The salty sea breeze blew in across the sand cooling the gentle kiss of the midday sun. It’s soft breath tossed the long, wavy hair of the shorter woman she had locked eyes with. Her eyes drifted to the woman’s hair. Long, shining, a wonderful sort of mint green in colour, the Princess of Fort Quatran had the most perfect hair she had ever seen. Though she wagered her eyes were even better.

They were red but not ominous. Soft and gentle, a sweet kindness shone in them and made them bright and happy. Reaching to her face, she stroked the Princess’ beautiful face, gently caressing her perfect, ivory skin.

Her gown was long, split up the right leg, and fluttered in the sea breeze. It was green as the trees and the grass just beyond the beach. She also wore earthy brown sandals and a brown bracelet on each wrist. She felt her heart swell with pride as she grasped the princess’s hand and prepared to add her final adornment; a golden ring inlaid with a sparkling sapphire.

Mirelle smiled sweetly as the ring slid into place on her finger, bringing tears to the eyes of the onlookers along the beach who watched the scene unfold.

The taller woman in front of Mirelle, still staring deep into Mirelle’s eyes, broke her usual chilly facade and smiled back. Her pale, silver eyes came to life and shone as she held Mirelle’s gentle gaze. She reached up in return and stroked her face, rubbing her soft, ebony skin with her thumb. The long braid of her light blue hair brushed against her hand as it started swinging in the breeze.

Much like Mirelle, Luna wore a long, pale blue gown with a split in the left leg of the skirt, brown sandals and matching bracelets. She let Mirelle slide a golden ring with a bright emerald embedded in it onto her left ring finger and they held hands, making sure the rings were touching, and continued looking each other in the eye.

“We stand here beneath the holy sun, to bear witness to the great union of two blessed souls.” The voice belonged to an older, balding man draped in golden robes standing just behind the two Princesses just beyond the surf of the beach.

A small, assembled crowd lined the beach while a much larger crowd stood back further, full of faces from the two kingdoms about to merge into one.

“We stand beneath the holy sun to unite the souls as one, to pledge themselves to each other, to live together. For love. For hope. For happiness.”

The man went silent again, taking in a long breath of the cool sea breeze.

“Princess Luna, sovereign of Fivellin, Princess Mirelle, sovereign of Fort Quatran, these two stand together here to become one in love. Partners in life. Partners in love. Granted holy union by those who watch. For everything that is, was, and forever shall be... they take their sacred vows.”

Still with their eyes locked, Mirelle and Luna each took in a breath to speak as one.

“Always you shall live,” they began in unison. “Forever within my heart. I give you my heart... and take yours as a sacred gift. As one... for always... my love.”

The old man stepped forward while Mirelle and Luna stood side by side and each holding up a hand; Luna her right, Mirelle her left. With a soft rope of silk, made from green and blue strands, he gently wrapped their wrists together, tying a loose knot and stepping back.

“And so unite as one, Luna and Mirelle. Fivellin and Fort Quatran. Forever in love... together as one.”

With the old man finished, the two princesses turned to face each other, wrists still wrapped together, and pulled each other close. They closed their eyes and planted their lips together, kissing long and breathing in every last moment.

From the background, a thunderous cheer erupted as the union became official.

“And now you are wed,” the old man said with a smile. “May you find happiness at your door always.”

...

Mirelle awoke suddenly, still remembering the wonderful moment she and Luna had finally gotten married. Her new wife beside her, Mirelle snuggled up close to Luna, who did not stir from her sleep, and let out a deep and happy sigh.

All of their friends had been there. Every member of the Princess Guild, Jonas, Celia... even Aurora turned up and seemed a touch emotional about the whole thing. The celebration had lasted long but it felt so short now. Everyone headed back to where they needed to be and it they were all separate again but Mirelle comforted herself that the love of her life lay beside her.

Though, for some reason, a lingering doubt remained in her mind. There were still troubles aplenty in Esterlin and she couldn’t help but feel partly responsible as one of its leaders. Although that came with its own troubles.

The political squabbles that came with the union of Fort Quatran and Fivellin gave them no shortage of headaches. But once united, the limitless help they could give to each other brought about a sudden positive shift in the lives of both kingdoms’ people. Mirelle wondered if there wasn’t a way to unite all seven... but that was just a pipe dream.

In that moment, everything had worked out so well. And sleeping under the roof of her own palace in Fort Quatran with Luna in the bed beside her, well, Mirelle couldn’t think of a paradise better than that.

And they were under the guard of the watchful Captain Vera, who stood steadfast outside her door during the night. Mirelle asked if this was what she wanted... and she answered yes. Though she tried to convince her otherwise, Vera was filled with pride of purpose. Nothing could sway her. So there she stood, resolute. Strong as she was, though, Captain Vera could not anticipate every danger waiting in the wings.

Vera was not terribly tall but she had broad shoulders and thick, tree trunk legs as well as impressive muscles on her arms. She kept her black hair short, cropped against her head but still rather thick. Her eyes were sharp, grey, and shone with intelligence. One scar from her many battles ran across her left eye from her forehead to her cheek but, luckily, her sight remained intact.

Thick, steel chainmail covered her body. A heavy cuirass of Fort Quatran’s Green steel covered her torso, lined with golden trim. The same green steel protected her arms with many pieces to her gauntlets protecting her from the shoulders all the way down to her hands. With matching green leather boots and thick, earthy brown trousers, the captain was seemingly always ready for battle.

Her one handed sword sat sheathed on her left hip, a hilt of Green Steel, and her matching shield, also lined with gold trim, rested upon on her back.

The captain remained beside the door to Princess Mirelle’s bed chambers, standing as tall as she could, filled with pride at the simple action.

Vera was suddenly brought to attention by a shriek from within the bed chambers, throwing open the door and charging inside.

“Lady Mirelle!” she said. Vera gasped as she saw someone swing in through the stained glass window, shattering it to pieces. Apparently Mirelle had spotted them outside. The sound woke up Luna beside her and caused Vera to draw her sword.

A figure stood tall after rolling once on landing, revealing a face well dreaded among the people of Esterlin.

“So, The Blade has the guts to show herself,” Vera said. “Colour me surprised.”

The woman referred to as ‘The Blade’ was, in fact, a notorious pirate captain named Nara the Blade. The so-called ‘Pirate Queen’ had been growing bolder as time wore on. Now her exploits ran across far more than just the seas of Esterlin.

She was tall, and quite thickly built, with strong legs and muscular arms. It seemed she liked to keep up appearances as now she wore a dark blue eyepatch over her blinded right eye, which only made her remaining dark blue eye more piercing and intimidating.

Vera admitted to herself that Nara was... physically attractive. She had a youthful face and healthy, pale skin. Though her bright, silver hair did almost age her.

With a dark blue tricorn hat upon her head, low cut, cotton shirt that showed off her rather... ample chest, and a long, dark blue coat with golden trim, she certainly looked every part the menacing pirate she wanted to be. Tight, black pants and long, brown boots with heels completed the outfit of the self-proclaimed ‘Pirate Queen.’

Before Vera could react, she drew a short flintlock pistol on her hip and pointed it at Mirelle with a wry smirk on her face.

“I only came to... congratulate the nobles on their storybook wedding. It sounded like such a lovely time.” Her voice was thick, cold, and dripping with malice.

“Point that gun elsewhere,” Luna said, standing up from the bed. “Or you will not live to see the sunrise.”

Nara chuckled. “As you wish,” she said, now pointing the gun at Luna.

“I will gut you if you do not stand down,” Vera said.

Nara’s smirk widened to a smile as she nodded to the doorway behind Vera. “Should have stayed at your post, watchdog. Move in!” she said, shouting her last order.

Vera turned just in time to be tackled by a much larger woman who led a burly man and another woman inside and they all grabbed hold of her.

“What is this!?” Vera shouted, fighting against the pirates.

They pinned her wrists behind her back, crossing them and tying them tightly together. Another pulled a white cloth tightly between her teeth, forcing her head back. “Mmmph!”

Nara nodded again and the pirates dragged her out of the room as Mirelle leapt from the bed, halting as a cutlass blade was no inches from her throat. She hadn’t even seen Nara move and draw the sword from her right hip. She kept her pistol trained on Luna, who remained still.

“Don’t interfere, princess,” Nara said. “Lest you join her.”

“I won’t let you-”

“Princess,” Nara warned, resting the blade against her neck. “I have no intention of killing you today, on your wedding day. Don’t force my hand.”

Mirelle froze in place and could only watch as they dragged her bound and gagged captain of the Royal Guard out of the room, fighting against her captors. But they slammed the door behind them and Nara started inching her way backward toward the shattered window.

“What do you want?” Mirelle asked.

Nara smiled. “Already asking the right questions,” she said.

“Why Vera? Why not me!?”

“What does a pirate most desire, Lady Mirelle?” Nara asked, still smiling and backing toward the window again.

“What? Gold? Why not just rob some merchant ships or-”

Nara chuckled again. “My dear Mirelle, gold is nice. But it isn’t exciting. And it can’t buy you power. The kind of power you and your new wife have, anyway.”

“So, what then?” Mirelle asked.

Nara still didn’t answer her question, finally jumping up onto the window sill and grabbing onto the rope she had come in on. “Midnight tomorrow. The docks of Central Esterlin. Don’t be late. And bring your darling wife.”

Mirelle lunged for the window but Nara laughed and swung herself backward. “Until then, my friends!” she called, clambering down the wall. She reached the ground quickly as Mirelle leaned out the window, glaring daggers at her. Nara removed her hat and bowed, mocking them. She replaced the hat. “Don’t dawdle. Your dearest captain won’t be there forever.”

Running a few steps, Nara took one short hop and jumped onto a horse’s back, running off into the night. As they watched her go, Mirelle and Luna stared at each other, unable to find any words. Neither of them had ever really experienced Nara’s threats first hand. Now they knew just what she was capable of...

...

Even the strong Captain Vera couldn’t break the ropes that held her captive. She had been stripped of her armour and weapons down to nothing but her leather undergarments; a tight, cropped shirt without sleeves that bore Vera’s muscular midriff and a matching pair of high cut underwear that showed off her thick and shapely legs.

The rope held her wrists crossed behind her back where her hands were kept in tight leather mittens, forcing both her hands into tight fists. More rope framed her breasts, holding her arms in place at the biceps and just below the shoulders. Her legs were bound together with coils of rope at the ankles, calves, and two places on her thighs. Another wrapped around her waist, pinning her wrists to her back, and pulled between her legs.

At the moment Vera was forced to stand on her tiptoes as another rope was lashed to the ones around her arms, tied to a hook above her. She stood just at the edge of a long pier where Nara’s ship, The Blade, was moored. A sudden wave of heat flushed her cheeks as she realized, again, that the pirates were staring at her, laughing and jeering. But she couldn’t say anything back as the tight cleave gag that had been tied around her head and in her mouth had been added to, with another white cloth covering her mouth and tied on even tighter around the back of her head. One final cloth covered her mouth and nose to completely muffle her and make her breathing even more difficult.

“Mmmph!” she grunted, trying in vain to struggle against the tight ropes. But without the use of her hands, she was helpless.

The worst part was that another woman sat in a chair beside her and... watched her. Not in any threatening way, either. Nor even a lustful way. She just kept watch. Vera wondered who she was but it was clear from her interactions with Nara that she had been the one who got the pirate into the Fort Quatran palace.

As she thought about the notorious pirate, Nara herself strode down the pier and walked toward her captive and her... Vera wasn’t sure what to call her. Ally? Friend? The way she acted didn’t indicate either. It almost seemed to Vera like the emotionless woman was working with Nara as a means to an end.

“Having fun yet?” Nara asked, smirking and grabbing Vera by the chin.

“Mmph! Mmrphh!”

Nara chuckled but the smile wiped right from her face when the woman in white stood up slow, reaching her full height.

She was not quite as tall as Nara but she towered over a short woman like Vera. Dressed all in white, she would have looked angelic were it not for the quiet anger behind her sharp, pale grey eyes. Her brown skin looked healthy and she appeared quite young, perhaps in her early twenties, but she acted far, far older. Her straight, black hair hung just to the base of her neck in a short bob, her bangs kept out of her hair by a white headband tied on around her forehead.

The sleeves of her kimono style shirt fluttered in the wind as she snapped her fingers and her heavy, black metal staff appeared in her right hand. The cloak hanging from her neck draped down to her knees. A pair of snug pants were partially hidden by another piece to her robes that clung to her waist, covering only the back of her legs where she also wore knee high, leather boots.

The figure in white fired an icy glare to the pirate. “Where is she?”

“Watch your tone,” Nara said, moving to turn away. She stopped dead when a heavy, blindingly fast strike of a black staff just missed her face by millimetres, staying there and barring her way.

“I asked you a question.”

Nara sighed irritably and turned around.

“I told you before. Those two princesses and their little guild are all cozy with her. I know they’ll go to her for help in getting their precious captain back. Soon as she gets here with the princesses, we both get what we want. All right?”

The woman lowered the staff and sat down again, her eyes settling on their captive again. “For your sake she had better be here.”

Nara furrowed her brow. “What’s your problem with the Griffin Knight, anyway? She put you away or something?”

“Something like that,” the woman answered.

Vera’s eyes widened and she couldn’t help the surprised gasp that escaped her gagged lips. “Hmmph!?” They hadn’t mentioned the Griffin Knight before. Who exactly was this woman?

“So... you did jail time then?”

With an angry sigh, she glared up at Nara. “Not exactly.”

“How is it, then?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me... Leila.”

Another sharp look came Nara’s way and the woman, Leila, stood up again. “Where did you learn that name?”

“I hear things,” Nara said. “I’m good at hearing things. Not like it matters, does it?”

The staff appeared again and Leila used it to point at Nara. “You’ve met her!?”

“Once or twice. What does it matter?”

Leila growled under her breath but the staff disappeared again and she sat back down. “To you, I am The Shroud,” Leila said. “Nothing more.”

Nara chuckled, bemused. “You two sure like your fancy titles.”

“So says ‘The Blade’...”

A smirk curled Nara’s lips. “Touché.”

The two went silent again and that gave Nara time to turn her attention back to the bound and gagged Vera. “Bet you’re wondering about all this. I mean, why kidnap you when the princess was right there? But you’re smart. I bet you can figure some of it out.”

“Mmmrrrppphhh....”

“Guess you’ll find out when they all get here.”

“Mmmph!” Vera grunted, struggling with her bonds again.

“Oh, stop it. Actually, on second thought, keep doing that. The more you look like the helpless damsel, the more likely Mirelle will agree to the ransom.”

“Hmmph!?”

“Yes, you heard right. But what is the ransom?” Nara said with a chuckle. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Mmmphh!”

Vera lost her balance and found herself swinging out over the water below the pier, struggling hard against the ropes and trying to catch herself on the pier again. Nara did nothing to help, stepping back and laughing at her predicament.

The smile was again wiped from her face when she saw Leila stand up, catch Vera mid-swing, and help her set her toes on the wooden dock again. When she had steadied herself again, Leila let go of Vera and sat back down, ignoring the poisonous stare of the pirate.

“What the hell are you-”

“Doing you a favour,” Leila said. “If she gets hurt, there is no telling how the princess will react. She can be just as dangerous as the Griffin Knight. And I have no quarrel with her or her new wife. Which means I will not help you. Understand?”

“Then you’d be breaking our agreement,” Nara said.

“Which is why I did that. To maintain that agreement.”

“You sure about that? I get the sense there’s something else there...”

Leila stood up slowly again and, with another snap of her fingers, the staff appeared in her hands again. She pounded one end of it into the wooden pier. “Do not try my patience, pirate.”

Nara would never have let anyone else talk to her like that. But Leila, this Shroud, she was far more dangerous than anyone Nara had ever come across. If she was crazy enough to hunt someone like the Griffin Knight then Nara made sure never to push her too far. Although a formidable fighter herself, Nara remembered that she had to resort to underhanded tricks to beat Starling, the Griffin Knight. In the fight before that, Nara was thrown around like a small child. She could only imagine what The Shroud could do.

“Just don’t go turning on me. You said you were a woman of honour.”

“And, as I recall, you said you were not,” Leila replied. “So I think you will forgive me for my... hostility.”

Nara said nothing more, turning away from Leila and walking toward her ship, quickly boarding it up the ramp beside Vera and taking her position at the helm. With a simple whistle, her crew stopped what they were doing and hid themselves away below decks. As usual, her timing was impeccable as she turned back to the docks and saw a single horse emerge from the forest of Central Esterlin.

Looking to Leila, The Shroud, on the pier, she remained there, staff in hand, barring the way between the rider and the captive. Nara peered out at the horizon, searching for the two princesses, but they were nowhere to be seen.

“They must be here...” she said to herself. “No way they wouldn’t show...”

Then she spotted something, through the trees, seeing two more horses standing, waiting, with their riders perched atop them. Mirelle sat on one, the Green Steel of her cuirass glinting in the moonlight.

“Huh. She’s come for a fight,” Nara said.

Even though she wore her usual dress, an earthy brown cotton thing with long sleeves of green, a green belt around the waist, and a split up both sides of the skirt, she was dressed for battle. The steel cuirass, with earthy brown trim, protected her chest and her light, flat leather boots were meant for mobility. Fingerless, brown gloves with green accents covered her hands and gave her better grip on the dangerous looking sword at her hip.

Luna sat beside her and she seemed... stronger than usual. It was as though she almost... radiated energy. Like a subtle glow surrounded her from the simply glint of the moonlight against her breastplate, coloured two shades of blue like the rest of her attire.

Her silky, short dress, also split up both sides of the skirt, was pale blue trimmed with dark blue with a darker blue, cotton belt tied around her waist. Steel vambraces, matching her breastplate, protected her forearms and tall, strappy sandals coloured the same two shades of pale and dark blue completed her attire. Luna, too, carried a sword at her hip. It brought a wry smile to Nara’s lips, the oddity of it. No one had ever known Princess Luna to carry a weapon before. She usually relied on her powerful ice magic and kept her distance. Clearly, her time with Mirelle had changed her somewhat.

Her thoughts were distracted by the whinny of a horse as its rider reached the end of the pier, stepping onto the wooden dock.

Clad in full armour, now black in colour and trimmed with gold and covering steel chainmail, she noted the runes along their helmet and the long sword at their hip. They had glowed orange before, as Nara recalled. But now they glowed bright white.

“So... she remembers me,” Nara said to herself. “Guess I made an impression.”

Indeed, the darker armour and the white runes along the masked helmet and the blade of the sword now marked a very different Griffin Knight.

To the people she encountered, they said she spoke less than before, which wasn’t very much. And when they caught a glimpse of her angry, green eyes they noted something behind them that wasn’t there before. A sort of quiet madness lay behind her stare. Even her fiery red hair seemed to be flecked with white streaks as though she was aging, though her youthful yet scarred face showed now such signs.

She drew her sword at the sight of The Shroud, who seemed to notice these changes as well.

“What have you done to yourself?” Leila asked.

Starling said nothing, tightly clenching her left fist where flames danced around her hand.

“Do you not remember me?”

The voice that thundered forth from beneath the helmet could not be discerned but the words were tinged with fury. “I would not forget who I have hunted, Leila.”

Nara furrowed her brow. They were hunting each other? Just what kind of history did these two have?

“But you forget yourself, it seems,” Leila said.

A chill ran down Nara’s spine when the knight turned her gaze upward, toward her standing on her ship. An ethereal whisper seemed to surround her, with so many words that no coherent thoughts could be discerned. For the first time in her life of piracy, Nara felt a deep terror strike her heart at the cold, maddening gaze behind the soulless helmet of the Griffin Knight.

“For vengeance... I would cross the boundless universe and sacrifice everything within myself.” Her gaze shifted back downward to Leila in front of her. “Of anyone... you would know that.”

The words, and the frightening whispers behind them, did not move Leila. Her stare as cold as ever and her voice calm, steady.

Leila bowed her head and closed her eyes, placing her left hand in front of her face in what resembled a one-handed sort of prayer motion. The other hand had a firm grip on her staff. “You and I... we have that in common.”

“You work for the pirate,” Starling said. “We have nothing in common.”

“I work for myself,” Leila replied. “The pirate is a means to an end.”

A low, lumbering growl erupted from the helmet. It was such an inhuman sound that it caused Nara to duck low and hide herself behind the railing on her ship.

“So... you were behind the kidnapping. To draw me out.”

“It was mutually beneficial. Though I care nothing about the pirate’s own goals. But she knew they would go to you. You are... friends. Yes?”

“Allies,” Starling said. “I respect the leader as a friend. The purple haired warrior. The others are... allies by association.”

“And because of... him. The Prince,” Leila said.

“Yes. The Prince, as he calls himself in this world. A fool... and friend to us both.”

Nara wondered why they were just... talking. But she didn’t want to look again at the two of them. It had been enough of a scare just seeing the Griffin Knight stare at her.

“The only one who could ever get us to stop... this. Even if for just a fleeting moment.”

“Speaking of...” Starling said.

Leila nodded. “Yes. As always... until we are both destroyed.”

The Shroud planted herself, taking a firm grasp of her staff, twirling it once, before stopping and pointing it forward. The Griffin Knight took a similar stance, taking a firm grip of the sword in her right hand and holding it out to her side.

In a blinding flash of movement they clashed, steel sword and steel staff colliding with a mighty crash, unable to make headway against each other. The movements were... superhuman. Faster than anyone could see.

Though Nara was hiding, Vera, bound and gagged on the pier, still standing on her tiptoes, was in utter awe of the spectacle. The two steel weapons clanged together, sparking and thundering as they collided. The fight moved almost like a dance, both partners equal in their skill, speed, and finesse. The power and strength of each collision was enough to make Vera wince herself. They both seemed to know what the other was about to do as though they had done this countless times before. And, from the way they had been speaking, it seemed like they really had done this countless times before.

It was the same old story for these two warriors. A battle, waged over time and space, back and forth and back and forth. When one seemed to gain the upper hand, the other countered and fought back, appearing to take the upper hand back. But the other would push back.

To Vera’s trained eye, the two seemed almost mirrors of each other. Though they used different weapons, their tactics, their approach, they were both the same. But it was perhaps beyond just a simple battle and beyond mere vengeance for either one. It was an endless duel, destined perhaps to last forever.

They both had their separate ways of gaining the upper hand and laying the other low, only to see the opponent get up again. Leila would clutch at her chest as though in pain and a red aura glowed around her. She would grimace and her staff would seemingly burst into flames and move faster than even Starling could react, landing vicious hit after vicious hit.

Then Starling would counter with a clenched fist and then a two-handed swing of her sword with a wall of fire from nowhere bowling Leila over and forcing her to the ground. Both of these powerful manoeuvres would dissipate for a time and the deadly dance would continue with the swing of the heavy staff clanging against the steel of the sword, again and again, in a shower of sparks and fury.

The fight eventually moved away from the pier, leaving Vera unguarded and alone, helplessly tied up and thoroughly gagged. In that moment, the princesses in the nearby forest seized their chance. And, finally having stood up again, so did Nara. With a low whistle, four members of her crew followed her silently toward the ramp where they waited.

Mirelle and Luna climbed down from their horses, rushing to Vera while the sounds of the furious duel echoed behind them.

“Vera, hang on! I’ll get you down!”

“Mmmph! Nmm! Wmmmt!” Vera tried to warn them behind her gag but Mirelle simply couldn’t understand her.

When she was within arms reach of Vera, a loud shot rang out and something sparked and deflected off the ground at Mirelle’s feet, forcing her back.

Nara and her pirates were in front of Vera in seconds, barring the way of the two princesses. Mirelle drew her sword and a green glow emanated from her hand.

“Mirelle, don’t...” Luna said, holding one arm out. She noticed one of the pirates holding a flintlock pistol against Vera’s head. The remaining three stood wide behind Nara, whose own pistol was now trained on Mirelle.

“Wise move, Lady Luna,” Nara said. “Now we can... discuss...”

Mirelle took in the situation and sheathed her sword, exchanging glances with Luna.

“What do you want?” Mirelle asked, unable to hide the sharpness in her tone.

“Now isn’t that the question? What do I want? What do we all want, Princess? I think there is something we all desire.”

“Quit playing games,” Luna said. “Just say what you want.”

Nara’s one cold eye rested upon Luna, who remained equal to her stare. “Power,” Nara said. “The power to rule. Which you both possess. I think we all want the same thing. A union. Seven as one. You understand?”

“Wait... that’s your condition?”

“In a manner of speaking...” Nara said. “Unite them all. Make it happen. And when the time comes... you abdicate. And I become the true pirate Queen of Esterlin.”

“What!?” Mirelle reached for her sword again but Luna stayed her hand.

“That’s my demand. For the release of your beloved captain... make me Queen of all Esterlin.”

“But... that’s not possible,” Luna said. “The people of the other kingdoms would never agree to-”

“Well that is a shame then. I guess dear Vera will find herself living a life of indentured servitude. Probably not a good outcome for her. I hear all kinds of unscrupulous things about slave traders...”

“There has to be another way,” Mirelle said. And before she could even think, she stepped forward. “Take me.”

“Mirelle, no!” Luna said, trying to pull her back.

“Trade me for her. I’ll... I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll give you the power you want. But it will take time. And I will not let you harm Vera. So you take me... and the kingdoms will bow to you.”

“Mirelle, stop this! Think about what you’re doing!” Luna pulled on her wife’s arms but Mirelle resisted, staring Nara dead in her one, dark eye.

Nara seemed to think about Mirelle’s proposal. It was true, she could possible leverage Mirelle against the other kingdoms. After all, the princesses were all close friends. Even if most of them had left their kingdoms for the time being. And it was those people that would be the roadblock to the union she wanted. Still, it might be worth a try...

“Tell you what,” Nara said at last. “A counter offer. Instead of you...”

Nara’s cold, one-eyed glare rested upon Luna. “If you care so deeply for your captain...”

“No...” Mirelle said.

“I... I would accept this. In her stead,” Luna said.

“No! You can’t!”

Nara waved her pirates forward, ropes and cloths in their hands. “No! Luna, please don’t!”

Distracted by her emotions, Mirelle didn’t see the pirate behind the others cutting Vera down and hauling her up the ramp and onto the ship. But someone did spot this and before the pirates could reach Luna, one of them was swept aside by a dark blur, making the other two stop in their tracks.

“What!?” Nara shouted, looking around for their attacker. The whispers surrounded her again and Nara retreated back to her ship. “No... no!”

It seemed the endless battle was not as endless as they had thought. Starling had won a temporary victory, managing to wound Leila enough to cause her to retreat into the shadows. Once the fight was done, she saw the situation unfold with Mirelle and Luna and rushed in to help her allies.

The pirates tried to fight but they were outclassed, taken to the ground and knocked unconscious by the swift, powerful strikes of the Griffin Knight.

But those pirates, now abandoned by their frightened captain, were enough of a distraction to prevent Starling from boarding the ship and rescuing Vera... who was quickly bound standing to the main mast of Nara’s ship.

Mirelle and Luna ran after it in vain, stopping just at the end of the pier as the ship’s sails were unfurled.

Nara stood at the stern of the ship, glaring down at the three women that stood there. “My demands stand!” she called. “Make me the Queen! Vera stays with me until then!”

“Damn it...” Mirelle said. “We should have tried to grab her.”

“We would have been grabbed right beside her, in all likelihood,” Luna said.

“We almost were...”

The two turned to face each other and met in a warm embrace, each planting a quick kiss on each other’s lips. When they pulled apart, Luna noticed the tears forming in Mirelle’s soft, red eyes and wiped them away. “We’ll save her.”

“I’ll send out my ship,” came the voice from behind them. “And track that pirate whore down.”

“Starling... Griffin Knight...” Mirelle said. “I’m eternally grateful for your help. That won’t be-”

“Necessary or not, I will track her down,” Starling interrupted. “I swore to Artema, and thus to you, and pledged you my allegiance. And I swore to save your captain... and I will.”

“Thank you...” Mirelle said.

“We’ll send out ships as well,” Luna said. “It’s the least we can do.”

“And if we don’t find her?” Mirelle asked.

Luna sighed, watching the ship as it quickly disappeared into the horizon. “Then we may have to do the impossible...”


Story Theme Song: Goldford- Dark Side of Paradise