Chapter Five - Discussions

After arriving at the Court of Pirates, Reine calls a meeting of what could easily be called the most interesting people in her court.

Chapter 5
Discussions.

    The realm of the Deities was anything but silent, thus it lacked its usual reverie. The voices of twelve quarreling immortals made sure of that. The thunder roared, the clouds bent as if some terrible wind tugged them to the ground, and above them the sun lashed out with whip like tendrils, all signs of the anger radiating from the dozen people.

    It was a land on clouds, clouds that never left the sky of Decalage. It was a cultivated miniature of the board below, almost. Upon the clouds rested the realm of the Gods and Goddesses. All, except Abrafo and Eris, spent much of their time residing high above like chess players watching over the board from a distance. It was nothing but a game to them, at least until recently.

From Decalage one only saw the soft bottoms of the floating white puffs, except during storm when the sky darkened and the clouds stretched to cover whatever part of the world the rain felt like falling upon. The clouds moved of course, it was so that the gods and goddesses could watch over all their children. The land that floated on the clouds was only a portion of the real Decalage below. Unlike Decalage, this land was crafted by the power of the twelve siblings.
   
The home of the immortals of the light was a lush forest filled with magic, and so serene that is became difficult for even the Gods and Goddesses to stay awake, much less fight, when they entered the miniature land of the light. The land that belonged to the Gods and Goddesses aligned neutrally was a soft plain dotted by four huts. Each neutral or Goddess had their own hut to do their own things. Os’s was to create the humans, and Fourrure’s was to create the animals. At times they came together, creating a hybrid, but that was not often. The second to last part of the realm was desert, and darkness. It was half sculpted out of black marble, and half shifting sands. Eris and Abrafo resided in their own realms, but whenever they were forced to visit their siblings they stayed where they belonged.  The last area was the meeting area, a place in the center that could not be controlled by any side of the triad. It was simply a place of flat granite that was gray, neither dark nor light, and was filled with magic more ancient than the immortals.
   
It was there that they now gathered. A meeting had been called by the oldest three, Vie, Abrafo, and Bonheur. In truth, it had been his two goodies siblings; they had only bothered to comment on his morbid appearance. Everyone had been expected to attend, even Eris with chaos following her everywhere like the trail of her dress made of shadows, mixed in with their various siblings. Abrafo noted the way she kept glancing at him, a sneer on her cold and deadly beautiful face. He merely looked back at her with dead eyes, a look more common to his face than the sun rising and setting each day.
       
She had something up her sleeve. He noticed it in the way she seemed restless, as if she were waiting for something to happen. Moving like a queen from group to group, she acted innocent and Abrafo observed that his other siblings believed her innocence. She was “only the goddess of chaos” after all, as Vie had put it when Abrafo had approached her with the matter of Eris interfering with the mortal’s current war. Usually Abrafo sided with his younger sister, but then again death was known to do the unexpected, and take those not expecting.

    Today Abrafo drifted away from all his siblings to the edge of the gray stone. They were a close knit group, and as Abrafo stood on the outside of their loop his eyes raised to watch their shimmering tempers and non-existent alliances.

    One other deity drifted away from the immortals. He looked nothing like his siblings with his care free electric green eyes. His widow’s peak was less dominant on his tanned face. There was no doubt that the man before Abrafo was a charming gentleman, or at least he pretended to be one. He scowled at his younger brother’s attire, tight pants and a tight shirt of a bright green that stood out in the mixture of the grays, blacks, and whites of the other immortals. Inwardly, however, he wanted to laugh at the scowl on Vie’s face.

    Amour spotted his morbid brother and walked so that he stood next to Abrafo. He walked with almost a skip to his step, a skip that the mortal women somehow found attractive. It was a step of a confident man, a man sometimes a bit too confident.

    The sky hit the flat landscape sending a glare against Abrafo’s vision. It cleared as his irritation at the sudden interruption flared and the God of Death found himself standing next to a sibling that he rarely ever talked to. Love and Death rarely ever mixed with positive results.

    “Hello brother,” said Amour with a too cheerful smile.

    Abrafo muttered something under his breath in acknowledgement. He remained in a bored position, his arms crossed over his chest and his none too original black cloak sweeping the gray stone. His face was emotionless and dead, just as it had been before his younger brother had made the god of death aware of his annoyingly sunny presence.

    “I met a women you might be interested in today, brother,” Amour paused for a dramatic effect, glancing at his dead sibling. Abrafo continued to stand there morbidly, what a horrible habit. Amour grinned, thinking of how odd it would be to see Abrafo anything but depressed and continued on with the one sided conversation. “A certain Reine Raconi-“

    An invisible hand gripped his throat, cutting off his words. It didn’t do much else, immortals didn’t need to breathe.

    Abrafo continued to stare ahead at the crowd of debating deities. There was nothing different about him, nothing to suggest it was his phantom hand that now clutched Amour’s throat. Well, not anything viewable to the ignorance of immortality. Amour, though he pretended to be, was not ignorant. Abrafo had been dead before, now he was tense. Amour could see his veins against the paleness of his skin and there was coldness to his eyes that would kill if immortals could die.

    “Let’s get one thing straight brother,” Abrafo turned to him now, his face no longer the face of Death, for it was no longer dead. Amour never stopped smiling, but with that look his gut lurched into his throat.    That look worried him, the dead should stay dead. “Stay… away… from… her,” it came out in a forced whisper from the God’s throat.

    Amour nodded, and felt the phantom hand slide from his throat. He tucked his hands into his pockets as if nothing had happened between them except a few words of conversation. They played the charade well. Abrafo turned back to the group of debating deities, once more the God of Death. Amour, however, was the God of Love, and not even his siblings could escape his eyes.



    Caleb was trying to figure out the possibilities of Reine biting him if he dared to ask her a question. So far, considering the pure terror she had caused in the poor animals that had dared straggle into their path, the possibility was high. Within hours of leaving the Bard School Caleb had gotten over the terror at knowing what he might have done once upon a time, Reine had a taken a week and anger still blazed in her golden eyes. The only words spoken between them were “pass the bread” and on Reine’s part a “shut up” whenever the Prince had tried to get her to calm down.

    The pace which she had dragged them on was unbelievable, sleeping for mere hours than continuing at a trot beneath the branches of blazoned oaks. Sophira had not seemed to have a problem with it. The white mare still had a spring to her step and energy in her eyes. Caleb’s own green eyes were glazed with tiredness as were Ed’s. Ed was soaked with sweat through and through, as was Caleb. Reine and Sophira, as well as that annoying little black and white kitten that wouldn’t stop staring at him, were perfectly fine. In fact, sitting in her saddle with her eyes lit in fire, Reine looked beautiful.

    “We’re almost there,” muttered Reine, snapping Caleb out of his reverie, her tone was smooth and surprisingly soft even though her golden eyes were still lit with unbelievable anger. She had felt Caleb’s eyes wandering across the back of her black shirt, and for the first time in seven days remembered she was traveling with someone who may not be use to running. The anger that was heavy in her mind began to dull its edge, and once more rational thoughts began to fall into her mind.

    “Where are we going?” asked Caleb, his voice cracking slightly from its long period of uselessness.

    “It’s a surprise,” replied Reine with a small chuckle.

    “That worries me,” muttered Caleb light heartedly, glad to see the anger gone from Reine’s face. It surprised him even more when she turned to him in her saddle and smiled.

    The uncomfortable silence faded into a companionable silence. Reine watched the path ahead of them with a single minded intensity and a focus that Caleb did not dare disturb. He was much more engrossed with the staring contest Reine’s cat was having with him. Reine was all too aware of Kit’s actions, and that, paired with the winter sun high over head, led Reine to be uplifted from the abyss she had spent the last week in.

    It had been a dreadful place, full of thought and a lust for revenge, then beneath the anger and hate there had been sorrow and sadness. What had once been her home could not even be a place to hide anymore. Those who she once thought loved her had cast away their eyes in fear. Tyria, her adopted sister, believed Reine was at fault. The complete ignorance and indescribable stupidity of the teachers of Decalage amazed her, and hurt her.

    Believers were so limited that when a group such as the Bards fell into disgrace, hope was but a grain of sand on a beach of black rocks. It was a beach that Reine found herself crashing into too often to count.

    A low whistle fluttered through the branches to catch Reine’s attention. Her eyes shifted away from the unseen path in front of her, and automatically Sophira came to a halt. Kit remained on the back of the saddle, her green eyes never leaving Caleb who was startled to find him self almost running into Reine. Ed, however, had enough common sense to stop before rear ending Sophira.

    Reine looked out into the sudden thickness that surrounded them, an amused grin on her face. She knew that whistle, had taught it to the man who now sounded it. Therefore, it was no surprise to her when Ty walked out of the shadows that surrounded them, bowing low to the Pirate Queen.

    “My lady,” he said to the ground with a grand flourish that seemed respectful and mocking all at once. Reine merely nodded her head in acceptance of his joking respect. His ruffled brown hair was wet with sweat, his white shirt shades darker than what it should be from dust. When he looked up his eyes were an astonishing orange that flickered back and forth from brown and red in possession. Confused, Reine looked around her, and realized it was not her Ty was looking at.

    Caleb had moved to her side with his hand hovering near his sword. Poor guy wouldn’t stand a chance against pirate with his honorable ways, and no doubt he knew that. The Prince of Fonce, however, did not back down. Unfortunately, neither did Ty.

    Irritation rose in Reine’s eyes as they snapped from Ty back to Caleb. Stubborn males weren’t they? Men didn’t ask for directions, didn’t admit when they were wrong, and worse of all they fought over everything.

    “Now really!” snapped Reine, bringing both Caleb’s green eyes and Ty’s orange ones to meet her face. Neither could disobey an unspoken order from the one they would give their lives for. “You boys are being idiots. You don’t even know who each other is and you’re already about to slit each other’s throats. Do I need to stick both of you in time out?”

    “Perhaps that would be for the best milady, we’ve tried everything else,” whispered a soft voice from the shadows. From the general direction a fair headed woman stepped out, a woman with butterfly wings. She was a petite creature and where she walked a trail of sudden spring growth seemed to sprout from the earth, but it was shot down by the winter chill.

    “Hello Marie, I trust you have been well?” returned Reine with a grin. Marie was her third in command, in charge of the Lumierian operations, if she was here than they had finally crossed the border which meant for a time they were out of harms way.

    “As well as anyone can be with these children to look after,” answered the fairy with a twinkling bell of laughter. She had beauty that was inhuman, and therefore envied. Among the fairies she was a princess, among the pirates she was just another scallywag but for all her frail looks she could best even Reine at chess.

    At Marie’s comment Caleb and Ty growled as one, causing Reine and Marie to let out lady like giggles. At their humiliation Caleb and Ty both managed to somehow become the same shade of red, and at their realization they shrugged and shook each other’s hand.

    “I doubt believe we caught yer name lad,” said Ty with a smile at Caleb’s challenging grip.

    “I don’t believe I said it,” replied Caleb in his princely tone, which Reine rolled her eyes at.

    “He’s Caleb, the Prince of Fonce.” She said, not bothering to sugar coat it.

    Marie and Ty widened their eyes simultaneously, however they had both seen the Prince before and beneath his tired, ragged clothes and several layers of dirt they managed to recognize him somewhat. Both of Reine’s commandeers searched her eyes, but did not meet them. They knew the policy, ask not, but curiosity could not help but shine on their faces. Reine saw it easily enough, but she merely turned Sophira away from their group and began moving at an easy walk that Ty and Marie could easily enough catch up with. Caleb was not far behind her, and after exchanging puzzled glances Marie and Ty caught up to the two, Marie’s wings fluttering with her movements.

    “Ty,” the latter looked up from hushed whisperings with Marie, “have you done what I ordered?”

    Recognizing the tone in the pirate queen’s voice Ty moved away from Marie to walk at her side. Marie hesitated a moment before beating her wings to rise, hovering, next to Caleb so she could speak with him without craning her head up. Her purple eyes were mischievous, but kind, as she looked the poor man over. In front of Caleb and Marie Reine and Ty were in a slight argument, Reine’s eyes glinting with that familiar angriness.

    “She’s not one to be tied down is she?” whispered Caleb thoughtfully.

    Marie smiled, and it was a smile that caused Caleb to stare in amazement. It was a wondrous smile that left him wondering what could cause her to smile so gloriously, and then he remembered what they were talking about and he could not help but smile to. Reine Raconias just had that affect on people.

    “She’s unlike anything I’ve ever known,” replied Marie, her wings brushing a slight breeze around her as she easily stayed aloft. “Reine has a temper of fire, and a passion to match it. Somehow, that woman alone brings hope to millions daily, and without her we would be lost.”

    The fairy sounded so sure of her self that Caleb could not help but chuckle slightly. The fairy looked at him, studying the Prince of Fonce with those brilliant eyes.

    “Did you know she’s also afraid of bugs and the dark?” asked Marie, giggling slightly. “She has to get one of the men to kill one if they ever crawl into her tent or cabin and she has to sleep on the deck of the ship or out of a tent or else she gets claustrophobic and frightened.”

    “No…”

    “Yes, but don’t tell her I told you, she hates people knowing she can’t kill a spider.”

    “She hates a lot of things, doesn’t she?” replied Caleb sharply, in a tone which startled Marie out of her amusement. After giving the Prince a look over though she realized easily enough what was wrong with him

    One long fingered hand brushed his shoulder slightly in comfort. “She has a sharp tongue, and a quick temper, but our queen hates very little. She loves so much more.”

    “Isn’t it ironic you are talking about a pirate?” Caleb’s eyes searched Marie’s face, and she allowed it, though it was uncomfortable. The boy needed answers, and she was all too happy to give them to him.

    “Isn’t it also ironic that the Prince of Fonce was about to fight for the Pirate Queen?” she asked tartly, but then spoke again in softer tones, “We steal from the rich to the give to the poor. We kill rarely, and fight only those who want us dead.

    Caleb’s anger faded from his eyes, and humbled he studied Ed’s pommel on his saddle. When he looked up, Reine was watching him with her golden eyes. Marie had traded places with Ty, who was now slowing down to walk beside Caleb. His attention was fully on Reine though, and the question she was asking him. In reply he smiled and Reine smiled in return. When she turned around, however, the anger was back in her eyes.

    “You’re angry?” asked Marie softly, chancing a sharp blow from her queen.

    “Not at him, not at you or Ty. I was at the School of Bards.” Reine was speaking barely above a whisper, but somehow her emotion was easily enough read by Marie. She could feel her monarch’s pain, anger, and irritation. With the topic of the bards, however, these emotions were regular. Instead of telling Reine “I told you so” she merely waited for the pirate queen to continue.

    “They acted as if nothing was wrong! Then, they gave me this disgusting drink that left me sprawled on the table and AFTER I was unconscious,” she didn’t mention it was alcohol, “they told Caleb some bloody lie about him being my murderer.

    “How do you know it was a lie Reine? It wouldn’t be that surprising if he did considering he is…” interrupted Marie.

    “I could see his fear; see it in his blind eyes. Besides Caleb would never do anything like that. He may be the Prince of Fonce but he isn’t like the rest of his family.”

    “How do you know?” muttered Marie.

    Reine merely snarled. It was an unspoken command telling the fairy that she had crossed a line, a line that should not be crossed again. Recognizing the fury Marie only muttered an apology and bowed her head. It was the absent of a fight that caused Reine to ease the anger and soften her voice when she next spoke.

    “Sorry, I’ve had a bit of a temper as of late.”

    “No apology needed Reine, though I won’t say I understand your anger either. What’s done is done, we can’t force the bards to stop being blind and I can not sway your trust of Caleb. Thus, both must be unbreakable.” At least let’s hope so, added Marie into her thoughts. For a minute Marie thought Reine had read her thoughts, but it turned out to only be a mutter of agreement.

    “The camp?” questioned Reine in a change of topic.

    “Up ahead,” answered Ty who had jogged to join them. Caleb and Ed inched onto Reine’s left. Caleb noticed, as he slid into a reasonable distance that would provide protection to the pirate queen if needed, that Reine was the substance holding them together. Without her they would break apart. A prince of Fonce and pirate union was something like a miracle, right?

    The princling had no more time to think about that useful piece of information as they exited the forest only to enter total chaos. Sunlight left black spots dancing across the views of Reine and Caleb, Ty and Marie were used to it. The sudden change of temperature with the heavy northern wind left both bodies shivering, and Reine inwardly scolded herself for refusing to wear heavier clothes. The trees of the Evengore had sheltered them from any heavy wind, letting in only light for a comfortable fall feeling. Now, it was utterly winter.

    Too bad winter didn’t bring silence as well.

    Shouts flooded the air, smothering the peaceful song of the forest. Metal screeched in a wailing opera as, throughout the camp, swords were sharpened simultaneously. The soft twang of bows echoed from further off in the distance, and all around them people were moving.

    “Wow…” whispered Caleb, holding his head which was starting to pound. “Why couldn’t we hear it in the forest?”

    Marie laughed with amusement that both Reine and Caleb found annoying because both of them could see the distant pounding of migraines. Reine was all too aware of the answer however.

    “Magic,” she answered with gritted teeth. “Magic that I really wish worked right now and stopped us from hearing this-“ Reine stopped, realizing that the racket had in fact stopped. Had someone over heard her? No… the camp had just realized who had arrived.

    No words were spoken between the queen and her people, just respectful silence existed between them. It was a silence that Reine found almost more uncomfortable than the chaos before, for now all eyes were on her. With a grin at those who dared meet her face she inched Sophira forward through a parting crowd.

    “She brings hope-“

    “-brought back to life.“

    “-immortal-“

    “I heard she’s-“

    “- a demon.”

    Ah, so even her people believed the rumors? No… no longer rumors, now they could be considered legends.

    The whisperings continued all the way to her tent, she had recognized it from a distance. It was the tent beneath the flag that on this blistery winter day waved bold and true, a flag of black with a dragon embroidered in gold thread on it. The flag mirrored the tattoo on her back, and the shape in the metal of her necklace. The symbol itself, of the dragon, was inscribed on all those truly loyal to her; though it was not a requirement... it was an honor.

    Made of dyed cloth to blend in with its surroundings like all the other tents, but the only thing different about hers was its size and interior.

    “Welcome back to the living Reine,” whispered Marie into her ear.

    “I’m not sure I’m glad to be back,” muttered Reine under her breath, causing Caleb to smother a chuckle. The pirate queen merely looked at him, but his eyes were far too busy soaking up the camp to catch the amusement in her eyes. His black hair waved against his forehead as he turned in the saddle, eyeing the magnitude of creatures. Centaurs sharpened their arrows, fairies of all sizes flew through the air, trees moved across the ground, and a griffin and a phoenix were having a heated discussion over the best nesting grounds. There were humans as well, witches and wizards who chose pirating over the guild set aside for them were spinning webs of colors, and a renegade bard was strumming his gold gilded lyre. What Caleb thought to be a young human child turned out to be a cat faced girl, and what Caleb thought to be a wolf soon shifted into a wild looking satyr.

    He never would have thought such people could have existed, and he never would have believed someone if they told him they all were loyal to Reine and Reine alone… at least, not while he resided at Fonce. Now, after spending hours with the Pirate Queen, it was not at all hard to believe. The magnitude of it all was what surprised him.

    “Caleb, are you coming?”

    Caleb shook himself in surprise as Reine touched his leg gently with one of her long fingered hands. She had dismounted from her saddle, and now stood with Ty and Marie as the entrance to the large tent which settled in the middle of the camp. Still struck silent in amazement, Caleb could only manage a nod. Reine let out a loose laugh at his dumbstruck expression and patted him gently.

    “You get used to it boyo,” then Reine turned and swept aside the tent flap. Marie and Ty were not far behind her. Caleb followed seconds later after handing off Ed to a dastardly looking man in red. Once Ed was waltzing off to join the other horses picketed a good distance away the Prince made his way into the tent, glad to find it was an ordinary tent. Curtains closed off one section to the side, and he guessed that was Reine’s sleeping area. The room in which the four of them stood in looked to be the collaborating room. A circular table, large enough to fit at least 10 people comfortably, filled most of the space. Reine, Marie, and Ty were already seated at it. Caleb hovered, not sure where his spot would be.

    Reine looked up from her conversation and motioned to her right, a place of honor among Kings but what about among pirates? Caleb made his way gingerly over, careful to not touch anything unnecessarily.

    “You’ve already called a meeting then Ty,” continued Reine after Caleb was seated.

    “Yes, they should be-“

    “Milady?” called a new voice, followed by a chorus of various languages and accents all whispering that same word, or words, depending on how they said it.

    “Enter.” Called Reine in answer to their question, and so they did. Caleb could not help but to stare.

    There were seven of them, seven creatures so different that you had to risk glances at every inch of them. An old, scraggly man entered first, a war veteran by the look of it, with the meanest single eye Caleb had ever seen. He sat next to Ty, who was on Caleb’s right. A witch came next, with her shadow like robes but hair that sparkled with colors… all colors. Stars seemed to twinkle under her skin, temporarily blinding Caleb. When he regained his sight the witch had sat next down to the veteran. After the witch a man who did not walk came, his movements could only be described as dancing. In his hands he carried a gold gilded lyre, and Caleb recognized him as the man he had
seen in the camp. He settled down in an elaborate movement next to the witch.

    It was the animal that came next which made Caleb jump out of his chair, and overturn it in fright. The large white wolf merely turned a lazy eye on him and trotted around the table to put his huge head into Reine’s lap. It was a head larger than Caleb’s with teeth almost as long as his dagger at his side. After a merry ruff, and a snarl at Caleb, the canine turned around and settled down with Kit, the black and white puff ball instantly clamored onto the wolf’s back.

    After regaining his seat, Caleb was so shocked that he merely watched as a wind mage, who caused breezes to fill the tent, a vampire, and a faun followed the wolf. He only stole the briefest of glances towards Reine, who was sitting like the regal queen she was in her throne-like chair.

    Within moments everyone was settled, but no one spoke until their queen did. That was not the law, but it was their choice.

    “As you can see, we have a new addition to our group. Some of you may recognize him, some of you may not. I want to remind you all that the thing I stress the most with you is to care not about each other’s pasts,” she paused for emphasis, and when she continued amusement filled her voice. “I have the honor of presenting to you Caleb Seraphim, Prince of Fonce.”

    Reine braced herself for the shouts to follow; Caleb winced before they even began. In the end, both of them were wrong. After a few ferocious mutterings, and glances at the poor boy, most merely nodded, the witch chuckled, and the vampire smiled, a smile that caused Caleb to shudder.

    “No arguments then?” Reine continued half-heartedly and bemused.

    “At the looks of it, Reine, the poor boy could hardly hurt any of us,” replied the witch. “Besides, if he’s been in prestigious company such as yours for as long as it looks like, I pity him more than I disagree with him.”

    “I don’t know if that was a compliment or and insult,” retorted Reine with a laugh. The witch merely shrugged.

    “Now that his introductions are over, may I have the doubtful pleasure of introducing Caleb to the rest of you rowdy lot,” said Reine with a raised eyebrow at the rest of the table.

    “Name’s Nathaniel,” mumbled the veteran to Ty’s right.
   
“Clava,” giggled the sparkling witch.
   
“Bentre,” sang the bard.

    “Amerie,” whispered the wind mage.

    “Ferior,” hissed the vampire.

    “Zen,” went the faun with a baaaa.

    A silence lengthened into minutes. Finally Reine cleared her throat, looking pointedly towards the white wolf, which was now rolling the black and white kitten around with its giant paws.

    The wolf looked up, blinking its red eyes towards the group with all apparent innocence. Its innocence was lost on Reine, and with a great huff and a slight snarl it spoke. “Dragontooth,” it muttered, and then continued with its game and Kit. Reine shook her head in exasperation then looked towards Caleb, who was so pale it looked as if he was about to faint.

    “You’re not one to sugar coat it, are you Reine,” he muttered rapidly.

    “Whatsss the point?” snarled Ferior, the vampire. “Sssshe wouldn’t have assss much fun.”

    “Ah, but who knows if fun is what she is going for at all,” said Bentre with a strum on his lyre. “She may just be looking for new forms of torture to make others fall.”

    “Say another rhyme and I will kick you with my hooves,” muttered Zen under her breath, wondering exactly how much force it would take to break that instrument in half.

    “Say a rhyme? Perhaps I’ll sing. One day you’ll agree I’d make a good king! And thus when stories come to pass, you’ll bow before me as one mass. I’ll be king of a world so plenty and you’ll be the jester to the Magnificent Bentre!”

    “Come here you little son of a-“

    “Bentre! Zen!”

 

    Both halted in mid rising, their bodies half way out of their chairs. Zen was reaching for her small dagger at her side, her goat tail flickering in irritation. Bentre was raising his lyre above his head, tauntingly. At the snarl of Reine’s voice, however, they both settled back into their chairs, muttering apologies at Reine, but not at each other. After making sure no more outbursts would occur, the pirate queen stood up from her chair with a gracefulness that Caleb had never seen in her before. It was as if she was born to sit in a throne, and when she commanded a room… she really commanded.

 

    “Please my darlings… please be patient with each other and myself. I am sure that you are well aware that this is not an easy time for any of us, for I know that this is not an easy time for me.” All the faces around the table took on a look of guilt. Even Caleb found himself turning red and looking at the table, though he couldn’t fathom why. “Decalage is in a state of stress, and the only thing holding it together seems to be us. If we argue, then consider any hope the people might have had thrown out the window.” She paused, and had a look of concentration on her face, then before continuing her golden eyes settled on each and everyone of them in turn, even Dragontooth was forced to meet her unbarring stare. “Promise me,” continued Reine,” that no matter what happens you will not give up. You will continue, no matter what you might see or hear. Pledge your loyalties to each other, as you have already done to me.”

 

    “Reine-“

 

    “That is a command Ty.”

 

    It was a queen’s command; there was no going against it or questioning its reasons. The message behind her words was clear though, even if she was to fall in battle they were to continue.

 

    As their queen demanded, they would serve, so in that hour they pledged loyalty to each other and set aside what differences they may have had. Even Caleb stood, to the surprise of everyone except Reine, and pledged his allegiance to the Pirate Court. When the group filed out, tugging the Prince of Fonce with them, Reine was smiling, though one would only notice when they looked away.

    “You’re scaring them Reine,” growled Dragontooth, butting the front of the pirate queen’s legs with his head. She was sitting down in the same chair she had sat in during the meeting. Reine’s hand merely fell to scratch the oversized puppy on the head.

 

    The meeting had gone as she had expected, except for anything dealing with the Foncian Prince. Not only had her group accepted them, but he had pledged allegiance with the rest of them. Perhaps it was their common sense taking over, but the pirate queen seriously doubted that even a blow to the head could give them common sense. Maybe they saw the reasoning behind it. If they had the Prince of Fonce they could trade him for ransom? No, that wasn’t right…

 

    “Reine!” barked the white wolf, snapping his monarch out of her thoughts.

 

    For a minute she was startled, than anger crept into her eyes, though not the cold fury of before. This anger was just anger created from being interrupted while thinking, an interruption that Reine did not take kindly. She snarled, and he growled back.

 

    “Yes Lord Dragontooth?” answered Reine once the initial noise match was over.

 

    “You may be a Queen Reine, but as your people have a duty to you, you have a duty to your people,” growled the wolf not too lovingly. He would know, of course, being the King of Circia, the animals with magic and the ability to talk. His court was smaller than hers, however, and when it came to a battle of power the pirate would win. Often, it took the bit of a wolf to snap her out of her own thoughts.

 

    “I am aware of that puppy, and I am also aware of what emotions they were feeling towards my words. As queen, I must prepare my people for the worst.”

 

    “What do you know that you aren’t telling anyone else your majesty?”

 

    Reine sighed and glanced down at the wolf who was stubbornly sitting next to her chair. His giant white head fought to keep her eyes, but she easily broke away from his stare, and prepared herself to lie. She opened her mouth to answer, yet found she couldn’t. With a snap her mouth closed into a grim line, anger flaring up into her eyes. Dragontooth merely waited with his form motionless even though the silence seemed to stretch on forever.

 

    “They’ve seen me die a million ways. I know I’ve died a million deaths. Nothing adds up anymore, and quite frankly… it terrifies me. It isn’t because I don’t understand it either,” she muttered, now barely talking above a whisper,” It’s because I understand it all too well.”

 

    The wolf snarled. “Just because they’ve seen it doesn’t mean it will come true.”

 

    Reine smiled, and it was a grim smile that caused the wolf’s hackles to rise. Her hand settled on his head, pushing down to remind him that she was dominate before rising to her exotic face, cupping her sharp chin. She was too thin, his queen, too dark eyed and bony. Like the others who served her, and only her, he worried.

 

    “It isn’t a thing of the future they’ve seen darling, it is a thing of the past.”

 

    She felt tired, so very tired. Certain topics weighed her mind, and when she spoke of them it was as if sleep suddenly settled over her. Whether or not it was the magic of the past, or just the fright that had came with the knowledge, Reine found herself leaning her head on her shoulders. Dragontooth realized what his queen needed the most, and with a nod of acceptance bowed before exiting the tent. The last thing Reine could remember was a image in the fire, a image of freedom, and then nothing.