TW// Blood
She had been in war once. It was when she lived in Erast with her still very young mother and father. Her sister wasn't born yet and they lived in poverty, but then again everyone was poor in Erast at that time. Her family had fled the country on a ship to Ascot. The people on the crew weren't the nicest of the people, so her father gathered up the crew and together they took over it. In Ascot they made business in scamming people off.
At the age of ten Luana got everything she ever wanted and at the age of twelve she desired for more. She never understood why there was a war raging in her homeland. Later she learned it was because of men showing and wanting power.
Power.
Luana always liked that word. At the age of fifteen she craved it. With the help of her father, she established her first pleasure house. He brought her young boys and helped her with spreading the words around. She loved it.
At the age of seventeen Alieana was born, and her mother died. Luana promised she would do anything for her sister. At eighteen Mithras left, but he kept in touch with them, still bringing her the boys. Luana decided to move to Bradfordshire. She fell in love with this dull town in an instant. She loved it's dark ambience, its murky buildings, and its people.
At the age of nineteen, she built The Jade Paradise and had grown her business across Krens. She had everything she had ever wished for. Luana was rich, she had power and she had a lovely sister that she loved dearly.
At the age of twenty she craved more – she craved young flesh.
There he was, on the black ship anchoring in Bradfordshire every month. His short black hair, tanned skin as smooth as silk and his blue eyes shone in the dullness of this town. She had never seen him before, yet she craved him.
Luana asked Sabur about him, after all they were good pals, but he acted like he didn't know the boy. To Luana that meant he wasn't his, and if he wasn't owned by anyone, he was to be hers. She got him kidnapped and brought to her. That night Luana had found a new passion, a new satisfaction. Luana found new power.
At the age of thirty five, she led her own war, and this war she would win. At the end of this war, she would emerge victorious, and she would have power.
Power.
Luana always liked that word.
She underestimated Rea's army. Luana didn't see the arches approach the hill and shoot down almost half of the army. Luana watched the whole thing going down from afar, at a safe distance. Her numbers were falling, still she wasn't nervous nor afraid. She knew there were Mithras troops coming from the sea, and from the looks of Rea's ships, it looked like there was only one. Luana also had her personal army, who would definitely tip the scales.
A snake crawled between her feet.
"Get that thing away from me!" She snapped.
The black serpent hissed at her and crawled to Evelin's bare feet. She said nothing. Her eyes were fixed on the battle below them.
"Don't look so worried." Luana said to her. "They have nothing against us."
"Not if my sister comes." She said coldly, crouching down to pet her snake.
"You said you will deal with her."
"I will try." Her voice was hoarse and rough. Sometimes Luana barley understood her with her thick accent. "She has grown stronger. She has burned their kingdom."
"What?" Then she laughed. "Then they really can't win against us."
Evelin was quiet, her wide eyes fixed on the battlefield. Suddenly she pointed down. "I don't think so."
Luana followed to where Evelin was pointing. She had to squint her eyes to see better. The cigarette she held between her fingers fell to the ground. She saw Nerin and Rea fighting her father and winning. Rea had just sliced her father's hand.
"Go!" Shouted Luana and Evelin released her serpent – a sign for her personal army to charge. Her army that waited with her began running into the fight. Luana mounted her horse. "You'll go with me."
She pulled Evelin on and ran down the hill towards Rea and Neirin. Luana never planned to go into the midst of the battle, moreover, she never intended to fight it. But seeing her father stabbed, falling down onto the ground, it flooded her with anger. She pulled out her dagger and stopped the horse. Luana ran straight to her father and when she turned him around, she realized that it was already too late.
"Neirin get away from here!" She heard Rea yell.
"But she-"
"Run!"
Luana heard Neirin started running. She snapped her hand to Evelin. "Go after her!" She hissed and Evelin obeyed without a complaint.
"Oh no you won't." Rea drew her sword and ran towards Evelin. Luana jumped up and blocked her sword with her dagger.
"You killed him." Spit Luana, tears running down her cheeks.
"And you killed my parents!"
Rea pushed her away. Luana launched at her with a scream. Rea blocked it with her sword. Luana had an advantage – she wore no armour, making it easier and faster for her to move. She grabbed Rea's arms twisting it behind her back and slicing her arm with her dagger.
"You might as well end the fight and spare the lives of people who are still alive."
"Never!" Screamed Rea.
"Pity."
Rea reached for an arrow, laying on the ground and shoved it in Luana's shoulder. The pain spread around in an instant and she released Rea, stepping back.
"You." Luana gripped the arrow and broke it without pulling out the tip. She looked up at Rea with fury in her eyes. "You!"
She reached up her dagger and ran towards her, when suddenly a person, similar to looking like Rea, blocked her attack. "Not my Queen."
"Amelia, no! Run!"
"Get away from me." Hissed Luana through her teeth. She swung her dagger across Amelia's face. Amelia held her face and fell down.
"No, Amelia!"
Luana cleaned the dagger on her dress and lock eyes with Rea. She wiped away her tears and launched at her. Luana saw her face flinch with pain as she tried to stand. She quickly scanned her body of injuries and spotted blood dripping down her leg.
Luana gripped her dagger as Rea launched at her. She smiled and twisted her body around her, pushing the dagger into her tight, where the wound was already deep. Rea screamed, falling down on her knees. Luana took her chance – she grabbed her hair, pulling it back and placing the dagger to her throat.
"You have nothing against me, child." Rea sobbed, tears of pain falling down her face. "Look around you!" She pulled her hair towards the battle, her people falling beneath the blades of the jade masks. "Look closely! Your people are dying, you have no power! You and your little stupid friends took everything from me!" She pulled her hair even more back so she could look into her eyes. "And now, I will slice your throat out and let you bleed out like my sister did!"
She gripped the dagger firmly and when she was about to slice an explosion went off. Luana looked up as another occurred. It was coming from the shore. She looked to her left and saw her ships burning.
"W-what?"
She released Rea and walked towards the shore. Her ships were burning. How? Mithras had promised her protection. How were they burning when The Rose Sparrow was still standing on the same spot? The dagger fell out of her hand when she saw it – thousand ships approaching them from the north and from behind. They all had The Rose Sparrow alliance flag.
Her ships were burning, as the others pushed through, their ships and boats stopping at the shore, people running, swords and pistols draw, towards them.
"This was your mistake." Luana turned towards Rea. "You never feared Elias. Elias is the most powerful amongst the pirates and you never feared him. But you should've had." Rea drew her sword towards her. "A mistake that will cost you your victory."
Luana was thirty five, when she lost her own war. At the end of this war, she lost everything – her position, her sister, and her father. She lost power.
Failure.
Luana always feared that word.