Continued from here part 11
The Capitol.
2 days after the battle people stood as priests finished up a prayer for the dead at a mass funeral service. A member of the royal guard walked down a line of men lighting torches. Kearn took one of the torches to light Marcus' funeral pyre as Gunnar did the same for Ian.
***
After the service Gunnar found Uri as he helped with the reconstruction, "You're weapons helped quite a bit."
Uri shrugged, "While they lasted."
Gunnar nodded, "How would you feel about staying on here?"
He looked curious, "Why?"
"I'm now in charge of the defense of this city, that means the walls are my responsibility."
Uri sat, "So you want me to fix the walls?"
Gunnar shook his head, "I want you to turn the walls into weapons. This is the capitol city of the Western half of the world and we cannot allow this to happen again. I know you have other interests and the Marshal's service can fund that research if you like. All I ask in return is that you help me defend this city."
***
Kearn stood in front of the statue of Magnus with Vargas, "Yea, he would of hated this."
Vargas nodded, "Victor found it pretty funny."
Kearn sighed a bit, "When I was about seven my father was killed by a pirate named Cykes. Magnus was just finishing up at the academy and Marcus was still a boy himself. The red plague had taken our mother about a year before that so Magnus was left to take care of us. We hated Cykes, I spent my whole life training to join the Navy to find the bastard. Magnus watched that hate make me strong, maybe that was a bad thing but one thing you should know. All that hell he put you through, all that anger he gave you was to make you strong. You need to hate him that's fine, but just know he had his reasons."
As Kearn walked away Vargas asked, "What happened to the pirate?"
Kearn didn't look back as he answered, "Menace ate him."
Vargus gave a nod and a chuckle.
***
A day later Kearn's crew was loading their ship with supplies. Vargas, Hana and Angus were packed up and ready to be on their way but came to see them off. Kearn stood next to Vargas, "You got a plan?"
"Gunnar is gonna keep paying me to collect blades. I suppose I'll keep collecting bounties and selling scrap weapons on the side."
Kearn nodded, "You know there are quite a few powered blades in the hands of pirates. And damn near all of them have a bounty of some kind. A man in your profession could do well on the sea."
He looked to Angus who shrugged, "A pirate ain't nothing but a bandit with a boat."
He then turned to Hana, "You still intent on tagging along?"
She nodded, "A debt is still owed."
"Alright then."
He turned back to Sarah who leaned on a nearby crate, "Tell Alana, if she wants I'll marry her when I get back."
Sarah chuckled a bit and gave a nod, "Will do."
Kearn gave a nod, "On the boat, boy. We're wasting daylight."
End.
(Book 2 coming soon.)
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