Futuristic 〄 Help me find my way––!! | (syntranator & starboobie)

[Syntra]

“A-ah,” Iskra exhaled, startled. All those compliments, pouring out of the princess’s mouth? Surely, they couldn’t be meant for one such as her! That would be like casting pearls before swine, or reciting poetry to worms, or… like none of that, actually. Hadn’t she promised to try and look for a new way, after all? And this sort of thinking, the pirate knew, was just her being stuck in the past. (The past, you see, was like a swamp. The further you went, the deeper you sank—the murky waters were reaching her shoulders by now, and oh, would it take ages to crawl out of there! …not to say that it wasn’t worth it, though. If nothing else, Iskra at least had to give it a shot.) “Likewise,” she said in the end, even if she still couldn’t accept what Verity said as reality. (Maybe it was her reality, though? The picture offered to her by her own eyes, and filtered through her own understanding? That, for some reason, seemed easier to swallow.) “I shall guard you carefully throughout the night, for I am sure many villains would love to steal such a jewel.” ‘They cannot have you, though,’ Iskra’s eyes said. ‘Since, for this night only, I am yours and you are mine.’ It was dangerous to get married to the thought, of course, because it was so, so easy to forget about its temporal nature, but as long as she kept it in mind… mmm, yes! To the hungry beast that dwelled somewhere in her belly, that sentence was the sweetest of melodies.

“I don’t work with wood much anymore,” Iskra said, before fastening the bracelet around Verity’s delicate wrist. (The way her fingers brushed against her skin accidentally, feather-light and yet heavier than a death sentence? How a shiver ran down her spine immediately, and the air between them seemed to be sizzling with electricity? The pirate was, ah, going to ignore that. There was no sharasha to carry her blame for her, so she had to keep her strange desires in check. …were they desires, even? Did she truly want this, or did she just want to want this? Were these tendencies sleeping somewhere withing her, or was this some misguided attempt to carve out an identity for herself out of that which never would have been allowed to Iskra the soldier? Ah, she didn’t know, know, know! …and the clock was ticking, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. Taking one’s sweet time would have been fine and dandy, the captain supposed, had she not been waiting for the coffin’s lid to close behind her.) “Truthfully, I’ve never been very good with it. For me, it was a child’s fancy. One of the few activities that weren’t forbidden to us, mostly because they still saw it as us training with a blade. It would make for an easier transition, they said. The dagger to the sword. Anyway, I suppose that it is… soothing, in some way, to know that the same steel that can cut one’s flesh can also be used to accomplish this. To create something beautiful, I mean.”

Ah, by the Shade! In certain respects, Iskra supposed that she deserved this-- a favor exchanged for a favor of the same kind, like a mirror showing her own reflection back to her. Hadn’t she asked the princess to help her with her suit earlier, after all? (‘Yes,’ something within her screamed, ‘but this is different. You can’t just touch her. If you do… if you do…’ But Verity wanted her, she’d claimed. Wasn’t it equally hard for the princess to touch her, then? Hadn’t she brought a big enough sacrifice at the altar of… of her looking dashing? In the interest of fairness, Iskra now had to do the same for her!) “I’ll be happy to,” she murmured before grabbing the zipper. (Hmm, hmm. Would Verity be shocked if she pulled the dress down, and let the fabric land on the floor? If she revealed her form, letting it bathe in the moonlight? The sight alone would be a celebration of Beauty itself, Iskra was sure, and goddesses would thank her for letting them feast their eyes on it, and, and, and!!! …it would have been inappropriate, to a horrific degree. No, she couldn’t dishonor her friend in such a way. Where had that thought come from, even? That filthy, sacrilegious idea that somehow caused her mouth to water.)

“There, all done,” she all but gasped into Verity’s ear, and moved away with what could only be called the greatest reluctance. “Truly, your radiance puts all the suns of this galaxy to shame. How do you manage to live like this, hmm? To walk among other women when you know a single blink of yours can fell empires? …I am sure that Eran and Saavika will be happy, don’t worry. But, Verity, if the wedding preparations caused you anguish, then you’re a much better actress than I thought you to be-- from my point of view, it almost looked as if you were having fun.”

Teasing the princess might have been equally fun, if not more, but somehow, Iskra knew that them arriving late would give Eran a heart attack. “Shall we go? Hopefully, I don’t need to remind you that we are to play crucial roles in the ceremony.” Which, of course, was why they also had to separate. The deck was drowning in flowers, red and yellow and white, and glimmering petals were raining from the sky-- it was hard to tell, really, whether they were still aboard Inure and or stuck in some psychedelic dream. And, the music? The music wasn’t helping, either. There were flutes and violins and a piano, but also instruments that Iskra didn’t recognize, and those gave her legitimate goosebumps. It almost felt as if they were able to peer into her very soul, you know?

“Are you nervous?” she whispered to Eran, shortly after finding her. (Obviously, the woman’s mother wasn’t present, and so the role of leading her down the aisle fell to Iskra. Not that she understood why, mind you, but Verity had insisted, and Verity’s word was the law.)

“Why? Should the prospect of being happy for the rest of my life be scary to me? Y’know, captain, you should take a leaf out of my book and finally ask Verity to--”

The music began to boom, then, which Iskra found herself absurdly grateful for. Rows upon rows of women were watching them, their subordinates and colleagues and friends, and so she took Eran’s hand.

“Ready?”

“Like I've never been before.”

And, truly, she was glad to hear that, because Saavika and Verity were waiting.

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

As it would turn out, Verity had wasted her Time earlier applying her blush as the captain's words clearly do enough to bring that pleasant color to her cheeks. While Iskra has surprised her before, for some reason what she says now sits differently within the princess. As if all those Times before had been for practice and now, finally, they are ready to embark on something real and far more grandiose than either of them could have ever dreamed. Maybe these are just the pipe fantasies of a princess who never learns that fairytales are for the pages and reality can never be accurately captured through fanciful words and pictures alone. If that is the case, then Verity will be the fool over and over again if it means having these little moments with Iskra, a woman who she never should have met and yet, somehow, their unlikely friendship has flourished. 'Perhaps this is why I always felt my destiny was greater back in Aurora. Though I had been wrong to think I was meant for the crown,' because, to Verity, while lofty titles are grand there is something far more enriching in pursuing the pirate. Silly as it is to think her greatest adventure will be finding romance, it is the silly dream of a girl that still fiercely rules the princess's heart.

"I shall feel much safer by your side, for I am not sure there is a woman more capable of protecting my honor than you," she all but whispers, finding it hard to bring her voice to a normal volume. Perhaps it is the leftover effects of the sharasha still working through her system or even just the potent memories of that endeavor that cause her heart to jump and skip and trip over itself when she feels Iskra's fingers at the small of her back. 'Just pull it off of me,' she thinks, biting her lip and carefully half turning her head to look back at the pirate. Though she doesn't try to sway Iskra in the direction that she wants, remembering their conversation following the come-down of the song. 'All in due Time.' Besides, it's not as though she wants to keep the brides waiting!

With the blush renewed, thanks to Iskra's comparison of the princess to the sun, she makes her way to the wedding venue. While they had chosen the upper deck to host the festivities, one would never guess that Inure is operated by pirates; they might sooner mistake this as some private yacht wedding with all the decorum. Truly, all the hard work over the course of these past few weeks has been well worth it––and Verity does feel a swell of pride in her chest as she takes her place next to Saavika and marvels at the spectacle.

As the procession starts and Iskra and Eran walk down the aisle together, there are as many sparks in the princess's eye as there are in her companion's beside her. With a slight smile, the princess bends lower to whisper to Saavika, "She looks marvelous, does she not?" Obviously, one has to wonder whether which she she is referring to and Saavika, either agreeing or teasing, jabs Verity in her side with an equally bright look on her face.

The ceremony itself is as Beautiful as the actual decorum and, to the surprise of probably no one, Verity has tears in her eyes throughout the whole event. There is just something about the celebration of love that princess so admires. Though, admittedly, she doesn't exactly pay attention much to the brides and instead feasts her eyes on the captain, her smile growing a little wider whenever she thinks the pirate is staring back at her.

When the wedding ceremony is over, there is thankfully no need to wait hours upon hours for the brides to make memories of this day with photographs and the deck is swiftly transformed into that of a banquet hall with a dance floor at the center. (It's perfectly rehearsed, too, as Verity may or may not have had the crew go through this transition several Times to ensure that it would go smoothly.) The food, of course, is excellent and full of flavors and textures Verity has never been exposed to before––some, she will admit, she is not as keen on, however trying new worlds is endlessly satisfying. Though, even with so many new things to sample, she had been most excited for the small taste of home she had requested to tie Inure and her people into this affair; a simple broth meant to liven the spirit with its unique blend of spices that have an energizing effect on those who consume it. (It's intentionally meant to counter the drowsing effects of alcohol.) "Iskra, you must try this," the princess insists, pushing the broth towards her companion.

Finally, when all have eaten and imbibed an appropriate amount of alcohol, the floor opens up for dance. Eagerly, Verity pulls the captain towards the floor as soon as the brides have shared their first dance as a married couple. "I must admit," she giggles, obviously past the line of being tipsy, "I find myself jealous of the brides for finding their hearts already." She loops her arms around the captain's neck, keeping some distance between them though it is clear Verity is only doing this on account of the slow song. "Ah, my mothers found each other so, so young, you know. They were teenagers––sixteen, I think, when they met and when Mom saw Mama for the first Time, she said she just knew that Mama was going to be the woman she'd marry. After only two weeks of knowing Mama, she proposed and Mama, being more practical, laughed and told her she was out of her mind. Still, Mom was never deterred and knew that this was the only woman for her. Mama ended up making them wait until my eldest sister, Priscilla, was born to actually get married. I always wanted a love exactly like theirs and was so disappointed when I turned seventeen and still had not found my heart," she sighs wistfully, then gives Iskra an almost shy look, "but perhaps I am grateful that it has taken me longer."

 

[Syntra]

The ceremony was… charming, Iskra guessed. (No, she didn’t cry like Verity did, and the princess’s tears still struck her as odd. As in, why shed them? Despite all that grandeur, the wedding hardly seemed like that big of a deal-- her eyes still saw nothing but a celebration, pompous but ultimately not that different from the ones they held when the winds of fate were kind to them and blessed them with rich loot. And the whole promise thing… well, wasn’t that kind of silly? Lifetime was a very, very long time, and to say that you’d spend it with one person seemed like quite an overreach. Did Eran and Saavika own a magical mirror that told them what they’d feel like in, say, a year? In ten years, or twenty years, even? No, tying herself to another human being like that, with shackles firmer than steel, was irresponsible. Just, imagine just how much more painful the inevitable separation would get! Not only would you break your loved one’s heart, but you’d leave your thorns inside, too, and from those, the poison would spread, spread, spread, right into their bloodstream. Why would you do that to anyone, let alone to the one you allegedly treasured? Solely to be able to claim ownership over them? No, Iskra wouldn’t do that to… to that hypothetical person that didn’t exist, of course. Didn’t exist, and never would. …or would she? Ah, by the Shade! When had her life turned into this sort of mess? Before, everything had been clear-cut, if grey and dreary-- the path spreading in front of her had been neatly paved, and the goal had towered above all. ‘Walk,’ the voices had told her, and so she had. Now, though? The ground was shaking beneath her feet, and oh, was there nowhere to run! Except that, you know, maybe she also didn’t want to run. Not from Verity, or her smiles, or the way she looked at her from time to time, presumably when she thought nobody else was paying attention. What was happening to her, even?!)

Something mysterious, the pirate assumed, but she didn’t have the energy to try and crack that riddle now. The mood was supposed to be festive, wasn’t it? Now, Iskra may not have understood how these conventions worked or even the logic behind their existence, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to try and follow them. Hmm. I wonder, what does yneisha taste like? This was her opportunity to find out, if nothing else. Ah, how banal. Is this truly all there is to it? Food and drink, and throwing one’s restraint to the wind?

Judging by the women around her, one might indeed come to the conclusion that that was the case. They talked and laughed, and laughed and talked, and drank, drank, drank-- so much that, in the privacy of her mind, Iskra had to apologize to the princess for calling her shopping spree ‘wasteful’. Had they bought five more barrels, you see, not even that would have been enough! Their appetite, the captain thought, matches the vastness of any sea. Ah, if only she could drink from the same well of joy the others apparently had access to! (It wasn't that she didn't wish Saavika and Eran their happiness, of course. Both women were dear to her, so seeing them find their purpose together did please her. Still, there was this bitter aftertaste to this, you know? Or, not necessarily bitter, but nostalgic-- a sense of loss over something that had never been hers, and never would be. I cannot have this, she realized. That's the root of this feeling. Which, pathetic! Iskra didn't even know whether she truly wanted what those two had, really, but somehow, well. It wasn't fair, was it? The fact they'd taken that choice away from her, long before she'd had the chance to conceptualize what it truly meant. ...before she had tasted the sweetness of a woman's kiss, or the things that came after. Especially those.)

Truthfully, Iskra would have been content to brood for the rest of the night. Why not, after all? With everyone so caught up in the whirlwind of festivities, it was so, so easy to spot the differences between herself and the rest of the group-- they might as well have been talking in a different language, really. (The language of joy, perhaps. Nobody had taught her how to speak it, and by now, she was too old, her tongue too awkward. Even so, perhaps she should feel blessed for getting to observe all of this? In that way, at least, she could be meaningfully included. Like a chronicler, the pirate would carve each detail into her memory, and... ah. Ah, there she was! Verity.)

As she was being dragged to the dance floor, Iskra realized that her musings had been terribly, terribly naive-- the princess never would have allowed for that sort of exclusion. She would have made her join her, even kicking and screaming, and for that... well, perhaps Iskra was grateful? More than a little bit, actually. (It felt nice to be desired, you know. That way, the pirate could convince herself that her soul was worthier than the flowers she had stepped on.) In no time at all, her cheeks were flushed, and her hips were swaying to the rhythm of the music. Ah, if only it was appropriate to cling to Verity tighter! With all those witnesses surrounding them, however? Iskra did not dare.

"I wish I remembered more of my own mother," the captain sighed. "You know, more than just the general sense of her being warm and safe. Truthfully, I'm not even sure whether that memory is real. It may very well be an association, created by what my brain thinks is correct. Have you ever thought about how much of our understanding of the world is shaped by half-truths? About how many blindspots we have? I wonder if, given the circumstances, we can ever truly know something. Still," she smiled a bit, "I think I would like to know you. Say, Verity, will you share more? I'm eager to find out what your life looked like before all of this-- what made you despair, and what ignited the flames of your desire. What kind of things you treasured, too. I... I think I'd like to know, for I wish to earn that status as well."

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

As the pair dance, finding a comfortable rhythm in their steps, Verity takes this Time to study the captain's face. Naturally. Being so close it is yet another perfect opportunity for her to marvel at the curvature of her cheeks, the edge of her jaw, the slope of her nose, her lips and how soft they look... Her eyes linger on the pirate's mouth, both remembering their taste, warmth, and how inviting they had been when they were hers to claim. (Miraculously, probably thanks to the alcohol that has replaced her blood, she does not linger on how that moment ended with her shattering Iskra's trust.) There is only a short list of things she would not give to have another chance at that moment again. To do it properly, this Time. Not that the princess is anywhere near confident enough to make such moves in that direction. Even with all the wine that puts a thick cloud over her mind; cosmos, even with the sharasha singing in her ear, she had not been so bold.

Though when Iskra comments on her share, she pulls her attention from the captain's mouth to actually figuring out just what it is that she is saying. Her brows knit together and a frown pulls at the corner of her mouth––knowing that she knows a similar loss of no longer having one's mother. She knows, obviously, that this is no perfect parallel and yet she can empathize with the pirate's experience of Grief. Even if she, at least, has solid memories to look back on. (Not to mention if the ancestors bless her once again, she may even regain her mothers in a sense. She can only let herself get so hopeful, however. It has been so long since the descendant has felt their presence and heard their whispers; since she has immersed herself in their memories, visited the Ether, or seen their apparitions next to her.) "Memories are never enough, are they?" she muses, tilting her head, "Even with a memory as long as my own, they shall never be enough to replace what we have lost. Thinking of my mothers will never bring them back or help me know them."

"Perhaps, even with your uncertainty, it does not matter whether the memory is real or a mere association of what a mother should be. It is your experience of a mother and, well, I suppose this isn't quite as helpful as I'd hope," she giggles, not even sure which train of thought she is on and only sort of remembering the topic at hand. (Sure, it has only just been spoken and yet there is so much other stimulus that the princess just does not know what to focus herself on. The topic of conversation, the music, the captain? There are so, so many choices.) "Ah, hmm... Perhaps we must settle for the joy of merely pursuing the truth? It could get disappointing to fixate on the details and that which lies beyond our field of vision."

Once more, Verity's cheeks adopt a sweet pink hue when the captain requests to know her and even wishes for some spot among what she treasures––as if she is not there already. "My dear Iskra, you may know everything there is to know about me," she promises, bringing them just a hair or two closer, "I will bare my soul to you, if that is what you Desire and I just hope there are pieces you like."

"Though, I cannot promise anything as exciting as what your adventures must have been sailing across the galaxy––to have earned such a reputation, I imagine them to be quite grand." Then realizing that she is deflecting the attention away from herself and back onto the pirate, she pauses and thinks over what she might offer the captain. She doesn't really want to hide anything from Iskra––alcohol aside, this honesty is something she feels she owes to Iskra. Especially if they are to forge a new path for themselves; especially if they are to understand each other. "I feel like my Life has come in three acts so far. This," she gestures vaguely around at the setting, "being the third. Before my exile and crossing paths with you on Inure, there was first my Life as a common girl and then my Life as a princess."

"I know this is probably hard for you to imagine, but I was quite the trouble maker before I was a princess and probably even as a princess. I mean, you don't get exiled for fun," she chuckles, finding it easier to joke and speak on her circumstances under the influence of wine. "But as a girl I grew up in port city and my mothers were fishers. At nine years old, I took on much of the caretaking and still found Time to get myself into trouble with the sage sisters, who are the living archives of knowledge on all things related to our cultural traditions and heritage. I often was caught spying on them and their lessons in order to learn. See, a formal education is not all too common in my homelands. Only the wealthy can afford to put their children through school and yet, I never wanted that to stop me from knowing things. So I spied and tried to absorb as much as I could. Oh, they hated me for the longest Time, but finally, I think I was around thirteen or fourteen, one warmed up to me and was able to whip up an agreement with the other sisters to allow me to attend their less sacred lessons. Mind you, I still spied, I just made sure to be more careful so as to not ruin the rare privilege I had been granted. At that point, too, I wanted my sisters to have an education so I started to pass on what I learned. But I had to be careful, because, again, the lessons were not even meant for my ears to begin with. So I would hide the lessons in stories."

She sighs, looking up at Iskra, "One of my biggest projects as a princess had been to create more opportunities for people to gain an education. No one should be limited just because they do not have the right lineage, after all. Or, that's my thought." She pauses, seeming to make some connection, and then asks, "How did you get so interested in your personal studies, Iskra? I haven't met many pirates, I will admit, and the ones I know are not as keen on keeping libraries or studying anything other than maps."

 

[Syntra]

The music, Iskra realized now, was like a sea. Its currents were mighty, strong enough to sweep you aside, but experienced swimmers? Oh, those knew how to use them to their advantage-- how to swim with them, not against them, and make their bodies sing. To her absolute lack of surprise, Verity was one of those people. Just, how could a mortal woman be this graceful? The princess was made of flesh and bone and blood, and all the other corporeal components, but if she hadn't been holding her, Iskra would have found it hard to believe. (...hers was the grace usually reserved for goddesses, you know. A child of the moonlight, the pirate thought as she watched her feet barely touch the ground, lighter than a dream. The stars among their heads danced, too, and in a fit of mad conceit, Iskra got the idea that perhaps, perhaps they had been born for this moment specifically-- that, all those millennia ago, they'd been formed out of hot air and rocks and hope so that they might one day shine upon them. Of course, it would never occur to her to actually voice such a thought. It was sacrilegious, wasn't it? Sacrilegious and stupid, for stars didn't come to life with a purpose in mind. Concepts like 'meaning' were too lowly for them to chase, you see, for they alone held the key to expanding the galaxy in their hands! ...and yet, yet the prospect pleased her, on some deep level.)

"That is true," Iskra agreed. "Perhaps your pain is greater than mine, since you know what you actually lost. I don't think that the depth of one's loss can be measured, mind you, but I could see the logic behind such an argument." Elegantly, she spun the princess around, and then led her back into her embrace. "I, however, think differently. Each of us lost something different, and in that, found a different perspective. Sad as it is, perhaps we are meant to learn from that? To grow from it, in ways that would have been closed to us if we were to walk that path on our own? Once, I heard from a wise woman," the woman that she was dancing with now, to be precise, "that we don't have to carry our burdens alone. So, perhaps that can be true for our joys as well, and for all the potential learning moments. What do you think, Verity?" Because a whole different world was hiding in the princess's head, and whenever she allowed her to peer there? Oh, it was bursting with colors! Colors so, so bright and vivid that any rainbow paled next to them, and Iskra... well, Iskra would love to admire them some more. (If her eyes could never see anything else, perhaps due to some ancient curse, then that was what she would have chosen. That, or Verity's smile.)

"And you are right. The pursuit of the truth can be joyful, I think-- I mean, just like we cannot know for sure whether our hypotheses are correct, we also often cannot tell if they are wrong. Does that mean we should give up on them entirely? No, of course not! I... I suppose that, sometimes, faith is all that we can truly grasp. Faith in our abilities, in ourselves, and yes, also each other. Isn't it funny, Verity? That we, as a species, are collectively as blind as bats. Even moreso, for at least those have their ears to tell them where they are going! And yet, yet I ask you to look at us-- the only organism that has claimed wings of steel for themselves, and conquered the galaxy. Ah, we truly are a bunch of paradoxes."

When Verity spoke, though? Iskra fell silent, and only focused on not stepping on the princess's delicate feet. "I see," she finally said. "Three acts. Third's time the charm, isn't it? Perhaps you shall finally find whatever it is that you seek, regardless of what it is. But, no," she offered Verity a small smile, "it isn't hard for me to imagine you were a troublemaker. Not at all. What kind of princess balances on a railing, hmm? You shocked me so much, the first time I saw it. I thought I was going to swallow my own heart."

The question of education, though? That was, um, somewhat surprising-- not because she didn't think Verity to be fit of such a high-minded goal, but because she saw other, more unexpected parallels. "I wanted to contribute to that as well," she whispered. "Among other ideas I had. Well, it's not like those dreams matter now-- not when they turned to ash under my hands, anyway. But, my library? I..." Iskra looked away, though only momentarily, "...I guess I lack so much that I wished to fill my head with something. Besides, have you ever been on a long journey? Often, they are dreadfully, dreadfully boring. There are adventures to be had when you get to your destination, but getting from point A to point B? Terrible. So terrible, in fact, that I secretly pray for Saavika to blow random things up from time to time solely so that we have something to do. Don't tell her, but it's true. Nonetheless... turning to books is a logical solution, I think. It is a mystery for me why more people don't do it."

Iskra wanted to say more, and she probably would have, too, but... ooof. Did someone just hug her from behind? "Ve-ri-ty!" Alirynn sang, obviously well on her way to drunkenness. (Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were sparkling, and her lips? Oh, the curve of her smile suggested, uh, interesting things.) "You've been monopolizing the captain allll the night! Not fair, if you ask me. Won't you let me have her for a while? I'll return her in one piece, I swear."

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

"Oh, I would never think to compare the weight of our Grief," the princess says, pausing as she is spun around and brought back into the safety of the pirate's arms. Once there she loses what she is about to say when she catches the reflection of the shining lights in Iskra's sapphire eyes. (She wonders what it would be like to wake up next to those eyes, patiently waiting for her own to open. She wonders what those mornings could be like, too. She imagines the sweet silence and lazy smiles, the fierce certainty that there are no other ways to be; that the Divinities, in all their wisdom, must have intended for Life to be nothing more than all the little moments stacked on top of each other, until the tallest mountain pales in comparison to the peak of their existence. She wonders and wonders and wonders what that could feel like and knows that she could discover this answer with the captain's hand entwined with her own.) Blinking several Times to break her trance, she seems to pick right where she left off, "And I must agree that even with the difference in experience, despite the parallels, we both have walked away having learned something different." Of course, as the pirate acknowledges her as this wise woman, the princess manages to pull her grin wider while her cheeks find a new deeper shade to adopt. "She does sound mighty wise, captain. I, ah, recommend keeping her close so that your mind may remain sharp. I think she, too, may benefit from gems that pour from your mouth. Especially this gem that our joys can be shared, not just the onus of our Pain. What a lovely seed to sow, Iskra."

Absently, she pushes a loose strand of Iskra's hair back into place, letting her fingers linger for perhaps a second longer than needed. (The gesture reminds her of a reflection of when they first met; when Iskra held a blade under her chin and caressed her hair by way of honoring the princess's efforts during their duel. 'What an odd pirate,' she had thought back then, and since? Oh, she still thinks this pirate is odd, and in the most pleasing, fascinating way. She means it when she says that she believes they have made each other better since crossing paths. It almost makes her believe that fate works across the galaxy to bring two souls together.) "I do admit," she giggles, "it is amusing to see you so startled. Endearing as well, but I shall try to keep my impulses in check to save that poor heart of yours."

"And I find that admirable," the princess says, suddenly serious even in her drunk state of mind. "Filling yourself with knowledge to make up for what has been denied or taken from you, that is. In some ways, I imagine it gives you an experience you would have never had otherwise," she pauses momentarily as the song changes and they adjust their positions; this next dance requiring them to press their palms flat together. "I do admit, sometimes these travels are numbing and I have been thankful for your library to keep myself entertained. Of course, I do appreciate the crew, and sometimes I require a different form of stimulus. Those books and tapes have opened my eyes beyond what I ever thought possible." So much so, that she even thinks she would be better equipped for the crown with all the new things she has learned; with all the new perspectives that Iskra has offered to her. Not that she truly thinks of being a queen anymore––it's a thought of habit, more than anything else.

Then when a new woman interrupts them? The princess's posturing changes so suddenly, one has to wonder if she has somehow been instantaneously replaced, for Verity has never looked so green. She must realize that this not a flattering look for her, because it's soon swept from her face as if it were never there in the first place; in its place, she offers a welcoming smiling––even if the only thing she welcomes is the other woman's presence and not what she is suggesting. After all, this is her night with the pirate. Iskra promised and, well, so had she. Now, Alirynn, who she normally would adore, is threatening that. It's not that Verity does not think Iskra will keep her promise to be the princess's for the evening, it's that even the princess can understand how cruel it is to keep a captain from her women. 'Mama always used to say that world does not revolve around you. I suppose this is just another reminder,' she thinks, still irritated with this realization. (Because in Verity's world, nothing and no one would have dared to interrupt their private moment.)

"Alirynn," she starts, eyeing the other woman and trying to identify the game she is playing by coming between them. (The fleeting idea that Alirynn genuinely Desires the captain does cross her mind and she does try to push that thought away––it is completely unfounded, for one, and, two, most of the women already know of Verity's not so secret affections. (Or they are at least willing to buy into all of the rumors.) It is possible she just wants to dance with Iskra––is that such a crime?) "How can you blame me? Just look at how dashing our dear captain looks," she says, biting her lip and making eye contact with the captain alone.

"Sure, I canno' blame you and I will not stand for this. It's not everyday we get t'see the captain so spiffed up like this and I must have my own chance at her," she returns with a look that could mean a thousand and one things––all of them leading to the bedroom. (Oh, Verity can see it so plainly in her eyes! How can she not? The same look exists in her own envious green eyes. Can she even agree to releasing the pirate now? But, oh, how can she not? She doesn't want the others to think her possessive––Iskra isn't even actually hers. They are just friends, much to her utter dismay.)

"Oh, fine," the princess relents, much to her own horror and, despite that, offering the other woman a seemingly understanding smile. "I may be royal," she continues, and the way she says that does leave the impression that she is trying to assert her importance through her title. (Odd, because usually Verity wouldn't use her title in such a way. Must be the alcohol.) "But I am no tyrant. I shall not keep our dear captain all to myself––tempting as it is." Before Verity lets go of the captain, her eyes flit up to meet Iskra's, sending her a silent message that says, 'Please, try not to be too long.' For Verity truly does not want to lose any minutes of this night where Iskra is hers and she is Iskra's.

As soon as Verity has stepped away from the pirate, Alirynn squeals in delight and quickly replaces the princess. Perhaps it is because Alirynn is so drunk, but she is not keeping a respectful distance between herself and Iskra. The sight alone causes Verity anguish and she cannot quite place why this drives her mad. (Should she find someone else to dance with? No, no, she will not be petty. That will only provide her temporary relief. Besides, she cannot be upset when she willingly let Iskra go. ...Even so, fantasies of 'accidentally' spilling wine all over Alirynn's dress come to mind and she has to shake them away, Violently, to prevent herself from acting on such jealousy.)

 

[Syntra]

"Hmm? I do intend to keep her close to my side, indeed-- for as long as she will have me, that is. I, uh..." Should she be this honest? The truth, after all, had an edge to it, and Iskra would hate, hate, hate to cut the princess! ...perhaps that wasn't what would happen, though. Verity's skin wasn't made of paper, now was it? More than that, it resembled steel, and slowly, Iskra was becoming convinced of the fact that she wouldn't break her even if she wanted to, let alone by accident. "...for the longest while, I feared I'd shatter her wings. My hand is so, so heavy, you know? Heavy, and rough, and unused to handling delicate things. 'What if you hurt her?' I asked myself. Then... then I did, partially because I tried to shield her from the truth. Or maybe that was only an excuse that I used to comfort my spirit, and the one I wished to shield had been me all along? Ah, no matter. The point is, the wise woman abandoned me, and I knew not where to go. How could I, without my guiding star? But afterwards, you see, she returned-- she returned, and I had no idea why. Was she hungry for pain, perhaps? For humiliation? Did she not know I was a monster, and bound to lash out? I realized later, though that the choice was hers. She decided to grace me with her presence, and that was her present to give-- her risk, and also her gain. Her loss, potentially. Therefore, I said to myself that I wouldn't question her choices. If she wants to leash herself to the monster, then she's free to do so! I shall not sever that link, regardless of what my conscience tells me."

A small smile graced her lips, then, when Verity sang praises of her book collection. "I think so, too. Even if I lost so much, I can still let other people's wisdom touch me-- their fears, their sorrows, their loves, even. It's the closest I'll ever get to experiencing that, I believe. I... I suppose it is like looking at a painting? Admiring it from afar, that is. For all the pain my existence has brought me, I also think that my perspective is... unique thanks to it, so to speak. I alone can be the perfect observer! Impartial, unburdened by my own bias. Sometimes," she said, and her voice softened a little, "I think of writing my own book. I mean, I write a lot as it is, but not for an audience. I know not whether anyone would want to read what I have to say, but I have to admit, the prospect of leaving a legacy behind is appealing to me. Magnetic, almost. Never shall I have children, no, but that... that is something I could do, I think. If I tried hard enough."

Alirynn's arms felt wrong, wrong, wrong around her, like a spider wrapping its web around a fly, but given that Verity okay'd it? There was no room to complain, really. (So that was what the promise meant to the princess, huh? Did she not care that, for the night, Iskra was to be hers? ...ah, fine. Fine, then. It wouldn't be the first time the pirate had misread a signal, after all, and she wouldn't embarrass herself by pointing it out. No, the shame belonged to her, and within her depths, it would die, too! Alone and unmourned, and, most importantly, unknown to anyone else. In her solitude, Iskra would bury it-- the perfect crime.) "Very well," she nodded, "I shall not refuse you this dance. Come with me, Alirynn! Show me what you are made of."

"Exactly what I meant to do," Alirynn licked her lips.

And, frankly? It turned out the woman was, hmm, far more daring than Verity ever had been. Iskra had no idea how it happened, even, but within seconds, the pair dissolved into a hot mess of limbs-- truthfully, it was hard to tell where she ended and where Alirynn began. The music sped up, too, morphing into this furious crescendo, and her hands, by the Shade, her hands! Where did she get that audacity from? So, so casually the woman touched her, almost as if she wasn't her captain, but her... her... ah, Iskra couldn't even think of the word.

"You like that, don't you?" she chuckled, her voice a low groan. "You seem a little, hmm, breathless, though. Actually, wait a sec, captain! I'm gonna get you something to drink." By complete coincidence, the bar they'd set up could be reached via walking closer to the princess-- so, of naturally, that was what Alirynn did.

"Did ya enjoy the spectacle, Verity?" she grinned, and put her hand on her waist. "I sure as hell hope so, because there was a lot you could learn from it. The lesson number one? Iskra is mine. No wandering princess will take her away from me, I promise. In fact," her smile grew even more dangerous, so much that a ravenous wolf would look like a harmless little pup next to her, "before this night ends, I will have her in my bed. Did you see how she was melting under my touch? She's practically there already-- in her mind, at least. Just look at her! I bet that she's imagining allll the things I am going to do to her," Alirynn sang out. "No wonder her face is so red, huh? So, don't worry," she patted Verity's shoulders, as if they were best friends and not, say, bitter rivals, "I'm going to take care of her real good. Don't interfere, okay? I also recommend getting ear plugs for tonight, unless you wish to hear more than you bargained for. Or maybe you can go play with someone else in the meantime, hmm? I heard that Esya is into the needy types! You might want to try your luck there, princess."

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

This is not how the princess had wanted the night to go. She had not even expected or prepared herself for this possibility––mostly, because of the promise that Iskra had made to her and because of the promise she had made to Iskra. They were to be each other's for this evening while they celebrate the union of their friends. They were to laugh and talk and dance and drink until the early hours of the morning, when the night was surely over, holding on to the remaining seconds of their shared promise until, inevitably, Iskra would take Verity to her room. Maybe, daringly, Verity would have kissed her cheek as she bid her a good night. But none of that can happen now! Not with how Alirynn has taken this opportunity to all but ensnare Iskra with her limbs. Oh, and to see how the captain plays along as well? The beast within her chest vibrates with such intensity she feels as though her molecules are going to separate and she will return to the stars that made her.

Verity understands that it is she who broke their promise and not Iskra or Alirynn; no one forced her to let go of the captain. That had been her choice––one inspired by social convention, granted, and still her choice to live with. She could have denied Alirynn the dance; she could have calmly explained that Iskra and herself had agreed to be each other's for the evening and that, unfortunately, Alirynn would have to wait until their next get together to have her chance at the most dashing captain. Those are all ideas that come to her in hindsight, however, and do nothing to help her now! (Back then, the idea of pushing the other woman to the side and asserting her claim to Iskra had seemed territorial and predatory. Two things that Verity does not wish to be––she wishes for the captain to keep her freedom and dance with whoever she pleases. Neither does she want the crew to think of her as a distraction, getting in the way of what Iskra may want. It had made sense, then, with this kind of thinking in mind, to relinquish her hold over the pirate. And yet some part of her fantasizes about a reality where she had asserted herself as Iskra's or even one where Iskra had grabbed her arm and politely declined Alirynn's invitation. She pictures several realities in which they both honor their promise and she cannot believe she is existing in the reality where she let the captain go. And for what? Her image?)

Cursing herself, the princess steps away from the dancefloor, not at all interested in having anyone else match her steps or even watch the way that Alirynn's hands roam Iskra's body––touching places she has never dared. (Does Iskra even want this? She cannot be so sure and she does not want to risk her heart by investigating.) Bitterly, she just imagines she would out dance anyone who isn't Iskra and that would just not be very fun for her own spirits. So she settles over by the bar, reaching behind the counter for one of the few bottles that have yet to be cracked. She takes a five second pull of whiskey before she sets it down harshly on the counter and lets out a sigh. When her eyes return to the floor, she almost wishes she had not looked and once more the fantasies of ruining Alirynn's evening reawaken.

Especially when said woman approaches her and makes those inflammatory remarks. Just who does she think she is and who does she think she is talking to? Verity may not be her princess or anyones, really, and that still does not give this pirate license to speak to her in such a manner! That the woman is acknowledging her as competition nearly sends the princess into berserker level rage. The only thing keeping her in check is that there are so many witnesses around her. (She tries to remind herself of what Iskra had said earlier, those sweet, sweet words that were better than any profession she has ever heard or imagined. No, she had not told Verity of her feelings for her or anything like that, but she had admitted how much the princess means to her and how she wishes for her to remain with her... There was even a dash of trust there; trust that Verity will be able to handle everything hidden in Iskra's closet. Alirynn cannot take that away from her, no matter what she thinks.)

And yet, even holding that truth so fiercely inside of her, the beast of her heart is not satisfied. Red starts to spot her vision and she realizes that the reigns of control are turning to sand in her grasp, quickly slipping through her fingers. (That last pull of alcohol had distinctly not helped.) It's probably plain in her eyes despite the smile that mirrors Alirynn's faux pleasantness. "Oh, is that so?" her brows knit together as if confused by what the other woman is saying––when she can so clearly see the flushed captain and how red she looks from that dance. (If one even can call it a dance with how indecent and crude it had been. Had it been appropriate to carry her sword with her to the wedding, she might have challenged Alirynn to a duel for the captain's heart. As it is... as it is, she does not have that option.) "And do you often make a habit of making a fool of yourself?"

"Verity," the pirate chuckles, "please, don't embarrass yourself. That wouldn't be very... becoming for your royal highness, now would it? Would you mind stepping aside so that I can get our captain a drink? She is awfully parched." The pirate then reaches over the bar to pour herself and Iskra a drink and while she does so, she adds, "You know, if she's not too tired tonight, maybe she will pay you a visit as well. But you shouldn't count on coming second. After all, I do plan to keep her tied down and occupied."

That? That causes Verity to forget not just where she is, but who she is as her vision blurs into bright red. The only other person that exists is Alirynn. Sweetly, the princess tilts her head and brightens her smile. Not before reaching over to grab a discarded plate of food and dumping it on Alirynn's head. "I think you ought to get yourself cleaned up. That's not a very becoming look."

 

[Syntra]

If the pirate had to choose a single lesson that life had taught her? As in, if she could only pick one strand of wisdom to follow, and forget the rest? Her answer would be 'expect the unexpected,' no doubt. As Iskra stood on the dance floor, you see, she took this moment to recuperate a bit-- the ghost hands were still wandering over her body, so, so insistent, and she just knew she would have handled it better had it not been so... hmm, shocking. (Not even Verity had dared to touch her in such a way, dammit! Was it normal, actually? Had the princess only been avoiding it out of consideration for her innocence? If so, then Alirynn obviously had no such reservations. Did it mean she'd continue treating her like that? Did Iskra mind, even? It had been, uh, intense, even if not necessarily pleasant, but maybe this was actually one of those 'acquired taste' things. Wine wasn't actually good before your tongue got used to that particular flavor, you know? And perhaps, perhaps this was the same-- perhaps pleasure could only be found there once you you'd drained all the bitterness first, and accepted it as part of the whole ordeal. Hmm, hmm. Wouldn't it have been sweeter, though, had Verity done it? Had her hands roamed all over her, and discovered spots Iskra herself hadn't known about? That, ah... struck her as sweeter, pretty much immediately.)

"What is it, captain?" someone dancing next to her laughed. "Alirynn really rocked your world, huh?"

"N-no. That's not it. Besides, my feet are firmly planted on the ground, Ryra, as you can..."

"As I can see?" the dark-haired woman smirked. "Why, yes, I can indeed see some interesting things. Very, very interesting things. You'd do well, captain, to use your own eyes, too. There's a reason you were born with them inside of your skull, isn't there?"

...huh? Why was everyone so insistent on confusing the hell out of her today? Truly, it was as if they'd all switched to a different language overnight, or perhaps played an elaborate practical joke on her. What, oh, what had she done to deserve this treatment? What were her women trying to tell her with this stunt? Had she wavered in her leadership, maybe? 'You are not fit to guide us anymore,' the message could be saying, 'if you cannot even decipher a code this simple. You've lost your own way, haven't you? Well, then obviously, you'd make a poor example for others! Blind cannot lead the blind, Iskra. Cannot, cannot, cannot.' (Except that, you see, her subordinates had never communicated in such a way before. No, their words weren't patterns in a tapestry, complex and full of hidden meanings-- more than that, they were stones, ready to shatter anyone whose bones were too fragile for their own good. So, again, what was going on here? What was it that was escaping her attention?)

The answer, of course, came to Iskra soon enough. Brawls didn't tend to be quiet affairs, you see? And, oh, one was certainly brewing near the bar, with the boiling point within reach.

Alirynn, now covered in some unholy combination of crumbs, cream and juices, looked up to Verity. "Hmmm, you think so?" she gave her a bright smile, as if the princess hadn't just declared war on her. Easily, one might guess they'd met by accident, and Verity had nothing to do with her current state at all. "'Cause you're wrong. I mean, you usually are, so you must be used to it, but this time? This time you really fucked up, even for your standards. Just..." she wiped some cream off her cheek, and licked it from her fingers, "you think Iskra isn't going to clean me on her own? That she won't beg me to be able to do so? My, my, princess, what poor imagination you have! Truly, our dashing captain has been most fortunate to escape your boring influence-- I'm thinking it must be quite dreadful, to be with one who is allll style over substance. Empty within, really. Your looks really are all you have going for you, hmm? Sad. But," she smiled and, once again, even a lion would look like an innocent puppy next to her in that moment, "fine. I might as well grant you an advantage in this race, seeing how pathetic you are. Let's show everyone, why don't we? That precious advantage of yours. Maybe, if you find someone who is desperate enough, you won't even have to walk home alone!"

So, you know the adage about the barking dog that didn't bite? Well, for all her barking, Alirynn did know how to bite, alright. Her way was, uh, quite efficient, too. With surprising force, she pinned the princess to the ground-- now Verity got to experience what it was like to have Alirynn invade her personal space, even if for vastly different reasons. And, ah, what was she doing, even?! Could she be... oh, no, no, no! But yes, actually, because her hands tore at the fabric of her dress with a clear purpose in mind. "Let's see if you really are all that, hmm? Or if you're one of those bitches who--"

"Cease! Cease at once, both of you," Iskra rushed to the scene, hellbent on separating the two. Just, ugh! What kind of madness had seized them? One day, maybe the pirate would understand the tumultuous nature of a woman's heart, but that day would not be today. "Come on," she reprimanded, before helping both of them to their feet. (Alirynn took the chance to caress her arm and shoot Verity a very meaningful look, which, uh... Iskra let slide, admittedly. Just, what was the proper reaction here? Nope, nope, nope, she refused to even approach that particular landmine.) "What happened? If there's a feud between you, then it's my duty to judge who is in the right, as your captain. Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?" she glanced from Verity to Alirynn and from Alirynn back to Verity, hopefully looking more stern rather than just confused.

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

For all the imagination that exists behind Verity's eyes, she really never imagined the night turning out like this. With each minute that passes, the absurdity of this entire situation continues to unfold in a fantastic and explosive manner. The thought that they are at a wedding, a wedding for friends they both presumably share, seems to be so far from Verity's mind that she either does not notice or does not care about all the eyes that are drawing towards them. In the princess's world, there is only her and her adversary, Alirynn, who threatens to steal that which... that which may not belong to her, admittedly, but that knowledge is not enough to reason with the beast inside of her. (Never has she ever had to act in such a petty manner to ensure that the woman she wants to spend her night with remains by her side and not next to some other woman! Perhaps that has much to do with being a princess, however she doesn't really recall ever being inspired to this particular level of pettiness when it was another princess she had wanted and said princess had eyes for others. Never had she sabotaged their evenings or try to come between their fun. She hasn't a clue why she is acting like this now.)

Alirynn, whatever game she is playing, continues to add fuel to Verity's fire. Whether she knows that this a poor choice on her end is yet to be discovered as she continues to cast spells of fire over the princess. And the worst part? The worst part is that Verity can see the truth in what Alirynn is saying. Were she in a more stable and level mindset, it would be easy to laugh at this foolish woman who thinks she has even half a chance at the captain when compared to the captain's guiding star. Had she remembered that nickname or all the other obvious instances where she has stolen Iskra's attention, perhaps she would realize that she is fighting with a shadow and the caster is but a miniscule pest. Instead, she can only picture how eagerly her chivalrous knight would come to rescue and help a poor damsel––even if not the one she is courting, because that is just how good Iskra's heart is! Iskra helping another woman alone would not be enough rile the princess up, but she knows, oh she knows, with utter certainty that Alirynn will use that moment to swoon in the captain's arms and elevate her position in the captain's bed. (The sweet cream that happened to land on her chest, for example? Verity has thought of seven different ways that might be removed from her skin. Knowing Aliyrnn, she will choose the one that involves the most tongue.)

The other woman continues to catch her off guard by pushing her to the ground and restraining her arms––just who does this woman think she is? (Alcohol is about to get one of these women killed and Verity is not going to let it be her. In fact, she knows it will not be her blood that spills over the dancefloor when she hears the sudden tear in her dress.) Her lips curl into a sneer, "Why you little––"

And it's probably a good thing Iskra decides to intervene then, because what Verity would have said probably could have felled empires; at the very least, Alirynn's ego may have never recovered. As soon as they are standing, she doesn't miss the way the woman continues to thrust herself at the captain; she also doesn't miss how Iskra doesn't do anything about it. Now that she thinks about it, she also hadn't stopped the other woman on the dancefloor either. In both instances she cannot tell whether or not the captain even wanted or wants the touch and that is more maddening than it ought to be. (Again, were she not so drunk she may have been able to reason how unlikely it is that the captain is even thinking of other women. She would be able to armor herself knowing that Iskra is a woman of her word and so much what she has said and done speaks to where her heart lies.)

But with a threat clinging to her captain like an unwanted stain, there is hardly a place for Verity to use reason and laugh at the woman's attempt. All Verity knows is that she is going to have to make a move bigger than putting some flowers in Iskra's hair to let everyone on Inure know that the captain is not available.

As she gathers herself, she assesses the damage done to her clothing. The tear in her dress splits the neckline plunge lower, down to her abdomen, exposing her stomach and barely keeping her breasts covered with how the fabric hangs. Taking advantage of this, as Alirynn has so rudely suggested, she lets one of the straps fall off her shoulder and makes a half attempt to hold onto it before it falls entirely to the side, which would expose the princess more fully. "Apologies, Iskra," and the way she says Iskra's name? Knowing she is the only one aboard this ship allowed to disregard the captain's title? It's almost as if she is reminding Alirynn that there is a difference between a pirate and a princess. "Twas merely a misunderstanding that got out of hand––there is no reason for you to be the judge."

"Yes, I was jus' showing Verity how stunning that dress would be with some modifications," Alirynn returns, her fingers tracing circles over Iskra's chest while she leans against her for support. "Not sure what Verity was trying to accomplish with my own makeover, but I suppose this must be one of those cutting edge fashion statements from the zany upper class. In any case, it's not really my thing... would you mind helping me clean up, captain? So that we can finish our dance?"

That question causes Verity's eyes to widen as she realizes just what will happen next if Iskra is whisked away. So just what does the princess do to make sure that does not happen? She faints.

 

[Syntra]

Subtleties, to put it mildly, weren't Iskra's mother tongue. All those ways in which you could interpret a seemingly innocuous statement, depending on the angle from which you viewed it? The words beyond the words, so similar to actual objects and the shadows they cast? Oh, give her a goddamn break. The pirate wasn't at all interested in playing these childish games, and if that made her a brute... fine, fine, so be it. From the jaws of snakes, such a label was but a badge of honor! (Rather than fight those shadow enemies, you see, the captain preferred to crack her foes' skulls open. A messier way, certainly, though also one that allowed her opponents to taste true glory-- it was no small deal to be slain by Iskra the pirate, after all. Oh no, definitely not. As they shuddered, and life escaped from their body with each pained gasp, they got to affirm the depth of their conviction with a seal of blood, too, and... well. Wasn't that worthy? Wasn't that meaningful? The ultimate rejection of one's animalistic nature, via overriding the instincts that supposedly ruled over them all? Dying for one's beliefs, Iskra thought, was as good as it got. Surely, such an end was infinitely more dignified than losing a game whose rules nobody had bothered to explain in the first place! Those were beneath her, and also beneath anyone with a shred of honor to her name. Not worthy of her attention, really. ...and yet. Yet, yet, yet! Not even Iskra, with her 'devil may care' approach, could deny that there was something beneath the surface of this interaction-- that something was lurking, too, in the same way a wild cat may wait for its prey in tall grass. It was, ah... interesting. Also, was it just her, or did the air seem noticeably more charged around the duo? Like, sizzling with electricity? Hmm, hmm. How utterly mysterious!)

"A misunderstanding," Iskra repeated, disbelief written plainly in her eyes. "I don't know, Verity. I've witnessed many, ah, misunderstandings, and I cannot... by the Shade, I cannot..." Couldn't think, duh! Because the princess moved in the most distracting way, walking that thin line between showing too much and not nearly enough. (Once again, the pirate found herself wanting to rip the dress off. It couldn't even be called dress anymore, now could it? Tatters, maybe, but not a dress. Would it not be, hmmm, appropriate to free Verity of a garment that didn't fit the occasion? 'No,' the last remainders of her common sense protested, 'Iskra, you must not do this thing. In doing so, you'd dishonor both yourself and her!' And, on some level, the pirate indeed did understand. The problem with that, however? Her eyes were hungry, hungry for more skin, and her hands were, too, and, oh, wouldn't it be downright delightful, to see the princess' pupils widen in shock? In desire, maybe? She had admitted to wanting her, after all! So, absurd as it was, it wouldn't be totally unprecedented-- totally outside of the realm of possibility, in other words. Just how far did her appetite extend, hmm? Would she squeal in joy if Iskra removed all those bothersome, bothersome layers, and lay her on the table, and...)

Ah. Ah, alright. That scenario was to be pushed aside, it seemed, for the princess fainted. (That sting of disappointment, raw and bitter? Yeah, let's ignore it for now-- it wasn't like the pirate could have acted on her ridiculous impulses, anyway. The fantasy would simply stay confined to her mind, just like all the good fantasies tended to. From there, it couldn't possibly influence anything! Ha. Haha. Hahahaha. Iskra was totally, unquestionably alright, and everything was one hundred percent under her control. Why were you asking, again?) "Verity!" the captain exclaimed, only to drop to her knees mere seconds later. Judging by her pulse, she seemed to be... alright, actually? (Good. Thank the Shade for that mercy, at least, for Iskra wouldn't have known what to do with herself had something happened to Verity.) "It would appear she has had a little too much to drink," she explained to the curious crowd that was beginning to gather near the bar. (Too many of them were staring at Verity shamelessly, and no, Iskra did not appreciate that. Not in the slightest! The sight was meant for her only, dammit.) "I shall get her back to her room. No, Alirynn, I do not need any assistance. Now, now, there is nothing to see here! Return to your festivities, ladies. This is about Eran and Saavika, remember?"

The princess wasn't heavy by any means, so when Iskra made up her mind? It only took her a few minutes to carry Verity to her cabin, and tuck her in. "You may stop pretending now," the pirate announced, her tone just a little bit smug. "I can tell you're awake, you see? Your heart beats differently when you're actually unconscious, Verity. Much, much slower. You could have just told me you didn't want to be there anymore," she sat on the edge of her bed casually, "but this works as well, I suppose. Now, will you explain what happened between you and Alirynn? I have to admit, I do wonder what made you resort to a lie this transparent."

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

It's hard for the princess to remain in her passed out state when she hears the cry in Iskra's voice and her fingers against her skin, checking for her pulse. Still, she perseveres, for the sake of her ruse and ensuring that the captain will take care of her. She knows that she will, too, because that is just who her dandy lion is and when it comes to a crisis over stained clothes or a fallen princess? The choice is obvious.

When she is lifted into her savior's arms, it takes all of her control to not drop the act and curl into Iskra's body. The captain is awfully comfortable with the heat radiating off her body and the subtle movement of the muscles in her arm, telling the princess she is fastly secure; that she does not have to worry about anymore villains, for her knight, stronger than all, is here; she doesn't think she would be faulted for being so obvious. She only remains limp because she wants the captain to continue holding her and if she makes a miraculous recovery? Oh, she does not want to risk being let go from this comfortable position. (She really does think she could fall asleep in her arms.)

So, selfishly, she lets the pirate carry her all the way up to her cabin without making a noise or even so much as moving. Even when they are out of eyesight and surely out of earshot of everyone else, she remains in her "unconscious" state. Were the journey not so short, she truly might have dozed off in the pirate's arms before even making it into her bed. (Perhaps she should try fainting more often.) She isn't at all surprised when Iskra does call her out on her performance and the smugness makes her smile when she finally does open her eyes to look at her friend. She sits up in the bed, pulling the blankets up to her chest to cover herself, even if she might want to entice Iskra to join her under her sheets. "Whatever do you mean, Iskra?"

"Have you been studying the rhythm of my heart or do you speak of hearts in general? For perhaps mine is one that beats with regularity even while unconscious," she quips back, feeling much more relaxed in the privacy of her cabin and knowing that Iskra is not being taken by some other woman. (Not that the pirate does not have a right to bed with who she pleases, of course. It matters not that the idea does not please the princess, for that would be Iskra's choice and hers alone to make. Still, Alirynn's entitlement to Iskra's bed rubbed Verity the wrong way. Perhaps because she does know the pirate is not versed in such pleasures and she remembers how horrified Iskra had been with herself following the incident with the sharasha. ...Unrelated, she also does think she could give Iskra a better first experience than Alirynn.)

When Iskra does ask about her behavior, she sighs and crosses her arms over herself. She isn't exactly sure how to frame this in a way that doesn't sound so possessive, but then she realizes that she does not get to choose the pirate's reaction. Just as Iskra could not save Verity from the truth of her past and existence to protect her, she cannot save Iskra from seeing this side of herself. This ugly jealous side that she's never really had to deal with before. Ugh. "To put it plainly, I just did not like how you were so tangled up in her and I do understand that is entirely your choice, but it was hard to watch. I was going to leave on my own, but then Alirynn came to confront me at the bar and... I could not just listen to her say those things and let her think that she––that she can speak to me like that or speak of you in such an undignified manner. ...Iskra, she was trying to proposition you to join her in her bed," she bites her lip and looks away, towards the dresser.

"I know that I released you. I know that I broke our promise and this is entirely my fault, but I suppose. I suppose I just did not want you to feel so limited and that I was impeding on your freedoms, so even though all the fibers in my body were screaming at me to hold onto you, I thought it was best to let you go," she adds, "You are your own woman. Even if we promised to be each other's for tonight, I do not want you to feel as though you cannot enjoy your friends and crew. Truly, though, had I known of Alirynn's intentions, I would not have let her share a dance with you, because I did want this night to be ours. So I acted as I did, because I could see our night slipping through my fingers."

"Can you forgive my antics? I really haven't a clue why I let myself act in such a manner––alcohol aside, I've never been so theatrical," well, at least where sabotaging someone's evening is concerned. The princess may only ever be a drama queen, after all. Then with a small, playful smile she asks, "At the very least, could you help improve my performance the next Time I may need to feign fainting?"

 

[Syntra]

“A-ah,” Iskra’s eyes widened, her cheeks coloring the deepest shade of scarlet. “I, um, meant hearts in general. Granted, yours might be a special case, as I know not how your adaption influenced its rhythm, but… but I followed my hunch, I suppose. Correctly, too, judging by just how awake you seem right now.” Aargh! Why oh why did the mere mention of Verity’s heart do such things to her? It was an organ, not really connected to the idea of romance in any meaningful way-- their culture might have painted that picture, yes, though in reality, it cared not for those matters. Hell, it didn’t care for anything at all! It was hard to care, you see, when you had no mind of your own. Oh no, no, no. The heart just worked, tirelessly, to deliver oxygen where it ought to be in order for the complicated machinery of their bodies to function. To ascribe a deeper purpose to it would have been downright silly, would it not? A thought process unworthy of one such as her, who had seen firsthand what the world was like without the protective veneer of comforting lies. (…and yet. Yet, yet, yet! Just, what was happening to her cognitive abilities? Because lately, it seemed, Iskra had only reasoned with herself in order to reject whatever conclusion she’d managed to reach immediately. Why? What inspired her to do so? The pirate didn’t know, know, know, and that alone was so frustrating that she wanted to scream.)

“Tangled up in her?” the captain repeated, uncomprehending. “That was, ah, her doing. I thought that perhaps that was what the dance was supposed to look like? I mean, the Holy Vessel did teach me how to dance, but only the steps of the dances that she favored, so I assume that there are many conventions I am unfamiliar with. Moreover, it was Alirynn. I have known the woman for ages, and I’d trust her with my life. Why, then, would she try something untoward? That makes no sense to…” ‘…to me,’ was how Iskra had intended to finish her sentence, but it died in her throat the second Verity finished hers. (Um. What? What, what, what?! How had this happened, even? Alirynn never would have… never would have… except that she had already done exactly that, if Verity was to be believed. And, well, could she trust her judgment? ‘No,’ every fiber in her body wanted to scream, ‘no, no, no, she’s wrong,’ but the pirate knew that voice to be false. It was the voice of lies, you see, and of closing your eyes before the truth-- of submerging yourself in sweetness that, upon closer inspection, turned out to be poison. Which, no, Iskra wouldn’t drink it! She’d had enough of it to last her a lifetime, and there was no need for her to destroy herself further. So, the facts? The facts said that, no matter how she spun the story, Verity was much, much more well-versed in the art of love than she was. Now, who was more likely to recognize another’s advances, hmm? A greenhorn, or the veteran of many battlefields? The answer to that question was obvious, and once again, it caused Iskra to flutter her eyelashes in panic.

“Oh, by the Shade. Truly? The thought wouldn’t have occurred to me, and… ah. Verity,” she took her hands into hers, “do you think that this might have happened in the past, too? Someone… someone propositioning to me, and me not recognizing it.” Because that would have, uh, placed a lot of seemingly inexplicable interactions into an entirely new light. Ah, damn. Was it even possible to feel like a bigger fool? At this point, the only thing the pirate was missing was a pair of those oversized clown shoes! “By the Shade,” Iskra said again, and covered her mouth with her free hand. “I just… why do these things have to be so complicated? One would have said that, when seeking a partner, you’d want to be direct. You’d want them to know what exactly you feel for them, and what your intentions with them are. Isn’t that just basic decency? I mean, I cannot wrap my mind around why on earth you’d act differently! Is it cowardice, perhaps? A fear of rejection? That still makes no sense to me, though. Not getting what you want might be painful, indeed, but isn’t it better to know your chances, as soon as you can? Thanks to that, you can recuperate faster.”

But, ah, there was also the matter of Verity’s jealousy, wasn’t there? That, too, had to be addressed. “I didn’t really want to dance with her,” the pirate confessed, before caressing her arm lightly. “I thought that you wished for me to do so, and that was why you offered my hand to her.” Just, ugh. How could two people who spoke the same language misunderstand one another so easily? Again and again and again, Iskra was discovering that words didn’t seem to be enough-- that they were but a poor approximation of the fire burning deep inside of her, similarly to how a picture was only a snapshot of reality. “I never would have gone with her otherwise, for I do value my promises. To me, they’re everything” At the same time, however? The pirate had to confess to herself that she didn’t hate Verity’s reasons. Rather than the princess just being flakey, she had attempted to respect her desires, and that… that wasn’t something she could fault her for, honestly. The intent had been pure, even if it had brought her very little joy in the end.

“Eh, no matter. I don’t think there is anything to forgive-- both of us have erred. Let it be a learning moment instead. Now, the night isn’t over yet, is it? Still, I am yours, and you are mine. Till the dawn comes, I belong to you. And, to that end…” With a small smile on her lips, Iskra lifted Verity’s blanket, and crawled underneath. “I have always wanted to know what it is like. To… to lie with a person, you know? To share my warmth, and receive theirs in return. So, let’s go to sleep, Verity. And, ah, can you perhaps tell me a story? I’ve come to appreciate them, much like I appreciate you.”

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕
​

Somewhere, in the vast expanse of Iskra's library, she had read a fragment of a poem by a poet who must have lived long before technology could have perfectly preserved the message of her work. The fragment that so aptly comes to the princess's mind when her friend slips right under her covers? 'May you Sleep on your tender girlfriend's breast.' Yes, yes! It fits so perfectly for this moment that Verity can see herself in whoever this mysterious poet had been (who, even in her mere fragments, had managed to speak the tune of her heart). This very instant is beyond what Verity could have ever hoped to dream for––at least for this evening. Surely, she had imagined Iskra slipping under her covers many, many Times before and all of those instances had been set in some vague future. Not soon, and not too much later. And, apparently, tonight is the just right moment for her fantasies to become realized. She feels ill-prepared despite all of the practice she has had in the privacy of her imagination.

'Do I reach for her hand? Should I even dare to get any closer?' she wonders, chewing on her lower lip while she turns to gaze upon the pirate, debating what exactly is the correct protocol to follow. Ordinarily, these kinds of things would come most naturally to the princess––in fact, it has been many years since she has ever felt the nerves of something new overtake her and tear her confidence asunder. Everything with Iskra feels new to her, even with how practiced she is; she is not sure if it is perhaps the captain's own anxieties clinging to her, traveling through the air like an airborne Disease or something else entirely. All she knows is that around Iskra, her heart feels renewed and that translates to her uncertainties in how to act accordingly. Ultimately, she decides to follow Iskra's lead to determine where the boundaries are, because, as for herself, she knows they are all but nonexistent. Even so, she reaches over to offer Iskra her hand if she wants to take it. (Of course, she'd love to lay like in that fragment, falling asleep on Iskra's chest; being rocked to Sleep by the rise and fall of her breath with the sound of her heartbeat as her lullaby. Would that not be most divine?)

Clearing her throat, trying to wrangle all of her thoughts into some semblance of order, she nods rapidly before she is able to find the words to what she wants to say. "To grant you this experience, would be a great honor. Ah," she pauses as her mouth dries up and her heart starts to beat so loudly she can hear it in her ears; her cheeks, of course, flush and then double down on their hue when the princess gets embarrassed over being embarrassed. She laughs nervously, "Apologies, I just. I just am in disbelief, I suppose, that our night can still be ours and that you would like it to be as well. I should very much like to spend the rest of this evening side by side... and, if you would like, you, um, may come closer. As close as you'd like, really," and, like clockwork, the color in her cheek darkens. (She imagines she looks like a dark cherry right now and as mortifying as that is, she tries to not think about it.) 'You can study the rhythm of my heart,' she wants to say and doesn't, far too shy for reasons so far beyond her that she may never comprehend what has come over her.

Once they have both settled into the bed, Verity begins to think through her personal archive of stories, eager to choose one she hopes will please the pirate's soul and ease her into a blissful slumber. Remembering that Iskra has expressed interest in knowing more about herself, she decides to think of one that is a healthy mix of fact and fiction. (She doesn't think an exact retelling of her Life would be all that interesting or comforting, if she is being honest.)

"There is one story that I know quite well. It is about the nobody girl who became a princess and stole the heart of a country. She existed off on some faraway planet, in some faraway land that could be over there" she points left, "or there," she points forward, "or even there," and she points below. "In this land, even the most ordinary of girls could become princesses and this girl was one of the ordinary few who found herself, one day, invited into the fold of royalty. But how could that even be? What made this girl stand out? She barely had enough to keep a roof over her head or food to fill her belly; she barely even knew how to read or write. But, you see, she had a mind like a whip and a way with her words that could transpose experiences unto her audience. It was that very gift that her Divinities had blessed her with that captured the attention of the queen. "

"One hot summer's day the girl had been scheduled to recite some of her prose in a local competition; the girl, by this point, had a bit of a cult following in her city and apparently it was enough to get the attention of the queen for she decided to attend the competition––unbeknownst to the girl. In the middle of the girl's performance, so taken by her craft, the queen rose. All eyes shift from the girl to the queen. The queen, in all her regal glory, extended her hand towards the girl and said, 'Come with me Alveera, join me in the palace for there is a country you may just transform.' And what could Alveera do? Deny the queen? Wide-eyed, shocked, she barely had Time to say her goodbyes as she reached for the queen's hand and was swept away to the palace."

"Everything happened so quickly, with such suddenness, that Alveera felt as though she were in a dream. She hardly felt a thing had changed, but, suddenly, she could not walk through the streets alone without citizens coming to greet her or potential suitors trying to court her. She had access to libraries and schools she never could have dreamed to touch before... Everything seemed colored in rose tints. Nothing, she thought, could ruin this for her."

"Until one day, while walking through the palace gardens and hiding herself in hibiscus bushes for a moment of privacy, she spied the queen and her council having a leisurely business stroll.

'... the princesses are acclimating just fine.' she could hear one councilwoman say, 'Alveera is engrossed in her lessons, Conley, well, she was born for this, and... Ember is doing as we anticipated. We will likely have to relent and let her fight again. The people want it as much as she and, perhaps, that will boost her ratings. Speaking of, you should know that Conley, while a marvel, is not faring as well as we had hoped. In fact, Alveera is polling better. The people are excited about her ideas of,' the council woman scoffs, 'equity.'

'Are you truly worried, Coe? The girl is a romantic and romantics do not lead revolutions; she is but a mere puppet there to please peasants. She will never be taken seriously and if you are half as good at your job as hoped, you would know how to take care of this. Must I do everything myself? I am the queen, I know, but I assumed the council was here to assist me.'

'Ah, your majesty, of course...'

"At that point, Alveera's eyes were so wide with scandal that she hardly heard anything else. As soon as the queen and her council were far enough away, she leapt from the bushes and rushed to the only people she thought she could trust, the other princesses. Now, when she told them what she had heard they looked between each other and laughed. They said, 'Sweet Alveera, how can you not know this?' and waved Alveera's concerns to the side, as if it is perfectly alright to go through the show of selecting princesses only to be manipulate the results."

"So just what did Alveera do? Well, she could not sit idly by while this injustice was done to her people––the very people she had sworn an oath to serve. Swiftly, she came up with a plan to save her country, even knowing that the odds were so stacked against her. Over the course of years, she forged alliances with the good noblewomen, peasant unions, spiritual teachers, and built a powerful following of her own––not one as strong as the queen and her council, but strong enough that they stood a chance."

"On the day before the coronation gauntlet was to begin, all the princesses and the court were gathered to send their well wishes to each princess. However, Alveera was nowhere to be seen. No one could locate her. Just as they were about to call the hounds to search for her, she emerged in the court, clad in shining steel armor and brandishing her chameleon colored sword. Then and there she invoked a long forgotten law of the land that allowed a princess to challenge the queen herself to a Death match for the throne, skipping the gauntlet entirely."

"The queen, not wanting to seem a coward in her own court during her final days, accepted, also figuring that this would be an easy way to get rid of such a pest. However, what she had not prepared for? She had not prepared herself for Alveera's mastery of the sword. See, over the years Alveera had been closely monitored and, knowing this, she made sure that during each of her sword lessons she acted as an incompetent buffoon or otherwise disinterested in the art. However, in the dead of night, she had been training in secret with her most trusted guard."

"As a result, the battle was quite heated. The swords clashed and clanged, blood was spilled, and when Alveera saw her moment she swung her sword like a bat to lob off the queen's head. Instantly, there was panic in the court, especially amongst the council, but this had been something Alveera had accounted for. Just as practiced, her allies among the noblewomen stepped forward and supported Alveera's claim. Conley, even, honored the traditions of the law and bowed to Alveera and Ember followed suit, never having been that interested in the whole ordeal anyway."

"And so, Alveera became the queen and over the course of many, many years, she was able to change the course of a nation and, in some ways, saved her people from tyranny they had been inured to for generations."

 

[Syntra]

Courage, Iskra knew, was the seed of greatness. Without it, her ancestors never would have resisted their tyrant gods, nor would have they found the way to combine the human essence with that of the Shade-- as such, whole galaxies of wonder would have remained out of their reach. (Whole galaxies of horror, too, but what were wonder and horror if not two sides of the same coin? Soul sisters, joined by an umbilical cord? Iskra knew and knew and knew, oh so intimately, how easily one could transform into the other! As stealthily as the day morphed into the night at winter, without anyone being able to pinpoint when the process had started exactly.) So, anyway, most people would agree that courage was good. How not, after all? The pirate herself had saved countless lives via acting instead of dwelling in her thoughts, too, so she could certainly see the merits of that particular interpretation. The problem with the trait, however? Occasionally, it made you do, ah, inadvisable things. You know, such as goading you into crawling into a half-naked princess's bed! Oh, by the Shade, by the Shade, by the Shade. What have I done?! The correct way to phrase that question would have been to ask about what she had failed to do, though, because, to tell you the truth... well, Iskra simply hadn't realized the gravity of the situation. With the blanket draped over Verity, it had been easy to forget about her state of (un)dress, you see? But now... ah, now she was so, so aware that the mere thought filled her veins with fire.

(The fire was contagious, too. The source of it was somewhere in her stomach, Iskra knew, but like all fires, it consumed, consumed and consumed-- soon enough, nothing would remain of her, and perhaps that was for the best. A woman so chained by her desires shouldn't have the right to exist, you know? Her inability to control herself, to rein those wild impulses in, brought great shame upon the ones who had raised her. 'Iskra the soldier?' Pfft, yeah, right. 'Iskra the weakling' would have been much more apt! ...yet, yet the pirate also felt that it was worth it, somehow. A single touch of Verity's, in exchange for her soul? Even if the flames devoured her flesh, Iskra told herself, the reward would still outmatch her suffering thousandfold.) ...wait, wait, wait. Could the princess actually read her mind? Because her offer, ah, reflected her thoughts in a rather curious manner. "As close as I'd like," the pirate repeated, trying to suppress, and rather unsuccessfully at that, all the fantasies of 'closeness' her mind managed to conjure up. (What would it be like, to press her into the mattress? To leave no space between them, and explore all those uncharted territories? Would she gasp in surprise, perhaps? Would her audacity stun her? How long it would take, really, before the princess was reduced to begging? All very, very interesting questions, the pirate had to admit.) "F-fine," she stammered. "I think I'd like to try a certain position. It's, um, awkward, trying to stay on the opposite side of bed when it was clearly designed with something else in mind." Yes, that was her main motivation! Wanting to touch Verity or anything silly like that obviously had nothing to do with it.

Reluctantly, the pirate huddled closer, and when she found herself in the princess's reach? She rested her head on her chest, softly, as if the worries of crushing her plagued her mind. "There. That's... that's nice, I think. Is it nice for you as well?" By the Shade, what a stupid question! Bearing someone's weight in this way couldn't be all too pleasant, and one would have thought Iskra had learned not to beg for the answers that would break her heart by that point. Too bad, however, that that hypothetical person would have been wrong! Once a glutton for punishment, always a glutton for punishment, it seemed.

Verity's chest rose and fell, rose and fell, rose and fell, and within that comforting rhythm, Iskra found an odd sense of peace. It was simple, indeed, to let her voice carry her away into the land of fantasy-- the land that, ah, apparently had more in common with reality than she would have expected. Alveera, huh. Are you sure that her name wasn't Verity, my dearest? My guiding star? Verity hadn't offered her that kind of confirmation, however, and so Iskra wagered she had no right to pry. Besides, this rendition of events was clearly heavily edited-- as far as the pirate knew, her princess had never received the title of a queen, after all. (What was fiction, and what was but a reflection of something rooted in truth? Among all that smoke and mirrors, clues were hidden, but Iskra knew not how to look for them. Ah, how maddening!) "An inspiring tale," the pirate muttered nonetheless. "I'd repay you in kind, but my mind isn't the kind of soil in which stories can grow. As such, I can only ever offer you my own experiences, Verity. And, truly, why not? You've seen the worst I have to offer, so perhaps you deserve to hear something different as well." For a moment, Iskra fell quiet.

"Have I ever told you about why I decided to rebel? Aside from the Holy Vessel being a cruel, incompetent ruler, I mean. On some level, I suspect that I've always known, but it took me a while to realize it. Would you like to know what convinced me? What my first act of disobedience was?" Quietly, Iskra inhaled, and breathed life into her memories.

"Back then, I was still a loyal lapdog. Whatever she commanded of me, I would obey without question-- the consequences did not interest me, as in my eyes, she was a goddess. The personification of something much, much greater than all of us. You must understand, Verity, that such was the way of things," Iskra said, oh so quietly. "In my language, the guardians were even called ereenshiyah. Do you know what that means? A Hand. The Holy Vessel's hand, or at least that's what the implication was. To exercise one's will was a great sin, for you were not supposed to have it in the first place. That being said... I made a friend," the pirate confessed, her voice more than just a little strained. "A fellow guardian. We weren't even supposed to meet, in truth, but a mistake in our scheduling allowed for it. So shocked I was to see her standing in my designated spot that I dropped my sword, and... and she handed it to me, and smiled in such a way that my heart exploded right there and then. That was supposed to be the end of it, but I was drawn to her, for a reason I don't understand. She seemed to be drawn to me, too. We met a few times, hidden under the veil of night-- she'd bring me small presents, and I'd sing to her. Singing is something I am, ah, good at. She seemed to appreciate it."

"I imagine you can understand where this is going, can't you? They caught us red-handed, of course. It was bound to happen eventually. Our sisters dragged us to the throne room, and as a punishment, the Holy Vessel ordered me to kill her. I could see it in her eyes, you know-- the desire for blood, how much she wanted for me to stain my hands with it, and just how sure she was that I'd do it. Well, I didn't! I refused her. 'No,' I said, and it was such a tiny word, but it made me feel so, so powerful in that moment as if I was the one wearing the crown. Naturally," Iskra laughed, "it didn't go anywhere. It couldn't. Estrelle, my friend, didn't refuse her, and so I died by her hand that day. That was the first time it happened, but not the last one. Over and over and over, she was made to kill me, but that couldn't snatch that feeling of victory away from me, you see? Because I said no, and stood by it. Despite everything."

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

There is a peace like Verity has never experienced when Iskra rests her head on her chest. As if all the storms of her Life have finally passed and now she may finally take care of the aftermath. The gentleness of Iskra's head on her chest soothes almost all of her idle worries, causing her to feel less alone in this existence. So, no, she is not bothered in the slightest when the pirate chooses their position––it matches the fragment of that poem she is so fond of, even if she had originally wanted to lay atop Iskra. This, however, is even better.

With the pirate tucked comfortably against her body, she adjusts the blankets, doing her best to ensure that she is still covered, and traces small circles between Iskra's shoulder blades; then her fingers sinks lower to outline the bumps of her spine, her ribs, really just caressing all the places she's never touched before. Her other arm drapes over the pirate's torso, holding her close and securing them to this position. Like this, the princess does feel like she can protect this dandy lion of hers and that, perhaps, she is strong enough to push away all the plagues that haunt her companion.

As much as she could get lost just lying in bed with her pirate, the promise that she is about to find out just what sparked Iskra's rebellion snaps her full attention; she stills her breathing, tries to quiet her heart, and stops her mind from distracting her, for this is a story she knows she wants to savor. (Naturally, she has wondered and thought to ask more about Iskra the rebel leader; the question has sat at the tip of her tongue for so long and while she rarely hesitates with her questions... Rebellion may be an inspiring topic for the historic record, but to live through one? To lead one, even? Verity knows that success and failure both bring great Pain to any rebel. After all, it is no happy affair that calls the people to arms. It is the angry stage of Grief, when all know their losses have been unfair, without warrant, and they have no Fear for there is nothing else to mourn.) She braves herself for whatever she is about to hear, unknowing how to prepare her heart and what emotions to expect.

Quietly, she nods then closes her eyes as she pictures the story in her head. As the story plays, she cannot help but to wonder skeptically, ‘A friend?’ because while this may be Iskra’s genuine interpretation of their relationship, the princess sees the romance of the story. After all, why else meet under the cover of night? Perhaps Iskra does come from a land where even friendship is forbidden, but if the patterns of the universe follow… she would guess that they were in trouble for the romantic implications. Regardless of whether or not either of them were aware of what was transpiring between them.

There is also something inspiring about her rebellion––not because of the inherent nature of the topic, but because her rebellion was so personal and inspired by the connection she shared with another soul. (Again, quite romantic.) Love, or some form of it, inspired her to ask the Divinities' most important question: why? And with whatever answer she found, she realized that she did not have to do everything she was told, that she could defy the woman she regarded as a goddess. This is why the story stands out to the princess and it is one she knows will also stand out in her chronicle of the captain's Life.

As the story of Iskra's first rebellion finishes, the princess lays quiet for several moments taking it all in and analyzing each and every implication, even noting the parallels between Estrelle and herself. 'So I am not the first confidant to slay her,' she muses, actually surprised by this fact. However, she does recognize that with Estrelle, the pirate does not seem hurt over the Deaths. Or, if she is then she is choosing to focus on the triumph of her defiance and not the sting of betrayal. It's quite obvious she has questions about that, but, for the Time being, she is not sure how to bring it up.

Rather, she looks down at her friend, with the hint of a smile on her lips, “I have always wondered what caused you to rise, so my curiosity thanks you for sharing. Though I will admit, I had assumed your entire rebellion had been built on demanding Justice, similar to Alveera's, and to learn otherwise? That friendship truly is what inspired you to see in full color?” she squeezes Iskra just a little bit tighter, “There is something Beautiful in that… and tragic, as I know how it all ended.”

Needless to say, the princess does have several questions about the story and while she remembers what happened the last Time she pried into this particular chapter of the captain’s Life… She cannot help herself. "If I may pry... Would you do it all over again? Knowing how it all ends?" (It's a question that sits with the princess given the choices she has made. Some days she thinks that, yes, she would have done many things different. But, then, if that all meant never having to flee her planet? Never meeting the pirate who is in her arms right now? Aboard the ship that saved her people during the exodus? Then she thinks, no, she wouldn't change a single thing.) "Where or who do you think you would be today had you never defied the Holy Vessel?"

Then softly, like she’s scared to ask, “What was Estrelle like?” It’s not jealousy that compels her to ask or even the Desire to compare herself to this woman, she simply wants to know. “To have been the woman who awakened your spark, I imagine she must have been a marvel.” (She distinctly does not want to know what happened to this woman. Something within her very bones tells her that she already knows how that story ends.)

 

[Syntra]

Well, that was the question, wasn’t it? Would Iskra have done it, had she been blessed with the gift of clairvoyance? (Every mistake she’d ever made was a knife under her skin, and the knife went deeper, deeper, deeper, with every movement of her limbs. Sometimes, the pirate almost forgot about it, you know? Forgot about it and tried to move freely, as if she wasn’t chained to her past-- as if she could soar the skies, free like a bird. In the end, of course, the knives reminded her. ‘Your fault,’ they whispered, in a voice colder than steel. ‘Your fault, your fault, your fault!’ Given the choice, would she prefer to run away from it? To throw her pain to the wind, and scrub her soul clean? Except that, you see, it wasn’t that simple. It rarely was. The choice Verity had offered her wasn’t a choice between light and darkness, or purity and filth, or even between black and white. Oh no, no, no. Everything in this universe was connected, depended on one another, really, and if you took a single component away? The whole structure would collapse, creating a pattern so staggeringly complex that Iskra dared not predict its shape.)

“I’ve thought about it often,” the pirate admitted, reaching for Verity’s hand. (With her thumb, she traced a circle on the princess’s palm. Why? What was the meaning hidden behind that action? Iskra had no idea, but slowly, she was coming to terms with the fact she was as helpless in her own body as an ant caught up in a tornado.) “What if, what if, what if? Fruitless questions, I know, but I couldn’t help myself. I suppose that brains just work that way-- when there’s no mystery for them unravel, they simply proceed to unravel themselves. But, to answer your query… what I did brought great grief to many, many people, Verity. If I could, I’d absolutely do things differently. That being said, though? I don’t believe that my fault lay in resisting the Holy Vessel. The woman was cruel, and unfit to rule. A mad dog that would have devoured us all, sooner or later. Paranoia shares a lot of parallels with hunger, doesn't it? As it grows, you yearn for more and more and more, and before you know it, your whole life revolves around satisfying that urge. Nothing is ever more important, too. The ones that oppose you? They stand between you and that which is yours, and that means they deserve death. Later, you realize that those who didn’t defend your rights furiously enough deserve death as well, for they failed to serve you. And, now that you think of it, shouldn’t everyone be dead? You never know, after all, who is a traitor, a future traitor, or a supporter of traitors. Better nip any dissent in the bud, wouldn’t you agree? So, no, I do not regret that I found my voice. I should have said different things, perhaps, but I am happy that I chose not to remain mute. And…” there was a layer of shyness to her voice now, as she looked up to the princess, “I suppose that, sometimes, roses can grow from mistakes as well. I mean, without them, I doubt that our paths would have crossed. By the Shade, I doubt I ever would have left my planet! Of course,” the pirate chuckled, “it would be a terrible thing to say that I am happy all those people died, solely because I got to meet you. That my planet was a suitable enough sacrifice. Frankly, I am afraid to even utter such powerful words, but it is true that you are one of the few good things that came out of it. For you, if not for anything else, I am thankful.”

…Estrelle, huh. Her name, too, was yet another of those knives-- Iskra still felt that wound keenly, as if she had received it yesterday. (Blood oozed from it, too. Whenever she so much as thought if it, the trickle turned into a waterfall, and ah, how beautiful it would have been to drown in it! That way, at least, the pain would finally cease.) “She was… a bit older than me, I guess,” the pirate began, deciding to focus on the superficial details for now. “Beautiful, with sun-kissed skin. Her hair was touched by fire, and I remember her having this… this really pleasant voice? It made me think of a sea, for some reason. Of a sea, and water, and all things cold but not cruel. That being said,” she admitted, “I don’t think I knew her. Not truly. We only met a few times, and we didn’t dare to waste our words. In the palace, you see, even the walls had ears. I mostly just enjoyed her presence, and presumably, she enjoyed mine. This is going to sound strange, but I think it may have been a boon as well? As in, it allowed me to… well, assume, to my heart’s content. I couldn’t ask her anything, so my mind filled in the blanks. I did it a lot. The Estrelle I knew liked all the things I liked, for example, and hated that which I couldn’t stand. She even went so far as to love my favorite meals! Her neck must have hurt terribly from how often she nodded-- more faithfully than my own shadow, even. Now, don’t get me wrong, Verity. Today, I understand that what we had was a weak, paltry thing, but in all honesty? It was all I could have had at that time, and back then, it was everything to me. Everything.”

Her throat grew tighter, as if she’d swallowed something too large for her mouth, though such a technicality couldn’t stop her. The damn had broken, and that meant the whole damn river was going to spill, you know? “I hated having to kill her,” Iskra whispered into the silence. “She fought on the Holy Vessel’s side, after we instigated the coup. I hoped that she’d see the light, that she’d come to grasp just how empty our service was, but… but she didn’t. To the very end, she remained her prisoner. I really… really tried, Verity. To no avail.”

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

In how the pirate answers the first of her queries, she sees a mirror image of herself. When asking the question, she had thought it silly to ask another soul full of Regret and bittersalt whether or not she would have done something different. The answer almost always has to be yes, for the sick Disease that demands perfection and seems to exist in nearly every person that Verity has ever met, extends beyond the boundaries of countries and planets. Of course, maybe it is not perfection that motivates these Desires for difference within the pirate, she supposes it's not what drives her either. Still, the need or want to do better for the people who died, whose lives may or may not have been in your hands... She understands that on a most visceral level. (The screams echo in her ears from Time to Time, most often before she is lulled into Sleep. The mangled bodies, carved with messages on their skin, left sitting inside of her own home... she remembers them too.) Maybe this is not the topic one should want to fall asleep to, but in a galaxy where Verity has felt alone there is solace in knowing Iskra shares her Grief. It may be different and the similarities still tie them together.

Solemnly, the princess nods in agreement, "I, too, feel similarly. I am not sure there will ever be a version of myself who does not wish to go back and change that which set the course of history to where it is today. But, the thought is more complicated now, because since my exile I have gone where no descendant has ever gone. Done things our story tellers could only ever imagine. If there were a way for myself to have both, where I can prevent all the harm done to my people and still have gotten to leave my planet, traverse the galaxy... and meet a pirate, that is what I would want." She doesn't want to admit what she would choose if she could only have one of those things––her Life as it is or her Life where she stops the queen––because, in all honesty, she feels the choice should be obvious and it just isn't. Not to her––maybe to Halen, but she is not that princess and cold logic does not rule her. "I'd like to believe we would have found each other no matter what, because knowing you has only filled my Life with utter clarity."

As Iskra continues on to describe Estrelle, her first star, she combs her fingers through the captain's hair. And, as it would turn out, Verity had been wrong about Estrelle. There truly had not been a romance between them, just an idealization of what Iskra had never known to want before––so powerful it was, that it created its own Life. She doesn't discredit the relationship or the story with this realization, because to say that romantic relationships are the most impactful, those most worthy of the stars in the skies, ignores the hidden sages one meets in strangers. The impact of the story is still felt and, somewhat surprisingly, knowing more about them only saddens the princess and brings more tragedy to the tale. Perhaps because she can relate. "It is bitter, isn't it? When the ones we want to love into being better, into being the versions of themselves that we see, are just ill-equipped to do so? By no fault of our own or theirs, even. It seems as though Estrelle could not break from the chains of the monster that held her and, well, I know a girl similar to her. Though, with her, I think she chose to embrace the monster that chained her and usurped it. I do not believe she is a prisoner to anyone, not anymore at least."

Before Verity continues, silence passes over them. In that silence her head fills with all the things she has never breathed, never wanted to breathe, and yet now she finds herself invited to do so. "Do you remember that first poem I ever shared with you?" she asks, averting her gaze away from the pirate to stare off into the corner of the room. "The subject of that poem and the woman I am referring to are the same. Her name is Seraphina and she is the queen of my home country," she starts, her voice low and quiet, each word sounds strained and for reasons unknown, she can feel her eyes beginning to water at the mere mention of her name. She inhales sharply, "I once thought that I could change her if I showed her what love and devotion was; I think, in many ways, I pitied her and what she had gone through and desperately wanted to fix her because I could tell she was wounded. She would never have admitted to that, but the Pain was there clear for anyone to see. She even acknowledged it once, but when I think back on that moment I have to wonder if she were even being true or trying to amuse herself with my reaction. See, with her, few things were genuine."

"In any case, when Seraphina was coronated, Halen had wanted to act then and there to dismantle the monarchy but it was I who said that we should wait and give her a chance. I wanted to believe that she was capable of good, I thought I had caught glimpses of it, but it was not so. She swiftly made it clear that dissent would be met with Violence. I'm not sure whether it was Fear or still naïvely hoping she would change, but I did serve her and I remained close with her. Granted, it was not all for naught, there were things she was willing to entertain and she did take some of my suggestions. But what did that matter when all the grain was still held hostage? When the people in colonies were enslaved? When the gladiators roamed the streets and cut down anyone they wished because they knew their queen would back their bloodlust?"

"I was foolishly hopeful and Halen tried to get me to see that. She did succeed, actually, and once she had me convinced that the Time to act was then and not a moment later, she proposed this plan where I was to use my relationship with the queen to assassinate her. I wasn't ever keen on the idea––I knew she needed to be removed, but killing her? It was both the obvious answer and just one I did not want to be responsible for, but Halen was right. I was far closer with her and it made it easier to have a private audience without our entourage. So, one evening, Seraphina and I met for dinner at my residence. I had the poison hidden in my ring and all I needed to do was slip it into her chalice. Easy, right? Well, on that particular evening she was being just so pleasant that I thought she had turned a new leaf, so I did nothing. I had my chance and did nothing. Evidently, she found out, no thanks to Halen, and storms of fire and glass were cast over the land. I could have stopped that."

 

[Syntra]

"Perhaps," Iskra nodded solemnly. "Fate has its ways, I've found out. Maybe I was never meant to serve the Vessel-- I like to think that I was placed there, perhaps, to learn a lesson or two about subservience. About how tyrants work. About the weight of failure, and learning to bear it. Granted, maybe I'm just trying to make sense of it all, but isn't that what life is? Seeking connections where there aren't any, in hopes of learning from it all. The galaxy itself may be cold and uncaring, but through pretending it isn't, we make it... well, not that. Coldness is but an absence of warmth, isn't it? So, theoretically, we can change that, for we are all warm-blooded. We do carry that essence of caring inside of our souls, I believe. It's just that, sometimes, it's hard to let that spark develop into something greater. Into a fire, strong enough to burn through the indifference." ...how was it so easy to express her thoughts, even? Usually, they floated around in her head, like smoke or mist or fog, and it was so, so hard to grasp them-- a fool's errand, almost. (It was Verity, Iskra decided. A guiding star's purpose was to help you find your way, after all, so in its light, everything was easier to see. Even her own reflection, really.)

"That it is," Iskra agreed. "I suppose that there is a lesson to be extracted from this, too. I mean, it being bitter isn't necessarily bad, now is it? Medicaments often are, and yet, in that bitterness, there is treasure to be found. Wisdom, the likes of which can never be found anywhere else. And as for what I learned from it all?" The pirate paused, and interlaced her fingers with those of the princess. "That you can't save everyone. There is a peculiar sense of honor in trying, sure, but in the end, you can only do so much. You can lead a horse to water, though you cannot make him drink. Weird as it is, I don't even... find it depressing?" she looked up to Verity, her eyes a pair of stars. "It's hard to explain, really. Ultimately, I think it's about responsibility. There is something freeing, indeed, in that realization that it's not your job to be everyone's messiah-- that the only person you can change is yourself, and the rest of it is just smoke and mirrors. That we're always alone, in the end. A separate universe exists inside each of us, I think, with borders that cannot be breached. From time to time, though? You find yourself wanting to let someone else in, and even if you can't, you forge bonds so firm that it feels like they're a part of it. As in... they've never been there, but it seems like they have, you know? Because they put so much effort into trying to know you. A beautiful thing, if you ask me."

Iskra knew not what she expected from this night, but truthfully? Verity opening up about her past was probably one of the most unexpected possibilities out there, considering just how skillfully she'd danced around implications before. (Ah, how sweet it was, to hear the full truth from her! Both sweet and bitter, and everything in between. She, too, forged herself from pieces of her dreams, Iskra realized. Indeed, the deeper she dug, the more parallels she discovered! What could a princess and a pirate have in common, hmm? Everything, as it turned out.)

"You couldn't have known," Iskra whispered. "Chasing yesterday's failures is a seductive endeavor, perhaps, but a fruitless one. An exercise in futility. You will never have the benefit of hindsight when you truly need it, you see? Sadly, we only receive those lessons when we no longer need them." Speaking of which... hmm. Why did that situation ring so, so familiar to her? Like an echo of something that had been said to her before, maybe-- the words warped, the message distorted, but still somewhat recognizable. "Was that why you killed me?" Iskra blurted out, unable to stop herself. "In an attempt not to repeat your past mistakes?" It was heartbreaking, to think that Verity could have ever seen her in the same light that was doubtlessly reserved for that Seraphina person, but... well. Outside of the prison of her own perspective, it did make terrifying amounts of sense! So much sense, even, that the realization almost snapped her in half. "I guess I understand," the pirate whispered, her words remarkably free of poison. "I was your captor, after all. I think I forgot, mainly because it was so, so easy to get lost in your charm, but I imagine that you found it much easier to keep that detail in mind. You did, didn't you? In a way, I did deserved to be thought of as a villain, even. I intended to take that which was never meant to be mine, and that is a great sin. I am planning to be a better person now, though. Can you forgive me, for refusing to see your side of the story before? I did hurt, yes, but I was too wrapped up in my own pain to recognize how much you suffered during... during all of that. It blinded me to the full truth, I'm afraid. And, regarding Seraphina? It's never too late, Verity. If you wish to help your people in any way, we can still do that. There is no need to involve Halen and her selfish ways. I mean, if the matter still weighs on your soul... we can try to make a difference, somehow. From what I understand, your country isn't beyond salvation just yet. We don't have to dedicate our lives to it," ah, yes, our lives, our, because they were a package deal now, "but perhaps striving would bring you some sort of closure."

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

"In my homelands... we like to think of Life as a collection of lessons we are to learn until we reach mastery and then we move on to the next set of lessons. I believe that is why we refer to our goddesses as sages instead, for we draw upon their wisdom in our Times of crises," Verity replies, not really surprised to find this particular connection between herself and the pirate. Even if the notion is the very foundation of her people's spiritual practices, there is something intuitive to it that she has assumed all others must find in their own lives as well––the will to make meaning from all of Life's offerings. She has seen even hopeless people find hope using sages to guide their spirit, to find meaning in the most perilous of situations. In that sense, she imagines they can be creators as much as they can be destroyers. (As a storyteller, she has wondered if stories are not just another way to make sense of experience? Sure there may be mythic elements and accounts that cause one to question the verity of the tales, but in essence the message and themes all seem to point to one signature constant: how does the human spirit persevere? Is it for love of a woman? A country? Is it vengeance? Is it hatred?) "Before, Iskra, you said that you might fancy writing for an audience. I think these thoughts are ones worthy of record. The chronicle of your Life should include your own voice, too."

"Your wisdom continues to paint my soul in new colors and I should think many others might think the same," she smiles down at her companion, rubbing her thumb over the back of Iskra's hand once they are entwined together. Then she takes Iskra's hand and presses it flat over her heart, holding her palm there by resting her own hand over hers. With the captain's hand over her heart, she can feel her heartbeat and how it changes depending on what her friend says or does. "Had you been in my Life even a day sooner, I think the impact would have been felt through to the end of my Life. See, I have trouble not regarding myself as the heroines I admire in stories. Much of me wants to rescue all and I know that is not a ignoble Desire to have, but I do recognize how it will gray my hairs long before they should. It is hard having to make peace that my Life exists in reality and that I cannot exist on the pages of a book where anything and everything is possible. I feel chained by limitation," she sighs.

However, when Iskra speaks of Seraphina and does not fault Verity for the foolishness she has used to whip herself in the privacy of her mind when it is late or when she is alone? She feels a sense of ease wash over her knowing this woman understands the animal of her heart. She'd say something on it, but what Iskra says next stops everything. Her heart stills and she knows that the pirate can probably feel it. Evidently, Verity had been addressing the core reason behind her betrayal, but she had not the courage nor strength to say it outright. She had not even expected for Iskra to put the pieces together on her own. She had been planning on doing that for her when she felt there were a moment she wouldn't mind ruining, but then the pirate addresses it on her own... and forgives her? She does not want to get ahead of herself, but her eyes do well with tears before she can even recognize what is happening. She closes her eyes and a small stream races down her cheeks as she nods, "Yes..." Once more she inhales sharply all the while opening her eyes and bringing her gaze back down to Iskra. "I know that I told you my betrayal of your trust had been about the wayfinder," even mentioning that relic is sour in her mouth, "but that really is not true. My betrayal, when I think about it more, had more to do with Seraphina and thinking there was something analogous in you that could somehow avenge the mistake of not taking her down when I had the clear chance," she admits, shame coloring her sentences, "It came over me like a summer's storm, both quickly and all at once. When I saw threads that were not there I acted in disgrace."

"Please do not mistake that I think you anything like her––even as my captor I do not necessarily fault you for that. In all fairness, I came aboard this ship and tried to execute you within mere minutes of our first meeting. And I cannot say that I ever felt like a prisoner until after I had betrayed you," because that is when her freedoms had truly been infringed upon. Again, however, it goes without saying that her treatment had been warranted. "I have already forgiven you a thousand Times over for keeping me a prisoner; you did let me walk away, after all, and I do not fault you for not seeing my perspective following my betrayal. I would not ask that of you... I took your Life away from you, even if you are still here, I took more than an apology could ever be worth."

Then when Iskra suggests that there is still hope for her people and that she would be willing to pursue the endeavor with her? That also overwhelms the princess and she doesn't exactly know how to respond other than by squeezing the pirate tighter. "I am not sure of what to say––I shall think on it, for I cannot say the idea is not pleasing and, truly, I had not thought that perhaps I could run a campaign of my own to save Aurora. However, I would not want you to forgo your own campaign in favor of my own." She is not sure if it is even possible for them both to work simultaneously on their goals, but at least, with Aurora, she has peace in knowing there is another out there working to save the nation. Where Iskra's country is concerned? It seems as though only the pirate and her crew are working to achieve that end.

As another bout of silence passes over them, with all the comfort of a familiar friend, something from their earlier conversations seems to come to her then, perhaps in light of everything they have shared. She sighs and presses her mouth to the top of Iskra's head, whispering, "Earlier this evening, you said that you realized that you cannot save me from who you are by hiding the truth and similarly, I cannot obfuscate myself any longer. Whatever it is you want to know about me, I shall tell you. Just ask and I shall not hide behind a poem or a story, I shall bare my soul to you, my darling dearest, in full transparency. That is my promise to you, Iskra."

 

[Syntra]

Sacred, that was what the moment was. Iskra couldn't explain it properly, and if you had asked her about it, she would have merely shrugged, but it just felt that way, you see? The darkness, Verity's embrace, the sweet promises whispered into her ear-- all those factors mixed together in the most peculiar way, and she... well, she didn't ever want this to end. Would it not have been wonderful, if they could lie like this forever? Wrapped up in each other, away from the struggles of the outside world. (Finally, finally Iskra felt complete. Safe, in ways she just hadn't experienced before. Everything fell into place, like a puzzle the pirate hadn't known she'd been trying to solve, and the result? The result was that the sun kissed her face, allowing her to bask in its warm rays.) "I won't be afraid to ask, then," she whispered before gripping her hand tighter. "I hope you understand what you're saying here, Verity, because I am hungry for details. Hungry for you. The real you, that you haven't shown to anyone else before. I want all of that and more." I want, I want, I want! So natural, so right it felt, indeed, that the captain wanted to shout it from the rooftops, or to tattoo it on her skin-- an eternal reminder that it was her right, no matter what the Holy Vessel had claimed. I shall drown that voice, Iskra promised to herself. She's gone, and her words mean nothing. Less than the rustling of dry leaves. And it case it ever reached her ears? Or rather, when it reached her ears, for that was bound to happen? Iskra would turn to Verity, instead of listening to the ghosts of her past. Yes, yes! That, she decided, was her way.

The next few days were, ah, surprisingly draining. It wasn't that they had a lot of work to take care of, even-- Inure floated through the space undisturbed, like the ruler of the skies that she was. No, the difficulties came from her own crew! Iskra knew not what had happened, but the way they glanced at her? How they fell suspiciously silent whenever she entered the room, as if they didn't want her to hear whatever they'd been discussing? While the captain wasn't a gossip enthusiast, she wasn't naive enough not to recognize when she was being targeted, dammit. (What was it that they were talking about, though? Not a single scandal marred her reputation, as far as she was aware. Freshly fallen snow couldn't be purer than her, she knew and knew and knew, so this made no sense at all! ...and, ah, the not-so-pristine thoughts regarding Verity? Those may have begun to pop up in her head, alright, but the pirate hadn't actually told anyone. So, as long as Myrne hadn't invented some mind-reading device, it was highly unlikely that... oh, by the Shade. What if she had invented it? What if, what if, what if?! Her reputation would be in shambles, no doubt, and, and, and!!! Calm down, Iskra told herself. No need for you to feed that particular strain of paranoia.) Either way, with her princess still undecided as to what her next course of action should be, the pirate opted to follow one of the earlier threads-- one of those wishes still unfulfilled, and promises that had marked their reconciliation.

"Are you awake, my guiding star?" Iskra asked after knocking on Verity's door. "We shall be entering the atmosphere of a certain planet soon, and I believe that you might find our next location... hmm, most interesting. For various reasons. Will you grace me with your presence?"

As Inure's engines grew more and more quiet, and then quieter still, the ship landed smoothly. Ever gallant, Iskra offered Verity her hand, and when the two stepped outside? Why, they found themselves in a bustling desert city, with sand the color of pearls stretching as far as the eye could see. And the sky? Oh, the sky was red, like thousands of rubies piled onto one another! "Have you ever been to Gillia, Verity?" Iskra smiled good-naturedly, before looking around and picking a direction. (Presumably, she was leading them somewhere, but where? For some reason, the pirate didn't feel like sharing that factoid.) "It's quite a sight, isn't it? The sky is red, the locals say, because it got soaked in the blood of their enemies. Many conquerors tried to claim the planet for themselves, you see, for its riches awakened great envy in their hearts. Still, they've never succeeded. Ah, here it is!" And, indeed, there it was. In the middle of the plaza, a large tree was growing from the rare patch of soil-- large enough, indeed, that the canopy reached the heavens. From where they stood, it couldn't even be seen! (The Shade itself must have swallowed her tongue then, for her voice was nowhere to be found. What did one even say when confronted with such glory? All words seemed pointless, pointless, pointless!)

"Have you come to admire the Hryzn, strangers?" a short, big-eyed woman asked, long before Iskra freed herself from the spell. "You're in luck, then, because it has just started to bear fruit. The best peaches you'll ever taste, oh yes, oh yes! Be aware, however, that the great World Tree doesn't just feed anyone who asks nicely. No, should you want to enjoy the products of its labor, you will have to climb it! And deal with alllll the dangers that are waiting for you there," she beamed at Verity, the very picture of innocence. "Do you think you're worthy, hmm? Or have you perhaps just come to pay your respects to the Grand Ancestor? I wouldn't blame you if that was the case, honestly. This year, the trial is supposed to be particularly unforgiving. Although..." the woman gave them a mysterious smile, "...that might imply that your reward could be greater than a single peach. Who knows? Certainly not me, a humble servant of Hryzn's."

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

Their night together had not lasted nearly long enough for the princess. Though it's suffice to say that there is no measurable amount of Time with her captain that would ever sate Verity. Especially if she lets her mind remind herself of their limited Time together. The nature of Iskra's Life, she knows, will take her long before she will ever be ready to let go and she can already taste the bitterness of it on her tongue, almost like a poison. (Easily, the princess could walk away and choose another to spend her heart on, but she has never even entertained the thought. In fact, the thought has never even crossed her mind as if it is not even an option for her to consider. Already, her heart is faithfully Iskra's for as long as she wants it to be hers.)

Gone is the night where the pirate rested peacefully in her arms and provided such comfort that the terrors that regularly plague her slumber had not dared to disturb her. (Perhaps too frightened by the prospect of having to deal with her pirate were they to disturb her calm.) Without the safety of Iskra, the hauntings once more reach to ensnare the princess's mind. This nightmare starts wrapped in the safety of a dream, where she and Iskra walk hand in hand through the palace gardens. Iskra wears her blue steel uniform that stands in stark contrast to the mirror plate steel of the other guards standing at their posts. They pass through the rose bushes. The orchids. The lillies. Then they take a turn around the corner and they are no longer in the garden, and instead find themselves walking through a dungeon. The Holy Vessel's dungeon of rotting corpses, to be precise. She blinks in surprise and Iskra is no longer at her side, instead she is in the gilded cage. Verity approaches the cage and searches for the lock, frantic, and when she looks up Iskra is not the prisoner any more. In her place, Seraphina stands wearing the wings that brought her fame. She seems confused? Scared? "Verity," she whispers, "Verity, what's going on?" Another voice booms through the dungeon, belonging to none other than Iskra (though she cannot be seen). "Is it not obvious? Death is here to kiss you, Seraphina. Be joyous." Seraphina's eyes widen in horror, "Verity, why? You promised to stay by my side." Anger, like a wave, crashes over the queen and she launches at the bars of the cage, gripping them fiercely. "You treacherous snake––I knew you could never be happy for my success. Always you were jealous of me and what I had. Just like with Osmunda––" In a flash of red, she is interrupted as Verity, now transformed into a large cobra, tears her throat out with her fangs.

The princess wakes with a start, drenched in her sweat, with her heart racing and eyes searching around the room trying to place where she is. It takes her a moment, but as soon as she recognizes Inure's soft light, she calms and sinks back into her bed with a groan, the images of her nightmare still replaying in her mind like a reel stuck on a loop. She rubs her eyes like she's trying to smear away the nightmare and swings her legs over the side of the bed, figuring she may as well prepare herself for the day. Iskra has not said anything about where they are supposed to be going next, but looking out her window, she can tell they are heading towards a planet and will likely have a day or two to stretch out in the sun. (How she misses the days where the sun shining through her window would wake her. Now it is just stars and stars and endless stars at all hours of the day.)

When the pirate knocks at her door, everything about the princess softens and her smile can be heard in her chime, "Just a moment, dearest Iskra." She finishes fixing her hair into twin braids and joins the captain, "I find this mystery most intriguing."

She does not know where Iskra is planning on taking them today, but the joy is in the surprise so she does not inquire further as she trusts the captain's judgment. So when they step off Inure and enter some strange desert with a red sky, her eyes widen trying to capture as much of this strange world as she can possibly manage. It's a good thing she is still holding Iskra's hand as they walk, because her head is turned every which way and definitely not forwards. At one point, she even stoops low to grab a handful of sand to experience how it feels. (It's dry, warm, fine and slips easily through her fingers. Much different than the soft beach sand she is used to.) The air is hot and dry, different than the thick hot air of her homelands––so sticky, it gets stuck in your lungs. The sun still kisses her skin kindly and she relishes in the warmth of the desert, even with its ominous blood colored skies.

"No, I cannot say that I have. My people are quite wary of extraterrestrial travel and we tend to stay on planet," she mutters, her neck still craned as she takes in the sky and the red hue it gives to the landscape. Then her gaze snaps to the large tree––that looks rather outlandish in the middle of a desert where she would sooner except to find a yucca tree than one with such soft leaves. The princess gasps in surprise, staring up at this tree that could easily rival any sequoia in height. The tree seems to send Verity into a trance, as if she can hear it whispering to her and calling her name. (How can it even know her? She has never met this tree before, she is certain of that.) Her mouth hangs agape and her only connection to the planet she is on is the pirate by her side.

The sound of the woman's voice takes her back to the plaza and rather reluctantly, she frees herself from the spell and listens to the local. "Peaches?" she asks, her mouth forming a smile around the word as she looks to her companion and grabs her arm in excitement, "Oh, Iskra, is this why you have taken me here? So that I may taste my first peach?" Her eyes seem to glisten in the sun before she turns back to the woman, who continues to go on about how they are to acquire said fruits.

"Worthy? I am not so sure of my worth, but I should like to have the chance to try." After all, why would a trial scare Verity? The princess who jumps on railing, attempts to assassinate women she has just met, has survived war, and fought a queen whose most notable trait is never letting her opponents live. "I see no reason why I cannot respect this grand ancestor and face her trial."

"Oh, just splendid!" the woman exclaims, taking Verity's hand and pulling her closer to the Hryzn. "Follow me, follow me––this is most exciting. So many have already fallen trying to reach Hryzn's fruits, but I am sure you will not succumb to such a fate," she finishes, almost like she is very much waiting for Verity to succumb to such a fate.

... Not that that even deters the princess. For once she is taken to the starting point, she is quick to grab onto the tree and hoist herself to the first branch. "Iskra, do you plan to join me? It does not sound as though I can bring you back a peach if you wait down here by your lonesome."

 

[Syntra]

"Yes, it is so," Iskra nodded, wearing a graceful smile on her lips. "I said to myself: Why make Verity's experience anything less than truly exceptional? Which is why I thought of this place, really. It is said that Hryzn bears the largest, sweetest peaches in the galaxy, and anything lesser than that isn't even worth your attention. That is whar I think, at the very least." Of course, it was also said that the price Hryzn demanded was quite steep, though had that ever stopped her? Iskra had paid, paid and paid, for most of her life, actually, and nothing this tree could take away from her could possibly match the sacrifices she'd brought to the Holy Vessel's feet. Nothing! (...presumably, it at least wouldn't demand her. What could it dream of even? Blood, to provide precious sustenance? A song, to support its growth? The care of gentle hands, perhaps? All of that Iskra would give up gladly, as long as the tree didn't cross the line in the sand-- the boundaries outlined by her 'no,' the magic word that she'd learned far, far too late. No, she wouldn't compromise her values. Wouldn't, wouldn't, wouldn't! The thing was, the pirate didn't even expect that Hryzn might ask it of her. Not truly, anyway. Perhaps naivety clouded her judgment, but surely, surely a being as wise as the World Tree knew how these games were played? That, if you overestimated your hand, you lost it all...? By the Shade, please. Please, let me not encounter another tyrant.)

"I wouldn't have considered letting you face the trial alone, my sweetest," Iskra said, regardless of her doubts. (Or perhaps exactly because of them? Sending the princess to face those unknown dangers on her own, after all, wouldn't have occurred to her in her wildest dreams. Oh no, no, no. When the universe entrusted the most precious of its pearls in your care, you see, you had to do your best to keep her safe. Cursed were those who didn't, for they saw not its value! In their own grief, they'd drown, in their own grief and tears, and Iskra... ah, Iskra had been too far, far too close to tasting that fate already. Why dodge it, then, if she was going to embrace it in the end? No, that made no sense. ) "How would that be fair? I was the one who remembered this planet, and who lead you there. To claim that this quest is yours alone would be foolish, then. As I do not wish to be a fool, I shall not wash my hands off this responsibility. Besides," she smiled gently, "it is my understanding that Hryzn loves balance. And, truly, what would be a princess without her pirate? A princess without her pirate, or a pirate without her princess? There is a reason why we were born with two legs, Verity, and... ah. Perhaps this is silly, so you may laugh to your heart's content, but I'm beginning to think it is the same reason why we met."

...oh, wow. Where had Iskra even gotten the audacity to say that? Foolish, foolish, foolish! Foolish and terribly, terribly presumptuous-- there was no guarantee, after all, that Verity thought similarly. (She liked her, quite clearly, but to compare herself to a limb in importance? By the Shade, her arrogance truly knew no bounds!) "Let us try, then," the pirate nodded, her cheeks flaming red. "I am sure that, regardless of the obstacles Hryzn will place in our way, there is no way that we can lose. When swords are tempered, they have to be kissed by fire, you see? And I imagine that that is what is going on here, roughly." A being as ancient as Hryzn, Iskra thought, was bound to have standards. Of course that only the best of the best could taste her fruit! "Have you heard about the legend connected to the World Tree?" the pirate asked as she climbed the branches, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

"They, ah, say that Hryzn is the original seed of life. The first carrier, as they call it. From its roots, the rest of the planet gradually grew. So, green and lush it was, and rich in its harvests, apparently, that envy turned people into beasts. Remember how I spoke of those conquerors? They were attracted by those very things. Many wars engulfed the planet and Hryzn's children suffered. They were dying left and right, in great pain, and the World Tree? The World Tree could no longer bear it. It took its energy back, letting the rest of the planet die-- only barren wastelands remained, and the foreign soldiers knew not what to do. How were they supposed to feed themselves? Where should they turn? And since those questions had no right answers," Iskra smiled grimly, "they died, Verity. Out of starvation, and because the very terrain they've come to claim as their own turned against them. Hryzn only decides who gets to eat here now, I've heard. I do wonder how much of it is true, however."

'It's true, true, true,' a voice, as sweet as the fragrance of spring, whispered. 'All of it! I slaughtered the killers, for they were unworthy. They've come to take that which was never meant to be theirs. Knowing this, Verity, why do you think you deserve to taste my flash? Answer, princess. Should your reasons not be satisfactory, I shall... hmmm, draw conclusions from it. Conclusions that may not be very convenient for you, might I add!'

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

As she reaches for the branches and goads her companion into joining her––though there had never been any doubt within the princess's mind that her pirate would join her on this quest––she catches herself getting distracted by the mere implications of what Iskra is saying. Specifically, the idea that she, Verity, deserves to have the very best experience with her first peach and that the captain will not settle for less. To know that that is what is true in Iskra's mind, Verity cannot help but to get caught up in what that could even mean––does it even mean anything? Perhaps she is getting ahead of herself, but she cannot remember the last Time someone ever put this much thought into giving her an experience (a gift that can never be taken away). Then, a rather horrifying thought strikes her, 'What if I don't even like peaches?' Just what will the pirate think then? That she went through all the trouble to think of this memorable experience, to take them off course to locate the Hryzn, only to discover that Verity doesn't even like peaches! Will she assume that Verity is an ungrateful princess, like all the others that have plagued her Life? 'No, no––worry not of trivial things. Regardless of how this peach tastes, this adventure is plenty on its own and I shall make sure Iskra knows that. It is about the journey not the destination.'

She grabs onto another branch and pulls herself up, looking backwards to make sure that her companion is keeping up––which is about when she catches Iskra smiling at her. This is not a new occurrence by any means, but Verity has noticed there is something different about the captain's smiles as of late. She cannot quite place what this difference is exactly, but they are somehow sweeter... perhaps because they are fuller and some even dare to stretch to her ears. 'I wonder what has changed...' Unfortunately, this will have to be something she investigates later as she is not exactly wanting to plummet to her Death just because she is too caught up trying to soak up all of Iskra's sun.

Having decided the pirate is far too devastating to look at, she clears her throat and turns her attention upwards as she speaks, "Among my people, we have a phrase, 'In all things, balance.' If the Hryzn and the stars that birthed my people are like in this sense, then we may just be successful. As far as this princess is concerned, I am not sure where I would be without my pirate. Truly, I cannot imagine how pirate-less princesses are fairing or even princess-less pirates. A travesty, really. Perhaps we ought to host a ball amongst our respective peers to rectify this," she teases, amusing herself with the idea of a ball full of princesses and pirates all trying to woo each other. She cannot imagine that going even remotely well, but she does understand what the pirate is saying. She has felt that Iskra's perspective has sharpened her like knives against whetstone.

The story of the World Tree fascinates the princess, naturally. It reminds her of the stories she has heard of the first world, in some sense. Though little is known about the first world, she does know that the destruction that drove them into exodus had been the result of foreigners and their lust for the rare gems the planet had been made of. (According to legend, the beaches were made up of crushed diamonds; the soil sprouted so many gems that one only needed to grab a fistful of dirt to become rich. Her people, in those days, had been most known for their precious stones and intricate jewelry. She doesn't exactly know what happened, but at some point she does know they had mined their planet straight to its core to meet the demands of tyrants who threatened to blow up their home; not that it mattered as earthquakes ripped the first world apart once they reached the core.) "It sounds as though the foreigners reaped what they sowed. I do not feel an ounce of sorrow for them," she responds, her tone dark and carrying the weight of the ghosts. "If the World Tree deems who is worthy of her resources, then who am I to judge how she may test our spirits? Wariness can be an effective shield and after what she has lost, I do not blame her."

When the tree itself address her, however? She almost loses her footing and has to quickly adjust before she falls. Expectantly, she looks around for where the voice came from––perhaps a face in the bark? But, no, as far as she can tell the voice has no mouth and that had probably been an unrealistic expectation for her to have. (Just, who has even heard of trees with faces?) As she thinks over how to answer the World Tree, she bites her lip––what makes her, a foreigner with no connection to this land, worthy of the fruits from this grandmother? Oh, she does not think there is a right answer and she cannot even think of what might please Hryzn's ear. All she has, she supposes, is her truth. (Her pirate may have taught her that.)

"I do not deem myself any more worthy of your fruits than your descendants, Hryzn," she starts, keeping her tone even and measured. "I suppose it is the grand adventure that brings me here and inspires me to face your trials, for I may not be of this world, but I am of this galaxy and I Desire to experience all the wonders I can before my Life comes to an end. One such wonder is the peach, for they do not grow where I am from and I have only read of them; if I am to have a peach, then why not from the famed World Tree from which Life springs? Were I to have one from some other planet, I may not even know what a peach should be if yours are what all other peaches seek to mimic. However, I shall not take anything that you do not freely give, Hryzn."

 

[Syntra]

Many legends, Iskra knew, were amalgamations of thoughts, wishes and memories, rather than a faithful account of a single historical event-- once it got rolling, you see, it always got bigger and bigger, much like the proverbial snowball. So, did she think everything she had ever heard about the World Tree was one hundred percent true? No, not necessarily. What the pirate also didn’t think, however, was that there was no value in such stories. (To treasure the truth and truth only, after all, would have been incredibly foolish! Akin to looking at a mosaic, dizzyingly rich in shapes and colors, and arbitrarily deciding that only one kind of its components could contribute to the resulting picture for some reason. Just, why? And what was the truth, even? If Iskra had learned anything at all during her life, it was that many versions of it existed, often at the same time-- so numerous they were, indeed, as the stars in the sky, and not a single one of them was fake. No, really. What truly mattered was the angle that you viewed it from, and the eyes that you had at your disposal as well. Was Iskra herself not cruel, from the perspective of those who had tasted her sword? Was she also not kind, towards those who had basked in her graciousness? All of that was true, but also wasn’t, and somewhere within those contradictions… well, the real Iskra existed, she supposed. As real as anyone could get, anyway.)

So, yes. Rather than this being an impromptu history lesson, the pirate had mostly told the story of the World Tree in order to share some information about the locals-- about their values, their beliefs, the things they considered important enough to pass down, from one generation to another. From those things, true understanding sprang! Understanding and respect, which she suspected would be crucial in that sort of trial. Now, when the World Tree actually spoke? When her words, quiet like the crumbling of dry leaves, reached her ears? Why, the pirate almost fell off her branch! (Sheesh. Wasn't it supposed to be a metaphor? Her mind had gravitated towards that explanation, mostly because it didn't require her to leave her comfort zone, but... well. Hadn't they witnessed countless miracles on their journey so far? Oh, they had, they had. More of them than there were grains of sand in a desert, actually, or dreams in a young girl's head. All things considered, the World Tree wasn't even the strangest being that they'd met! Among all the goddesses, ancient guardians and, ah, desire-awakening birds, Iskra guessed, a plant deity seemed almost mundane in comparison.)

'You speak a lot,' Hryzn observed. 'Are you perhaps one of those who are in love with the sound of their own voice? That being said, I would not fault you for harboring such feelings. You wield words well, princess Verity, and Truth walks besides you. Alright, then. You are allowed to proceed, for as long as your legs continue to serve you. I only have one advice for you-- watch with your eyes, and think with your head. Do not allow yourself to be consumed with greed.'

"Oh, by the Shade," Iskra exhaled once the presence retreated, and the weight of its gaze was lifted off her shoulders. (She hadn't noticed it before, but it had been there, you know? Like a shadow of a predator looming over them, dark and intense and vicious. It had only had to reach after them, really, for the claws to tear them apart! Just, what was this thing? 'A mother goddess,' something in her head whispered. 'Are you surprised, Iskra? A mother always defends her children, oh, she does, she does.') "Well, that was... certainly something," the pirate said, before grabbing onto another branch. "I have to admit, I didn't expect for the legends to be confirmed this quickly. Usually, the gods are much shier than this! Now that I think of it... hmm, yes, it is starting to become a pattern-- them being way more forward, that is. Perhaps they are drawn to something celestial inside of you?" she suggested, without so much as blushing. "You are the only common denominator in all the scenarios, after all, and it is known that like attracts like. I've always thought there was an air of divinity around you, at least."

Up and up they went, undisturbed, and sweet-smelling wind caressed their hair-- as if to say: 'Yes, go on. You are wanted; you are loved.' Could it be, then, that there were no other trials? No other challenges for them to overcome? Maybe the process of getting to the top was enough, for it proved you were light of foot and sure of hand. The peach may have been the tree's own flesh, indeed, but what did it matter? Even if it lost a bit of self, it always grew, grew, grew right back, stronger than ever before. (...unlike the pirate herself, you know. Ah, how weak she was in comparison! How fragile, and entrenched in the stench of mortality.)

Of course, as soon as Iskra dared to form such a sacrilegious thought, the vines covering the tree wrapped around their feet. 'To receive,' Hryzn whispered, 'you must first give. An equal exchange. What are you willing to give up to receive my gifts, hmm? What do paltry mortals like you even have to offer, aside from your own lives? I am the World Tree, and from my own flesh, I gave birth to this planet. Everything, everything you can see here is part of me in some way, or was at one point. I am all of my children, and all of my children are me. Eternity is but my slave. I've seen kingdoms rise and fall and rise, and then turn into ashes again! So, Verity, do you think that you can surprise me? Give me something that I do not own yet? You're welcome to try, at least.'