by K R Martin
"I see," Ama Lei replied, not looking up from her katana. She was sharpening it, yet again. She lost count of how many times she'd done the mundane task. If she wasn't practicing her skills, both with her sword and without, she was caring for her weapon. There wasn't anything else to do, unless she wanted to work on embroidery and gossip with ladies. Which she didn't. Even if she once enjoyed the tasks, to create something beautiful from nothing, she hadn't been able to create anything beautiful since the incident. He took all that away.
Shaking her head, she forced the thoughts out. She hated how he crept into her thoughts. Closing her eyes, she forced him back into his dark box, hardening her heart before the pain threatened to crush it yet again. "I am sure he brought you a trinket back from his travels," Ama Lei sighed, hoping her words would send her way too bubbly sister out of the room and allow her to wallow.
"Oh, but you surely missed him too. Come on!" Mei began to tug her sister's arm.
"Fine," Ama Lei sighed as she sheathed her sword. She bit back the grumbles as she followed the bouncing girl through the halls. Even the bright colors of the palace that had become her home couldn't liven her mood. It was a shame; just a few years earlier she would have marveled at the tall columns and rounded archways. The vaulted ceilings would have taken her breath away, and the domed roofs would have made her wonder if she could incorporate the designs into her home. But, as she was never likely to return, she never allowed those thoughts to enter her mind.
"Think nothing of it, the honor is ours," the female voice bounced off the vaulted ceilings. Lavanya must be welcoming a new guest. That pricked Ama Lei's interest. As monarchs of Sanskia, Lavanya and her husband, Manish, were no strangers to welcoming guests. But the tone she used was the same when Ama Lei first arrived, fifteen and terrified. If it weren't for Luca finding her, she wasn't sure where she and Mei would be.
"Luca!" Mei's voice rang out as she disappeared behind the corner. Ama Lei shook her head before turning the same corner and stepping into the throne room. Sure enough, there was Luca, a hulking man with the darkest brown skin she had ever seen. But as scary as his physique seemed, his face always beamed with kindness. And of course, Mei dashed straight into his arms for a hug. It was always interesting when she saw them together, because where Luca's skin was extremely dark, Mei's skin was so light it was almost white. Then there were Manish and Lavanya, their skin the color of bronzed sand, almost as if they were the midpoint. That was when Ama Lei noticed the newcomer.
Her skin was light, but darkened by the sun. The look in her eyes was almost haunted. It took Ama Lei aback seeing another human's eyes carry the same look she saw in her reflection. She didn't seem much older than her, perhaps a year, maybe two?
"Hello, Mei," Luca chuckled. "And Ama Lei." Ama Lei merely nodded in reply, before returning her eyes to the woman. Other than their skin tones, and that the woman's eyes were rounder than Ama Lei's pointed ones, they could be siblings. Although, she appeared as though she came from the far west, based on her slightly more angled face. "My dear," Luca said as he returned to the foreigner. "Allow me to present their highnesses, the princesses of Jenha, Ama Lei and Mei."
"Your highnesses," the lady said, her eyes wide. Ama Lei's own eyebrows lifted as she watched the lady fist one hand and punching it into the palm of the other before dipping into a bow. It was a bow Ama Lei was quite familiar with.
"This," Luca said, this time addressing Ama Lei, "is her royal highness, the crown princess Renee of Espan."
"Crown princess?" Mei's voice was filled with excitement, but Ama Lei's jaw dropped. She never expected western royalty to have traveled so far east, even if her own kingdom was even further.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Renee said with a soft smile.
"Pleasure? Oh, of course, simple niceties. I assume you are here to request aid for your kingdom from one of the few sovereign countries left, especially one with its own navy. But you should know that it is a futile cause. Sanskia may be sovereign, and it may have a navy to protect its borders, but nothing more. So why do you not just return to your kingdom, and return to your embroidery. After all, it's not like you can do anything for your people." The room went silent. Ama Lei could feel Luca's disappointment and chastisement. It was this new princess's eyes that drew her interest. Instead of blinking, wide-eyed, her eyes narrowed, fire burning through the slits. The meek kitten was gone, and in its place stood a tiger ready to pounce.
"Is that sword just for show?" Renee barely nodded to the sword strapped to Ama Lei's side.
"Why would I carry a weapon and not know how to use it?" Ama Lei spat back.
"Luca, may I trouble you for a saber?" Now Ama Lei felt her own eyes widen. Even as Renee reached for the sword offered her, her eyes never left Ama Lei's. She could feel more than see Luca pull Mei away with him, and Manish and Lavanya stepped aside as well. Renee gripped the sword as if she shook the hand of an old friend. Ama Lei's hands dropped to her own, one on top of the other, and she pulled her weapon out, feeling satisfaction at the familiar scrape hitting her ears.
Renee swung, her sword easily parried by Ama Lei's. This petite woman had a lot of force behind it, but then again, Ama Lei was on the tiny side herself. Well, she wasn't about to let this foreigner upstage her. She attacked, her wrists loose as she swung, balancing her long sword between them. It felt good to swing it again, and this princess was turning out to be a worthy opponent. Her attacks were easily parried, and returned. Ama Lei had seen men fight with only one hand, their swords usually larger than the one she now wielded, but she never expected them to hold up against her. But she did. Renee was an equal, a true equal. Each attack blocked, almost instantly turning into an attack of her own. It felt more like a dance, their feet mirroring each other, than a fight.
Ama Lei wondered just how much this woman had in her. She fought harder, aggression filling her limbs. Renee blocked, fury burning in her eyes. It was exhilarating! She blocked a particularly aggressive attack, forcing the sword away. She spun, aiming low on Renee's chest. Renee blocked easily, but her eyes changed. The fury had been replaced with pure panic.
"That's enough," Luca's booming voice filled the hall, even if he didn't yell. Ama Lei stepped back, confusion quickly replaced with self-loathing as she noticed the tell-tale bump on Renee's stomach. She sheathed her sword with a snap, spinning on her heal before marching from the room.
Stupid. That's all she could think as she fled, biting back the tears. Tears. When was the last time she shed those? Years. For weeks after the incident, her tears were constant, a never-ending stream of self-pity and anguish. Then she shut her heart up, forced the ice to form around it. She focused on her sword, training her body so she could ignore her heart. Now this foreigner came in, a complete stranger, and shattered every wall. She had to build them back up, force the stupid emotions back where they belonged. Locked in a dark box deep inside her heart, never to be opened again.
Her tools still there, it took nothing for her to take them up to polish her sword once more. After all, she wasn't given a chance to finish when her sister dragged her from the room earlier. And, she did just give her sword a work out as well. It deserved a rub down after the beating it was given. Tools once more in hand, her mind closed off as she stroked the metal, the scrapes once more soothing.
"You were right." The feminine voice shook Ama Lei from her trance. Her head lifted to see Renee standing in the doorway. "You were wrong as to why, but you were right. I can't do anything for my people. Not now. Not that I don't have the heart or the skill to protect them. I once fled my castle to do just that. But right now, I am stuck here, in a foreign kingdom where few can speak with me, unable to leave, to return home to protect those I love." Her voice broke, and her jaw shook. Her body shook. Ama Lei could feel the rage and the remorse. "I am no pampered princess that you seemed to believe me. I have spent the last four months of my life as a slave. I was sold two months after I was kidnapped from my family, and forced to perfo
rm hard labor on a pirate ship. And you know, that doesn't matter. What matters is that I can't save my family. They're in danger, and I am stuck. Here." She looked away, the swallow telling Ama Lei that she was still fighting back her sadness.
"I lost my husband. The love of my life, just gone. For months, I had nightmares of watching him die. Then, I found him again, the news of his death false, and I was so elated. I never thought I would lose him again. I lost him and our children. Twins." The tears finally fell, streaming down Renee's face. "I haven't heard their first words, watched them take their first steps. I don't know when I will ever see them again, or if. I pray there are enough people around them to keep them from the danger lurking, because I can't. Do you have any idea how hard it is to know the people you love are suffering, know you have the ability to do something about it, but can't? All you can do is sit, and wait, and hope, and try to ignore that part of you that's screaming that it's hopeless."
Ama Lei looked away, unable to see her thoughts reflected in another's eyes. That's why this foreign princess affected her so much; that's why she broke down the walls surrounding her heart. She closed her eyes, releasing her breath. Could she really open that part of her life up to a stranger? Her eyes sought out Renee's, finding courage in how familiar they felt.
"A couple of years ago, my kingdom was taken over by a coup. The military swarmed my home. By the time I realized what was happening, it was over. I was arrested, along with my sister, and dragged to the throne room. I saw the bodies of my father and my older brother, the man who was raised to be the next emperor. As women, I and my sister were granted leniency. Exiled. I will be killed the moment I step into my own kingdom. So, here I sit, useless, polishing my sword because that's all I can do."
Silence prevailed in the room, and Renee stepped further into the room, taking a seat beside Ama Lei. "I never thought I'd find another woman like me." Renee started. "Not many men can even match my skills." Renee turned to face Ama Lei, a smile lighting her eyes. "You were a pleasant surprise."
"I have to say, I agree," Ama Lei responded.
"Your sword is lovely. May I?" Ama Lei nodded as she handed the weapon over. Renee held it reverently, testing it as a seasoned swordswoman.
"Your blade's longer than mine, but similar shape. That would explain the longer hilt. Two handed instead of one. It's certainly something special to watch," Renee's eyes lit up teasingly. "I do love the colors, the black cord crossed around red is stunning. And I love how simple the design is, just blade, hilt, and oval guard. But I think the best part is these etchings on the blade." Renee handed the weapon back.
"Cherry blossoms," Ama Lei responded. "We had so many of them in the palace, and I loved the smell, how beautiful the pink blossoms were. I suppose it's the one thing I really miss." Her voice went soft as her mind disappeared into her past, wandering among the trees she loved so well.
"Mine had roses," Renee spoke, helping to keep Ama Lei from opening that dangerous box. "Not just the symbol of my nation, our castle's garden was filled with them. The smell would fill the air when they were in bloom." She seemed to take a moment to compose her own thoughts, to return from her memories. "May we start again?"
Ama Lei smiled as she set her weapon down, and rose to her feet. Renee instantly joined her. "I am Ama Lei." Ama Lei fisted one hand, pounding it into her other's open palm.
"Renee." Renee smiled as she too fisted one hand. The women bent over, each giving the other a respectful bow...
Ama Lei smiled at the memory. Their relationship started rocky, but the bond they developed was strong and deep. She would do anything for her captain, and if Renee needed a spy, well, Ama Lei could easily oblige. Speaking of, there was Conrad. Desiree was, of course, already with Will and Renee, but for once her father stayed back. Continuing through the shadows, she slipped closer to the man, and froze. No longer was she alone in the shadows. A man stood hidden behind a pillar, right nearby Conrad. Their lips moved but barely, and Ama Lei's steps slowed as she approached.
"...Hidden in the warehouse," the words barely drifted to her.
"The Dawn Chaser?" Conrad's voice was filled with well concealed fury.
"It hasn't been sighted, sir. We will continue to patrol if you wish, but with no knowledge, we lose the only advantage we may have."
"I clearly remember attacking it before."
"I know, sir, but they are even more fortified now. It is not a ship easily taken. Sir."
"Fine. But tell Pallav to keep his ear out. If he has a chance, he better take it and sink that vessel."
"Aye, sir," the man bowed and slipped out of the room, no one the wiser for knowing his presence, but Ama Lei knew Renee would find this piece of news interesting. She would need to tell her soon, but perhaps after her visit with her husband that evening. Turning back, her eyes rested on Renee. Her captain deserved all the happiness she could get. It could wait for the morning. For now, Ama Lei was curious what other secrets the night was planning on revealing.
11
Renee was thrilled to see her husband already waiting for her when she stepped into the garden. The smile that he sent her way warmed her to her toes.
"I know I said it before, but your performance tonight was excellent, as usual," he told her.
"You really needn't praise me," Renee told him.
"Nonsense! Talent should be praised, and you, dear Captain, have talent to spare. Your dancing is lovely to watch, you are exceedingly skilled in combat, and you have managed to gain command of your own ship. That is an impressive feat; your men must have a lot of respect for you."
Renee laughed, a full laugh that flew from her stomach. "Sure, they do now, but it wasn't always the case."
"Oh?" Will asked as his eyebrows lifted. Renee took a deep breath, ready to open up another part of her life, and reveal some of the more pleasant memories.
"She is so big," Ama Lei noted. Renee couldn't help but smile, even as she rocked the tiny creature in her arms. It was true, Spera had grown so much in her three months. She was now the same age her twin siblings were when Renee last saw them. The thought made her pull her sleeping daughter even closer in her arms. She already lost so much with her other children; Renee didn't want to lose out on any time with Spera.
"Yes, she is. I believe she's strong enough for a voyage, which is why I asked Luca to find us a crew." Renee responded.
"Do you think he'll be able to find a group willing to try to break through Retanny's blockade?"
"If anyone can, it's him," Renee chuckled. "He has connections and abilities that continue to surprise."
"I am glad you have faith in my abilities," Luca called from the doorway.
"Luca!" Renee felt the jolt of excitement and hope spring in his chest. His eyes seemed to dance, and she wondered if it was really happening. If she was finally returning home. "Were you successful?"
"In a way," he said as he stepped into the room. "I couldn't find a captain willing to face the blockade, at least not one I would ever trust to hire. I am sorry."
"It's alright, Luca," Renee fought the disappointment clawing at her chest.
"However, while I couldn't find a captain, I did find a crew. And as I happen to know a particular captain, whom I would trust completely..." Now Renee understood the mischievous look on his face.
"Luca, I don't think I could ever repay you for this. But, could I really be a captain again?"
"You did it once," Ama Lei spoke up. "And from the tales Luca has told of the great Espan Rose, you are more than capable of leading a ship."
"I am sure he exaggerates," Renee chuckled. "But, I suppose it is the only way for me to return home quickly. Luca, could you have the men assembled?"
"Easily done." He smiled before turning out. Left alone, Renee was now second-guessing her choice. Could she really take up the mantle of captain again? Her old crew trusted her, had fought and bled alongside her before she gained her leadership above them. These men were strangers. They probably wouldn't tak
e her orders. And there was the little detail about her name...
"You can do this," Ama Lei's voice broke into her thoughts. Renee turned to her friend, seeing resolve shining through her eyes. "If anyone can, you can. As you told me when we first met, you have been through so much. You have your chance to return home; you should take it."
"Ama Lei..." Renee couldn't help but be grateful for her friend. They had known each other less than a year, and somehow their bond was deep. This foreign princess understood Renee in a way few did, and Renee was proud to consider her an equal. Wait. The idea struck Renee, giving her an added hope. "Ama Lei," Renee began. "I know you and Mei are content here, but I also see your desire for more. I trust you, implicitly, and I would prefer to have someone I trust at my right hand."
"What are you saying?"
"I would like you to be my First Mate, Ama Lei. I know Luca will travel with me, but he's already claimed purser. I want you by my side, if you're willing?"
"I am honored at the faith you've placed in me," Ama Lei said as she stood and gave Renee a bow.
"I suppose we should prepare for their arrival. Knowing Luca, he's already bringing them to the palace," Renee giggled, trying to ignore her nerves.
"Would you like help wearing a scarf?" Ama Lei asked.
"Actually, I have another idea," Renee replied. These were foreign men, who knew nothing about her. And the last thing she needed was word of her existence being spread. While the royalty knew her true identity, she decided early on to mask her name. She remembered the time she chose it. It was right after she arrived, and Ama Lei offered to show her the city. So similar to Espan's market days, but Renee couldn't help but notice how different the buildings looked. They were filled with archways, and vibrant cloth seemed to hang everywhere she turned. While Espan's fabrics weren't dull, they still paled in comparison to the bright colors surrounding her. That's when she found the merchant. He was selling all sorts of items, including sabers. Renee immediately found her favorite, a simple one with only one guard wrap, but the sheath had a rose embroidered into it.
