Jacob Holland X Oc Reader

Chapter 3 - Imperator Vs Inevitable

The next morning Lillianna was dolled back up in her official royal cloths. A white under shirt with puffy sleeves line with frills. Over it a fitted corset piece of black, green and gold  that crept up her shoulders and tightly around her neck with a emerald and golden tassel to keep it form fitting. The front of the bodice was embroidered with the same fishes that decorated the royal crest. The long skirt was similia to her mothers except it didn't have nearly as much gold. Her long braid was pinned with small golden shells and black silk gloved covered her hands. Walking into the throne room she stopped short of her parents throne and curtsied elegantly.

"My Queen, My King" she greeted them formally. That is what there relationship was, a formality. She may have there blood but she had never been there daughter. She had been there princess. A tool they could use for political gain. 

"Lillianna, your tutor has notified me that you are not paying attention in you classes'," The Queen commented as Lillianna walked to the chair sat to the right at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the throne's.

"Perhaps if the lessons held anything of interest I would actually want to pay attention," her remark earned a disproving look from both of them.

"Lillianna my love, you must focus on your studies. How else will you be a good ruler by my side?" Hornagold said sweetly appearing by the King and Queen's side.

"Isn't it you who will rule by my side? After all I am the one with royal blood," Her quip had him pressing his lips together. He wanted the throne and the riches that came with it. And he wanted it alone.

"The hunters have arrived!" Lillianna stored her glare turning back to the centre of the room. As the doors opened and the three hunters walked in her heart dropped to her stomach.

One of them was the man from the tavern. One of them was Jacob Holland. There eyes connected almost instantly with a flash of recognition. He smirked seeming bemused by the whole situation his hand subconsciously moving to brush his still sore cheek. 

"Well, if it isn't Captain Crow and his loyal mates," The King mused as they approached Jacob going straight for the assortment of food's.

"Your Grace, as you can see, the oceans have offered abundant prey," Captain crow said taking his hat off. Lillianna looked over the horns of all the beast's. 

"And I see you've taken a full-grown brickleback. A specimen like that garners quite a bounty. But there's something I don't see. The horn of the Red Bluster," The Queen's word seem to have hit a nerve. "Admiral Hornagold has reported a rumor," The Queen said as Hornagold stepped forward with a smug smirk. God how Lillianna wanted so much to just slap it of his pretty face.

"Admiral Hornagold?" the hunters chorused with a tone that was far from pleased.

"That you spotted the Red Bluster, but abandoned your pursuit because of a certain code," the Queen continued.

"The royals don't pay you to honor such codes. They pay you to kill monsters. How many more ships will be lost because you let the Bluster slip away?" Horngold asked walking down the step's and waving his figure's at them.

"I find it admirable," As Lillianna spoke all the attention turned to her.

"That hunting ship would had gone down without the help of the hunters that stand before you. One less ship and many brave lives' would have been lost if they chose to continue there pursuit. I believe a code like that deserves respect. But then again you've never been placed in that situation have you admiral?" Lillianna's bitter tone surprised the hunters. After all it was there first time meeting her.

"Lillianna, hold your tongue girl," The Queen hissed.

"Yes dear, Its not flattering to have a louse tongue," the admiral said her glare hardening along with the grip on her chair.

"And cowardes even less so," she shoot right back.

"Enough! By gods girl what's gotten into you?" The King huffed. Lillianna stared down the admiral till eventually he looked away clearing his throat.  

"This was once a small kingdom with a big idea. To send hunters out to repel the beasts from our shores and usher in a new era of peace," the King said as they lead them all out to the balcony overlooking the monstrosity they called a ship.

"It's been hundreds of years since the dark times, but as long as the Bluster lives, people will still look to the seas with fear," the Queen said as they stopped.

"So today marks the beginning of a new era. The Crown will no longer support the hunters," the King continued. Lillianna's eyes widened at that moment. She hadn't been told of this, yet they never told her anything.

"She's quite a sight, isn't she? The Imperator is the most heavily-armed ship ever to set sail. The Royal Navy will push deep into the unknown world and eradicate every sea beast in our path," Horngold boasted proudly. Lillianna scoffed shaking her head the hunters sending her a glance to which she avoided.

"Not in that thing. She rests too low. And them fixed cannons is useless. And her Captain is an ass," A chuckle left Lillianna's lips at the captains insult. 

"More like an ass hole," she added. 

"It's time for you to leave, Captain. Your time is up," he said turning his back to them. He walked up to Lillianna and glared reaching out to grab her arm rather tightly.

"You will not insult me, am I understood?" he asked tightening his grip, she looked up and glare harshly.

"Speak a little louder admiral. I couldn't hear you over your pride," she hissed back.

"Why you," he hissed in anger his other hand raising slightly.

"Admiral, have you ever seen one of them beasts that wasn't hanging from a ceiling?" the captain asked, the admiral turning back to him. "Don't send your soldiers to die in a ship like that. It's not built for hunting, and neither are you," he continued getting up in his face him letting her arm go.

"I assure you, I am not afraid of those beasts," Hornagold said.

"Then you're a fool! And you'll take a lot of good sailors down with you!" the captain snapped.

"General, see the hunters out. We're done with them," the Queen said. The admiral went to pull Lillianna back but she shock her arm from his, instead the general with a much soft arm gently lead her behind the protection of there weapons. The general was a personal friend of the princess, they had grown up together.

"We hunters have shed blood, while you lot hid behind walls and drew lines on maps. You're cowards, the lot of ya!" the captain yelled his anger flying out of him with every wave of his arms. 

"General, the Captain is to be placed under arrest, and the Inevitable decommissioned!" the Queen ordered everyone reaching for them weapons. Lillianna's breath caught in her throat as the tension raised and everyone reached for there weapons.