Chapter Text
“It was a good day, captain!“
“Space Pirates! Space Pirates!“
“Our captain’s the best!“
The cheerful praises resonated through the main hall of the Space Pirates once their captain took place near the throne upstairs. Hero raised his right arm, asking for silence, it was common for their captain to address a pep talk after a triumphant mission.
“If we came back victorious today, it is only thanks to the heroic crew I have. All of you made this possible, and thus we have to celebrate our success.“
The captain clenched his fist, raising his tone towards the end of the sentence. The word “success” echoed in the room, completely breaking the crew’s silence.
An exulting response came immediately, even if the speech was not near the end.
A trustworthy smile enlightened Hero’s face, barely able to contain his crew. He loved that enthusiasm, he loved the sight of his friends rejoicing with him and all together.
That crew was the family he chose and the one he would protect at the cost of his own life.
“But besides the undeniable domain over all these systems, the conquests growing in numbers, and the followers we made during all these years, I miss something right here in my chest. “
A silence dropped in the hall, all the concerned sea of eyes right below the captain was pointing at him. A few seconds of endless stillness made everyone worried about the situation, not only once the captain had been seen with such a blank expression on his face.
“I’ve heard…“
Hero articulated his last words while the deadpan look on his face could already talk wordlessly.
“I’ve heard about a castle on a planet we colonised not long ago, and an unknown event reached my ears.”
Did he want to travel again? What was happening on that planet? A buzzy sound came from all the crew members; nobody knew what he was talking about.
“A princess is looking for her prince charming and I couldn’t help thinking if I were looking for love as well. All these travels, all this time, all the people I met - but no one caught my interest.“
One of the most shocking disclosures the captain could make to a crew that never knew love. The most loyal people never felt the need for love in their lives, yet their captain did.
“I want to travel, my dear friends, I want to meet this princess and see if she suits me.”
He exhaled a sigh of relief, the weight on his chest slowly diminished, leaving place for the fear of an imminent rebellion. The bustling of his crew raised louder and louder, matching the chaotic and negative thoughts on his mind.
“You gotta bring her on our spaceship, Captain!”
“Her prince charming is on his way!”
“Show her our kingdom!”
Everyone exploded unexpectedly, a fierce uproar with every single member’s voice blended in a supporting chorus mixed with a few whistles; they finally could give back to their captain a single drop of unconditional love and support of the ocean he gave to them.
Tears were running on Hero’s cheeks as he couldn’t withstand the support just received. He dropped to his knees, supporting himself with his hands on the floor.
“Get ready, squad. We’ll move in a jiffy!”
Once he stood up again, Hero managed to organize everything needed for a new journey. A brand new desire filled his chest, something never felt before. The excitement of love pervaded all of his body, inebriating his head, already having thoughts of the princess and him living their lives together.
The captain never needed a partner, but the feeling of missing something in his life grew uncontrollably that day.
He gazed into a familiar scenario for the whole trip, but an unmatched intensity was flowing from his look. A steady, bright spark of light appeared in Hero’s eyes; the chestnut-brown color was never so bright and intense. Mercury Retrograde travelled at the speed of light, rapidly passing every celestial corps in its way. Planets and stars between his heart and his soon-to-be princess were rapidly decreasing, and the destination was soon in sight.
He walked from his seat to the front window of his spaceship, leaning one hand over the pressurized glass. A stirred expression, detaining a few more tears locked into his eyes.
“Here I am, sweetheart.”
—
One of the most unusual, fairy castles a traveller could see.
Four different circular towers defined its shape with a pink heart-shaped flag at the top of the roof, every single brick in the wall was pink, and no other color seems to be allowed in the whole building. Stained, heart-shaped pink windows were placed along the walls.
The princess's lodging was located at the top of the highest tower in the perfect centre of the castle; a little yet comfortable balcony granted a breathtaking view from there.
Right below, a striking, enormous heart with a signature on it, picturing the letters S and H, lightened up the surroundings. Along with the exuberant style, the space around the castle was illuminated by moving spotlights, probably for the upcoming event.
Thorns and vines delimited the area around the castle, acting as a natural barrier. Sprout moles mindlessly walked around the garden, guarding and enjoying their monarch’s castle.
In the main garden, perfectly cut hedges defined the borders of different small labyrinths and acted as a decoration for a huge statue depicting the princess herself.
“Surely a modest individual, my darling. But fear not, I’m an ambitious captain as well.”
Hero smiled at her themed castle, talking to himself; the princess had to be someone enchanted by love in all of its shapes.
“Land there, right on the path that leads to the castle.”
The captain's request was taken care of, as the pilot proceeded to execute perfectly a couple of landing manoeuvres. Hero was standing ready right in front of the hatch door where the stairs appeared.
The slow release of the pressure of the small room preceding the boarding cabin gave him a quick wind-blown look, and step after step his feet finally touched the pink rocks composing the path leading to the main door.
“Now, my princess...”
Hero removed his right glove, rapidly fixing his hair before checking for dust on his uniform, and started walking with an elegant stride worthy of his name. Two most trustworthy crew members stood right before him, as a couple of sprout moles, well-known creatures on this planet, awkwardly rushed against them. A mole wearing a magician hat and another one having a halberd attached on the side was a surely clumsy scenery.
“Stop right there!”
Glowered the mole with the magician hat, almost losing it at the end of the sprint.
As one of the most charming men in the galaxy, Hero kneeled at the first creature, revealing an innocent and pure smile. He never took a mission unprepared, and since it is not the first time he visited this planet, the information gathered was enough to know how to deceive its inhabitants.
“I’m here to bring gifts to your noble princess, as well as unmatched love and…”
He snatched two pieces of tofu in front of them without leaving the sentence unfinished.
“...some delicacies for her most loyal servants. Would you guide me to the event?”
Barely holding their excitement, both sprout moles jumped high enough to take the tofu from Hero’s hands and not fall on the descent. A bright light inspired the sprout moles' eyes, who replied by nodding at the visitors. Quickly turned around, the guards led them through the white arches decorated with intertwined red roses along the path, as other sprout moles slowly opened the wooden pink gate concealing a stunning decorated hallway.
The beauty before the crew members and their captain’s eyes, the sweet scent of flowers throughout the room filling their nostrils, and the most elegant marble statues ever seen in their lives standing in front of their eyes, disappeared once the main door opened.
“TO THE DUNGEON!!”
A frightening order echoed, Hero gaped as he could hear a feminine yet distinguished voice. The sound of pieces of multiple armors clenching against themselves, a muffled scream and the sound of an iron gate reached their ears after some quiet.
The two crew members exchanged a knowing, terrified look, hopefully waiting for their captain to give them a sign.
“Wait for me on Mercury Retrograde, my dearest friends. I’ll be back.”
Rarely Hero had been seen wiping off sweat from his forehead and the crew members knew that the situation was critical. The captain would never bring his mates into a dangerous situation that could be avoided, and since this journey was purely made for his love fulfilment, he had to be the only one risking his life. The order was taken and the door shut leaving the captain behind.
The sprout moles didn’t quite understand what they were afraid of, as their princess was only doing her job of looking for her prince charming, locking away everyone who didn’t deserve that title.
They led Hero through the main hall, leaving him right in front of a closed entrance.
He tiptoed as the music was filling the whole castle; a huge wooden gate was the only barrier left to cut off the captain from his princess. He swallowed hard as thousands of thoughts crossed his mind.
Is the princess really capable of locking the contestants in a dungeon? No worries, Hero. You are way more valuable than them, you are the one for her. She just has a strong personality, the one you need on your side.
Gathered all of his courage hence he rarely was anxious, he sprung the door open, stopping the whole event, as the silence filled the room and countless eyes as well as the princess’ ones were staring at him.
“WHO DARES?!”
Aubrey pointed at the intruder her pink bat, decorated with ruby pendants and heart-shaped amulets along with perfectly polished nails on top of it.
An obnoxious-looking expression was shown by the princess, secretly turning in excitement as the handsome man walked toward her without answering and with no sign of hesitation.
"Your humble prince charming, my beloved sweetheart."
Hero stopped a couple of meters from her, bowing at her. His voice came out confident, as his charming skills were unmatchable, even in the worst situation.
"I'm a captain from a planet away from here and I have travelled through multiple systems just to bring you my heart and the purest emotion we’re both looking for. Love. Your beauty is astonishing, my princess. Please understand the rush, I couldn’t wait any longer."
Hero exaggerated a bit on his phrasing, but seeing how she built her castle, it wouldn't hurt.
As he raised his head, he tended a hand towards her.
"C-Could it be? Is Aubrey… IN LOVE?!”
She used the free hand to cover her surprised lips as tears built up from excitement in her eyes. No one ever dared so much for her, no one ever broke the rules just to talk to her, above all during a public event!
“This must be fate! A match made in heaven–”
Her loyal host snapped out of its confusion, commenting once again what was happening.
“M-MIKE, SHUT UP!”
She warned the mole with an evil glimpse.
“Y-You’ll do just fine. What was your name again?”
She shifted mood as she turned from nasty and enraged, to timid and embarrassed, while she laid her hand on his. Her red cheeks made the already enchanting eyes even brighter.
“Captain Hero ma’am, at your service.”
The intruder stood up keeping her hand with tenderness as the other hand gently stroked her cheek.
A charming smile appeared on Hero’s lips, just waiting for her reaction.
“...m-my love… bring HIM TO MY CHAMBERS!”
Aubrey shamefacedly turned towards the guards before her, ordering them with a high-pitched tone, as she failed to hide her bright red face. She looked into Hero’s eyes again, and whispered a few words out, trembling as she was saying some impurity.
“H-Hero, my Hero! Wait for me there, I’ll be completely yours soon.”
With a quick move, she removed her hand from his new prince charming, taking out of her pocket a pink fan used to cover most of her face. Aubrey flew away laughing at the thought that she found love after years of waiting.