A knock came on the door waking Prince Emir. He sat in bed, groggy. "Who is it?" "Your mother." "Just a second." He grabbed the robe off his bed post, slipping it on. He opened the door, revealing an upset Queen Philippa. "What do you think you are doing?" He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as the queen pushed her way into his bedroom. "I was sleeping." He watched as she lifted the empty flagon from the table. "Yes, and we now know what kind of sleep." He smirked and shook his head. "Mother, is there something that you needed?'

"You missed target practice with your father." "Oh yes. I missed shooting arrows with King Stephen." "Your father is quite furious. So I think it best that you change and head to his chambers." "To hear him scold me?" "To apologize." "Apologize, of course." He slipped off his robe, rubbing his face. "He knows that you sleep more often now." "I need the sleep." "One day you will rule after your father. And no one follows a king who sleeps." "No, but they don't exactly follow my father either."

"He does what he can." "What he does, doesn't make him loved by the people." "But he is king nonetheless. Hurry along. I'll be in his chambers." He hurried along as he was told and dressed quickly, placing his crown on his head before heading to his father's, the King's chambers. The guards lined outside the doors bow their heads. "Morning men." "It's noon, my prince." He chuckled "Well, thank you for telling me. The King might have had my head for that. Good day, men."

He opened the door, the sound bringing eyes from the King and Queen, accompanied by a messenger. "A million pardons. Afternoon, my king." The king wore his uniform frown as he looked at the messenger. "Thank you, you may leave us." The messenger nodded and left. "What news, father?" Emir grabbed the flagon on the king's table and poured a cup, frowning at the contents. "Mead? No wine?" "You should have no need of wine any longer, should you fall drunk again."

Emir shrugged and sip on the mead, groaning. "That is awful stuff." "You missed practice." "Yes, well. I should make up for it. I'm dressed and sober. So what news?" Queen Philippa and the king shared a look before they looked at their son. "A ship. An unknown ship. Unknown and large."  Emir shrugged "And? What of it? We have many large and unknown ships." "Philippa, some time alone." The queen nodded and left the room. The king tensed as he stood up. "I'll tell you true. The ship is not truly unknown. It bares the red eye of Dred." "Dred? Edric, the Red Eye is long dead and in his grave."

"It is known, but our fellows on the water have said they seen sights of the ship. Miles away, of course. But it's being captained by Northrop Dred." Emir laughed at that. "That ancient rock?" "Ancient he may be but his niece is not." "Niece?" "The Red Eye's daughter. They say she is Edric born a female." "Well, I say she is only a woman. Should we raise our weapons and our army because of an old rock and a little bastard girl? It would be a waste. And they are miles away, so you said so yourself. You sent Edric to the grave and the pirates followed him, hiding like motherless cowards. If the Dreds are smart, they will stay well away from Erstonia."

King Stephen turned toward his son. "And if they don't?" Emir sipped his mead and smirked as he looked at his father. "Then we'll jam a sword through all their bellies.'