b10hzrd

[b10hzrd]

The Tides of Fate- Chp 8

Meanwhile, in Azalea, King Griffin and Queen Maris were having a heated discussion regarding their only son.

King Griffin, who was nervously pacing around his study, he threw a rolled-up letter that he had received that morning at his wife. She had a stoic expression on her face, unfazed by the whole ordeal. Queen Maris picked up the letter and read it, keeping her composure, she ripped it in half and let the pieces fall to the floor. 

“What are you going to do about this?” she asked, her voice, silky and monotone.

Queen Maris resembled the very meaning of elegance, not a single imperfection to be seen. Her pearly white hair was always perfectly styled, and her smooth, dark, umber skin glistened in the sunlight. On the contrary, the current state of the king was completely unkept, it seemed like he had gone mad. King Griffin’s brown hair had grown out to his shoulders, and deep eye bags along with stubble could be seen on his face. 

“What do you want me to do Maris?!” he shouted.

“I want you to take care of it.”

The king scoffed in disbelief, “I have done everything I can! What more is there?!”

“You haven’t done everything if your son is still with that snake.”

“I have tried everything in my jurisdiction to bring him back!”

“And how did that turn out?”

King Griffin stayed silent, his anger starting to consume him.

“Get yourself together before everything I have worked for falls apart,” she spat.

The king stormed towards her, raised his arm, and struck her across the face. Her perfect skin stung from the hit, her expression not changing. She took a moment to process, then quickly retaliated the strike, leaving King Griffin in shock.

“You wench! How da-”

“Have you forgotten your place?”

Queen Maris grabbed his face, her long crimson-painted nails digging into his skin, making him wince. She stared into his brown eyes as she pierced further into his flesh, her nails were like daggers, leaving trails of blood that dripped onto his collar.

“If you ruin this for me,” she hissed, “our deal will be the least of your worries.”

The trembling king had beads of sweat falling down his forehead, he had forgotten how terrifying Maris could be. 

“Do you understand?”

He swallowed nervously, then gave a weak nod. Since the day they first met, he knew that she would do anything to get what she wanted, as long as she was the one in control. She shoved his face to the side as she released him, making him stumble back, he caught himself on the edge of his desk. He placed a hand on his cheek where the nails had left stinging marks, the warm blood staining his skin.

“You will find Corbin, and you will bring him back alive,” she said, turning her back to him and standing tall.

Queen Maris started to gracefully walk towards the door, her heels making slow clacking sounds as she walked. Before she got to the door, she stopped herself and then looked back at him.

“My patience is running low,” she threatened,  “I can always find a new king.”

Griffin remained silent, looking at her with piercing eyes as she walked away, slamming the door shut. The sound of the door echoed throughout the room, sending chills down the king's spine. He pressed the button on his desk that called his servants. Almost immediately, a butler rushed inside, bowing down as soon as he entered the room.

“Your Majesty, how may I help you?”

“I need you to send a couple of letters for me.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty.”

[b10hzrd]

The Tides of Fate- Chp 7

As the ship sailed towards Crescent Moon Bay, everyone sticking to their duties, it seemed the prince was having a hard time adjusting to his orders.

“Are we finished yet?” Corbin whined as he was mopping the deck. 

Caster was helping Marina steady the sails. Marina looked at Corbin then gave Caster an apologetic and annoyed look, Caster gave her a smile and shrugged. 

“Well, I suppose it is about time for us to prepare dinner,” Caster said.

“That's not what I meant,” Corbin sighed. 

“Follow me to the kitchen.” Caster beckoned him towards the rear of the ship.

They both entered the galley, it was a little cramped but big enough for both of them. Pots and pans were messily stacked on top of the stove, ingredients in sacks and barrels. The spices and utensils were all organized nicely.

“Chicken is on the menu tonight…” Caster began while he tied an apron around his waist, put his locks into a half up ponytail and rolled his sleeves up, “… I think I might pair it with some rice,” he mumbled to himself.

“So, what do you need me to do?” Corbin rolled his sleeves up and leaned against the counter.

“Could y-you not…lean on there? I need my workspace.”

Corbin raised his hands up and backed away from the counter. Caster walked into what seemed to be a small walk-in wine cellar and walked out with some bowls and tableware.

“Let’s start then, shall we?” Caster said, setting the items down. “Do you know how to cook?”

The prince looked around the galley, feeling more out of place than ever. "Cook? No, not really. I’ve always had someone else do that for me."

Caster nodded, not particularly surprised by Corbin's response. “Well, good thing the menu is easy tonight., you won't have a hard time learning.”

“Could you chop these? Just be careful with the knife.” He handed Corbin a knife and pointed to a pile of vegetables.

Corbin took the knife hesitantly, glancing at Caster for reassurance. “Like this?” he asked, slicing into an onion.

Caster watched him for a moment, chuckling at how nervously the prince was chopping the onion. “You’re doing fine, just tuck your fingers in so you won't hurt yourself.”

“You seem calm. When I met you, you seemed so uneasy,” Corbin said as he chopped the onion slowly, as to not cut himself.

Caster huffed a laugh, “Well, I’m not the most confident person. Compared to the others, I’m not as strong or as bold.” Caster sighed, “But, when I’m in the kitchen I feel at peace, cooking is my way of winding down after a long day.”

Corbin nodded, continuing to chop. The sound of the soft waves and the sound of the ship creaking, relaxing him, making the overbearing thoughts he has had recently quiet down. As he chopped, tears began to well in his eyes, he wiped the tear that was forming and looked at the droplet on his finger. 

“Everything alright Corbin?”

“I think I’m crying…” 

“That's usually how chopping onions goes, you get used to it after a bit,” Caster said with a smile as he was beginning to prepare the chicken.

Corbin looked back at the knife he was holding, a tear falling onto the steel blade. He looked at his reflection on the knife as his vision became blurred. The prince had never known he could cry, that he had the right to cry. More tears fell onto the cutting board, his face began to heat up, emotions that he had been surprising for so long all overtaking his senses. His chest painfully tightened, he gripped his shirt tightly, trying to compose himself. 

The knife clattered to the floor as Corbin turned away, his shoulders shaking with the force of his sobs. He stumbled back, seeking some semblance of stability, but there was none to be found. Every breath felt like a struggle, every tear a release of years of pent-up anguish and sorrow.

Corbin covered his face in shame. “God…what the hell did I do?!”

It became increasingly hard for him to breathe, each breath became sharper and sharper as he continued to weep.

“What did I do?!” he choked.

Caster quickly stopped what he was doing and rushed to help Corbin stable himself.

“H-Hey…do you need a minute?” Caster asked nervously, not sure how to handle the situation.

The prince was unresponsive, his cries drowned out the world around him. He began to pull at his hair, punishing himself for being so pathetic. Caster looked at the rice that was boiling, then back at Corbin, trying to figure out the best course of action.

“Let's get you some fresh air,” he said, guiding the weeping prince to the deck.

The crew looked at Corbin then at Caster, who was behind the prince, with confused expressions. Ophelia sprinted towards Corbin.

“Corbin, what’s the matter?” She cupped his face, trying to wipe the tears off his face.

Corbin looked into Ophelia’s worried eyes, his vision still blurred by his tears. He let his head fall onto her shoulder and pulled her into a tight embrace, gripping the back of her blouse as if she were going to disappear. Ophelia gave into the embrace, softly patting his back, giving him a sense of reassurance. Corbin’s breathing became slower, though tears continued to fall, soaking into the fabric of Ophelia’s blouse.

“Well, it seems you have things under control, I’ll be back with dinner,” Caster awkwardly chuckled, rushing back to the galley.

The rest of the crew watched them in silence, not sure what they could do to help. 

“I’m pathetic,” Corbin said through a sharp breath, his voice muffled. 

“You are the farthest thing from pathetic.”

“I didn’t want this. Any of this,” Corbin choked out between sobs. “I hate this life. I hate what I’ve become.”

Corbin lifted his head and looked at Ophelia, “I should have never left Azalea.”

“If you hadn’t, I would have never seen you again.” She reached to caress his face.

He pulled her hand away, “Maybe, it would've been better that way.”

Ophelia’s face fell, “Corbin, you can’t mean that…”

“And what if I do?” The prince looked at her with a serious expression.

“You would be lying!”

“I killed a man!” He punched his chest, “I watched the life drain from his body. His blood is on my hands, no matter how much I scrub the blood off, I can still see it! I am haunted in my sleep by a man who did nothing but tell me the truth, a truth that now I have to bear with.”

“I can bear that burden with you! Corbin, you are not alone, I want to be able to help you, to understand what you're going through.”

“I don’t want you to bear it.”

“Why not?” Ophelia grabs Corbin's hands and holds them together tightly. “Corbin, this is not something you should be dealing with on your own.”

Corbin pulls his hands away from Ophelia’s grasp, he turns his back to her, ashamed to even meet her gaze. 

“Corbin…” Ophelia didn't know what she could do to reassure him. Every time she tried, he would pull away, making it harder for her words to reach him.

Elliot decided he had had enough of the dramatic scene he was watching unfold, he walked up to the pair and put his hand on Ophelia’s shoulder.

“I can take it from here, go make sure we’re still on course,” He said, giving a reassuring smile and wink. 

Ophelia nodded, slowly walking to the helm, looking back at the prince. He was so far gone into his own guilt, that she couldn’t recognize him anymore.

Elliot looks at Corbin and sighs, “C’mon, it seems we have some things to talk about,” he puts his arm around Corbin’s shoulder and leads him towards the starboard. 

“Beautiful, isn't it? The night sky.”

Corbin stayed silent, not understanding where the white haired pirate was going with this.

“Listen, Corbin, everyone on this ship has done something they regret. But we don’t let those decisions define us for the rest of our lives.”

Corbin sighed, “How can I just…move on from what I did?”

“At a certain point in your life, you have to just accept what you did.” Marina interrupted, “You can’t change the past.”

Elliot looked back at Marina with a slight glare, “Not helping,” he whisper-yelled.

“I wasn’t trying to be helpful. He needs to learn that he can’t stay like this forever.”

Corbin turned to Marina, anger flaring in his eyes. “You think it’s that simple? Just accept it and move on? I took a life. That doesn’t just go away.”

Marina crossed her arms. “What do you think dwelling on his death for the rest of your life will do to you? What’s done is done. You have to find a way to live with it, just like we all have done.”

“You don't understand!” Corbin clenched his fists. “None of you do! I am nothing like you, I’m a prince, not a pirate!”

Amidst all the yelling, Gulliver emerged from the hold, carrying a barrel over his head.

“What are you hearties squabbling ‘bout now?” 

An awkward silence followed his question, Gulliver analyzed the scene and shrugged his shoulders. He placed the barrel down and laughed at the silence.

“Perfect timing!” Elliot raised his hand in the air and walked towards the barrel.

“Can’t have drinks without food!” Caster came from the galley with a pan of food and a stack of plates in his hand. 

“Who said you were getting a drink?” Elliot laughed, “You, young man, will be sticking to juice.”

Gulliver crossed his arms, “Ay, let the lad ave’ some fun! I was his age when I started drinkin’!” 

“And look at how you turned out, you carouser!” Elliot joked.

Gulliver let out a hard laugh and playfully punched Elliot’s shoulder.

[b10hzrd]

The Tides of Fate- Chp 6

After cleaning up the aftermath of the battle, the crew, including Corbin, went to Captain Elara’s quarters for a meeting regarding a certain prince. 

“You certainly made a scene, Your Highness.” Captain Elara remarked sarcastically.

She sat casually on the edge of her desk, her legs crossed, a sly smile playing on her lips. Corbin stood stiffly by the doorway, his face covered in the grime of combat, clothes torn, and his face covered by sweat and soot. The rest of the crew—Elliot, Ophelia, Marina, and Gulliver— stood around him, all exhausted from the long battle.

“I didn’t have a choice,” Corbin replied.

“Are you sure? I’m certain we would’ve been able to handle ourselves just fine without killing Adrastros,” She teased.

 He met Elara’s gaze with determination. “It was him or me,” he said firmly. 

Elliot, who was leaning against the wall, crossed his arms and raised a brow. “Maybe so, but you certainly took a bold approach.”

Gulliver let out a hardy laugh. “Aye, the lads got spirit! In all my days, I ave’ never seen a prince kill a man!

“Bold?” Marina scoffed. “More like suicidal.” She was tending to wounds on her hands from gripping the rope of the sails too hard.

As Corbin was about to defend himself from the snooty pirates’ remark, the door creaked open and a nervous head peeked through. It was Caster, his eyes began to dart around the room anxiously.

“Come in, Caster,” Captain Elara said more gently, softening her tone.

Caster stumbled into the room, almost tripping over his two feet, he quickly regained his balance and stood tall. He glanced nervously at Corbin and then at Captain Elara. 

“S-Sorry I’m late, captain. Is everyone alright?” He stammered.

Ophelia finally broke her silence, giving a warm smile to the cabin boy. “We’re fine, Caster. Thanks to Corbin, we managed to hold them off.”

Marina looked up from her wounds and rolled her eyes dramatically., “Oh yeah, we’re totally fine, and it's all thanks to a stupid prince who just leapt into the fray like a headless chicken!” She glared at Corbin.

“Must you be so negative all the time?” Ophelia asked, her voice exasperated. “Corbin did what he had to do.”

Marina huffed, crossing her arms and tossing her hair back dramatically. “Negative? I’m being realistic. We barely scraped through this. Next time, we might not be so lucky.”

“It was him or me. There was no other way,” Corbin repeated.

“You killed a pirate with hundreds of allies, who, when they find out, which they will find out, that we have the person that killed him on our ship, we’re doomed. You’re a liability! You don’t know anything about ships, and now you’ve dragged us into even more trouble with your reckless stunt.”

Caster, shrinking further into himself, seemed even more unsettled by the confrontation. He looked at Marina, then back at Corbin in confusion.

“Wait—who killed who?” Caster asked.

Marina pointed at Corbin dramatically, “This dimwitted prince killed Adrastros!”

“Adrastos…why would he and his crew attack us? I thought captain—”

“He was sent to retrieve the king’s son by the man himself,” Captain Elara interrupted, she gave Caster a look that immediately made him stop questioning anything. 

“U-Understood captain.” Caster nodded, looking down nervously.

Captain Elara gave a reassuring nod at Caster, then looked at the rest of the crew. “Adrastos’s death isn’t just a victory. It’s a signal. His allies will come for us. For you, Corbin.”

Corbin’s gaze hardened, “I didn’t want to kill him, I was just…I wasn't thinking.” 

Elliot sighed. “Accident or not, we don’t have time to stand around doing nothing. Adrastros’s allies won’t care about what your reasons were.” 

He looked toward Captain Elara, she leaned back, folding her arms across her chest, and her expression became serious, “Our boatswain has an excellent point, Elliot, what do you propose we do?”

Elliot sighed once more, rubbing his temples. “We need a plan, Captain. And we need it fast. We’re running low on supplies, the ship needs repairs, and we’ll likely face more enemies soon.”

Marina scoffed, tossing her hair back dramatically. “Oh great, just what we needed. Another mess to clean up, thanks to Prince Reckless over here. I swear if I need to mend one more sail because of you, I am going to—”

“Marina, enough,” Elliot interrupted, giving her a stern look. “We all have to pull our weight. Complaining won’t get us anywhere.”

 Marina rolled her eyes and made a zipping motion over her lips, she threw one last glare at Corbin and went to stand next to Gulliver, who was listening attentively to the discussion with his hands in the pockets of his pants.

Ophelia raised her hand, drawing the attention of the room. “Crescent Moon Bay is the nearest harbor,” she suggested. “It’s not far, and we can make repairs and resupply there.”

Gulliver’s face fell at the mention of the harbor. “C-Crescent Moon?”

She sighed, “I understand we may not have the greatest reputation there but it is really our only option, the ship can’t handle going any further.”

Marina scoffed, “We? If I recall correctly, the only reason we were kicked out was because Gulliver—”

“I’m sure they’ve forgotten about Gulliver’s, misunderstanding, there…,” Elliot chuckled nervously.   

Captain Elara cleared her throat. We’ll deal with… that… when we get there. Right now, Our priority is getting to Crescent Moon Bay in one piece.” She looked at each of them in turn. “We stick together, watch each other’s backs, and survive. Understood?”

The crew nodded in agreement.

She turned her attention back to Corbin.  “As for you Corbin…” she began, pushing herself off the edge of the desk and slowly making her way towards the prince.

“What should we do with you?” A coy grin fell on her face as she looked down at the prince

Corbin gulped, looking up at the blue, piercing eyes of the captain.

“I mean,  you are the one who got us into this predicament in the first place. Will you join us in cleaning up the mess you made?” She glanced over at her crew, who watched the exchange with varying degrees of interest and concern.

Ophelia gave Corbin a supportive nod, while Marina rolled her eyes, clearly still annoyed. Elliot maintained his usual calm, assessing the situation, and Gulliver seemed intrigued by the unfolding drama.

 “Did I have a choice to begin with?” He replied.

Captain Elara raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. “It seems you’re learning well.”

She turned to their navigator, “Ophelia set a course for Crescent Moon Bay, everyone else get back to your duties.”

“Aye, captain!” They said in unison.

“As for you…” The strawberry-blonde-haired captain glanced back at Corbin, “…you can help out Caster. Do as he says.”

Caster looked at Corbin with uncertainty. “F-Follow me then…Your Highness?”

“Call me Corbin”

“Right, well, follow me, Corbin.”

With that, the meeting broke up, and the crew dispersed to their tasks. As they left the captain’s quarters, Corbin felt the weight of his new reality pressing down on him. He had been thrown into a world he despised, forced to navigate its treacherous waters. For now, he had no choice but to go along with it and find a way to survive.

[b10hzrd]

The Tides of Fate- Chp 5

Corbin’s eyes burst open to the sound of chaos, the sounds of cannons being blasted at the ship, swords being swung. The ship was violently rocking back and forth as the sea became less merciful. Panic surged through him as he witnessed the true violence that came with being a pirate. Struggling against the ropes that kept him bound to the mast, he frantically tried looking for any sign of Ophelia. Through the haze of smoke, he spotted her at the helm, her hands gripping the wheel with determination, guiding the ship through the intense seas. 

“Fire in the hole!” With that came the sound of an explosion and screams from the distance. Gulliver’s raspy laugh could be heard amongst the chaos.

“Enjoying ourselves, are we?” Elliot said out of breath, he was fighting off what seemed to be other pirates who were trying to get on the ship.

“Aye, we haven’t ad’ a good brawl since princey here came along, I’ve been gettin’ bored!” He continued lighting the cannons, the smell of gunpowder in the air.

“How’s our sailmaster holding up?” Elliot shouted at Marina who was trying to secure the rigging.

“Oh, just swell! Never been better,” she rolled her eyes. She still had the same snobby attitude.

“Where’s Caster?!” Ophelia yelled from the helm.

“He went to hide in the hold, as long as they don’t—” the blast from an explosion on the side of the ship interrupted Elliot’s words, Marina and Ophelia desperately trying to keep it steady.

Just then, Captain Elara came bursting out of her quarters, “I think I’ve had quite enough of this,” she declared. 

Captain Elara immediately took charge. “Gulliver, target their mainmast! We need to slow them down. Marina, secure those sails before we lose them entirely. Elliot, get those boarders off my ship!”

“Aye, Captain!” They all said in unison.

As the crew followed her orders, Corbin saw his chance. “Elliot, cut me loose, I can help!” he shouted.

“Are you mad?!”

“Just trust me!”

Elliot hesitated for a moment but then nodded, quickly slicing through the ropes binding Corbin to the mast. “Stay low and help where you can,” he instructed before heading back to the fight.

Corbin grabbed the sword of a fallen pirate and joined the battle, focusing on protecting the navigator and sailmaster. Through the smoke, a massive vessel could be seen approaching. The firing stopped as the opposing ship came to a stop, now both vessels were side to side. Captain Elara squinted, trying to make out who their captain was through the smoke.

“If it isn’t the Viper of the Northern Seas, Elara! It’s been so long!” A tall, broad-shouldered man came forward, giving a cunning grin.

“Adrastos. Do you need something, or are you just attacking us for fun?” Captain Elara crossed her arms.

“As a matter of fact, I do need something! An old friend of mine came to me with information about a certain prince that you have managed to acquire.”

Elliot quickly got in front of Corbin with his sword up.

“And whom might this old friend be?” She asked.

“Oh, just a friend from Azalea, you might know him as King Griffin,” he smirked.

Corbin’s heart began to race, he quickly approached the side of the deck, “You’re lying! My father would never associate himself with pirates!”

“It seems he has; your father is a desperate man who just wants to see his son return home safely. Why else would he choose me to come rescue you?”

Corbin didn’t know if Adrastos was lying or not. Could it be that his father actually cared for his well-being? The king never had time for his son, so why now would he send someone after him? And why pirates?

“Elara,” Adrastos continued, “hand over the prince, and I might let you and your crew live.”

She let out a hardy laugh, “And if I refuse?”

Adrastos’ grin widened. “Then I’ll take him by force, and your ship will be at the bottom of the sea.”

“Is that so?” She gave an amused smile. “Then I suppose we’ll see who’s ship sinks first.”

“Then so be it,” He signaled his crew, which was much larger than Captain Elara’s, to attack the ship.

Captain Elara nodded at Ophelia, who deftly maneuvered the ship, keeping it steady. “Marina, I need full speed ahead!”

“I’m on it!” Marina called back, climbing the rigging with agility and securing the sails. 

Captain Elara fought fiercely, her sword a blur of motion. She was everywhere at once, directing her crew and holding off Adrastos’s men. “Push them back! We hold the line here!”

Gulliver’s laughter echoed as he fired another cannon. “That’s right, run you, scoundrels!”

Despite their efforts, Adrastos’s crew began to overwhelm them. More and more of his crew swarmed the deck. Corbin was now back-to-back with Elliot, fighting off attackers from all sides.

“Looks like we’re outnumbered,” Elliot said gritting his teeth.

Corbin scanned the deck, his mind racing for a plan. Then he saw it—a pile of thick rope near the ship's edge, ready to be used for boarding. "Elliot, that rope! We can use it to swing over to their ship and catch them off guard!"

Elliot glanced over and nodded. “Seems worth a shot!”

Corbin and Elliot fought their way to the rope, facing off against Adrastos's men as they went. They reached the edge of the ship, and Corbin grabbed hold of the rope.

"Cover me!" he shouted to Elliot.

Elliot nodded, deflecting blows from the enemy pirates as Corbin swung out over the water. With all his strength, he released the rope at the perfect moment, sailing through the air and landing squarely on the enemy ship's deck. Corbin’s sudden appearance startled Adrastos's crew, giving a distraction for Captain Elara’s crew to regain their advantage. Corbin fought with determination, letting his adrenaline guide him.

“Look who we have here, I must say Your Highness, I’m impressed. You truly do resemble your father.” Corbin turned around to face Adrastro, who was wearing an amused grin.

“How do you know my father?!” He asked.

“Why everyone knows your father, he is the king of Azalea after all!”

“You know exactly what I mean, you said he was an old friend.”

“Oh, that? Well, he may be known as King Griffin to some, but to us, he’s known as The Dead Pirate of the Seven Seas.”

Corbin’s heart sank at the mention of that name, in all the history books he had read on pirates, The Dead Pirate of the Seven Seas was known as one of the big three; the most destructive pirates this world has ever seen. They are the reason he despised all pirates. Insinuating his father could ever be capable of being one of them was out of the question.

“You’re lying.” His voice trembled.

“I thought you might say that, here, a gift that may change your mind.” Adrasto tossed him a rolled-up letter. Corbin unraveled it and read.

“Adrastros, 

I know this letter may come as a shock to you, but I am seeking your help. My son has recently been kidnapped by a viper we both share a history with. She seems to be trying to bargain with me.

I know I don’t need to remind you of the debt you owe me. Kill that viper, bring me my son back and that debt will be considered paid, with some extra compensation.

-C.G.”

“Those initials…” He looked at Adrastro in disbelief, “…They couldn’t be.”

“Captain Griffin, otherwise known as one of the most dangerous pirates that ever roamed the seven seas. So dangerous he was able to overthrow the former king of Azalea and erase all records of it.”

“N-no…this…this…” Corbin began to question his entire life; he was the son of a pirate. A son of the thing he had hated his whole life. 

"It's a lot to take in, isn't it, Your Highness?" he taunted.

“I…” The prince was truly at a loss for words. There was nothing he could possibly say to make Adrastro’s words any less true.

Adrastro smiled, “Let’s get you home then, shall we? It seems you and the king need to have to father, and son talk.”

“ENOUGH!” Corbin lunged towards the grinning pirate in front of him and swung his sword furiously. 

As Corbin's sword clashed with Adrastos's, a storm of emotions flooded through him. Anger, betrayal, confusion.

“Killing me won’t change the fact your father is a cold-blooded pirate,” he remarked, his voice full of mockery.

Corbin gritted his teeth, pushing himself to fight harder. The battle between them was intense, Adrastos dodging each of Corbin’s attacks with ease. But Corbin’s anger gave him strength, his strikes becoming more forceful and determined. With a final, desperate move, Corbin feinted to the left, then thrust his sword into Adrastos’s chest.  

Adrastros fell to his knees, he looked up at the bloody prince who loomed over him.

“It’s much quieter now,” he said, breathing heavily, “Isn’t it?”

He pulled his sword from the fallen pirate’s chest, making Adrastros collapse entirely. Corbin stood there for a moment, staring at the lifeless body of the pirate who had done nothing but reveal the truth that had been hidden from him. Corbin still hadn’t processed what he had just done, the expression he held was completely stoic. Elliot placed the boarding plank down between both ships and rushed over to Corbin.

“Corbin are you okay?!” 

He didn’t respond, it was like he was dissociating from reality.

Elliot lifted the prince and carried him over his shoulder, back to Captain Elara’s ship. He placed him down and Corbin immediately fell to his knees. Ophelia rushed to him, kneeling in front of him. She cupped his face with both hands. The rest of the crew except Elliot looked at them in confusion.

“Corbin, what happened?” she asked with a soft, worried voice.

Corbin looked at her panicked expression and tears began to drip down his face. He never wanted her to see him as a killer, he never wanted her to be afraid of him.

“F-Feelya I…” He held her hand against his cheek and wept.

Ophelia began to softly caress his face with her thumb. Her delicate hands comforted him more than she would ever know.

“It’s okay, I’m here now. Tell me what happened.”

“H-He told me my father was…that he was a…”

“Pirate.” Captain Elara finished his sentence, stepping forward and looking down at Corbin. Ophelia moved aside, ignoring the looks of her crew and captain.

“You knew?” Corbin asked between sobs.

“Everyone knew, well, everyone except you.” 

“I just killed a man.” Finally, Corbin had fully realized what he did, guilt overcoming him.

“Now you truly are like us pathetic pirates,” she extended her hand, and he took it.

[b10hzrd]

The Tides of Fate- Chp 4

As the sun began to set, nightfall approaching, Ophelia approached Corbin. She moved with her usual grace, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes as she looked at him.

“How are you holding up?”

Corbin’s eyes flickered open, and he met her gaze. Despite his fatigue and discomfort, he couldn’t help but be captivated by her presence. 

“I’ve had better days,” he replied, his voice hoarse.

Ophelia smiled sympathetically, “I truly am sorry for what happened yesterday, but you wouldn’t let me get a word out, I was just so frustrated.

“I understand, I must apologize as well, I was overwhelmed and let my emotions get the better of me. But you must understand, for an entire decade I thought you were…” 

“Gone?” she finished his sentence.

Corbin nodded slowly, his eyes not leaving hers. “I’m just glad you’re alive. Even if it’s under these circumstances.”

Ophelia sighed, looking away for a moment. “It’s a complicated life, Corbin. But it’s my life now.”

“I wish things were different,” Corbin said quietly. “I wish you hadn’t been dragged into this world.”

“Sometimes I wish for the same thing.”

“So then why?” Corbin asked, his voice tinged with desperation. “Why would you choose this path, Ophelia? You had so much potential and so many opportunities. Why throw it all away for this?”

Ophelia’s expression hardened slightly, a defensive edge creeping into her eyes. “You think I chose this? You think I wanted to end up here?”

“I just…I just can’t grasp how you went from being who you were…to this.”

“And what do you know of who I was?! I was weak, naive, and foolish!”

“You were not foolish!”

“Yes, I was. That is how I got into this predicament in the first place. Life isn’t as simple as you think, Corbin. Not everyone has the luxury life you do. Some of us fight for every scrap of freedom we get.” Tears started to well in Ophelias' eyes.

“Feelya I…”

“Don’t you dare call me that again. We are not children anymore, I have matured and so should you, Corbin,” she said sternly. “You’ve always had privilege—a family, wealth, security. I had none of that. I had to make my way, and sometimes, your only choices are the hard ones.”

“Why does everyone assume my privilege means I haven’t had to make sacrifices?!” Corbin's voice grew with anger.

Ophelia’s expression turned cold. “You’ve never had to choose between starving and stealing. You’ve never had to sell your soul just to survive another day.”

Corbin’s heart ached at her words, but his pride wouldn’t let him back down. “Maybe not, but do not think for a moment my life has been without struggle.”

Ophelia shook her head, her eyes filled with anger and sadness. “You’ll never understand, Corbin. You can’t possibly understand what it’s like to fight for every scrap of dignity.”

“It’s not too late,” Corbin pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion. “You can still change your path.”

She laughed bitterly, a harsh sound that cut through the night. “And do what, Corbin? Go back to a world that chewed me up and spat me out? I made my choice. This is where I belong now.”

`Corbin’s frustration boiled over. “You’re just running away! You’re better than this, better than them! I know you are!”

Ophelia’s face hardened. “You don’t get to tell me who I am. You don’t know me anymore, Corbin. I can’t believe I thought a prince of all people would be able to understand this, you haven’t changed, still so ignorant to those around you.”

Corbin's heart pounded with desperation as he watched Ophelia turn away from him, her words echoing in his mind. He strained against the ropes binding him, wishing he could reach out to her.

"Feelya," he called out, his voice rough with emotion. "Please, don't go."

Ophelia paused for a moment, her back still turned to him. Corbin held his breath, hoping against hope that she would reconsider, that she would turn back and give him another chance.

“I told you not to call me that, Your Highness.”

With a heavy sigh, she continued on her way. Corbin slumped against his bonds; his heart heavy with defeat.

“Women, am I right?” A gruff voice startled the prince, the white-haired pirate who had held a sword to his throat. He was leaning against the mast, somehow, he managed to stay out of sight.

“Please excuse me, I didn't mean to startle you, Your Highness.” He approached Corbin and grinned. 

Corbin was confused as to why this pirate was trying to make conversation with him.

“Are you here to patronize me?”

The white-haired pirate chuckled, shaking his head. "No, just offering some company. My name’s Elliot, by the way. Figured you could use a friendly face, given the circumstances."

“How come I haven't seen you around then?”

“I tend to stick to my duties, it seems Gulliver and Marina are already doing a well enough job keeping you tied up, so, I didn't think I should involve myself.” Elliot seemed very laid-back; it was a refreshing thing to see.

“So then, why are you involving yourself now?”

“Well after eavesdropping on your conversation with our navigator, it seems you both have a past together, and I wish to know more.”

Corbin rolled his eyes, “So you can use it against me later? I’ll pass.” 

Elliot chuckled, “If I wanted to use anything against you I would have already, you and Ophelia aren’t as discrete as you may think.”

The prince looked away and went red, maybe Ophelia was right about him being loud.

“Don’t worry too much, I’m sure no one else heard your, might I add, quite loud, bickering,” he teased.

Corbin looked down in shame.

“Look, if you do not want to, I understand, I wouldn’t trust us, pathetic pirates, either.” Elliot mocked the tied-up prince. Corbin began to become irritated with Elliot’s prying,

“Why do you want to know?” he spat.

The white-haired pirate's gaze hardened, “I have heard every single crew member's story on this ship, even the ones who have left, the one person who refuses is our navigator. I hate not knowing who is on my ship, she could betray us, and she could kill one of my friends. The people on this ship are my family, ever since she came along, I can’t shake this feeling, that she’s hiding something from us. Something that could endanger us all.”

“Ophelia isn't like that,” he said firmly. “She wouldn’t betray anyone without good reason.”

Elliot's eyes narrowed. "And how do you know that? People change, Your Highness. A decade is a long time. She's not the girl you remember. She's a pirate now, and pirates do what they have to do to survive."

“I know her heart,” Corbin clenched his fists. “I may not know how she got wrapped up in all this mess, but I know she’s still the girl I once knew, deep down.”

“I don’t doubt your sincerity, Your Highness, I just—” Elliot sighed, “—If Ophelia has a past that could affect my crew, my family, I need to know.”

Corbin began to sympathize with him. “Fine. I'll tell you what I know. But you must promise me no harm will come to her.”

“You have my word.”

Corbin took a deep breath, his mind going back to his childhood memories.

“My parents were never concerned about the lives of the common folk. They kept me within the palace walls, sheltered from the outside world. One night, I heard music and laughter coming from the village, which was the first time I decided to sneak out of the palace.” 

Elliot sat down next to him, leaning casually against the mast. “Didn’t know His Highness had a rebellious side,” he joked.

“Well back then it was easy, the palace guards weren't particularly attentive, and it wasn't difficult to sneak past them.”

“I see”

“The village was a completely different world, it was fascinating, and it was where I met Ophelia. While the commoner festival was going on, everyone dancing and enjoying themselves, she was buried in a book,” he smiled to himself. “It was like the world around her didn’t matter.”

Elliot laughed, “Sounds just like her, she reads Caster’s poetry like a proud mother would.”

“Caster?”

“Our cabin boy, well, I shouldn't say boy anymore, he’s eighteen now. Blonde hair and sounds like he’s still becoming a man despite his age.”

Corbin realized who he was referring to. The lanky pirate who had been making a map of the palace back in Azalea.

“My apologies, continue.”

Corbin nodded. “She intrigued me, so I decided to try and pursue a friendship with her.”

“A friendship, you say?” Elliot smirked at the prince.

Corbin cleared his throat, “A friendship. We became very close friends. I did not care for her status, I cared for her. I wanted to be able to protect her, being with her was the only thing that could bring me joy. She understood me, more than anyone ever could.”

Elliot placed a hand on Corbin’s shoulder and gave him a reassuring glance, it seemed like he could relate to the prince's feelings.

“One night, our kingdom was attacked, I wasn't allowed to know any details, but the following night I snuck out to see if Ophelia was okay and she was just gone, her house left abandoned. She left a poetry book and a note behind, both addressed to me.”

“What did the note say if, you don’t mind.”

“My dearest, Corbin, Im sorry I didn’t bid you farewell. I hope you are able to find your purpose, even if that means forgetting you ever knew me.”  Corbin had memorized the note, he had read it every night, looking for something he may have missed. The comma written after “My dearest,” made him smile every time he would read it. A simple stroke on a note consumed his thoughts.

“And you never found out why she disappeared?”

“All I managed to find was that her mother was a widow who didn’t have the cleanest record, but I don't know if that has anything to do with it. Now I find her here, and it’s like my world has come crashing down.”

The two men sat in silence for a moment.

“Thank you for sharing that information with me, although I still don’t fully trust Ophelia, I finally know more of her story.”

“What’s your story?” Corbin asked unintentionally, he spoke his thoughts out loud by mistake. “My apologies, you don't have to answer that.”

Elliot's gaze turned distant; his eyes clouded with memories of a painful past.

 “I suppose it’s only fair since you shared some of yours.” He gave a pained smile. “I was married once, had a daughter,” he began. 

“They were my everything—my reason for living in this cruel world.” Elliot took a deep breath, “We lived a simple life, I was a shipwright, and my wife, Clara, was a teacher before we had our daughter, after she gave birth to Lily she decided to stay home and take care of her.” 

His voice began to tremble, “One night, everything changed, raiders attacked our town, they came from nowhere, and no one was prepared to defend the town, nor dared to.”

Corbin listened intently.

“I tried to fight them off, to protect my family, but it was no use. I wasn't nearly strong enough to fend them all off. I watched as they took everything from me—my wife, my daughter, my home, everything.”

Tears welled in Elliot’s eyes, but he quickly brushed them away. “After that night, I had nothing. No reason to keep living, except for one thing, revenge.”

Elliot continued, “As they say, revenge can only get you so far. I spent years trying to find the people responsible for my family’s death, but in the end, my search got me nowhere. Until Captain Elara found me drinking my sorrows away, she took pity on me and let me stay on her ship until I got myself together. That’s when I decided to become a pirate, I realized the friendships I made on this ship, were enough to make me stay.”

"I'm sorry for your loss," Corbin said softly, his voice filled with genuine empathy.

“Thank you, my story is a rough one to tell, but so is everyone else’s here. We all have our reasons for joining the crew, we all have stories that make us the pirates that we are.”

“I never thought of it that way, I used to always think that pirates were people with no moral compass.”

“Well, I’m glad I was able to expand your thinking.” Elliot stood up and stretched.

“I’m beat, I think it's time for me to turn in for the night,” He yawned. “Sleep well, Your Highness.”

“Why do you use my title?”

“Oh, well, I don’t know, I suppose I just do it out of habit,” Elliot replied with a sheepish grin. “Being a shipwright meant I worked with a lot of royals, I guess old habits die hard.”

Corbin chuckled, “Well, I’m fine with you just calling me Corbin, from now on.”

“Noted,” Elliot nodded.

With a nod of farewell, Elliot made his way below deck, leaving Corbin alone with his thoughts. As he watched the pirate disappear into the darkness of the ship, Corbin couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the unexpected bond that had formed between them.

[b10hzrd]

The Tides of Fate- Chp 3

They got on the boat and prepared to sail off. The ginger pirate leaned against the deck and gave a taunting wave to the commander, who was just standing in disbelief and terror. The white-haired man tossed Prince Corbin down and stretched.

“Marina, tie him up, would you? I need to let the captain know about our special guest.”

Marina rolled her eyes. “Fine, but if he tries to kill me im blaming you.” She approached the prince; he was still processing what was happening. 

“Gulliver, pass me the rope.” She turned to look at the grungy man who was avidly ignoring her request. Marina huffed and grabbed an apple from a nearby open barrel and chucked it at the red-haired man, causing him to fall on his bottom. 

“I SAID PASS ME THE ROPE,” She demanded. Gulliver gulped and scattered to get the rope, he shakingly tried handing it to her, but she snatched it and smacked his head with it. 

“Now, please don't be a screamer, no one will hear you. And don't struggle, it just makes my job harder.” Marina went to tie him up, but Prince Corbin got up and drew his dagger, pointing it at her.

“S-Stand back!” His voice trembled, “I am not afraid of you!”

“Your shaky hands say otherwise.” She crossed her arms looking at his shaking hands and back at him.

He lunged at her, but she swiftly dodged, grabbing his wrist and twisting it, causing the dagger to clatter to the deck. With a firm grip, she shoved him back, and he stumbled, landing on his knees. Marina knelt, binding his wrists with the rope despite his feeble attempts to resist.

"All tied up, just like a present," Marina remarked dryly, tightening the knots. She dragged him to the main mast and began wrapping the rope around the mast several times. The rough fibers bit into his skin, but Corbin remained silent, refusing to show any sign of discomfort.

"That should hold you," Marina said, stepping back to inspect her work. "Don't try anything stupid."

The prince looked around, taking in his surroundings. The ship had already set sail. His eyes met with the navigator of the crew, and his heart sank, he recognized her dark curly hair, her green eyes which, when the sun hit them, glistened so beautifully, and her necklace that she would always wear, that suited her no matter what. The gold of the pendant contrasted the color of her skin perfectly, making her eyes pop so elegantly like the stars in the night sky. It was her. It had to be. At that moment, Captain Elara emerged from her quarters and approached the mast, her blue eyes narrowing as she studied the prince. 

"So, this is our esteemed guest," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Prince Corbin, what a surprise."

Corbin met her gaze, his expression defiant. "What do you want with me?"

“At first, I had no idea why my crew would bring the prince of Azalea onto my ship. But then it dawned on me. How much do you think King Griffin is willing to offer to us for his only son?”

The prince clenched his fists, the ropes tightening around his wrists. 

“Loss for words? Well, I guess you’ll have to stick with us until your father responds to my ransom letter, which I presume won’t take too long.” Her smile widened. “In the meantime, you’ll stay right here, where we can keep an eye on you.”

She turned and walked away, leaving Prince Corbin. He watched her go, his mind racing. The deck bustled with activity as the pirates prepared for their journey, each of them casting wary glances at their captive prince. His gaze kept going back to the navigator, she looked back at him, her hands gripping the wheel tightly. The captain noticed her distraction and barked an order, causing her to snap back to her duties. Hours passed, and the sun began to set, casting an orange glow over the ocean. The pirates settled into their routines, and the noise on deck quieted. The green-eyed girl approached Prince Corbin cautiously, glancing around to ensure they were not being watched.

"Corbin," she whispered, kneeling beside him.

“Ophelia…” overpowered with emotions, tears began to form in his eyes. He looked at her, wondering if she was just a figment of his imagination. “I…I thought y-you were gone…” He wept. “I-I thought I had lost you, where—” 

She shushed him gently, and he immediately sniffed back his tears, trying to compose himself.

 “There’s no time for that right now,” she said softly but firmly. “I need you to listen to me carefully, I’m going to get you out of here.”

Corbin shook his head, “No, I-I’m not just going to leave you here!”

Ophelia glanced around nervously; he was getting too loud.

“I will be fine Corbin!” She whisper-yelled,

“No! I finally see that you are alive after years of thinking you had died, you expect me to just leave?!” 

“Yes, I do. Now please lower your voice, before the whole ship hears you!”

“W-What happened to you? How did you end up with these pirates?" He was so blinded by all his emotions that he couldn't hear a word Ophelia was saying.

“Answer me—!” 

The sound of a sudden smack to the prince’s face echoed through the ship, Corbin was left speechless, stunned by the stinging on his cheek. The crew came running up the stairs from the lower part of the ship after hearing the sound.

“What’s goin’ on?!” Gulliver was holding his sword, ready to attack.

“H-He...uh…” She gulped. 

“He insulted my navigational skills!” She stood up from her kneeling position and pointed at the tied-up prince.

Prince Corbin looked up at Ophelia in a panic. The pirates looked down at Corbin and then at each other in disbelief. Marina rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

She scoffed, and walked closer to Ophelia, “That’s what this is about?” 

Marina took the bandana she was wearing out of her hair, knelt, and grabbed Prince Corbin’s face, her nails digging into his skin. She wrapped the bandana around his mouth and tied it tightly. She stood up and stepped back, her arms crossed, looking at Ophelia in amusement.

“Really, Ophelia,” she drawled, her tone full of condescension. “Next time, just gag him, there’s no need to create a spectacle.”

Ophelia nodded, her eyes flickering with relief as the other pirates seemed to buy her story. She glanced back at Corbin, his eyes wide with confusion and anger, still, he remained silent.

Gulliver sheathed his sword and sighed. “Right then, I’m goin’ back to sleep, if anyone wakes me up again, I’m throwin’ em’ overboard.” The pirates grumbled and went back downstairs to get some sleep. Ophelia turned back to Corbin, her expression softening as she knelt beside him once more. 

“Sorry about that, it was the only way I could think of getting you to listen,” she whispered, a slight giggle escaping her lips. 

Corbin didn't seem so amused. 

She cleared her throat, “Just trust me, I’ll find a way to get you out of here. Stay calm and don’t do anything rash, okay?”

Corbin nodded slowly, his eyes searching hers for reassurance, she completely entranced him—the way her eyes sparkled in the moonlight, the gentle curve of her lips as she smiled. Ophelia squeezed his hand briefly, before standing up and returning to the helm, resuming her duties. As he watched her move with confident grace, Corbin couldn’t help but feel a swell of emotions. The night wore on, and the ship sailed steadily through the calm waters. Corbin, though bound and gagged, felt a strange sense of hope. After a decade of thinking she had been gone for good, Ophelia was alive. With all that in mind, he let the sounds of the ocean lull him to sleep.

He was woken abruptly by a rough shove, his eyes snapping open to see a burly pirate looming over him, the morning light casting a harsh glow on the man's scarred face.

“Rise n’ shine!” He yanked the gag off Corbin’s face and snickered. “Cap’n says His Majesty should eat,” Gulliver gave a mocking smile. 

Corbin coughed, his mouth dry and his throat sore from the gag. “I-I would never accept a meal from any pirate,” he managed to rasp out. 

As he finished his sentence, his stomach growled. Corbin looked away from the red-haired pirate in embarrassment. 

“Well, suit yourself, either way, cap’n needs to speak with you,” he shrugged.

The pirate cut the ropes binding Corbin's wrists and ankles, then hauled him to his feet. “This way, Your Highness.” He made a mocking bow and then started shoving him towards the captain's cabin.

Inside the cabin was Captain Elara, sitting at her desk, grinning widely. A chair pulled up in front of her desk and a plate of fried eggs with bacon on the side, the smell of the food engulfed his nostrils, he had never felt this hunger before. Still, he keeps his composure and sits down in the chair that was provided for him. Corbin crosses his arms and doesn't give the food a single glance, so as to not give in to his hunger.

“Not hungry, are we? Such a shame, I always thought my crew’s cooking was delightful, but I guess we all have different tastes.”

“Let’s get this over with, what do you want.”

“Speaking to a lady that way is not very princely of you, Your Highness.”

Corbin scoffed. “You are no lady in my eyes, you are nothing but a pathetic pirate who seeks nothing but to satisfy your own desires, not caring about the innocent people whose lives you endanger. 

“Oh, and you think you're so different from us pirates, don't you?” She raised a brow, her tone both amused and challenging.

Corbin glared at her, “I am nothing like you,” he spat.

Captain Elara chuckled, leaning back in her chair. “Is that so? Tell me, Corbin, have you ever gone to bed hungry? Have you ever had to steal to keep your family alive? No, you sit there, in that grand palace of yours, untouched by the harsh and cruel world that lives beyond those palace walls.”

Corbin stiffened, “That’s Prince Corbin to you.”

Captain Elara’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Ah, yes, Prince Corbin. I do apologize. Does your title make you feel safer? More important?”

“You don’t have the right to address me so informally,” Corbin snapped. “I am a prince, not some commoner you can dismiss so easily.”

Captain Elara leaned forward; her eyes boring into his. “Titles mean nothing out here, Corbin. Out here, it's what you do, not what you’re called, that defines you. And right now, you’re just another captive. Your title doesn’t change the fact that you’re at our mercy.”

 “What do you think your kingdom does? Do you think those taxes you collect come from nothing? The luxuries you enjoy are built on the backs of people who struggle, who fight for every scrap. Your family sits in a palace while others starve. You think you’re so different, but you’re just as complicit in the suffering of others.”

Corbin felt a chill down his spine. “That's n-not the same,” his voice shaking. He had no rebuttal to her argument, he was speechless.

The captain shook her head, looking at Corbin with pity. “You are so blind to your own privilege that you refuse to see how similar we truly are. You shame us for what we must do to survive, but never in your life have you had to make those sacrifices. You and your family are no better than us pathetic pirates.”

Corbin stared at her, his mind racing.

She leaned back, her expression softening slightly. “Now, eat something. We wouldn’t want you to faint from hunger before we get what we need.”

Corbin glances at the plate of food in front of him, his stomach felt like it was begging for him to accept the meal. He forced himself to look away.

“I don’t accept meals from pirates.”

“Then I suppose you're willing to starve yourself to keep your pride.”

“Yes, I am.”

Captain Elara sighed dramatically, “Have it your way then. Gulliver!”

The red-haired pirate re-entered, a knowing smile on his face. “Yes, Cap’n?”

“Would you be a dear and tie him back up, it seems His Highness isn’t hungry after all, we can continue our conversation later. Maybe some alone time will help him reconsider the position he’s in.”

Gulliver grabbed Corbin's arm, pulling him to his feet. “Right this way, Your Highness,” he said with another mocking bow.

Corbin gave one last defiant look at the captain, who simply waved at him with a smile. Gulliver dragged him back to the main deck and roughly tied him to the mast once more. The ropes bit into his wrists, Corbin flinched. Everything was so confusing, was he truly the same as the people he despised most?

[b10hzrd]

The Tides of Fate- Chp 2

By the time he awakened, nightfall had passed. He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. 

“Young man are you alright?” a woman who had a baby saddled to her side with a scarf wrapped across her shoulder looked at the prince with concern. Prince Corbin looked up at the woman with an annoyed expression, he hates nosey people, he views them as people who have nothing better going on in their lives and they feel the need to pry on others' personal affairs.

“I am perfectly fine, is there something you need?”

“Well, no but I—”

“Then there is no need to for further pestering, you may move along now,” he made a shooing motion with his hand.

“Pestering?! I was just—”

“Did you not hear me say move along?” 

The lady huffed, muttering insults under her breath then stormed off. Prince Corbin took a deep breath and exhaled, he stood up, dusting the dirt off himself, and made his way to the marketplace. The smell of food overtook his senses, he had just realized how hungry he was. While walking around the scent of delicious dragon-scale stew drew him into a tavern, it was a bit empty considering it was the early morning, which was perfect since the marketplace was already crowded enough. He sat at the bar; the barkeeper was washing some glasses while humming to himself. The prince cleared his throat, causing the barkeeper to jump a little, almost dropping a glass.

“I apologize, I didn't see you there! Welcome to the Drunken Sparrow, my name is Taliesin, how can I—”

“Dragon-scale stew, please,” 

The barkeeper chuckled nervously, he was a tall burly man with a handlebar mustache, which in the prince's opinion, did not suit him at all.

“Apologies, we just ran out of dragon-scale, my wife went out to get some more if you’re okay with waitin’ a little,” Taliesen explained.

Before the prince could say anything, a familiar woman swung the door that led to the kitchen open, one arm holding her baby that was wrapped around her waist. Another man came following behind her and went to shake hands with the barkeeper.

“My my, if it isn't the best butcher in the whole kingdom of Azalea,” Taliesen said with a hardy laugh.

“Your wife seems to have a lot on her hands already,” the butcher looked at the baby who was clinging on to the woman, “So I decided to help her carry her goods.”

“Thank you for your help, Abraxas, I truly appreciate it, come by one day and you can have any drink or meal on the house.”

“I will! I must get going now, good day to both of you!” The butcher waved goodbye and walked out of the tavern. The barkeeper turned to look at the prince and smiled, his wife saw the cloaked young man sitting at the bar and immediately recognized him. The prince looked down when he realized who she was.

“And who might this be, you look quite familiar. Is there something you need?” she said sarcastically. The prince kept quiet; he was deeply embarrassed.

“Darling, this young man just wanted some dragon-scale stew,” Taliesen explained with a nervous smile, he was confused as to why his wife seemed so peeved at the young man sitting at the bar.

“Dragon-scale? Hmm, it seems we’re fresh out. Now move along and stop pestering!” She makes a mocking shooing motion with her hand, and her baby follows suit and imitates her mother's hand movement. Taliesen knew better than to get involved and stayed quiet, his same smile still beaming. 

“Listen, I apologize for the way I spoke to you in the alley I just—”

“Did you not hear me say—”

“Fine!” The prince got up from the barstool and walked out of the tavern, his stomach grumbling. Just then, he heard screaming and shouting in the distance, it was coming from the docks. People started scattering around looking for places to hide. He unconsciously started running against the crowd, it was like his feet moved on their own, his heart started racing, hopeful that he would find what he was looking for, or whom. Once he arrived at the docks he looked up and saw a magnificent vessel, the galleon had three tall masts, an array of cannons on the deck, and a now-worn mermaid at its prow. It was beautiful, for a pirate ship of course. Prince Corbin looked around aimlessly, out of breath from all the running. The pirates were causing fear all around the marketplace, not by using violence, but by intimidation. 

“C'mon folks, what happened to givin’ visitors a warm welcome?” one of the pirates announced tipping his hat and grinning, he had red, long shaggy hair and a scrawny build—his voice, raspy and hyper at the same time. 

“It seems they don’t like seeing us around anymore, what a shame!” a different pirate spoke up, she had a snooty, and condescending attitude. She ran her fingers through her ginger hair and scowled at the vendor she was trying to rob, that was enough to send the vendor off running.

“Can we please try and act a little more unobtrusive today, I think we’ve caused enough trouble for the royal knights,” another pirate with a gruff voice sarcastically chuckled, he was a very tall, muscular man with white hair. He was already carrying two boxes of stolen imported goods. In the distance, a fourth pirate could be seen running down the road swinging his arms around in panic.

“The knights are on—” his voice cracked as he tried catching his breath, he quickly cleared his throat, embarrassed, “—they're on their way!” this pirate was a lanky man with blonde hair, his voice sounding like the one of a teenager, yet a young man at the same time. 

The ginger pirate groaned, “Don't they have anything better to do?” She rolled her eyes, grabbed the items she had been eyeing, and placed them in her satchel.

“Were you able to scope out the area this time?” the gruff voice asked.

“Y-Yes, I was able to get a clearer map of the exterior and the surrounding area.” The blonde showed him the rolled-up map he was holding and handed it to him. 

“Right then, let's get back to the ship!” They all started running towards the ship, and in doing so the red-haired pirate bumped into a certain hooded prince. Prince Corbin stumbled and fell to the ground, his hood coming down, revealing his face to the pirates.

“Aren’t you…” his voice trailing off in confusion, “...you seem familiar, where have I seen your face before?” He kneeled to examine the prince's face, who was sweating out of fear.

“Oi, Caster, come and take a look at this fellow right here. I swear I've seen im’ before.” The red-haired pirate asked the lanky blonde. He took a look at the prince and was immediately horrified, the color draining from his face. 

“T-T-That’s the...” He pointed at Prince Corbin, his voice shaking.

“What?”

“The…” Caster was unable to finish his sentence before the knights arrived. They halted and the commander, who was leading them spoke.

“Step away from the young man and stand down. You are all under arrest for piracy on the grounds of the Kingdom of Azalea.” The commander looked down at the prince who was still on the ground and gasped.

“My goodness, It's Prince Corbin!” 

The pirates looked at Caster with irritated expressions. Immediately, the burly man dropped the boxes he was holding and aggressively grabbed the prince by the back of his collar. His crew entered their defense formation and drew their weapons. 

“Let us go and we will hand the prince over to you. Try and stop us and his head will be the only thing you get.” He drew his sword and held it against Prince Corbin’s neck. The commander thought for a second then realized he had no other choice, he sighed and signaled for the knights to stand down, in confusion, they all marched back to the palace. 

“Now, hand over His Highness and you are free to go.”

The man thought for a moment before a cocky smirk overtook his face. 

“Actually, it seems I have changed my mind!” 

He gestures toward his crew before backing away, the sword still pressed against the prince's neck. 

“If you follow us, I won't hesitate to behead your esteemed prince. Or better yet I'll take him to the Piranha River for a little swim, I’m sure he’ll enjoy it!”

[b10hzrd]

The Tides of Fate- Chp 1

 It was a beautiful morning in the Kingdom of Azalea, the town was as busy as ever, the marketplace smelling like freshly baked goods and delectable food. Even so, the ever-so-elegant prince seemed unamused. It has been like this every morning since he was a child, Prince Corbin never enjoyed the laughing in the streets, the melodies that the bard would play; nothing could make him smile.

The busy crowd suddenly began to disperse into chaos, screaming, shouting, and cries could be heard across the kingdom.

“Your Highness! There seem to be pirates raiding the marketplace, His Majesty has sent me to advise you to stay in the palace until the issue is resolved!” the butler said out of breath, he seemed to have rushed to the prince's quarters. 

“Pirates?” Prince Corbin asked, lowering the poetry novel he was reading onto his lap. There had been 3 pirate attacks in the capital in the last 2 weeks, this couldn’t be a coincidence.

“Yes, but not to worry, this disturbance will be dealt with shortly Your Highness,” The butler bowed, waiting in case the prince may need something.

The prince went quiet for a moment, then nodded, “You may leave now,” the butler nodded and left. Prince Corbin continued reading, absorbing the poetry with each page he turned. The screaming from the capital had now calmed, looking out the window, the prince saw medics attending to wounded merchants and knights. 

“How can some measly pirates cause such a ruckus?”

Prince Corbin hates pirates, in his eyes, they are just destructive thieves with no sense of humanity, and now they have interrupted the only ounce of enjoyment in his life, his reading. He placed his book down and went to his closet, the prince grabbed the disguise he used to wear when he would sneak out to the commoner festivals, playing with his friend he had made, those were times when he almost felt some sort of joy, not enough to smile, but enough to feel like he had the capability of feeling happy. Throwing on the cloak from his past, Prince Corbin set off, making his way toward the gate.

“And where might you be heading off to, Your Highness?” The handmaid raised a brow; she had always been important to the prince. The king and queen had their duties to fulfill, not as parents, but as rulers of Azalea. Eventually, they assigned Ms. Angeline, a simple handmaiden, to watch over their only child.

Prince Corbin sighed in defeat, he had been caught, the stealth he once had seemed to have worn off as the years passed.

“Just to see the gardens, Ms. Angeline,” he removed his hood and faced her. The prince started to become nervous, sweat forming on his forehead.

“It’s almost nightfall, Your Highness,” when Ms. Angeline said those words, with that endearing, sympathetic expression, he knew she was on to his plan. All the times he would sneak out, she was always the one to find him, this time was no different.

“I am well aware of that.”

“Well, I suppose you should be on your way then, please do excuse me if I stood in your way, Your Highness,” She bowed.

“Thank you, Ms. Angeline,” Prince Corbin put his hood over his head and turned around, ready to continue his plan.

“Your Highness—”

The prince turned around, looking at Ms. Angeline who had a proud smile on her face.

 “I ask you to please be cautious, His Majesty may not be pleased hearing you have gone out past curfew,” she said softly.

“I will, I doubt my father will worry, but if he asks for me—”

“I am more than willing to take responsibility, Your Highness,” She walked up to the prince and placed a hand on his shoulder, “I wish for nothing but your happiness, and if this can help achieve that I am willing to face any consequences.”

“Now, you must make haste Your Highness,”

“I am forever grateful, Ms. Angeline,” with that, he ran off. 

Prince Corbin moved swiftly through the castle, each step echoing in the dimly lit corridors. When he arrived at the gate, he quickly came to realize how difficult it was going to be to execute his plan. The number of guards seemed to have increased due to the pirate attacks. With a deep breath, he walked up to the gate.

“Who goes there?!” The guard's deep voice echoed, raising his sword he faced the disguised prince. Prince Corbin was silent and continued walking.

“Answer me!! What is a filthy peasant doing inside the palace walls?”

The prince remained silent, walking slowly so as not to encourage a sudden attack. Although training with the knights was something his father forced him to do, he quite enjoyed it, all that training can be put to good use.

“You dare ignore a royal knight?! This is your final warning, answer me now, or in the name of King Griffin and the Kingdom of Azalea the royal guard will have you arrested for trespassing on palace grounds.” 

As the guard moved closer to examine the cloaked prince, other guards surrounded him. Prince Corbin grabbed a grip of the dagger that was hidden beneath his cloak, preparing for what may come of this standoff.

“Seize him!” the guard shouted, and with that, all the guards drew their swords.

Prince Corbin with a swift motion, deflected one of the guard’s swords with his dagger. His moves were swift and precise, disarming another guard with a twist of his wrist, and sending the sword clattering to the ground. Another guard rushed forward, swinging his sword towards Prince Corbin. The prince ducked and countered with a precise kick to the guard's midsection, sending him sprawling. Despite being disadvantaged, he fought with determination, evading strikes and delivering fatal blows. The courtyard echoed with sounds of clashing steel and shouting from the guards. Just then, a particularly aggressive guard lunged at him, their swords locking in a fierce struggle. At that moment, Prince Corbin's hood fell completely, revealing his face to the astonished guards.

“I-It's the prince! Lower your swords immediately!” one exclaimed, immediately lowering his weapon. The others followed suit and fell to one knee, bowing in shame.

 “Your Highness.” the initial guard stammered, stepping back. “We... we didn’t realize it was you, please, we beg for your mercy. We were just protecting the palace.”

 Breathing heavily, Prince Corbin lowered his dagger and adjusted his cloak. “Stand down,” he commanded, his voice steady. One of the senior guards stepped forward.

 “Your Highness, we have direct orders from the king. You are not to leave the palace grounds. It's for your safety.”

Prince Corbin's eyes narrowed. “I appreciate your loyalty to the king, but his orders mean nothing to me at the moment. Now, let me pass.”

“Your Highness, If the king was to know we let you pass, we would be held accountable. The king's orders are absolute.” The guards still held their position that was blocking the prince’s path. Prince Corbin sighed; he had no choice. With a sudden burst of speed, he darted towards the gate, surprising the guards. He ducked under one guard’s outstretched arm and knocked another aside. The guards, momentarily stunned by his audacity, scrambled to stop him, but he was already sprinting towards the gate.

The senior guard lunged at him, but the prince sidestepped, dodging the guard, who had now crashed into the brick wall. Grabbing onto the vines on the brick wall of the gates he started attempting to climb. The guards shouted after him, but he was already at the top of the gate, his heart pounding with fear and exhilaration. Once he jumped down, he knew there was no turning back. Trying to navigate the city was truly a humbling experience, the last time he snuck into the city was when he was 11, and things have most certainly changed. New buildings, landmarks, and paths have been built since then. It was now dark out, every little noise the city made, the wind whistling, the sound of Prince Corbin’s footsteps, it all made him feel on edge. He gripped his dagger, in case the night decided to attack.

After much wandering he made it to the docks, the smell of the salty sea entering his lungs. At this moment, the prince questioned why he came to the docks in the first place. Was it to find these pirates? That couldn’t be the reason, why would he ever care about some pathetic pirates? Was it to find…her? The reason no longer mattered, he was here now, and going back was out of the question. His plan was only to sneak out of the palace, whether he was successful on the stealthy part was questionable, but the issue is his plan only went that far. This whole operation was an act of impulse, not carefully strategized. As he approached the docks he scanned the area, searching for a place to be out of sight. In the distance, the sound of stomping and clattering steel heading his way startled him. 

“That took longer than I expected,” the prince muttered then darted towards a dark alley. 

Catching his breath, he slides his back down the wall he is leaning against, in which he collapses onto the ground. The fighting, the running, and the unsureness of this situation started to sink in. The prince was exhausted, he hugged his knees and put his head down, drifting to sleep.