. Traea waited until they were almost on the ship, for a split second they disappeared behind the side of the ship. Traea released her arrow then aiming at empty space. About eight arrows followed her. The row of arrows went over the side of the ship exactly as the harpies rose from below to attack them. Instead they were hailed with arrows, their paths immediately went wonky directions and they splashed into the water. Harpies were fast, but predictable.

Because their pattern was ruined the rest of the harpies screeched and wheeled away.

"Reform!" Traea assessed the damage, no one was dead, that was a relief. But a few men had nasty slices from the Harpies's talons. She suddenly found her side empty.

Proteus stopped the bleeding on Carim's arm.

"There's the Prince!" One of the Harpies screeched, "get him!"

The lead harpy swooped down to snatch the prince followed by a second. Proteus was distracted by the heavy bleeding.

Luckily Traea quickly intervened. Spinning she chopped off the monster's head. The blood sprayed out from the neck and Traea set her feet and swung upward slicing open the second.

"I thought I told you to stay next to me." She muttered shoving the dead harpy off of Carim.

"Sorry." Proteus helped Carim sit up, "You okay?"

"Just fine your highness." Carim grinned covered in harpy blood. "But you should listen to Traea. She'll keep you safe."

"I'm trying my best."

"Are sure about that?" Traea sighed, she turned and impaled a Harpy on her sword and turned letting its weight crash onto the deck. It thought it could take her by surprise while she had her back to it. It was wrong.

"Do you deal with harpies often?" He asked tying a strip of cloth around Carim's arm.

"More than I'm happy with." Traea growled trying to free her sword.

Carim grinned, "Well I like it."

"Atleast someone does." Traea pulled the sword out of the harpy with a sound of snapping tendons and breaking bones. Blood oozed out onto the harpy's white plumage. The remaining harpies hovered unwilling to get close to the general surrounded by three of their dead.

"If they're hungry they should go find easier prey." She growled. "Go away!" She yelled.

"Do you think they'll listen?" Proteus asked amused.

"It's worth a try." Traea sighed as the Harpies spat at them. "Watch it." A harpy swooped low missing them as Traea covered Proteus's head, "Rude."

"Go away please!" Proteus said, "We don't want to hurt you." He called.

They laughed in the prince's face.

"Well, we tried." Proteus shrugged.

Traea decided to back the prince's words with a little threat. "Bow."

Helvid handed her his bow and she took an arrow. Swiftly pulling back the string she aimed and fired in one smooth motion.

The arrow hit the closest harpy in the eye and it screamed and fell into the water.

"We told you to back off!" Traea shouted, "The next flea ridden dirt bag that gets near out ships gets an arrow in the eye."

They hastily flew out of range.

"That should keep them back for a bit." She gave Helvid his bow back.

"They seem so eager." Proteus said.

"This is all your fault." She glared at Proteus.

"My fault?" Proteus frowned.

"Yes, with your beautiful monster attracting face." Wren gestured, "It's like attracting bees with honey."

Proteus laughed sheepishly, "I do seem to have a higher sea monster rate than most." He rubbed his head. "Wait did you just say I have a beautiful face?"

"It's common knowledge." Helvid said.

Rip appeared by Traea's side, "Traea these aren't the normal Harpies." He said blood staining his face, it wasn't his though.

"I know they're too stubborn." She saw them wheeling high above them. "They would've gone to find easier prey by now. The other two ships were right next to them but they were being completely ignored by the harpies.

"Traea!" Admentus shouted. "Look!" he pointed to just off the port stern. Where four ships with barely visible purple flags could be seen, "It's the Thracians."

"Are you serious?" Traea looked at the growing ships. "Fucking vultures."

"Traea what do we do?" Rip asked. "We've never had Harpies and Ships before." He nervously gripped his spear.

"It's okay Rip. We just have to think our way out of this." She put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

With her reassurance Proteus thought for a moment that everything was going to be alright.

But that's where things went wrong.

First the ship shuddered and jumped. Everyone on board yelled.

Traea slipped on Harpy blood and Proteus caught her.

The remaining harpies used the double distraction to launch a last ditch attack on the crew. Traea turned and managed to block a Harpy's strike on her sword but it made both her and Proteus, who was behind her, stumble back. A second harpy swooped in and managed to clip them with a wing.

They stopped sliding just as Proteus bumped the railing.

It would've been fine if that was all. But just as Proteus and Traea were catching their breath. A giant grey green tentacle rose out of the water and swept across the deck knocking both of them off the side of the ship.