Gerhardt had risen earlier, it had been an arduous journey up until this point, but praise the heavens they had succeeded to escape Belisio.
It had been something that he had been dreading for months. 
Vaim and their eternal hunger for conquest. For resources. For revenge. 
Eager to prove to the world that they had not been defeated, but merely had been stalled.
That it had only been a matter of time.
And what better way to prove this, then to cut down the very Kingdom that had been there at the beginning. The one instrumental in forging the alliance, in rallying the smaller nations to their cause and halt the most terrifying Empire that had been.
Gerhardt sighed as he leaned over the railing of the vessel they were currently sailing on. There wasn’t much too see today. Dark grey clouds rolled past, setting the mood quite nicely.
He had failed them. 
Despite his network he had failed in warning the King and Queen in time. Oh he was sure his old friend had attempted to buy them enough time, but in the end it all had been for naught. 
Had it not been for sheer dumb luck Vaim would have successfully exterminated the Belisian royal line and half of the court. 
Praise the heavens the boy had been out. Praise the heavens he had found him amidst the chaos of the sacking.
His bandaged hand moved up to pinch the bridge of his nose, before his thoughts drifted back to that day. It had all gone by in a blur, one moment he still had everything and the next all of it had been blown to pieces. Scattered in the wind.
Like Ashes.

He heard one of the crew call out to his fellows, making Gerhardt raise himself from his dark memories and raise his eyes upon the horizon. 
As the dark clouds parted and lifted, clearing their view, a new place had become visible. 
Its thin towers rising towards the heavens and it deepened Gerhardt’s frown.
It had not been his first choice.
Hell it was safe to say he had preferred any other nation above the one before him. But fate it seemed likes to play cruel games. 
He hadn’t been given much of a choice though. 
The Lightning Runner had been in for some minor repairs and some simple cargo delivering nothing too special. Still, it had been a blessing to sail away from a besieged country.
Now they had reached the other side.
A land with different rules and different people.
Leongarde.
As a cry of relief went through the crew Gerhardt had felt only trepidation.
Leongarde was a nation ruled by Faith. 
Here Priests and Magistrates swung the sceptre and their knights kept the order. The priests were  practically considered nobility and indeed most of them were of noble blood. 
Knowledge was kept by the powerful, after all you don’t teach peasants to read, they could get all sorts of wild notions of equality and rebellion.
No too much knowledge was a sin.
Better to keep them poor and stupid. 
They were far easier to rule that way.
The compliant were praised and the ‘problems’ were ‘dealt with’.
It almost made Gerhardt smile wryly if the punishments had not been so severe. 
How this place managed to keep itself together was beyond him, stepping a toe out of line could earn you a proper public lashing say nothing of the poor souls that were gifted with magic.
He shook his head in disapproval and dismay knowing the horrors far too well.
Still for now it would be their new home.
Heavens have mercy on them. He tore himself away from the bough and made his way down below. It was time to wake up his charge and set a few new ground rules.
They had to be careful, despite Leongarde’s hatred for Vaim, they had little love for them either. Hence why it was better to be careful, especially in the beginning. They needed to remain invisible for as long as they could before they had the approval of the priests.
Getting a Seal of admittance was no easy feat, not even for a refugee crown prince. 
As Gerhardt made his way to their cabin he was about to knock when the door opened on its own.
“Good you’re awake.” He spoke pushing the young man back inside. “We’re approaching Leongarde’s port city and before you go topside it is best if we lay down some ground rules regarding our behaviour and our new identities.” He said noticing the young man’s paleness.
“The dream again?” He asked as he walked over to the small table they had in their cabin. Upon it stood a bottle filled with a powerful herbal concoction. The kind that scorched your throat and murdered one’s liver. He poured two fingers for the both of them before handing one of the pewter cups to the young prince, whilst swirling his own.
“You’ll need this. It’ll soothe your nerves and it might inundate you to the sights and smells you could be confronted with.” He warned him as he handed him the cup.
“Here some Brenwyn. Don’t expect your father’s Dulce Reina, most commoners would have to work a year to be able to afford a bottle of that stuff. Most people don’t live so lavishly as you’ll see. Neither will we…”
“Remember, your easy days in the palace are over. You’ve been shielded, kept away from some of the true horrors of life. Atrocities that other people have to face every day. Don’t be surprised if you see harlots and whores doing ‘streetwork’ or watch ‘a scolding’ and no I don’t mean they’re exchanging just words with that.
Your father’s kingdom was a paradise in comparison with what the people experience and suffer here. Desperation and poverty does that to people. Though the wealthy and just wealthy enough pretend to not associate with the lower layers of society, they frequent those corners far more often than they like to admit.
They might claim to be the most devout, but for all their piety they are far from holy. I know this isn’t the place we both wanted to go, but for now we have no other choice. 
You’ll also no longer be introduced as the crown-prince. 
We might explore our options there once we’ve attained a Seal and when we have acquired some allies. Still best not to shout ‘here we are’ to the rest of the world.” Gerhardt explained to him before he raised his cup once more and downed the contents in one go.
He winced, hissed and slowly released a pressured breath, staring at the bottom of his cup before resuming the same fatherly tone once more.
“You’ll be my nephew from this point on. If anyone asks what we do we’re hirelings, sellswords. We’re our own masters and attempting the climb into the ranks of the Faithful Guard. Make up a new name for yourself for now. Something simple, nothing to fanciful.” Another heavy breath followed as his eyes narrowed seriously, staring at the young prince.
“And lastly; Don’t fall in love. It has ruined better men than you.” He ended. “Now, pack your things and if you’re ready, let’s go topside and watch them dock.