SUPREMEO Vol. II: War Hawk

Chapter XIV: The Queen's Guard

The central area of New Tortuga begins to gather with more pirates to witness the match between the two sons of the former pirate king. Their current king watches the crowd through a neighboring window. King Erik's hands are being wrapped by an assistant droid for his match later on.

The king hears a knock at the door. It's Dominic on the other side. He tells King Erik, "Captain, Queen Melina is here with me. She'd like to know if it's possible to have a quick word with you?" Erik replies to Dominic, "Of course. She can come in."

Erik tells the droid they'll continue preparing for the match in a moment. He'll talk to his sister first. The droid listens and opens the door for the pirate queen. As Melina walks through the door a smile begins to show on her brother's face.

Queen Melina asks her brother, "Miss me?"

The King replies with a hug for his sister, "Of course."

Melina says to her brother, "So you're finally getting that match you wanted with him huh?"

Erik says, "Yeah..." Now with a concerned look on her face. She tells her brother, "This isn't for acceptance for the people in the pirate nation is it? They already love you." Erik replies, "No. It's more to show our troops he isn't getting an easy way back in. Plus, you know if anyone has a problem with the way I'm running things here. They can leave and join your side of the family. Melina takes a moment to look at her brother. She notices a sense of maturity in him and says, "You finally got a hold of things here huh? I remember you doubting yourself when the entire empire was left to you to control. Even when I stepped in and ran the eastern empire to help you out it was still tough on you. You used to curse Father and our brother's name every day. I see you now and see a person with direction. You're no longer the man who ruled with a chip on his shoulder. Instead, you carry that weight with purpose. Not anger."

Erik smiles half-heartedly at her sister's kind words and says, "Thanks for that. One day I just told myself. I've lost Dad, then Mom. Later Ryan leaves. And you agree to handle operations on the other side of the empire which results in you leaving also. And I don't fault you for that. With all that swirling makes for a lonely person. Add it to me leading the charge on the battlefield. I have to ignore those feelings. Or else hundreds of people will be feeling how I feel after a fight for supplies...After today I'm happy to see my brother again. And you here right now lets me know I have a reason to fight to stay on this side of the plane. It's days like today when I'm remembered how I found my maturity sister. It's when I see the joy of our pirate nation family members when their loved ones made it safe from a mission. I failed on that mission today. And I just want to make it right by the ones who are suffering the most from our losses today."

Melina now with a look of pride on her face says, "Woow so this is gonna be a straight-up match huh? I like what you said. I agree 100% about your feelings not being the main factor in the heat of battle." Erik adds to what her sister says by saying, "And hey at the end of the day it was you and Ryan who always fought and argued not me and him."

Melina smirks then tells her brother, "Yeah that's another thing I gotta do while I visit here." Erik asks her sister, "What's that?" the queen replies to her brother, "Let Ryan know I want things to be straight with me and him now. It was childish how I acted when all 3 of us were together.

I told myself it was to toughen up my little brother but in reality, I was angry. Angry that Dad cheated on our mother and angry that she took him back. Losing Dad and Mom made me take it out on Ryan. The bigger picture should be focusing on not losing any more people close to me. Especially if those close to me are my siblings."

King Erik tells his sister, "Looks like I wasn't the only one who's changed now huh?" Melina tells her brother, "What's the point in growing older if you don't look for ways to grow wiser in the process?" King Erik says, "Amen."