Grey is thinking deeply when he hears the news from Sebastian. He remembered the tale of the still water of the Acronis Ocean. There were recorded events of the ship sinking in the area due to unexpected bad weather or ship trouble but one survivor told a different story. It's a giant monster that destroys a ship easily with its long and huge tentacles and eats people with its mouth full of sharp pointed teeth.
"Is it dangerous to cross there?" Luna asked.
"Yes, ships and fishermen avoid that place for years," Sebastian answered.
"Then why would the captain want to cross that water?" Luna thought.
"I heard reports before of small ships trying to navigate that part of the ocean. Several ships loaded with treasure sunk in the area. Several treasure hunters were able to retrieve a few gold coins and artifacts from the ships. I'm still not sure of the captain's reason but we must stop him from endangering the passengers and crews of this ship. Sebastian, investigate this and do it quietly." Grey explained.
Sebastian nodded.
"I want to help. What should I do?" Luna asked.
"Return to your quarters for now Luna," Grey answered.
"But-"
"That's right. It's safe for you to stay there for a while. We still don't know the captain's plan. There is also a possibility of this as works of the enemies of the Prince." Sebastian added.
"Enemies?" Luna asked.
"People who wanted me dead. There's a possibility that someone knows my identity on this ship. We must be careful." Grey uttered.
There were several attempted assassinations of Grey in the past years by powerful clans who disliked him being the crown prince, especially the second prince's relatives, and pure-blooded nobles and aristocrats.
Luna felt concerned.
Why would they try to kill him? He is a good prince. He is very kind and so strong. He is more than capable.
"I won't allow anyone to hurt you! I will protect you!" Luna said with a fierce voice.
Grey was startled when he heard her. Then his face turned red.
Sebastian pouted.
"Luna, I will protect the Prince you do not have to worry," Sebastian said with a serious face.
After their meeting, Luna returned to her quarter with Porcha, Coco, and Mira as per Grey's order.
"I need to do something," Luna uttered as she paced back and forth in the room.
"Lady Luna is everything alright?" Mira asked.
Luna looked at Mira.
"Mira, I need to check on something. I'll be back soon. Coco, Porcha come with me."
"But Lady Luna-"
"I'll be back I promise." She said before finally leaving.
Luna sneaked out of her room and evaded the knights successfully. She walked around the ship.
Luna, I saw a suspicious door over there. Let's go there! Porcha thought.
She nodded and followed her.
It's a wooden door with locks.
"What's behind here?" Luna asked.
Luna took out her hairpin and started to unlock it. When she opened the door, it was a dark staircase going down. She walked down. When she arrived at the bottom, she saw a glimmer of fluorescent light. She entered a hallway and saw prison cells made of logs. Inside were people sitting on the ground.
"What a lady like you doing here?"
Luna turned to a man inside a cell speaking to her. He is a young man, around his 20s with a muscular build and prominent facial features. Beside him is a young girl around her age. They both had shackles on their feet. They also look pale and dirty.
"I'm looking around. What happened to you? Why are you imprisoned here?" She asked.
He laughed but humor is not seen in his eyes. Then he looks at her with disdain.
"You look like a noble from a rich family. Are you so naive that you don't know that people like you snatch our people to be a slave or sacrifice them to the monster?"
"I don't know. And I'm not a noble. I live in the forest. Someone help me and brought me here. But what do you mean by sacrifice to the monster?"
The man gazed at her angrily.
"To appease the sea monster, the captain will throw us to the sea." The girl beside him answered.
Luna felt horrible.
"That's cruel!"
The man smirked but ignored her.
"Lady, please help us." The girl begged as she crawled and reached for her hand.
"Marlowe!" The man called the girl angrily.
"But brother we must return home, mother and father will mourn us. Mother has a weak heart, do you think she'll accept the two of her children dying?"
"Don't worry I'll help you," Luna said.
The man looked at her.
"Don't give us false hope!" The man screamed at her.
"I'm not. I will help you! I have someone who can help you."
"Who are you?"
Luna turned and saw a bulky man standing at the bottom of the staircase.
A few minutes later...
"You will help us huh?" The man said in mockery as he gazed at Luna sitting on the floor with them inside the prison.
Luna gazed back at the man, starting to feel annoyed. She just rolled her eyes.
The guard caught her earlier and threw her inside the prison with them.
"Brother, stop it. She wanted to help that's why she's here with us now. It's our fault." The girl said.
"What's your name?" Luna asked.
"Marlowe and he is Natan, my older brother. What's your name?"
"I'm Luna, and this is Coco and Porcha."
"They seemed delicious. We haven't eaten for days." The man commented.
Luna glared at him.
"They're not food!"
The man crossed his arms and leaned against the wall as he ignored her.
"Don't mind my brother. He is actually very kind but he's just not trustworthy of people outside our tribe." Marlowe explained.
"Where are you from?"
"We are from the Morcan tribe in the west. The slave traders captured us while my brother and I were hunting animals. They used magic on us. Then they sold us to the captain of this ship to be sacrificed to the sea monster."
"That's terrible. Don't worry, we will get out of here."
"Your optimism won't save us," Natan uttered.
On a closer look, Luna realized that Natan is a good-looking man. Thick eyebrows, pointed nose, and thin lips. Marlowe is very pretty as well.
Why are the people in this world are so gorgeous? The only thing they considered ugly is having black hair and black eyes. That is so dumb!
Luna took out her hairpins from her hair and started unlocking the shackles on Marlowe's feet.
The clicking sound from the locks made the siblings look at each other with surprise.
"How did you do that by just using two pieces of hairpin?" Marlowe asked.
"It's easy but we don't have time for that," Luna answered then turned to Natan and started unlocking his shackles.
Then Luna turned to the locks of the prison cell and started unlocking them.
"We have to get out of here before my friends noticed I'm not in my room." She said as she finally unlock the cell gate.
Luna turned to the two siblings as they watched her with wonder.
"Let's go!"