The dawn rose gently, bathing the sea in golden and pink light. A light mist still floated on the surface of the waves, softening the contours of the world. Yet, Mero immediately felt that something had changed. Mandarine was no longer the same. The fiery spark that always animated her gaze seemed to have gone out, replaced by a soft yet melancholic glow. All morning, she remained silent, gazing at the horizon as if a part of her already wished to blend into it. Her hands, usually restless and expressive, lay still on the railing, and her lips, so often curling into a mischievous smile, were now pressed together, as if holding back words she could not or did not want to speak.

  Mero did not ask questions. He respected her silence, though he burned with the desire to know what weighed on her heart. Mandarine's gestures were mechanical, like those of a lost soul. Sometimes, he caught her lips trembling, as if speaking to herself. The wind caressed her black hair, playing with the loose strands, but she seemed to feel nothing. She was physically there, but her mind seemed already elsewhere, carried away by thoughts she refused to share.

  By noon, as the sun reached its zenith, the air changed abruptly. An almost oppressive silence fell over the ship. The sailors, who had been relaxed despite the whims of the sea, became nervous. Eyes turned toward the horizon, where a massive silhouette began to take shape. Mero felt his heart tighten. Something immense, imposing, was drawing near.

  "To port!" the lookout shouted, his voice breaking the sudden stillness.

  Mero turned his head, and his heart skipped a beat. An immense ship was cutting across the horizon, imposing and threatening, like a sea giant emerging from a forgotten legend. Its seven masts stood proudly against the sky, each bearing dark sails that seemed to drink in the sunlight. Black flags, adorned with sinister symbols, fluttered in the wind, unmistakably announcing the identity of this colossus: it was a pirate ship, the largest Mero had ever seen.

  "Reef the sails!" ordered the captain in a tense voice, breaking the silence that had fallen over the deck.

  The crew obeyed with frantic precision, expert hands flying over the ropes. Mero felt a knot form in his stomach. This was not just a merchant ship or even an imperial warship. No, it was a pirate ship, a floating monster that seemed to defy the laws of nature by its mere presence. Their modest sails seemed trivial next to this imposing silhouette.

  Mandarine remained motionless, her eyes fixed on the seven-masted ship that was inexorably drawing nearer. A shining tear slid down her cheek, betraying the emotion she was trying to contain. Mero understood then. This ship had come for her. This sea giant was not a threat but an imperial summons for her. Her father, the Pirate Lord, had come to take back his daughter.

  A tense silence settled between them as the seven-masted ship glided alongside their fragile craft. The waters churned under the wake, but no words were exchanged between Mandarine and Mero. She seemed to be struggling internally with something too heavy to express. Her hands trembled slightly, and her breath was short, as though every inhalation cost her superhuman effort.

  The pirate captain, a giant with a braided gray beard, stood on the upper deck of the massive ship. His imposing presence was enough to silence an entire crew. Mandarine lifted her chin, regaining a semblance of her usual pride. She slowly turned her gaze toward Mero, and in her green eyes, he read a mix of sadness and determination.

  "I have to go," she whispered at last, her voice barely audible above the sound of the waves.

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  Mero wanted to speak, protest, but the words stuck in his throat. He felt a dull pain settle in his chest, as though a part of him were about to tear apart. She placed a light hand on his arm, as if to soothe the storm of feelings she knew he was going through.

  "This is not goodbye," she added softly but firmly. "It's just a farewell, until our marriage."

  The weight of those words hit Mero like a sledgehammer. Marriage. A word that, until now, had always sounded like a constraint imposed by their respective families. But today, it carried an entirely different meaning. It was a promise, a commitment forged from a complicity built on the waves. He felt his heart tighten even more, as if every syllable spoken by Mandarine was engraving an indelible mark in his soul.

  "Don't forget me," she whispered, her gaze sparkling with a thousand promises.

  Mero nodded, unable to respond in any other way. He felt his fingers close around the pendant she had given him, as if this simple object could keep her here, with him. But he knew it was impossible. The pirates lowered a rope ladder, and Mandarine climbed it with natural ease. Her step was firm, but her slightly hunched back betrayed her emotion. At the top, she turned one last time. Her green eyes, so often filled with laughter, were now filled with a gravity that pierced Mero’s heart.

  The pirate captain placed a protective hand on his daughter's shoulder, but Mero only saw the distance between him and the woman he had come to know. In an instant, she disappeared into the shadow of the imposing sails of the seven-masted ship.

  The pirate ship slowly veered, its crew maneuvering with frightening precision. The sails billowed in the breeze, and the majestic ship glided over the waves, carrying Mandarine toward a destiny that was now beyond Mero’s reach.

  He stood there, motionless, until the ship was nothing but a black dot on the horizon. The emptiness he felt was indescribable. A part of him had just left with her. The captain of the imperial ship placed a compassionate hand on his shoulder.

  "Pirates follow their own laws, but they always keep their word," he said gravely. "She will return."

  Mero nodded, though his heart still doubted. The sea, now calm, seemed to carry the reflection of his sorrow. The hours stretched on endlessly. Leila and Mero’s master respected his need for solitude. They knew this moment belonged to a personal story, a transition between the child he had been and the man he was becoming.

  Mero stood at the bow of the ship, his gaze lost in the vastness of the sea. The wind caressed his face, but he felt nothing but an oppressive void. Every wave seemed to whisper Mandarine’s name, and every spray carried the memory of her smile. He took out the pendant she had given him. The shining metal caught the light of the setting sun. This simple object symbolized more than just jewelry; it was a silent promise, an intangible bond between them.

  Night fell slowly, enveloping the ship in a soothing darkness. The stars sparkled above, offering a celestial map to those who knew how to read them. Mero looked up at them, searching for an answer, a sign. But only the indifferent constellations answered him with their distant light.

  The crew, sensing the tension had passed, gradually regained their good humor. But Mero remained different. Something had changed in him. Mandarine was no longer there, but she had never really left. She remained engraved in his mind, like an indelible mark. Mero knew that this marriage, once a hated constraint, had now become a promise he wished to honor.

  And deep inside him, a certainty grew. He would see her again. Their story was not over. The sea, capricious and free, would eventually bring them back together.