"Oh my Orc. You're practically inhaling that," Evelyn said smiling as she sat in front of Darla's cell as she was devouring the food she brought her.
Evelyn had not just brought her a snack but two whole three course meals. Crab wontons and tequila lime chicken wings for appetizers, Shrimp pesto fettuccine and Mushroom and anchovies' pizza for entrees and a chocolate mousse and tempura fried vanilla ice cream for dessert.
"Hey, how come she gets so much food and I just get a sandwich?" Wasabi calls out when he was getting back to work after finishing his food.
"Because she hasn't eaten in a few days, and you haven't eaten because you were afraid of a simple doctor's appointment."
"Bah-humbug!" He retorted.
"Is this really okay?" Darla said. "I can't help but the think I'm taking food away from your crew," Darla said apologetically.
"Don't worry about it," Evelyn smiled. "I'm not the type of chef that makes things willy-nilly. I actually do portion things out first and take inventory of the food we have so we can still have food even if we start to run low on a certain type of ration."
"Really?" Darla asked. "My chef never did that. We'd run out all the time and have to invade other ships. Sunk a few noble ships because of it. They're always stocked."
"Well let's not get off subject," Evelyn said. "You said I give you food, you tell me about your grandmother."
Darla stared at Evelyn with a smile and sighed and said, "Mentioning nobles isn't quite off subject. Sure, I was Captain of the Daisy Pirates but before that I would say I was Princess Darla of the Coral Coast Kingdom. A Kingdom started by my grandmother, Daisy, when she was only in her early 20's."
"I'm guessing her powers helped her form that Kingdom?" Evelyn asked.
"Absolutely. She had the power of nature. And she could also heal people. You can't tell me how well powers like that aren't something people would not love? People flocked to the Kingdom and pledged their loyalty to her. And she accepted them wholeheartedly. She was not a tyrant, but a symbol of peace."
"Is that it?" Evelyn asked. "I assumed all Siren's had a goal and responsibility in their lives."
"She did. Starting the Kingdom was the first thing she did. Coral Coast still stands. It's in the eastern part of the Zard sea in the northern seas."
"And you become a pirate? Wouldn't you be queen right now?" Evelyn asked with curiosity.
"Only if my eldest sister wasn't queen and nor if my older brother wasn't king," she smiled. "But my oldest sister is the Queen, and my brother is her advisor and the prince."
"Ah, I guess I just assumed you were an only child," Evelyn said apologetically rubbing her head.
"Anyway, tracking back. So, with every Kingdom, conflict is always present. Although the Orc War ended 500 years ago, the strays still sail the seas. At the point in time Coral Coast rose, the war ended 400 years prior. They must have either been survivors or happened upon a warship because that's what began to circle around the kingdom."
"So this is some extensive skirmish 400 years later?" Evelyn asked.
"It was way before my time, but have you ever met an Orc, Evelyn? Been locked in battle with one?" Darla questioned her.
Evelyn nodded.
"Frightening, aren't they?" She said.
"I didn't quite get that far to actually see how they fight?" Evelyn admitted.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. The orc I came face-to-face with took a harpoon to the face and that was that." Evelyn laughed.
"Wow," Darla began to laugh with her. "Yeah. I'm sure that would do one in quite easily." She looked at her more seriously now. "But to be more serious. A normal person against an Orc is like squashing a bug. But to torture the bug beforehand. Orcs are merciless and when they kill, it's for sport or for their sick idea of fun."
"So you're saying…" Evelyn led.
"When they invaded the Kingdom, they made light and tortured whoever they could," Darla said. "Growing up, there were still evidence of the buildings they toppled, burned, and some stains that could never leave the cobblestone. Though my grandmothers' powers hid them all."
"Your Grandmother, how did she go about the invasion?" Evelyn asked.
"As endearing as the power of nature and healing sound, she knew she could reverse it's affects if needed. Kind of the same way I use my powers. Tree branches, vines, gases, man eating plants, thorns, you name the dangerous aspects of nature, she made it. With a force of hundreds of Orcs, she and the number of brave and strong citizens of the country, turned the tide of the invasion to an extermination."
In awe and stars in her eyes, Evelyn said in a high pitched, "Cool."
"The cost was those who were the first to go during the invasion. It was a surprise attack after all.," Darla said. "I mean it's not all too bad. The strongest man who fought back alongside her, my grandmother was infatuated with. The man who she wed and became my grandfather. Though asserting the title of King by marrying my grandmother, my grandmother still called the shots as a leader surely does so."
Smiling, Evelyn said, "That's really cute. Did you know your grandfather? Like I know you said your grandmother died when you were at young age but-"
"I owe my grandfather everything in the world," Darla smiled. "He was a man who just refused to die. He finally did so when I was 16 but hell did, he retaliate." Darla laughed, "He was actually the one to helped me bestow and gain nature powers. I'm no siren like she was but the way humans can obtain powers, she sought it out to keep the tradition and flourishment of Coastal Coast Kingdom going in my grandmother's image."
"I thought people only gain powers by accident," Evelyn said.
"Your captain and his sister did, and most usually do. My grandfather, despite being a macho man and strong, he was also a huge nerd. Or what we call scientists really. He found out how to harness the powers found in crystals and gems of their element and turn them into the raw essence the give humans powers."
"So you-"
"And my sister, and my brother, and my mother, and I'm sure in a few years my niece when she's old enough." Darla said.
"Big family. But not your father? Or I assume the King meaning the husband of your sister?"
"No. My mother was the daughter of my grandparents, so she became Queen and power bestowed in her, so my father was another citizen married to nobility as was the product of my eldest sister's husband as well." Darla said.
"Your family just goes straight down with nobility through to women, don't it?" Evelyn asked.
"Well dear Evelyn," Darla locked eyes for Evelyn for a moment and stopped as she stared. It was like she was memorized. She blushed and turned away and just said, "Women are just better than men."
Pondering for a moment Evelyn thought, "Why am I slightly aroused by the way she was staring into my eyes?"
"So that's it?" Evelyn asked her straightening up. "She stopped an Orc invasion and started a family? There wasn't anything else?"
"There is one more thing," Darla said. "One more thing that nobody has even done. That nobody has lived through or is even in history books."
Wasabi stopped working after hearing Darla. "I've been listening this whole time. I feel like I know exactly what you're going to say and, at this point in time, I'm calling bullshit."
"Wait what?" Evelyn said confused. "What is it?"
"When my grandmother was 35, she and trusted people from the Kingdom traveled to The Beyond." Darla smiled.
"Yeah!" Wasabi yelled out. "B. U. L. L. S… Uhh… Hit! Bullshit!"
The Beyond was a word everyone was familiar with. Everyone is familiar with the seas. That there are the northern seas and that there are the southern seas. But they only go so for north and south and no matter how far they stretch, there is only so far, they can go east and west. There is an eerie area to where they go. A storm as they call the beyond. The storm does not move, but it surrounds them. Whoever has entered the beyond has never been seen again. That they perished in the storm. Legends have been told about great pirates and nobles and their magnificent feats. But a lot of their stories end when they attempt to conquer the beyond. Ther is no reason to continue a story when such people were never seen again.
"I think I'm going to agree with Wasabi right now," Evelyn said. "I've read so much that I don't think even a Siren could triumph The Beyond." Evelyn said.
"I'm going to be addressing the both of you now since you were listening anyway," Darla said as Wasabi was approaching now that he had become invested in the story.
Darla was eyeing Wasabi as he was dripping with sweat. Evelyn could swear that she was internally salivating over him. He put a shirt on, and Darla's expression was disappointed. She sighed and continued, "I didn't believe the story either when my grandfather told me. But remember how I told you that the Orc's circled our island in a warship? After they were eradicated, you think we were just going to let is sit there off the coast of the Kingdom? My grandmother and grandfather formed a raid team and sailed to it to infiltrate it in case all the Orcs didn't come to the island. Interestingly enough, they did. And not a soul was on the ship."
"You're going to expect me to believe that some years later they took this ship to The Beyond and back unharmed?" Wasabi laughed.
"Wasabi," Evelyn snapped, "Can you please stop guessing the next part of the story and listen like a good little boy?"
"Hey, I'm older than you," Wasabi barked.
"And I can light you on fire."
"Wait, you wouldn't actually do that would you?"
Evelyn just gave him a cheesy smile.
"That's not exactly an answer," he said shyly.
"Just shut up, okay?" Evelyn said.
He nodded.
"Wasabi," Darla said. "Have you ever seen an Orc Warship?"
"What?" he said with a chuckle. "I mean I imagine it's bigger than normal ships to match their size, but it can't be anymore different than an actual ship."
"It's enclosed," Darla said.
"It's what?" Evelyn and Wasabi said together.
"There's no top deck. There's no mast. Not much of anything like the ships we use as humans today. It's completely sealed," Darla smiled seeing how Wasabi was confused.
"Th-th-that's just not a ship!" He stuttered.
"Yet, it was," Darla said. "Going through the ship for a few years they found out that it was powered by something called an engine. It took a few more years to figure out how it worked. They did find a room that operated like a normal ship would with the steer for the helm to steer the ship. Then my grandmother had the crazy idea to sail to the beyond. My grandmother at the time was 35 and my mother was only about 10 left my grandfather to take care of her incase she never came back, as people usually never would. A year later, they returned."
"You're kidding," Wasabi said. "So, an Orc's enclosed ship is the only way to really cross The Beyond?"
"There's people on the other side," Darla said. "Just like us. Only aware they can't cross The Beyond either. They were scared of that ship too. Our area of the world isn't the only place where Orcs have ventured to infect our planet. But I don't think those people were so lucky. They have something over there we don't. Like Orcs aren't their only problem. Another force we're lucky not to have on our side. They didn't stay for long to find out who they are."
"It's hard to believe there are anything out there worse than Orcs," Wasabi laughed.
"Did they see them?" Evelyn said with a serious tone in her voice. "Did they see them? What did they look like?"
"What's wrong Evelyn?" Wasabi said in reaction to her change in attitude.
"I-I-" Darla stuttered in response to Evelyn's reaction. "I can't say. They were scared at this information too and if they're really as powerful as people say they feared an interaction would lead them to a slaughter and a vessel that they would have gained to enter our waters."
"Fuck!" Evelyn yelled as she stood up and started to pace the floor nearby them.
Wasabi and Darla exchanged a look and then watched Evelyn walk around.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" she said.
"That's a few curses too many Evelyn. What's wrong?" Wasabi finally said.
"I think I've seen them! This race or faction that might have been over there!" Evelyn said. "That's why I asked what they look like."
"That's crazy," Wasabi laughed. "What else do you think we have here than humans, fishman, merfolk, and Orcs? You sure what you think you saw just wasn't the variation of a fishman?"
She stared at Wasabi and thought, "I forgot. People still aren't aware that King Triton's Atlantis domain is here but all they are are people who look just like us. But that is for sure NOT what I saw."
"Standing atop that massive beast when we left Waterworld was a being. Not like one we've seen before. Humanoid in all it is, commanding that beast. It was not of our seas!"
Wasabi and Darla exchanged looks again and Wasabi said, "It was alone?"
"I mean, yeah," Evelyn said. "I mean did you see anything but damn Megladastrodon's?"
"Wait, Megladastrodon's showed up to Waterworld?" Darla said.
"Hundreds. It was a shit show," Wasabi said.
"Well damn," Darla said. "I'm sorry but if you can get your captain down here, I would like to thank him. I don't think I would have made it out alive from those things."
"Yeah, when the main one showed up it tore your ship to pieces," Wasabi said.
"Geez. R. I. P. The Dear Roaring Ivy." Darla said watching Evelyn losing her mind. "You are really confident in what you saw?"
"YES!" Evelyn yelled.
Darla sighed, "You know, my grandmother was a gentle woman. Honest. Never lie. I honor her above everyone I've known. I trust what she has always said even after her passing." Darla stood up and walked to the edge of the cell and kneeled in Evelyn's direction and said, "Prince Darla of the Coastal Coast Kingdom, I pledge my loyalty to you, Siren Evelyn Black. If you ever form your own crew, I will aim to serve you as my captain until I breath my final breath."
Evelyn was staring at her and glanced at Wasabi who was smiling at the situation going on and back at Darla.
Wasabi smiled at Darla and said, "Say the magic words to finish your pledge. You know what it is."
Darla smiled and said, "Yo Ho. Yo Ho. I pledge to be your pirate of the sea, Evelyn Black."
[Congratulations: You have gained a loyal comrade of your divinity: Volgma]
[Current loyal comrades: 1]