The further south they moved, the more the relentless storm finally subsided. Navigating, however, didn't really get any easier, only the most experienced sailors ventured into these waters that the Amethyst called home. With every nautical mile they covered, more and more of the tension fell away from the first mate. Their pursuers would have to be stupid or desperate to the extreme to steer one of the big frigates into these rapids with cliffs on all sides. Shipwrecks lined the sharp rocks wherever you looked, making it clear to everyone that any mistake here, no matter how small, could be their last. The storm brought with it banks of fog that treacherously obscured some of the most dangerous corners. He was sure that no one would follow them here, so he finally stopped scanning the horizon with his binoculars. He had probably never looked forward so much to returning to port, he loved the wide open sea far too much to step ashore more often than was absolutely necessary. He had gone to sea for the first time at a young age and it had stayed with him ever since. At that time still an inexperienced little ship's boy, he had eagerly absorbed everything there was to know about a ship like a sponge and had gradually worked his way up to his present position. He had spent his apprenticeship years on a sailing ship that did not come close to his great and only true love, but this ship had also served him well until it was finally sunk by the Amethyst. As the only survivor, the captain had allowed him to join his crew and quickly realised that he would not regret this decision. He tenderly stroked the railing of the Amethyst and reminisced about all the successful battles in which she had faithfully stood by his side ever since.

His attention, however, was taken over shortly afterwards by some of the sailors, who were having some fun with their cargo, so precious to the captain. They poked the merman with their sabres and the sharp hooks they normally used to handle the heavy ropes. With a weary sigh, the first mate set in motion to put a stop to the fools. He had just reached the foot of the stairs when the door to the captain's cabin opened and he saw his captain's blood-red coat blow past him.

With furious steps, he headed straight for the group, who realised the impending disaster far too late.

Smoke was still rising from the end of the pistol's barrel as it moved towards its next target. Realising their mistake, the remaining two sailors sank to their knees, trembling and begging for their lives.

"Plllaessss, capt'n, plllaessss don't sssshoott ussss," whined the little roly-poly snapper, glancing back and forth frantically between his shot mate and the pistol pointed at himself, decorated with mother-of-pearl inlays.

"I really wonder why I didn't turn you into fish food much earlier. Just give me one good reason to justify your pathetic existence and the space you are wasting by being on my ship," the captain demanded, making the man trembling before him flinch with each cutting word.

"Sir, it would be a mistake," the first mate interjected, stepping up beside the captain.

"You seem to have more luck than sense, someone has just agreed to take your place," he responded to the interference, letting the barrel of his gun move to his first mate.

"Sir, even if it doesn't seem like it, this man has knowledge we could still use," he argued calmly. It was not the first time he had faced this pistol and so far, fortunately for him, it had always ended the same way. The captain liked to threaten him, but he was well aware that he could not spare him. Besides, he really hadn't done anything wrong just now, except possibly undermine his authority a little, which justified this brief theatrical performance in both their eyes, after all, the crew's ranking could not be questioned because of such a trifle. As expected, the captain lowered his pistol after a few moments.

"Get out of my sight! All of you. Will you get it soon or do I have to give you legs?" he ordered them and, punctuating his command, fired a warning shot that landed between the second sailor's long bow legs. The lanky fellow jumped in the air, startled, before running after his chubby little crony, who hadn't had to be told twice to get lost.

"That goes for you too, get that rubbish off the deck and back behind the wheel where you belong!"

After the first mate had taken care of the dead sailor as requested and thus his entire crew had now returned to their work, he sat down on the railing. From there he had a formidable view of his newest treasure hanging there powerless and despondent in the ropes holding him captive.

"I've been racking my brains for the last few hours on how to get the most profit from you. Do you want to guess what nice things I've come up with?" he asked Ares the question just loud enough for him to hear it over the roar of the sea below.

Ares wanted to scream and throw all his hatred at this monster, but when he opened his mouth nothing came out but a stifled croak.

A roar of laughter came from above him. What his voice, battered by the forced chanting against the storm, was unable to signal, he therefore put into his previously dull gaze. Seething hatred flickered towards the captain as their eyes crossed.

"You must be a little hoarse, you'd better take it easy on that golden throat of yours, after all, that's one of the many ideas I have for you. To hear you sing, those silly landlubbers would dig deep into their pockets. But I'm sure we can use your voice in other ways. After all, your kind are famous and infamous in so many old sailor stories for dragging ships to their doom with their voices. What a useful little skill for a pirate like me, don't you think? All I'd have to do is make you sing and these fools would fall straight into my arms defenceless. Of course, if this is just a sailor's yarn, there is always the option of stuffing you and hanging you as a trophy or selling you to the highest bidder, at least then I would be free of the risk of being held responsible by the people who are so eager to get you back," the captain interrupted himself with a loud satisfied laugh. Ares could not believe his ears. Had this guy really just said they were looking for him? Did that mean he would just have to hold out a little longer before they freed him from this nightmare? The young crown prince hardly dared to hope, but he could not get his tormentor's words out of his head. As he continued to speak, Ares only listened with half an ear, his thoughts racing and his eyes searching. They searched beneath the surface of the water and they searched the horizon. They would save him! He just had to hold on long enough!

"The price I would get for you as an art object could certainly be increased. What do you think a greedy buccaneer would be willing to pay if he got his hands on a map that promised him a treasure beyond anything he had ever seen. Of course, there would be a little catch. Otherwise, anyone else could have found it before him. Let's think, what could possibly be the solution to the riddle? Oh I know, something that is fortunately in MY possession. Goldthroat, you'll be a cash cow for me, you'll see," he revealed his perfidious plans to Ares. Ares swallowed hard, he had to hold out, but how long did he have this in his own hands? This guy would also sell him in pieces for enough money to the greedy fools who let themselves be fooled by him, that was for sure.

"Oh, now if you're worrying your pretty little head about how to save yourself down there, take another look. I don't think you really want to take that option in your condition," the captain advised him as he noticed it working inside Ares and he made an effort to free himself from his bonds. Irritated, Ares looked down at the sea. What was to stop him? The sea was his home, he was safe in the water. "Do you know what they tell each other about me and my ship?" the captain asked, amused at Ares' apparent perplexity. "They tell each other the sharks follow me and the Amethyst like the seagulls and dolphins do so many other ships. Just look over there," with eyes that glittered like those of a child who has been given a gift, the captain watched as one of the large, fearsome predators feasted on the remains of his former sailor. The crown prince froze instantly. This was indeed a problem, his wounds would alert the highly sensitive animals as soon as he was in the water and even unharmed it would have been risky for him to try to escape. In his current condition, he was nothing more than easy prey.

"I see you understand, and now I'll leave you alone again, my little golden boy," the captain said to him with satisfaction as he recognised the panic and newly emerging helplessness in Ares.

Eric's messenger arrived in Atlantica completely exhausted, where he was immediately escorted to the throne room. When the court crier announced the arrival, Triton gripped his trident a little tighter with tension, but waited patiently until the fish had rested enough from his marathon swim to report to him without pauses. When the fish had finished his story, the king called for the captains of his guard. A short time later, the four mermen stood before him in their golden armour. They were joined by the commanding soldiers of the Olympian force that Augustus had brought with him to Atlantica for reinforcement as soon as news reached him that his grandson was missing. The king of the Mediterranean sat to Triton's right and critically examined the team before them, not sure if the Atlantians really had what it took for such a search operation. His people were famous for their warlike and strategic feats, but there was too much at stake at the moment to indulge his usual belligerence. The healthy competition that he and Triton used to have with each other had no place here now. Both their grandsons were in great danger, the inheritance of their two kingdoms was at stake. So he let Triton have his way and command his men as if they were from his own ranks. Yet he could not help the reluctance that settled in him whenever he saw how small his own son was making himself in this environment he called his new home since he had married Triton's daughter Attina. He was a prince of Olympia, though not one like his wonderful first-born son Apollo had been, but a prince of Olympia nonetheless and not such a subservient creeper. The Olympians had always fought and stood their ground for their position among the seven seas, and they had done so without being able to call upon a powerful artefact such as the trident. Augustus was of the opinion that his people deserved to have the supremacy over the world's oceans much more than these luck-defying philistines with their trident-wielding king, but he was clever enough not to make a big fuss about it.

"King Triton, King Augustus, we will bring your grandson home as soon as possible," the senior soldier said and saluted before giving the order to leave. Without a word to his father, Orpheus joined the troop. Shortly afterwards, the royal chariots shot out of the city with their teams of dolphins and hammerheads.

Attina looked anxiously after her husband, she did not want to imagine the torment her little boy was going through at the moment. But she could hope, they finally had a lead. Orpheus would find him and bring him back to her and then she would never let her little treasure out of her arms again.

Attina's brother-in-law, meanwhile, was no longer quite so optimistic about their success. The royal frigate had lost one of its sails in the storm and in trying to save it, they had lost two good men to boot. They sailed further and further south, but found no one.

"Your Highness, there's a ship!" one of the men suddenly brought him out of his gloomy thoughts. A ship! Could it really be? Had they caught up with the barbarians who held Ares captive?

"Is it them?" he asked across the storm up into the lookout.

"Sorry, just a small schooner, your highness," the man answered him from a lofty height. Eric cursed softly to himself, but then gave the order to make contact. The schooner looked terrible from close up and it seemed like a miracle that it was still keeping afloat at all. The storm had really taken a toll on the little ship and reduced the crew to a number that made it impossible for them to manoeuvre the battered boat. These men had been facing certain death until Eric and his men showed up. Joyful shouts echoed to their ears as they approached the soon-to-be shipwrecked vessel. They immediately called the foreign sailors to them. They thanked them profusely, as they had not dared to hope for rescue in such a remote corner of the sea.

"Thank you very, very much for saving us. That storm drove us so far out to sea. We would never have come home again. I thank you on behalf of my entire crew. We thought it was the end when we came into view of this pirate ship, but for some unknown reason they let us go our way, we never thought that after such good fortune this misfortune would befall us, but now everything has turned out all right," the captain thanked Eric, while he held his hand tightly and shook it violently again and again.

These men had sighted the Amethyst in these waters, they were indeed still on the right course and given the battered state of the ship, this encounter couldn't have been too long behind them, it hadn't withstood the storm for long.

"All hands to their posts! Set the mainsail again, full speed ahead, we're going to get those pirates now!" shouted Eric across the deck of the royal frigate with a new-found courage.

The captain stepped up to Eric's side once more, unsure if he should speak up again.

"Sir..."

"Your Highness," a man from Eric's ranks improved him, causing the shipless captain to widen his eyes in shock at his outrage.

"My apologies, your highness. Myone does not have much to do on land. Please forgive me for not recognising you."

"What have you to say, speak," Eric prompted him, simply skipping over the misstep.

"Your Highness, are you really sure you want to mess with these people. The waters you are heading for are dangerous," the unsettled man harangued Eric, but he was not dissuaded from his decision.

"We're going to catch them and make them pay for everything they've been guilty of," he clarified, making it clear that he didn't want to hear another word regarding a retreat.

"If you are so sure, then I want to show my gratitude for saving my crew. I know the hiding place of these robbers, let me give you directions. I know the fastest and best rod," the rescued captain offered to help. Eric thanked fate that the pirates had spared this very ship and that they had found the men in time before they would have followed their ship to the bottom of the sea.

The Amethyst continued to bob gently through the rugged strait behind which her home port lay hidden and protected from all those unable to read the sea as her own swashbuckling crew understood it. If the captain had not re-entered his cabin, the first mate would certainly have had the next few kind words thrown at him today at the pace he was currently dictating, but he had no desire to dock any faster than absolutely necessary now that they were finally drifting in the safe waters that lay beyond the rapids. Relaxing, he lay down on the railing and let his gaze glide over the deck.

"Sir, sail in sight!" the call from the crow's nest snapped him out of his thoughts. Incredulous, he glanced up at the other. The latter, however, only pointed out to the open sea behind them.

The first mate followed the outstretched arm of his sailor and there he saw them. Large white sails.

That could not be!

It couldn't be!

"Shit," he spat out and struck the polished dark wood in front of him with a clenched fist.