Time: Sola 28th Late Morning
Location: Edin Theatre
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@Lava Alckon Drake

A charity event couldn't hide the depravity of the Caesonian public. If anything, it was a perfect representation of the country and its monarch. But whatever, it was technically for a good cause, so up he went. But he was in no hurry. He slept in and thus missed Farim's performance, but made it in time for Drake's.

With a cup of iced tea, John entered and stayed at an unassuming corner of the theatre, almost like a ghost. He promised himself and others he would not make a scene, instead just enjoying the music. It was actually really really good. John expected something unspectacular, and instead was treated to a whirlwind of emotions that he could only assume came from the bottom of his heart. With the tears flowing onto his cheek by the penultimate piece, John convinced himself he was right.

The doctor spared Drake a round of applause, though his last statement wasn't as resonant to John than to others.

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The whispers of his guards kept Roman entertained while he waited. The duo stood a few paces behind him speaking quietly in their native language. They were having a debate about what kinds of alcohol they have found and tried in the city so far. Both disagreed if that beverage was a local spiced rum that had a hint of apple or the hot cinnamon liquor, they found in one of the more spendy and proper locations.

Both of which slowly fell silent as they noticed someone before roman did, the beautiful visage of Violet Damien adorning some fine pieces of metal with her outfit as well. It held her figure well and was not shy to reveal those scars she always tried to hide. Scars that his eyes lingered on for a touch longer than appropriate.

“Lady Violet Damien. A pleasure as always.” A polite nod and an offer to take his arm was what she received in turn. “Your dress does look wonderful on this fine day. I hope you have been well since our last meeting?” he asked politely. His attention breaking away from her to the art gallery proper wondering what exhibit they should enjoy first.

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Sjan-dehk heard the falling ropes first, but Inshahri was quicker on the move. Before he could even call for her to stop, the young woodshaper leapt towards the noise, pushing the fallen coil aside with her foot, and a stack of empty sacks with her hands. Pale moonlight illuminated the unmistakable outline of a girl – she couldn’t be much older than Inshahri, Sjan-dehk estimated – who was very clearly not part of his crew, and very clearly not Viserjantan.

“Found you!” Inshahri chirped, her words a lilting melody. She reached for the girl, but this time Sjan-dehk stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

“Well done, Inshahri,” he said, then glanced at Yasawen. “I’ll take it from here. Both of you, report to your stations. Yasawen, Master Dai-sehk should be on the orlop down below. Inshahri…” A woodshaper would be most useful with Hai-shuun and the carpentry team below decks, but if this Caesonian stowaway was truly possessed of magic, Inshahri’s counter-arcane abilities might prove to be invaluable.

“You report to Haifahl at the mainmast,” Sjan-dehk decided. That should place her close enough for her to react to any attempts at magic by the Caesonian girl.

“Aye, Captain,” Inshahri said, snapping to a salute before sauntering off. Yasawen followed suit, albeit less exuberantly. He snuck a few hesitant, apprehensive glances at the Caesonian girl as he walked away.

“Captain,” he began.

“It’ll be fine,” Sjan-dehk cut him off and drew a pistol. He grinned at Yasawen. “We all know which is faster, between magic and a bullet, don’t we?”

Yasawen paused for a moment. Then, he nodded and quickened his pace.

Sjan-dehk turned his full attention to the Caesonian girl. He levelled his pistol at her, hammer fully cocked and blackened muzzle pointed squarely at the centre of her forehead. “Now, to deal with you,” he began. “I do not remember letting a Caesonian board Sada Kurau. I also do not remember taking on…No, recruiting new crew. So why you are here, I do not know.” He curled his finger around the trigger. “By my laws, I can kill you right now.”

He lowered the pistol slightly, until the muzzle hovered over her chest. “But I will not,” he said. “Not yet. Do what I tell you, and you might live. Otherwise, you die.” He took a step back. “Come out from the dark and let us talk for a while.”

There was an almost inaudible sigh as the girl seemed to glare at the boards of the ship as if they were the reason for her current problems. Finally, Dahlia raised her hands, dryly stating, “Well, congratulations. You’ve caught the world’s least threatening stowaway. I’m sure this will go down as one of your greatest triumphs.”

Then the captain pulled a pistol, and her eyes flicked to the barrel now aimed squarely at her chest. “A gun? Really?” she deadpanned, arching a brow. “How rude.”

Sjan-dehk didn’t give the girl the satisfaction of a direct response to her words. Instead, he waved her out from her corner with the pistol. Heads and eyes from across the deck and up the masts turned towards the pair, some curious, some suspicious, but all waiting to see what would happen next.

“Why are you here?” Sjan-dehk asked brusquely, keeping his distance. If Inshahri was correct, and this girl did possess magical abilities, then she had to be treated like a potential danger. A very, very lethal one, at that. But in the back of Sjan-dehk’s mind, he found that hard to believe. Didn’t Caesonia have a poor view on magic in general? Why then, would a magic-user risk exposure to sneak aboard Sada Kurau? Wouldn’t it have been disastrous for her if she had been discovered just mere moments before, and handed over to the city guard?

Dahlia tilted her head, her lips twitching into the faintest of smirks. “That depends. Are you asking because you care, or because you’re trying to figure out where to send my thank-you note?”

He quickly pushed all those thoughts aside. They weren’t of any use now. “Someone sent you?” He asked and allowed the pistol’s muzzle to drift slightly higher, until it was level with her head. “Or you come alone, with no one?”

“The gods sent me,” The sentence was delivered as if it were the most obvious answer to his question. “Apparently, divine intervention doesn’t come with advance notice. Sorry about that.”

Sjan-dehk narrowed his eyes. Part of him wanted to shoot her right then and there. He should just shoot her right then and there. Nobody would blame him for it. But he was too curious. There were questions he needed answered. And besides, who knew if this girl’s magic was the sort that triggered upon her death?

No, he couldn’t kill her. Not yet, at least. That might not be the right thing to do, but it was the smart thing, the safe thing to do.

His mind raced. The girl had the airs of a professional – she did things like this regularly, at least, if her glib tongue and outwardly calm demeanour was anything to go by. Most people’s guts would turn to water from the moment their eyes looked at a firelock straight down the barrel. Most people also wouldn’t be so quick to quip and offer wit upon being discovered. And if she was a professional, that likely meant that she didn’t come here on her own volition. What would be the point? Sada Kurau was a beautiful ship, but she wasn’t one that announced wealth or power. Certainly, there was nothing about her that signalled that there was anything worth pilfering aboard.

That meant that the girl was here for something else. Information, most likely. And that meant that she had to have been sent by someone.

“Think carefully,” Sjan-dehk said. He couldn’t help the smirk that pulled on his lips. Despite everything, the girl’s spirit and nerve impressed him. “You are here. Alone. We are at sea. You are only alive because you have answers I want. The people who send you here, you think they will care if I shoot you? Throw you to the waves? I only want to know why you are here. Sada Kurau, we have done nothing to your people. Not anything bad.”

He paused, glancing towards the bow of the ship. There was nothing to see but interminable darkness, as he had expected. Rushing water, crashing waves, and the ruffling of sails were the only natural sounds of such a night. The roughness of the sea, which pitched the deck up-and-down, amidst the absence of any powerful winds did tell him that they were sailing close to shore, however.

Good. That meant that they were well on course to search for the mysterious vessels.

“Tell me what I want, and I guarantee you can live,” Sjan-dehk said.

Dahlia kept her smirk firmly in place, even as her heart hammered like a drum beneath her ribs. ”I mean, if you really wanted me gone, you’d have done it already. So why not indulge that curiosity? I’ll try to make it worth your time.”

Sjan-dehk smirked again. “That is good try, but not good enough,” he said. “For now, you are more useful alive than dead. But if you want, you can jump into the sea. I will not try too hard to stop you.”

She tensed up for a moment then let out a long, exaggerated sigh, “Why am I here?” She gestured loosely with one hand, the other still raised. “Let’s call it… curiosity. Your ship caught my eye, and I thought, ‘What’s the harm in taking a closer look?’ Turns out, a lot.”

Her gaze flicked to the pistol and back, her lips twitching into a half-hearted smile. “Look, I’m not here to steal your treasure or sink your ship. Not that I’d say no to a treasure map, if you’ve got one lying around.” She shook her head. “I just needed a way out of Sorian. Your ship happened to be convenient. Lucky me, huh?”

That gave Sjan-dehk pause. It did sound like a plausible story – someone possessed of magic wouldn’t be too happy living in Sorian, he imagined. And given that Sada Kurau was perhaps the most foreign vessel currently in harbour, it would make sense for someone like the girl to pick her as a means of escape. “That is…” Sjan-dehk began and trailed off. Then, he sighed and holstered the pistol. “That much, I can believe for now. But you chose bad time to come aboard.”

He jerked a thumb towards the top of the mizzenmast. Barely visible by the faint glows of lanterns, the flag of a Caesonian privateer fluttered weakly in the gentle wind. “We are privateering, and will return to Sorian soon. But…” He trailed off, tilting his chin towards the girl. “We do not dislike your…Your kind. If you did no other crime, then you will be safe here. With us.”

There was more he wanted to ask, and wanted to say, but a shout from the bow interrupted him. “Larboard prow, contact!”

That stole Sjan-dehk’s attention momentarily. “Steady as she goes, but prepare to maneuver!” He shouted back, making sure that the rest of the crew heard his order. He looked at the girl with a wry smile. “It is not good time for you to be here, at all. We may have to fight.”

Dahlia’s eyes lit up at the mention of a fight, her smirk breaking into a grin. “A fight? Now we’re talking! I knew this trip would get exciting.”

She stepped forward, her tone brimming with energy. “Point me in the right direction, Captain. I’ll happily jump in.”

“If we are lucky, it will not–”

A series of low, muffled thumps – like distant thunder – interrupted Sjan-dehk. He looked towards the bow again. Flashes of fiery orange pierced the darkness like a dagger, each of them illuminating for the briefest of moments the outline of a ship in the distance.

There wasn’t any time to think. There wasn’t any need for him to. “Everybody to cover!” He bellowed.

He rushed over to the girl, closing the distance in the time it took for him to blink, and roughly grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. Cannonballs sliced through the air overhead even as he pulled her down with him onto the deck. The infernal screams of the dreadful cannonade, the bone-chilling splintering of wood, and the dull thuds of Sada Kurau’s pointed prow deflecting as many shots as it could, seemed unending. Men shouted all around him, but Sjan-dehk kept himself calm. This wasn’t anything new.

“Recover!” He shouted once the salvo was over, scrambling to his feet with a hand hooked under the girl’s arm to pull her up as well. All things considered, Sada Kurau wasn’t in too bad a shape – large holes had been shot out of her bulwarks and gunwale, especially towards her bow, and there were shorn ropes and broken rigging hanging from above, but nobody seemed injured. “Master Sahm-tehn, send your men aloft for repairs! Master Hai-shuun, your crew to the orlop!”

“Aye, Captain!” came the series of acknowledgements from somewhere amidst the chaotic deck.

Sjan-dehk grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her behind him. “You follow,” he said curtly before going back to barking orders to his crew. “They’re right ahead of us! Bring us hard to larboard on a course to cut across her keel–”

“Captain! Second vessel spotted in the mist!” A shout came from above. “Two vessels direct front! They’re sailing in line!”

Sjan-dehk swore beneath his breath. “Continue with my previous orders, but signal intent to our friend and tell them to engage the forward vessel. We’ll take care of the cunt in the rear!”

Dahlia hit the deck hard, Sjan-dehk’s grip firm on her collar. “Well, this is cozy,” she muttered as cannonballs screamed overhead.

When he hauled her up, she stumbled but quickly quipped, “Appreciate the save. Real gentlemanly.” Staying close behind him, she added, “So, is this level of chaos normal, or am I just lucky?”

“Normal enough,” Sjan-dehk replied shortly. He would have preferred to have been able to get the jump on just one of the ships, or to at least take them separately, but such was the nature of combat. Things rarely ever went according to his preferences.

At the shout of a second vessel, her smirk grew. “Two ships? Wow. You really know how to make a stowaway feel special.”

Sjan-dehk didn’t reply immediately. The bulk of his attention was focused on Sada Kurau. Getting her into a position to rake the enemy vessel was the best course of action, but it was also one that would leave her exposed to withering broadsides from the enemy as she approached. Granted, that depended on how fast Sada Kurau’s foe could reload, and how accurately they could fire in the dead of night. But unarmoured as his ship was, Sjan-dehk didn’t want to take any chances. One lucky – or unlucky – salvo would be enough to put them out of action.

“Up,” he said, pulling the girl behind him as he climbed the steps to get onto the quarterdeck. “Helmsman, turn us three points to larboard,” he quickly ordered as he took position beside the wheel, looking out over the deck. “Swing us out of their arch-of-fire.”

“Aye, three points to larboard,” the helmsman replied. The tall, lanky man slowly turned the wheel, and the ship responded in kind, lurching over to the left.

“Not special,” Sjan-dehk said, finally responding to the girl. “Special is if we board. We are not. If only one ship, then yes. We can board. But two? Too…Too risky. We shoot from far. Use cannons. If at the end they still float, then we go across and see what they have. If not, then we let them sink–”

Another series of flashes interrupted him, and he flinched on instinct. Placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder, he was prepared to pull her down once more. But then he noticed their angle, and he relaxed slightly. Not a moment later, cannonballs shot past Sada Kurau’s starboard side, some coming worryingly close to her, and a few landing only glancing blows as they ricocheted off the hull. Still, the impact was enough to make the hull shudder, and Sjan-dehk kept a tight grip on the girl to keep her from falling over.

“Steady as she goes,” Sjan-dehk said quickly. The helmsman echoed the command and righted the wheel.

Grimacing, the Captain looked out towards the bow into the darkness. Luck alone had spared them from a second broadside, but he wasn’t too certain if it would save them from a third. If his enemy was smart, and they had a captain worth the title, they would be turning their ship to go broadside-to-broadside with Sada Kurau. With these winds, and Sada Kurau’s agility, Sjan-dehk doubted they would succeed, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t fire off perhaps one or two more salvos that could at least brush against his ship.

He chewed on his lip. He would need someone on deck to handle the wounded, specifically the ones who would suffer minor injuries. That would leave Dai-sehk able to focus on the more severe injuries. Casting a glance over at the girl, Sjan-dehk hesitated. Although he had already gathered that she was a magic-user seeking to flee Caesonia, he still had his doubts about her. Enough to make him wonder if he should bring Yasawen up on deck, where she might be able to catch him using his abilities.

Sjan-dehk shook his head. No, that didn’t matter. The safety of his crew, did. If it came to it, he would have to simply do something about the girl. And besides, he could always just keep her away from the boy while he went about his work. “Someone call Yasawen up on deck!”

Dahlia clung to the railing as the ship lurched again, her knuckles white against thewood. “So, not special,” she said, feigning a wounded tone despite the chaos. “I’ll try not to cry myself to sleep over that later.”

When Sjan-dehk yanked her up the steps behind him, she followed with an exaggerated sigh, her feet barely keeping pace. “You know, I’m starting to think you brought me along just for my charm.” She ducked instinctively as another volley of cannon fire roared through the night, her breath catching when the hull shuddered beneath them. “On second thought, maybe you just wanted a human shield.” As the captain barked more orders, Dahlia tilted her head, eyeing him warily. Despite herself, she couldn’t help but feel a grudging respect.

When he mentioned Yasawen, however, her smirk returned. “Calling for backup? Don’t tell me I’m too much for you to handle already, Captain.” Another explosion rattled the air, and she flinched, gripping the railing tighter. “Alright, I’ll admit it,” she muttered, mostly to herself. “This is a little more exciting than I signed up for…” Then she sighed and added louder, “How can I help?”

A scowl briefly flashed across Sjan-dehk’s face. The girl’s bravado – regardless of whether it was an act or real – was starting to become tiresome. “Nothing for now,” he said curtly, his eyes scanning the deck, then the darkness beyond Sada Kurau’s bowsprit, then the billowing sails overhead. He grimaced. Even though both wind and waves were in their favour, the strength of the former sat poorly with him. They were sailing towards shore. The same speed that would shorten the time Sada Kurau spent under the gun sights of her enemy was the same speed that could very well throw her against shallows.

“Take depth soundings from the bow!” He shouted. Again, the order was echoed across the deck. Not long after, two men made a mad dash towards Sada Kurau’s prow. “Report every five minutes! Helmsman and riggers, ready for rapid maneuvering!”

“Aye, Captain!” came the chorused response.

Sjan-dehk glanced at the girl from the corner of his eye. “We can do nothing for now,” he said calmly, even as his grimace deepened. The moments between coming under fire from an enemy and being able to pay them back in kind were always the most tense. One’s mind would be hard-pressed to not imagine all sorts of grisly scenarios. What if the enemy turned faster than expected, and fired a devastating salvo? Or what if Sada Kurau wasn’t getting into as good a position as intended? The possibilities were endless.

But Sjan-dehk’s veteran sensibilities put an end to them, nonetheless.

“For now we can only sail and wait,” he continued. In an effort to calm the girl, whom he imagined must be new to naval combat, he cleared his throat and swiftly added, “Sada Kurau knows what to do. With her, we will survive. We will win.”

Dahlia leaned on the rail, her smirk softening as she watched the crew hustle around her. “Sounds like Sada Karau’s been through this plenty of times, huh?”

Sjan-dehk nodded. “Yes. Many times.”

The rapid thumps of approaching boots caught Sjan-dehk’s attention. He looked over the girl’s shoulder, at the landing of the steps leading up to the quarterdeck, and saw Yasawen jogging towards them. The boy’s face was flushed with exertion, and his clothes in disarray. “Y-You called for me, Captain?” He asked even as he tried to catch his breath. Sjan-dehk could see that he was doing all he could to not fully double-over and brace his hands on his knees.

“Yes.” Sjan-dehk nodded, then tilted his chin towards the deck. “Station yourself amidships. Minor wounds and such will be yours to deal with. Major ones, you send below to Master Dai-sehk. Is that clear?”

Yasawen glanced nervously to his sides, his gaze turning curious when he saw the girl. His eyes lingered on her for a moment before returning to the Captain. “Yes– I mean, aye, Captain! Are they any…Um, any guidelines as to what’s major and what’s minor? I-I ask only to be sure, Captain.”

The brunette had watched Yasawen jog up with all the grace of a flustered deer, her lips twitching into a faint smirk. When his gaze landed on her, lingering for a moment too long, she gave him a wink.

Sjan-dehk raised a brow, amused. “Guidelines? In battle? You’ve plenty to learn, kid.” He shook his head, then gave Yasawen a shrug. “You’re the medical man between the two of us. I’ll leave deciding on what’s a major and minor wound up to you. Though if you want my advice, just handle what you can and give our Master Dai-sehk what you can’t. I just want my crew healthy and intact.”

Yasawen nodded. He drew in a deep breath and forced himself to stand upright, with back ramrod straight and eyes as steely as he could manage. Sjan-dehk didn’t have the heart to tell him that he looked comical rather than serious, even if he appreciated the effort. “A-Aye, Captain!”

“To your station, then,” Sjan-dehk said and quickly dismissed Yasawen. The less time he spent around the girl, the better.

The boy’s boots were still thumping down the steps when a call came from the ship’s bow. “Forty-nine feet and thereabouts to the bottom, Captain! Sand and reef!”

Sjan-dehk chewed on his lip as he did the numbers in his head. Forty-nine was cutting it close to comfort, but it was still good. Sada Kurau had roughly six feet of her hull underwater, and needed at least twice that number to account for swells or dips in the waves. Aside from Sada Kurau’s depth-under-keel, the call told him one other thing – roughly how much time had passed since the enemy engaged them. He peered into the darkness, and could only barely make out the tiny dots of flickering light that marked where the enemy crew had placed lanterns along their ship.

Bright flashes cut through the darkness, but they were far away enough that Sjan-dehk didn’t think them to be a danger. Not to Sada Kurau, at least – those flashes were likely the muzzle flashes of their opponent’s friend as they opened fire on Cynric’s Recompense. Now that, that worried Sjan-dehk. He didn’t know how strong his ally was, or how they would fare under fire or even in combat. He had to act fast.

“Gun deck, load shrapnel! Set time to fifteen!” He leaned almost half his body over the guardrail to bark his orders. “All sailing hands, swing us hard to starboard and bring us directly towards our opponent! I want us to get clear eyes on her arse before we open fire!”

Dahlia tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly as she watched Sjan-dehk’s focused expression. The way he stared into the darkness, the gears turning in his mind, practically radiated intensity.

“So, who’s attacking us?” she asked, her tone laced with teasing intrigue. “Pirates? Rivals? Or maybe an ex you just can’t quit? ”

Once again, Sjan-dehk didn’t reply immediately. He had far more important things occupying his mind. For a start, he needed to definitively locate Sada Kurau’s prey. All he had seen of her thus far were the flashes of her guns and the lanterns of her crew, and now even those meagre hints had been swallowed up by the darkness. Chewing on his lip, Sjan-dehk wracked his mind for his next few moves. Sada Kurau was sailing at speed – perhaps too much speed – towards her prey’s last known location. Without anything to tell him his foe’s heading and direction, it could very well be that Sada Kurau was going to find herself in a terrible position at the worst time possible.

“Pirates, I think,” Sjan-dehk replied curtly, and with only half-his-mind.

Dahlia let out an amused laugh, though her eyes scanned the darkness uneasily. “Pirates. Of course. You make it sound like this happens every Tuesday.” She squinted toward the disappearing lanterns, her head tilting in suspicion. “Wait, why’d the lights go out? Is that… bad? Like, really bad?”

He didn’t care about the lack of gun flashes. The enemy crew was likely still in the midst of reloading, and it would be a while before they were ready to fire again. But the disappearing lanterns were another matter entirely. Either they had been doused – in which case Sjan-dehk was facing a captain and crew who knew what they were about – or the ship had turned in a way that brought them out of sight. Sjan-dehk preferred it to be the former. Better for him to face a skilled foe, than a ship whose movements he couldn’t tell.

“Thirty-five feet to the bottom and thereabouts, Captain! Sand and reef!”

The call from the bow made her freeze, her brows shooting up as she instinctively grabbed the nearest railing for balance. The sudden flurry of activity on deck added to her unease. “Thirty-five? That’s close, isn’t it? Please tell me you know what you’re doing.”

Sjan-dehk swore beneath his breath. Sada Kurau was much too close to shore to be sailing at such high a speed. But neither could she slow down – that would be to surrender her one indisputable advantage, and in the face of an unseen enemy, no less. It was a decision between two equally bad choices. Sada Kurau could either maintain her speed and risk running aground, or ramming the enemy, or she could slow down, and instead risk being caught by the enemy.

Then, he saw it.

It was nothing more than a vague outline, and moonlight reflecting off oddly-shaped waves, but they were enough to catch his eyes. “Starboard battery, target will be approaching from the bow!” Sjan-dehk shouted and, grabbing the girl by the arm to pull her behind him, rushed for the stairs. He descended it quickly, and reached the starboard bulwark just in time to see a sheer cliff of wood and glass appear from the darkness like a ghost. “We have her by the stern! All guns, fire as you bear!”

When Sjan-dehk grabbed her arm and rushed her to the starboard side, Dahlia mock-complained, “Careful, Captain. You’ll bruise my pretty skin.” But her teasing faltered when the enemy ship emerged from the darkness like a ghostly giant. Her breath hitched, and her smirk vanished. “Well. That’s… terrifying.”

“Aye, starboard battery, fire as we bear!” The muffled shout came from beneath his feet.

It would only take a few seconds for Sada Kurau to get into position, but it may as well have been several eternities. Sjan-dehk kept his eye on the enemy ship as they drew closer and closer. It didn’t look as if she was moving, and it didn’t take long for him to figure out why. Her sails, dark grey and almost invisible in the darkness, were limp, and fluttered weakly against the oncoming wind. More likely than not, she had tried to turn to meet Sada Kurau, but her crew couldn’t tack her sails fast enough to keep them billowing. It was terrible luck on their part, but that was the nature of battle. Fortune often played a larger role than tactics.

“Cover ears,” Sjan-dehk said to the girl. Not a moment later, the first of Sada Kurau’s guns opened fire.

So close were they to the enemy that Sjan-dehk could easily hear the shattering of glass, the splintering of wood, and the panicked yells of the crew as Sada Kurau raked their ship. And had it just been solid shot, it would have been bad enough, but Sada Kurau was using her shrapnel shells. Designed for clearing decks and bombarding shores, they could be timed to explode after a certain distance, showering anyone unlucky enough to be in the vicinity with metal shards and rifle balls.

Glass and thin wood, such as the sort which covered most ship’s sterns, weren’t sturdy enough to shatter such shells. And so, Sada Kurau’s salvo easily sailed into the innards of her foe before they exploded, one at a time. Sjan-dehk didn’t even want to imagine the carnage that was unfolding within. He caught sight of a flash of orange as Sada Kurau’s final guns savaged the enemy. A fire, either from a fallen lantern, or just the sheer devastation, had likely broken out. Sjan-dehk wasn’t too keen on staying long enough to find out which it was.

“Fucking well done!” He shouted over his shoulder. “Now bring us hard to star–”

“Captain!” A frantic shout came from the quarterdeck, behind him. “Ship approaching from larboard!”

“Fuck,” Sjan-dehk spat. Taking the girl by her arm, he swiftly crossed the deck to the other side. And sure enough, there in the distance was another ship, white surf surrounding her bow, and bright – brighter than those of Sada Kurau’s earlier prey – lamps illuminating her prow. There was no telling what she was, but if her billowing sails and apparent haste was anything to go by, she was probably in league with the enemy.

“Where did she come from?” Another shout from the quarterdeck.

“She must’ve lagged behind!” Sjan-dehk answered. “But don’t worry about that! Proceed with orders! Bring us hard to starboard and get us around the ship we just wrecked! We’ll use her as cover!” Even as he said those words, he knew that it wasn’t the best idea. This new enemy simply had to make a turn to starboard, and they would be able to fire a broadside into Sada Kurau’s stern. But there wasn’t any choice. Sjan-dehk didn’t know how close they were to shore, and to make a turn to larboard to meet this new enemy – even if it was a sharp one – would take too much time and distance.

“Twenty-two feet under keel and thereabouts, Captain! Sand, reef, and rock!”

“Hard to starboard, now!” Sjan-dehk barked. “Tack all sails if you have to! Otherwise we’ll run aground!”

The yardarms swung wildly overhead, their sails straining to catch the wind from a different direction. Sada Kurau lurched hard as it turned. Sjan-dehk moved about the deck to keep his eye on the newcomer. Much to his displeasure, she was also turning as expected, to catch Sada Kurau in her stern. But she was a lot slower, and was much more cumbersome in her turn. With some luck, Sada Kurau would circle around the now-burning wreck of her prey, and meet her new victim broadside-to-broadside.

“Wait!” It was Yasawen. “I can help!”

Sjan-dehk snapped his head around, just in time to see the boy rush towards the bulwark. Fain wisps, like a leafy green mist, swirled up his arms, intertwining and splitting as they tickled his tanned flesh. “Fucking idiot!” Sjan-dehk shouted, for the moment forgetting the girl. He raced towards Yasawen. “Don’t just stand there!” His words were rushed, and his crew didn’t seem to catch them at all, entranced as they were with the display of arcane power. “Someone stop him!”

Yasawen’s mouth moved, but Sjan-dehk couldn’t hear his words over the din of battle. The swirling wisps quickened, coalescing into something closer to smoke. More and more green trails rose from between the deck’s planks. They crawled out of the water like snakes and buzzed around Yasawen’s hands, eager and ready to be used according to his will. “Don’t you dare!” Sjan-dehk yelled, still pushing his way towards the boy. “Don’t you fucking dare!”

Then, everything happened at once. Yasawen abruptly stopped murmuring. He swung his wisp-shrouded arm upwards in a sharp, almost violent, motion. In an instant, the green smoke burst from him, cutting faint lines through the air as they hurriedly dove into the sea.

Sjan-dehk finally reached him. He tackled the boy.

But it was too late.

The sea lurched and churned, as if a great creature was just lurking beneath. Then, right when Sjan-dehk sent Yasawen crashing painfully onto the deck, it stopped. Grunting, Sjan-dehk pulled himself up, peering over the gunwale. White crests, a sure sign of agitated waters, surrounded Sada Kurau, but they seemed to be calming. Not too far off in the distance, the enemy ship continued to approach, its wake clear even in the dark of night, the ruffling of its sails loud.

Then, something shot out of the sea. It was far too dark, and it moved too quickly for Sjan-dehk to catch it, but whatever it was, it speared the enemy ship from keel to deck. So violent was its impact that the entire vessel almost heeled over. A few moments later, the object fell from the sky, landing not too far away from Sada Kurau. Sjan-dehk looked in the direction of its landing and managed to just catch sight of the boulder before it sank beneath the waves.

“Yasawen!” He shouted, but the boy didn’t respond. Sjan-dehk was about to check on him, but the sight of the enemy ship stopped him. Flickers of orange burned on her deck, and wicked tongues of flame shot out of her gunports. Her bow dipped low in the water, but still she continued to press onwards. But she barely managed a few yards before the flames became too much for her to bear. Her magazines detonated, and she exploded into a shower of embers and debris.

“Get us out of here!” Sjan-dehk shouted. Splinters rained from above, most of them splashing into the sea, but a few falling close enough to make him worried. As the ship lurched and continued to turn away from the burning hulk of the enemy, Sjan-dehk kneeled and grabbed the boy by the collar. “You idiot,” he growled.

Yasawen blinked. A sickly pallour coloured his cheeks. “I-I helped–”

“We could’ve handled it!” Sjan-dehk shouted. His eyes fell to the boy’s arm, the one which he had used to channel his power. Yasawen’s entire forearm was sand. Not covered in it, but made of it. Some of it was in the midst of hardening to stone, while other parts fell away in clumps. That wasn’t too worrying, however; as each falling clump left behind a gouging hole, more sand rose to retain the shape of Yasawen’s arm.

“Not only did you damn near turn yourself into a fucking sand sculpture,” Sjan-dehk continued. “But you’ve also given yourself away!”

“B-But there’s only our people-” Yasawen whimpered.

Sjan-dehk turned him towards the girl and pointed at her. “She’s not! Congratulations, you just made sure that we have to do something about her, now.”

As Sjan-dehk barked for the guns to fire, Dahlia winced at the deafening blasts, instinctively covering her ears despite his earlier warning. Her eyes widened at the splintering wood and flashes of orange erupting from the enemy ship. Her balance faltered as Sjan-dehk dragged her across the deck again, her voice rising in alarm. “Wait, there’s another one? How many of these guys are out here?” Her unease turned to outright shock when Yasawen’s magic came into play. Dahlia froze, her jaw dropping as the green mist swirled and the sea erupted beneath the enemy ship.

Her eyes darted between Sjan-dehk, Yasawen, and the unfolding chaos. She watched, wide-eyed, as the ship was hit by something she couldn’t quite make out with her eyes, her voice trembling as she muttered, “That’s… definitely not in any naval manual I’ve ever heard of.” The fiery explosion that followed made her flinch, shielding her face from the heat and falling debris. “And here I thought the cannons were overkill...”

When Sjan-dehk tackled Yasawen and began berating him, Dahlia’s smirk faltered. Her gaze flicked nervously between the two, her tone cautious but questioning. “Whoa, hold on. You’re mad because he used magic? I mean, sure, it was… dramatic, but it worked, right? I don’t see the problem.”

Her expression froze when Sjan-dehk pointed at her, the gravity of his words sinking in. She took a deliberate step back, her hands half-raised in defense. “Wait, wait, hold on squared! I don’t care if he’s throwing fireballs or summoning sea monsters. What do you mean you have to do something about me?” Her voice pitched higher, tinged with nervous energy, and her earlier bravado cracked further.

She frowned, her shoulders tensing as she motioned vaguely to the wreckage and chaos around her. “Look, I didn’t sign up to be a loose end or whatever you’re thinking. I just wanted a ride out of Sorian, not… whatever this is.”

“Liar.” Inshahri’s sing-song voice came out of nowhere, and the girl followed soon after, a carefree, cheeky grin gracing her lips. She moved as she always did, with a spring in her light, swaying steps, as she made her way towards the girl. “Liar,” she repeated and giggled. In the aftermath all that had just happened, and in the midst of a battle, everything about Inshahri’s mannerisms struck Sjan-dehk as odd. But still, he held himself back and allowed her to do whatever it was that she wanted to do.

“Excuse me?” she retorted, her tone sharp and defensive.

“Your magic isn’t yours,” Inshahri said, her smile never wavering. She cocked her head. “It looked strange to me earlier, but I couldn’t tell why. Now I can. You and that magic around you, your melodies are so very, very different! Not like Yasawen and his, or me and mine.” She buzzed around the girl like a bee around a flower, looking at her from every angle. “Someone gave you that magic, didn’t they? Or they did something to you. Or maybe you stole it from them?”

Dahlia’s mouth opened in disbelief. “What? No. No way. You’ve got the wrong girl,” she said quickly, her hands waving as if to push the claim away. Dahlia’s face drained of color. “What are you even talking about?” she asked again, this time quieter, almost to herself. She took another step back, her eyes darting to Sjan-dehk for some kind of explanation or reprieve. “Captain? She’s not serious, right? I don’t have magic. I’ve never done magic. This is—this is ridiculous!”

Sjan-dehk’s suspicions began to return. It did feel like too much of a coincidence – not only was this girl a magic-user, but they also seemed to understand Common Viserjantan. How many such people were there in Sorian? “That is true?” He asked, eyes narrowing. “You were…Given this magic?”

“No! I don’t know what she’s talking about!” she protested, shaking her head.. A faint memory flickered in the back of her mind, too blurry to grasp, like a half-forgotten dream she couldn’t quite piece together. “I mean… not that I know of? What does that even mean?”

She turned to Inshahri, her voice rising. “If someone did something to me, I’d know, wouldn’t I? I’d feel it or… or remember it, right?” Her tone softened into something closer to desperation. “This has to be a mistake.”

But the certainty in Inshahri’s words and Sjan-dehk’s suspicious gaze pressed on her like a weight. Dahlia’s breath quickened, her earlier nonchalance now completely replaced by fear. “I swear, I don’t know anything about magic. Whatever this is, it’s not me. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t do this.”

And then it hit her.

A memory, faint but insistent, surfaced in her mind—Seraphina speaking in hushed tones with another person. Words she hadn’t understood. A strange, fleeting warmth that had passed through her body, was dismissed at the time as nothing more than nerves or fatigue. Dahlia’s heart sank. She must’ve had someone cast spells on me, she thought to herself. What was she thinking? Why would she do that?

Sjan-dehk watched the girl’s expression change with a cold, hard look on his face. He had been taken for a fool, although he had to admit that he hadn’t exactly made that a difficult task. He had been too quick to trust the girl’s story; too quick to extend his sympathies to someone who didn’t deserve them. “So, you are lying, yes?” He asked, voice empty of emotion. “You are not…You do not have magic. Someone gave it to you, and send you here to do something.”

He asked no questions. The girl wasn’t going to answer them, more likely than not. Sjan-dehk looked out into the darkness, at the burning flotsam in the water, at the wrecks Sada Kurau had left in her wake. They were done here, it seemed. He couldn’t hear any firing in the distance, and so he assumed that Cynric had also made short work of his target. “Let’s get out of here,” Sjan-dehk called out. “Turn us around and bring us back to port. And someone get Mursi and Kai-dahn up here. We’ve got ourselves a spy to wrangle.”

“W-What’re you going to do to her?” Yasawen asked in a small voice.

Sjan-dehk shrugged. “Regulations say I should shoot her and throw her body overboard, or something like that, but…” He trailed off and fixed the girl with a scrying glare. “No telling what magic she’s got. Could be one that blows her up once she’s dead. I’m not going to take any chances.” He looked at Yasawen, then at Inshahri. “Don’t suppose either of you know anyone that can…I don’t know, remove that magic from her?”

Yasawen shook his head, but Inshahri nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes!” She chirped. “Mistress Kadahya should be able to do something about it! She’s the chief counter-arcane specialist on Sudah, you know? She can even tell you what magic’s in the girl, I bet!”

“Can she? I'll have to keep that in mind,” Sjan-dehk said with a mirthless chuckle.

Then, he walked back towards the girl, looking down at her with arms folded across his chest. Experience told him to just torture the information out of her. Whoever that had sent her had likely done so without any good intent, and who knew how much time he had before they did something more drastic? But Sjan-dehk couldn’t bring himself to give the order. The girl looked young. Far too young to be caught up in something like this. He could see her being a petty criminal, but a spy? That was a little far-fetched. Perhaps she had been telling some modicum of truth, when she said that she wanted no part in this.

“You…” He began, but then cut himself short. “Fuck it, you clearly understand what we’re saying. Anyway, congratulations. I’m not going to kill you, but I can’t let you leave Sada Kurau, either. Not until I’m sure that you won’t go reporting whatever it is you found out to your master, and I’m sure that’s going to take a very, very long time. Welcome to the crew.”

He shook his head. This wasn’t an ideal solution, and he knew it. But it was the best he could manage, for now. “First things first, I’m getting Mistress Kadahya to look you over as soon as she has time. I want that magic out of you. Two arcanists on my ship-”

“There’ll be more!” Inshahri piped up. Sjan-dehk glanced at her and sighed.

“A handful of arcanists on my ship is already more than what I can handle,” he said. “I don’t need another one to give me worry.”

Dahlia’s breath hitched as Sjan-dehk’s words sank in. Her eyes widened, and she took a sharp step back, her voice rising. “You can’t just keep me hostage! That’s not how this works!” Her words tumbled out in a frantic rush, her earlier bravado completely shattered. “I haven’t done anything to you! I didn’t hurt anyone! You can’t just decide I’m part of your crew like that!”

Sjan-dehk blinked once. “Actually, I can,” he said simply. “You snuck onboard Sada Kurau. You came here with bad intentions, and really, there’s nowhere for you to go. And besides, I’m Captain. I have the right to press people into service if I need to.”

She took a step back, her fists bawled, “This—this isn’t even my fight! I didn’t ask for any of this! I’m just trying to survive, okay? You can’t—” Her voice cracked, and she clamped her mouth shut for a moment.

When she spoke again, her tone was quieter but tinged with desperation. “Look, I’ll tell you what you want to know. I’ll cooperate. But you have to let me go when we get to port. You can’t keep me here forever.” Her gaze darted to Yasawen and Inshahri, searching for even a shred of sympathy, before returning to Sjan-dehk. “Please. I’m not a threat to you. Just let me go when we dock, and I swear you’ll never see me again.”
The two arcanists looked at each other. Then, they looked at Sjan-dehk.

She paused, her hands trembling at her sides, then added with a bitter edge, “I’ll even tell you about the bitch who sent me. She’s the real danger here, not me.”

Sjan-dehk nodded. “I appreciate that,” he began, and then sighed. “But that’s not the point. What concerns me is that you will tell her. I don’t have any guarantee that you won’t tell her…Whatever it is that you were sent to find. I’m not taking any chances. And besides, we’re going to get that magic out of you. If anything, you should be thanking us.”

He shook his head. “But at the end of it, you’re not going ashore when we return, and after all this, I’m not going to moor Sada Kurau at the docks, anyway.”[/color] Although he hadn’t any intention to reassure the girl, he still nevertheless added, “Don’t worry. You’re not stuck here forever. We’ll have to go home someday, and when that day comes, you’ll certainly be released. It’ll be an earlier release if you can somehow convince us that you’re not going to go running back to your mistress, however. Though I’ll be fair and tell you right now that as far as we’re concerned, you’re a liar. Your words’ not worth the air you use for them.”[/color]

Dahlia tapped her foot. If she didn’t get off this ship, they’d certainly kill her parents. She’d have to play ball.. “Let’s be real for a second—keeping me here? That’s not going to stop these people. If anything, it’s just going to make them come after you harder. And me? I’m your only shot at staying ahead.”

She paused, then tilted her head with a sweet but condescending smile. “Unless you think you’ve got it all figured out. Maybe you like surprises, like waking up to your ship under siege. But me? I’d rather avoid that. I’m offering you a heads-up—a chance to know what she’s planning before she makes her next move. You’re welcome, by the way.”

Sjan-dehk arched his brow at the thought of Sada Kurau coming under attack. He resisted the urge to grin or smirk, and instead kept his expression neutral as the girl continued.

Dahlia threw her hands out in mock surrender. “But sure, go ahead. Keep me here, make me part of your crew or whatever. That’ll definitely end well. Because, you know, nothing screams ‘smart captain’ like forcing the one person who knows your enemy’s next move to swab decks instead of helping you avoid getting ambushed.” She let her words hang, then raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to argue.

She took a step closer. “Look, Captain, I’m trying to help you. You let me go when we hit port, and I’ll give you everything you need—names, plans, weaknesses. You’ll be ready, and I’ll be out of your hair. And look, I won’t tell them anything, I swear. They have my parents hostage so why would I care about helping them? I honestly just want to help my parents. It’s a win-win no matter how you look at it..”

She arched an eyebrow, her smirk returning. “Or you can keep me here and hope for the best. Your call, Captain.”

“Are you done?” Sjan-dehk asked. He didn’t wait for her to reply before going on. “Firstly, I appreciate your concern for Sada Kurau, but it’s unnecessary. She, us, we’re all veterans. Between us, we’ve fought more battles than anyone can count, and we’re still mostly alive. So if your masters and mistresses believe they can beat us in a fight, they’re more than welcome to try. I’ll personally invite them, even.”

He took a step back and finally allowed his grin to show. “And even if they win, and they slaughter me, and everyone aboard, and they burn Sada Kurau, it’ll be a hollow victory. The Commonwealth will take it as an act of war, and they will surely return to your lands with fleets and armies and plenty of devastation.”

Despite the weight of his words, he said them lightly. It was hard not to – the past five years had made war an almost normal activity. Part of him worried over that. Another part of him reminded him that the war was over, and that he shouldn’t be throwing that threat around lightly, even if he knew that the Commonwealth wasn’t the sort to turn the other cheek when slighted. He breathed out slowly through his nose.

“But I suppose you’re doing this for your parents, and that’s itself admirable,” he said. If his parents, or any of his siblings were taken captive, he doubted there were any lines he wouldn’t cross to rescue them. “So I think we can compromise. I’ll let you off on shore. You can return to your mistress, and you can find out for me why they sent you in the first place. That’s all I want to know.” He paused, letting his words hang in the air for a moment before giving the price for his offer. “But you must do two things. First, when you return to Sada Kurau, we will have your magic removed. And two, you’ll stay with us for a few days. Just to be safe, and just a little more incentive for you to not tell them anything that brings harm to us.”

Dahlia exhaled slowly. “Alright, Captain. You’ve made your point. I’ll take the deal. You let me off when the time comes, and I’ll get you the answers you want. No games.”

She straightened up slightly, “And for what it’s worth, I get it. You’ve got a ship to protect, a crew to think about. I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here. But this? It works for both of us.”

Mina had hoped the carnival would be a welcome distraction from the tumultuous events of earlier that day. The vibrant lights, cheerful laughter, and the tempting aroma of sweet treats offered a brief respite from her troubled mind. She felt a mix of apprehension and determination, knowing she needed a break from the constant stress.

As she stood in line for a funnel cake, Mina tried to focus on the simple joy of the moment. She told herself that indulging in a sugary treat might lift her spirits, even if just for a little while. Yet, the recent heartbreak and the dark confrontation with her uncle weighed heavily on her. She felt an ache in her chest, a mixture of sadness and anger, but she was determined to find some semblance of happiness tonight.

Finally, she received her funnel cake and stepped aside to request more honey and powdered sugar. The attendant obliged, and Mina turned to leave, her mind still clouded with the day's events. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the person in front of her until it was too late.

She bumped into someone, her funnel cake smashing against her chest, leaving her cleavage covered with honey and powdered sugar. "Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!" She exclaimed, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she dabbed at her chest with a napkin.

Glancing up, she was mortified to realize the person she had collided with was none other than Alexander. Recognizing him made the situation even more embarrassing, especially with that startled and guilty look on his face.

"Well," she said with a wry smile, trying to make light of the situation.

Well? He met her uneasy smile with one that so easily gave away his desire for her.

"I suppose this is one way to ensure I won't go unnoticed tonight." She continued to dab at her chest, her blush deepening. "I guess I'm just sweetening the deal for everyone here."

“Mina. Look at me.” Alexander instructed as he took her hand. “Allow me to assist you… without giving these people such a show.” He nodded toward a space between two smaller tents. “We can share my funnel cake.” He had been in the middle of his order after all. He turned to face the attendant at the funnel cake stand. “I would like to order what she had, please.”

Mina's eyes were drawn to their joined hands, the warmth of his touch sending a shiver through her. She then followed his instructions and looked up to meet his gaze, the desire in his eyes clear and unmistakable. Despite the embarrassment, or perhaps because of it, she felt a surge of boldness. Maybe this was the distraction she needed, a way to forget her troubles, even if only for a little while.

"Wishing to keep the show all to yourself, Mr. Deacon?" she teased, her voice light and flirtatious. "I suppose I can't blame you for that. Besides, who am I to refuse such a generous offer?"

“Now there’s the Mina I met at the brunch” Alexander briefly faced her before his freehand reached out to grab the new freshly-made funnel cake. “It’s absolutely perfect.”

Her playful smile returned as she glanced towards the space between the two smaller tents. The idea of sharing his funnel cake, away from the prying eyes of the carnival-goers, was more appealing than she cared to admit.

"Lead the way," she said, her tone both inviting and mischievous. "I'm curious to see how well you handle sticky situations."

“Curious? Really?” He guided her by hand toward the tents with a grin. “Are you sure it's not excitement, Lady Blackwood?” It's exactly what he felt as hid the clenching of his jaw from her view.

"Well, excitement is just curiosity dressed up for a night out isn't it?" He continued to lead her, to tents, to space between them… through the space between them, before turning the corner to hide them from watchful eyes. For a brief moment, Mina wondered to herself how wise of a decision she was actually making. To follow a man she barely knew to a secluded place definitely seemed unwise, however she supposed situations like this were why she’d decided to take precautions and cast a small protection spell on herself before she’d left.

The moment he stopped he looked down upon her with a soft gaze. “What first?”

"Well," she began, her voice a sultry whisper, "I suppose we should start with cleaning up this mess." She gestured to the sticky remnants of the funnel cake on her chest, her blush deepening just a touch.

"Or perhaps you'd prefer to make more of a mess before we clean up?" she added, her tone daring and flirtatious, challenging him to take the lead. Just like the garden brunch, Mina lured him in. Lured Alexander in without knowing what he was.

There was silence between them as he kept from replying with words and instead gazed into her eyes. He slightly clenched his jaw, as he felt his desire for her spike in this moment. Alone, unafraid, teeming with opportunity.

He guided her hand in his grasp to the plated funnel cake, silently urging her to hold it so he could free both his hands. His eyes never left hers, his intentions becoming ever clearer as the silence persisted.

Then with a grin he leaned in, his right cheek against hers as he whispered back to Mima. Her breath hitched from the warmth of his skin.

“I don't see a mess, Mina… I see a beautiful woman. I feel her warmth against my cheek.”

His face trailed down to her neck, nearly burying into it. . “I smell her alluring fragrance… with a touch of honey.” A quiet chuckle escaped his lips, slightly tickling against her skin while sending shivers down her spine.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, savoring the sensations his words and touch elicited. Her hand tightened around the plate of funnel cake, the warmth of his breath and the huskiness of his voice igniting a spark of desire within her.

With her hand stuck holding the funnel cake, Alexander shifted himself to her right side. The funnel cake would not be an obstacle for him. His sights were now on her bosom. He leaned in but paused to make eye contact once more. He needed not a word. Her eyes, her lips, her entire visage dare not betray her now.

Mina opened her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. The intensity in his eyes was matched by her own, and a daring smirk curved her lips.

"Well, Alexander," she whispered, her voice a sultry purr, "I suppose it's only fair to let you indulge your sweet tooth." Her smirk deepened, a playful glint in her eyes. "Just be careful not to get too carried away. We wouldn't want to cause a scene now, would we?"

Her words hung in the air between them, a tantalizing promise and a challenge all rolled into one. She did more than she needed to provoke his response.

Alexander's eyes left Mina's, his attention on the sugar and honey only a few inches from his face. He was both careful and diligent as he consumed the sweetness from her bosom. The corner of his mouth upturned as he indulged, yet temptation beat against his very being. For Alexander, licking honey from off of Mina was delectable but it could never rival sinking his teeth into her. For his fangs to break her skin and consume the warm nectar in her veins. It's much too soon…. Unfortunate.

Mina's bit at her bottom lip as Alexander's lips and tongue grazed her skin, the warmth of his touch sending shivers down her spine. Her smirk remained, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of vulnerability. The sensation was intoxicating, his closeness almost overwhelming, but she held her ground, her resolve mingling with the undeniable attraction she felt.

"Enjoying yourself?" she teased softly, her voice barely more than a breath. She tilted her head slightly, giving him better access, her daring gaze never leaving his. "I have to admit, this is a rather unconventional way to spend an evening at the carnival. Though I’m certainly not complaining." Her eyes sparkled with mischief, even as her pulse quickened. She knew she was playing with fire, but for the first time in a long while, the distraction was exactly what she needed.

But then he suddenly stopped and his eyes peered up at her. Alexander exhaled silently but the feeling of his breath against her moistened chest gave away its existence. Just like the sigh, his intentions were laid bare with his expression. There were no words yet the longing look in his eyes communicated a shameless desire for her. Love was absent in his gaze, or perhaps it was simply stripped down and subjected to only one of its parts. A feeling so amplified between them, that they might soon forget the setting in which they stood. It was intense. It was primal! It was tempting! It was unyielding. It was…

Passion.

Alexander's gaze fell on Mina's exposed neck pulsing with excitement.

“How about a taste without the sugar and honey?” It was not much of a question as he already inched closer, his mouth parting just before his lips pressed against her neck.

Mina’s gaze held the same lustful desire, devoid of any actual meaningful emotion. "A taste without the sugar and honey, hmm?" she echoed, her voice a sultry whisper. "Bold move, Mr. Deacon." Her hand reached up to gently thread her fingers through his hair, guiding him closer as she pressed her body into him.

Her other hand still held the funnel cake, but it was forgotten, her focus entirely on the man in front of her. She tilted her head, offering him better access to her neck, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "But you should know, Alexander," she breathed, her voice low and seductive, "you might find that I'm even more irresistible without the added sweetness." The challenge in her eyes was clear, a blend of mischief and raw passion that left no room for hesitation.

As his lips made contact with her skin, a soft gasp escaped her, her eyes fluttering closed again. She reveled in the sensation, her fingers tightening in his hair. The distraction was exactly what she needed, a way to lose herself in the moment and forget the pain that had been haunting her. For now, all that mattered was the fire igniting between them.

Restraint was such a far cry now, drifting further and further away as the lustful entangled with the temptress. Mina had successfully lured and reeled in her catch. It was not just a nibble on her bait. She had him. There was nowhere for him to escape to now… yet, the same could be said of her. Alexander was not just another fish and the bait was not entirely what he desired. The woman's eyes shut with satisfaction, blinding herself to the shark's many rows of teeth. He kissed upon her neck, keeping her paralyzed in the moment. There was nowhere for her to escape now…

…..
…..
…..
…..

A sharp prick of pain set upon Mina's neck. The contact of Alexander's fangs was veiled by tongue and lips.

A sudden shock gripped Mina as her eyes flew open. The world seemed to slow, and the funnel cake slipped from her grasp, landing with a soft thud on the ground. Instead of panicking, freezing, or screaming, a laugh bubbled up from within her, a sound that was both incredulous and bitter. Alexander slowed and lightened his intensity as the laugh pulled him slightly from his moment of ecstasy. Still he persisted in his indulgence.

The sensation. It was so familiar to her, the icy shard of pain fading into a throbbing numbness. She had felt it against her wrists many times before, but never like this. This was frightening and almost comforting all at the same time. Tears threatened to fall, welling up in her eyes as she tried to process the conflicting emotions swirling inside her.

Her laugh quieted, turning into a soft, almost resigned chuckle. "Well, isn't this just fitting for me," she whispered, her voice both barely audible and also left unnoted by Alexander. The irony of it all was not lost on her. She had been playing with fire, and now she was getting burned in a way she hadn't anticipated.

Mina's fingers tightened in Alexander's hair, not in pleasure but in a mix of defiance and acceptance. She had lured him in, and now she was caught in her own web. The spell she had cast on herself screamed at her and tried to push the man away, but Mina tried to push back at it. No, perhaps she deserved this and she didn't want her magic getting in the way. Hoping its effects would cease was just that. A hope. A wish. Mina's desires had no bearing on Alexander feeling himself being pulled away from Mina. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her but felt something solid between them. The unnaturalness of what was occuring caused him to come to a complete halt. Tears threatened to spill over as Mina closed her eyes, bracing herself for whatever was to come next.

Alexander let loose a heavy sigh into the crook of her neck.

“You have to be fucking kidding me right now, Mina. Magic?” He whispered in a neutral tone.

Mina felt a wave of frustration and self-loathing wash over her. She had cast the protection spell on herself earlier, never anticipating it would interfere in a moment like this. The irony of her own magic betraying her stung almost as much as Alexander's fangs. With a sigh, she wiped at her damp eyes angrily..

"Of all the times for my own magic to kick in," she muttered, a mix of irritation and regret in her voice. "I suppose I can't even have this one reckless moment without my spells meddling." She glanced up at him, her eyes filled with a bitter amusement but his expression remained stoic. His eyes wouldn't meet hers as he remained deep in thought. "Trust me, I didn't plan for this either. I’d love nothing more that to let you continue and let myself just drift away from this world."

Drift away from this world? These words were successful in drawing his gaze but also causing a half step back, their bodies finally disconnected from each other.

Mina sighed again, the moment of vulnerability not entirely gone but now laced with the sharp edge of disappointment. "I guess you can't always get what you want," she added softly, more to herself than to Alexander.

“What?” Alexander played ignorant. She wore an amused expression and briefly shook his head. “I think you've lost me. You have a protective barrier… to keep you from harm? But…” He tilted his head toward a slowly forming bruise on her neck with a pair of the tiniest beads of blood forming on it. “Is it really so sensitive? Then again… the craft isn't for everyone. At least that's what I hear.” He winked.

Mina raised a brow, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips despite the mix of frustration and weariness in her eyes. "What’s the matter, Alexander? Not used to something, or someone, getting in your way?" Her voice was laced with teasing sarcasm, though it lacked the usual sharpness she might wield. She crossed her arms lightly, tilting her head toward him. He gave her a guilty shrug, still wearing his charm.

With a softer sigh, she continued, "Let’s just say it’s an occupational hazard of having an overly cautious and, at times, downright possessive uncle. Add that to years of having 'safety measures' drilled into my head, and, well... old habits die hard." Her fingers lightly brushed the edge of her neck where his bite had been, leaving the slightest smear of blood in their wake, her tone dipping into something more resigned. "Weaker or not, it’s just part of the package. Lucky you, huh?" She offered him a dry smile, masking the turmoil still stirring inside her.

“Oh, Mina. You can't be prepared for everything. I mean…” Though caught off guard by the revelations unraveling, Alexander found humor in this moment. He chuckled lightly before continuing. “Neither of us could have expected that secrets would be the thing to flow out when I sunk my teeth into you.” He grinned while carefully reaching out to her blood-stained hand. “So your uncle is the mage who casted this barrier? Any enemies I should be aware of? I would hate to find more surprises behind these tents.”

Mina allowed Alexander to take her hand, her fingers trembling ever so slightly before she steadied herself. Her smirk wavered but didn't disappear entirely as she pondered his words. "I suppose in a sense he made sure the spell was cast…" she replied cryptically, her tone light, though the weight of her own unspoken truths lingered behind her words. ”I shall answer your last question, but if you wish to know more of my secrets then I shall require secrets for secrets, answers for answers. It's only fair, don't you think?” Her grin turned playful, yet there was a fire in her eyes that hinted at more.

She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping lower. "As for enemies…" she trailed off, her smirk faltering. "My uncle has a rather… peculiar perspective on that. To him, anyone I grow close to becomes an enemy, a threat. He’s quick to deal with them, one way or another." Her voice turned sharp, tinged with bitterness. "It doesn’t matter who they are, or what they mean to me. If he thinks they’ll take me away from him, they’re as good as gone."

Mina sighed, brushing her fingers of her free hand through her hair as if trying to shake off the weight of the topic. "I’m tired of letting him control my life, of letting his paranoia decide who I can or can’t trust. Especially after today, after what he forced me to do." Her voice cracked ever so slightly at the last words, but she quickly straightened her posture, forcing her playful grin back. "But enough about him. You’ll be fine, Alexander. My uncle’s not here—tonight, at least. You’re safe for now… unless, of course, you’re afraid of me?" Her grin sharpened, teasing once more, but the faint glimmer of pain in her eyes remained.

“Afraid? No. Perhaps… slightly concerned.” He frowned slightly before giving her hand a squeeze. The comforting action was disguised as a means to test the magical barrier that had stopped his advances on her. “You’re trying to smile through the pain. From such a fresh wound at that.” He pulled a handkerchief from his breast-pocket and wiped the blood from her fingers before dabbing the cloth on her neck. “If you're sad, be sad. If you're angry, be that. I won't mind. As you said, your uncle isn't here tonight. You're safe for now… ‘unless of course’...” He let her words, repeated, hang while giving her a slight smile. “But perhaps you still consider me a stranger, yes?”

Mina felt it, the faint resistance of the barrier as Alexander’s hand squeezed hers. It was weaker this time, barely a ripple of magic pushing back against him. She took note of it silently, her gaze briefly flicking to where their hands joined, but she said nothing. It was still on high alert, almost as if it had a mind of its own. It wouldn't last forever, however. It couldn't, not unless she wanted to face some major consequences. No, eventually the spell would fall and she would be vulnerable once more.

Her lips quirked into a sly smile, her fingers curling around his as if she could tether herself to the moment and avoid slipping into her own storm. "A stranger? Hardly. A bit of a mystery? Maybe." She teased, tilting her head just enough to let his hand linger on her neck. "But don’t think for a second that I scare that easily." Her voice was light, playful, though the faint edge of deflection clung to it like a shadow.
“Good. It would be a shame if you did. I aim to be charming after all.” Alexander winked while returning the handkerchief to his pocket. “And… what would you like to know about me? We ought to get to know each other if we intend to continue meeting like this. Barrier or not, I’m still very interested in you, Lady Mina Blackwood.” If Alexander was being honest, he was more interested in what she wanted to know about himself. Mina was indeed full of surprises.

"Indeed we should." Mina said with a smirk, her tone as smooth as silk. She tilted her head slightly, studying him for a moment as if deciding where to aim her first question. There were so many things she wanted to ask, so many mysteries about Alexander she wanted to unravel, but where was the fun in diving straight into the obvious? No, she’d start somewhere subtle, something that could reveal far more than it seemed on the surface.

Her smirk softened into something more thoughtful, her fingers lightly tapping against his hand as if mulling over her words. Finally, she spoke. "Alright, let’s start with this, if you could choose any one thing to protect above all else, what would it be? Not just something you'd die for, but something you'd live for, no matter the cost."
Her question caused Alexander to arch an eyebrow but he maintained his look of interest.
“Intrinsic.” He commented before briefly peering upward as he thought of what his answer might be to such a question. Once his eyes returned to Mina’s he answered. “My wife, Lianna…but that’s obvious. I already protect her above all else. I live for her and if it came to it, I’d for her all the same.” His grin widened. “However, if I had to choose something else, I would say… the ability to express passion. It's something I treasure and something I fear losing.”

Mina blinked, her smirk faltering for the briefest of moments at the mention of his wife. She had almost forgotten he was married. Her expression quickly returned to its playful demeanor, but there was a flicker of something dancing behind her eyes. Surprise? Intrigue? Or was it something else entirely?

"Lianna,” she repeated softly, almost as if testing the name on her tongue. ”Your wife truly is lucky to have someone so devoted to her. It feels like a far-off dream to find someone that devoted.” Something in her screamed angrily. You had it! You had it and you gave it up! A part of her heart cracked as Munir’s face flashed before her briefly. Her jaw clenched ever so slightly as she turned away from Alexander and glanced up at the night sky. Alexander also gave it look though, his attention easily returned to Mina. To him, even the moon and stars paled in comparison. To him, she could be revealed to be much greater.

"Passion, though... that's an interesting choice. It says a lot about you, Alexander.” She mused, thinking on it for a moment. ”Most would pick something more... predictable. Power, immortality…But you? You went the poetic route. With both answers, actually."

Her lips curled into a thoughtful smile as she turned her head back to him, her gaze locking onto his. "Passion is a double-edged sword, though, don’t you think? It can inspire greatness, but it can also destroy just as easily. I wonder..." She paused, but then shook her head. ”No, I'll wait to ask that. A question for a question is what I said, I believe. So, I guess it's your turn. What would you like to know about me?” Alexander did not budge, his expression unchanging and difficult to read as he kept up his warm welcoming disposition.

“Of course… What do you wish for most for this courting season? What are you searching for here in Sorian?” Alexander let the question hang before continuing. “And you’re absolutely correct about passion. It can be lovely or deadly to those who desire its embrace but it is a risk I can either live with. Life is meant to be lived as I see it.”

Mina let out a soft chuckle, though there was a weight behind it. "Now that's not a simple answer, I'm afraid," she said, her tone light but carrying an undercurrent of honesty. "First and foremost, I’m just hoping to survive…or I was. But beyond that…" She paused, searching for the right words. "I’m hoping to find answers." Her voice softened, almost thoughtful. “About myself, about things that have been kept from me…and about the supernatural.”
“Hmm, very interesting.”
Her eyes searched his, wondering how he'd react to her answer. Could he help her? "I suppose it's my turn again. What’s the boldest risk you’ve ever taken? Something you weren’t sure you’d survive, but you went through with it anyway."
“Now that… is a difficult one to answer but I'm sure this will suffice.” Alexander's eyes lowered slightly. “I think you could relate, actually. In the past, I… was once stricken with grief when I figured out the man I was fated to be. I wanted to run from it. Escape from cards life dealt me. I did not want to change into… who I might become.” His eyes then met hers. “I aimed to end myself.” He shrugged. She winced slightly at his words, but continued to listen. “It was the only way to stop what I feared from becoming. Looking back now, it's quite silly but sad as well. What is a firstborn prince left to do if he fears the throne?” He let the question hang in the air. “He only has three options. Die… accept the hell that he fears… or he can strive to change what it means to be a king. I aimed for the last, holding tightly onto everything I love till this day and doing everything I can to defeat the inevitable.”

Mina’s playful demeanor faded entirely as she listened, her gaze softening with something that could be translated into understanding. She remained silent for a long moment, her eyes locked on his as if searching for the truth behind his words. When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter, stripped of its usual mischief. "I understand that kind of battle more than I’d care to admit," she said, her words measured. "Being caught between the person you were, the person others expect you to be, and the person you want to become… It’s exhausting, isn’t it? Like no matter which path you take, you lose a part of yourself in the process."

“Yes, exactly that.” Alexander nodded in agreement

She glanced down, her fingers idly brushing the fabric of her dress as though grounding herself. "I’m still trying to figure out which path to take," she admitted softly, a flicker of vulnerability flashing in her eyes before she looked back at him. "But… it sounds like you found a way to hold on to what matters. That’s no small thing, Alexander." Her lips curved into a faint, bittersweet smile, a trace of warmth returning to her expression. "I’d say that’s worth admiring."

“Hmm, perhaps.” His tone was purposely doubtful. “I actually believe your uncle and myself have that in common. Where you see control, he sees holding onto you for dear life. I mean, why not just keep you from traveling to Sorian in the first place? It's obvious he wants you to remain close to him.” Alexander took a step closer to her. “Holding on to you so tightly that it's suffocating. A safehouse modeled after a jail cell. A cage to keep you safe. A love that only gives rise to resentment.” He leaned in and kissed her where he had slightly bit her previously. “My turn.” He whispered. “What do you think I desire from you?”

Mina tensed slightly at his words, her fingers curling into the fabric of her dress. Her smirk didn’t return, though a flicker of something sharp and defiant lit up her gaze. "I’ve never liked cages, no matter how gilded they are," she said softly, her voice steady but laced with a quiet bitterness. "A safehouse, a prison… it doesn’t matter what you call it. It’s still a place where freedom is just an illusion. And I’ve had enough of that to last me a lifetime."
“I can't disagree with that,” he whispered.
She tilted her head slightly then, studying him, her lips curving into a faint smirk, though it lacked her usual playful bite. "But to answer your question… I haven’t quite worked that out yet." She leaned into him and tilted her head to expose her neck to him, a thoughtful look flickering across her face. If he wished to try and bite her again she figured he could certainly try and she wouldn't stop him. He may even succeed this time, but either way she wasn't afraid of him. "The simplest answer would be… well, obvious. Pleasure, distraction, maybe even a game. Men have pursued me for far less, after all."
His eyebrows raised slightly in delight at her subtle offering of herself to him. Her discerning of his thirst further piqued his interest in Mina. Slowly, everything began to piece together. A clear path to what he wanted with only a single obstacle in his way.
Her gaze lingered on him, her tone taking on a quieter, more probing quality. "Or perhaps I'm just a desired snack and nothing more. But somehow, I don’t think it’s just that. There’s something more, isn’t there? Maybe you see me as a challenge, or maybe you see someone who reminds you of yourself. Or…" she paused, her smirk returning, sharper this time, "maybe I’m entirely wrong, and you’ll just have to enlighten me."
“I would never harm you, Mina. I will never cage you either. Trust in that. Trust in…” He leaned further kissing her on the same spot once more. “...in me.” Alexander’s fangs popped and this time he refused to do so lightly.

Mina let out a low, breathy chuckle. "I won’t harm you…trust in me," she echoed softly, her tone dripping with wry amusement. "Says the vampire about to drink my blood." And there it was. She finally named what he was, confirmed her own knowledge of them. Her smirk returned, faint and sharp, as she leaned into him–an invitation.

Her fingers tightened against the fabric of her dress, not in fear but in focus. Silently, she reached out to the barrier that had protected her for so long, the one that had resisted him. She felt it ripple beneath her will, trembling at her command to weaken, to let him in. It was dangerous, reckless even, but she wasn’t running from the consequences anymore.

Her voice dropped to a whisper as she spoke, almost as if to herself. "I do hope I'm as delectable as you anticipate me to be." She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly as the faint hum of her spell dissipated, her body bracing for whatever came next.
“Shh…” Alexander hushed his eyes excited by the anticipation. He took a deep inhale and then sank his fangs into her. Mina’s breath hitched as his fangs pierced her skin, a sharp pain giving way to an odd, warm sensation that spread through her like fire and ice. Her fingers instinctively clenched at his shirt, the world around her starting to tilt. Was it from the blood loss, or the aftermath of her spell breaking down? She had a feeling it was likely the latter. As the blood enveloped Alexander's taste buds, his eyes widened ever more upon tasting its warm deliciousness. It took every bit of effort to remember he wanted to keep her alive as temptation pulled at him to suck her dry. Her pulse seemed to echo in her ears, each beat feeling heavier than the last, and the pull of his bite was as intoxicating as it was draining.
Alexander often wondered how blood could be so delectable in some more than others. Was it their diet? Their lineage? Blood type? Personality? Or perhaps it was simply a roll of the dice.
Alexander grasped Mina’s hand, a means to measure how much blood he was allowed to syphon from her. It would be a shame if he left her too weak to even walk… at least in this setting.
"Alexander," she murmured, her voice softer now, tinged with a faint edge of warning. She wasn’t sure if he even heard her through the haze of his feeding. "I can only hold him back for so long." The words spilled out, unbidden and cryptic, her mind too muddled to craft an explanation. Her uncle–the vampire she was blood bonded to–would sense this, and eventually, he would come…especially if he started sending her life waning. Mina doubted Alexander would appreciate the implications of another vampire having a claim on her.
She leaned into him more now, a brief wave of weakness washing over her, still convinced it was the consequences of her spell and would fade soon. "Sorry…that was more enigmatic sounding than I intended," she added, a soft laugh leaving her. As if in response, the blood bond seemed to attempt to push back at Alexander.
“There…” Alexander breathed. “That was… much better than expected, Mina.” He held Mina close to him to ensure she remained up on her feet. “Perhaps we should find some place more comfortable.” Alexander licked her wound. “My appetite has shifted to something else.”
Her vision swam slightly, but she couldn’t quite suppress the playful glint in her eyes as she looked up at him. Her breath was shallow, still feeling the lingering effects of his bite, but her lips curled into a teasing smile. "Better than expected? Well, that's a relief. Would have been a shame if I were disappointing." She murmured, her tone flirty. "But now… I’m curious to see what else you’re hungry for." Mina gave a slight tilt of her head, the faintest challenge in her voice as she leaned into him. She could feel the haze beginning to clear some, her strength coming back, but she decided to feign a bit of weakness still. Let him believe she was more vulnerable, at least for the time being. "Lead the way, Alexander. I’m all yours... for now."
Yes, let me show what it means to belong to me. He smirked charmingly… or was it wickedly?

Time: Morning Sola 28th
Location: Her room—>Art Gallery
Attire: Dress
Interaction: Rohit @Helo & Milo @PapaOso
Mentions: Munir, Alexander @FunnyGuy



Mina groaned as the faint whispers of the spirits pulled her from sleep, their voices a chaotic mix of scolding and disapproval. She blinked against the early morning light filtering into her room, burying her face in the pillow as if that could silence them. "What now?" she muttered, her tone groggy and laced with irritation.

"Stupid girl! Reckless, foolish girl!" the voices hissed, sharp and scornful. Mina rolled onto her back, glaring at the ceiling as though the spirits could see her exasperation. "Save the theatrics," she said flatly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "I’m too tired for your cryptic antics this morning."

But the spirits continued, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of displeasure. "You had no right! Flirting with him! Letting him feed from you! Continuing to interact with him after! Do you even care what you’re doing?"

At that, Mina let out a low laugh, propping herself up on one elbow. "So that’s what this is about? Alexander? This all started days ago and you choose now to scold me?! Good lord." She shook her head, her amusement clear. "You really think I’ve gone soft? That I’m falling for him? Swooning over his charm?" Her laugh grew louder, almost mocking. "Oh, that’s rich. I must be better at my tricks than I thought."

She stretched lazily before rolling back over in the bed. "Alexander is a means to an end. Nothing more." Her voice was steady, cool, and certain. "If I have to let him bite me, pretend to swoon, and let him think he’s got the upper hand for a while, so be it. It’s all part of the game." She glanced over her shoulder, addressing the spirits directly. "He’s trying to use me, too. I’m not blind to that. But if playing this game gets me the access and the knowledge I need? Then it’s worth every second."

Mina smirked, running a hand through her hair before shrugging nonchalantly. "Now, if you’re done with the morning lecture, I’d like to go back to sleep. Surely there’s something more pressing for you to haunt rather than bother me, right?" The spirits hissed faintly in reply, but their presence began to fade, leaving Mina alone with her thoughts.

She yawned before grabbing the covers, pulling them up to her chin as she closed her eyes. The voices of the spirits had finally begun to fade, their hissing and chiding whispers dissipating into the stillness of the room.

Almost.

A chill pricked at Mina’s senses, and her eyes snapped open. She felt it before she saw her–felt the familiar weight of guilt settle heavily in her chest. Slowly, her gaze shifted to the corner of the room, where the faint, shimmering form of a woman stood.

The Sultana. Munir’s mother.

She held a baby in her arms, cradling him close. Her expression was sorrowful, her eyes watching Mina with a quiet intensity that pierced straight through her. The Sultana hadn't spoken, she didn’t need to.

Mina sat up slightly, gripping the edge of her blanket as the familiar wave of guilt washed over her. It clung to her like a shadow, growing heavier with each passing second. She knew what the Sultana wanted, what her presence meant.

"I know," Mina said softly, her voice uncharacteristically vulnerable. She looked away, unable to meet the woman’s sad gaze. "You don’t have to remind me."

The Sultana didn’t move, didn’t speak. She simply stood there, holding her child with a mournful tenderness, her eyes fixed on Mina as though begging her to understand the weight of her actions.

Mina clenched her jaw, shutting her eyes tightly. "I did what I had to do…to protect him," she whispered, her voice barely audible. But the words felt hollow even as she said them.

When she opened her eyes again, the Sultana was still there, unmoving, unwavering. Mina swallowed hard and laid back down, turning on her side to face away from the lingering specter.

The air felt heavier than before, but Mina forced herself to close her eyes, letting exhaustion creep back over her. The Sultana’s presence didn’t fade, not entirely. She lingered in the corner, silent and still, her sorrowful gaze burning into Mina’s back as the young woman drifted into a restless sleep.

---

Mina stepped into the Sorian Gallery of Fine Arts, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor. The warm glow of chandeliers above her cast light that seemed to dance along the art-covered walls, illuminating masterpieces that demanded attention. She wasn’t in a rush to be seen. Her posture was confident, as always, but there was a slight heaviness to her steps, a faint shadow in her eyes.

She had chosen an ensemble that bordered on avant-garde: a black gown with a fitted bodice and sweetheart neckline, with long bell sleeves and a full skirt. A black choker necklace with a large reddish brown gem adorned her neck, and her ginger hair fell in loose curls. Atop her head sat a large black hat decorated with dark red roses. Her attire was dramatic yet elegant, an extension of the enigma she so often projected. But beneath it all, she felt unmoored.

The lingering image of Munir’s mother haunted her as she wandered through the gallery, her eyes tracing the soft curves of sculptures and the bold brushstrokes of paintings. Art, usually her solace, only heightened her inner turmoil tonight. She paused before a large painting from Milo’s Reflections of Reverie collection. The piece was haunting, reminding her of a darkened forest where shards of light broke through the canopy above, casting fractured shadows that seemed to shift and move under her gaze. Chaos and tranquility indeed.

Her fingers instinctively reached out to the air between her and the canvas, as though she could physically grasp the meaning within. And then, that familiar chill slid down her spine. She froze.

“Mina…” The whisper echoed in her ears, soft and mournful. It wasn’t like the cacophony of the other spirits; no, this one was distinct. She closed her eyes, willing herself to breathe, but the voice persisted.

“Mina.”

The whisper grew more insistent, tugging at her resolve. She stepped back, her heel catching on the smooth marble floor. Her body pitched to the side, unsteady, and before she could catch herself, colliding into the solid frame of another guest. Her hands shot out instinctively to grab hold of something, anything, but it was too late. She was falling.

Her heart leaped into her throat as she twisted mid-air, her eyes catching the faces of two men just as she went down between them. Bracing herself for the inevitable impact with the cold, unforgiving floor, she closed her eyes, silently cursing whatever ghost had brought her to this point.

Time: Morning Sola 28th
Location: Art Gallery
Interaction: Roman @ReusableSword
Mentions: Mina @tae
Accepting Roman’s offered arm, she curled her fingers gently around his forearm, her touch light yet assured. She noted the way his gaze flickered over her, his eyes tracing her form with quiet curiosity. A knowing smile played at her lips, though she pretended not to notice, instead straightening ever so slightly, her newfound confidence radiating from her like a subtle glow.

Her scarlet eyes studied him as he admired her, the warmth of his attention settling over her like a secret. When he inquired about her well-being, she met his gaze without hesitation, her voice steady.

“Yes, I am feeling much better,” she affirmed, her tone laced with quiet sincerity. A pause, then a small squeeze of his arm as she considered her next words. “Relieved and… hopeful.”

The weight of that last word lingered between them, carrying meaning only he could truly understand.

She began to guide him through the gallery, weaving carefully between clusters of finely dressed guests. The artwork lining the walls was exquisite, but her mind was elsewhere, her sharp gaze scanning the room with purpose. This seemed precisely the kind of event Charlotte would attend and finding her was the true reason she was here. Though she did not see her at first glance, Violet continued to look stopping at an exhibit. Her attention turned to the painting “I need to speak with Charlotte” she said softly under her breath so Roman could hear, her eyes glancing up at him.

She however was distracted by a sudden sound, turning to look over her shoulder as she gripped onto Roman’s arm for support, she watched as Mina suddenly fell to the ground.

Stratya Durmand

Time: 28th Sola, Daytime
Location: Edin Theater
Attire: Military Formal, but in Caesonian colors
Family Dirk + Crest
Interactions: Anastasia @princess, Lorenzo @FunnyGuy
Mentions: Fritz @JJ Doe, Drake @Lava Alckon, Farim

The Princess just made a zombie joke in public, regarding a conversation that- ooh, goodness, she’s not good with legally deadly secrets, is she? Nope. That tracks. The captain smiled, however, “Haha, aye, nae zombies. What a crraze ye were in yesterrday morrn. Maybe ye shoul’ take tae morrnin’ tea, Y’ Rradiance?” It was common for people to drink coffee or, more commonly, tea, to help with mornings, right? Getting your head on straight and all that.

Stratya, skillfullly, gripped the cheese cup in the pinky and thumb tip of the hand holding her pretzel and lifted it from her iced tea hand, then let her cup of tea slide down to free the tip of her other thumb and index finger to receive the cup of cheese, “Aah, aye, I would ‘ate forr anythin’ tae interrupt our Good Duke’s perrforrmance. I mus’ say, I’ll be anticipa’in’ t’ perrformance frrom ‘ome.” The Captain turned and offered the Duke of Vermillion a grin, as she dipped her pretzel in her cheese cup and took a bite. Her home village was in Vermillion, and hopefully he was aware of that.

From the stage, Farim shared a sweet story of his meeting his falcon, after a powerful greeting. Her own encounters with wildlife were scarcely so wholesome, though there the fox her family kept. She was sorely short of a pet, here in Sorian, however.

Farim’s display of falconry was incredible. His bond with his bird was exemplary. Thara undestood each motion the man made, and was trusting and loyal enough to follow them without hesitation. A hand lay over Anastasia’s as the Princess gripped on to the Captains’ arm, “ooooh~! Yes, they’ve a good feel ferr each ot’err.” It had been difficult to watch them both as Thara made her entrance, swooping into the audience before pulling away on Farim’s signal. She managed to catch the impressive feat, however. As the dance continued, the impression did not shrink, “aah, an’ she’s such a focus to ‘err. A fyne beast.”

The knight met the Princess's excited gaze, nodding, clapping with the Royal beside her, quite impressed though she did not rise to her feet “Ooooh, hoh hoh hohoooh, wha’ a
stunt,” A bond like this, a bond formed without shared words, was no meager feat. “Aye, I saw. Their bond is amazing, indeed like they ken t’ other’s mind.. I wonderr ‘ow much tyme they've spen’ on trrainin’?” She went for a whistle, but thought better of it at the last moment.

The orchestra warmed and Drake took the stage, with the trained elegance she’d come to expect from him. A striking contrast to his birthday party performance, though even drunk, he somehow gave an air of refined tastes. She stayed quiet for his mini-concert, nodding to Anastasia as they appreciated the performance. The first piece lead in with a gentle pattern before the pianist erupted into chaos and the orchestra chased behind. Stratya was surprised, she was expecting a piece of beauty, not the uneven, unsteady, tilted energy that came from Drake in the first piece. More to him than meets the eye? Oh, but naturally.

Then, one of the pieces from the party. A slow, gentle melody. Yes, that really set the image for a contrast with his state at the party. Nailing it, Drake. The next piece was a driving and hopeful, balanced against an edge of tension. A song of overcoming a struggle to a brighter future, perhaps? “Aye, qui’e t’ emotional prresence.” The captain clapped and rose with the audience. It was quite moving, reaching them like that with just a bit of music.

She laughed softly as Anastasia mentioned Drake’s front flip off the stage, the last time, “we’ll ‘ave tae le’ ‘im forge’ tha’ eventually.”

When Anastasia took the stage to announce the next person, she was pleasantly surprised. The young Royal was a natural speaker, despite.. Stratya thought for a moment. Had Anastasia done a public address before? The Captain didn’t have the longest memory of Sorian to recall, herself, but she’d never heard of it, either. Which didn’t necessarily mean much, she didn’t expect folks to talk about an address from six or even three months ago.

“Herr Rradiance has such a rrelaxin’ prresence, nae?” Anastasia and Count Fritz had gone to the stage to be Masters of Ceremony, leaving Lorenzo seated with her. She turned her head to face him and noticed the ferret, Kier! She gasped, her hands flying to her face in adoration, her excitement carefully tempered with a soft voice “oh! Ye’ve brrough’ t’ lit’le one~!” She took her glove off and reached her hand out slowly, to let Kier sniff her first.