Prince Emmet has longed to see the world and have an adventure since he was little, but with an arranged marriage looming over his head, it's looking like he'll never get that chance. When pirates raid his home city of Bricksport, he might get that...
Emmet sighed to himself, watching as Bricksport faded away into the distance. "Are you alright?" Mayhem asked as she stepped up beside him.
"Just thinking," Emmet murmured. "All my life I dreamed of going on adventures and being a hero and now that it's actually happening... I think I could quite happily spend the rest of my life never leaving the palace again." She giggled softly at his admission. "The stories never talk about how frightening it all actually is..."
"Wouldn't be much of a story if they did," she said. "But I get where you're coming from. Everyone likes to talk about how glamorous the life of a knight must be, but not how much work it takes to get there. When I first started my training, I was so exhausted by the end of the day that it was all I could do to eat some supper and crawl into bed. And it's never stopped being a lot of work, I've just become accustomed to it by now."
"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"
Mayhem smiled at him. "I think you are. And I think you're very brave for doing it, too."
Emmet blushed deeply, looking away. "I don't feel very brave..."
"Oh, I know Rex likes to say you're 'soft' because you don't like to fight, but facing hostility to make amends? That takes a lot of courage. Don't ever doubt for one second that you have it!"
"Thanks, May."
"I mean it, Emmet. The way you've got these pirates considering turning over a new leaf? I think you've got the makings of an amazing diplomat." Emmet whined in embarrassment, hiding his face in his coat, and Mayhem giggled. "Alright, I'll stop now."
"May?"
"Yes?"
"How did you even know I have another plan?"
She smirked. "One, I know you. Two, the captains know you, made a pretty good guess, and told me about it."
"But not Rex?"
"Not Rex. He's already watching you like a hawk as it is, if he knew you were up to something, you'd have never left Bricksport. As it is, he only suspects."
"Thanks for not telling him. I hate keeping secrets, but if he knew..."
"He'd do everything in his power to stop you, I know. You know he means well."
"I know that, but sometimes I think he likes to conveniently forget I'm not thirteen years old anymore." Emmet pouted. "He even still calls me 'kid'... He's not that much older than me!"
"Somehow I don't think it's going to matter how old the two of you get, you're always going to be 'kid' to him, it's just how he is."
"Doesn't mean I have to like it..."
"Well, if you do manage to pull this off, perhaps that will be enough to convince him that you are perfectly capable of handling yourself." She grinned at him. "And your uncles and I will gang up on him until he stops." Emmet laughed a bit.
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Lucy couldn't say she was surprised when they reached the Scalan capitol only to be greeted by a dozen warships. It seemed the Scalans had the same idea; they'd just beat them to it. Although the Scalans outnumbered them nearly two to one... "Bruce," she called, and her first mate came up to her. "I'll be going to provide cover for the prince once he makes his move. I'm leaving you in charge until he gets back."
"Aye, Captain," he said. "You really think he'll go through with it?"
"I think he will. I just don't think he'll survive his self-imposed mission on his own." Bruce grunted his agreement. The Scalans began to fire at them after that, and the fight was on. The water under the Scalans' ships began to churn violently in response as Kitty reacted to the firefight.
There was a shout from the Diligente, and Lucy watched as the leviathan rose up out of the sea to catch the prince as he leapt overboard. Taking that as her cue, Lucy pulled her hat off and shoved it at her first mate. "Do not lose this," she instructed before diving into the water, following as Kitty carried Emmet to the piers. The prince was surprised when she hauled herself up out of the water after him.
"What are you-"
"Covering you. Da said he thought you were up to something."
Emmet blushed. "Oh. Uh. Well, thank you..."
"So what's the plan?"
"Get to the castle, and try to find Princess Lotte. Everything I've been hearing about this declaration of war has been of it coming from the king and queen, but nothing about the princess, so maybe she'll be willing to hear me out."
"You think she'll have as much influence here as you do in Octan?"
"Well, I hope she does..."
Lucy gave him a long look. "You're not afraid, are you?"
"Scared, me?" He tried to laugh it off, but his laughter was quick to fade. He chewed his lip. "I'm terrified."
"Hey." She reached over, putting a hand on his shoulder in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. "I've got your back." The smile he gave her was weak, but grateful nonetheless. "Now come on, we've got a castle to storm!"
