Madeous took lead with the swordsman with Serna being escorted by her bodyguards. Lazheros and Alyson followed from behind with Caliaphy. The walk didn't take too long up the winding stone streets giving them a breath taking view of the surrounding land and sea. A cool breeze shifted through the evening sky and well lit streets of East Port. Now the party could not one but two airships docked to the eastern tower. A secured ramp lead from each ship to the tower itself with a crew of humans and gnomes working. Over looking the city, the figure of Captain Lion stood there with his telescope surveying the palace from a birds eye view.

He waved down to the party briefly before leaving his ship eager to meet up with everyone when they arrived at the palace.

Irzen and Serna waved back up to Captain Lion.

The main gates were open and the royal guard captain met them outside the palace, "Prince Birch is waiting for you inside. Follow me."

The interior of the palace was a mix of blue and green with a hint of gold floral patterns that weaved along the edges of the open windows. Elegant long woven rugs draped the floors to the left and right. At the center was a twin spiral stair case leading up to the second, third, and fourth tiers to the throne room. The doors opened and there sat Prince Birch and Princess Cauladra accompanied by Captain Lion and a tinker gnome, Sir Gonagle Stoutheart.

"FRIENDS!" Prince Birch sprang from his throne, raced over to the adventurers and gave them each a bone-crushing hug, "Welcome to East Port! I am overjoyed to see that you were able to navigate your way safely to our abode!"

"I am not!" Princess Cauladra rose from her throne, "Guards arrest that Drow!"

The Royal Guardsmen within the chamber either drew their swords or leveled their pole arms at the Swordsman.

The Shield Maiden looked on, her eyes wide with surprise.

Caliaphy jumped and ran over to hold Serna's hand.

"What did I do this time?" Irzen asked in a small voice as he raised his hands, "I just got here."

"What is the meaning of this, Cauladra?!" The prince turned to his wife in complete disbelief, "He is one of the Heroes of Northaven! We owe our throne and our lives to Lord Drow!"

Madeous felt like he walked into an awkward situation again.

"That is the only reason why I haven't thrown him into the deepest dungeon in our palace and tossed away the key!" Cauladra snapped as she approached Irzen, "I bear no ill will to your companions, Lord Irzen, they may stay as long as they like and enjoy every comfort we can bestow upon them. But you are a different matter entirely."

"Because I'm a Drow?"

"Nay!" Cauladra shook her head, "Because you poisoned my husband with your vile liquor, your Cannard! You drank my husband into a stupor with a foreign drink that only a denizen of the Underdark could stomach. You shall not do so again!"

"As you wish, your Highness," Irzen smiled, "No more drinking contests with your husband."

"Nay! You shall do better than that, Lord Irzen!" Cauladra snapped her fingers and a Hand Maiden walked up to her and extended her hands out towards Irzen, "You shall surrender every flask, wineskin and container you have carrying this Cannard to my Hand Maiden OR you shall spend the rest of your stay with us in a cold, dark, damp dungeon cell that will rival any hole in the Underdark! Choose now!"

"With all due respect your highness, Prince Birch drank of his own free will in partaking the Cannard. Granted Lord Irzen here did get carried away but we were all celebrating after defeating the Orc warlord." Alyson came to the swordsman's defense. "If it bothered you so much that your husband was getting in over his head with the hard drink, why were you not there? It's not fair to judge someone's actions because of their choices when you were not there to witness them. I was there and so was Lazheros. On the other hand, I totally agree with you about the Cannard. Tastes as bad as Mexican Tequila from what I heard."

"Yeah!" Prince Birch agreed, "What she said."

"Do not question me on my whereabouts during the celebration, Lady Alyson, that is a matter best reserved for royalty of which you are not." The Princess admonished The Elementalist, "However, you do raise a good point. It is neither fair nor just to cast judgment upon an event that i did not witness. I acknowledge I have erred in this regard."

"You're right, I am not royalty, however, my uncle, Madeous Khyng is royalty. He is king of the kingdom beyond the Great Veil. He has proved himself in battle over and over again. Fought against Venger and won the hearts of the people he freed from the forces of evil!" Alyson replied curtly.

Madeous stood at his niece's side now adding to her defense. He didn't take too kindly to how Princess Cauladra replied.

The bronze man stood there silently observing the whole conversation. The room was tense with an irate princess and a steadfast elementalist holding her ground.

Princess Cauladra turned to Lord Irzen, "Be that as it may, my lord, you will relinquish your vile liquor to my Hand Maiden. I will accept no refusal!"

"As you wish, your Highness," The Drow Swordsman pulled forth three flasks and one wineskin full of Cannard and turned them over to the Hand Maiden. "That is all I have on my person."

"Thank you, Lord Irzen, your flasks and wineskins will be returned to you with the Cannard still in them." The Princess turned towards the Royal Guards, "Stand down!"

The guardsmen sheathed their swords and returned their polearms to an upright position.

"Thank you, your Highess, you are most gracious," Irzen replied with a nod.

"Now, as my husband so eloquently put it," The princess smiled with open arms, "Welcome to The Princedom of East Port."

The kurori didn't utter a word when Captain Lion and Sir Gonagle spied her holding onto Serna's hand. She gulped trying to hide behind the shield maiden. These were the two people she'd hope not to run into again, especially Sir Gonagle. The tinker gnome promised to use her as target practice the next time he saw the kurori.