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The tavern was raucous and loud, buzzing with the unmistakable energy of too much booze and bawdy music. The bard danced and flirted his way around the room, charming the nobles out of their coin with coy smiles and startling blue eyes. The nobles were fools. The idiot was clearly making eyes at the White Wolf, a fearsome pirate captain from a rival ship. On another day, Renfri might have challenged the White Wolf for being so close to her territory but the tavern was a neutral area. No fighting was allowed and Renfri respected the owner, Marilka, too much to argue. Still, she itched for her sword. It wasn’t often that she came across anyone that could even hope to challenge her skills in battle and the White Wolf might just manage that.
If he wasn’t too busy staring at the bard like he’d hung the fucking sun.
Renfri just scoffed and gulped down the rest of her ale before waving down the barkeeper. They exchanged her tankard for a pitcher, shooting her a meaningful look which she steadfastly ignored. The ale tasted like piss, watered down shit that really wasn’t worth her time but it was alcohol and she wanted to get drunk. If this weren’t Marilka’s joint then the man would have felt the cold edge of her blade at his throat, but regretfully her sword remained sheathed.
“Oi, Captain!” Nimir, one of her crew yelled, waving her down. “Someone wants you!”
Renfri sighed, picking up her hat from the bar and turning to face the intruder. “I thought I made it very clear that I wasn’t to be disturbed, Nimir,” Renfri grumbled but any further protests died on her lips. Behind Nimir stood the most beautiful woman that Renfri had ever seen. She clearly came from noble stock, even her travelling wear was well-made and her dark black cloak fell around her shoulders like the night sky. Around her neck was an obsidian star that was worth more than most of the loot on the Black Sun. Violet eyes seemed to pierce Renfri’s soul, making her heart flutter in her chest. “Oh, forgive me.”
“Renfri of Creyden?” the mysterious woman asked cooly.
“Renfri, Captain of the Black Sun. Renfri of Creyden is dead.”
That earned her a smirk. “Yennefer of Vengerberg, Princess of Aedirn.”
Renfri’s heart fell. A princess. Fuck. She wouldn’t have a chance, and Yennefer had clearly approached her thinking she was also born of nobility but the truth was that Renfri could barely remember her childhood. She’d been abandoned as a young girl, thrown into the woods by a mother who deplored her very existence. But Renfri was a survivor, she’d made the forests her home until a pirate ship had come into a nearby town and, having interrupted the crew’s raid on shore, she’d snuck on board. It hadn’t taken many years for Renfri to overthrow her captain, she’d always been good at charming others into doing her bidding.
But this Yennefer seemed to be having the same effect on her, and it couldn’t have been magic, Renfri was immune.
“And what would a princess want with a pirate?”
Yennefer pulled down the hood of her cloak, revealing an intricate braid of raven black hair with long golden chains woven into the dark strands. It was exquisite. It was beautiful… it was far beyond Renfri’s station.
“I want to join your crew, Renfri,” Yennefer breathed and there was a thrum of energy in the air.
Renfri chuckled, cocking her head at the princess, licking her lips as she very unsubtly appraised her. “Magic doesn’t work on me, princess.”
Yennefer quirked an eyebrow. “Interesting.”
“You could try asking.”
“Are all pirates so infuriating?” Yennefer muttered through pursed lips, lips that looked like they were made for kissing, blood red and tantilising.
“Join my ship and find out.”
Yennefer did not take to life on the seas as well as she’d hoped. The ocean was rough and upset her stomach, and the crew had as much grace as a baby deer, but it was still better than home. Her father, the King of Aedirn, had only ever seen her as a tool. A powerful sorceress from a young age, Yennefer had been the key to all Aedirn’s success in battle. She had money, suitors, and power, everything that a young princess should want, but she was tired of being just a sword to brandish. She wanted to be seen for who she was under the magic and beauty and wealth.
So she ran in the dead of night, determined to explore the world.
The Black Sun had been in town and Renfri was one of two female pirate captains that were infamous enough to interest Yennefer. She had no intention of being surrounded by men and their testosterone fuelled idiocy. It hadn’t been a perfect plan but she was free.
Free and fucking exhausted. Renfri refused to let Yennefer use her magic for chores on board the ship, and Yennefer just wasn’t used to manual labour. She couldn’t tie a proper knot to save her life, and her hands were developing callouses from scrubbing at the decks for what felt like years but was probably only hours.
Renfri was her saving grace. The pirate captain was a hurricane, sweeping through the ship in her long red tailcoat and tri-cornered hat perched on top of soft brown curls that tucked just under her chin. She brandished her sword, barking orders at the rest of the crew with a confidence that made Yennefer feel weak. No. Strong. Renfri made her feel strong, stronger than she had in years. There was something about those soft doe eyes that drove Yennefer to be better, and she knew she would do everything in her considerable power for the young pirate captain.
If only she could get to grips with the fucking ropes.
Yennefer screamed and threw down the coil that she’d been practicing on, the frayed tips began to smoke as her chaos spiralled out of control, but Renfri’s hands covered her’s and there was a brush of lips against her neck. She hummed and leaned into Renfri’s embrace, and a cool breeze whipped up around them, extinguishing the flaming ends of the ropes.
“Here, let me show you,” Renfri whispered, her warmth breath tickling Yennefer’s skin.
“You’ve shown me about a hundred fucking times.”
“It’s been three times.”
“I thought it would be easier,” Yennefer admitted, “or at least easier than being a princess.”
Renfri sighed, her nimble fingers quickly forming the knots in the ropes without any difficulties, but she’d gone strangely quiet, a haunted look in her eyes. “Renfri?”
“What is it like?”
“What?”
“Being a princess, I-I should know. Fuck!” Renfri stood up, leaving Yennefer alone on the deck. The salty air suddenly felt stifling, the stars in the night sky burning down cruel in their judgement. Yennefer sighed, brushing off her skirts as she joined the pirate captain at the edge of the ship.
“Life was cruel to you.”
“That was my life, Yenna, and I don’t fucking remember it.”
“And I just gave it up.”
Renfri’s knuckles were white from the grip she had on the rails. “Yeah,” she said through gritted teeth.
“You didn’t miss much,” Yennefer muttered, “but I’ll remind you, if it means that much to you.”
Renfri barked a laugh. It wasn’t genuine, tainted with bitterness and years of regret, but it was a start. “Payment for taking you on, princess. You make a shocking pirate.”
“I’d be better if you let me use magic.”
“Only once you learn the hard way,” Renfri winked, her mood shifting from sour to teasing in a heartbeat. Yennefer pulled her into a kiss under the stars, hoping to kiss away the pain and longing that she’d seen in the pirate captain. The kiss was a burning flame in the dark of the night, a true North Star, guiding Yennefer home.