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The cravat around her neck was borderline suffocating her, tied uncomfortably around the itchy fabric of her shirt and she fought her instinct to reach out and loosen it up. She longed to go back to her regular outfit, missing the comforting feeling of her long coat hanging loosely around her shoulders instead of the vest wrapped tightly around her chest like prison chains.
Rich people had the most awful taste. In terms of clothing, that is, because everything else around her made Marine water at the mouth.
Forcing a neutral look on her face, walking around like she was used to this kind of setting, the pirate captain in disguise greedily watched the scenery around her. The hall of the castle was obscenely opulent and luxurious, with embroidered velvet fabrics hanging off the walls adorning the royal crest of a regal peacock on a blue and silver background, the golden frames of the painting that had obviously been polished and glazed, highlighting the expensive artwork they encased. The people around her were wearing their best jewelry, filling her field of vision with a myriad of glistening sapphire, rubies, and diamonds she was just itching to grab for herself.
The hall was but a flurry of expensive clothes, jewels, and ridiculous ornate masks each more extravagant than the other. The musicians were settled in a far corner of the room, playing light string music to accompany empty and shallow conversations ringing around the ballroom while the nobility of the kingdom stuffed their faces from the gargantuan amount of food provided by starving peasants. It made Marine sick to her stomach. She would, however, indulge in the refined wine because she was still herself, and drinking on the job was a skill rather than a flaw for her.
With a polished glass in hand, probably worth more than half of her ship, she nervously adjusted the mask around her face. She missed her eyepatch, as unnecessary as it was cool looking.
She made her way through the sea of people, refraining herself from pickpocketing them - a second nature for her since childhood - because she couldn’t afford being noticed. She had a much bigger goal in mind and no amount of appealing rings and necklaces would distract her from that. Well, maybe a little, but she could still control herself.
Downing her drink in one swift move, welcoming the familiar sensation of a numbing buzz shutting off her nervousness, she studied the room intensely, taking note of the emplacement of the guards and the rotation of the catering staff. Two doors in the back lead to the kitchen area, while two flights of enormous marble stairs, emerging from each side of the magnificent throne that sat imposingly against the back wall, curled upward to the upper levels where Marine wanted to be. The stairs were out of the question, so she had to find another way in. Her eyes drifted along the room to the grand window panels leading to several balconies where a few groups of people were chatting in the light night air.
That would be her entrance, once the crowd would be distracted enough to not notice her climbing the side of the wall…
Slithering between bodies, she headed toward one of the less populated balconies where she would bid her time, occasionally bumping into shoulders and bodies, throwing winks at the ladies while receiving death glares from their partners; she reached one of the little balconies on the far side, so far removed from the main room that no one was there.
With a sigh of relief, Marine leaned against the stone railguard and removed her shark mask, taking in the view of the city below. Sprawled before her were a hundred flickering lights reflecting on windows, dancing like a ballet of fireflies as the air smelled of iode and smoke from the chimneys. Once, Marine’s heart had long for this: a home, with people to share dinner with in the late hour, curled up before the fireplace in domestic bliss, but that time was gone. Now, only the open sea and the gentle swaying of her ship on the salty waves was enough to satisfy her. Her gaze drifted to the east where the moon was gently resting upon the surface of the water.
A burst of laughter behind her dragged her out of her musing and she shook her head, remembering what she came here for. Tonight, she would go back to her crew with the crown’s jewels, or not come back at all, was the promise she had made herself. Hyping herself up at the thought of the shining diamonds in her hands, she refocused her mind. Leaning down against the railguard, she noted the presence of a couple of guards below. They would probably not notice her climbing if she was discreet and careful enough. On the right, a large tree reaching as high as the upper level windows, surrounded by bushes would make a perfect emergency landing pad, if things were to come to that. She was still hoping that she would talk and cheat her way out here, but it was always useful to have a failsafe plan.
Entirely too focused on her analysis of the vicinity, Marine’s heart jumped in her throat when someone spoke behind her as she startled abruptly, spinning around on her heels.
“You are going to miss the show if you stay here,” said a gentle, teasing voice.
Marine’s reply died on her tongue when her eyes met the newcomer.
Well, initially her eyes met a rather generous, ample bosom that would give anyone a stop but it was rather the face that was attached to it that made her freeze in her spot. Gentle blue eyes framed by a surprisingly simple turkey mask and silverish grey hair, tied in intricate braids supporting a simple yet beautifully crafted diadem, wearing a lavish blue and silver dress, bare shoulders covered with a simple silk shawl, the Lady of Peafowl stood gracefully in front of Marine, bearing a small, playful smile.
Marine’s survival instincts, granted there were only a few of them, kicked in, and her social persona took over as her mind was still in full panic mode.
“I think they would miss you more than me, my lady.” she replied smoothly, forcing herself to look the noble in the eyes then gave a short bow and averted her gaze. She felt the heat creeping up her neck and cheeks.
Reine Pavolia’s polite smile didn’t falter as she stepped onto the balcony, casually taking a spot next to Marine, standing so close that her arm was brushing against the pirate’s shoulder. Keeping her heart steady, Marine fought through the fear of being discovered, and the nervousness of being in the presence of the lady that was the subject of this night’s festivities. So much for passing unnoticed. Nevertheless, the Lady of Peafowl appeared to be unaccompanied, no signs of guards, nor her future betrothed at her side.
Noticing Marine’s empty glass, Lady Pavolia raised the bottle she had in her hand, gesturing towards Marine. Mechanically, the latter reached out, letting the noble fill her glass with confusion.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.” Reine said, her tone unreadable and casual as if she was talking about the weather. Placing the bottle at her side, she removed her own mask, revealing striking features and a slight pink tint on her cheeks, before placing it next to Marine’s shark on the railguard.
Marine forced a light laugh out of her lips, shifting her weight on her feet as she steeled her composure. “I’m no one important, just a lucky merchant who has had the honor of being invited to the party. I’ll be gone by tomorrow.” she replied, offering her carefully honed cover she had practiced many times prior.
She hoped that the answer was boring enough to not warrant any follow ups.
She hoped wrong.
“Oh, really? A merchant from where? I have taken great interest in the kingdom’s business trading, I would love to discuss shop with you.” Reine explained before adding with a conspiratorial tone, leaning slightly towards Marine. “Between you and me, that would be a welcome change from the mundanities I’ve been subjected to all night.”
Marine’s heart accelerated as blood pumped in her ears. “Oh you’ve probably never heard of it.” she mumbled with difficulty. She should have prepared better because now she couldn’t spew the basic answers she had prepared, namely the capital of a neighbouring kingdom; she had not worked as hard as to actually study the trading relationships between the Peafowl kingdom and the rest of the world. “It’s far from here hum- the city of… Touhou?”, she ended up stuttering miserably.
If Lady Reine had picked up on her uncertain tone at the name, she did not show it. Instead, she nodded in acknowledgement, continuing her inquiries to the grand despair of the pirate.
“Indeed, I have not. Could you tell me about it?” Reine paused as Marine’s stomach dropped. She was starting to sweat and did her best to keep her panicked breathing in check. Then, the lady added, her voice only a whisper. “I’ve never left these lands, I would love to hear about the world.”
It was the sadness in her voice that made Marine turn to finally truly look at her, her face very close and unbearably tainted in sorrow. Marine’s heart twinged. As someone in love with the sea, thriving in open spaces and the vastness of the world, she could not imagine what it must feel like to be confined to four stone walls, like a bird in a golden cage.
As their eyes met, Marine felt the urge to reach out and cup the noble’s face, a small token of comfort. Instead, she gripped the railguard harder, clearing her throat and her mind.
“It’s a nice little coastal town, at the edge of an island. No matter the time of the day, you can always hear seagulls squawking or critters singing. There’s a market, every Sunday at dusk where you can find spices from all over the world, the most beautiful fabrics you’ve ever laid your eyes on, and little trinkets that people have found or crafted. The children like to play on the beach when it’s not too hot, and the air smells of salt, rum, cooked meat and vegetables.” With a distant voice, Marine’s mind flooded with images of the Pirate's Island, the only place beside her ship she could call home, the last free place on Earth. “When it rains, it smells of algae and metal, and the mist surrounds everything so that you can barely see ten feet in front of you. But when the sun shines high in the sky, and you climb atop the mountain, you can see so much - the ocean as far as you can see, and all the other islands surrounding the village.”
Eventually, Marine’s brain caught up on what she was saying and she stopped abruptly, afraid that she had said too much, or something too out of character. But when she turned to Reine, the noble was looking far into the distance, as if she was trying to picture the ocean instead of the stones houses below.
With a dream-filled voice, she eventually whispered. “It sounds beautiful.” Then, she blinked, shaking her head before turning back to face Marine who once again, found herself mesmerized by deep blue eyes. “I would love to see it one day.” The glint of sorrow in the lady’s eyes betrayed the fact that Reine herself didn’t seem to believe she ever would.
Instinctively, in hope of erasing the gloom from Reine’s expression, Marine blurted out. “I could take you there.” Once she realized what she had said, the pirate's heart skipped a beat as crimson crept up her neck.
Reine giggled, bringing a gloved hand to her mouth as if to hide her amusement. “Be careful about saying things like this, I could take you up on that. Which reminds me, I don’t think I actually caught your name.”
Too distracted by the crinkles at the corner of Reine’s eyes as the lady’s eyes squinted when she laughed, Marine responded absentmindedly.
“My name is Marine.”
When Marine would tell the story later on, she would say at this part, having your actual name as a cover is much more efficient because it spares one the need to lie. She would say that she needed Reine’s trust, so she had to be truthful. She would rarely admit that, in fact, she had been so struck by the woman in front of her, she had forgotten to lie.
Something passed in Reine’s eyes that settled in a mysterious smile, something Marine couldn’t place exactly. Then the noble placed a hand on Marine’s shoulder who tensed at the gesture as her heart raced in her chest.
“Have you visited the castle yet, Marine?” the lady asked with somewhat of a playful intonation in her voice. “If you’re leaving tomorrow, it would be such a shame if you didn’t get to see everything Peafowl has to offer. And I would love for you to tell more of you travels”
Letting her hand slide along Marine’s arm, Reine took a step back toward the windows, extending a hand to the pirate. Masks forgotten on the railguard, Marine took her hand without responding as her words were stuck in her throat.
Swiftly, Reine expertly made her way through the crowd, avoiding prying eyes as she led them toward the entrance of the ballroom. As she approached, the two snoozing guards startled, armor clanking as they straightened their posture.
“I believe my father would like to have a word with you two.” Reine simply said.
Marine could see the gears turning in their head as the guards paled, overwhelmed by panic. One tentatively said:
“My lady, we’re not supposed to leave our post-”
“Oh? Would you rather I tell my father you are not available for his inquiries, then?” she interrupted them, feigning innocence.
Marine’s mouth fell as she stood there, watching the noble with incredulous, impressed eyes. The guards stammered incomprehensible words that could potentially pass as an apology before scurrying along the walls in a cacophony of metal hitting metal. Marine’s lips twisted into a smirk.
“Well my lady, haven’t we got a knack for lies?”
Reine giggled again, making Marine’s heart do funny things in her chest as she replied, leaning toward the pirate.
“When you live in a big castle and don’t have too many friends, you rapidly find other ways to entertain yourself.” she replied with a wink.
With a tug, Reine coaxed Marine forward, exiting the ballroom down a maze of corridors that Marine would have tried to memorize if not for the distracting presence of Lady Pavolia at her side. Without letting go of her hand, Reine led her upstairs, passing through walls plastered with golden-rimmed tapisseries and portraits of royals staring down at them like disapproving ghosts until they reached a room filled with glass cases, exposing various sculptures and expensive looking artifacts. A totem here, a painted vase there, countless paintings hanging on the wall; if heaven was a place on earth, Marine was sure it would be there.
“What’s the most amazing place you’ve been?”
Reine’s voice startled her as her mind was overridden by the deep craving of taking everything in this room back to her ship. Reminded of the noble’s presence, and suddenly very aware of her hand still in hers, Marine searched her mind for an answer.
“I’m not sure I have one to be honest. Every time I land somewhere, explore and meet people, it always seems like my new favourite place... until the next one.”
And it is sure pretty damn amazing here , Marine thought, eyes roaming the room hungrily.
“It all sounds adventurous. I must say I envy you.” Reine’s eyes were shining, filled with daydreams. She looked like a child, hearing stories of adventures and fairy tales.
“Oh, I could show you some adventure.” Marine’s tongue worked before her brain.
The crimson of Reine’s cheeks deepened, and this time not from alcohol as she averted her eyes. She made a strangled sound halfway between a giggle and a whimper that sent a shiver through Marine’s body.
Interesting .
Marine’s attention was now in full focus, and not on the artwork.
“You’re a smooth talker, Marine.” Reine acknowledged. “I’m sure you say that to all the ladies.”
She did.
“No, I don’t.” the pirate retorted, offended. She took a step forward, a teasing smile on her lips. “Only to the gorgeous ladies who show me around their castle.”
At that, Reine let out a high-pitched sound, her hand shooting to her collarbone to fiddle nervously with her shawl, yet not bothering to hide the smile creeping up her lips.
When Reine spoke again, it was with a voice a little too loud, and a little too fast. “Would you like to see something amazing?” she asked, still avoiding the Marine's eyes, turning around abruptly to face the opposite side of the room.
“Always”, the pirate replied, with an impish tone matching her toothy grin.
Reine led her to the back of the room and reached out to a candle holder hanging above them, pulling it down as the sounds of grinding and gears rang from inside the wall.
“You must be shitting me.”, Marine blurted out, unable to maintain the perfect demeanor she had struggled to keep all night.
Part of the wall pulled back before her eyes before sliding sideways, revealing a secret entrance to another room. Flabbergasted, Marine let herself be dragged by a laughing Reine inside the hidden space. It was small, a mere ten by ten foot with a singular object populating it: a carved, white marble pedestal on which was resting upon a red velvet cushion the object of Marine’s desire: a golden crown inlaid with a dozen perfect diamonds. She resisted with difficulty the urge to reach out for it.
She realized that unconsciously, she had dropped the lady’s hand and had stepped towards the artifact. Something nagged at her stomach and she froze in place, as she manifested the first, rational thought of this whole evening.
This felt like a trap.
“This feels like a trap.”
Her body tensed and her eyes scanned the room, looking for any other exit or means of defense. Unfortunately, the room was bare except for the crown on its stone pillar. Marine’s weight shifted as she got light on her feet, ready to run or fight at any signs of troubles that did not come. Instead, she was only met with Reine’s confused eyes, head tilted to the side in a silent interrogation.
“Why would you show me, a complete stranger, this? And why were there no guards on the way to your treasure room?”, she inquired, on edge.
Marine was expecting a dozen guards to suddenly burst into the room, snapping manacles around her wrist, or expected Reine to burst into a maniacal laughter as her mask of soft gentleness fell. What she did not accept was the bitter laugh that escaped the noble’s lips, lined with contempt.
“All the guards of the castle, you’ve seen them at the entrance and the ballroom. The truth is, the kingdom is completely broke, and all we have left is more or less what you see here.” She extended her arm, gesturing the room. “Why do you think the wedding with a non-noble son of a wealthy merchant was rushed?”
Marine’s guard fell, as did her heart. Nobles did like playing their twisted games of money and reputation, and apparently heirs and daughters were not immune to it. Reine’s shoulders slacked as she sighed, averting Marine’s gaze. She nervously grabbed her elbow with one arm, standing awkwardly against the wall opposite Marine.
“As for why I’m telling you… To be honest, I’m not even sure myself. Maybe I was looking to do something bold and adventurous myself, and you do radiate this kind of energy, Captain.” she breathed out with a broken smile.
Marine’s heart twinged at the sight of the Lady of Peafowl, looking so down and beaten, looking so small as if the room and the jewels shining bright on their pedestal were smothering her form. In just a few steps, she was facing Reine, raising her hand to put it on the wall just above Reine’s shoulder.
She raised her other hand, about to reach Reine's face when a flash of intelligence cut through the compassion fogging her mind.
“Wait a minute, what did you call me?”
Reine froze, eyes snapping back to Marine as waves of guilt flooded her face. She let out a small nervous laugh, wincing.
“Oh shoot…”
Marine’s hand, still hovering in the air, dropped at her side and she took a step back, eyes wide.
“I did know who you actually are, Captain Houshou.”, Reine finally admitted, leaning against the wall. “Rumours around the city spoke of a grand though quite damaged ship lurking around the port, never truly stopping but with people coming and going, the ship resembling uncannily the stories of the Houshou pirates whispered throughout the lands. And your reputation precedes you: when I heard about it, I had to see for myself. The bold, pirate Captain with red fiery hair and eyes of different colors …”
There was a hint of a smile and admiration in her voice. Marine’s heart swelled with pride. She straightened her posture, squaring her shoulder in an air of importance. Reine continued, her tone lined with emotions.
“The pirate who fought for the poor, taking on the nobility, although most of their heists were complete failures.”
Marine deflated like a boat taking on water.
“Oi! What?”
Reine laughed, the giggle returning a hint of pink on her cheeks as she corrected herself in haste. “I mean, it is true that money wise, the stories don’t seem to indicate you’re doing so well. But the people… The people love you. I cannot count the number of children I saw running around, playing Houshou pirates, wearing eyepatches and tricorn hats.”
At this, Marine had to fight off a few tears stinging her eyes. When she started her life of piracy, she was just looking for any outs of her life on the streets and enrolled into the first ship that would take her. When she became Captain of her own, she had promised herself to never forget where she came from, and do everything in her power to prevent what her childhood had been from ever happening to anyone else, but she was still unwilling to hurt anyone in the process.
“I see… And so, you’re just giving me the jewels, for… fun?”, she asked, inquisitive.
Reine’s eyes dropped to the floor as she brought her hand up to scratch the back of her neck. The mix of sadness and defeat in her expression made Marine understand, realisation suddenly dawning on her.
“Or, maybe, if the crown jewels were to be stolen by a notorious pirate during the party before the wedding tomorrow, maybe the wedding in question would be cancelled, is that it?”
Reine’s small amused yet sorrowful smile was enough of an answer.
Marine crossed her arms, letting out an exaggerated, offended huff, flicking her face to the side as she closed her eyes.
“Quite frankly, my lady, I feel used.”
She heard a small surprised gasp coming from Reine and she had to fight the smile threatening to stretch her lips.
“Oh, Marine, I’m sorry, I-”
“Very used indeed!”, she interrupted, taking a step forward, finally looking back at a guilt-ridden Reine with fake indignation. “I require compensation.”
The way Reine cocked her head to the side, blinking in confusion as the hint completely flew over her head made Marine’s heart flutter. She was almost too cute for her own good.
“A compensation?”, Reine repeated, brow furrowed. “I mean, there’s already the jewels. I’m not sure what else I can give y-”
The words died on her lips as Marine continued to step forward until she was facing the lady, only a few inches away, staring at her with piercing, mischievous eyes. Slowly, Marine reached out her hands to cup Reine’s cheeks, leaning up on the tip of her toes to bring their faces together as she captured the noble’s lips in a sweet, gentle kiss. She tasted honey and wine, the scent going directly to Marine’s head.
What she intended to be a short, chaste kiss went a bit array when Reine, after a moment of surprise, immediately responded, slipping her arms around the pirate waist and parting her lips with a satisfied sigh. Their tongue met, longing and eager, and Marine forgot her own name for a short instant. The kiss broke a few moments later, leaving both of them panting, hearts racing and faces flushed.
“Oh…” was all Reine could manage.
An endeared smirk stretched Marine’s mouth, her lips lingering for just a few more moments as they brushed against Reine’s mouth before she pulled back, humming with satisfaction.
“Yes, I believe this will do nicely.”
With one swift motion, she grabbed the crown’s jewel, tucking them safely in the inside of her vest. When she turned back, Reine was already walking out of the hidden room, heading for a window on the side, opening it to let in the fresh, salty air of the ocean. Marine joined her, the both of them looking at the moon casting gentle rays through the clouds. The lady sighed deeply, as if she could exhale her sadness through her lungs.
“Now what?”, Marine asked, awkwardly shifting on her feet.
Reine turned to her, throwing her a wink.
“Now you make a bold escape, Captain. I shall recount how you awfully threatened me to lead you here, with such violence and ferocity I could not help but comply!”, she fakes in a distressed voice that made Marine laugh.
Stretching her arms above her head, feeling her back crack, Marine hopped on the window, eyesing the palm tree below her. She could make that landing… surely…
She turned around to face Reine one last time, her voice raw of honestly when she spoke. “I don't know how to thank you, my lady.”
Catching her off guard, Reine leaned over to capture her lips in a swift kiss before a smile twisted the corner of her lip. “Live a bold, adventurous life for me, will you?”
Marine returned the smile, bowing as she tilted backward.
“I promise.”
Marine positioned her feet on the canon, adjusting her hat on her head to shield her eyes from the blinding noon sun reflecting against the water. With a wide grin and the fire of excitement burning bright in her pupils, her voice boomed out of her chest for her crew to hear.
“Are we ready, people?” Barely waiting for the chorus of affirmative answers, she continued, extending her arm to point at the castle wall in front of her. “Fire in the hole!”
The sound of the quartermaster warning his captain that she probably should not stand on the cannon as it was about to fire was drowned in excited shouts and the cannon being ignited. Seconds later, a deafening explosion resonated, first on the ship projecting Marine backwards to crash against the gunmaster’s body, sending the both of them on their ass on the wooden deck, then against the stone walls of the Peafowl castle, breaking it in a thousand pieces, making debris and crumbled rock rain in a storm of dust. If Marine had done her calculations right, and she did, no one inside the courtyard should be injured, but everyone should be panicking.
Hopping on one of the few boats heading for land, she checked once more the pistol at her hips, and the ammunition consisted of firework bullets: enough to confuse the guards without actually harming them. They reached the hole created in the caste defense in minutes, meeting a choir of confused screams and chaotic movement. In a unison, the pirates pulled up cloth over their mouths and lowered down glasses on their eyes to shield them from debris and smoke. As her crew started throwing smoke grenades filling everyone's lungs with a smothering thick air, her ears still ringing from the cannon shot, she analyzed the situation.
The courtyard was decorated with various streamers and pennons hanging from the infrastructure, an altar had been built in the center, facing two separate rows of benches where various people dressed in their best clothes were running around, knocking over chairs and each other. Upon a large stage built in the middle of the courtyard where guards were scurrying around like ants whose nest had just been kicked, Reine was standing, looking around with a confused look, wearing a magnificent white dress, a veil covering most of her features. At her side, her fiancée was already being dragged away unceremoniously as orders were being barked around to lost guards who didn’t know where to look.
Marine took this opportunity to rush to the altar, avoiding a few guards on the way, firing a firework at another which exploded in a geyser of sparks and red smoke against their breastplate, effectively knocking them on their ass. The soldier’s eyes widened in fear at the sight of Marine jumping on the stage, her coat floating dramatically behind her - or so she hoped - as she looked up menacingly, her hat throwing shade over her face. To his credit, he did start to grab his lance in a defensive move before Marine’s elbow found his temple, crashing into it violently, immediately sending the poor soul unconscious on the ground.
Without sparing another second exposed like that, Marine grabbed Reine’s hand, tugged her towards the hole in the stone revealing the sight of her ship swaying gently atop the ocean, like a rift opened in the fabric of Reine’s reality. The noble, however, snatched her hand away, taking a step back.
“What is going on?” she asked with urgency, her voice line with worry, and Marine remembered that most of her face was covered.
She took her off glasses and the cloth around her mouth, throwing a wink at Reine who, despite the fog clouding everything in sight, appeared to blush as a gasp of surprise left her lungs. In a swift movement, Marine took off her coat, throwing it around Reine’s shoulder and dropped her hat on silver hair. Bowing slightly, Marine presented the palm of her hand to a sheepish Reine.
“Do you want to go on an adventure, my lady?”
Reine only hesitated only for an instant - more because she couldn’t believe her eyes rather than because of doubts - before taking her hand, letting out a free, liberated laugh that resonated through the courtyard, a melody rhythmed by explosions and shouts in the middle of an indescribable chaos.
The legends of the Houshou pirates would spread throughout the lands over the years, speaking of menacing figures in the night, surrounded by fog, mouths covered to hide their inhumans fangs, eyes glowing in the dark, attacking indiscriminately kingdoms and merchants who had the unfortunate luck of crossing their paths. While feared by local authorities, they were revered by the common folk who, under the cover of darkness, would whisper stories to each other, praying that one day, the pirates would come to their realms to liberate them.
Their captain became a legend, a woman with an eye-patch to hide an amber colored eye, some theorizing that it came from a deal with the devil she made to empower her crew, a long black coat billowing in the wind behind her, her hair the color of fire and blood and at her side, the towering figure of a tall woman with silver hair, rumoured to practice dark magic, granted with the nickname of “Lady of the Houshou Pirates.”