Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World C.141 Muddy Waters - The Pirates on the bay (IV)

The dark night enveloped Frostwave Bay as the gentle glow of the torchlights cast long, dancing shadows on the icy ground, the flames fighting bravely against the cold wind. The stars twinkled in the sky, accompanied by the soft light of the full moon being reflected by the serene sea, like the eyes of an ice goddess. However, danger lurked beneath the calm facade.

The small ships navigated slowly through the waters surrounding the bay. The hulls barely made a ripple as they crossed the rocky barriers guarding the harbor entrance. Not a single light or sound came from the ships, shrouding them in an eerie darkness as they approached the city.

Each vessel carried a crew of about twenty men, huddled together with their eyes fixed on Frostwave's docks. Among the crew stood a figure with a scar etched across his cheek, crouched near the bow of the leading ship, his eyes emanating predatory intent.

The man's voice, barely above a whisper, carried across the freezing night air, lost amidst the silence - "Are you certain the king is residing in the main house?" - he asked.

"Aye, chief! I saw it with me own eyes! I swear by the sea!" - came the reply from a weathered sailor who had slipped away when the king's arrived on Frostwave Bay.

"Good. It will make our task easier" - the chief declared - "This distance is enough. Signal the others to halt and prepare for the assault on my command. We'll need a distraction to accomplish our task. We need to be swift and precise!"

With a silent nod, the chief's orders were conveyed, passed among the crew with knowing glances and subtle gestures. The other two ships came to a halt, their forms blending seamlessly into the night. Meanwhile, the chief's vessel continued its stealthy approach, creeping closer to the dock of the city with each passing moment.

Finally, the ship came to a halt at the edge of the docks, unseen and unheard by the inhabitants of Frostwave Bay. The chief cast a glance at his troops, raising his index finger to his lips. It was time to set their plan into motion, and everyone needed to be as silent as possible.

"Swift!" - The chief murmured a single word, but all of them knew the meaning behind it. They had to move swiftly and with caution. The most difficult part began from this point on.

With a swift motion, the chief raised a clenched fist, signaling for his men to advance. Like ghosts emerging from the darkness, they crept onto the docks, their movements fluid and silent. They made their way towards their target, their footsteps muffled by the soft padding of boots against wooden planks. They lowered their bodies as much as possible, trying to blend with the shadows created by the deck's torchlights, remaining close to the edge and near the ships.

They also used the huts' walls to hide themselves from prying eyes or ears, rapidly nearing the main house - "It's almost too good to be true." - The chief thought, as his eyes analyzed the empty and silent streets.

Although it was night and had been long since the moon occupied the heavens, surely there would be at least a few soldiers of the king patrolling the area. It was a king after all. They surely were quite loose. The chief decided to continue, despite the situation screaming that there was something wrong.

As the main house finally appeared before their eyes, the sensation that something was strange pounded heavily in the chief's heart. He signaled for his men to halt, their backs gluing on the walls of the huts.

"We split into teams" - the chief whispered, his voice barely more than a breathless murmur, but reaching all of the twenty. He motioned, raising his fingers - "You four will secure the perimeter and watch out for any movements of the king's troops, while the rest of us will infiltrate the house and locate the king, ok?"

The four individuals that the chief pointed nodded with silent nods of understanding. They already knew their roles, since they had done this a few times and had the experience needed to accomplish the job. The chief and his team didn't lose any second and walked towards the main entrance of Henry's quarters, crouched while trying their best to use the shadows and maintain their bodies as small as possible. Their footsteps did not make any sound against the soft snow beneath their feet.

"We are here…" - The chief thought, his heart beating like drums - "If needed, we will need help from the others" - his hands caressed his pockets, giving him more courage and determination. The profits would be greater than the losses.

The chief raised his hand and lightly pushed the unlocked wooden door, praying in his heart that no creaking sound would echo. Fortunately, no sound came from it, and they entered the house. The main door gave access to the reception room, where Henry had greeted the shipbuilders, where the reunions of the city took place.

As soon as he opened the door, a thought crossed the chief's mind - "It's too dark" - The darkness seemed to have swallowed the whole room - "Normally, the fireplace should be lit to ward off the cold and not make the house so dark." The chief was someone who knew well the village head's house since he had lived here once upon a time and commanded the whole city with his will. He knew where the two ladders behind the large table would lead and that the kitchen was on the right door, bathrooms were only accessible after labyrinthine corridors of the house. He understood the inns and outs of this house.

"Swift!" - Those words coursed through the chief's mind again.

But, suddenly, a noise shattered the silence and disturbed the darkness as the fireplace was suddenly lit, the glow of the fire faintly shining light upon the room. There, sitting on the chair in the middle of the large desk, a figure was there, looking at them as if it was expecting their visit for the whole day. Those gray eyes were looking at them with an amusing look.

"Welcome!" Henry said, opening his arms and pointing at the chair right in front of them. "One of the sailors saw a ship sailing away as soon as I and my troops reached here. I bet with Leier that you guys would come yesterday or today. I imagined that it was impossible for Iosif to take care of all soldiers so easily."

Henry gave a brief smile, but at that smile, the chief knew that everything went awry and that his plan had gone wrong. He looked around and saw that no one was inside the room and only the king himself. He was defenseless.

"We can still finish the task and capture the king," the chief thought as he took out a shell from his pocket and blew on it. A loud but soothing sound came out of the shell, a sound that traveled through the whole city and spread to the bay, reaching the ships stationed near the harbor.

Henry watched everything with interest, his smile growing bigger when the chief suddenly took out two daggers as he said, "I will get you and bring you to my ship, then, I will ask for a value for you."