Elemental Thief Part I : Child of Calamity

Despicable Pt. 2

The one in the front was wearing the same uniform as General Xilo, and bore the markings of a lower rank, possibly Captain on his uniform, but there was something more about him that caught her attention. His helmet was far more ornate than the General's thought, which she noted when the helmet came off and Darya told herself that that was what had caught her attention.

His red striped wings, pointed ears and fierce blue eyes made her realise, recognise, that he was not a mere officer, as did the fact that the General was standing behind him, in a position of deference, protection.

"Welcome to the Calamity. I'm Captain Darya. I wasn't aware we were having any further guests, but we're all friends here." Her voice was low, calm, trying to pull the man out of whatever murderous intent he may have.

Odd, seeing as how she had been in one only moments before. Could feel it still simmering.

"This is Prince Davanos, Captain." General Xilo offered, as if that should matter.

And Darya bowed to the man, but didn't move out of his way. "Majesty. You are most welcome on my ship."

The hold was open, and she knew that down there, only a floor below them, the prisoners could hear a conversation, if they tried to. She wondered idly if it was worth closing the hold doors, but had a sneaking suspicion that any sudden movements would trigger these men like a stalking predator.

"Your prisoners." Davanos said, watching her for a long moment, before inclining his head to accept her respects, clearly forcing himself to calm down, though there was a predatory gleam to his eyes, and anger that looked slightly more Wild than the violence on the Rulin around him.

Half of the soldiers wore his uniform, the other wore the uniform she had seen on Commander Lianza and the Rulin Guard called Wilan, who was supposedly a Royal Guard. Darya knew that what she was facing was a representative of Rulin, possibly on order from their King and Queen, even before he spoke again. "Rulin has interest in the one called Kethan."

She nodded slowly, setting her jaw stubbornly though she knew she couldn't hope to win a fight against one Rulin, let alone half a dozen. "I know Rulin does. I have informed him of the charges, and your intentions to deliver him to your King's justice."

"So, you are prepared to hand him over to us now?" The Prince looked surprised, but the moment she began bracing herself to answer, his gaze sharpened once more.

"No." Darya shook her head, clenching her jaw as she saw every one of the Rulin fighters tense, barely acknowledging the sound of two more pairs of feet landing on the deck, but this time off to her side.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw General Anzael and Commander Tayver on either side of her, though she couldn't count on the fact that they were there to help her. They had been Rulin allies longer than she had known either of them. She wasn't worth restarting a war over, she knew that.

She ignored that doomed thought and continued. "He is coming to Clairval, and he will face our justice first. It is for the Queen to decide if Rulin will have our prisoner afterwards."

"The King has not indicated that he cares about waiting for your nation's perverted, neglected form of justice." Prince Davanos said simply, his words a growl, though he didn't attack.

He didn't try to move in at all, and his expression almost seeming calmer.

Darya let the anger at that statement wash over her, but she also let it go, knowing she had similar thoughts after hearing what had been going on in the capital and other parts of Clairval. She could see also that there was something else here, something more than vengeance, as if the man in front of her was as reasonable as he was furious. So she proceeded stubbornly, but as respectfully as she dared.

"I'll give you that, Majesty. But I've been contracted by the Queen and ordered by the Admiral. This is my job, this is my ship. So you make whatever decisions you think your regent wants you to make, but my job is to stay true to mine." She paused before letting out a slow breath and continuing with less formality. "If I had been anything but committed to that fact, the men down in that cell would be shark bait right now. I have received word of what was found, of what Sir Reynald's guards have uncovered with Rulin and Feyshan help. I am not ignorant of the crimes that need to be atoned for."

"It wasn't mere help that uncovered these things in Clairval." Prince Davanos said darkly, his words a growl. "It was Queen Veranandein who found it, who demanded Clairval to acknowledge it. It was the Royal Guard of Rulin who had to give a young woman's remains a proper funeral, and it is a Commander of the Rulin Royal Guard who has to tell a fifteen-year-old girl that her best friend, is, in fact, dead. Tell me why I care about Clairvalan honour, Clairvalan duty, why I would care about you, standing in my way."

"Because the world needs you to, Majesty." It was Sir Reynald who spoke with that same soothing, firm voice he had used to calm Darya down only a few moments before. "Because the world needs Rulin and Clairval to work together. And it needs us to respect justice, to respect the rule of law, even when others don't. Because otherwise, the entire world goes to shit, which is precisely what those miscreants down there want."

Prince Davanos stood there, glaring at Reynald for a long moment, before turning those cold blue eyes back to Darya. He gave her a terrifyingly vicious look and took a step forward, ducking his head down so his voice was barely audible in her ears. "I have a piece of the wild in me, and it wants nothing more to taste that man's blood. Have you ever had the urge to rip someone's throat out with your teeth? That same Wild would destroy you without thinking, without hesitating."

Darya nodded, holding herself absolutely still, her hands gripping her sword hilts. But more to brace herself than to offer any sort of threat. "I think my teeth would be a little less efficient at it than yours, Majesty. But yes. I know precisely what you mean. And the only reason I really care is because I want him to testify against that other miscreant, to put a nail in Lord Corvin's coffin. Because Clairval is my home, the island is my home, and I know what Rulin will do to us if we don't make the right decisions. And it kills me to admit that. But here we are."

"You're lucky you're telling the truth." The Prince murmured, before taking a step back from her, glancing to Xilo and inclining his head. "We'll escort the ship back to Clairval. My sister can do most of the hard bargaining, but I would appreciate staying around to watch this play out, General."

"I figured you would, Davanos." Xilo nodded, glancing at his men, then at the Royals, before letting out a breath. "I'll give the team to you, then. Stay on this ship, but stay out of the Captain's way. The Sprite will escort them into harbour, and then I'll see where my king wishes me to go."

With that, the General turned and took to the air, leaving Darya standing there, watching the Prince, who was watching her, as if he were waiting for something.

"We're at your disposal, Captain." He said finally, inclining his head, motioning to his ranks, as if it explained everything.

"I'll give them a tour of the ship, Captain." Sir Reynald stepped forward. "Give them a rundown of your security measures, and patrol shifts, and see where they can fit into things."

Darya nodded at that, giving him a terse smile. "Alright, get them settled." She paused for a moment, offering a bow. "Prince Davanos."

And with that, she turned and walked back towards her helm, trying to get the world to stop spinning as wildly as it was.