The Moonlit Seas 2 - The Shackles that Bind Us
*The book is bound in dark brown leather, the cover depicts a circular portrait of a ship, sailing towards the moon on a calm sea as the rays of light are cast along the water. The edges of the painting have an intricate lattice of silver*
The ocean, such a fundamental and primordial power unleashed. Wild and free, its waves stretch endlessly toward the horizon, carrying with them the weight of an unrelenting force. Each small drop of water joins others, building into an insurmountable strength capable of destroying anything and anyone in its path. Respect its power. Fear its wrath.
The cabin was dimly lit, the flickering light of a single candle casting long shadows across the room. Lenore stood in the center, her chest heaving with rage, her fists clenched at her sides. Rylan leaned against the door, his arms crossed, his expression a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"YOU are a feckin, PIRATE!" Lenore spat, her voice trembling with fury. "You lied to me! You dragged me onto this ship, and for what? To mock me? To use me?"
Rylan raised an eyebrow, his tone calm but edged with defiance. "And YOU'RE a Hummal. One of the worst noble houses across the sands. Your family's wealth is built on the backs of slaves, Lenore. Or did you not know that?"
Lenore's eyes widened, her anger momentarily eclipsed by shock. "What are you talking about? My father, my family! they're merchants. Traders. They don't deal in...in..*that*."
Rylan's expression darkened. "Aye, they're traders alright. Traders of flesh. Calimport is a hub for the slave trade, and your father's coffers are filled with blood money. Did you really think all that gold came from spices and silks?"
Lenore's stomach churned, her mind racing. She wanted to scream, to deny it, but a small, insidious voice in the back of her mind whispered that it made sense. The lavish parties, the endless wealth, the way her father's associates always seemed to avoid her questions, "the matters of business do not concern a lady of your station." she remember him telling her when asked, She felt sick.
"You're lying!" she said, her voice shaking. "You're a pirate. A thief. A murderer. Why should I believe anything you say?"
Rylan pushed off the door, stepping closer to her. "Because deep down, you know it's true. You've always known something was off. You just didn't want to see it."
Lenore's hand shot out, aiming to strike him, but Rylan caught her wrist mid-air. His grip was firm but not painful, and for a moment, they stood frozen, their eyes locked in a battle of wills.
"Let me go!" she hissed, her voice low and dangerous.
"Not until you listen!" Rylan replied, his tone equally sharp. "I didn't bring you here to hurt you, Lenore. I brought you here to show you the truth. To give you a choice."
"A choice?" she spat, yanking her wrist free. "What choice? To become a pirate like you? To throw away everything I've ever known?"
"To live dammit!" Rylan said simply. "Truly live. Not behind walls, not behind a mask, but out here, where you can be free."
Lenore's heart raced, her emotions a whirlwind of anger, confusion, and something else she couldn't quite name. She hated him. Hated his smug confidence, his reckless disregard for the rules, the way he made her question everything she thought she knew. But more than that, she hated the part of herself that was drawn to him, the part that wanted to believe him, to follow him, to let go of the life that had always felt like a prison.
"You think I want this?" she said, her voice breaking. "You think I want to be here, with you, on this ship? You're everything I was taught to despise. Everything I was raised to fear!"
Rylan's expression softened, and for the first time, she saw something like vulnerability in his eyes. "And yet, here you are..."
Lenore's breath hitched, her resolve wavering. She wanted to hate him. She *did* hate him. But there was something in his gaze, something raw and honest, that made it impossible to look away. As her eyes followed down from his eyes across his jaw line and further...
((Oh the embrace! She can't seem to help herself, ohhh neither can he. WOW that escalated quickly Holy!!! it's getting good!!))
A loud knocking shuttered through the quarters at the door as they found themselves...
((Feck, why!!))
"Make sure you can still walk lad! It's your turn ta stand watching!" a torrent of deep gruff laughter echoed down the halls in the ship as it softened from the distance. Rylan looked at Lenore, a hunger still deep in his eyes with a broad smile across his face as he offered his hand towards her. "Come with me."
To the north, the Kraken of Calimport cut through the waves like a blade, its red sails taut with the hot desert winds. Captain Hendricks stood at the helm, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The glowing stone in his hand pulsed steadily, its light growing brighter with each passing mile. Each moment bringing them closer to what drew it, the necklace around Lady Hummal?s neck. He clenched his jaw, his grip tightening on the wheel.
"We're gaining on them." he muttered, his voice a low growl as he called out to those on deck. "Prepare the crew. When we catch them, I want no survivors."
Hendricks's mind raced as he plotted their course. The Gambit was fast, but it was no match for the Kraken. And when they finally caught up, he would make sure Rylan paid for his crimes, and that Lenore Hummal was returned to her family, no matter the cost.
Back on the Gambit Lenore and Rylan stood side by side at the helm, the stars above them a silent witness to their uneasy truce. The crew moved about the deck with practiced efficiency, their laughter and banter a stark contrast to the tension between their captain and his unexpected guest.
"You're quiet." Rylan observed, breaking the silence. "Thinking about home?"
Lenore shook her head. "No... I'm thinking about what comes next..."
Rylan glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "And what does come next?"
She met his gaze, her eyes searching his for answers she wasn?t sure she wanted to find. "I don't know..." she admitted. "But I think... I think I'm ready to find out."
Rylan's lips curved into a faint smile, though his eyes remained serious. "Then let?'s find out together."
As the Gambit sailed on, the first hints of dawn began to paint the sky in hues of pink and gold. But far to the north, the storm clouds gathered, and the Kraken of Calimport drew ever closer.
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Written by Trevor Highdale
Any likeness to folk, or events in the world is merely coincidence, this is a work of fiction. Written for entertainment.
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