Interesting times make for unlikely allies

  -Excerpt from ‘Solace of the Night’ by Astra the Starbound

  Daniel stared at her for a moment that dragged on into eternity. Eventually he broke the uncomfortable silence.

  “How did you know I wanted to be a shipwright?” he asked, rubbing his hands between his knees.

  Rose fixed him with the kind of stare that a predator reserves for when their prey can no longer escape. She’d reeled him in. Hook, line, and now it was time for the sinker.

  “You don’t remember telling me?” she said, widening her eyes and giving him a look of injured surprise. “We used to be so close, Daniel… What happened?”

  He had the decency to look guilty as he continued rubbing his hands. A nervous tic. He’d always done that when they’d been misbehaving and were about to get told off.

  “Stop doing that,” he snapped.

  Rose cocked her head to one side. “Doing what?”

  “You know exactly what. All… this,” he waved at her as he spoke, not meeting her gaze.

  She didn’t respond, instead letting him stew for a few more moments. He started rocking one leg and that was when Rose knew she really had him. He only did that when they’d really messed up.

  “Ugh, fine! Tell me how you can get me enough resources and money to build a damn ship on this tiny island while we’re being invaded,” he eventually exclaimed, slapping his knee.

  “Well, what if the answer was to leave the island?” she posited, watching his brow furrow in confusion.

  “Leave? Sure, that might work, but I don’t want to leave my parents behind to face Minenblum’s wrath alone.”

  “Don’t worry about that. We definitely won’t be leaving the island to suffer. Basically, the plan is…”

  ***

  For the first time in her life Rose sat on a table outside a cafe, cradling a mug of an unknown hot concoction packed with spices and topped with cream, watching as the people of Greengate drifted about their day. She was waiting for Daniel to arrive, the pair having arranged to meet later that day once he’d packed and told his parents he was leaving.

  A plate of half eaten cake lay on the table beside her. The delightful creation had been sticky and sweet, but too filling for a mid-morning snack—especially after the massive breakfast she’d eaten with her family.

  Lamenting the waste of such a magnificent slice of cake, Rose picked up her fork and grudgingly speared another piece. The sticky sponge melted in her mouth, but her stomach was already full and she regretted her decision almost immediately.

  “I’ve never seen someone look so dismayed to be eating cake,” Daniel snorted, making Rose drop her fork in fright.

  She’d been so absorbed in eating that she hadn’t noticed him arriving. It had been a while since someone had snuck up on her, such was the blessing of the tide.

  “You should try eating cake with a stomach this full,” she replied after an agonising few moments of chewing and swallowing.

  “I’d rather not. It doesn’t look that appealing from here,” he chuckled. “So, is it just the two of us or did you have any other unfortunate sods to reel into this insane plan of yours?”

  “Actually there was-”

  “Rose Everblue! I’ve spent my entire morning searching for you. You’re a hard girl to find,” boomed the familiar voice of Prince Everyn from across the street.

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  Rose watched the citizens around him take a respectful distance and bow their heads as he approached. He waved them off, though most didn’t resume what they were doing until he’d stopped beside her table.

  Two guards flanked him, staying close enough to hear what they said but far enough that they weren’t intruding on the conversation. “Everyn, to what do I owe the pleasure?” she asked, absentmindedly stuffing another forkful of cake into her gob.

  “After you left the palace I suspected you had no intentions of joining the army in their fight against Minenblum. It didn’t seem like your style. However, after witnessing your strength firsthand I think that together we have a chance at defending the sovereignty of the Emerlan Isle. So, what say you, Rose Everblue? Will you follow me into glorious battle against the foul invaders?”

  Everyn spoke with the self importance of a man who was rarely denied what he desired and truly believed that everyone else around him existed to serve his every whim. Rose suspected many citizens of the Emerlan Isle would leap at the offer, but she remained impassive while chewing the mouthful of cake.

  Actually, she really, really didn’t want to swallow the cake, knowing the agony that awaited her stomach. However, she knew that this was exactly the kind of behaviour that would irk Everyn the most and had purposefully taken another bite when he’d marched across the street.

  He stared expectantly at her, while Daniel seemed at a complete loss for what to do in the presence of their country’s crown prince. Rose swallowed, the cake forcing its way down her throat. She held back the grimace if only to protect her pride.

  Waving at Daniel, she began with introductions. “Everyn, this is my friend Daniel. We grew up together in Fairwater Bay. He’s a bit self important, but has the right intentions deep down. Actually, that sounds like you! Daniel, meet Everyn. I’m sure you two will get along swimmingly.”

  Daniel’s jaw dropped open as he stared wide-eyed at Rose like she was a ghost. Everyn’s guards frowned and one of them took a step forward but he waved them off.

  “Rose, while your strength and actions have earned you a little leeway, I would appreciate it if you could not be so casual when others are involved,” Everyn hissed through his teeth.

  She scoffed. Daniel was still stunned, so Everyn took it upon himself to push the conversation forward. “A pleasure to meet you, Daniel. Any friend of Rose’s is a friend of mine,” he said, shaking Daniel’s hand.

  “When you say glorious battle, what exactly does that entail? I can’t help but picture something similar to how the battle against Foulter went, only with more powerful opponents and worse odds,” Rose asked once Daniel had collapsed into a nearby chair.

  Everyn frowned, a tinge of red colouring his cheeks as he coughed once into his hand. “I was a little overconfident back then, yes. However, what I had in mind is a more strategic endeavour. We would work in tandem with the council, but only strike the most important forces of the enemy in order to deal the most damage with the least risk.”

  “Huh. That’s surprisingly similar to what I had in mind. Maybe there is a brain in that oversized head of yours after all,” Rose quipped.

  Daniel fainted and Everyn’s guards rushed forwards with indignant rage painted across their visages. Everyn stopped them once more, sighing as he looked at Rose feigning innocence.

  “You already planned to fight the invaders? But your uncle said you were leaving…”

  “Oh, I am leaving. If we want to surprise Minenblum, then we need to strike from somewhere unexpected. They expect us to be here on the Emerlan Isle. I also don’t wish to coordinate with that bunch of useless bureaucrats. I’m used to my freedom,” Rose replied with a smirk. “I’m a pirate, after all.”

  Everyn grimaced. “Yes. Yes, you are. Explain this idea to me. I am not opposed to the idea of working outside the council’s direction, but father may resist.”

  “I suppose another crewmate wouldn’t hurt. Essentially, it goes like this…”

  ***

  As the sun passed its zenith and the afternoon reared its head, Rose found herself joined by three more annoying men that she’d been expecting. Everyn had thought her plan marvellous, but his guards refused to leave his side.

  Actually, the prince being on board helped a great deal. Rose had been stingily moaning about the cost of having to purchase a boat to set sail, but he had promised to sort things out for them.

  After returning to the palace briefly, he had returned and still not lost the two guards who followed him like lost puppies. Extremely attentive puppies, but puppies nonetheless. Rose could dispatch both of them without much difficulty, though that would be rather rude.

  They had to take a carriage out of Greengate in order to reach the coast, but Everyn had taken it upon himself to arrange one. Rose had expected a gaudy vehicle, but in a shocking turn of events the carriage he’d arranged was as simple as could be. Dilapidated, even.

  They’d been travelling for about two hours when Rose heard a whistle followed by a thunk. A second thunk followed by the splintering of wood and an arrowhead piercing the carriage made her sigh. It ground to a halt and she stood up.

  Daniel had a look of terror on his face while Everyn was frowning. Rose flung open the carriage door and leapt out, seeing the two guards drawing their swords as a dozen bandits emerged from the trees.

  She prepared to draw her pistol when she realised the bandit leader looked familiar. A devious grin crossed her face as she instead took out a plain stick.

  Daniel is going to die if he keeps getting surprised like this… she chuckled to herself as she raced to meet the bandits in battle.