Siren's Kiss

33: Raise the Black Flag

"Why does Drake get to choose 'is crew while I'm only allowed to brin' me first mate, Barny?" Captain Purity "Ladyqueen" complained, frustrated that the Amazon Queen had taken charge of forming their alliances before revealing the passageway to the Lost Isle.

Captain Hawk shrugged. "Don't look at me. My crew is stuck in some magical paradise, and the princess won't let them go."

Princess Coraline rolled her eyes. Barny, Purity's first mate, interjected, "Cap'n, it's fine. Cap'n Drake isn't bringin' 'is 'ole team either. It's always smart to set sail a crew to guard the ship in case things go sideways."

Purity's annoyance lessened slightly after learning the Amazon Queen was Drake's mother. She glared at Captain Hawk, who was busy eating. "Would ye stop bein' a glutton?"

"I'm starving!" Hawk replied indignantly. "You weren't imprisoned in a dungeon, beaten every hour, and told you'd be executed the next morning!"

The Templar Commander, Rowan, who had the cloth removed from his mouth, scoffed. "Please," he sneered. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you enjoy that sadism."

Hawk and Purity shot him a glare. "Are we really bringing him?" Hawk complained to Queen Althea.

Drake smirked. "That's fine, ye be welcome 'im aboard. If we need a sacrifice fer the beastly creature, 'e'll be the first to go." He cackled along with Purity and Hawk, but when Ciel fixed him with an intense glare, he immediately fell silent.

"We need a representative from the Templars as a witness," Queen Althea explained. "Just like the rest of us, they need to know the truth."

"Nothing is true with these filthy lot," Rowan spat. "They only care about plundering and chaos!"

Queen Althea regarded him calmly. "Do not be quick to judge, Commander. The Seven Seas aren't only inhabited by Templars and your renowned regalia. It wouldn't hurt to set your prejudice aside."

The commander huffed and looked away, refusing to listen further. Understanding his stubbornness, the queen turned to her son, who stood near the siren prince. Now that her son had marked the siren prince as his omega, none of the alphas dared approach him. This included Hawk and Purity, who had grown up with Drake. Even Commander Rowan, despite his competitive nature, held back. Though Althea tried to set aside her personal judgment, she noted Rowan's strong-mindedness.

Meanwhile, Drake was focused on his crew and on Ciel, who was determined to fix the crease in his coat. Drake wasn't usually concerned about his appearance, but his mother, Queen Althea, cared a lot about it. Consequently, Drake was wearing a scarlet pirate coat inspired by legendary buccaneers. As a noble himself, Ciel could attest that Althea's gift was truly one of a kind. Crafted from top-tier, lined velvet, the exquisite frock coat fell to the knee and featured wide, cuffed sleeves intricately embroidered, with similarly embellished pockets. The metallic buttons offered a visually appealing contrast to the velvet fabric, adding to the coat's authenticity and charm.

Drake noticed the wonder and admiration on the prince's face. He believed that Ciel wasn't even aware of the sudden smile tugging at his lips as he ran his hands over the stylish material. To Drake, those simple, naïve touches ignited a different kind of sensation and need that he didn't think he would ever feel. But what was more pleasing was that his alpha side was only acting this way towards Ciel---his one true omega.

"Ye seem to like it, lad," he remarked.

Ciel's smile widened. "It's not every day I get to see you dressed like this. You're always so unkempt."

Drake snorted. "Aye? But what jolly be the clothes if the person can't display even a shred o' strength? Clothes don't always reflect the personality o' the wearer, savvy?"