Chapter 42 - Luana 41

TW// Mention of rape, mention of murder

Shores of Lucine were beginning to peak through the headland. It was already far into night and the lights on the ship were shut down, so the ship wouldn't be easily seen. They had planned to anchor the ship far away, enough for it to not be seen from the kingdom. After all, if you saw this ship it meant that nothing good will happen.

Luana was standing outside her cabin, leaning against the wall, smoking. The nights were getting warmer as they got closer to Lucine. She puffed out the inhaled smoke and breathed it in again. She was angry. She got bored - not being satisfied with Neirin. She wanted something more and that little brat would be perfect. Luana looked for them, called for them, but they were nowhere to be seen. She made the crew look through the whole ship, but they found no traces of them. They had escaped.

In anger Luana had killed a member of Neirin's crew. It didn't quite satisfy her. Luana had her speculations about where Amari might have gone. They could've just escaped, or they went in search of Neirin. Luana's red lips curled into a vicious smile. Good luck finding her dead body.

"You are being awfully quiet, my little hawk."

Luana looked to her right at her greyed haired father, who she didn't even hear approach. She rolled her shoulders and sighed.

"It's been a long day, father."

"Is it done?"

"You doubt me?" Luana laughed. "Of course, it's done. She's dead."

Mithras didn't meet her eyes. "Are you sure?"

Luana turned to face him, taking the cigarette out of her mouth. "I'm certain. Nobody could possibly survive wounds and bruises I gave her."

"She is tougher than you think." He said with a voice low, as if he was trying to convince himself of what he was saying was true. Luana squinted her eyes, examining her father.

"Why?" He finally met her eyes. "Why did you choose to have another daughter and not tell me?"

Why hadn't you told us? It almost slipped her tongue. Her eyes were now focused on Mithras. He watched her back, hesitating to answer, his expression cold.

"She was a mistake." He looked back at the sea. "I met her mother in one of the towns we seized. It was a big and rich town filled with supplies and beautiful women. The crew got drunk, me with it. They brought the captured women, and we raped them. Neirin's mother stood out. She didn't show fear and she kept up a good fight. But she was also gentle – not as gentle as your mother though. When it was time to leave we killed the women. I thought I left her there to die and yet I stumble across her a few years later.

"As soon as she saw me her back straightened, but I could still see the barest glint of fear in her eyes. Behind her she was hiding a little girl. The girl showed no fear. You could see in her eyes that she had already seen the worst of the world and wasn't afraid. A fighter like that is useful.

"I let them on my ship, and I showed Neirin how to fight. I used her mother, telling her if she would complain her daughter would die. And she did obeyed for some time. But a stubbornness of a woman is their greatest weakness. So, I killed her, making it seem like she died of natural causes. Neirin believed it."

"That's low, even for you father." Luana puffed.

"I did what I had to. It quickly turned out that Neirin was the picture of her mother – a stubborn problem. I let her on one of my ships, giving her a crew, I thought would break her. And she came back asking to make her a Captain. I made up that, as she was a woman, she needed to prove herself worthy of such title. She said she would do anything, and I said she needed to chop her hand off." He paused. "And she did."

"Stubborn indeed." Luana said, more to herself than her father. "Foolish girl. She did put up a fight, but she is certainly dead, you don't have to worry about her anymore."

"That's good to hear." He pulled himself away from the wall and walked to the ship's railing. "We're almost there."

Luana joined him. "Soon we'll be rich, pa."

"We've always have been."

"But this time, we will have the power." She turned towards him. "We won't have to hide, we won't be the ones not following the rules. We will be the ones to make the rules."

Mithras, then finally smiled. Luana rarely saw her father smile, at least not since she was a child. He placed a hand on Luana's hand. "Alieana would be proud."

Luana wanted to scream. Mithras always loved Alieana more than he loved Luana, even though she had achieved so much more. He always adored her, despite him being annoyed at her stubbornness and riots. Luana wasn't jealous of her little sister, no, she just wanted to show her father, everyone, that she could do it. She wanted to prove to them that nothing could break her and that she once will hold the power.

Luana looked back at the land, a kingdom visible in the distance, swallowing down her tears.

Soon everything will be mine. Soon everyone will bow to me and when I get that power they will fall. Luana would have her revenge. She placed her scared hand on the necklace that her sister wore daily. Soon Alieana it will be just you and me above everyone else. We will have the whole world.

She tucked the strand of a blond hair behind her ear as she moved up the street to the castle. Luana had disguised herself as her sister, who isn't – wasn't as recognizable – or wanted – as herself. Luana fixed her eyes on the street in front of her, trying not to catch her reflection in the windows of nearby houses. She had found a long blond wig, and dressed herself in a less eye catching dress. She let her black makeup and lipstick on and covered her hand with a glove. When Luana looked in the mirror, she would see a reflection of her sister, if it weren't for her prominent green eyes.

Luana felt wrong using her sister's identity, wearing her sister's face. It didn't just felt wrong, but it also felt terribly lonely. She missed her sister more than anything. She would leave behind everything she had done, everything she put her whole life in, just to bring her back. Luana had contemplated leaving everything, escaping from everything, but her vengeance was greater. Her lust for power was greater.

She stopped in the middle of the path. People walked around her, giving her confused glances. Luana was rarely brought to tears. She had only shown weakness when her mother died and when her sister was murdered. Luana breathed in. I won't cry again, she promised to herself and continued walking.

Quickly, she made her way up to the castle, which was always open up for people to come in and out as they wished, which Naydawin never permitted. A foolish choice. Luana entered the castle's walls with no questions asked. She would go straight to the great hall, where she hoped she would find the King and the Queen.

She went pass the castle gardens and stopped as her nose filled up with the smell of lavender. What a disturbing sweet smell. Luana glanced at the garden to her right, where there was a big lavender bush, an immense weeping willow growing out of the middle of it, the first red flowers already starting to bloom. The redness reminded Luana of a bleeding body. The willow was living, reliving itself after a long winter, yet it looked like it was dying.

Just like people.

Luana heard stories, of the Queen's sister, that had died too young. The willow was planted instead of her grave, so people would not forget her, but not remember her entirely. Some had said she was cursed, some had said that she wanted the throne for herself, and some had said that she was a witch. Some people even speculated that she killed herself, yet some said that she was murdered. Mystery followed her everywhere, even to that tree. The tree had never fallen ill, even after horrible winters and it had regrown after a day of cutting it short.

Luana cared little for that gossip. She wrinkled her nose. I will have that tree cut out with its roots and the lavender with it.

She straightened her posture and continued her way to the castles main quarters. Her hand twitched, automatically moving towards her mouth. She needed to take away the smell of lavender, but she would stand out if she walked into the castle with a cigarette. Luana moved her hand to the dress over her thigh where a dagger was kept. Firstly, she had to take care of other things.

The castle was definitely more pleasing to the eye than Naydawin's castle. Its breccia marble walls and floors shone like the surface of the water, gleaming in the morning sun. From the walls hung blue banners with a white crescent moon and a star underneath it – the symbol of The Kingdom of Lucine. Ornated torch holders hung between the banners, lighting up the palace. The sound of Luana's heels echoed through the walls as she walked through the hallway.

The light colours of the palace disgusted her. She always preferred the darker tones and the colour of dark, deep emerald, green. Soon, it would be changed. Luana was almost there, and she had to admit to herself that she was in fact nerves. She rarely was, so she pushed down the eerie feeling and walked on. When she came to the carefully carved out door, she stopped.

"Naydawin is falling!" The shouts came from within – this one from a woman.

"Rea can handle it." A weak voice, belonging to a man.

Luana pulled herself closer, leaning one ear to the door.

"Handle it? Hemold, the castle was attacked! Her prisoner escaped!" She didn't sound angry, no, her voice was full of worry and distress.

"Quiet!"

"Nobody can hear us. I've sent the guards away." She said with a low voice. That sparked Luana's interest. "Hemold, your daughter's kingdom is collapsing."

The man coughed. "If she needed help she would come here. I've said it to her."

"She had asked, Hemold. She is struggling."

There was a long, silent pause. The King shifted in his seat. "You haven't told me that, Lorain."

The woman's voice – Lorain – was gentle. "Because I didn't want to worry you with it. You are sick, my love. I couldn't-"

"She asked for help, and you didn't aid her?"

"I've said she needs to marry- "

"That is not her only solution." Shouted Hemold before almost coughing his gut out. Lorain moved closer to him. The coughs subsided. "There are other solutions."

"You know I don't know how to do these things. You know as much as me, that this kingdom would fall if you weren't on the throne."

There was another long pause. "You know I don't have much more time."

"I know love, that's why we need to help Rea. She is the only heir you've got to the throne. If you die before the others recognize her as Queen both Naydawin and Lucine will fall."

Luana's lips curled up into a wicked smile. That was Luana's cue. She placed her hands on the handles and stormed into the room. The King and Queen's eyes fell on her.

"Hello." She said viciously to the King and Queen, of The Kingdom of Lucine, soon to be deceased.