[Advanced] Heart of the Ocean

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Mina bristled at the insinuation that Serenity’s life didn’t matter. She had the urge to punch his smug face, but managed to hold herself. The way he looked at her with such knowing mischief! She deflated when he said that they had no use for her—so she’d been lucky that they’d taken her at all, then?—and that she could easily be left on the next port. Mina glanced at her lady in alarm. She couldn’t let that happen. Serenity wouldn’t survive on her own.

She gritted her teeth in an attempt to swallow her next biting remark, though she was confused at the way he’d said pirates, as if he himself didn’t appreciate the word. Who were these people really, and what did they truly want? When he stepped closer to her, suddenly in her personal space, so close she could feel the heat radiating off his body and see his wide chest at exactly eye level, Mina felt a strange heat enveloping her. Her cheeks flamed, especially when she heard his words. Beautiful? What was he getting at? Was he actually trying to flatter her?

And why did that make her feel so flustered?

Mina fumed and took a step back to gain some clarity. “Fine, I’ll behave. Just don’t… I need to be with her. Whatever you want to do to us, we have to stay together. Or I’d rather you kill me.” She looked straight into his grey eyes, determination filling her own. “If you people are as ‘honorable’ as your Captain claimed, give me your word that at least you won’t separate us.”

Lotus Crystal

Kunzite's breath caught in his throat at the strong, determined manner in which this woman addressed him. He had never heard a woman speak with so much confidence and clarity. It was refreshing and...almost rejuvenating.

Serenity had been silent this entire time. Kunzite's glance floated to her, then back to the other woman. They looked strangely similar. Perhaps...they could use that to their advantage. It would be a matter to discuss with Endymion at a later time.

He didn't take another step towards her, even though he wanted to. "You have my word - on one condition," he said, "Tell me your name."

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Mina didn’t expect him to use the trick Serenity had managed to use on Endymion earlier, but she wasn’t going to be played that easily. Not that her name was worth anything, but it was the principle of it. She was determined to win this little battle of wills between them.

“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours,” she challenged back, raising an eyebrow. The ladies back home had learned the hard way to never play cards with her. She could bluff even when she had nothing in her hands, and that was with the best of them. Although, to be fair, she’d never played with pirates.

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[Advanced] Heart of the Ocean - Page 2 E7gtkIe

Serenity watched the back and forth between Mina and one of the captain’s men with increased worry. Mina was pushing him the way she always did with people, but these people were wild cards. They didn’t know how dangerous these men could be, despite their claims otherwise. They were still pirates, after all, like Mina herself said.

Although if Serenity didn’t know any better, she would almost think the two of them were flirting.

Lotus Crystal

Kunzite laughed, something he didn't do very often, but seemed to be doing quite a bit since these women boarded the Luna. It was strange, the kind of behavior this woman was drawing out of him. Usually, he was silent, always taking orders and carrying them out diligently and effectively. Stoicism was one of his strongest qualities, yet all of that seemed to have been left on the other side of the cabin door.

"Is your name truly so hideous that you couldn't share it with a gentleman such as myself?" he smirked. "If that is the case, then perhaps you could give me a false name? Something to call you other than the words the crewmen have been using."

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[Advanced] Heart of the Ocean - Page 2 G7biu6q

The sun was falling beneath the ocean's waves, and the exhaustion from the day's adventures was finally beginning to pull on Endymion's muscles. He felt heavy and lethargic as he patrolled the ship, making sure all of the night's watchmen and maintenance had been taken care of. Tomorrow, his plan really went into action.

He searched the deck for Kunzite, not finding his first mate in the usual places. He glanced over to the deck's cabin and rolled his eyes. "Of course," he huffed, making his way to the cabin. Hopefully Serenity and her maid hadn't made him into too big of a fool.

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Mina felt the irrational urge to stomp her feet like a child. Why was this man getting on her nerves so much? Why did she let him? She blanched when she heard his last words, her face reddening. “What have they been calling me? Never mind that, what have they been calling my lady? Because I swear, I will cut their tongue off if they dared to sully her name!”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest in annoyance. “And I have a perfectly good name, thank you very much. I don’t need a fake name to hide behind. My name is Mina. You better remember it because it might be the last thing you do. As for you, you probably have some ridiculous made up pirate name, don’t you? What is it, something like One-Legged Jack?”

Lotus Crystal

Kunzite couldn't help but laugh - a true, heartfelt laugh, which rarely ever happened with him - at Mina's guess. It was creative, he would give her that. He wouldn't be too disappointed if remembering her name was the last thing he did.

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Endymion entered the cabin to find Kunzite...laughing? The sound was strange coming from his usually stoic First Mate, and caught Endymion slightly off-guard. As soon as the door opened, Kunzite stood at attention. "Get to your post, Kunzite," Endymion growled. As charming as they were, these girls were prisoners - he would not tolerate his crewmen risking everything just to speak with the two girls.

He glared at Serenity and Mina, for what he wasn't actually certain. For making Kunzite laugh? For their wealth and privilege?

"There are nightgowns and dresses in the wardrobe. Use them as you please. Get your sleep - tomorrow is going to be quite the adventure."

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He was laughing at her?! Mina was fuming, but then the door reopened and Endymion entered, which changed the silver-haired man’s posture immediately. One good thing happened, though, he pretty much told Mina the man’s name. Kunzite. What an odd name. But also strangely… not bad?

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An adventure? Serenity wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. An adventure was exactly what she’d wanted her whole life, but… not like this. Not on the whim of others, whose agenda she wasn’t even aware of. She knew her questions wouldn’t get anywhere, however, so she didn’t say anything this time, hoping maybe if she played nice, he would relax his guard and they would have a chance to slip out. Demanding and asking hadn’t worked. Maybe playing along would.

“Thank you, for… the meal,” she tried, indicating the plates Kunzite had left behind. Right now they didn’t have much of a choice except to eat and try to survive until they found their chance. Until then, best to be on good behavior to earn the Captain’s trust.

Lotus Crystal

Endymion was slightly taken aback by Serenity's words. The last thing he expected from his prisoner was a gracious thank-you. He nodded to both women before making his exit, locking the door behind him. The night had completely overtaken the ship, and few men could be seen on its deck. Endymion exhaled a heavy sigh, releasing the tension from his shoulders as he retreated to his own cabin beneath the deck. It had been an eventful day, but tomorrow would be even more taxing.

All he needed was for tomorrow to go as planned. Then he would have what he needed.

Endymion was up bright and early, as usual, dressed and ready to command his men before the sun had fully emerged from the sea. They were an hour's distance away from their destination, which meant it was time to get the Lady Serenity prepared for her role.

Ever the gentleman, Endymion knocked on the cabin door and shouted, "My Lady, you have ten minutes to get dressed and join me on the deck. We have much to attend to."

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Serenity had a fitful and restless sleep. She could sense Mina’s anxiety as well all night, and they’d spend most of it huddling together and trying to comfort each other with words and promises that they knew probably wouldn’t come true. But as long as they were together, Serenity could bear this. Whatever was going to happen tomorrow.

A few hours before dawn she finally dozed off from exhaustion, only to be woken up with a jolt when Endymion knocked on the door. Actually surprised he hadn’t just come inside, she began to wonder if the fact that he had manners truly said something about his intentions. Maybe he really was a good pirate… whatever that meant. Not that she should start trusting him or anything.

She shouted back that she understood, and Mina quickly helped her get dressed. “What do you think his plan is?” Serenity asked her worriedly as Mina attempted to brush her hair with her hands, more out of habit than anything.

“I do not know, my lady, but I’ll always be by your side, and the moment his guard is down, we’re going to make a run for it.”

Serenity nodded, then, after squeezing Mina’s hand she steadied herself and waited for him to unlock the door. Maybe today she’d finally get some answers.

Lotus Crystal

After making sure all of his men were clear on their orders for the morning's escapade, Endymion returned to the cabin and unlocked the door, opening it to find Serenity and her little maid waiting patiently. He was almost surprised to not be struck by a candlestick or something of the like when he opened the door.

Without hesitation, Endymion approached Serenity and grabbed her wrists, tying them in front of her with a rope he had picked up before entering the cabin. He then removed a strip of cloth tied around his leg and proceeded to cover Serenity's mouth with it, making sure not to tie it uncomfortably tight. "Smile, your Highness," Endymion smirked, "You'll be seeing your Prince Charming soon enough."

He began to lead Serenity back out to the deck, but stopped to look at Minako. "You'll be staying here. Any trouble and I'll be sure to dump you at the next port," he warned. Without waiting for a snarky response, Endymion pushed Serenity out onto the deck, closing and locking the cabin door behind them. He continued to lead Serenity to the ship's bow, where Kunzite was waiting patiently.

"They're on the horizon, Captain," Kunzite said. Endymion nodded, eyes narrowing to spot the large, regal ship approaching in the distance.

"There you have it, Lady Serenity," Endymion said. "Your hero has come to rescue you."

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She bit back a protest as Endymion tied her up, and she could feel Mina tensing behind her too. The gag made her let out a noise of disbelief, then she rolled her eyes at his comment. How was she supposed to smile if he was covering her lips? But then he said ‘Prince Charming’, and… did he mean Lord Demande? Was he here to save her?

He told Mina to stay there, and Serenity looked back at her in panic. Mina was supposed to be with her always. That was the promise! She couldn’t do anything about it at the moment, however. She’d just have to make sure when Lord Demande paid her ransom, he would pay for Mina’s too. Serenity walked with trembling legs to where Endymion directed her to.

Kunzite informed them that Lord Demande’s ship was approaching, and she turned her head to look at the ship. Though part of her felt relieved, something about his words didn’t sit well with her. Lord Demande had never been her hero. The hero she had always imagined in her head was a faceless prince who would…

Who would steal her from her groom-to-be. Just like Endymion had done.

She glanced at his determined face, regal in its own right, his strong jawline and his deep blue eyes. But that was crazy, right? Her hero was someone noble and gentle and kind. Not… some kind of pirate captain. There had to be some kind of middle ground between him and Lord Demande.

In any case, this wasn’t the time to think about that. She’d figure out how to escape Demande’s clutches after she escaped Endymion’s.

Lotus Crystal

Lord Demande's ships crept closer and closer until Endymion's and his vessels were a mere 100 yards apart. Both ships were host to skilled men, menacing cannons, and contemptuous captains - a recipe for disaster. But despite the tension of the encounter, there was a strange sense of calm on Endymion's ship, almost as if his men knew there was nothing to fear.

Endymion's eyes met with Demande's cold, complacent ones, and he couldn't keep the chill from running down his spine. No matter how much Endymion hated him, there was something about Demande's periwinkle eyes that would always bring him unease. He couldn't imagine Serenity having to wake up to those eyes every morning for the rest of her life.

"Ah, Endymion...how I love our meetings. I see you are still taking that which does not belong to you. I must request that you return all of my belongs, the Lady Serenity included. We wouldn't want this to get nasty, now would we? You and I both know that your men are no match for mine - your father's sure weren't."

There was a sneer in Demande's voice that sent a ripple of rage through Endymion's body. Subconsciously, he tightened his hold on Serenity's shoulders, pulling her a few inches closer. "I am afraid I can't do that, my Lord," Endymion said, bitterness dripping off of his tongue. "For me to return what is yours, you must return what is mine. An eye for an eye, is it not? The Lady will be staying with me until I possess once more what you stole. We could, I suppose, fight to the death. But her life will be the first one to go, and I'm sure your name would be soiled if you let a Lady as important as she die in the hands of a pirate."

There was a heavy silence, every man clutching his weapon. Endymion was bluffing, but for all Demande knew, he was a ruthless pirate who cared for nothing but riches and pleasure. Serenity's life should mean nothing to him, according to the pirate stereotypes. But he could never harm her...he had already done enough to her. The outcome of this encounter all depended on whether or not Demande had to guile to call his bluff.

"We shall see."

With a wave of his pale hand, Demande's ship was sailing away. No cannons went off, no men jumped into the ocean to climb aboard the Luna, no further threats were made.

It worked.

As soon as Demande's ship was out of earshot, the crew of The Luna erupted in cheers, clapping each other on the back and grinning from ear-to-ear. Endymion couldn't help but smile either as he untied the gag and the rope from around Serenity's wrists and mouth. "I do apologize for all of that. If this could be done any other way, believe me I would have taken it. But I am curious - how do you put up with such a monster?"

Endymion looked over Serenity, taking in her petite frame and her delicate features. She seemed to be so innocent, so pure, that Endymion couldn't imagine her in the arms of a man as cold and uncaring as Demande. He felt a strange desire to protect her, and to keep her away from him at all costs. But there was something about her bright blue eyes, so full of hope and light, that told him she possessed an inner strength that he would never be able to understand. And with Lady Minako by her side, Endymion knew that even without him, Serenity would be safe.

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Serenity convinced herself that freedom was imminent, for she was sure Lord Demande would hand over all his riches immediately for her. Or at least, she hoped. He would, right? He wouldn’t… let her die. Right? She hated the fact that she was even questioning this. It should be an unshakable truth that your fiancé would save your life no matter the cost. And yet, every time she thought of Demande, she couldn’t be sure he would do the right thing. And that unsettled her.

She held her breath as the two ships grew closer, and stared at her groom-to-be, pleading with her eyes to save her. His gaze remained as cold as always, and not for the first time Serenity wondered if the man even loved her. She’d seen lust in his eyes, yes. It gave her chills every time, and not the good kind. But she’d never seen love or compassion in them, not even for her.

She took note of the conversation, frowning when Demande mentioned something about Endymion’s father. They talked as if they had often met in the past. Did they have history? Her body tensed when Endymion pulled her closer, but then she heard him mention something that was his. Her gaze snapped back and forth between the two men in confusion. What had Demande taken from a pirate of all people? Or instead of what, could it have been a who? After all, Endymion referred to it as ‘an eye for an eye’—had Demande taken the woman Endymion loved? But that made no sense. Why would he do such a thing?

Although strangely, now that the existence of such a woman was a possibility, she felt uneasy about it.

The feeling was soon replaced by dread as she listened to him talk casually about murdering her, making her anger rise once more. To her surprise, however, Demande neither surrendered anything nor attacked. He simply left.

She tried to call for him uselessly, her voice muffled behind the gag. She wanted to plead for him to not leave her there, but soon his ship had disappeared over the horizon. Serenity deflated in disappointment and despair. And here she thought she would be going home today. It seemed Demande either did not have whatever Endymion wanted with him—and as such must go to fetch it first—or he had decided to abandon her entirely. She hated how possible the latter option was.

As the pirate captain freed her, she turned to face him, surprised to hear an apology as the first thing coming out of his mouth. His words seemed genuine, and his question shocked her even more.

“A monster?” she repeated, confused. Sure, Demande was… cold and aloof, but he was by no means a monster. He treated her well enough. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re the one talking about killing people.”

Her brows furrowed, then she asked the question that had been burning in her mind since the encounter. “What could he have possibly taken from you?”

Lotus Crystal

Endymion gave Serenity a small, sympathetic smile - almost as if there was some sort of inside joke she wasn't quite understanding yet. "That was all a gamble - a bluff, so to speak. My men and I...we've never killed anyone. We've stolen, we've kidnapped, we've wreaked havoc and terror, but never killed. And we only target the privileged, such as your groom-to-be." He looked around at his celebrating crew, already starting to open the bottles of ale stolen from Demande's manor.

Serenity's question caused Endymion's expression to darken. He stood for a moment, looking deep into Serenity's eyes for a sign that he could trust her. But trust her to do what? he thought. Keep his secret? His crew already knew, Demande already knew - it was the people of the nine kingdoms who didn't know.

Perhaps it wasn't concealing his secret that he was afraid of; perhaps it was because he was afraid of how she would react. But looking into her eyes, he didn't think she would be as misunderstanding as others had been. He did kidnap her, after all - the least he could do is tell her why.

With a deep sigh, Endymion dropped tense shoulders and held out a hand. "Come with me, and I'll show you."

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“Oh, well, you’re a bad guy and you commit crimes, but only towards rich people. That makes it so much better,” she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Perhaps it was childish behavior, but Serenity wasn’t concerned with manners right now. As far as she was concerned, a criminal was a criminal. There were no grey lines.

And yet those deep blue eyes seemed to say otherwise. There was gentleness there that surprised her, something she never saw in Demande’s. Why would a pirate captain of all people seem more sympathetic than her own husband-to-be?

She looked at his offered hand, hesitated for a moment, then took it, her curiosity winning out. She must know his secret and what this whole thing was all about. She was in too deep now to go back to being the innocent lady who was just waiting for her future husband to potentially save her. The thought of having the agency to affect her own future and safety felt strangely exhilarating. Maybe she could even make an agreement with Endymion about this thing that Demande took from him. Maybe there was another way out. After all, her mother did not teach her all those boring lessons about diplomacy for nothing.

Lotus Crystal

Serenity's contemptuous remark made Endymion chuckle a little and shrug his shoulders. "I guess you do have a point there, but I suppose it comes down to who you would rather be held captive by - a captain such as myself, or a captain such as Tiger's Eye, the man who attacked us yesterday. I could arrange that for you, if you wish," he joked.

With Serenity's small, delicate hand in his, Endymion took them both below deck and to his personal cabin. Only Kunzite had ever been in here, and it was strange to be opening the door for a Lady, of all people, to enter. Inside, the walls were covered in maps and charts, all drawn over with lines, numbers, and symbols. Endymion's flawless cursive was scrawled in random places along the map, detailing different palaces and manors belonging to the Lords and Kings of the nine kingdoms. Some of them had X's, some of them were circled, and all had a letter written over them: R. Several writing desks lined the sides of the room, all cluttered with scrolls, more maps, ink quills, and books stacked higher than Serenity's head. But amongst all of the chaos, the bed was neatly made, clothes were carefully hung in the opened wardrobe, and the floor remained free of clutter. But the most eye-catching object in the room was tall, cylindrical glass case that hosted one of the most impressive suits of armor across the nine seas. Its color was the dark blue of the nighttime ocean, with a black satin cape beneath the silver shoulder pads. The armor had an authentic silver tailcoat, and the boots were made of the sturdiest black titanium money could buy. Resting in the hilt of the armor's belt was a long, gleaming silver sword - untouched for at least a decade.

"Welcome to my cabin," Endymion said quietly, looking around the room. He was slightly embarrassed to be showing a lady such as Serenity the clutter of his walls and desks, but hoped she wouldn't mind too much. "Try not to break anything."

OOC:

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RTRP session:

Lotus Crystal

Endymion walked over to all of the maps plastered across the wooden walls, pointing his finger at the 'R' positioned over Mariner's Landing. "These are all of the lands that have rejected my claim, and my call for aid. I have a feeling that they all hate Demande as much as I, but their fear prevents them from rising up. If I can find a way to prove my bloodline, then with you by my side, I can gain the support of your father in Luna. At that point, with the true blood heir of Terra partnered with the great kingdom of Luna, everyone will jump to join us. Demande's army may have been a match for my father's, but it won't be a match for the entire realm. If all goes as planned, we can push him and his followers back to Nemesis - for good."

He sighed, scratching the top of his head. "The problem remains, of course, that I have nothing to prove myself with other than this suit. But just because it fits me and I'm the spitting image of my mother proves nothing, I'm afraid. But there is something that does, and you are my only way of getting it. It was lost in the fire and never found - I tried to find it when I stole the armor from one of Demande's cargo ships, but it wasn't onboard. It's a star-shaped locket, given in celebration of my birth as a combined gift from all rulers of the realm - all except Nemesis, of course. If we can find it and bring it back, you'll see that I am telling the truth, and surely then we can at least convince your father of my birthright."

He turned, giving her a hopeful smile. He didn't really take notice of the way he so freely used the term "we," because for some reason, he felt like they were a team.

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She listened to his explanation, now seeing the map with new eyes. She had thought those were the lands he had conquered, but now she realized they were just the opposite. His plan seemed solid, and she knew she would happily help him with it, as soon as they found that one evidence that would prove his bloodline.

However, what he said next piqued her interest. There was something that could prove it after all?

"A locket..." she frowned, wondering why it sounded familiar to her. Had she ever seen that with Demande somewhere? Or maybe in his estate...

"Where do you think it might be?" she asked. "If I can help you at all, then of course I will."

All of his evidence were situational - the objects could be stolen easily, as he had done with the suit of armor - but together with the fact the armor fit and his looks, perhaps they would be enough. Enough to cast doubt, at the very least. And maybe that was all the people needed to do to rise against Lord Demande.

Lotus Crystal

Endymion almost heaved a sigh of relief. Having the Lady Serenity on his side would surely help him defeat Demande, but was that the only reason he was relieved?

"That's where you come in," he said, giving her a mischievous smile. "I haven't seen the manor in years, but you lived there. I'm certain that Demande must have found the locket and hidden it somewhere. Have you seen anything at all, perhaps in his quarters, his throne room, or maybe even your own chambers, that it could be hidden in? Anything that he perhaps kept close to him, or never let you see?"

He didn't know Demande half as well as Serenity must have, and she had probably been through every corner of Demande's manor during her time at the estate. "If what my mother always told me is true, the locket doesn't open. At least, it hasn't ever since it was left behind. It was enchanted, and its sole purpose was to find my queen once I came of age. It only opens to my touch, and to hers, whoever she may be. If I can get it back, and if it still opens to my touch, it will prove to your father and all of the other rules that I am the rightful king."

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[Advanced] Heart of the Ocean

[Advanced] Heart of the Ocean

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