The audacity of her proposition hung between them, a challenge laced with an air of recklessness. Sir Crocodile's sharp gaze flickered with something between intrigue and irritation, his cigar smoldering as he took a slow drag. The tendrils of smoke curled in the dim light as he exhaled, his voice low and edged with suspicion.
"Who are you?" His words cut through the quiet tension. "Your name."
The woman didn't hesitate. "Sineka Duskblade."
A shift in the air—subtle but undeniable. The name carried weight, an unspoken authority that settled between them like a well-placed gambit in a high-stakes game. Crocodile's brows knit together slightly as recognition dawned.
"Duskblade?" His voice dropped a degree, cold and unreadable. "Marcus Duskblade's kin?"
Sineka inclined her head, the golden loops of her earrings catching the ambient light as they swayed with her motion. "His eldest daughter, to be precise."
Silence stretched between them for a moment as Crocodile processed the revelation. Marcus Duskblade—one of the wealthiest and most powerful pirates still at large. Ruthless. Shrewd. Unpredictable. And now, his daughter stood before him, weaving a proposition that defied conventional wisdom.
His stance remained unreadable, arms crossing over his chest as he regarded her with a calculating stare. "You have wealth, influence, and no shortage of powerful allies. Why propose something so... unorthodox?"
Sineka's lips pressed into a thin line, her patience visibly tested. "The reason doesn't concern you, Mr. 0. What should matter to you is the opportunity I present—advancement, security, and power consolidated in ways you haven't yet considered."
Crocodile leaned forward slightly, cigar smoldering between his fingers, his presence heavy with an unspoken demand. "Everything concerns me when it comes to alliances, Sineka Duskblade. I don't entertain offers wrapped in half-truths. If you expect me to take you seriously, you'll speak plainly."
For a heartbeat, something flickered behind her hazel eyes—irritation, perhaps, or the faintest glimmer of amusement. Then, a slow, knowing smirk curved her lips, subtle yet defiant. "Suit yourself, Mr. 0. You'll realize the weight of my offer soon enough."
His answer was as unwavering as the desert sun. "I don't forge ties burdened with undisclosed motives."
A quiet hum of amusement escaped her, a sound barely more than an exhale. "Then when the time comes, you're welcome to approach my father and ask for my hand yourself." She stepped back, turning fluidly on her heel, her gown catching the dim light as it swayed with her movements. "Until then, let's keep this encounter between us."
She didn't wait for a response, vanishing into the haze of the Rain Dinners as easily as she had appeared.
Miss All Sunday, who had been watching with a knowing smirk, finally broke the silence, her voice laced with amusement. "Intriguing, isn't she?"
Crocodile exhaled another stream of smoke, his gaze still fixed where Sineka had disappeared. Puzzled? Maybe. Amused? Not in the slightest.
"We'll see."
And with that, the game between them had only just begun.
A year had passed since Sineka's fateful encounter with Sir Crocodile, yet the ripples of that night still echoed through the halls of Frostheaven.
Nestled amidst snow-cloaked mountains and frost-kissed valleys, the secluded island possessed an icy beauty that seemed almost otherworldly. Snow blanketed the rugged cliffs, turning them into alabaster sentinels overlooking the town below. Wooden cottages dotted the landscape, their steep roofs designed to withstand heavy snowfall. Golden lanterns adorned with frost-laced glass cast warm halos along cobblestone streets, their light flickering against the dusk sky. Smoke spiraled from stone chimneys, weaving through the air like silent whispers that carried the island's secrets.
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A Bride for the Desert King | Crocodile
Fanfiction"Marry me," she commanded, almost. Crocodile narrowed his eyes at the impertinence of the woman who stood in front of him. "Ara," he heard Ms All Sunday mutter amusedly. "Who are you?" "Sineka Duskblade," she replied.
