Markus wasn't sure why Morek had come aboard muttering about filthy manling magics, but it looked to him like Emmaline had solved the problem of his slave collar. He busied himself by raising the mainsail as Indrin and Sulandar prepared the wings and checked small rivets in the ship Markus wasn't entirely familiar with. For the most part, Elven ships were much like human vessels, but the design was far more sophisticated and there were a few added features Markus wasn't entirely familiar with. He felt he was roughly in command but he would follow their lead on maneuvering. 

"Let's cast off!" Markus called, and with Morek's help in hauling the anchor up, Indrin set the ship in a short curve to the mouth of the inlet. To Markus' surprise, the ship started to move almost immediately. The ship's was keen edged but it was bluffed above the water and sharp below, sleek in design. If he had to guess it gives the hull a finer entry and a long run as she goes aft, which made sense but there was something more to the ships. Perhaps it was the material? He couldn't say. 

Markus made it to the helm, taking the wheel as Indrin looked out to the open sea. Markus gave him a look, and to a man unused to elves he would think the slave was simply wanting to go home. But Markus knew while there was longing, he was making his peace with what could happen very soon. The elves were cruel in their way, just as the dwarves were greedy and fatalistic, but the elder races had a nobility Markus envied. Something about them men could only aspire to. 

"I assume we're going north?" The Captain asked. 

"Directly north, yes." Indrin said softly. Sulandar stepped lightly up to their level on the aftcastle, if it could be called such on a ship that ran so low in the water. 

"How did you and your men come to be here?" Sulandar asked Markus. The swordsman gave the elf a smile that showed his teeth. 

"We're pirates," He said, and they both looked at him hard. He knew they would judge him, but elves were so used to warfare on the ocean, they at least had common ground. "Don't worry, we're not foolhardy enough to go after Ulthuan vessels, but we are trying to gain membership in the Sartosian council. We need to go to Ind, by far Cathay. Lustria was our most recent stop." 

"You seem worldly and well spoken for a pirate," Sulandar said, eyeing Markus up and down. "But I don't doubt you after what I've seen you do." 

"Pirate, merchant, the envoy to Karl Franz, who cares?" Morek said, stepping up with them. It was hard not to hear his approach. He walked like a bulldog and every step creaked on the ship, which was saying something. Even Markus and Emmaline made barely a sound on the mysterious dark wood. "As long as we get to kill some elves." 

"Dark elves." Indrin corrected, glaring at the dwarf. 

"Whichever elves collared me. On that we can agree, aye Elgi?" The dwarf said. The dwarf didn't bother looking at the elf when he finished his question, rather stepping over to the side of the ship and watching the forest drift away as they slipped out toward the northern coastline. Markus saw the elves, as put off by the dwarf as ever, but steeled. They were wary of going to this 'S'sildra Tor,' but Markus knew the hatred between the elvish races. When a drucchi got within sword distance of either of his new companions, they wouldn't hesitate. 

And they would enjoy it.