The woman known as The Shroud could only watch as the pirate captain paced around her, mumbling to herself and reading the ancient book in her hands. Leila found herself unable to call upon her power but she suspected that had to do with the curse Nara the Blade had put on her. Of course, that meant she couldn’t escape her current predicament and could only wait for what the pirate had in store for her.
Clad in nothing more than her cloth chest covering and underwear, Leila was currently suspended from the ceiling in an upright position, hanging down in the brig of Nara’s ship, The Blade. The tall, athletic woman of caramel skin, pale eyes and shoulder length black hair, was currently bound in heavy chains and gagged with a leather muzzle, left to simply glare at her captor.
The muzzle covered the lower half of her face from the nose down and the straps wound under her chin, either side of her nose, around her forehead, and tightened in the back to keep her silent. The chains held her at the ankles, calves and thighs, wrapped around her arms and torso from elbows to shoulders and her wrists were shackled behind her back. The chain around Leila’s arms was the one supporting her weight and attached to an iron ring in the ceiling of the brig.
“There must be a way to unlock this thing’s power...” Nara said, pacing back and forth in front of Leila. The pirate captain had been trying for hours but had only succeeded in a few minor spells and curses on Leila, including the strict chains and muzzle on her right then.
“I must be able to become like The Faceless... don’t you think so?” Nara said, looking up at her captive.
“Mmrrphh...” Leila grunted.
“With that kind of power,” Nara continued, ignoring The Shroud’s harsh glare. “I could surely have the ability to just invade Esterlin and take it over. No need for that silly Union idea. Or that whole ransom scheme... but you were the one who advised me pursuing this book was a bad idea.”
Nara closed the book in her hand and stalked up to Leila, able to meet her eyes despite the fact she was hanging from the ceiling. This position really showed just how big a woman Nara really was. Leila, a tall woman herself, would have been dwarfed by her had she been on the floor.
“So have you been working against me from the very beginning? Plotting behind my back to turn on me when the moment was right? And here I thought you said you were a woman of honour... but in reality...” Nara smiled wide. “I knew you were just like me.”
Leila simply glared and said nothing, not even bothering to make a sound into her restrictive gag. Nara stepped closer, inches from Leila’s face. “Answer me. Have you been working against me this whole time?”
Leila sighed into the gag and just shook her head.
“And I’m supposed to believe that? When did you... oh... I think I understand. You made the mistake of thinking I would be, what, the best option for peace? I do want all that power, Leila. The power to rule... ever since those old kings on the Seven Islands cast me out, I’ve wanted this. Just to spite the bastards and everyone else in this blasted place.”
Leila struggled a bit against her chains but she stopped quickly, realizing it was pointless.
“But then you saw those princesses and you thought me pursuing The Faceless was too much? Am I off the mark?”
Leila sighed again, once more shaking her head.
Nara smiled and opened the book again. “You really ought to give me more credit, Shroud. And yourself a little less. You see, you’ve never been quite as smart as you think you are. And you’ve made the mistake of underestimating me time and time again. You’ve seen what happens when people do that...”
Nara started pacing again, reading some more spells and Leila simply hung in place, chained and gagged, and watched her.
“I was maybe a bit too eager to get to The Faceless and got myself possessed but, really, I led them to this,” Nara said, holding up the book. “And got it for myself. In the end, Shroud... my new plan succeeded. Even where my others failed, though that last one was your fault for all that sabotage..”
Unable to help herself, Leila smirked beneath the gag. It was nice to have at least one victory over Nara, even if the present situation was far from ideal.
“But this plan, the one with the book, that was always the main goal. Sure, all my contingencies and removal of obstacles has all blown up but... I have the book. And I’m only a few short words away from unlocking its power and becoming the true Empress that this world craves.”
“Hmmpph...” Leila grunted again, shuffling a bit in her chains.
She continued reading the book and Leila’s gaze shifted with her as she paced back and forth, continuing to read the book and a strange, otherworldly glow seemed to start emanating from the book, transferring onto Nara’s body.
The pirate captain took in a sharp breath and spoke a few more words aloud from the book. “You seek the ancient power of old. Lo, how doth one become so bold?”
Leila struggled a bit harder in her chains, still helpless to stop whatever was happening. Nara continued.
“The source of it all from the mighty sky, the power of Mageia you seek to try. Never shall you equal true, but here it lies to make them rue...”
Furrowing her brow, Leila realized what the book was saying. The source of it all... Mageia... in her studies since arriving in this strange world, Leila had heard rumours that all the magical power of the inhabited worlds of this place had come from somewhere in the sky called Mageia. But nothing had ever been confirmed. Though it would explain the book’s nature and how powerful and foreign all of magic of The Faceless had been...
“Seeker of power take thy form. Let it be all you need to keep you warm.”
Nara smiled as she felt... something surge through her. She felt stronger than she could have ever imagined before. An aura of light seemed to surround her and brighten the brig she and her captive occupied. Her pale eye became paler still, the iris becoming devoid of colour, and Nara closed the book again, turning to face Leila with an evil grin.
“Well... this is interesting,” she said. “I think a few tests are in order. And I happen to have myself a subject...”
“Mmmpphh!” Leila growled, bucking and thrashing in her chains. Nara approached her, hands outstretched, and her smile widened.
“How about... something new<” she waved her hands and the chains binding Leila jumped to life, squeezing tighter around her body and morphing before her very eyes. They loosened slightly as they transformed into strong rope, forming a perfect harness around her chest and keeping her arms pinned to her sides. The shackles on her wrists pulled tighter, crossed her wrists, and they were now tied together with rope. The chains binding her legs did the same thing and the muzzle gag as well transformed. The straps around her head and either side of her nose disappeared but a tight, knotted cloth filled her mouth instead, pulling tight in a knotted cleave gag before another cloth wrapped itself over her mouth and nose, tied off tight behind her head.
Then, still suspended from the ceiling, her bound legs were lifted up and pulled tight to her wrists and arms, arching her back, and almost forcing her hands and feet to touch in the tight hogtie position. Another cloth wrapped itself around her eyes, blindfolding her. Leila was pulled higher up to the ceiling, suspended with her weight held evenly by several ropes looped through the metal rings in the ceiling. Now in a tight and uncomfortable position, Leila’s struggles tired her out quite easily.
“Hmm....” Nara said. “Interesting look. Not that you can see it.”
“Mmmrrghh...” Leila growled, muffled by her layered gag.
“I’ll keep you like this for a while, I think. Haven’t tried rope on you for a while. Not since we first got here, have we? Straps, chains, even some cloth... oh, and that special adhesive strip they just invented out in Trivalia... speaking of...”
Nara snapped her fingers and both woman felt the ship lurch as though it were turning. As The Blade made an about face and began heading for the eastern coast of Esterlin, the five ships in Nara’s little pirate fleet followed suit... joined by several ships of dark wood, covered in shadows, and crewed by... humanoid creatures.
At least a dozen ships joined the small fleet with a straight heading for Trivalia.
“I think it’s about time we got this thing started,” Nara said. “Esterlin won’t be conquering itself, after all. Let’s start with someplace I’m betting they won’t expect to see me...”
“Mmmph!” Leila said, thrashing about in her bonds, helpless to even see what Nara was doing. Leaving her captive to struggle, Nara stepped up onto the main deck of her ship and the Royal Palace in the city if Dreiburg was already coming in to view.
“Not long now... ready the cannons!” she said, shouting her order above the wind. Her entire fleet obeyed her command without pause and kept on their full sail heading for the Trivalia capital.
“Let’s see them stop me this time...”
...
News reached Mirelle and Luna perhaps faster than Nara had been anticipating. The two married princesses were in the northern kingdom, Fivellin, when Luna’s messenger hurried into their bed chambers where they had been watching over The Faceless and their deep sleep.
The messenger’s worried face was their first indication that something was seriously wrong.
“Apologies for the interruption, my ladies. Frightful news from the east! Trivalia has requested immediate aid!”
“Nikolas, what is it they need?” Luna asked, turning her usual icy glare upon him. Though she never meant it, the Princess’ eyes always frightened the poor messenger and he shrank back a bit, tripping over his words slightly.
“The p-port at their capital is being i-invaded by pirates! They’ve landed and, worse still, they’ve captured the palace!”
“That is dire news,” Luna said. “Summon the generals. Tell them to gather our ships. They may not get there in time but we must push those invaders back!”
Nikolas bowed low. “At once, my lady.”
Mirelle stood from her chair and rushed to the door. “I have to find Vera! We have a battalion garrisoned in your capital, Luna. They can help!”
“Thank you, Mirelle. I’m going to meet with my generals. Join us as soon as you can.”
The two princesses rushed off their separate ways, clambering to put on their own armour, grab their weapons, and join the fray. Luckily for them both, Starling was in the area still and they could rely on her aid as well. Luna worried that it would be a long road to Trivalia, however, and without Taria there to fight for it Nara’s pirates could quickly become entrenched.
Barging into the throne room, Luna’s two generals waited. One was a shorter but thickly built woman with one scarred eye and greying, dark hair. She always wore the bright, pale blue armour of the kingdom of Fivellin so she was already prepared for battle as soon as she arrived. The woman, named Wendella, was among the kingdom’s finest warriors and the oldest serving officer.
The other general was a hulking man with a friendly face, pale eyes and bright blonde hair. He was quite handsome, in spite of his scars, and stood at attention dressed in the same pale blue armour as Wendella. His name was Linden and he was among the most fearsome warriors in all of Esterlin, having worked his way up to the second general’s position in less than a year.
Both generals pounded their chests and bowed their heads in salute to their princess. Luna returned the gesture and walked to a table they had set up in the centre of the room.
“Any information yet?” she asked, looking to Linden.
“We haven’t had much time,” Linden said. “But we did have scouts report in about the invasion. From what little we can gather, Nara had more ships than she’s ever had before bombarding the Trivalian navy with a barrage of canon fire from just off the east coast here.” He pointed to an area of the sea just east of the Trivalian capital.
“Nara’s ship was spotted along the northern wall here. They set anchor and made it ashore before anyone else saw the ruse,” Linden continued. “From there my scouts fled as they were unprepared for combat at such a scale. Nara’s pirates were seen entering the royal palace so, as far as we know, they are still in there.”
Luna nodded. “I see. Wendella...”
The woman nodded. “Fortifications points are set along the Trivalian capital at the northeast corner and further along the eastern wall. Two towers, usually armed with heavy ballistas, are where they would mount a defence. It can be assumed that Nara will use these areas though the fighting was heavy enough that the ballistas were likely destroyed. Though her pirates are known musketeers and could rain down gunfire on attackers from almost any direction along the sea wall.”
“What about from land?” Luna asked.
“The battlements,” Wendella said, tracing a finger along the long wall protecting the capital from the land to the west. “More ballistas, five to be precise, set up there and those saw none of the fighting. They’re likely intact. A frontal assault would likely involve heavy casualties.”
“Probably best to avoid that then,” Luna said.
“Agreed, my lady.”
“So where is our best point of attack?” Luna asked.
Linden put a small wooden bear down on the map, like the sigil of Fivellin, to represent their forces. “A direct attack would be futile,” Linden said. “Dreiburg was built centuries ago to be unassailable. Well before the time of you seven princesses. Onellia were war mongers and often attacked and captured Dreiburg only to lose it again days later. So it was heavily fortified by the fourth queen, I believe. It has not been conquered since. Until now, I suppose.”
“There are many impossible things that can happen when one is not expecting an attack,” Luna said. “They were likely caught off guard.”
“That appears to be the case,” Wendella said. “But it does prove one thing. Dreiburg can be taken. So it can be re-taken.”
“But, as I was saying, a direct attack would be futile. But here,” Linden said, placing the wooden bear figurine on the map and sliding it toward the southern wall where a single tower stood overlooking a wide river that bent upward toward the sea. “Is where their defences are weakest. No attacks have ever been attempted from this side because of this fast flowing river here.” He pointed to the river running along the southern wall of Dreiburg.
“There is a bridge there now,” Wendella added. “But it would provide a choke point for the defenders and Nara will likely have archers or musketeers garrisoned at the tower.”
“So it’s unassailable too....” Luna said.
“At first glance, perhaps,” Linden said. “If you forget about the tunnels.”
“Tunnels?”
“We won’t get much through but if a few of our best were to make their way up through the tunnels...” Linden said.
“We could find ourselves inside, removing their defences, and turning them against the pirates,” Wendella finished.
“Where are these tunnels? And who built them?”
“I believe we have Princess Taria to thank for these,” Linden said. “With their recent brigand trouble, she wanted a place both for evacuation of the people and a secret attack point to re-take it should the city fall.”
“And how do you know of this?” Luna asked.
“I believe she wanted it shared with the generals of the other six kingdoms, since we are in alliance at the moment. As a contingency. Her generals informed us as soon as construction began.”
Luna just shook her head. “Always thinking ahead, Taria...” she said. “How many can we get into the tunnels?”
“We can combine the might of our best infantry with the Fort Quatran battalion to make our way inside while the remaining forces stand by and wait for the defences to fall. I’d estimate at forty to fifty troops would be safe to get inside.”
“Let’s hope that’s enough,” Luna said. “And if Mirelle and I were to wish to join them...”
Linden let out a short breath. “I would caution against it. Given the number of times Nara the Blade has attempted to capture both of you, you would likely be prime targets.”
“Though their presence does boost morale,” Wendella said. “I, too, would caution against this action. But I would have no objection. The decision is yours, my lady.”
With another short breath, Linden stood straight and nodded his head at the princess. “Though I must reiterate that I caution against it... it is your decision, princess. I would be happy to escort you and keep you protected, should you have need.”
“I thank you, Linden, but you and Wendella are needed in the field planning our remaining tactics. Mirelle’s Royal Captain will be there to protect is should the need arise.”
“Then I entrust her with your life, my lady,” Linden said with a short bow.
“She will do well,” Luna said. “Now, if that is all, let us get to work.”
Both generals bowed again. “At once, my lady,” Wendella said.
“We will see you when Trivalia is liberated, my lady,” Linden said.
...
Leila grunted and strained against her unyielding bonds, still glaring at her captor who sat upon the Trivalian throne, looking both bored and yet very pleased with herself.
“I really should have done this sooner,” she said. “It feels good, to rule over an entire kingdom like this, you know?”
“Mmmpph...”
Her restraints had been changed again. Nara had been taunted The Shroud for a while and now, deciding to declare herself the new Queen of Trivalia, decided to ‘decorate’ her throne room. So Leila was hanging from the ceiling where a large, glass chandelier had once been. A heavy chain attached to the ceiling was wrapped around her arms but it, in turn, was wrapped up in another golden chain with brightly lit candles attached to circular metal plates welded to several links all around the chain. Adding to this was a thick, leather muzzle gag with a similar candle set against the tight mouth piece gagging Leila, placed in view between her eyes less than six inches from her face.
Further golden chains wrapped up her legs at the ankles and above the knees with several more of the golden chains anchored to a heavy, golden metal collar around her neck, attached to several points on the ceiling. They hung a bit loosely and arced perfectly upward toward the ceiling, with candles along more of those links, making Leila the centrepiece of Nara’s new chandelier.
The flames were making her sweat profusely, despite only wearing her undergarments, and Leila dared not struggle too hard to avoid potentially burning herself. And with her wrists locked into heavy shackles behind her back, there wasn’t much she could do to prevent the candles from burning away endlessly, making her uncomfortably warm.
Nara could feel the glare of her captive from the ceiling above, finally glancing her way and flashing her a wide smile.
“So here you are,” Nara said, standing from the throne. “You know, I quite like you like that. You make a nice decoration. Doesn’t help that you’re not too bad to look at...”
“Mmnrrpphh...” Leila grumbled into her gag.
“But I’m not sure I’ll keep you like that. Once the whole of Esterlin is mine I’ll have to reconsider what kind of trophy to make you into.”
Nara stumbled a bit and reached up to her head, suddenly feeling woozy. The power she had exerted getting herself here seemed to be fading a bit and her head was pounding.
“Hmm... haven’t mastered it yet... Luckily, I have a nice little toy to practice on.”
“Mmnnph mmm....” Leila said, shuffling ever so slightly in her tight bonds.
Before Nara could continue, a frantic man charged into the dark stone throne room, throwing open the doors and rushing toward Nara in a panic. “Captain! They’re here! Invaders from Fivellin!”
“Good,” Nara said. “Target practice. Let’s test those defensive positions.”
“They’ve already breached the outer walls! Our own ballistas are firing back at us!”
“What!? How!?”
“We don’t know! They just came up from underneath somehow! Half the Fivellin army and a battalion from Fort Quatran are at the gates and there’s nothing stopping them!”
Nara nodded and a strange look entered her eyes. Leila found herself surprised to find Nara’s look to be one of... respect. It seemed these tactics to re-take Dreiburg had impressed the pirate captain.
“Even with the shades, they outnumber us. And I can’t sustain them much longer...” Nara said. “So, the princesses aren’t as dumb as I thought they were...”
“Captain! What do we do?”
“Withdraw,” Nara said quickly. “Back to the ships. Get out of here before their naval fleet boxes us in. We’re outnumbered and my new power... it’s weakened. I can’t do much to counter.”
“But... but we only just took the place!”
“This will be a message more than anything else,” Nara said. “Let them understand that Nara the Blade is to be feared and that this can happen to any one of them at any time. For now... withdraw.”
The man nodded. “I’ll let the crews know, Captain...”
When he left, Nara and Leila were once again alone in the throne room. The Shroud struggled a bit, hoping in vain that her chains had loosened somewhat...
“I suppose you think they’re coming to rescue you,” Nara said. “I’m sure the princesses believe they owe you for what you did for them... for your betrayal...”
“Mmmpph...”
“But you’re not going anywhere. You’re coming with-”
The door burst open again and both princesses barged in, flanked on the left by Vera, the short, well built captain of Mirelle’s Royal Guard and The Griffin Knight, both with a hefty grudge against the pirate captain.
“Ah, blast it all to hell...” Nara said.
“There she is!” Luna said, pointing her drawn sword to Nara. “Don’t let her get away!”
The ethereal whisper surrounding Starling’s rune covered helmet began at a low growl as her sword sung when she removed it from its sheath. But the black armoured knight stopped herself short, peering into Nara’s eyes.
“She has it. The power...” Starling said. “Stay back. She’s read the book...”
“Of course I have. What do you think I did with it?” Nara raised her hands and a swirling wind rose up around her, pushing her attackers back. To Leila’s relief, it also blew out the candles so close to her body...
“You can have her then!” Nara said. “Just don’t forget... it could be your kingdom next! I will not stop and I will only become more powerful! Best think of a good way to surrender to me!”
With a loud clap, Nara was gone from the room. The wind died down and everything fell silent. The four women who had entered the room looked to each other before Mirelle finally raised her eyes to the ceiling.
“Help me get her down,” she said, walking to one of the chains anchored along the dark stone wall. Luna and Vera were quick to help her but Starling remained still, staring up at her oldest rival. With the lumbering growl emitted from her helmet, The Griffin Knight spun on her heel and left the room to the others.
...
With order restored to the Trivalian capital, the princesses convened in a council chamber with the Trivalian chancellor, a rather thorny man who Taria had entrusted to look after the kingdom in her absence. He had been notoriously difficult to get along with and perhaps the most resistant to the princesses’ idea of Esterlin’s union. But his mind had been changed when they had come to Trivalia’s aid...
He eyed the woman across the table from him carefully. He wasn’t certain why The Shroud had been allowed into the room but, if the princesses insisted upon it, he agreed to it.
“We owe you both a tremendous debt. I have sent word to the remaining capitals. Princess Elyn, one of your guild mates, is already on board. Others have been perhaps just as resistant to the idea as I am but, with what you did for us here today... I can only think Princess Taria would find it more than adequate that we acquiesce to your request for union.”
“Really? You’ll join the union?” Mirelle said. “And you’ll even...”
The chancellor sighed. “Yes. The two of you led a daring assault and made the critical decisions necessary to capture Dreiburg back from the brink of disaster. Esterlin would be privileged to be guided by your new system of governance...”
“So you’ll help abolish monarchy then?” Luna asked.
“I will do as I must. We are in your debt, as I have said. And I received word from the others. On behalf of Princesses Meryn, Artema, and Lanala, they accept your terms and will be guided under one unified rule behind Fivellin and Fort Quatran. So... you have your Union.”
“Wow.... we did it!” Mirelle said. “And all we had to do was fight off some pirates!”
“You did far more than that, my lady,” the chancellor said. “You returned Sixellia’s princess, recovered Trivalia’s capital, and are already proven allies of the remaining kingdoms, yours included... it is only obvious that we unify against this new threat.”
Luna nodded. “Agreed. We’re stronger together. Nara can’t hope to battle the forces of all of Esterlin.”
“Unless she can create more...” Leila added. “Forgive my interruption... I, too, owe you a debt. You could have left me as I did to you, Mirelle...”
“That’s not who I am,” Mirelle said. “And besides, you did help get me acquitted. Even if you didn’t untie me that day.”
“Even still... I offer you my protection. And my services as a warrior. Nara will not stop here. Her power will only grow. And if she can create the forces necessary to take Dreiburg, she will soon be capable of creating a force large enough to invade the entirety of Esterlin.”
“She makes a good point,” Luna said. “We will need to be prepared.”
The chancellor nodded. “We are working on better fortifications as we speak. And, when the time comes, the Trivalian army is at your disposal.”
“Thank you, chancellor,” Mirelle said. “Let us hope it does not come to that.”
The meeting dragged on well into the night as many strategies were discussed for mounting a proper defence of each kingdom. But while they did, Nara herself rested up and continued reading the book, her mind slipping with each word absorbed. Her attention turned back to the two princesses who continued to thwart her and as she read the book, Midanyami, she smiled as she was struck with an idea...
Chapter 2: Chains
They didn’t even see it coming. Luna and Mirelle had laid down to sleep, not even thinking that there was any threat. Now they were kicking themselves over how naive they were for believing that Nara could not get to them in her current state.
Nara the Blade, the notorious pirate captain and aspiring Empress of Esterlin, had been resting and reading the ancient book Midanyami to strengthen her power. It had taken her a few days since she had captured the Trivalian city of Dreiburg, only to lose it again in a clever sneak attack manoeuvre spearheaded by the princesses themselves. But now she had honed her power ever so slightly more and abducted the two princesses while they slept, transporting them to a dungeon of her own creation.
Hidden deep in a crumbled fortress somewhere in Central Esterlin, the dungeon had been sprung to life by Nara’s newfound black magic. Trapping both Luna and Mirelle down there, she decided to toy with them. Nara tasked both princesses with escaping the dungeon of living chains and leather without being imprisoned forever.
She hoped, of course, to keep them captive and potentially ransom them back to their kingdoms or just hold them to use as leverage in her forthcoming battle plans for taking all seven kingdoms of Esterlin for herself.
The room the two princesses found themselves in was sparsely lit, with only dim torches lighting their way. The widened room was dark stone from wall to wall as were the ceiling and floor. The room in front of them narrowed into a pitch black corridor but neither woman wanted to move. They could hear the sound of scraping metal from somewhere in front of them.
Myriad chains, strong and new as the day they were forged, hung from the walls and ceiling around them but as soon as they laid eyes on them they began to shift around the room like snakes, slithering along the floor and disappearing into the darkness.
“Luna...” Mirelle said. Luna’s heart nearly broke from the evident fear in Mirelle’s voice. “What do we do?”
“We move... but carefully.”
“How? We can’t even remove that torch... we’re blind.”
Luna hesitated. She looked to her wife for the moment. Mirelle, clad in her green and brown dress with a split up both sides of her skirt, matching green flat shoes, her soft, frightened red eyes and bright, mint green hair... Luna’s icy heart melted at the sight of her wife and her perfect ivory skin. And her heart ached at the fear she saw in her eyes and the fact that she didn’t have a good answer for Mirelle.
Mirelle, in turn, kept her eyes on her stoic wife. Luna, her perfect ebony skin aglow in the dim torchlight, looked perfect to Mirelle with her long, braided pale blue hair, angry pale grey eyes, silky light blue dress with its short, split skirt and knee high, blue sandals with straps running up her ankles and calves... and she could sense that Luna, too, didn’t know what to do.
“Well...” Mirelle answered, managing a weak smile. “At least we’re together.”
“Always with the sunny side,” Luna said, forcing a smile of her own. “But we will make it out of here. I know it.”
Mirelle kept her smile. “I wish I knew more light spells...”
“I wish I knew any,” Luna said. “Unless...” With both her hands held in front of her, Luna closed her eyes.
“From the droplets that are lost, before me water turns to frost...” her incantation, and concentration, forced a pale blue flash, a cold rush of air, and just a flicker of light as the wall in front of her became quickly coated in a thin, icy patch of frost. It was just enough light to spot a chain and some sort of dark square of leather scurrying away into the narrow corridor in front of them. But they both lost sight of it again immediately.
“Well... at least we know they’re there,” Luna said.
Mirelle sighed. “Nothing for it but to push on ahead, I suppose.”
Luna nodded. “Just remember... I love you. And we must stay together.”
“I love you, Luna,” Mirelle said. “Of course. We will.”
Taking in a short breath, Luna stepped forward into the darkness toward the narrow corridor, hand in hand with Mirelle. She pulled Mirelle along behind her and they walked single file, still holding on to each other, as they finally left the dimly lit room and were plunged into immediate darkness.
Their progress was slow but steady and, so far, they hadn’t encountered any of the living chains or leather. Everything was eerily silent as they stepped tentatively forward into the endless darkness. Neither of them knew how long the corridor was, or where it led, but had no other choice but to press forward.
They both stopped in their tracks at the sound of metallic scraping from just above them. Luna kept her sharp eyes on the ceiling but the sheer darkness around them rendered her practically blind to any movement.
“You see it?” Luna asked.
“No...” Mirelle answered. “But it’s still moving... it sounds like it’s-ahhh!”
Mirelle felt something heavy wrap itself around her ankle and pull backward. She didn’t let go of Luna’s hand and the Fivellin princess planted her feet and pulled back.
“I’ve got you. Don’t worry, Mirelle. We’ll get-mmph!?”
Something thick, made of leather, clung tight to Luna’s mouth. Something soft was forced into her mouth, holding it slightly open, attached to a leather panel that pressed tight to her lips. It strapped itself on behind her head. She hadn’t even seen the thing throw itself at her from the wall but now thoroughly gagged, Luna tried reaching up with her free hand, all while pulling on Mirelle to fight the chain’s grip. When she tried to start pulling the gag from her mouth, something cold locked itself around her wrist and pulled it behind her back. “Mmmph!”
“Luna! Hang on! Nnngghhh! I’ll... get... aaahhh!”
The chain pulling on Mirelle’s ankle had stopped pulling for the time being and wrapped itself around her other ankle, pulling them together and wrapping up tightly, throwing her off balance. A similar cold, steel shackle locked itself around Mirelle’s free wrist as well, pulling it behind her back.
“Luna, I think I’m falling!” Mirelle started to lose her balance but her wife managed to help pull her back to her feet as they continued to tightly hold each other’s hand.
Their eyes met as they felt themselves being pulled apart.
“Mmrrlmm...”
“Luna... we’ll find each other. I promise. And I know you do too. You’ll find me. I’ll find you. Okay?”
Luna just nodded. They still refused to let go of each other’s hand but now shackles forced themselves on those wrists, the strong force of living chains forcing their hands apart and locking their wrists behind their backs with short chains between the shackles. The rest went quickly as they were both dragged in opposite directions.
Chains wrapped up Luna’s ankles and thighs just above her knees, forcing her to hop as she was pulled along. Thick, cold chains wrapped around her arms and torso, covering her chest and pinning her arms to her sides from elbows to shoulders. And, already stumbling into the dark, what vision she had was robbed from her when a tight leather hood pulled itself over her face, leaving only space for holes by her nostrils and further silencing her, tightening the gag in her mouth. The final touch, a heavy, thick and padded collar, locked itself around her neck and forced her head to sit perfectly straight so she couldn’t even turn it side to side.
While Luna was being restrained and led away, Mirelle had a similar collar locked onto her neck. Followed swiftly by a gag identical to Luna’s. Already hopping, the chains wrapped up her thighs as well, followed by her arms identical to the way Luna’s had been chained. The same tight, leather hood went on over Mirelle’s head as well. Now with both princesses effectively rendered anonymous, helplessly chained, gagged and silenced... they were separated and pulled off by the living chains.
The chains locked themselves to rings on both women’s collars and led them hopping along like a sort of leash, pulling them helplessly to waiting tiny prison cells.
They both heard the creak of iron hinges on thick iron doors, led to a small wooden bench hanging from a stone brick wall in a cell barely five feet wide. Cramped, alone, and now thoroughly chained and gagged, the chain leashes around their collars were fastened to rings on the wall behind them in their separate cells.
The doors slammed shut, locking in place, and the living chains lay dormant again, awaiting whatever prisoners Nara might throw their way. With the two prisoners taken care of, everything in the dungeon went silent save for the helpless grunts of two women struggling desperately against their chains.
They couldn’t hear each other, see anything around them, nor even call for help. But in these desperate times all they could do was think of each other to keep themselves sane. Each woman knew that the love her life was down there with her, somewhere. And it was enough to harden their resolve. They knew someone would rescue them. They had to. They knew their friends wouldn’t abandon them. The only trouble... was Nara.
...
“Of course I’m sure!” Vera said, gesturing wildly and glaring at the Griffin Knight with her ferocious brown eyes. “What, do you think I wouldn’t check around for them!?”
“It is unlike them to disappear, Starling...” a voice said, only stirring anger in Starling’s heart. “Something must have happened.”
“I am merely exploring all options,” Starling, the Griffin Knight, stated coldly. “We need to be prepared for any eventuality.”
“But we weren’t prepared for this one!” Vera said. Though she barely stood as tall as Starling’s chest, the short, stout and muscular captain of the Fort Quatran Royal Guard was still a powerful presence.
“Nara’s power remains... unpredictable,” the voice, one belonging to Leila, The Shroud, answered. “There may have been no way to prepare for this.”
“Well we need to find out where she took them! Now!”
“I know where.” A fourth woman, familiar to them spoke from the doorway to the palace council chambers within the Fort Quatran capital. The Thief Witch, Aurora, stepped into the room.
“How do you know?” Starling asked, not even bothering to hide the snarl in her voice.
“My dear Griffin Knight... I am not your enemy. I would not have helped you acquire the runes that so afflict your mind if I was.”
“I believe you have all been foolish to seek out that book’s power,” Leila said. “It is naught but a curse. But... Starling. You should believe her. And I believe she is about to explain herself. Let her speak.”
Starling said nothing and turned away from the table.
“Back before... well. We need not go over the deeds of the past. I used to keep captives in my cellar but I always wanted more. And space for them. There’s a ruined fortress in Central Esterlin, only a few miles from my hut, that I was planning to use. I wanted to create a dungeon down there but, when I went to check it out, the place felt... off.”
“Off?” Vera asked. “In what way?”
“Cursed. Like the book. It was... hostile. I was nearly trapped. I didn’t have the power to harness whatever curse was placed on it. But someone with the power of Midanyami might be able to control it.”
“Are you suggesting the princesses are being held in that dungeon?” Vera asked.
“If I were a betting woman, and I am, then yes. It’s out of the way, in neutral ground, and hardly anyone knows about its existence.”
“One more question... what are you doing here? What do you hope to gain from this?”
“My girlfriend... dearest Elyn... she has many gifts. Scrying, in particular. She saw her dear friends dragged off. But I insisted on coming alone. She has been through enough. I am only interested in helping friends of my dear Elyn. Nothing more. Nothing less.”
“And will she not help?” Vera asked.
“She would but I rather... insisted... that she stay in one place. For her own safety. And I have done what I set out to do.”
“And what of you? Will you not help them?”
“I just have. I have faith in three great warriors such as yourselves. You will rescue them. And I will protect Elyn. She may be a little less pleased than usual in her current predicament but, rest assured, she is currently enjoying herself. Even if she may be displeased with me at the moment. I will have to make it up to her.”
“Thief Witch... if you are lying-”
“I am not. Here.” Aurora slid a rolled up parchment across the table. “I drew you a map. Find the fortress. Save the princesses. It’s what you want, isn’t it?”
Vera growled under her breath and unrolled the parchment. “I will come for you if you’re lying.”
“As I said, I am not. But you will see. And now, dear ladies... I will take my leave.”
Aurora stepped back out of the room and the shadows seemed to envelop her and she disappeared just as quickly as she had appeared.
“Never trust a witch,” Starling said.
“Anymore, you mean,” Leila said, unable to stifle the smirk curling her lips.
Starling growled under her breath and her hand reflexively moved to her sword. Vera drew her own quickly and rapped the knuckles of Starling’s gauntlet with the flat side of her blade.
“That will do us no good. We have no other leads. This witch... she is with a princess of the Guild. Better still, one with a kind heart. Though I am loathe to trust a witch, as the Griffin Knight said.... we have no other choice.”
Leila nodded solemnly. “I agree. If we are to have any chance of ensuring peace in this land, we must save the princesses. And that means we trust the witch. For now.”
Starling brushed aside Vera’s sword and growled again, stepping back. “Fine. But if this one gets in my way,” she said, nodding to Leila. “I will not hesitate. Understand?”
“We have no use fighting each other,” Vera said. “Let’s just work together and get those two back. Yes?”
With a nod from Leila and grunt from Starling, the three women set about beginning their plan of attack.
...
Mirelle could feel beads of sweat on her forehead and the stifling hood made everything unbearably warm as she battled the unyielding chains. Sometimes she would stop struggling to rest and catch her breath, feeling now that her body was drenched in sweat as well. While she rested, Mirelle would try to listen to the gloom outside her cell and hope against all hope that she could hear Luna... but her own deep breaths was the only sound filling her ears. She would try to call out to her wife as well.
“Lmmnmmm!! Mmm hmmmrr! Mmm stmmll hmmmr!” Her voice muffled, Mirelle wasn’t certain Luna could hear here even if she was nearby. It gave her some small comfort to try and remind her wife that she was still in the dungeon with her, somewhere. But that was all she had as the chains, and their hold on her, never came close to getting any looser.
The rattling of her chains as she struggled, coupled with the tight hood muffling the sounds around her, meant that Mirelle didn’t hear the careful approach of a single person toward the corridor that her cell lay within.
The person was by herself, having left her two companions behind when they started fighting.
Their entrance into the dungeon had been easy enough. Aurora’s map was drawn clearly and precisely so they found the old fortress and the dungeon beneath with relative ease. Once they were inside, guided by torchlight, Starling and Leila both stopped dead. Vera tried to usher them along but something changed in their eyes. She had seen it before. When Nara had first kidnapped Vera those many months ago she had witnessed the tremendous battle these two had engaged in and the look in their eyes then was the same as it was now.
“No...” Vera said. “Now is not the time! We have to get the princesses out of here!”
Neither woman answered her, slowly circling each other. Starling drew her sword and Leila snapped her fingers, her staff appearing in her hands. Vera noticed then something else behind their eyes. Something that just wasn’t truly them. It had seemed to her, outside the dungeon, that they would both put aside their usual feud to help save the princesses. But the curse Aurora had mentioned... it must have been affecting them. It seemed even powerful individuals like The Shroud and the Griffin Knight were not immune to this curse. Vera wondered whether even she could get out of here if that were the case...
Vera flinched as the two warriors clashed, their weapons creating sparks as they collided. Even having seen it once, their swiftness and brutality was still a sight to behold. They were both faster than any human she had ever seen. The blade and staff crashed into each other over and over again. Sometimes the staff would connect with armour. Others the sword would glance off of thick cloth and leather. But neither could gain the upper hand, as it always seemed, pushing back and forth against each other and making no headway. Vera caught herself staring for quite some time before making a decision.
Scraping metal along the stone walls snapped her from her reverie as she saw living chains slithering toward her and encircling the two battling warriors, ready to strike. Torch held in front of her, Vera picked a direction and left the other two behind. There was no way she was going to step between them. She would have been cut to ribbons if she had. And, having seen them before, nothing would stop their battle until one or both of them chose to back off. No outside influence, Vera included, could get them to that point.
So the Royal Captain fled the room as more and more living chains came in, some in pursuit of her down the corridor she chose. She managed to outrun them, lighting the way in front of her and taking care of where she stepped. Finally, after fleeing for several minutes, Vera found herself entering a corridor lined with tiny cells, sealed by heavy iron doors. She heard someone as she walked. It was a woman, she was certain, though her voice was muffled and any movement was accompanied by rattling chains.
Finally, she stopped in front of a cell and recognized the dress of the woman inside.
“Lady Mirelle!”
“Vmmrmm!?” Mirelle said, only just hearing the familiar voice of her Royal Captain. She battled the chains and tried to stand up from the bench but the chain on her collar pulled her back down again.
Vera tried the door but found it locked, of course. Though it seemed a set of keys hung just outside the cell and she grabbed for them, trying several until the tumblers finally clicked over and the door creaked as she pulled it open.
“My lady!” she said. “Can you hear me?”
“Mm hmm,” Mirelle said, nodding.
Vera worked the laces of the leather hood loose on the back of Mirelle’s head before pulling it free. Mirelle’s mint green hair fell about her shoulders, damp from sweat and a little tangled from how it had been bunched up. But Vera was relieved to see the face of Fort Quatran’s princess again.
“I’ll get you out of here let me just... remove...” Vera realized there were no locks on the chains. She pulled on the one attaching Mirelle’s collar to the wall and felt it pop loose on its own, falling from Mirelle’s collar and hanging from the metal ring on the wall.
“That’s... strange...” She jumped back when the chain lashed out at her, sensing her touch, and trying to coil itself around her. But it remained stuck in place on the metal ring, falling limp again.
“We need to get out of here now,” Vera said. “Forgive me, my lady, but I will need to carry you.”
Vera hauled Mirelle, still chained and gagged, over her shoulder, kneeling down to lift up the slightly taller, thinner woman up. Mirelle felt Vera’s strength in that moment. She was a stout, thickly built woman but it was clear now that her build was that of pure muscle as she easily lifted Mirelle, bearing her weight over one shoulder.
Keeping a firm grip around Mirelle’s waist, Vera held the torch out in front of her and made her way out of the cell Mirelle had been held within. She pressed on back the way she had come, hoping to find Luna on the way. But she stopped when she heard the echoing of a voice in the distance, back the way she had come.
“Grrrmmppph!” The voice was angry, and muffled, that much was certain. And it sounded a lot like-
“Mmmrrpph!” Another muffled voice. A little deeper, perhaps a little calmer but still sounding less than happy...
“They’ve been caught...” Vera said to herself.
A third voice rung out from down the corridor then. Another woman, also muffled. “Lmmnt mmph mmmt!”
“Lady Luna!” Vera said, whispering.
“Mmmph!” Mirelle cried, over Vera’s shoulder.
“Hush please, my lady. I don’t know what is happening.”
One final voice echoed down the corridor, smug, proud, and noticeably not muffled.
“Don’t know where old green hair got to,” the voice said.
“Nara...” Vera said, knowing the pirate’s voice all too well. Nara continued.
“But having you three is still quite a catch. I knew setting up this dungeon was a good idea. And sending you two bumbling princesses here... a stroke of genius, I think.”
Muffled grunts and grumbles were Nara’s only reply.
“But if green hair can escape, chances are at least one of you thinks you can too. Which means... back to the ship with the lot of you!”
Nara snapped her fingers, echoing off the walls, and the muffled grunts of her three captives ceased all at once. Another snap and Nara herself was gone. Vera let out a short breath, only realizing she had been holding it, before finding her way back the way they had come in.
Keeping clear of the living chains, Vera and Mirelle finally emerged out into the sunlight as dawn hit, the sun rising up over the horizon. Vera gently set Mirelle down and managed to remove her leather gag but, all at once, the chains and shackles on her body fell loose, no longer affected by the curse. Well clear of the fortress, they were naught but rusted iron. The curse had even kept the ancient chains intact and free of corrosion, it seemed...
“Thank you, Vera...” Mirelle said, stretching her limbs and working her jaw. “But Nara...”
“I know, my lady. We will get them back. Somehow.”
While the two rested in the surrounding forest, they heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Vera stood tall and drew her sword, bracing herself and shielding Mirelle... but they spotted the familiar Green Steel armour of Fort Quatran and both women relaxed. It was a young man, a scout for the Royal Guard, who had followed them into the woods.
“Captain,” he said. “I am glad I found you. I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“What’s the matter?”
“I have a message. For Lady Mirelle.” He bowed low to the princess. “Good to see you are safe, my lady.”
“You as well,” Mirelle said. “What is the message?”
“It comes from the Seven Islands. My lady, Princess Meryn has returned.”
Mirelle stood up and her gloomy expression perked up a bit. “Is... is that true?”
“It is, my lady. They have raised her banner above the castle to signal her return. The golden wolf flies again.”
“We must see her at once,” Mirelle said. “Can you get us there?”
“The horses are waiting, my lady. Princess Meryn sent one of her fleet to port nearby. We are to take you there.”
“She... asked to see us?”
“As soon as you were safe, my lady but... where is Lady Luna?”
“She is... Nara’s captive again...” Mirelle said, her voice a mix of grief and guilt. “That is why we must see Meryn!”
The young man nodded. “Yes. Yes of course. This way, my lady! We’ll be off at once!”
The three of them hurried off to the waiting horses, speeding off to the waiting ship from Meryn’s fleet. Though the situation was dire once again, Meryn’s reappearance was perhaps the relief they needed. At least now they could sort out a plan of attack to rescue the three captives from Nara’s ship. But, with her newfound power and her usual trickery that was, as always, easier said than done...