TW// Blood, murder, violence
They decided to leave the carriage behind and go to the castle by foot in case Luana had somehow already took control over the guards. Their plan was to come through the castle unannounced and unseen. They had found themselves some clothes and hoods to hide themselves with and like that they made it in through the castle walls. There was no sign of Luana being or even arriving at the kingdom yet. Rea had glanced at the harbour to see if the ship with blue sails was there, but there was no sign of it.
It would calm Rea down if she still hadn't had this awful feeling in her gut. The question of why was beginning to sound useless. But still she couldn't help asking herself over and over again, why had more and more things gone to this horribly wrong.
"You two should go without us."
Rea turned around to Neirin confused. "Why? If she's already gotten to my parents, we'll need your help."
"We don't know what her full plan is. It's better if me and Amari stay close and watch from afar. If something happens we'll be there."
Neirin paused. Rea couldn't ignore her wince as she tried to breathe. As much as she still didn't trust Neirin, she had to stay behind; her injuries were too severe and if Luana really did that to her, then it would be better if she stayed away from her. Despite how much Rea wanted to hate and resent Neirin for what she did, she couldn't.
Rea walked to her and looked her in the eyes. "Promise?"
"I promise. Now go."
Rea nodded and turned to Ivan. "Stay with them."
"But-"
She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Please. I'll be okay."
Before he could oppose her she pulled her hood closer to her face and went towards the main hall. It was quiet. Rather too quiet for Rea's liking. She always remembered her home being alive, the castle always full of people. Now the halls were empty, and all Rea could hear were their footsteps sounding through the marble floor. She suddenly stopped. Silence filled the empty hall, the beating of Rea's heart the only thing that sounded through her head.
Something is wrong. No one is here. Not even the guards. There were always guards.
Rea wanted to continue her way as a loud thud of opening doors, sounded through the castle. Rea knew the sound of that door, sometimes she could hear it all the way to her room, even in the middle of the night. It was the sound that would always wake her up at night.
Soon after the door opened, she could hear voices, but she was still too far to recognize them. The closer she got, the more familiar they've become – her mother's voice, her father's weak voice and a rasp woman's voice.
A dreadful feeling rushed through Rea as she heard Luana's laugh, echoing through the walls of the castle.
"No."
Rea quickened her pace. Her hood fell off as she ran, hoping that for once she wouldn't be late. She could already see the door when the first scream filled the room. It was Lorain's scream.
"No!"
Rea came into the room and froze. Her mother was on her knees, holding her husband's body, a red line across his neck, blood dripping down on the breccia marble. Lorain's eyes found her.
"Run, Rea." She whispered as Luana pushed her dagger through her throat.
Lorain's eyes drained of colour as the blood painted her blue dress a dark red colour. Before Rea could scream, Lorain fell on the ground beside Hemold. Rea stood there, frozen on the spot, mouth open, but no scream came from her. Hot tears streamed down her face. The smell of blood filled the room and Rea had to muster all her strength not to fall on her knees and vomit.
Luana turned around, her red lips curling up into a big smile. "Oh, Rea darling. I didn't know you'll come to visit."
"N-no." She ran to her parents, pressing each of her hand on their wounds, hoping that she could stop the bleeding. Lorain reached her hand to Rea's face.
"My little star." She said with a weak voice, before her hand fell down.
"N-no."
"Marily it's no use, they're dead."
"N-no." Her voice shook. "Mother? F-father?" She stared down at the blood mixed with tears. Her hands started shaking as she looked up at Luana. Her eyes filled with anger. "Y-you."
Rea grabbed the knife tucked behind the belt of her dress and launched at Luana. "You murderer!" She screamed as Luana blocked her with the dagger.
"I've told you," Luana leaned closer to Rea. She reeked of cigarette smoke. "I'll get my revenge." She smiled and pushed her away, placing the bloodied dagger in her hand. In an instant her expression changed into a panicked one.
"Guards!" Screamed Luana. "Guards!"
"W-what?"
Before Rea could realize what Luana was planning, a handful of guards stormed into the room, stopping when they saw their King and Queen dead on the ground.
Luana pointed at Rea. "Guards she did it! She murdered the King and Queen!" At first guards stood still, looking at each other, not sure what to do. "What are you waiting for. Get the murderer!"
"N-no, wait."
The guards started running towards her. Rea staggered backwards. "N-no, it wasn't me." The one closest to her suddenly fell down before her – a knife in his head. Rea looked up through the tears to see Neirin, Amari and Ivan standing by the door, swords drawn.
Neirin's eyes locked with Luana, and Luana looked like she was about to burst out. "Get them!" She screamed to the guards. They launched at the three of them.
Ivan slipped pass them to Rea. "Rea we need to go."
"B-but-" Her mind was rushing, eyes darting from the bodies of her dead parents, to Neirin and Amari fighting off the guards and to Luana, her deadly eyes fixed on Neirin.
"Rea, we need to go. Now!"
He pulled her on her feet and started leading her towards the door. Rea looked over to Neirin and Amari. "We can't l-leave them."
"Rea, don't!"
But he was too late. Rea had already pulled his sword out and ran towards them. Ivan ran after her, pulling out the pistol and fighting of the guards.
"What are you doing Rea?" Yelled Neirin when she saw her fighting beside her. "Get away before there's still time."
"I'm not going without you two!"
Neirin stopped for a moment, looking at Rea baffled. Her mouth turned into a brief smile. "You really are a stubborn princess." She pulled out a knife from her boot and aimed it at the massive crystal chandelier. Everyone's eyes went up. "Go, now!"
Ivan grabbed Rea's arm and Amari pulled Neirin's hand over her shoulders as they fled out of the room and out of the castle. They could hear the guards at their feet and Luana shouting in the background.
"Where are we supposed to go? They will surround us eventually." Ivan turned towards the gardens and looked at Amari. They gave him a nod. "Can someone please tell me?" Said Rea desperately.
"To the harbour." Said Neirin. "My ship is waiting."
Rea thought Neirin had always planned to escape on her ship, but when she saw Amari's concerned glances in her direction, she knew that something wasn't as it should be. They had managed to outrun the guards, but it wasn't safe to stay in the town. The ship was anchored, and a wooden desk was placed on to the pier. They ran up and were immediately greeted by Neirin's crew. Rea already didn't like the looks on their faces.
"What are ya doin' here?" Asked the same man, who irritated Rea and killed her commander. Ivan already stepped in front of Rea, his sword steadily in his hand. "Ya should be dead."
"It will take more than one old hag to kill me." Said Neirin, her back straight. "You betrayed me."
"We were following our Captain's orders."
"I am your Captain!"
He stepped forward, drawing out his cutlass sword. "Yer are not me Captain."
Neirin drew her sword out and smiled. "Fine. You want to learn the hard way."
"Neirin- " Rea said, when Amari put their hand on her and shook their head. Rea could only watch, hoping that Neirin knew what she was doing.
They started circling around, not allowing to take their eyes off each other. He attacked first and Neirin dodged. With anger in his eyes, he attacked again, missing her. She smiled and slammed the hilt of her boots in his knees, tripping him over.
"Yer-!"
He launched at her quicker than she expected, cutting her by the neck. Rea flinched and Amari had to stop her from not interrupting the fight. Neirin swung her hook into his stomach, but winced at the pain in her ribs. He grabbed her by the neck and slammed her on the ground.
Rea couldn't watch this anymore, yet she couldn't pull away her eyes off the fight. Get up Neirin. The colour from Neirin's face began to fade as she gasped for air. Please, Neirin get up. Neirin reached her hand towards the sword. Get up.
Suddenly, Neirin wrapped her hook around his neck and pushed it through his throat. She curled her fingers on the hilt of the sword lying beside her and thrust the sword through his body, penetrating his heart. She pulled him off of herself and stood up, breathing heavily.
Neirin looked at every single member of the crew, with a stone cold look. "Anyone else?" She asked as she spit blood out of her mouth.
Rea's eyes widened. When Neirin turned towards her Rea could see her eyes. She saw power in those eyes.
Nobody from the crew moved or said a word. "Then get this ship going. Now!"
"Ay, ay, Captain!"
They screamed in union and started running round the deck. The ship set sail in an instant. Ivan turned towards Rea, his look mixed with fear and admiration.
"You need to stop making friends with pirates." He said with a smile.
A brief smile crossed Rea's face, before the realization of what just happened hit her. She leaned against the railing.
"Rea?" Ivan said gently. "If you need- "
"I'll be fine. Just need some time alone." She said quietly and turned around.
Ivan nodded and left her by the rails. Rea couldn't make up to how she was feeling. She was feeling too much right now; sadness, grief, anger. It was everything at once and if she wouldn't occupy her mind in that instant, she'd might just lose it.
She glanced at Neirin, who just shouted some orders and then flinched with pain. She hid the pained expression quickly off her face and limped into her cabin.
"You can go after her." Said Amari, who Rea didn't even notice come up to her. "She'll need help with those bandages."
"Wouldn't she throw me out? It's her cabin." Rea hoped, her face wasn't as red as she thought it was.
"And you are a Queen if I'm not mistaken. Tell her I allowed you to enter." They said with a wink and turned around to get up on the Quarterdeck, where Ivan stood.
Rea glanced back at the door of Neirin's cabin. Well, if I die, at least I'll be murdered by the hands of a Saint.
She was so nervous, she forgot to knock on the door. Rea just stormed in, red in a face. Neirin was sitting by a desk full of bandages, her breast tightly covered in bandage. She was facing away from Rea. When Rea walked in she looked over her shoulder.
Rea cleared her throat. "May I help you?"
Neirin scanned her from feet up to her face with annoyance in her eyes. She turned back around, without saying anything. I take that as a yes. Rea sat beside her and removed the old bandages, wounds underneath them still fresh. Some of them would need stitches. Rea pulled her hair up into a pony tail and got to work. The cuts were deep, definitely made with a knife. They were precise, meant to cut deep.
"Did she hurt you?" Rea asked quietly.
A slight nod was the only answer she got. Her skin underneath Rea's fingers was so warm and soft, Rea wanted to brush it against her cheek. She moved up to another wound. She was aware Neirin was staring at her, watching her carefully, yet Rea was too afraid to look up and meet her beautiful dark eyes. The silence started bothering her.
"Why did you leave me, on that island?"
With the silence growing louder, Rea already regretted asking. Just as she was about to stand up and run outside Neirin answered. "I needed to. If I'd let you come with me, if you came back to me on that ship, they would've killed you. And I wasn't sure I could've stopped them the second time." She eyed her. "Lily."
"I couldn't tell you my true name. You would've killed me in an instant. At least I had time till the ball."
Neirin looked down at her hook, resting on her lap. "I wouldn't have killed you at the banquet."
"You could of." Smiled Rea.
"And have the whole of your royal ass army on my back?" She laughed. "I don't think so."
Rea moved to the wound on her neck, making her moves gentle. She felt Neirin's eyes on her, scanning her. Rea finished the stitch, wanting to put her hands down. Neirin caught them.
"I'm sorry for your parent." She pulled a bowl of water to her and started cleaning the blood off Rea's hands. "If we were there a bit earlier, they would be alive."
"It wasn't your fault. And you did warn me." She looked up and met her eyes. "Thank you for that."
"How are you not losing your mind right now? She killed your parents and framed you a murderer. When my mother died I wept for months."
"I-… I don't know. A lot happened recently, and I just don't know what to feel. I don't know which emotion should I prioritize." Rea sighed. "I'll figure it out eventually."
Neirin looked at her in silence. "You should get some rest."
Rea nodded and stood up. Neirin put on her shirt as Rea stopped by the door. "Why don't you have pistols? Earlier, you could've finished him quicker."
"I don't like pistols." She lowered her voice. "They're predictable, it's easier to avoid and it's much easier to unable someone who holds a gun." Neirin pulled out one of her many knives and stood up. "You see daggers and knives, they're unpredictable."
She twisted the blade in her hands, Rea followed it's movements. Then suddenly she pulled out another knife and impaled it in the wood beside Rea's face. Neirin pulled herself closer to Rea.
"They're harder to spot and harder to disable." Neirin pulled the knife out and moved it in front of Rea's eyes. "And they are much prettier."
She took Rea's hand and placed the knife in her hand. Neirin smiled and walked past her towards the ship's helm. "Good night, princess."
Rea looked down at the knife, her face heating up. She smiled and turned to go below deck to get her rest.