"Up " groaned Gabriel.
Gabriel and Sebastian hurled the last goblyn corpse over the side of the ship and watched it fall to earth. " That is it" said Tanis, " excluding a few pieces and a lot of their green blood, I have Audrey and Alexis moping right now."
" And how is our wounded kitty?" asked Gabriel.
" She is convinced her wound was the greatest ever suffered by man or beast" said Tanis.
" At least she is all right" said Sebastian, " wouldn't be the same without her."
" Thank you" said Alexis, " does that get me a raise?"
" Not that valuable" said Sebastian.
Alexis stuck her tongue out and dumped the bucket of green bloody water over the side. " So how long until we close these holes up?" asked Alexis, " the draft is making me cold."
" Not until we get back to Westfall" said Sebastian, " unless you want to hang over the side while we are a couple hundred feet above the ground."
" I'm wounded, but I think Audrey would like to" said Alexis.
" No way in all seven hells" said Audrey, " I hate heights."
" No, not you" said Tanis, " I've never heard this before."
The crew had a good laugh and continued on their cleaning duties while Sam piloted the ship. " I think she likes it" said Elanna, as she dumped the last bucket of bloody water over the side, " watch out she might want to buy the ship out from under you."
" No, not my sister" said Sebastian, " she wouldn't."

Evening came, dinner was greedily consumed, and Elanna returned to the bathroom to finish her bath. Elanna slowly slid down into the tub once again; she dropped her wash cloth over her eyes and fell asleep. Elanna was dreaming of her prince charming when she was rudely awakened by the distinct click of a crossbow. " No sudden movements" came a soft melodic voice, which sounded very much like Elsenor's.
" Not now your highness, you can join me but I'm not moving" said Elanna.
" You don't understand" said the voice.
Elanna slowly removed her wash cloth; two faeries were standing over her with crossbows. " Fuck not again" groaned Elanna, " look I'm not in the mood to pick a fight again, look give me ten minutes and I'll be out, clothed or naked it is your choice."
" Five minutes" said the faerie.
Elanna quickly finished her bath, this was the straw that broke it, when they got back she was going back to Fairhold and practicing medicine. Elanna got dressed and exited. The faeries escorted her to the top deck where the rest of the crew was surrounded by over twenty other faeries armed with crossbows. Elanna sat with her crew, " We certainly are popular" she said, " we know what they want yet?"
" No" fumed Sebastian."
A large ship, much like the one they managed to down yesterday was tied up along side of their ship. They sat and waited, and waited, and waited. Finally after an hour of sitting several more faeries came up and finally a very official looking faerie came over from the other ship. He quickly conversed in their native tongue to several of the faeries onboard. They were all upset over something, " Who is the captain of this vessel" said the important faerie.
" That is me" said Sebastian, " Sebastian Martell at your service."
" You destroyed one of our vessels" said the important faerie.
" Only after you shot a big glowing ball through our ship" said Gabriel.
" Was I talking to you?" asked the important faerie.
" No but I really don't care" said Gabriel, " what the hell do you want?"
" You possess something that is ours" said the important faerie, " the Fertility Statue of Lamech."
" We don't have it" said Sebastian.
" Of course you don't" said the important faerie, " then what are you doing here?"
" Could ask you the same question" said Sebastian, " this isn't exactly faerie territory."
" The statue was stolen from our museum months ago, we have sent out several agents to locate our stolen goods, we are right in entering human territory to secure its safe return" said the important faerie, " I know it is here, humans are very bad liars. One last chance to tell us where it is or suffer the consequences."
The crew looked at each and stayed silent. " Have it your way" said the important faerie, " take the ship apart."

Elsenor was safely hidden back under the bed. She saw the ship as it was approaching and quickly retreated to her hiding place. Elsenor silently cursed herself for being such a coward. Her mother always told her to stand up to the problems that she would encounter in life because the sooner you face your trouble the smaller the trouble really is. Elsenor took another deep breath and started to slip out from underneath the bed. Elsenor heard boots coming down the hall and immediately slipped back underneath the bed. Once the boots passed Elsenor pushed herself out with renewed purpose. Elsenor stood up and carefully slipped into the hallway. The two faeries that were searching this deck were at the far end looking into the bathing room. Elsenor quickly slipped across the hall into the galley. She carefully slipped through the galley into the kitchen. She gently flew out the kitchen window and peeked over the top of the flying deck. She saw the entire crew surrounded by at least fifteen armed faerie guards, she had to try and think of a way to rescue them. Elsenor was no warrior, she probably would have trouble taking on one of the guards let alone fifteen, plus how ever many that were onboard the other ship.
But what ship was it? Elsenor wondered, perhaps I might know someone on board. Elsenor quickly slipped under the Esmeraldas' Triumph and made her way to the stern of the Faerie airship. She smiled and wanted to cheer at the sight, it was Greenhaven, she knew the captain, it was once her personal touring ship. Elsenor, gently floated up to the top and landed behind the wheel of the Esmeraldas' Triumph.
" We're is the other crew member?" asked the important faerie, " my men found an eighth room with signs of habitation, there are seven of you here. Where is the other?"
" Got me" said Sebastian, " does anybody know about our eighth crew member?"
The crew played dumb, Elsenor was their only hope, it didn't fill the crew with much hope but it was all they had. " I do not wish to get physical with you" said the important faerie, " but I will if you leave me with no other options."
" Sorry but I have no idea what you are talking about" said Sebastian, " guess this will be a first for me, I've never had my ass kicked by a faerie before that is if you are strong enough."
The important was now very pissed, he stormed through the ring of guards surrounding the crew and grabbed Sebastian. It was the slip up they need, Sebastian grabbed the important faerie and the crew of the jumped the guards around them. It quickly turned into a melee of feet and fists across the deck. " STOP!" shouted a commanding imposing voice.
The entire fight stopped as quickly as it had started and everyone turned to stare in confusion at Elsenor standing on the railing of the flying deck. " Queen Elsenor" said the important faerie before dropping to his knees.
The guards, the faeries on the other ship, all of them dropped to their knees and placed their heads on the deck leaving the puzzle crew standing wondering what just happened. " Ah, give us a hint?" asked Tanis.
" Quiet dwarf" said the important faerie, his face still planted firmly on the deck, " drop to your stubby knees and show respect to Queen Elsenor Reyaf Kei Deppe Cashel, greatest of all the faerie queens."
" Queen?" asked Elanna, " you're a queen?"
" Formerly" said Elsenor, " please rise my friends, I thank you for your loyalty."
The faeries rose their feet, " Please forgive us milady" said the important faerie, " we didn't know it was you who possessed the statue. This is a great omen indeed."
" Thank, Captain Toral" said Elsenor, " how are things in my old home?"
" Restless milady" said Toral, " your sister has made the people crave your return, now that you have the statue we can return to our stronghold and prepare for your return to power."
" I would like that very much" said Elsenor, " please get ready to leave for your stronghold, our vessel will be ready presently."
" Recently milady" said Toral.
Toral blew on a whistle that made a soft chirping noise and the other faeries returned to their ship. " I think I have some explaining to do" said Elsenor, slowly floating down from the flying deck rail.
" It would help" said Sebastian.
The group went into the galley and sat at the table. " For thirty six years I was Queen of the Faerie Kingdom of Duweladelfina, I had taken throne from my mother, Kei. I thought my reign was without flaw, my people where happy, my government was stable, our trading was prosperous. But there was a flaw, one I never saw, my younger sister Shella. She managed to poison my people against me and one night I found my royal guards had defect to my sister's side. I had to flee in the night with only a few possessions, forced to spend the next fifteen years wandering foreign kingdoms looking for a way to reclaim my throne. Will you please help me reclaim my throne? If I do manage to reclaim it, I can guarantee that my gratitude will be very generous."
" I'm all for it" said Sebastian.
" Why not" said Gabriel.
" Okay" said Tanis, " I've never actually seen Duweladelfina before."
" We're in" said Audrey.
" Then let's get underway" said Elanna, " we have a ways to go."
The crew quickly got the ship ready and in no time at all they were following the Greenhaven and two other Faerie ships heading to the northwest. The trip was a peaceful day and a half of flying, first through the rocky plains of Toulo then they entered the forest borders of Duweladelfina and up into the foothills of the Heaven Spire Mountains, the largest chain of mountains in all of Caracantha. The ships slowly came to rest in a beautiful hillside city. " Welcome to Greenhaven" said Elsenor, " you are now guests of the Faerie people, please make yourselves comfortable while I go and meet with the town elders."
Elsenor left the ship and met up with Toral. They slowly strolled through the city. Elsenor was intoxicated by all the sights, sounds, and smells of the city she had experienced only in dreams for 15 long years. She stopped at the first Jamba stand and got a fresh Jamba Pudding. Elsenor greedily devoured the light brown pudding with relish, humans never knew how to make it right, it was never sweet enough. The Elder's House sat high up on top of a hill that overlooked most of the city.
They climbed the steps up to the top and stopped at the doors. Toral offered Elsenor to ring the bell. Elsenor rang the bell and listen to the beautiful chimes echo through the house. The door slowly opened and the two footmen immediately saw who it was and knelt, " Milady" they both said as she entered.
Elsenor strolled through the ornate hall of the purest white marble, the chandeliers were made from solid gold. Elsenor could smell the smell of flowers in bloom, she finally felt home.
Elsenor and Toral entered the grand chamber were the Faerie Elders of Greenhaven were seated at a long table. " Welcome back to Duweladelfina milady" said the eldest of the three, " it is an honor that you would grace us with your presence in our city."
" If there is anything you require we will provide it" said the second.
" Thank you for your generosity" said Elsenor, " the vessel in which I have traveled has been damaged from combat wit the goblyns, if the vessel could be repaired I would be very grateful."
" Certainly" said the third, " our shipwrights will begin immediately, we will also out fit you with food and any other supplies you will need."
" Please come to a banquet in your honor" said the first, " please invite the crew that braved so many dangers to bring you here as well for they are friends of the Faeries."
" I will invite them" said Elsenor.
Elsenor left and made her way back to the dock where work had already begun on the Esmeraldas' Triumph. " This is a present from the grateful people of Greenhaven" said Elsenor, " we are also invited to a banquet in my honor this evening, I hope you all will attend."
" We certainly will" said Sebastian, " we just have to dust off our dinner clothes, that is if they were blown to pieces."

Sebastian was fighting with his cravat, he hated getting dressed up but this could net him some serious cash and that was more than worth it. " Almost ready?" asked Elsenor, sticking her head in his cabin, dressed in a ravishing red silk gown that accent her natural beauty.
" Almost" said Sebastian.
" Here, let me" said Elsenor, " I guess you don't get dressed up that much?"
" People in my line of work usually don't" said Sebastian.
Elsenor started to tie his cravat, " I just want to thank you for doing this for me" she said, " I know you're risking angering Tobias."
" Why were you there?" asked Sebastian.
" Tobias has an inferiority complex two miles long" said Elsenor, " he longs to become a king rather than just a powerful merchant. He thinks that if he surrounds himself with nobles, or as in my case former nobles our prestige will rub off on him."
" You and him?" asked Sebastian.
Elsenor giggled, " Oh no, no" said Elsenor, " tubby merchants aren't my type, rogues and airship captains are more my type."
Elsenor finished tying his cravat, " Maybe after dinner we can find out" she said.
Sebastian smiled, " Faerie Queens are definitely my type" he said.
Elsenor leaned up and gave him a small kiss, " We better hurry" said Elsenor, " being late for an official banquet is very, very rude. Besides we'll have plenty of time afterwards."
Elsenor slowly left the room in a swirl of silk leaving an intoxicating aroma of sweet blossoming flowers. Sebastian followed the beautiful scent, love filling his veins.