The galley was swift and steady, cutting through the waves like a blade made of Sidhe steel. The sky was blue and calm, like a warm blanket draped over the Caraíbes. It had been three weeks since they had left la'Manse delle Simia and set sail. They were about to reach Grenesaerrat and the idea of opportunity grew even more enchanting.

Captain Tomas approached Salvador as he stood at the prow, as usual. "Segniuer Castellano."

"Yes?"

"We have sight of land―"

That spurred Salvador; he rushed up to the crows nest, climbing swiftly and without falter. His wild brown hair flapping in the wind as he jumped onto the crows nest and snatched the spyglass from the barrelman. He magnified it to its max and caught sight of Grenasserrat City. Salvador lowered the spyglass from his right eye and grinned.

"Gerard!" he called down. "We've spotted land!"

The crew and the soldiers of Captain Tomas' company cheered. Gerard waved his hat in the air and smiled. As they approached Grenasserrat, Salvador could see the small limestone buildings of the city even better. Grenasserrat had the largest source of limestone in the Caraíbes Isles, meaning all its cities were made of limestone at the core. The port was tiny compared to the one at Fiorá, with only a couple dozen ships docked there. The city only had walls surrounding its inner core where the nobility lived. If the city ever came under siege, the peasants would be left to die.

In order to make sure the Grenassarri did not attack them on sight, Salvador and Gerard designed had designed their own flag before they left. A royal yellow field blazoned with a crossed black sword and sickle. It was to symbolize the Freelancer Knight and the Peasant. The flag also held the mercenary's blade; a jagged sword that indicated the group was a mercenary company on the top right corner. The galley also flew a white flag to proclaim that they came in peace. Still the Grenassarri remained cautious, as the galleys began to enter the port, ballistae crews had been trained on it, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

The green and white flag of Grenassarrat was charged with a hibiscus flower. It waved in the air, not proudly, but in fear. Salvador could not explain it but the flag seemed to cower in the air, waiting for the enemy to strike at any moment.

They galleys crawled into the port and docked, dropping an anchor to keep it in place. The boarding ramp came down on land and Salvador was the first to step off.

If one was not used to being on ships for long periods of time, they would find their legs unsteady on the solid ground after weeks spent aboard a rocking ship. However, Salvador was used to being on ships as his many adventures had him crossing entire oceans to reach his destination.

The soldiers from all three galleys were fine, however, they were all required to leave their weapons on board before stepping foot on Grenassarri soil.

A Grenassarri officer approached Salvador with about a dozen soldiers carrying halberds behind him. He wore a colorful green and white uniform lined with the pink and gold colors of the hibiscus. The sigil on his chest signaled he was of the Grenasserrat City Police. "State your name and business here in Grenassarri during these tumultuous times!"

Salvador answered calmly, "I am Salvador Castellano, co-leader of the Seeker Company. We come to offer our services to the kingdom of Grenassarrat."

Gerard stepped forward. "I am Sir Gerard Elwyn, co-leader of the Seeker Company. My partner here has stated our business."

The officer's jaw dropped. "S-sir Gerard Elwyn? The Sir Gerard Elwyn?"

Salvador rolled his eyes in annoyance. Gerard, however, just smiled patiently. "The one and only."

The officer seemed unsure what to do then. He couldn't very well bend the knee to a mercenary, but to simply stand there might seem disrespectful.

They're always like this, Salvador thought, irritated.

The officer seemed to make up his mind and gave a deep bow. "Sir, your services will be most welcome. We. . . are in difficult times here in Grenasserrat."

Indeed they were. The city was quiet and trembling. Just from what Salvador could see, everyone was in fear. Few walked the streets anymore and those who did seemed to see an attacker in every shadow and alleyway. Gerard and the officer began to converse as they began to walk to the inner city, leaving their three companies at the galleys.

The cobbled streets of Grenassarrat were void of life, save for the scuttling of rats and cats. They were in the inner city now but few nobles braved the streets.

"The army hasn't even reached their doorstep and yet the act as if they are under siege," Salvador heard himself mutter.

Gerard heard him. "They are under siege," he replied. "Just not physically."

They finally reached the Hibiscus Keep. A sad thing it was; the flowers that must've once draped the walls were all dead or dying, shriveled up like raisins. The limestone had even taken on a grim color, as if the stress of war had affected even these great rocks. The guards saw the officer leading them and allowed them inside the keep. It was a direct path to the throne room, where two guards opened the door for them. As they entered, they saw the sad court of the King of Grenasserrat.

The man was in his sixties and failing. He wore a green and white cloak that reached the bottom steps of his dais. His eyes were a deep brown and his hair stark white. Beside him stood his daughter, Crown Princess Lana. The Crown Princess had a cold look in her eye as she glared at Salvador and Gerard.

"You stand before the King Andrés of Grenessarrat the Sixth of His Name and his daughter, Crown Princess Lana, Second of Her Name!" announced the herald.

The princess had salt-and-pepper hair, along with the same deep brown eyes as her father. She was well into her thirties and obviously no warrior. She had the pose of a stateswoman though; standing tall and straight with a lean frame that indicated she had not seen much work in her life. As with everyone in the throne room, the burden of war seemed to weigh heavily upon her soldiers, yet she remained proud. She was soon to be queen of this small kingdom and she must be an example to her people.

"To what do we owe this pleasure?" the princess started.

Both Salvador and Gerard gave the king a deep bow but did not bend their knees, for they were subject to no sovereign. "Your Majesty," Gerard said in his deep voice. "We have to come to offer our services to the Kingdom of Grenaserrat."

The Crown Princess's brown eyes softened just a touch. "You are fools."

Salvador raised an eyebrow in question. "That is not something I hear quite often."

"You came on whose behalf? Do you come to represent the Duchess Lilliana Florjes? Perhaps this a way to trick us into the debt of your lady. If so, then begone; we want nothing to do with you here."

Salvador rolled his eyes. But of course the Grenesarri had every right to be cautious. Still. . . it was just annoying. He took a deep breath and said, "We serve no lord or lady, Your Highness. We come for opportunity, which we found in Grenessarrat."

"And yet your soldiers bear the colors of House Florjes," the old king said, his voice surprising everyone in the room.

Lana glanced at her father in surprise, but she continued. "My father makes a valid point. You claim to be a mercenary company yet you carry the colors of a foreign house."

"The Duchess of Veroña has sponsored us, yes. However, I swear to you that we are our own and she has no part in what we are offering. I swear this to you on my honor," Gerard said insistingly.

However, Lana did not give any ground. "I wonder if Lilliana cares about your honor, Freelancer. No, it is power she wants more, honor be damned."

The general consensus around the room seemed to agree with Princess Lana. The Grenessarri all showed hostility to the Sersalvonians, if not with their postures then with their eyes.

"If it is the colors that scare you, then I promise you we'll repaint them," Salvador snapped. "We are a mercenary company operating on our devices. However, if you think you're able to hold up on your own, then we shall board ship and leave.

"But I don't think you can. A glimpse of the city was all I needed to see that your walls are undermanned and you are unprepared for a siege. I only saw a few pathetic galleons at sea and that is what I assume is your navy. How do you expect to be able to hold on to the port and fend off an army on land? After a few weeks you'll be on your knees and surrendering, bowing down to the pale-skinned Evrúopeans. We are here to give you a fighting chance."

But Lana simply would not bend. "And why not go over to the Evrúopean side if it so imminent that they shall win? How are we supposed to know that you weren't sent by the Evrúopeans in the first place? To put a hand on our backs whilst we are weak only to let us find out that there is a knife in that hand?" she demanded.

"Because you'll pay more than the Evrúopeans will. Or at least, you'll offer more."

"And what makes you so sure about that?"

Salvador smirked. "The Evrúopeans don't need our help."

The throne room fell silent. The only sound was the clock that seemed to be ticking as their time ran out. Every second they wasted, the Evrúopeans got a little closer to the city.

"It makes no matter." The king was speaking once more! His voice was frail and gravelly. He was consumed by a bout of heavy coughing. Salvador could just feel the way his throat must've been racking. "We shall surrender to the Evrúopeans the second they are seated."

All hell broke loose in the throne room.

The nobles panicked; shouting rose in the throne room and chaos ensued. Even the guards looked frightened.

"No!" came the cries. "We can't surrender!"

"They'll kill us all!"

"They'll hang us on their wicked stars and watch our bodies burn!"

Every detail that was thrown into the air about what would happen if the Evrúopeans occupied the city wormed its way into the back of Salvador's mind. Hanging them up on stars? Who did that?

"Silence!" the princess bellowed, her voice surprisingly carrying throughout the chaotic room. All fell silent once more. The princess turned back to the king. "Father, we cannot surrender. The fall of la Islet delle Sul has showed us how the Evrúopeans treat the surrendered nobility."

When she had finished, Gerard asked, "Your Highness, what happened at la Islet delle Sul?"

The Crown Princess remained silent for a long time. So much so that Salvador thought she would never reply. When she did, it was in a somber tone with an expression that matched. "The Evrúopeans stormed the keep at Islet delle Sul in a matter of days. The gathered up the nobility of the surrounding countryside and hosted an event a few days later. They required the peasants of the castle lands to attend. And so they did, they watched as the entire church staff and all the nobility were hung upon these great wooden stars that represented their faith. They watched as their bodies were defiled and burned. The churching staff each received twenty lashes before they were hung. Any commoner that cried out during the process was killed on the spot."

Salvador felt nothing when he heard what happened to the highborns. When the princess mentioned the treatment of the commoners, he felt a slow-burning rage build up inside of him.

The princess was still speaking. "They are forcing everyone to abandon the Angel King and follow their own gods. The Gods of the Star, they call them."

"Surrender is all that is left for us," the old king croaked.

"Father―"

"Are you defying my will?" the king interrupted, adamant.

Princess Lana swallowed. "Fine. Your wish is my command."

"Your wish is my command," echoed the nobles solemnly and with fear.

The king's frail gaze landed on Salvador. "Begone, peasant. We have no need of you."