January 28
Easton's POV
Okay Easton, think. Where can you get aboard a pirate ship?
I decide to wander around until I stumble upon something. The energy in the market is unlike anything I've ever seen before. Everything is busy, loud, and alive. People are bartering, haggling, trading, dancing, singing, and more. For once, I am proud to be a Calian.
Merchants try to sell me everything from shoes to beer to lamps. A dancer runs herself against me. I push her away, shaking my head "no". She pouts, but then runs off. I get to the part of the port that is closer to the water and see the ships.
I stare in awe. There are ships as high as houses, and others just a little bigger than a cart. I need to be fast, but I can't attract any attention. A ship catches my eye. The sails are linen-colored, and the hull is wood. Someone is standing in front of it holding papers.
"Lovely ship you got there," I say, approaching them. They look up.
"What do you want?" They snap. I can finally see them clearly.
"You're a woman?" I ask, stunned.
"You're a man?" She says, mimicking me. "Obviously I'm a woman. If you got a problem with that, the doors that way." She points to an empty spot on the docks, with deep, dark, swirling waters. I gulp.
"Not a problem. Can you help me?"
"Why would I help nobility?" She asks, looking back at her papers.
"How did you know?"
"No one 'round here got posture like that. Surprised no one spotted ya."
I hear the clip-clop of horses way behind me. They are looking for me. "Please, I'm begging you," I say. She looks behind me.
"They're after you, right?" She points with her chin. I nod. She bites her lip, thinking. "Fine," she says, directing me onto the ship.
"Thank you."
"We're leaving in 10 minutes, get comfy. Ya got any bags?"
"No, uh, I left in a hurry," I reply, thinking back to this morning.
Once onboard, I ask someone where to put my stuff. He is huge, with giant arms that could easily snap my neck. I swallow. He sighs and brings me below deck to the crew cabin.
"Don't claim any of the beds with stuff on them. You don't need more blood on you today," he says. I thank him.
"That girl outside, who is she?" I ask him.
"She's the captain's daughter. Don't mess with her, she will not hesitate to skin you alive," he shudders.
"Bit weird for a woman to be on a pirate ship, don't you think?"
He shrugs. "She and Cap have been on this ship longer than anyone else. She's strong and smart, so I don't really see the problem." That makes sense. Char would have loved this girl. A wave of grief immediately washes over me.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"Luania," he replies, then goes back to the deck. Arabella.
The next day
January 29th
When I wake up, everyone is already gone. I groan. It was hard to fall asleep last night. People would tell stories about how unhygienic pirates were, but what I experienced last night was something else.
YOU ARE READING
The Queen of Luania
Fantasia"A weak Queen is a dead Queen" When Arabella became Queen of Luania, she thought it was all ballgowns and dancing. 4 years later, she has learned that it is quite the opposite. As she and her allies play a complicated game of love, hate, peace, chao...
