TW// Misogyny, mention of sexual abuse, violence, blood
Rea couldn't remember when was the last time she was so hungry. She kept circling around the room, picking up all kinds of food. Maybe it was because she was trying to avoid talking to others. Then what is the point of this ball, Rea?
She sighed. I need to talk to them. Rea stuffed the Procly in her mouth. Gosh, who even likes these? She swallowed it down, grabbed a glass of wine and drank it all in one go. Now go talk to them.
"Excuse me?"
Rea turned around to face a woman in her forties. She immediately recognized her as The Duchess of The Stocham. Rea had visited that place only once and that one time was enough for her. Stocham was up in the North. The land was cold and dull. As were its rulers.
"It brings me much joy to see you again, Your Majesty." She bowed down.
The last person Rea wanted to talk to was her. She didn't even force a smile on her face. "Your Grace."
She fanned her face. "You know you can call me by my name."
"Yes, Romane."
Romane suddenly closed her fan, wrapped one arm around Rea's elbow and started walking. "I was going to talk to you earlier, but that handsome guy stole you for a dance. I don't think I know him. Who was he anyway? Is he some royal blood?"
Rea hated her grating voice. She tried not to show how deeply uncomfortable she felt as Romane's hands were on her. "He is no royal blood and he- "
"Oh, that is a shame. You certainly need someone of the higher ranks to marry."
Rea stopped. "And why would I need to do that?"
"Oh, Your Majesty, you need a King. You can't possibly carry and rule the whole kingdom. Oh, my apologise, two kingdoms. And he needs to be of higher ranks."
Rea knew she was trying to provoke her, she always did, but she wouldn't give in. She straightened her posture. "I am fully capable of ruling two kingdoms."
"The people say otherwise." She continued walking.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Everyone has heard the news. Your kingdom is starving, they aren't pleased with you, Your Highness." She started fanning her face. "You need a King to help you get back your kingdoms and your people."
"I certainly don't need a King by my side for that." Hissed Rea.
Romane, covered her mouth with her fan, leaned closer and whispered. "Are you afraid to share a bed with a man?"
Rea froze on the spot. Romane knew she wasn't allowed to talk about it. She had promised she wouldn't. She just wanted to embarrass and provoke Rea. A smirk across her face proved, she succeeded.
"My son is still available."
Rea grabbed Romane's hand and pulled her, so she was facing her. "You promised you wouldn't say a word about it."
"I don't recall making any promises. I never wanted to do you harm, I just wanted to make an alliance between our kingdoms. Together no one would ever want to oppose us."
"You made him do it?" She tightened the grip.
"No, it was his own choice."
"But it was not mine." Rea could feel her voice beginning to shake. She lowered her voice and whispered, trying to hold away her tears. "He wanted to rape me."
"Oh, Your Majesty, you don't know that you were too young."
"Yes. Yes, I was. I was fourteen and he was twenty and I know what he wanted to do." Rea tried so hard to push hear tears away. "He wanted to rape me." She whispered again.
Romane looked her in the eyes. "All men do that."
Rea swallowed down her tears and hissed through her teeth. "I'm glad that knife was there."
She released her hand, turned around and started walking towards the door. Rea had gone to the Stocham with her mother. She had to take care of something, and they would have to stay there overnight. Rea never wanted to go, but she had no choice. They had left her alone for the whole day and she decided to walk around the palace ground. Rea quickly got bored of it, as it was nothing but snow.
"Mind if I join you?" Rea turned around to a tall young man. "My name is Ikram."
"I'm Rea from The Kingdom of Lucine."
He smiled. "I know."
He sat beside her on the bench. "What brings you here?"
"My mother visited, and she took me with her."
"Do you like it here?" Ikram could see the struggle on Rea's face to make up a lie. "You don't have to lie."
"It's horrible. There is no green grass, no trees, and no flowers."
He laughed. Rea liked his smooth laugh. "Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so." He smiled gently. "If you need me, you can always ask for me."
Rea nodded and he left.
Rea thought he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her entire life. How quickly did that change. That night Ikram had snuck into her chamber and crawled into her bed. Rea didn't hesitate. She always kept a knife at her side, so that night she took it and sliced Ikram across his face.
Romane had promised she would never speak of that day. Rea clenched her shaking fist. She lied. That bitch lied.
"Rea is everything okay?"
Rea opened her eyes, to Ivan holding her shoulders. She was still in the main room, standing by the throne. Nobody seemed to be looking at her.
"Rea?"
She opened her mouth to speak as they heard an explosion. They both immediately turned towards the sound. The room fell silent for a split second and then the room was filled with quiet mumbles.
"What was that?" Asked Rea.
A guard ran to Ivan. Before he could bow down Ivan asked. "Where did that come from?"
"T-the prison, sir."
Rea felt the grip of his hands tightened on her. Ivan opened his mouth to give an order as the wall next to them came crashing down with a big blast. Ivan covered Rea's body as the ground shook. Before Rea could open her eyes, the guests started screaming.
She was on her feet in seconds to see pirates, jumping through the windows and through the hole in the wall, attacking the people.
Ivan grabbed Rea's hand. "We need to get you somewhere safe."
Rea didn't move. "No way." She stepped behind the throne where she always kept a spare sword. She pulled it out and looked at Ivan. "There's no way, I'll step down on a fight."
Ivan had his sword in his hands. "Rea this is dangerous, they are pirates."
"I fought a whole ship of them, and I managed to escape them." She smiled and grabbed her skirt with one hand. "I think I've got this. Take the others to safety."
"But I need to stay clo- "
"It was not a question, it was an order."
Ivan closed his mouth, nodded, and ran down to the guests who were already pushed against the wall. Ivan led them through the side door while the other guards blocked the pirates from getting to them. Rea also noticed Elias, Tivon and Cornelis enter the room.
When Rea turned around, she just barley dogged a sword swinging towards her head. She blocked it with her swords, trying to stay balanced in the heavy dress.
"Who are you and why are you attacking me?"
The man said nothing. He just smiled and pushed the sword closer to her. Rea managed to slam the heel of her shoes in his foot. He screamed and staggered backwards. She gripped the sword and stabbed the man in the shoulder. She wasn't aiming to kill. She'll need him alive for the questioning.
Rea tried to approach him to ask him, who were they, but someone from behind, stepped on her dress, causing her to fall down. Her sword fell beside her and when she reached for it the one who tripped her kicked it away.
"Not so fast princess." He aimed the gun at her head. "Say goodbye- "
A bullet hit his leg and he fell to the ground. Rea grabbed the sword and impaled the man in the stomach. She looked up to Elias across the room, still pointing his pistol at the man. He nodded at her and turned around.
Rea was about to pull the sword out of his body as she saw someone familiar in the troop of pirates. Well known face covered in little freckles, their white baggy pants a kerchief tied to their belt. Their brown vest flew around them like water. Their fighting moves with a longsword were elegant and it looked like as if they were dancing.
Amari.
What are they doing here? Does that mean-
Rea instantly pulled the sword out and turned around to block a dagger to her neck. She stared up into dark black eyes.
"You?"
"You!" Rea pushed her away, pulling her dress up, preparing herself for Neirin's next move.
Neirin genuinely looked confused. "Wait, you are the princess?!"
"A Queen to be."
She lunged at Neirin, happy to see that she had taken her by surprise, because she falter back, crouching down to avoid Rea's sword. She blocked it with her hook.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" She shouted at her.
"You were already trying to murder me. At least I had a chance of survival if I lied."
"You said you never lie."
"I'll slip a lie there and then if it means I won't get killed."
Gosh, she looks gorgeous even when she's confused. Her confusion quickly changed into a smirk as she slammed the heel of her boot into the ground, revealing a dagger in her heel. She swung her foot at Rea. She had to squat down to avoid it. Neirin again slammed the heel on the ground and the dagger disappeared.
I need to get me one of these.
Neirin reached into her coat, pulled out her small knives and started throwing them at Rea. She managed to block all of them with her sword. If I had a bow, I would already shoot her down. She looked down at her dress. And this stupid dress is getting in my way.
"Don't know how to fight princess?"
Rea grinned and ripped the lower part of her dress off. "Come here and see for yourself."
Neirin pulled a dagger out of her boot and launched at Rea. She's quick. Even though Neirin only had one hand, she was very skilled with it. And even her hook was sharp. Rea had to keep an eye on it the whole time.
"Feeling bad for not keeping a promise?"
Rea swung her sword. "I would, if you wouldn't leave me on that island!"
"How did you even get off it?"
Rea took the chance and pressed the sword to her neck. "I told you. I have important friends."
"Yeah, I gathered that now."
A sudden smile led Rea off balance. Neirin wrapped her foot around hers and slammed Rea's back to the ground. She sliced Rea's cheek above the already existing wound.
"Hey, it was almost healed."
"Too bad." She smirked. "You shouldn't cover my art."
Rea had enough of her. She dropped the sword and as soon as she felt the slightest loose of Neirin's grip on her, Rea pushed her knee into her stomach, pushing her off. They both got immediately on their feet. Rea had no sword, so she clenched her fists.
Neirin only laughed. "Oh, princess, I feel pity for you."
Rea wanted to move forward, but a sword to her throat stopped her. It was Amari's silver longsword.
"I believe this is a goodbye for now." Neirin removed her hat and bowed down. "There was never a plan to kill you." She grinned and started walking backwards. "Only to distract you."
"What?!"
"I hope we'll see each other again, princess." Neirin grabbed a rope hanging from the window which pulled her up. Amari removed their sword. "I'm sorry, Lily." They said quietly and ran to another rope.
Rea only then noticed that all the pirates had already left the chamber. Ivan, Elias, Tivon, and Cornelis ran to her.
"Rea are you okay?" Asked Ivan as soon as he got to her.
Rea only managed a nod, trying to figure out what Neirin was saying. Elias put his pistol back into his coat. "You knew that woman?"
"They are the ones who attacked my ship." She looked at him. "You know them?"
"Never seen them before."
Rea looked down. Why were they here? What did she mean by distraction? Rea's heart stopped. She panickily looked up.
"The prison."
Rea feared for this to happen. She really hoped it would never happen, however, she always feared it. She feared it because she knew, she wouldn't know how to fix it and she feared it because she knew that she had broken a promise.
Nausea hit her as she stared at the hole in her prison cell, two guards bleeding on the floor. They could've managed if it was any other prisoner. But not her. Not Luana. She had to steady herself against the wall, for her not to crumple to the ground.
She had promised.
I'm not letting that woman escape. I would never forgive myself if I did. I promise. That were her words, and she broke them.
Rea was afraid to turn around and face him. Afraid to look at the man, whose life was destroyed by that woman. The eyes of a man she promised she would never let Luana hurt him ever again.
She was afraid to look at Elias' terrified face.