Futuristic 〄 Help me find my way––!! | (syntranator & starboobie)

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

Verity's entire body explodes with Pain, from her neck straight to the tips of her fingers, and it takes every ounce of her strength to resist the temptation to struggle. She knows that struggling against this Iskra will only work to the pirate's advantage, so she wraps her arm around the mad woman's waist and hugs her tight against her torso. In her mind, she concentrates on turning her sternum into a stake––not yet willing to give up; not yet believing that this is where her story ends, because she still has her Iskra, somewhere, and she will get back to her. She will, she will, she will! Just as her lips part to scream, everything around her stops. Similar to when she had been brought into this reality, something sucks through a straw. She swirls around in some sickening rollercoaster before she is spit out in an seemingly unfamiliar place, entirely unsure of what has happened and even wondering if she had not acted quick enough. 'Am I... Did I die?'

But then she feels the embrace of a woman who can only be hers and she realizes that she is safe. That she is alive. Her lower lip quivers, her entire face breaking into tears, as she clutches Iskra just as fiercely. The princess is not entirely sure where to pinpoint the source of her tears, for there are so many reasons that she cries––the stress of her prior situation finally crashing over her now that she is free of it, the relief that her pirate has saved her, her Regret trying to make a deal with an ignoble psychic––it all just comes over her at once. She buries her face into Iskra's neck, pressing her nose right into her skin and relishing in that familiar mint and gunpowder perfume. "I-I wasn't sure when I would see you again, my pirate," she whispers. And, yes, Verity had not known when, because she never doubted that her and her pirate would not work to get back to each other someway, somehow. "The actual you, not that... that," she wants to say monster, but hesitates around that particular word, "vile doppelganger who dared to call herself by your name." She finally pulls away from the captain's neck, still crying; she wipes the tears from her eyes to get a clear look at the woman who has her heart. She strokes Iskra's cheek with her thumb, "I am so sorry. I must have worried you greatly when I vanished... I just, I just wanted to know if there is a way to save you. I cannot stand the thought that you shall be taken from me a moment sooner than necessary. I should not have tried to play with the fates. The... the other me, she did not harm you, did she?" the princess asks, suddenly worried and checking Iskra for any sign of injury. She relaxes visibly when she realizes her pirate is fine.

"Ah," she gasps, as if only remembering her injuries now that Iskra mentions them. She feels around her neck where the last Iskra had been and soon her fingers are coated in blood as the wound spills. "Right," she mumbles, relaxing to allow her pirate to care for her, "I suppose in that other reality we are not exactly friendly. The other Iskra, she... well, I challenged her to duel thinking I could distract her and protect my women," her voice falters as she thinks about the alternate version of her comrades, knowing she has abandoned the ones in this reality. (It's still hard to accept the choice. Where she would never trade her Life to be back with them, she cannot help the guilt that floods her automatically.) "But, well, she did this," pointing to the bite mark, "after I severed her sword arm. It was, ah, admittedly not looking that well for myself after that or really before that either." She wants to tell Iskra about the other Iskra and how she gave herself to the Shade. She wants to ask Iskra about what she saw. She wants to know what will happen to Iskra when the Shade does come for her––something she avoids thinking about specifically. (But when she does think about it, she thinks about the story of Myrne's daughter; she thinks about the pre-trial to find the wayfinder; the run-in with that goddess of chaos who pulled out their worst Fears. She wonders if there is a connection and she is afraid to draw it for herself. She doesn't want to think about it, but if there are only sixth months left? Should she not prepare herself? Or should she blissfully enjoy what she has with her pirate and figure it out later? She won't be alone when it happens. As much as she is certain Myrne still does not like her, she will be there and she will probably know how to explain it to Verity. Perhaps she can wait on this conversation until it is too late, but maybe she should hear it from her pirate...)

"Well," the psychic claps her hands together, awkwardly reminding everyone of where they are, "while this is sweet, you are getting blood all over my rugs and I really need to get the stains out now before the next customer comes in and frets over the cost of my services. Please skedaddle! Oh, and remember that old friends are going to start turning up soon." The old woman smiles innocently, as if she had not sent Verity to a terrifying reality and pried her away from her pirate. Though, rather than give either of them more trouble, Verity nods and leans on Iskra as they exit, heading back to Inure.

Once back on their flying castle, Verity makes sure to cozy up next to her pirate. For a moment, she closes her eyes and when she does images of that other Iskra flash through her mind. She tries to push them away, but they only come back stronger than before. "The other version of Iskra," she starts, eyes fluttering open so that she can stare at the Iskra she is with, "She told me that she gave herself to the Shade." 'What does that mean?' she asks with only her eyes, too scared of what answer will come if she truly asks it, but with her eyes? With her eyes Iskra can miss the question and she may not have to know.

 

[Syntra]

Finally. Finally, finally, finally! To spend even another second without her princess, that would have been like an eternity-- an eternity that Iskra would have spent trapped in a spider’s web, unable to move, unable to act, unable to think. Had she even been breathing, throughout that torturous period of separation? She must have, but ah, it certainly didn’t feel that way! Now, with Verity back where she belonged, the pirate finally released a breath that she didn’t realize she’d been holding, and it was… it was glorious. Like being reborn once again, really, but without all that baggage. (How afraid had she been? Words couldn’t describe that, the captain knew now-- for that, they were too weak, too narrow in meaning. How, after all, could you capture the feeling of your heart fluttering in your chest? Of your pulse growing more erratic, of your vision fading? You couldn’t! …besides, Iskra hadn’t exactly known that these things had been happening, back in that moment. Not really, anyway. A soldier’s mind had been calibrated to sort of... push these things aside, you know? The symptoms of weakness, that was, because they only got in the way. ‘Focus on your mission’ was the underlying motto, so focus on her mission she had. ‘Save Verity.’ Anything else, including her own feelings, had been secondary! Just a quiet buzzing in the background, like that of radars before they picked up on an enemy ship-- the survival mode, as her old mentor would have called it. Now, though, with her adrenaline levels slowly receding? Iskra couldn’t help but realize how terribly wrong everything could have gone, had her foot slipped just a little bit, and… and that would have been the end, just like that. Without even getting to say goodbye, too. Ah, how could something this precious also be this fragile? How could you ever reconcile that with… with existing in general, really? Women who weren’t undying like herself woke up every day only to face that terrible uncertainty, again and again and again! …perhaps that was what made it meaningful, though. With no stakes involved, gambling would hardly get anyone’s blood pumping, now would it?)

“I… I have heard of her crimes,” Iskra said, quietly. “The other Verity told me. I am not privy to the details, mind you, but… I guess I can imagine.” Not that she wanted to, if her estimates were even half-right, though closing her eyes before reality wouldn’t change anything. It had a peculiar way of making you acknowledge it, you see? Sooner or later, and the more you struggled, the more painful it would get. “I’m sorry you had to witness that, Verity. I know it wasn’t me, know that I wasn’t responsible, too, but still… still, it feels wrong that you should have to deal with something like that.” (With a horror this terrifying, and one that was wearing her face, too. When her princess looked at her now, did she truly see her, or the beast that had mauled her so? …there were questions better left unanswered, slumbering in the grey ambiguity, and this may have been one of them. Later. I shall ask her later, when the wounds aren’t as deep.) “Regardless, don’t blame yourself, Verity-- had I been in your shoes, I might have done the same. Worry not. We will… we will deal with the fallout of that prophecy when the time comes. I promise, we will find a way.” And, honestly, were they even sure that madame Zabrina hadn’t scammed them? To Iskra, it seemed that getting them to retrieve the flower had been her goal from the very beginning, and placing her trust in someone as honorless struck her as foolish. Perhaps there was still hope, then…?

“We shall leave, yes,” the pirate scoffed. “Immediately, rest assured. If we cross paths again, however, it might not be as friends, so keep that in mind.”

Only when they returned to Inure did the tension leave Iskra’s shoulders, but… but, ah, of course that Verity had to ask such a question! (Very well, then. Very well. This was her own personal matter, one not meant for sharing, though if not her princess, then who should know about it? Through her affection, she had earned that right, many times over. …what if it happened to her, too? What if the Shade claimed her, and Verity knew not what to do? It was her responsibility to prepare her for that outcome, regardless of how much it stung. This wasn’t just about her anymore, dammit!)

“The Shade,” she began slowly, as if weighing every word, “protects me because it needs sustenance. It cannot exist on its own, and so it slumbers within me. If it wakes up, and it will at some point, then I will die. That is the nature of my curse, Verity. There is a… a second option, though. Are you familiar with that feeling when you’re not quite awake, but not sleeping, either? I can make the Shade enter that state, should I want to, and receive much more of its power as a result. There’s a price, though. That would result in me losing myself, and I’d wager that that is what happened to that other Iskra. I… I wonder whether she did it willingly,” the captain looked up, finally meeting Verity’s eyes. “If the Holy Vessel is still alive in that reality, then it might have been less consensual than you think.”

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

Many Times over Verity has learned that when you go searching for answers, you often find exactly what you were looking for. To a detriment. It's why she asks this question without truly asking it, because she is scared to know and yet she needs to know. If not for her chronic case of curiosity, then because is this is her future, too, in a way. She may not be the one who will lose her Life to the Shade, some parasite, but she will be beside Iskra when it happens and perhaps she is hopeful that in knowing the truth of this mystery, she will be able to cope better. That maybe she can support her pirate better through those end Times. ('Six months,' she reminds herself. Maybe she should not trust madame Zabrina, the woman proved herself to be untrustworthy with her tricks, and Verity does not write her off entirely. She may not have spoken transparently, but there was a certain level of truth to what she said––figuring out which words had counted, however, will be a task on its own. One for another Time. Most likely when she is alone with her thoughts.)

When Iskra chooses to answer, Verity tenses and braces herself to know the very worst part of her condition. Absently, the princess's fingers curl around the hem of the pirate's shirt. It's the only place where her trepidation comes through, but it probably would have been obvious with no gesture at all. The air around them has become thick and sticky on this topic and Verity can hardly swallow. But she does not cry for as sad as this makes her, she does not want Iskra to see her grieve something that has not yet happened. No, she could never do that to her for it would only make this harder on the both of them, she assumes. She reaches to stroke the pirate's hair, then cups her face gently between her palms as if she were something precious (and to Verity, she is). "I don't want you to die, Iskra," she says, softer than a feather hitting the ground, "but I was aware of this when I promised my heart to you and I shall learn to accept that your affliction makes this your calling. Know that until the very end, I want to be with you and only you. I will not leave you, Iskra. I will not," she promises, looking into her pirate's eyes with such intensity that she it is impossible to think she is lying. "I have thought this over before, you know, and have decided to stay. It's my mission to give you your happiest days as you have already given me so many of mine."

Of course, the subject of that other Iskra naturally sours Verity's spirits and she drops her hands down to the pirate's shoulders. Though she tries not to focus on her Time spent in that alternate reality where Iskra hated her, where Iskra was truly a dastardly pirate, where Iskra never killed the Holy Vessel. She is with the better version, anyway; she does not need to waste her Time thinking of that other one. "It had been so surreal, you know, to see a version of you that is so far from who I know you to be. When I close my eyes I can picture her face clearly and even though it is yours, it is very different. There was so much hatred in her eyes and she wore these expressions that looked so unlike you... I really could not believe it was a version of you, but I suppose that was also partially a result of giving more of herself to the Shade. She seemed rather thrilled with her evolution and I don't see why she wouldn't be, she had power beyond what I have ever seen in a woman before." One might have thought that Verity would have developed a Fear of her pirate because of the physical likeness of that last villain, but honestly? To Verity they could not be more different. They may have been like twins, but like with twins Verity has already separated them in her mind. She has no reason to Fear the face in front of her. After a pause, Verity leans down and presses her lips to Iskra's forehead, "I am glad that you are nothing like her."

The princess settles back into her pirate's arms, her mind still chewing on what Iskra has just shared with her. Of course there are more questions brewing within her and eventually she does ask, "Will the Shade hurt you when it awakens? Will you have an idea of when it's starting to stir or does it happen spontaneously?" She desperately wants to know everything that is to come, as much as Iskra is willing to divulge. She wants to know how to be prepared for something neither of them can avoid or delay. Of course it hurts to acknowledge that a woman she has just met is dying; it hurts because she recognizes that they will spend less Time knowing each other than being apart, and wishes she could have more Time with Iskra. Yet Verity would not choose another way. She has been given that choice and rejected it. There is only Iskra. The princess's heart will know no other. "... How does the Shade choose its Seeds?" 'Why did it have to choose you?'

 

[Syntra]

Some secrets, Iskra knew, were like butterflies-- like butterflies in your belly, flapping their wings and making you feel… well, special. Expectant, even. Wasn’t the world so much more beautiful, after all, when you knew there was something to look forward to? Like a pint of ice-cream, but infinitely sweeter? A pint of ice-cream that was yours to savor, and nobody else’s, unless you chose to share the joy? Ah yes, yes, most definitely! Others, though… Others were a steel ball tied to your leg, to your wrist, to your very heart, and such secrets? Oh, such secrets did nothing but tear at you, pressing its rough edges into your skin. (How come nobody saw it? Why? Was she not covered in those tiny scars, her body but a chronicle of past cruelties? A canvas for others to use as they saw fit, to paint whatever sceneries they liked? To Iskra, it seemed blindingly obvious-- the mark may as well have been on her forehead, for all the world to see! …except that nobody ever had. Nobody, aside from Verity. Come to think of it, that had always been the princess’s superpower, hadn’t it? From the very first moment when their paths had crossed, back in that dreadful cell, it felt as if Verity had seen her, for better or worse. Those green eyes had pierced her, bypassing all of her defenses at once! It had been terrifying to be sure, this mysterious enemy knowing her secrets all of a sudden, but… well, it was also the reason why her princess was able to understand her so effortlessly, as if it was just an instinct for her. Kind of like… like breathing, or perhaps blinking. Was it any wonder, then, that she had been the first to ask her this question? Was it any surprise that the pirate felt compelled to actually reply, instead of dodging it? All along, it had been an inevitability-- just like birds of passage were destined to follow the same route their ancestors had chosen generations ago, Iskra had always been meant to open up, then and there.)

Still, the pirate… didn’t really know what to expect, to be frank. Would there be tears or bargaining or anger, or any of the symptoms of grief? All of that would have been understandable, and so she braced herself-- braced herself for a rejection, too, for that would have been Verity’s right as well. (It wasn’t like she had known everything about her before promising herself to her, was it? So, no, Iskra wouldn’t fault her for deciding that this wasn’t what she wanted, after all. This looming sense of loss… well, it was her burden to bear, and one she had made her peace with, though that didn’t mean she didn’t remember just how overwhelming it had been once, back when her shoulders hadn’t been accustomed to the weight. Just, how could she demand of Verity to master that which had taken her years to even get a hang of? No, there would be no judgment if the princess wanted nothing to do with her anymore-- the precious moments of happiness that she had given her were way more than what she had ever dared to hope for, anyway. Taking a deep breath, Iskra looked at Verity, only to… only to see understanding in her eyes? Oh, by the Shade, if she knew how to, the pirate could cry.)

“That is music to my ears, Verity,” she admitted, wasting no time in embracing her. “I wasn’t sure whether… nevermind. My doubts matter now. If you are satisfied like this, with me, despite knowing who I am, then I will not complain. Just know that, if you ever were to change your mind, I will not condemn you. I imagine that hearing all of this is… well, a lot,” the pirate gave her a small smile. “More than most women could or should have to endure, really. Should your feelings morph into something else, I will do my best to understand. Regardless of what this turns into, I just… well, I don’t want us to go back to being enemies.” Because, the mess that the second trial had led to? It had almost killed her, in a way that somehow mattered more than all those deaths before. “Promise me that, Verity,” she clasped her hand tighter. “Please.”

Of course, it didn’t exactly surprise Iskra that her counterpart wasn’t displeased with the transformation. “Do you think, my princess, that a dog that is infected with rabies can choose to feel bad about its state? I don’t. You see, the virus rewrites how you think, and… and the Shade does the same, if you let it.” I’m sorry, Verity. I wish I had better news, a glimmer of hope to give to you, but as it is, that would be mere placebo. A pretty little lie, wrapped in a pretty little package. “No,” she shook her head, resolutely. “I know not the day, nor is there any way to find out. From what I understand, it has to do with the Shade’s maturation cycle? It is still not… ripe, so to speak. When it does ripen, it will need to break out, just like a chicken has to break its shell. It makes sense when you think about it, really.” …yes, it certainly did, but hopefully Verity wouldn’t think too hard about the metaphor. Too many parallels, you see? Except that, when the body broke, it made a mess much greater than the average shell.

“That I don’t know. It is not the Shade which chooses its hosts per se-- my own people do. Well, did, before the program was stopped, but that’s beside the point. I believe it had to do with one’s genetic make-up? The Shade can still reject a host, and over the years, they were able to synthesize the profile of the ideal candidate from the data available. When you fit… well, you don’t exactly have a choice. They take you as a child, whether your mothers agree or not. ‘For the good of the nation,’ they said. Do you think that this can be a good thing, Verity?” she tilted her head aside. “To uplift many at the disadvantage of few? We were told that, in order for you to reach unimaginable heights, you always need to walk on other people’s backs. That such a sacrifice is noble, in truth.”

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

"It is a lot to bear, my dear," the princess whispers, burrowing into the pirate's embrace and sapping as much of her warmth as she can. "And I have never felt more sure of a decision or another person in the entirety of my Life. You are the only woman who I want to share this Life with and if we only get to be together for the rest of yours, then so be it. Nothing can stop us from enjoying it," she says, matching Iskra's small smile. (Oh, she will miss those tiny glimmers of concentrated sunshine. She wonders if, perhaps, she can convince Iskra to let her capture it in a picture because she is not she her memories will be enough.) "I never want to be at odds with you again, if I feel myself growing... Oh, I don't know, more upset with your condition or if, somehow, I start to falter on this promise, I will tell you. As soon as I know it, because the thought of ending on bad terms with you is a poison that will surely consume me whole." She lifts the pirate's hands to her lips to seal the promise with a kiss. "You are far too important to me, my dandy lion."

"Though I would not have you any other way, I do wish you had been born with different genes," Verity muses, pushing Iskra's hair back. "I wish you hadn't been chosen, but then... Then I suppose there's no telling what your life would have been and if our paths still would have crossed. I would rather know you for however long we still have together than not know you at all, to be quite honest. I just, suppose, I imagine the ideal galaxy in which we meet under exciting circumstances and did not have to think about all this baggage we bring," she sighs. Then quickly, she clarifies, "I speak for myself as well. I know I bring a handful." (In the back of her mind she does think about the metaphor of what happens when the Shade awakens and she wonders how much is exaggeration and how much is truth. She remembers how that shadow Iskra had looked during the pre-trial and slowly the pieces start to come together. If it is anything like what she witnessed back then, an entire lifetime ago, she does not know how she will handle it; what if it happens while they Sleep? What if it happens when they are apart? What if it happens right before some critical moment? What, just what, will Verity even do? She knows not how to prepare herself for this and, while her curiosity has a voracious appetite, even it dares not ask this question. Out of some odd sense of preservation, it spares Verity and she will keep that door locked.)

Honestly, if Iskra had asked Verity this question months ago when they had first met? Without a shadow of a doubt Verity would have jumped immediately to say, 'No, it is not good or noble to step on the backs of others to reach that which you desire.' It's not the princess does not still agree with that, but now, having spent many months with Iskra and sharpening her mind through their conversations, she remains quiet for a long moment to think about her answer. It's obvious her opinion has not changed much, but what puzzles her and causes her several more moments of silence than necessary is that she realizes there are so few accomplishments that are reached without stepping over others. Empires, after all, are built on the bones and blood of fallen enemies. The greatest works of art are often spurred from catastrophe, both personal and external. Science has even made progress through dark means. "Iskra," she starts, "have you ever noticed that so few accomplishments happen without someone suffering? What do you think that means?" Her brows knit together as she thinks this over for herself and, rather suddenly, she seems to realizes her mind went off the course. She looks at her pirate and frowns, "And no, I do not think it had been noble or just what happened to you and your sisters in arms. Your lives and families were all stolen from you. No matter the cause, there is never a good reason for separating a child from her mother. A nation cannot ever forget that she is a sum of all her families and to tear those apart? Well, there is only so long before someone rebels."

"Did you, Iskra, ever believe that your sacrifice was something noble? I mean, do you ever remember being angry? Before you learned that you could be, that is," she asks, leaning closer to her pirate as her curiosity begins to grow and grow. Unsurprisingly, she thinks back to the memories that Iskra had shared with her, both the stories she has told and the ones from the trial, for clues before getting the answer from Iskra herself. "I remember, in one of your earlier memories, that you seemed scared. You were so young, too... There were so many young girls in that room," she frowns. Part of Verity wonders what happened to those girls, to Iskra's sisters, and if there are any others like her still alive. If so, where are they and what happened? But she decides against those questions. Not just for now, but forever as those feels... too personal for even her to touch. She knows she could probably get away with asking and there would be a high chance that Iskra would answer, but she doesn't want to bring that particular topic up. So she thinks of something new to discuss. Something lighter. "Iskra, is there anything you wish you had been able to do but could not because of your life as a soldier? Is there a way that, perhaps, we can do those things so that you may have as many experiences as possible?" In a break of character, the princess offers the pirate a bashful smile, "Let's give you a thousand lives for this one you have."

 

[Syntra]

What was the heaviest thing in the universe? Steel, some might reply, or rocks, others could say-- the more educated women would probably name certain planets, on the other hand, or perhaps elements too obscure for Iskra to know. In reality, though? In reality, the heaviest thing was a decision. A decision as passionate as the one Verity just voiced, at least, which… ah, how had she ever gotten this lucky? Seeds like her weren’t supposed to own anything, not even themselves, and yet, yet fate had presented her with such a gift! (Of course, placing all of her hopes on Verity’s vow would have been stupid. Words were wind, the pirate knew-- the instruments of deception, whether you meant to lie or not. Women promised, promised, and promised, each and every day, and often meant to fulfill those promises, too! …except that, really, you couldn’t predict the outcome here. From time to time, your heart could be a fickle thing, you see? Like a weathercock, it followed the very trajectory it had to follow, and getting angry with it would be akin to hating a bird for soaring the skies. So, no, never would Iskra suspect Verity of lying to her! She could change her mind, however, and that... that would be fine. Heartbreaking, certainly, but not a huge betrayal, or a reason to hate her. I have her now, the pirate reminded herself. Now and always, as far as I am concerned. What does it matter if we part our ways in the future? The Future was out of her grasp, so letting it seep into the present… well, that just struck her as short-sighted. As a self-fulfilling prophecy, even. What better way to bring about your own demise than to prepare for it, after all? Destiny was just a set of strings, strings interconnected in ways most women couldn’t perceive, and the more knots you tied on them, the more attention they drew! …no, she wouldn’t tempt the goddesses. Their sense of humor was notoriously cruel, and Iskra’s life had been enough of a joke as it was.)

“Thank you,” she breathed out, choosing with all her heart to believe. (The only way to combat uncertainty, indeed-- the path was thorny, and also one that you had to walk repeatedly, though… well, maybe it was worth it. It had to be. To truly give yourself to another, you had to not only lower your protective walls, but demolish them, so they could never be erected again! In a way, the pirate supposed, you had to become a different person? Because all that giving had to be accompanied by receiving, and there was no way you could be unaffected by all of that.) “That means the world to me, Verity. I shall keep your words in mind, and let them soothe me whenever weakness seizes me.”

When the princess stated that she wished things had been different, however? Iskra laughed, the sound of it bitter like the blackest of coffees. “Oh, you have no idea how often I’ve echoed that sentiment. Not aloud, of course-- for that, they would have punished me. Hell, in my darkest hour, I didn’t even dare to think it. Isn’t that ridiculous? I became convinced that my overseers could read my thoughts, and I was desperately afraid of showing them anything real. I… suppose that I thought I could make myself believe the things they were saying? Everything would have hurt less, at the very least. If I could wrap my suffering in honor, I said to myself, everything would have been worth it. I would have been a hero, not a victim or a villain. Doesn’t that sound appealing? For a while, I succeeded, too, but it was a short-term solution. Like… like slapping a band aid on a large, bleeding wound.” Iskra took a deep breath, and then she finally met Verity’s eyes. “I hated my own mother, Verity. I have never met her, not in any meaningful way, and yet I hated her for giving me life in the way she did. I did know on some level that it wasn’t her fault, either, but I had nobody else to hate. Was that wrong of me?” ‘Could you forgive me for that, were you in her shoes?’ was the question that her eyes asked, though she left it unspoken.

“I don’t know,” the pirate answered plainly. “Perhaps it means that the goddesses are cruel, along with the stars, and will only give you your success in exchange for blood. Then again, maybe it is something else entirely? Maybe… maybe it’s about making suffering meaningful,” Iskra suggested, her eyes thoughtful. “If we need to suffer in order to preserve some cosmic balance, then it only makes sense that we should be rewarded for it in some way. Pushing the boundaries of what we know now to make the world better than it was when our foremothers found it… well, why not? It seems fitting, to me. Naturally,” Iskra smiled, “there is no way to find out whether this is true or not. Perhaps I’m just lying to myself-- swallowing that sweet, sweet placebo because reality is too bitter. It may very well be so, though honestly? I have begun to believe that there is meaning even in lies, as long as they allow you to continue onward. To do what you have to do. Don’t get me wrong, the truth is valuable, but it is sharp, like a knife. Not all situations call for a knife, as I have found out.” When Verity asked her question, however? Iskra clasped her hand, and offered her a small, shy smile.

“Ah, there are so many things I have never gotten to do, Verity-- they are more numerous than the stars in the sky. If I only had to pick the most important thing, though? The one that weighs on my mind the most? I suppose that I would like to learn more about myself. More about the parts that I have forgotten, and the ones that I have never known. Would you help me with that?”

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

Admittedly, despite the princesses lifelong wish to have a romance that would sweep her off her feet and be worthy of storybooks, she had been quite fearful of actually pursuing such an endeavor. When she thinks of the women she has fancied before Iskra, she had pursued them for vain or superficial reasons. From the governess's daughter to the blacksmith to Osmunda to Seraphina, even her flings never allowed her to truly explore romance. For one, none of them liked her for who she really is as she never let any of them know the real her; she had been too scared of what they might think so she molded herself to fit the image of whoever they desired and always, always, she was left empty and alone. Then came Iskra. Iskra who never gave Verity a reason to hide; Iskra who she expected nothing from; Iskra who somehow made the princess feel safe despite the circumstances that brought them together and should have branded them as bitter enemies, like in that alternate reality. For one reason or another, the Divinities of this reality have blessed them and allowed them to connect; through that she has only felt herself grow closer to the pirate. For the first Time, she is not scared to bare her soul so wholly to another and she does not care what others will think or say about her affections for a pirate, for a non-descendant. All this to say, it's never been easier to promise herself to another because Iskra knows her deepest self and has never rejected who Verity is at her essence. Likewise, she knows her pirate has shared her truest self and she has no doubts about the woman who she has gifted her heart.

Even the admission that she has hated her own mother is not enough to drive the princess away. While there is an automatic lurch in her stomach hearing Iskra's confession, she does have enough sense to not let that part of her speak. After all, who is she to judge? The relationship she has (or had) with her mothers will always be different than the pirate's, for reasons that are too numerous to count. Besides, even she can remember being a teenager and hating her mothers. So she doesn't necessarily take offense to what her pirate says, but she is shocked to hear it and it's rather obvious in her wide eyes. Still, when she searches Iskra's eyes and sees the guilt in them, she softens and presses Iskra's head onto her chest, stroking her hair. "Wrong? No. You were angry with your situation and, honestly, how could you not be? It is not an experience I have lived, but from what you shared with me? You were exposed to things that no child should have been exposed to, Iskra. You were a child and you needed someone to be angry with for your circumstances. Why would it not be your mother? Even if out of her control, she gave you a Life that you had not asked for. I think if I knew I had brought a daughter into a cruel world, I would hate myself, too. I would Regret not doing more to protect her even if there was nothing I could do. I think that is just the condition of being a mother, truly," she says, as if speaking from experience. Though her sisters were not her children, she had raised them while her mothers were away and even she remembers wishing she could do more for them. She remembers wanting to take away their Pain when they were sick and too small to know how to talk about their hurt. She remembers wanting to do more for the sister that came after her when her body fell apart at five. She also remembers the lengths Myrne had gone to find her own daughter. While there is no way for them to know what came of Iskra's mother, she has a hard Time believing that losing her daughter had been easy for her to swallow. "It makes sense you would have hated her before the overseers, the Holy Vessel, or all the others who made the Shade possible. Your mother was a target who could not hurt you. Besides, I venture to guess that you have grown since then and may not share that same sentiment. If she is still out there... would you want to meet her?"

As Iskra answers her query on the meaning of suffering, the princess frowns, no part of her wanting to believe that it is solely the cruelness of Divinities that make this existence that causes so many to suffer for the benefit of others. Though as Iskra shifts her thought process, Verity finds some peace in this direction. (Perhaps Iskra is right and it only cruelty that motivates suffering and if that is true, it is not a truth that Verity is willing to swallow. She would rather believe that there is meaning in everything. That this suffering does not have to be for the entertainment of entities who do not have to live through the Pain that they cause. She would hope the Divinities are careful with the power that they wield.) "I, too, would rather believe that lie, if that is what it is, than accept a truth that tells me the Divinities are only cruel voyeuristic sadists," she sighs and closes her eyes. "I used to want everything to be neat. I did not want to accept that the suffering of one class to uplift another was necessary. I still do not believe that, but if not the work of the Divinities, then it surely an inborn condition in all women to bring suffering onto their sisters. I am not sure we have even seen m lands where the rulers are just," perhaps queen Keilani's people were treated fair, but their stay with her had been so short they would have never been able to assess whether or not her country is utopian. "Sometimes, I think that everyone had been right. That lands like that only exist in my fantasies and that there is not a way to make them perfect. Or near perfect." Disappointment floods through her in that moment, too, as she remembers all the values she had capitulated on just to see her other measures come to Life; how she traded lives for things she thought would be good. (Yes, she had been young and inexperienced and scared, but is that an excuse when you have been given power?) "If we go back to Aurora and overthrow Seraphina, whether helping Halen or running a campaign of my own, I want to undo some of the decisions I made. People may always hate me and think me a villain, but I won't be doing it for their approval. I just want to do right by them still."

Thankfully, seeing that little ray of sunshine peak through Iskra's lips helps her not to despair for too long and she grins as she listens to her pirate's wishes. 'How very like her,' she thinks, squeezing the pirate and chuckling. "Of course. Of course, that is the very least I can help you with. How should you like to start?" She shifts their position so that she is more or less sitting on top of the pirate, with her hands pinning Iskra's shoulders down into the cushions of the seat. "There are so many ways to know yourself. We can start by following your whims and where your heart might think she'll find her fancy. We can try anything you like. Let’s find out more of who just Iskra is, my darling.”

 

[Syntra]

"I... suppose that may be so," Iskra agreed, after a while. "Perhaps I really did need someone safe to hate, just like you said. Still, it weighs on me, you know? The fact that hatred was my first impulse, and not something more constructive. Not something... I don't know, something closer to the other end of the spectrum." In the end, it wasn't about the woman who had and hadn't been her mother-- her thoughts had been daggers and shrapnel, yes, but... well, they had also been a victimless crime. It was hard to hurt a phantom, you see? A ghost who only lived in her mind, singing sweet lullabies in her dreams. No, more than that, it was about Iskra! About Iskra and her own inclinations, evil and monstrous and wicked. What kind of demon child, after all, could yearn for their mother's doom? For the demise of the one who had built her, out of her own blood and bones? A damaged soul, doubtlessly-- one to whom cold was warm, dark light, and death... death something to pursue, rather than avoid. A fate which you accepted with open arms, knowing that, yes, this was right, right, right, like two pieces of puzzle sliding into one another. That being said, however?

"I will admit, maybe my own expectations for myself were too steep," the pirate said, uncertain whether she was speaking to Verity, herself, or someone else entirely. Maybe to Inure, who was a constant guest in her thoughts now? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps, indeed. "I mean, children only repeat what they see. That's how they learn, is it not? And I didn't exactly have a lot of positive experiences to draw on, that's for sure." ...or a lot of experiences, period. Seeds were to be seen, not heard, so it hadn't been strange for them to just... stand in the corner, for years and years and years. And, as for the only indication that they had even been alive? Why, their cold, dead, expressionless eyes! (Such Seeds were the most perfect vessels of them all, their overseers had claimed-- the ones most intimately connected to the Shade. Had that been true, or just another piece of propaganda? Either way, expecting them to solve complex ethical dilemmas would have been foolish, much like it would have been foolish to ask a child who was just learning her alphabet to write a novel.) "Honestly, I don't even think I was a person back then," the pirate frowned, pursing her lips in the process. "I have grown to dislike that terminology, but for all intents and purposes, I truly was a Seed-- potential yet untapped, lying dormant in the ground. It was possible for me to be something, sure, though my circumstances... well, no flower grows in the dead of the winter, right? For me, it certainly felt like that. Like... like being buried under a blanket of snow." It had felt like that for the longest time, too, till Verity had come-- with her smile, the princess had thawed the ice, and now Iskra basked in the sunlight. But, ah, didn't that make perfect sense? Stars were suns, even the guiding ones. (Especially those, maybe.) "I would like to meet my mother now, I think," the pirate caressed her princess's hair, in a gesture so automatic it hadn't even registered to her. "I don't know what I'd say, but I feel like being able to look her in the eye would provide me with ample inspiration."

Verity kept wandering in her thoughts, however, and Iskra? Iskra followed her on that journey, as gladly as always. "It is possible that such a world only exists in your fantasies, I am not going to deny that. You know what, though? All the great poems, and all the great inventions as well, have been born out of someone's dream. Why should this be any different? Dream on, I say-- there is nothing wrong with that. Quite the contrary. Just... don't forget to look around from time to time, too, alright? When bringing your dreams to reality, you must ensure that they will survive the contact. For that, you must understand how both of those work, I think." If Iskra had to liken it to something, after all, she would choose surgery-- if the tissue was too different, too foreign, it would get rejected, and the whole organism would fall to rot!

The pirate wanted to expand upon her thesis, but it wasn't meant to be, it turned out. Just, how was she supposed to think when Verity did such... such things? (All the blood rushed into her cheeks, and it was hot, hot, hot, the the point steam might as well have been released from her ears--) "Um. I'm not... not sure?" Iskra decided to be honest, mostly because her brain was malfunctioning. What else to say, really, than the bare truth? "It's, ah, hard to know what I might want when I've never tasted it. Can you have an appetite for food that you haven't eaten?" 'Yes, yes, yes,' every fiber of her body screamed, in a voice that was downright deafening, but how oh how was she to follow it? There were no instructions, no manual for her to read, nothing but the heat pooling in her belly-- "Guide me," she whispered, her throat hoarse, her hands on the princess's hips. "Show me what is there to like, Verity. I... I don't want you to hold back."

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

As Verity has come to learn, her pirate is a complicated mess. A tangle of strings so dense with knots that one might sooner throw the entire mess out than work through the process of finding the right threads to pull until it comes undone. Obviously, the princess has already proven her patience with the pirate and, likewise, the pirate has proven her patience with the princess. (She has learned so much about the galaxy through what Iskra shares with her. Once, she might have thought there was only a world of knowledge to know, and since fleeing her microscopic country? She knows there is so much more than the isles.) From what she says now, Verity understands that this really is not for her to understand but for her to listen and accept. She sighs, stroking the pirate's back to soothe whatever demons have haunted her and torn her apart for all of these years. "It is impossible, Iskra, to know what we do not know until the Time comes for us to learn those lessons. Your younger self, as you said, knew no better. That said? You have grown into quite a Beautiful woman since being that Seed. One who I feel quite lucky to have by my side." (Verity does not often think about who or where she would be without Iskra, but when she has gone down that line of thought? She sees herself still with Halen, going through the motions of living and doing nothing to feed her own desires. Still following the script that others have set for her and never really knowing how to live as herself. Sometimes she wonders what makes Iskra so different (other than everything), and then she'll remember that when she found Iskra she had not been looking for anything at all. Maybe that's what allowed them to come together so organically rather than through Verity's usual games.)

"You really think so?" the princess asks, her eyes glimmering with a certain kind of hopefulness she has really only shown with her pirate. Most, you see, have shut her down. At least those who she had been surrounded by while serving as a princess. Those who could have helped Verity realize her fantasies and, perhaps, really could have changed their country for the better. Yet always, they told her to take her head out of the clouds and realize that such wishes are impractical. She likes it more when her pirate encourages her and she does not think Iskra does so to please Verity's ears. No, never has Iskra told her what she wants to hear––unless the situation has called for it––she has always been honest in her opinions. So, yes, Verity certainly knows that it is true that Iskra wishes her princess to keep dreaming until her dreams spill out of her ears and fill the galaxy with new colors. "If you think it worthwhile to keep this part of me intact and wanting, I shall. I shall do what I can to see a better galaxy. Carefully, of course," she says, beaming at her Iskra.

However, there are more important things than conversation happening. She realizes this the moment she swings one leg over the pirate's lap to straddle her. It becomes immediately apparent on Iskra's cherry cheeks. The princess knows when she’s caught someone in her web and she’s had Iskra for quite some Time. It’s just been a matter of waiting––waiting for the pirate to make her move and agonizing over when that might be; wondering when she might finally claim the princess who has given herself freely to this woman. Well, the princess can wait no longer. She realizes it had been rather foolish to think Iskra will know how to initiate such proclivities. So now she will take it upon herself to show the pirate exactly what she is missing; that she can taste her princess anytime she pleases. (Though she means not to take it so far––she merely wants to tease the pirate into wondering just what she is missing so that when she is ready, she will pounce.)

The princess gyrates her hips against Iskra’s lap and combs her fingers through her hair as she looks down at the woman through half-lidded eyes. A slight smile tugs at her lips as she bends down to pepper kisses over Iskra’s neck. “Are you ready, pirate, for what I have to show you?” she asks, parting her lips as she searches for her pulse, latching onto it and sucking gently on the pirate’s neck. She leaves several of these marks over Iskra's neck, in fact. (Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she wonders what the crew will think of seeing their captain peppered with bites. Perhaps it will finally end their silly games and she and Iskra can finally have some peace aboard their castle.) She comes up, once satisfied with her work, and sheds off the coat she had been wearing as heat begins to flood her own veins. (It's been so long since she has been able to be so intimate with another person, that even this start excites her more than it usually would.) She undoes the rest of the buttons to her shirt, too, and moves Iskra's hands from her hips to her bare waist. Then she bends down, pressing her lips to the shell of Iskra's ear, letting her hot breath and tongue tease the pirate before she whispers, "I am yours to explore." She nips Iskra's earlobe, perhaps revenge for their first sparring lesson together, and pulls away to smile down at her pirate.

As she stares down at Iskra, biting her lip, she cups the pirate's jaw in her hand and tilts her head up so that she is looking at Verity. She then bends down until her lips are just hovering over Iskra's, pausing for a beat, before she closes the distance between them.

 

[Syntra]

"That is true," Iskra nodded, her eyes thoughtful. "I think that, back then, I would have been unable to accept that lesson, too. To embrace it, in my heart of hearts. It felt like there was cotton in my ears, you know? Every word, every syllable was so dull to me, and only reached me... tangentially, I suppose. It's so hard to recall whether anything in that period of my life was able to touch me, if I am to be honest." Because, you see, Iskra had locked herself in a cage-- the door had closed behind her, and the key she had swallowed. It had to have been done, now she saw that, but those protective bars? They'd also isolated her, preventing her from being held, being valued, being loved. ...perhaps there had been people who would have done these things for her, actually? Not when her body had learned to recognize all touches as poison, however. "It's funny, how well it worked out. The timing, I mean. Had I met you earlier, Verity, I don't think I would have been able to open up-- with my wounds still sore, I would have hurt you. Well, more than I have hurt you," she shrugged, "but you know what I mean. Had I met you later, however? My heart would have turned into stone, I'm sure, and once again, this would have ended in tragedy." Peculiar, right? Their destiny must have been written in the stars, and, perhaps for the first time in her life, Iskra considered their light to be a kindly guide, rather than something that would chew you and spit you out. Ah, no, no longer did it feel cold and detached and clinical!

"I do think that," she agreed, with a certainty so unshakable one might build a castle on those foundations. "Am I not a living proof that this might work, after all? With your thoughts, you changed me. With your dreams, you showed me the way. I may be but one woman, Verity, but what is a nation of not women, women, women, as far as your eye can see? If you were able to touch me, then surely you can do the same with others. Just... let them see the real you, my dear. The one who dreams of a better future, and not the one who plays games with highborn ladies. I am not saying that that aspect is not important, but it's not going to help you win people's hearts, you know? And ultimately, that is what matters the most, I think."

Iskra had more to say, both on the topic of loyalty and ruling, but, uhhh... let's just say that all of her thoughts were wiped away, with no traces remaining. How could they, when they were replaced by a way more interesting imagery? (The kind of imagery that made her breath hitch, and set her blood on fire. Oh, by the Shade! 'Yes,' she wanted to say, 'go on, take me, in whatever way you want,' but the words got stuck in her throat, wild and searing. Ah, what was she to do? Where were her hands supposed to go? There was skin, so much skin, and every inch of it deserved to be caressed-- caressed, kissed, and worshiped, with her hands, her mouth, her everything. Just, how could one woman pull it off?) In a daze, Iskra looked up to her, her mouth open in a small 'o'. "N-no. I don't think I will ever be ready, but don't let that stop you. Sometimes, it's, ah, sink or swim." And Iskra would absolutely sink, she was certain of that-- everything about her felt heavy, heavy, heavy, with her limbs suddenly transforming into lead, but... well, perhaps that wasn't such a terrible fate? Drowning in Verity, that was. (Embracing her tighter, till there was no space between them. Mapping her body diligently, like a territory uncharted, and writing her name all over it. 'Iskra,' it would say, and everyone would know, know, know, with a single glance! Would she enjoy that, hmm? If so, how much? Would the princess be loud about it? Ah, by the Shade, Iskra certainly hoped so--)

Except that then, then their lips met, like two realities colliding. It was supposed to happen, Iskra was aware of that-- couples kissed, and now they were a couple. Easy peasy. That moment was always going to come, wasn't it? And it was a happy moment, judging by all the stories and Eran and Saavika and... and everything else, really. Getting to kiss your loved one was an upgrade, surely! The awakening of desires, Iskra had once been told, during which you saw stars. ...and, yeah, there was fire, alright. Too bad that it left behind blisters, though, and also the taste of ash in her mouth, and why did it feel so wrong, wrong, wrong? Like a sword, cleaving her in half? (If she were to glance down at her abdomen, there would be rivers of blood, Iskra knew-- rivers of blood staining her shirt, staining her, staining what they had, really. So, the easiest solution? The pirate chose not to look, and instead grasped the princess's shoulders tighter. What did it matter that tears were streaming down her face, anyway? This... this was fine. A normal thing, the expected thing, even, so complaining about it seemed foolish, indeed. Was she not Iskra, after all? And, as always, Iskra would endure.)

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

"My darling, I will help you swim if you trust me," she whispers. For as many lovers that the princess has had, both for a single night and for summer trysts, Iskra is the one who stands out among them––and they haven't even really done anything! To think that her pirate's feathery touch against her bare skin is enough to make the princess desire more and more and more would have been unfathomable many months ago. Yet, now it makes perfect sense! There is no other who her heart beats for so it makes sense that all she would need is a touch or perhaps even a mere look to turn her pulse to lightning. And honestly, perhaps it is the way that Iskra looks at her when she undoes the buttons of her shirt that truly set her ablaze. For the first Time, she feels wanted. Truly and entirely wanted by the very person that she wants. She would let Iskra have her here and now if that is what she so desired; she would let her take her in front of the stars, in front of queens, in front of the Divinities themselves! (A sacrilegious thought for her to have, to be sure, but she cannot help herself because even this drizzle of affection is received like she's been in a love drought. In some ways, she has.) Though she is having her fun exploring Iskra's body with her mouth and showing her just what she can do, she does wonder what it will be like to have the pirate marking up the princess and pulling dulcet moans from her lips. Will they whisper each other's names? Will they scream them? Oh, she is excited to find out!

And when their lips touch for only the second Time? Ah, the princess wonders what this kiss will feel like and what it will bring. (Their stained first is something she does not really count in a meaningful way. She counts it as a kiss in the barest sense of the word. Does she count it as their first? No, because she had not been Verity in that moment and Iskra had not been Iskra.) She cannot even recall if her chest had swelled the first Time, even for the briefest moment, so she searches for that feeling. She searches for that feeling that will tell her she is floating and that the stars around them are exploding with approval, and, and, and––

Something feels wrong. Not just something, actually, but everything. This kiss does not feel like a kiss and Verity cannot quite place what feels off. Perhaps it is that she doesn't feel anything at all? Without opening her eyes, her brows knit together as she attempts to deepen the kiss, her hands idling exploring Iskra's abdomen and that's when she realizes that the pirate is rigid. That the hands that had once been excited and wanting are frozen and stiff against her shoulders as if her pirate is clinging to dear Life. Then she feels something wet touching her lips and while kisses tend be wet affairs, they are not usually salty. This is wrong. Confused, she pulls away from the pirate to put together all of the pieces. She searches Iskra's face and notices the tears but either her pride or genuine cluelessness prevents her from seeing what is happening. "Iskra..." she whispers, reaching to swipe the tears from the pirate's cheek, "Iskra, what is wrong? Have I... Did I hurt you?" (She doesn't recall being rough or aggressive, but...)

Her eyes widen. Their technical first kiss had been Iskra's first kiss, she remembers, and... "Shit," she exhales, backing away from the pirate and picking up her coat from the floor. "I can't..." No, she cannot make this about her, but in her mind? In her mind all she can think is about how foolish she is for trying to kiss Iskra. For trying to do anything with Iskra. That's like someone asking her to be with Seraphina as if nothing happened, something horrible tells her. (She knows, logically, the comparison is off. The difference between a star and a satellite, because she knows she is not the worst person to come into Iskra's Life. Yet, she cannot help but to see the invisible parallels. They're so stark and so easy to make out.) "I didn't... I wasn't," she stutters, keeping her distance from the pirate, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Iskra. I shouldn't've done that. Are you alright? I can..." What can she do even? She can't take it back. She can't make this better. Can she even comfort Iskra when it is her fault that she is in distress? She doesn't know and the fearful part of her is telling her to keep talking, because if there is too much silence that might hint at something terrible. If she lets Iskra speak that, too, might lead to something bad. She touches the bandage on her neck, winces, as she tries to gather her words. "That was entirely my fault, I know, and had I been thinking clearer I would have––I would have, I don't know, done literally anything else," she says, speaking fast and a bit incomprehensibly, her hands waving through the air just so she is doing something with them. 'I've ruined it. I've ruined this. Can you keep nothing in your Life golden, Verity? Idiot! The fortune teller was right––I destroy all that I touch.' "This shouldn't've happened and," 'I cannot believe I have done this again,' "Iskra, I just..." she can feel tears wanting to come loose, but Verity forces them back. This isn't about her. She cannot cry and ask the pirate to soothe her while she is still drowning in the Pain of their past. "Please don't hate me. It was a mistake––I should have asked or spoken to you about it and..."

And to think that only minutes that feel like eons ago, Iskra had just been expressing how she believed that they met at just the right Time to be together. That she admitted to how Verity has changed her and helped shape her into someone she can be happy with. Now the princess can see it all breaking in front of her and there is nothing she can do but take a sledgehammer to it all to prevent this from being a slow collapse. Right? "Should I leave?" Though the question seems to serve more as a goodbye as the princess decides to flee, some part of thinking that will be better.

 

[Syntra]

It was just a kiss. People kissed each other all the time, right? There was no point to making a big deal out of this, really-- that would have been weird, and Iskra didn’t at all want to look even weirder than she actually was. So what if her heart was beating, thud, thud, thud, as if it meant to leap out of her chest? What if her breath got stuck in her throat, and her hands were covered by a sheen of sweat? None of this mattered! The pirate had overcome obstacles much greater than being kissed, for Shade’s sake, so she would persevere here, too. She had to! Calm down, Iskra told herself. Calm down, calm down, calm down, the words resonated in her ears, over and over, like a mantra of sorts. (Just like with all mantras, the meaning of the phrase grew thinner and thinner, more diluted with each repetition, and truly, wasn’t that the point? The death of thought was the goal here, not some unfortunate byproduct! …if she could lose herself in the sound, you see, in all those vowels and consonants, then she wouldn’t have to think about this. The memories of that cursed first kiss, so sharp and vivid? Those, too, would lose their edge, before fading into the background. No longer would they be able to touch her, to make her feel things, and… and wouldn’t that be better for everyone involved? For herself, undoubtedly, but for Verity also, for the princess shouldn’t have to deal with this! …nobody should have to, to be precise. Iskra knew not much about love, but what she did know was that women did not seek out partners for want of additional burden-- no, they did so so they could help them carry the weight, and soothe their pain. How, pray tell, could the pirate do that, if she couldn’t even take care of herself? How, how, how?!) Verity must not know, she decided. I can never tell her.

No, that she certainly couldn’t, but the one aspect of this that the captain had overlooked? That, to Verity, she was an open book, and reading in her eyes was as simple to her as glancing upon pages covered with text. “Verity,” Iskra gasped, “I…” I what, though? ‘I’m alright?’ Everyone with a pair of working eyes could see that she wasn’t, and soiling their bond with lies didn’t strike her as a wise idea. No, especially not with a lie this obvious! ‘It’s not a big deal?’ That fell into the same category of bad lies, roughly, and so Iskra scrapped it as well. What else was there to say, though? If there was a spell that could fix this, reverse the time and make it not happen, then the pirate needed to know it yesterday! (That was the problem, however-- broken seals could not become unbroken, and things that had happened couldn’t unhappen. Such was the basic principle of reality! Ignoring the elephant in the room had gotten them this far, but to cross that bridge? The bridge that they’d themselves built, out of not-truths and deflections? Finally, they had to look at it, and for the first time ever, Iskra realized just how terrifying the creature was. …how were they to slay it, with no sword and no armor? With only words at their disposal, really? The task seemed too daunting for her frail hands, her weary soul, and the princess who seemed ready to bolt. Oh no. Have I scared her? And the worst part was that that was the optimistic interpretation! It didn’t have to be fear, you see-- it could have been repulsion, accompanied by the realization of just how useless she was. ‘Do I really want to waste my time with someone like that?’ Verity may have been wondering. ‘With a woman who won’t even kiss me, the way I deserve to be kissed?’)

That doubt came and went, though, because Iskra’s sight worked as well-- the guilt was plain to see in her princess’s eyes, really, and to misconstrue it as anything else would have required willful ignorance. Which, how could she do that to her? To them? “Verity, wait, no!” Immediately, the pirate was on her feet, and proceeded to grab the princess’s hand. “Don’t… don’t run away from me, please,” she said, her voice the faintest whisper. “I can handle anything, but not that. Can we not talk about this? I…” Iskra wiped the tears away from her eyes, only to give her a half-hearted smile, “…I thought that we were going to do that, instead of retreating. Do we not deserve better than that?” Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. One, two, three, one, two, three. Of one thing, you see, the pirate was absolutely certain-- there had been bigger crises knocking on her door, and she had conquered them all! How, then, could this ruin them? It couldn’t, just like a mouse couldn’t slay a dragon.

“I don’t blame you,” Iskra blurted out. “It… it did make me feel bad, but you couldn’t have known, alright? People kiss each other. I asked you to guide me, so you did just that, in the way that you thought was best for me. You were wrong, but… well, these things happen, Verity. I didn’t know it would have this effect on me, either, so what you are you feeling guilty for? For not being clairvoyant?” Gently, she squeezed her hand before letting it go and looking downwards. “We can just… not do that, for a while. Until I figure things out. Either that, or maybe forever. Would you mind?” ‘Will you stay?’ was the real question here, but it was also something that Iskra didn’t dare to ask now.

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

Of all the ways her people had evolved to survive their new planet why could one of those tactics not have been camouflage? The ability to turn invisible, to be more precise, because right now the princess does not want to be seen. She wants to run and run and run until she has found a safe space for her to hide where no one can find her. Perhaps she will go into one of those hidden rooms and lock herself away? She knows enough about the crews' habits to know when people are running about and when they are tucked away. She can sneak out during the quiet and––

Ah, of course. For as much as she wants to be unseen and go unnoticed that is just not a gift she is granted with the pirate. Iskra has always been one of the few women in the galaxy who looks at Verity and sees past all of her masks and tactics she uses to keep her distance. Admittedly, she wishes that it weren't so now and that the captain would just let her leave to hide herself away, but that is just the child that exists within her and she cannot be that way with Iskra. Painful as it, as scary as it is, there are no more barriers between them and Verity? She doesn't have it in her to construct those walls. At least, not to keep her pirate out. So when Iskra does leap to grab her hand and prevent her from leaving? The princess stiffens, bracing herself for the worst with her eyes shut tight; then realizing she cannot Fear Iskra, she relaxes some and slowly turns to face her pirate. (Some part of her can admit that it is nice to be alone any longer. As painful as it is to be seen right now, especially by the woman in front of her, she wouldn't bear it for anyone else. Iskra deserves to behold her and all her faces, even the ones that are not so pretty. Especially those ones.) Still, the princess is unable to look at Iskra just yet, a veil of shame preventing her from focusing her eyes enough, but she does stay.

The princess nods to what Iskra says and stares down at their hands, finding some comfort in the minuscule connection. 'She doesn't resent me,' and that thought washes away her prior anxieties, enough that she looks up in Time to see one of those rare smiles her pirate gives to her. "I'm sorry," she says, feeling like a broken record, "I got scared and thought it better to run and hide. I should know better than to try that with you. Especially after everything we have built together. I just," she chews on her lip and takes comfort in just the mere fact that Iskra does not want her to run. That she wants to be with the princess even when she messes up. It reminds her that she does not have to perfect or anything at all when she is with her pirate. "Sometimes I think it's easier to run, but I know it is not always right. We do deserve better, my pirate."

That being said, Verity does wish that doing better by both of them did not have to be so uncomfortable. In Time, she knows that she will forgive herself for not thinking of this, for not asking, for not doing so many other things that could have helped them to avoid this conversation, and in this moment, she feels as though there are lead weights attached to her ankles and she has been thrown overboard. Still, she stays and listens to Iskra, biting the inside of her lip the entire Time. (It's just that talking about this brings up their worst moment. Well, maybe not their worst moment, but certainly one of the worst things Verity has ever done to Iskra. She wishes it were as easy as never looking backwards, but the thing is? The thing is is that the past influences the present. It does not and cannot exist in vacuum even if they have done so well at avoiding this particular topic for so long. It was bound to come up eventually, she supposes.) "You are right," she concedes, "Still, I cannot help that I feel awful for putting you in such a situation. I suppose I assumed that, because we seem to have moved on from that Time, that our bodies would have as well," but even she knows the body takes much longer to recognize that it is safe. How often does she still freeze when she sees the shadow of bird flying overhead?

Since she cannot hide herself from Iskra, no matter how hard she tries, the disappointment probably does show on her face. Though it's not something she feels the need to voice, because really what matters most to her is being with Iskra. Her Iskra. Of course she isn't going to leave because her pirate has been left with an aversion to kissing (no thanks to her, some part of her bitterly adds). It's not preferable, but living without Iskra? Much worse. A million Times worse, in fact. She's done it once and felt dead. To do it twice, she will surely die. She sighs and gathers the pirate into her arms, pressing Iskra's head into the crook of her neck. "That is fine. If forever is what you need, that is fine," even if she has her disappointment, she will find a way to accept this consequence. "I am not going to leave you, because I... Well, all that other stuff is nice––the physicality, the intimacy––but I am far more invested in you."

"I must ask, however," she pulls back a bit to look Iskra in the eye, "was the other stuff okay? You know, you don't have to just follow along. I should have told you that," Divinities know Verity would have appreciated knowing that much earlier in her Life, "I want you to enjoy yourself. If anything is ever unpleasant, you can tell me. If you cannot tell me, you can move me away. It's supposed to feel good for both of us."

 

[Syntra]

“We really do, don’t we?” Because, really, they’d worked so hard to be together-- conquered obstacles, felled enemies, faced their own inner demons, no matter how scary they may have been. How, then, could a few clumsy words destroy them? Why should they? No, they were better than that! Better, smarter, and wiser, now that they’d learned from all of their mistakes. (When you looked at it from a certain angle, then failing could be a gift, too. A precious one! As long as you stood up again after your fall, not all was lost-- such a thing would sharpen your mind, indeed, so that you knew what to watch out for. And, really, hadn’t they walked this path enough times already? The path of dancing around confessions, without truly committing to them; of running away where they should have fought; of dodging responsibility, ultimately. No, no, no! Iskra wouldn’t allow that to happen again, even if it was the last thing she ever did. She and Verity had something special, the pirate knew that, so how could she ever live with herself if she crushed it? Murdered it, instead of letting it bloom? Negligence was violent, and not much better than the tip of a sword-- arguably, it was worse, for a choice to hurt at least was willed.)

“Back in my homelands, we had this… this legend,” Iskra flickered her wrist, as she was trying to recall the details. “Its protagonist was a warrior, a woman as beautiful as she was fierce, and her armies? Her armies were unstoppable, just like the sea tides. One day, this woman decided that she would conquer the world. Foolish, perhaps, but it didn’t seem like a pipe dream then, with all those swords at her disposal. Her name might as well have been a prayer, for how often it was uttered! Anyway, in that old era, there was a magical knot, so tangled that you couldn’t really tell what you were looking at. A mess, really. It was said that the one to untie it would rule the planet, and our warrior queen wasted no time in seeking it out-- she also wasted no time in cutting it, for there were other tasks for her to attend to. In the end, she died of illness. I… I think that’s only proper, you see? She didn’t pause to think, and for that, she was punished. I don’t even know why I’m telling you all of this, to be honest,” the pirate sighed. “I guess I don’t want us to go down the same way? I value the relationship too much for it to fall victim to carelessness. So, let’s not be like her! Let’s not be like… like the Iskra and Verity from our pasts.” Because, yes, those women had not been careful with one another-- they had spoken at each other, and their words had been sharp, sharper than the edge of a knife.

“I do understand that,” Iskra nodded. “I… I believe it is your right to feel that way, just as it is my right to feel the way I felt while you were kissing me.” The two circumstances weren’t mutually exclusive-- in fact, they existed in this bitter symbiosis, where one couldn’t survive without the other. “We must both drink from this cup of bitterness, it seems. It’s hardly ideal, but what is? I don’t think I have ever heard of an arrangement that could be described that way, aside from fairy tales. Still, this, too, will pass. I cannot tell how long it will take, nor do I wish to take a guess, but what I do know is that pain doesn’t last forever. It cannot, by its very definition. The state is… transitory, I suppose? Because either your body gets tired of it, or your mind does, or the whole cause of it disappears. I used to think of it as a rite of passage, but now… now I believe it’s mostly a proof that nothing lasts forever, even in this universe that feels so huge and ancient and incomprehensible. Entropy affects everything, even suffering.” Maybe, just maybe that was the key to happiness-- one’s ability to grasp that, no matter how much you hurt, a time would come when all of this would be a distant memory, too. “Besides,” she gave her a wobbly smile, “we have one another to lean on now. It cannot be that terrible, now can it? I mean, If I had to choose between walking through hell by your side or living alone in heavens, I would choose the former every time.”

She doesn’t mind, Iskra realized, and relief washed over her. (Ah, thank the Shade! Every day before falling asleep, the pirate had to thank all the deities that would listen for being allowed to meet her princess-- for getting to keep her in her life, the way she could now.) “N-no,” she said, her cheeks once again crimson. “I didn’t mind the other stuff. I enjoyed that very much. But, Verity, did you like it? What can I do to make it better for you? Because it shouldn’t be just about me, either. Frankly, I remain woefully uneducated-- can you perhaps give me some pointers? I…” and, by that point, Iskra looked as if she would spontaneously combust, “I have done some research, but all the books say that these things are intensely personal. That theory won’t help.” Which, how terrifying! The statement alone was a cause for panic, but if that was what Verity required of her… well, she was willing to learn, in one way or another. (Wasn’t that what this was about, at least in part? Stepping outside of your own comfort zone, for the sake of someone else, and risking it all.) “Can you be honest with me, then? That is all I ask. Regardless of my own hang ups, I would still like to be good to you, and treat you the way you deserve to be treated.”

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

For as many relationships as Verity has been in, she does count this one with her pirate as her first. The others had been mere practice. Ones were she tripped over her own heart, allowed herself to be pushed to the side, and never gave her everything to another. She realizes, now, they had not been fulfilling in the way her relationship with Iskra is. Until recently, she had not realize how starved she had been for true affection. That she had been living on scraps and calling it a feast. She doesn't have many Regrets about that long ago Time, because, ultimately, it led her here. Right where she is supposed to be. The more the pirate talks, the more the tension in her shoulders loosens and she remembers that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel––in fact, that light is not even that hard for her to see, she just sometimes forgets to look as she is so used to being trampled. "I don't believe we are even capable of taking shortcuts like that warrior queen, Iskra," they tried that once and how disastrously that had ended. "We like to talk too much. We like to know each other too much. I just think there is very little we would let slip past us," she smiles, finding comfort in a realization that had scared her moments ago. (It is scary and also so immeasurably comforting to know that she is no longer alone and never again will be, because her pirate sees her. Verity would not change it for the world.)

"Pirate, I would trade you for no other. If our path is thorny, well it is as you said, there is no other woman whose hand I would take to brave the bush together. Of everyone else, you are my favorite." (Love, she realizes. What she feels for the pirate is undoubtably love. She knows this feeling from different angles, but never in the romantic sense. There were ones she had been hopeful for and maybe even tricked herself into believing there was love there, but she realizes she had been settling then. Iskra is the woman she has been waiting for.)

While there is, admittedly, a part of the princess that does want to laugh at the pirate for researching what it means to engage in what she calls carnal desires, she restrains and only offers Iskra an amused smile. It's sweet that she is so concerned for her enjoyment that she would march into territories that Verity already knows make her uncomfortable. (Just look at her brightly colored face!) She sweeps her thumb over Iskra's stained cheek, as if she can remove the embarrassment. "So is that where all the harlequin novels went? I had been looking for them and found a suspicious amount missing," and admittedly she thought that perhaps Myrne had grabbed them. (Mostly because the thought itself had been so amusing to the princess.) “Those are a decent place to start your studies,” she nods, her amusement only growing. “They are right, too, that these... experiences are personal. I am certainly willing to teach you how to make my body sing for you,” and she guesses it won’t even be that difficult once Iskra overcomes those invisible hurdles in her way. The pirate has always been an adept student. (Verity cannot even let herself think what that will mean in this arena—the thought is far too exciting.) “But know that it does please me to make you sing... There are few things more satisfying than that, in fact,” she says in a way that invites challenge. “There is no doubt in my mind that you shall treat me right. You have the best teacher at your disposal,” she grins, “and already treat me so well. I doubt you shall fail—“

“Captain! Princess!” the doors to the library burst open as three crew members storm in—none miss how hurriedly Verity goes to button her shirt, but apparently this emergency is more important than teasing everyone’s favorite couple. (The princess, of course, would have had more to say, she may have even asked the pirate if she would like to start her studies had they not been interrupted. ‘Always must we be disturbed?’ Ah, but the Life of a princess and captain can never be quiet when so many lean on their leadership.) “It’s the guardians—they’ve captured some of the crew. They were in town—“

“—-and those bastards blindsided them—-“

“—-long story short, the guardians are trying to draw you out, captain. You too, princess."

"Yeah, apparently, they're angry about lady Jezebel––"

"Slow down," the princess recommends, taking Isa's shoulders and giving the other two a look that can only be read as, 'We'll handle this,' "Tell us everything you know. Who was taken? Where are they?"

"Serrin, Kona, both little and big Raya, Empress, and... Eran. We haven't told Saavika yet. We're scared."

"Their last position had them heading towards one of those hidden satellites sites."

 

[Syntra]

Oh, by the Shade! Could they not enjoy five seconds of peace, untarnished by yet another crisis? It was always sort of looming on the horizon, the pirate knew, but it would have been nice had it chosen not to disrupt a special moment for once. Weren’t there laws for these things? No? No, obviously, though one could dream. “Come down,” Iskra sighed, “and stop speaking out of turn. I have no idea what you’re trying to communicate here. Can you just… count to three and then tell me?” Because, even if it didn’t look like that, everything began with breathing-- how the oxygen got to your lungs dictated much more than most people were willing to see, really. Did you breathe in a ragged staccato, fighting for every gulp? Well, of course that you’d feel panicked then! One of the basic functions of your body was out of order, and from there, everything flowed. Taking control of it, on the other hand… ah, that would ground you in the moment, and help you understand what was truly important. (‘One thing after another,’ that was the main principle. ‘First things first, everything else later.’ A forgotten kind of wisdom, especially in their trade, so why not unearth it, like the precious artifact it was?) Needless to say, however, that breathing properly also wasn’t a miraculous panacea. Iskra wished it was, though when her women finally managed to relay the news? Privately, she had to conclude that, sometimes, panic really was the appropriate response! “If that is what they mean to do, then I shall not fail them.”

“But, captain, that is what they want!” Isa protested. “You will be giving it to them on a silver platter, with a little cherry on top.”

“And? Would you suggest abandoning our friends instead?” Iskra gave her an unimpressed look. “Worry not, Isa. The greatest tragedy that can happen to you in life is getting exactly what you want, and the guardians are about to learn this truth. Regarding Saavika,” the pirate looked around, as if she expected the woman to emerge out of the shadows at any given moment, “remain silent. I implore you, we do not want to find out what she’s capable of when pushed into a corner.” It would have been impressive, Iskra was sure, but in the same way a nuclear warhead was-- you did not want to stand in its way, or anywhere in the 500 miles radius. “Dishonorable scum,” she scoffed. “Do they not have the courage to challenge me to a duel? I would have obliged that request, and gladly!”

“Hmmm… I’m afraid I’ll have to say no to that request, captain,” a woman appeared on Iskra’s screen, green-haired and bright-eyed. (She would have resembled a lot of her own subordinates in style, actually, but the uniform she was wearing? It was beyond decorated, peppered with as many medals as there were stars in the sky. A… a guardian, then? And some sort of big shot, too.) “I mean, you go on and on about honor, but how is that proposal fair? You literally cannot die! Meanwhile, I and my crew would be risking everything. Let me think about it for a while, will you? Hmmm, nope, I think my answers hasn’t changed! Sorry to be like this.”

It didn’t escape Iskra that this woman knew about the Shade, but reacting to it? That was something entirely different, and also a gift that she wouldn’t grant to this wretch. Why, after all? Information was more valuable than gold, so no, the captain didn’t feel like admitting that this general had gotten under her skin. “I will not play your games with you,” she said, plainly. “What is it that you want? What is the price of my women’s lives? Be forward, or I’m going to cut the connection off and hunt you to the ends of this galaxy.”

“Psh, psh, psh,” she chuckled, the sound of it burying directly into Iskra’s brain. “And how, pray tell, are you planning to do this? Your sensors cannot hope to locate me, captain! That being said, I do enjoy your sincerity. It is, hmm, most refreshing, considering that your ilk usually tries to drown me in lies. Say, captain, how much do you value those dirty criminals?”

“…”

“A smart choice,” the general praised her. “Too bad that I am going to find out either way, however. Look at this grand stage that I’ve made for you!” The image on the screen flickered, and the woman’s face dissolved into the background-- instead, Iskra was now staring at a still shot of… uh, an escape pod? An old, desolate escape pod that was surrounded by space sharks, swimming closer and closer. “I was thinking that this sort of thing would be traditional for pirates,” their enemy smirked. “It’s important to take these things into account, you know? Anyway, the pod they are in is out of fuel, and the pressure will destroy it in about…” she looked at her wristwatch, “…fifteen minutes, if my estimates are right. Might happen sooner, though. Now, I wonder which one of the wenches will be eaten first, hmm? Would you like to place bets? I can provide a high-quality live stream if you beg nicely enough! That being said,” her tone grew even more amused, “you may indeed choose to save them. I’ll even give you the coordinates! Of course, my ships will be waiting for you there-- regrettable as it is, I simply can’t not try to best the famous princess-pirate duo. It’s what Jezebel would have wanted, my poor dear!” …was it just her, or did she seem more thrilled than angry? More amused than beside herself with grief? Curious, curious indeed! “Well, what will it be, then? Will you watch with me? I’m so starved for new friends.”

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

Much like her partner, Verity also believes that the women's panic is warranted. In herself, she feels anger flare through her––both because the guardians would resort to such dirty tactics and that this particular unit had been in lady Jezebel's pocket. It shouldn't surprise her, she knows this, and yet she just cannot believe how thick this galaxy is with corruption that those meant to defend the safety of others are now threatening their crew. Pirates or not, the princess is beginning to believe that they do a better job at protecting the sanctity of the galaxy than those damned guardians. She'd even venture to guess that they've already done more noble deeds than those in those ghastly uniforms. (Honestly, if they have to wear them 24/7 then should they not make them at least look aesthetic? Ugh, what an eye sore.)

Undoubtedly, the rest of their evening will be spent on this task. She knows that neither her nor Iskra will cower from the challenge, especially with their women at stake, and she ventures to guess that they both will find mutual enjoyment in bringing down these corrupt thieves in uniforms. While Verity had been enjoying their one brief moment in the calm, she knew that a storm was sure to follow. Better to know about it now rather than later, she believes. So when the heavily decorated guardian appears on their screen? Divinities, Verity wishes she could pull the woman through the holo and challenge her to a duel right here and now. (She would have thought that, as a guardian, this woman would have had a more trimmed and crisp look. So she is surprised to see the general's altered eye color and brightly colored hair––hair that also reminds her of the fiancée she once had. Perhaps they can make sure this woman meets a similar end?) It's not lost on the princess that they are about to walk into a trap. It's not even cleverly laid and she knows that this story has one ending. It would take a miracle for it to be otherwise. Yet, she knows that even if her and her pirate walk into it, they will walk right out. The famous pirate-princess duo, as this rude guardian refers, have faced far worse and each Time the stars seem to shine for them.

"You already know what our answer shall be, scum," Verity spits, not at all hiding her disgust.

"Heh," the guardian leader chuckles, "You know your queen's profile of you says you've got a hostile personality and a temper. With a pretty face like yours, I found it rather hard to believe, but now I see exactly what she meant. Tell me, how is it to be the face of dying rebellion? I hear she's got the opposition on the run––got most of their leaders hanging by their toes in front of the palace walls. I imagine you'll be joining 'em soon."

Those remarks turn the princess's blood cold. While there is no show of recognition on her face, just out of view of the camera, Verity grips Iskra's hand as if she is trying to squeeze the Life out of her. Her breath stops somewhere in her throat and a thousand thoughts race through her head at once, though her face remains like ice. Just as coldly, she responds, "My queen is none of your concern––quit with these games if you want to leave today with your Life."

"Look, princess, she's got a bounty on your head, so she very much is my concern as I intend to collect while also putting up the captain Iskra's life for auct––"

At that moment Verity cuts the line, her pulse trying to escape from her veins yet she does her best to remain calm when she turns to Iskra, waving away the three other pirates, "Distract Saavika." (Though admittedly, part of her very much wants to inform Saavika of the current situation. After all, the woman could probably fashion a bomb out of a hairpin. Somehow, she resists all temptation to seek out the chaotic pyrotechnic. For now.)

She knows she doesn't have to pretend with the pirate, the she doesn't need to hide her Fear, but she does so more for herself than Iskra. "Let's go, we have work to do if we are to make sure that everyone makes it out alive. I don't have a plan, but I imagine one will come to me shortly," she says, breezing past the subject of Seraphina placing a bounty on her head. It's outlandish enough that she's tempted to think the guardian is lying and at the same Time? At the same Time she has no reason to believe otherwise. The queen is a vengeful bitch. Even if herself and Halen had thought they'd be safer in space where few descendants travel, the landscape back home must have changed since she's been away. It must have, because even Seraphina never cared much for extraterrestrial affairs. This cannot be good. But she cannot think of the implications now.

"First thing, I do not think we should take Inure. For one, she is far too precious and too powerful to lose to the guardians. Second, I do not want to risk any of the other crew members getting caught up in this situation. We can take one of the smaller ships and leave Inure on standby until we need her," she decides, fixing her gaze on anything except for Iskra's face. It's very likely she doesn't want the pirate to know that she is worried about Seraphina. Not when she's not ready to address this new development. Not when there are more important things to worry about. Not when her new family is at risk. "Shall we?"

Though she asks the question, it's more of a warning as she heads towards one of the hangar bays that houses one of their smaller ships. On the way, she orders the rest of the crew to hold their position and wait for her and Iskra to signal for them. She grabs Iskra's hand once more, helping her into the ship, "Have you any ideas on how we shall get ourselves out of this one, captain? I am not so concerned about getting the women free as I am what will happen when we are surrounded."

 

[Syntra]

"Ah, really?" Iskra gritted her teeth. "If you are so well-informed, general, then you also ought to know what happens to our enemies. Have you heard of even one of them walking away scot free, hmm? Bold of you to think that you shall be the first to do so, certainly! I do admire your confidence, unearned as it is-- perhaps I shall make a trophy of your head, to remember the good times we shared." Or, more truthfully, to send a message to her enemies, but why waste the gift of honesty on the likes of her? Oh no, no, no! Iskra saw absolutely no reason to give her anything but the tip of her sword, and... well, a battle began long before those were ever drawn, she had learned. (The general knew that, too. Why else would she be trying to rile them up? From anger, chaos was born, and failure lurked only a few steps away from that, always, always, always! There was no way such a poor trap would be able to ensnare her, that was for certain.)

"Bold words," the general smirked. "I have heard much about you, captain Iskra-- much and more, truth be told. I hope that you won't disappoint! Subduing you should be the most glowing entry on my CV, so I implore you to try. Let's make this memorable, shall we?"

"Oh, that we shall," the captain promised. "I can guarantee you that you will regret ever making that wish, though." For that matter, she would regret ever crossing her path! (Did people not value their lives? Iskra would have guessed that their fragile nature made them precious, akin to a flower that only bloomed once per year, but no, apparently. Left and right, women were rushing to die! They not know what they have, she realized. To them, death is but a vague threat, lost in the tides of time. Perhaps that was a survival mechanism, though? Being aware of one's own mortality at all times would have been terribly exhausting-- like living with a blade hanging over your neck, and waiting for it to strike. Just, how could you ever force yourself to get up from the bed in the morning, knowing all of that? You couldn't, most likely. Ignorance is bliss, indeed.)

"I concur," Iskra said, her brows furrowed. "We shall not risk her, most certainly. One of our faster vessels should do-- how about Raven's Wings?" Raven's Wings was a fast ship, indeed, and one that didn't exactly strike fear into their enemies' hearts. If Iskra had to choose one word to describe it, it would be 'strange,' most likely? Egg-shaped, and barely large enough to fit in two passengers. (In a way, the name was fitting, though. Its color did evoke a raven-- deep, deep black, dark enough for it to merge into the background.) "And yes, I do have a plan," Iskra agreed. "I have no intention of walking into that trap, especially when she announced it so openly. If the general wants to trick me, she should work for it, you see? I simply cannot reward such arrogance with success." Swiftly, Iskra turned around.

"Myrne?"

"Yes?"

"Is there a ship we can sacrifice?"

The older woman's expression was dubious, though not exactly disapproving. "I suppose so, yes. The Dragon's Breath is in need of some repairs, and they might be too pricey for it to be worth it. Why do you ask?"

"Well," Iskra smiled, and it wasn't a pretty smile, "they want a convenient target, don't they? Let us give it to them, then. They can shoot at The Dragon's Breath all they want, especially since we won't be inside." ...what? An honorable fool she may have been, yes, but not to the point of serving herself to her enemies on a silver platter. Anyone who expected so was asking to be tricked, as far as she was concerned! Oh no, no, no-- bait was all they deserved, wrapped in a pretty package. "I assume it can be controlled remotely, right?" she asked.

"Most certainly, captain," Myrne nodded, a flicker of understanding flashing in her eyes. "They won't suspect a thing. Should you want to, I can even make it look like you're sitting there via video streams."

Perfect. Thank the Shade for Myrne and her gadgets, really. "Verity," Iskra turned to her princess and clasped her hand, "that is my plan. We shall give them exactly what they want without actually doing it. Meanwhile, we will be piloting Raven's Wings, and approach unseen from the side. In fact, I think that we should go further than that! Why not take over one of the esteemed general's ships?" There were going to be many of them, after all, as many as there were ants in an anthill, and that... that could be an advantage, rather than a burden. "When the ruse is revealed, I doubt she will suspect that her enemy is hiding in one of her own ships. That way, we should be able to free them comfortably. That being said..." Iskra cast a worried glance at her, "do you have an idea how to do it stealthily enough?" Two heads were better than one, after all, and together, they could surely invent a plan more viable than the one hatched by her and her only.

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

Perhaps Verity should not find it so arousing when her partner threatens their enemies with Violence, but gone are the days when the princess thought that all matters could be solved diplomatically. (She realizes it had been a well-intentioned wish, and not one that would ever be able to get her far. With villains like these, especially those who wear uniforms and likely wreak havoc with their authority, Violence may very well be their final language. Perhaps her ancestors are looking down at her now and wondering where they went so wrong with their descendant, as is her Fear, but something tells her that they are more understanding than she thinks.) Now she she looks forward to whatever Justice they shall deliver and, she must admit, the idea of sending a message that will ripple across the rest of the galaxy? It does please her. Perhaps it will bring them new challengers along with new enemies, but those across the system must know who they are dealing with when they challenge the princess and her pirate.

"Iskra, my dear," the princess says, "I think we ought to let the galaxy know that no villain shall be left alone for as long as we roam the galactic seas. I know it is a fanciful wish to think we can remove all sources of corruption, but with this newest villain? I think there is an opportunity for us to strike Fear in the heart of evil." At least if they can make rotten women think twice before acting the princess will be satisfied. Sometimes it is all they can ask for.

Raven's Wing, while she can admit is the most suitable ship for the job and likely would be the one she'd head towards anyway, she has never been able to take it seriously as a vessel. (Look, an egg just does not strike as much fear as the Serpent's Curse or The Dark Fate. Cosmos, even a heart shaped ship would be more intimidating than Raven's Wing.) However, if the purpose is to slip under the radar before their enemies need to know Fear? Then she sees no reason to protest on the simple grounds of aesthetic. "Yes, she shall suit well. Just what are you thinking, though?" Because, honestly, Verity has not gotten far enough into her plan to figure a way around all those military vessels. However, Iskra's plan? Like Myrne, it takes her a second or so to catch up and when she does she cannot help but to thank the Divinities for blessing her with someone as cunning as her Iskra. Still, she cannot help the disbelief that colors her tone when she repeats, "You want us to single-handedly take over a military destroyer? These ships are said to be powerful enough to crush moons." Not to mention, the ones they will likely be facing will hold a sizeable crew within. It's an absolutely wild plan, born from a mad woman's pipe dreams, and Verity wholeheartedly supports the idea. Why should she not? Where there is a will, there is a way.

"Getting inside shouldn't be a problem," she says, scratching her chin as she races to think of a plan, "All guardian vessels have roughly the same layout and, powerful and foreboding as they are, they are dreadfully predictable." She pulls up a holo schematic from her device to show Iskra, "Halen pulled these a while ago––all high ranking officials have access to these records––and I thankfully never thought to delete them." She sends the schematics over to both Iskra and Myrne. "Usually, these vessels will have an open garbage hatch that's generally too small for most ships to enter through. I do believe Raven's Wing shall be just small enough for us skate right in. Though to bypass their scanners... have you ever made a landing from lightspeed?" As in, yes, Verity's intention is to just bypass the radars by going in at lightspeed. A move that is risky, foolhardy, and absolutely matches her pirate's initial plan. "I believe that will be the best way to go in undetected. Still, to be absolutely safe that we are unnoticed, Myrne," she turns to the elder pirate who she doesn't mind all too much these days––especially since she sees Myrne as Iskra's mother figure and wants to make a good impression now more than ever, "Can you jam their signals from here? I'm thinking cameras and comm channels will need to be blocked so that they cannot communicate with those within their vessel or with the other vessels in the fleet."

She looks between the two pirates, "It's probably as stealthy as we can get. Once inside, I imagine we'll just get to the bridge and figure the rest out along the way. Now, shall we depart? We must make haste as Time is not on our side." That in mind, Verity settles into Raven's Wing and waits for whatever chaos that will come their way.

 

[Syntra]

“Good thinking,” Iskra praised her princess. “That way, we shall be as invisible as we can be.” People saw what they wanted to see, after all-- all too often, they fell victim to their own fantasies, disguised as reality. Was it not pleasant, to live in a world where everything was as it seemed? Where you had perfect control over what was happening, no matter what? It must have been, indeed, till your eyes were opened! …against your will, and usually with the tip of a knife, too. (Once, they had carved her eyelids off, too. It had hurt back then, because duh, of course that it had, but ultimately, the pirate considered it to be a kind act. How not? Without the gift of clarity, she would have remained under the Holy Vessel’s command-- the sky still would have been a stranger to her, and the stars a distant dream. Too bad, though, that our foes will only live to glimpse the real world for a few seconds. Not all learning experiences were created equal, you see? Some of the lessons you could only take away with you into the afterlife, long after they lost their meaning.) “Let us go, then. This general, or whoever she is, will see soon why it is a bad idea to threaten those who are dear to me.” So what if she didn’t love Eran and the others the way she loved Verity? They were her subordinates, and also women who had had her back when she’d hit her lowest point--not once had they wavered, so neither would she. Hang on, friends. I’m coming to get you, one way or another.

As always, getting inside Raven’s Wing was an awkward affair. Could they not have considered the passengers’ comfort, at least a little bit? Iskra frowned, before closing the lid behind them. (By the Shade, it felt so cramped in there that even sardines in a tin probably had more breathing room! There was no way this wasn’t a violation of some human right, the pirate was sure. Something, something, basic dignity, right? With her princess present, she could also see advantages to the set-up but… no, no, no! This was no time to be enjoying the physical contact, she had to remind herself. The situation was dire-- for all they knew, sharks could be ripping their friends to shreds right now. Please, be alright. Let us arrive in time. If they couldn’t pull it off, though… oh, there would be hell to pay, and with interest as well! A cruel woman Iskra wasn’t, at least she liked to think so, but was it not her duty to take care of her debts? To ensure that everyone got what they deserved? For some, it was coin; for some, love; and for the others… well, for others, it could very well be steel.)

“Careful now, Verity,” Iskra warned her. “Their communications are jammed, and they shouldn’t be able to see us as well as we see them, but that doesn’t mean it is 100% impossible for them to spot us. We should choose one of the ships at the edge of their formation. Look here,” she motioned towards the screen, only for it to come to life. On the dark background, ten fluorescent dots appeared-- ten flickering entities, like glow worms caught in a web. “Either this one,” the pirate pointed to the far left, “or this one,” she touched the dot on the far right. “I suppose we can toss a coin? I don’t think there is any meaningful difference in what we choose. Regardless, we need to act fast-- this ruse won’t last forever.”

“Ahahaha!” the general laughed, on the stream that Myrne so generously provided. “Pathetic, I have to say. I expected more from the great Iskra and her princess! You at least had the good sense to pick a different vessel, but if you’re under the impression that that will save your precious Inure, you are mistaken. We shall take her once we’re done with you, and after that? After that, I will gut her personally to see what is so special about her. Ancestors, pfft! Your people are so silly, princess Verity-- I cannot believe you’d worship a heap of crystals.” Anger clouded Iskra’s vision, making her see red, red, red, but before it could spurn her to action? Before that, she suppressed it. “Don’t listen to her,” the pirate put her hand on Verity’s shoulders. “She’s just trying to rile you up. Of course that she doesn’t understand the sanctity of your ancestors-- to this woman, nothing but profit is holy.”

To her surprise, approaching the chosen ship… wasn’t difficult, actually. They might have been a fly, small and inconsequential, for all the attention they gave them-- except that, you see, this fly’s bite was poisonous, as they were about to find out. “Alright,” Iskra whispered, “I’ll get us close enough for us to be able to jump over. I don’t think anyone will be able to see us if we pick the right angle. Afterwards, we will--” The thing they were about to do afterwards, though? That was something Verity was never going to find out, because another ship blazed right next to them, leaving behind a fiery trail. By the Shade, what was… ah. Ah, alright. The bomb that exploded in the middle of the formation, causing debris to fly in all directions? That signal was fairly unambiguous, even if it did not particularly please her.

“Someone failed to keep Saavika at bay, it seems,” Iskra winced. “Any suggestions?”

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

Raven's Wing, just as her Iskra had said, leaves the princess in want of personal space––something she thought not possible, especially where her partner is concerned. Yet it's one thing to not mind Iskra's proximity when they are in a room together and an entirely different thing when one thoughtless move will result in her jabbing the pirate in the ribs. No matter, no matter. This shall not last longer than a few minutes and soon they will have an entire guardian destroyer to commandeer. (As silly as the thought is, she wonders if they can at least repurpose some of the smaller fighters for their crew. It makes sense to replenish their stock, they're going to be losing The Dragon's Breath and she can think of a few other ships that are grossly outdated. Besides, they're pirates and while Verity may well be a princess, she considers herself more a princess of pirates these days. She also reasons the fighters would be better in their hands than the guardians or someone else's because at least she knows their intentions are (mostly) pure.)

"The one on the left seems fine to me," she replies, not even skirting her gaze over the monitor. As Iskra said, there is only nominal difference between the two vessels so she doesn't think to put more thought into the decision. Though what does make her want to rethink her choice would be that punch-faced general appearing on their screens and threatening the grand ancestor. The princess's knuckles turn ghostly white as she grips the controls, barely containing her offense while steam practically comes out of her ears. She'd open her mouth to unleash absolute hellfire onto the general, but Iskra's firm hand on her shoulder reminds her of the importance of the mission and that they have better things to do than engage in petty banter. Reluctantly, she swallows the fire on her tongue and nods. "Do you think it might be possible for us to cut out her tongue? I must admit, the thought of then pouring molten gold down her gullet is quite pleasing. I think it would be a rather poetic way for her to go." Not that the general deserves any amount of poeticism, but the princess, at least, would be satisfied. (While the princess would never consider herself Violent, there are certain villains who just draw out her nasty side––one she had once Feared, but having already given over a few Times over? She sees it more as an asset now. One she must wield carefully, but she knows she is quite capable of engaging with her savage appetites.)

As Verity is setting up their launch path and mentally going over the logistics of landing from lightspeed––something she knows is entirely ill-advised and could easily result in their fiery demise––she pulls her attention away for the briefest second when the captain trails off, apparently interrupted. Her first thought is that they have been made and will have to scramble. Her second thought? Well, she doesn't arrive to that as the stylish explosions give away exactly what stole her pirate's train of thought. Against her will, she smiles and is rather amused. "Well," she starts, trying to purse her lips and failing as she watches the fleet scramble to figure out what has hit them, "This ought to be a record for Time it took for a plan to go wrong." Better now than later, the princess supposes, though she doesn't voice that since the pirate looks more concerned than pleased.

"If Saavika wants to rescue her wife, I do not see why we should interfere. It's not our place anymore. This is personal for her," and honestly? Verity does not blame her for getting so involved. After all, what would she do if something were to happen to Iskra? She is certain it would be more than pretty bombs lighting up space. Likely, the entire galaxy wouldn't know peace until the princess has her pirate back. (Just outside their craft, she can imagine the general and her subordinates trying to locate the assailant––and, yes, another bomb goes off, starting a rather large fire on one of the ships. If Verity is not mistaken, Saavika hit that ship's engines.) "And it's not our fault they were so arrogant as to not raise their shields before we arrived," she shrugs. "Anyway... I'm not sure we're much help to her in this spacecraft. Raven's Wing only has a few missiles and with the fire power she produces, it would take eons to get through the destroyers' armor," not to mention it's not a fighter craft so it's defenses are not that great either. Were the destroyers to scramble their own fighters, they would have to outfly them all and while Verity does believe in their ability to do so, it is far too risky. Even for her. "If I am to be honest, I trust Saavika to complete the rescue. I think we'll be more help to her if we can identify the general's ship and deal with her directly."

"I am fairly certain," she says, changing their trajectory towards the lead ship, "the general will be in that one. Dastard or not, she is a guardian and they tend to follow standard protocol." Besides, just look at how the other ships are mostly focusing on defending the lead. "What say you to landing directly in their hangar bay, hm?" And that dangerous spark in the princess's eye? Oh, it's as if she wants to test whether or not Iskra is immune to heart attacks. In fact, with the path already set she advises, "Hold on, my pirate, we are about to make quite the entrance." (Just what happened to being stealthy?)

Between Saavika's bombs going off and Raven's Wing landing in the middle of the hangar, just about all the guardians within appear scrambled as they try to reevaluated the ever evolving situation. From outside she can hear someone s, "I can't reach the general! We can't just stand here, give us orde––!"

"How the fuck did that egg get in here?!"

“Dammit, don’t just stand there! Do something!”

Which might be hard with Verity’s finger on the trigger and her firing towards the cluster of troops. “Can you believe that actually worked?” she asks, all too casually, “I’ve never landed from that speed before.”

 

[Syntra]

"Indeed," Iskra smiled ruefully. "I believe we should start recording our missions, and rank them according to how much we managed to mess them up. It would be quite an impressive collection at this point, I'm sure." Why did it always turn out this way? Their plans weren't waterproof by any means, but nobody could call them foolish-- they'd been crafted with love and care and thoughtfulness, and yet, yet they kept crumbling beneath their hands! (Perhaps they'd angered some goddess? Considering how many of those entities they'd come across, it wouldn't exactly surprise Iskra. No, not at all! Power corrupted, oh, it did, and them choosing to antagonize some (im)mortals just because they could would be entirely in character.) "You are right, though. Perhaps we were wrong to exclude Saavika like that." Their intentions had been pure, yes, but how much did that matter? Had been Verity kidnapped... oh, Iskra's rage would have burned down the heavens, and everything underneath! No, she would not have appreciated her crew not telling her because, quote unquote, they were afraid of her being 'out of control'. "We will have to apologize to her after this ends," she sighed. "I don't want this to damage our relationship." Where else would they find a better pyrotechnician, after all? And that wasn't even the main reason, really! Eccentric as she was, Iskra couldn't imagine her life without her at this point-- the bonds forged aboard Inure were firmer than steel, and more precious than diamonds.

"A good idea," she nodded. "Saavika should be allowed to do good by Eran, but that doesn't mean we cannot provide support. After all, how can we deprive the sweet general of our attention?" Iskra smirked. "She was begging for it so eagerly that I don't have the heart to deny it to her." Ah, the woman will curse the day she learned our names! That, and also the day when she chose to align herself with lady Jezebel's cause. Certain mistakes couldn't be washed away as easily as dirt from your hands-- oh no, no, no. They clung to your fingers, like a spider's web, and a web... a web was a trap, whether you recognized it or not. A promise to be torn apart. Fitting, wasn't it? The general's deeds would be her own demise.

Some might call Verity's plan crazy, but Iskra preferred the term 'imaginative'. You couldn't conquer the universe with tried and tested tactics, you see? Not that they were trying to do that, mind you-- such thinking was a product of hubris, and hubris was the greatest of sins. "Oh?" Iskra smiled at her princess, drawing her blade in the process. "Are you telling me you still went for it, expecting the worst? Daring, Verity. I like that." The strength of will it showed? It was unparalleled! Like a seasoned poker player, her love hadn't shown a hint of doubt, and yet, yet she had wagered the most valuable thing that she had. Truly, could Iskra ever get on her level? (Maybe, maybe that wasn't the point, though. Who cared about being the best, in some imaginary competition whose rules kept shifting? No, the pirate would be content just being there, and watching her guiding star shine.) "I believe we have some vermin to take care of first. What do you think?"

"Vermin?" one of the women spat out. "That's rich, coming from filthy pirates. The hand of order is heavy, and it shall strike you down soon!" ...which, yes, Iskra would have laughed had she not had her priorities in order. As it was, though? The blade in her hand demanded more of her attention. (It gleamed, in the same way a candle in darkness would. One swift movement, aaand score! The foe was cut down, her entrails spilling from her body.) "One down, the rest of the crew to go," Iskra smiled, before positioning herself so that her back was touching that of Verity. "Are you ready, my dear?"

"Ahahaha! Not so fast, pirate and princess," the general's voice crackled from the speakers. "Good job getting here, I suppose, but really, you should have known better than that. Do you think the Guardians are called guardians for nothing? Oh, we guard secrets grander than what you might have imagined! I have a little riddle for you, actually. Say, Iskra and Verity, what is the bane of all princesses?" There was a sound, sharp and metallic-- esss esss esss, probably the scraping of metal against the floor. (By the Shade, what could that be? Nothing good, that was for certain, but she would have loved something more specific.) Panicked, Iskra looked around, trying to see an indication, any indication of what was happening, and... wait. Was that smoke? There wasn't smoke without fire, yes, but the pirate couldn't see it, couldn't, couldn't, couldn't--

"Graaaa!"

Oh. Well, alright, that solved the problem! If nothing else, Iskra could very much see the creature, okay? The dragon standing before them, its scales metallic, its wings the size of a small island. Uh oh."I hope you aren't afraid of flames, princess and pirate!" the general mocked in a sing song voice. "My darling here refuses to eat undercooked foot, I have to admit."

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

"Oh, have we really ever messed up that badly?" Verity quips back, seeming to be completely ignorant to the fact that they are in the thick of piranha infested waters so to speak. Or it would seem that way had the princess not also reached for her weapons after clearing some room for them to exit that cramped egg. (There may have been a Time where Verity would not have been able to keep her calm while on a battlefield, but those days are long behind her and with her Iskra at her back? She has nothing to Fear. They have no better defenders than each other and with the dynamic they have developed while searching for the wayfinder, she reckons they could fell armies. Not that she is particularly keen on attempting to do so, but she knows they are a storm of steel and Death when they have each other at their backs.) "True, most things very rarely go our way," in fact, she cannot think of a single instance where the Divinities have made it easy for them, "but we seem to have made a name for ourselves nonetheless. So we must be failing quite spectacularly."

Easily, her blades cut through the thick waves uniformed scum, never once daunted facing so many enemies and so many odds. As far as the princess is concerned, this her and her dandy lion's fight to lose. Goddesses have yet to bring them down and what's a general to the goddesses? Mere flesh, she reasons. Blood splatters across her face, soaks her clothes, and she knows it's going to take hours to get the smell out of her hair later. (Yes, that she should not be one of her primary concern and yet she is Verity.) She turns to Iskra and jokes, "You are so kind to consider the general's feelings in all of this. We most certainly should pay her a visit, darling."

Though before Verity can even get lost in her brutal fantasies, the entire hangar shakes, and sulfurous smoke floods her lungs. She coughs on the air and squints around to identify the next challenge to stand their way. However, as confident as Verity had been only moments ago? A dragon had not been something she thought she'd ever face. Mostly because she had been under the impression that dragons were creatures of fantasy––no part of the princess storyteller thought that they were real. So to be in the face one? She has to rub her eyes to double check, craning her neck to stare up at the creature. "Iskra... You wouldn't happen to know anything about dragons, would you? My studies have all told me these marvels are... fictitious. Do you know how to prove to one that you are a worthier ally?" Well, the princess can't not try to befriend a dragon. She certainly does not want to slay the creature––seeing as she has never heard of one, it feels wrong to slay a creature that is presumably on the brink of extinction. (Besides, the general's opinion aside, why can princesses and dragons not be friends? From her readings, dragons more often protect princesses than kill them. Some do capture them, but kill them? She has not read those tales. ...Not that real life is anything like her books and stories, much to her dismay.) She also ventures to guess that an animal in the care of the guardians cannot be faring well so it may as well be their job to find a more suitable home for the dragon. "If the stories I've read are anything at all accurate, we likely have no chance piercing her scales anyway," and is it so wrong that Verity wants to see if this dragon will want to come home with them? Sure, Volcanic Mouse is a handful, but Verity doesn't see how a dragon will be that much more difficult.

However, as much as the princess wants to convince the pirate that they should try befriending the creature, the creature does not wait for their deliberations to finish. Instead it roars, shaking all of the metal panels that make up this ship––or it feels that way at least––and then things get hot. Bright swaths of orange spread across the hangar, not at all having any regard for taking aim at the princess and pirate alone. Oh, no, the dragon doesn't seem to mind charing guardians and gobbling them up just the same as she will the princess and the pirate.

Verity ducks herself behind a partially melted ship to hide from the beast, chest heaving as she tries to figure out an exit. "Alright, admittedly befriending the beast may be off the table––but I still am not sure we can kill our way through this one, Iskra, my dear." No, no––they'd waste too much of their energy slaying the creature that they'd be asleep by the Time they reach the general. Verity will not have that. She grabs some fallen chain from the floor and surveys the arena once more. "New plan, let's try to chain her down––we'll worry about her escaping later, we just need to make it up to the general. Do you think you can run a distraction?" As much as she hates the idea of putting Iskra in harm's way, she knows that her pirate can handle herself and, between the two of them, her pirate at least has a healing factor working in her favor.

Regardless of whether either of them are ready or on board for this next plan, the dragon finds them and flips over the ship they had been using for cover. Not even a second later, the beast is puffing up her chest and Verity takes that as her cue to run.

 

[Syntra]

Throughout her life, Iskra had seen many creatures-- creatures both terrifying and wondrous, both awe-inspiring and dreadful. Oftentimes, they had even been all of that at once! The boundaries between the concepts were blurry, more than most people realized, even, and her experiences had confirmed that thousand times over. Still, now that she encountered an actual dragon? That old truth hit her like a ton of bricks, indeed. “W-what?” the pirate stuttered, never taking her eyes away from the creature for a second. “Verity, what is this madness? I am sorry to disappoint, but my encyclopedias don’t have any sections for dragon tamers.” By the Shade, none of them even acknowledged their existence! Some of the authors had mentioned these creatures, yes, but only in passing-- they had focused on them as much as they had focused on other mythological beasts, which was to say, not really. ‘The idea of dragon exists in x, y and z cultures, which hints at them sharing such and such parallels. See page 255 for details.’ Those theories were interesting in their own right, of course, but when they faced a living, breathing dragon? Yeah, that was about as useful as reading about ballistic evidence in the middle of a gunfight! “Either way, yes,” she nodded. “I don’t believe that we should engage this creature, either.” Them not having a chance in an open confrontation was one thing, though there were also other concerns-- concerns such as, you know, potentially maiming a creature this majestic. Just, how could they ever justify it to themselves? A dragon was to rule the skies, not to die beneath a pirate’s sword! The species had to be endangered, considering that she’d never even heard of a living specimen before.

“How very moving,” the general smirked, and Iskra could hear the laughter in her voice. “I’m about to shed a tear here. Do you believe me, pirate and princess?”

“About as much as I’d believe a hungry dog with my dinner, I have to say,” she scowled.

“Pah! You shouldn’t assume the worst about your betters, you know? I’m not as heartless as you would like to believe, my dear guests. I really do appreciate your goody two shoes tendencies, as much as I consider them to be foolish. I can give you a tiny spoiler, though, because I’m feeling kind today. Look at the tattoo, and behold the truth!” Which Iskra would have, honestly, but it was sort of hard to do with a context this vague. What kind of tattoo was she talking about? If the coward wasn’t hiding behind online communications, perhaps she would have been able to grasp the refe… oh. Oh, alright. So that was what she meant! The dragon roared, you see, and lay on its back-- and there, there, on its soft belly, one could see what had to be the tattoo. (An ugly, twisted thing, Iskra thought. An insult. And, honestly, wasn’t that a natural conclusion to come to? The symbols painted on its skin were abstract, with no grounding in any mythology that she knew, but somehow… well, somehow, she could sense it being wrong. You know that feeling when you looked at a weapon you didn’t know, for example? Still, still you could feel that it was dangerous, and Iskra couldn’t help but draw parallels here. Seems like a promise to me, too. A promise that was coerced, obtained under false pretenses.)

“Well, this convenient little thingy ensures that the creature stays loyal to me. Good luck trying, I suppose, but you will never befriend it! Not that you’d be able to, of course-- dragons are but wild beasts, majestic as they are. I would advise you to abandon your silly romantic notions, princess. Life will be much less disappointing that way, wouldn’t you agree?” But, ah, saying that only poured oil into the flames of Iskra’s anger. How dared she?! That the general had kidnapped her subordinates had been bad enough on its own, but to find out she had enslaved the dragon, and now used it as a war machine… Truly, some people did not have the right to live. (Uniformed women often behaved like that, the pirate had noticed. For one reason or another, their titles lent them an air of superiority-- someone called them an officer, and that clearly meant they were better than everyone else. Should they wish for it, the suns would go out, and the planets would rotate the opposite way, right? Well, no, not true! Which Iskra would prove, one way or another.)

“Verity,” the pirate gritted her teeth, gripping her sword tighter. “Do you want to leave this animal to its chains? Because I do not.” Irony it was, that much was certain, but Iskra grabbed the other end of the chain, judging its weight. If wrapped tightly… yes, it could hold the creature, most likely. Not for long, but hopefully enough to suit their purposes. “Shall we dance together, my dear?” she grinned at her princess. “Let’s see if we manage to restrict its movements, if only for a while. I know not much about breaking such curses, that is true, but if the tattoo is its source… well, does it not make sense that it should lose its power if it’s gone?” And, conveniently enough, a tattoo could be removed with a sword as well!

Unfortunately, however, the dragon didn’t wait long enough for them to form a solid plan. It let out a prolonged, pained howl, stronger than thousands of storms, and then, then it lunged at them.

 

[starboob]

♕ PRINCESS VERITY (EXILED) ♕​

Once more fantasies of pinning the general's tongue to a wall flood the princess's mind with each taunting remark. 'How brave can this woman be if she hides behind her screens, subordinates, and enslaved creatures?' because really, Verity can imagine no woman more cowardly than this general who has given them no proof of her decency. (Not that the princess would expect as much from a guardian, seeing as the entire organization is made up of scum; those who perhaps have good hearts are far and few between. Verity guesses that such guardians are nonexistent, even.) Though some might wonder where a dishonored princess and a pirate get the nerve to deliver Justice, others will know that Justice rarely ever comes from those responsible for honoring her.

Still, these wishes do not necessarily help either princess or pirate figure out how to get past their current obstacle. (Even if the general is a coward for hiding, that does not mean her defenses are not effective, to say the least. They will have to make it through this trial before they are able to show this guardian the error of her ways. No matter, she figures, for her and her pirate have tamed foes before and even brought them home. Yes, a dragon is much different than Volcanic Mouse, who turned out to be cranky more than anything else, but she still reasons the experience is useful.) As her eyes land on the soft surface of the dragon's belly where the tattoo has stained the creature, her stomach lurches at the sight. The black ink beneath the dragon's skin moves, crawling under her flesh, pushing against it, as if trying to escape. In that moment Verity nearly forgets they have come here to help Saavika and is instead only focused on freeing this creature from her servitude. "We shall free her, I can promise her and ourselves that much. Of the many things we shall accomplish today, this will be one of them. Of that, I am most certain," she says, keeping her gaze on their opponent's movements and watching for the glow of fire. (Again, she very much believes that this is their fight to lose, no matter the odds. Perhaps the small fame they have earned themselves is going to her head, or perhaps she simply believes in everything they are capable of.)

"Ugh, you two just don't know when to quit, do you?" the general sneers, sounding more amused than annoyed. (Perhaps she thinks herself a predator playing with her food and Verity can only hope there are not worse things than dragons hiding aboard this ship. Somehow, she is not that hopeful.)

"It would be all too convenient if we were cowards like yourself," she smiles, "Perhaps you can learn something from us if you do not meet the ends of our swords first."

While they are not given much Time to plan, the princess does not let that worry her. Her and her pirate rarely ever have the luxury to formulate plans and still they have always managed to come out on top. She attributes this to the rhythm they have developed and wholly believes they are two hearts and minds that operate as one. As the dragon lurches towards them, she takes her end of the chain and runs opposite to Iskra.

Though binding a dragon is about as easy as it sounds, even for two as capable as Verity and Iskra. Naturally, the dragon does not stand idle to let the two do their work––even if they are trying to help it. Even while Verity tries to soothe the beast by explaining, "We understand your anger, dragon, please let us help you and you shall have your freedom," or even revenge if that is what it wants. Though the dragon either does not understand or does not care for their help, as she bathes the hangar in fire and takes swipes at the duo. The flames lick at Verity's clothes and, much to her own reluctance, she has the shed the captain's coat that she is so fond of (as if there are not two others sitting in her cabin).

Despite the flames and the claws that try to come down on them, these appear to be only minor setbacks for the couple who have fought goddesses and survived. It takes longer than Verity might have anticipated, but eventually they manage to tangle the beast's legs. The dragon thrashes against the tightly bound chains and eventually topples over onto its side. With its long neck, it tries to bend to gnaw off its binds and Verity focuses on keeping its attention away from the chains by climbing on top of its head. (Will she regret this choice later? Perhaps, but she knows she must give Iskra enough Time to slash through that cursed mark.)

"Iskra, darling, if you could be quick––" she squeals, narrowly avoiding having her leg bitten clean off. 'Careful, Verity––no need to worry Iskra more than she might already be,' she reminds herself, gripping the dragon's great horns while it tries to throws her off. "––I am not sure how long this will hold!"