Queen of The Sea

Promise

The night was hollow, drastically different from the day. One would suspect the night to be the most fearsome time to be on a silent ship, but that wasn't true. With the stars overhead lit up the ocean with a soft glow. It gave the night a peaceful and gentle feeling, unlike the day. Rin assumed Leo had fallen asleep on the wheel or something rather, as she hadn't yelled at him for a while. The wannabe pirate, Rin was leaning over the ledge of the broad ship. He felt weightless in the tug of the currents that sent the ship rocking slightly.

The strange pairing was nearing the place that Leona called Black Sand Reef, a safe haven for pirates and thieves alike. In the close distance, giant sharp rocks sprouted from the ocean, hiding a mass of land behind them. As Rin studied the area, the more he looked, the more anxious he became. How could a prince, a boy sheltered his entire life, become a pirate? He hardly knew how to sail a ship, let alone half of what pirates knew about the oceans. All that day, Leona told him tales of valiant pirates and vicious sea monsters. He was always a quick learner, always focused when he was tutored as a young lad, but for some reason, his mind always wondered off when Leona told him stories. He couldn't focus. And now, as Rin sat staring at the large rocks as they grew in size, he found it hard to focus. Everything that raced through his mind scared him.

Everything about this life scared him, except Leona. Every time he thought of her, his face grew warm, his chest grew tight. He knew he loved her, but he also knew, she hated his guts from the bottom of hers. The prince threw his head in his head and groaned in misery. How was he suppose to live now? He wasn't, and that was for sure. The man was suspended in the air, with no aid of getting down. But he was the one who put himself there, and he had to figure out his own path now. No royal advisers to tell him what to do like he had, or a infamous Captain like Leona.

When Rin lifted his head up, the ship was weaving in between the towering rocks. The royal ship was going very slow, moving at the pace of a snail. Rin glanced up at the wheel, where Leona stood. She was outlined in fine moonlight, half of her features hidden away in the shadows. He could see she was focused on steering the ship correctly. Rin smiled softly to himself and looked out towards the rocks again, where he saw, Leona?

It was Leona, but it wasn't.

This Leona was paler, so pale it looked like her skin was porcine. Her hair was a mass of tangles and braids, pulled back into a long pony tail, yet she still looked graceful. Her lips were tinted purple, she looked like a corpse now that the ship grew closer to the rock that Leona sat on. Her pale skin was complimented by the appearance of blueish scales that dotted her body. She was wearing nothing but what looked like sea foam and fishnets. Rin wanted to looked away but couldn't. He was in a trance. He couldn't even hear the real Leona calling out towards him. Rin's gaze was to focused in the Leona on the rocks. The mirror Leona started to climb up the wall of rock and became level with Rin on the ship. The eyes were deep pools of black. He couldn't see the whites of her eyes.

"Rin..." The pale Leona sung. Her voice carried a melody that was sweet. It only drew him closer. Rin was so far off the edge of the ship, he could fall any minute. The pale Leona smiled, though her teeth where daggers. "I love you... I... Want.... You..." The words slid out of her crooked mouth. Rin blinked. Leona had said she loved him. He didn't want anything more. He starred to climb off the railing.

"Rin Crovan!" The real Leona screamed, but Rin couldn't hear. Grunting with anxiety, Leona booked it down the stairs towards Rin.

"I love you too... Leona..." Rin said, his words scattered about, he wasn't aware of what he was saying. Leona skidded to a halt. Her heart was pounding. When the beast, the siren, saw Leona, it hissed an ear-piercing squeal. Leona grabbed Rin by the collar of his tunic and forced him to looked at her. His eyes were nothing but black pits. A sign he was under the curse of the siren. "You aren't Leona..." Rin croaked out.

"I am, Rin. I'm Leona." Leona's eyes stung with tears. Why was she so upset at this? Not knowing what else to do, she placed both hands on his cheeks, forcing his gaze to keep on her. Leona glanced at the siren. She saw the faint image of Ira fading in a out where the siren stood, clinging to the wall. Then, it faded to Rin. Leona paused.

Why?

Leona shut her eyes tight and faced towards Rin again. In her hands, was the real Rin. Clinging to the rocks was a siren, a creature to turns into its victims desire. And she desired a prince, Prince Rin. She needed him to know that she was the real Leona, that she truly cared for him. With no hesitation, Leona pressed her lips on Rin's. Feeling the warm tears drip from her eyes, she feared it didn't work. She felt the prince stand still. Maybe he was still in a trance, maybe he didn't want this. She had made a mistake. Before she could break away, she felt his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her into a soft hug.

The siren hissed again in anger. This broke up the kiss between the prince and the pirate. From his belt, Rin pulled a hand gun. Aiming it at the siren, he pulled the trigger. It squealed as it fell to the bottom of the rocks. Looking over the edge, the pair saw the true siren. It was a humanoid creature, with grey scaly skin. Its head was bald, its eyes were sunken into its skull. It bleed a disgusting greenish goo.

"That's... An unforgiving sight." Rin chuckled as they backed away from the edge of the ship. Rin glanced at Leona, who shied away a hid her beet red face. "Hey... Leona..." Rin began. He reached his hand out towards her, but she simply backed away.

"That never happened... It was only to break ya from the trance..." Leona muttered under her breath. She held her shoulders with her arms.  The both of them knew it as a lie, but neither was willing to admit it. 

"Leo, we have to talk about this... we can't just pretend it never happened." Rin protested and stepped towards Leona. 

"We can, and we will." Leona sharply turned on her heels and ran up the stairs to the wheel but it wasn't to much avail as Rin simply followed.

"Leona." 

"What!" Leona gasped, refusing to look Rin in the eyes. Her cheeks a bright red, which was either from her anger, or the tears that flowed down her face like vast currents. 

"Can we talk? We kissed..." 

"No, it never happened. I only did it to save you..." She croaked out through the tears. Using the sleeves on her blue coat, she dried her tears and tried to calm down. "Rin, we would never work... Yer a prince, i'm a pirate... after we take the Squid, yer going home." She spoke softly, a hint of sadness in her words. Leona avoided eye contact, feeling as if she looked him in the eyes, she's only cry harder.

"Why? Why are you so set on pushing me away? I have only wanted to help you." Now the sadness was pulling at Rin, causing him to choke on his words as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.  

Leona stared at the man. "Rin I never..." She started. Taking a deep breath she spoke again. "I never wanted to push ya away... I just... I just..." Leo stuttered.

"What are you trying to justify?" Rin snapped sightly. He had been so patient, so caring for so long and Leona hadn't been receptive to it at all.

"Im trying to jusify my life! A prince and a pirate can't mix... And..." She trailed off. "We just can't."

"Why not?" He protested.

"Because men are monsters Rin. They take what they want, play with who they please. I don't trust you..." Rin paused. Her words sunk into him.

"What..." He was tip-toeing around a sleeping giant named Leona. If he were to say the wrong thing, the pirate would kill him to hesitation. Or would she? "Are you talking about the scars on your back?"

"Men are cruel things... Even to children." Leona began. "I was a play-thing to them, a toy. I dont... I cant trust ya..."

"Leo..." Rin grabbed Leona softly by the shoulderslders and forced her to look at him. "I am so sorry for what men have done to you in the past, but i will never hurt you."

"Promise?"

"I promise." The prince pulled her into a bear hug. Rin could hear Leona softly sobbing into hit broad chest as he held her tight.