The ships of the black sails bobbed in the water just outside the Hellene harbor.

The fire pots covered to keep the safety of peace between the two allies.

A single boat rowed to shore with a messenger from the Cilician King
to be delivered to the Dock Master and the Palace and the Meeting Halls at Athens.

QUOTE:
My dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Mighty Leading Houses of the Hellenes,

I, Shazir Heart of the Flame, bring to you the fruits of those so called pirates of Crete.
The property of the Hellenes stolen from their houses and vessels by simple worthless bandits.

The ease in which my corsairs defeated these thieves proves they are not worthy to keep the lands they claim. I suggest even that they should be forfeited to you who suffered.

I come to return these gifts and release those lands to a better owner.
They are meager though and have little else to offer. What wealth they had was only stolen from you.
If you refuse their lands then I will not bother to hold them either.

I request audience with you to celebrate our friendship.
To Feast with you.
To Deliver my gifts.
To Drink of the excellent wines you and your Gods favor.

I will enter the harbor at sunrise tomorrow and will await escort from your docks.
All weapons and ceremonial armor properly tied with peace-knots and seals of wax to keep each of our people from harm.

Joy and Strength to you!!
Long live our United Glory!

-Shazir Heart of the Flame
King of the Cilician Corsairs

The rounds were kept along with the watch and good discipline while the King awaited the sunrise with his fleet. The Truth of Zoroaster knew this was a future of greatness in its birthing.

A hawk landing on the Kings vessel greeted the King as a familiar just before he retired to rest.
A smile riding his lips as he took the creature into his cabin, one last look to the shore.

As Promised Shazir landed with the rising sun.
His people in clean ranks behind him.
Calling his oldest guardian over,

Josep, go buy rations and have them moved to the ship. Remain their when you finish.
I believe the Hellene market opens early so you should have the best choices for foods and grains.
To his second guardian Shazir handed a message hastily prepared on a clay tablet with a wooden rod.

QUOTE:
To the Palace Headman of the Great Dogun,

I had hoped you had recieved my earlier message.
I have arrived at your docks with some corsairs of my tribe. We await your envoys to safely bring us before your presence.
Please don't make me wait to long to taste the best wine in all the Mediteranean!
We have much to discuss and some treasure to deliver.

King of Cillicia,
Ruler of the Mighty Corsairs of the Great Sea,
-Shazir Heart of the Flame

Turning to face his people,

We will wait here for the Hellene envoys to escort us to their leaders. If they do not rrive by the second hour then we will keep ourselves at a camp and begin training with each other. That should awaken them!

Knowing how fierce the battle cries of the corsairs could be Shazir laughed.
Looking to the chests of treasure taken from Crete, Shazir waved from his people to sit down on them.
And so, for the moment, the Cilicians waited.

Dogun just came with most of his warriors for a spiritual travel in the mountains, to feast and give gifts to gods and especially Ares.

From the peaks near the capital-city he saw an unknown fleet for him. A fleet he never had seen.

Getting closer and closer through the vineyards he sees some banners...

Those must be the Cillicians, my brothers. They arrived sooner than i thought.

He leads his army marching towards the city till he reaches the port. An ambassador comes to him:

My archon, the Cillicians sent you 2 messages...

It doesn't matter now. I'll talk to them soon, they are already here.

His orders his army to disband and to go at their homes for now. He takes his guard and goes straight to the port where he meets his allies from the west.

My dear Shazir, welcome to our lands. Let me show you our capital-city and rest today. We'll start marching together to Epirus as soon as possible.

The lands between the Hellene ccapital city and Epirus were a marvel to see.
In every valley beneath the stoney mountainous country were herds of sheep, cattle and goats.
Well tended and cared fields of wheat.

These Hellenes were a healthy and merry people.

Great Dogun, I am glad to know such a people who do not surrender to the difficulties they have had!
Your fishing fleets were large but these inland villages also show true pride and strength.
I regret having waited so long before my first official visit!

Having stopped for olives, wine, cheeses and more wine Shazir enjoyed the company he kept.
His Cillicians and the Hellenes traded fighting skills and trained together.

A hearty people who like the shield and long spears.
The corsairs were more used to water tactics so it was slings and close combat weapons.
Together they would be unstoppable.

Dogun, my friend. I wonder, with such harsh lands of stoney soil and mountains for us both, how does the sea trade go for you?
It is nearly all I focus on and is some of the best battle training my corsairs know.

Dogun is excited to see that his lands are a pleasurement for the ones that came from the gates of Asia.

He got sad when he was asked about the sea trading.

My dear friend, the sea trade is a disaster nowadays. We are starting to be in a financial crisis. We had some great days when we were the kings of the sea. With the most number of trade ports and provinces at the sea. This was before and during the Roman Civil War. But they became so strong that we can't trade with almost anybody now. Out ships sometimes don't even return without any announcement from them...

That's why I called you on my lands. To see what we could do about this...

It is a stone in the Cillicians chest, a cold displeasure to hear a good friend speak so unhappily.

Well, great brother, we will go and look at what is the difficulty on these trade voyages.
Perhaps, if these Romans are a civilized people it is just more simple pirates?

Let my people show you how we manage our seas and we will watch for the behavior of these Romans.
Maybe their is something to be learned that cannot be seen as simple merchants.
The Truth must be known. It is this that the teachings of Zoroaster make most important for us.

I swear to aide you in regaining your losses. We sail before the wind as armed merchants, always.

Brother beside Brother we stand with your people.

On the open seas the armed escorts of the two tribes sailed West.

The questions of a burned ships surviving crew have lead the Cillicians and the Hellenes and now the Carthaginians to suspect a pirate band now operates from Castagniccia after they followed the Black ship the crew claimed attacked.

Shazir did not concern himself with the nationality of these crewmen. As he was concerned was that they could have been easily one of his two allies as easily as anyone else.

From his flagship he writes the Orders of Battle to his friends and allies,

QUOTE:
Brother Dogun, Sister Jarucha,

This is a problem that we cannot allow to remain. Apparently the Romans either know nothing or somehow support this attack.

Your merchants will not be safe under the watch of their eagle banners anytime soon it seems.

We must take action. Already a fog roles in. We will use this to advantage and land at the beaches and board the ships we find on this coastline.

Keep watchful and try not to become seperated in the fog on the beach. We can destroy these vermin without difficulty while we have surprise. I am only concerned about the confusion that fogs of war can create.

We seize the objectives just before dawn. They will be tiredest and the fog thickest just before the sunlight breaks the Eastern horizon.

Take the battle with strength and Ferocity. None will bring the Justice we bring. So we carry it ourselves!
Beware the uncertainty where fog clouds true light though.
Today we plan it in our favor. Tomorrow maybe it is not our favor.
Such is the way of clouds before truth.

Send the Orders of Battle among your fleets and warriors!
Justice and death to the Barbarians!

Your Brother,
~Shazir Heart of the Flame
Disciple of Zoroaster

The fog was as dangerous as predicted.
The armies landed seperated and in the following battle they had complete surprise.

Regrettably the break in formation caused the Hellenes to feel the misguided sting of some of the Carthaginian and Cillician warriors.

The end was in favor of justice though and the Black ship and the other natives on shore were crushed.

QUOTE:
Great King and friend Dogun,

The battle is carried as we planned. Regretfully some of the confusion lead to our forces attacking each other as well. I am proud to say your people fought just as well as when beside us.

The recovery after such casualties though must allow a few days. I want your people well before we re-board the ships. Meanwhile we interrogate the captives.

I am willing to make whatever is necessary to erase any mistrust or feelings of guilt between or people.
Just name it.

-Shazir Heart of the Flame
Your friend in truth and deed and spirit

The messenger was told to find the Hellenes in the Northern half of the island where they had retreated.