Queen of The Sea

Alone

Pain was becoming far to familiar to Leona. It took root in the center of her stomach, and like the branches of a tree, it spread to the rest of her aching body. When the pirate awoke, she shot up from her resting position and groaned as the throbbing increased with her sudden movements. Pain overcoming her, she laid back down and covered her stomach with her arms to help ease the growing pains. Leona fluttered open her eyes which stung from the lack of good sleep. She didn't remember what happened after Ingram took her sword and jabbed at her. Putting two and two together, Leona lifted the blanket to see her stomach, wrapped neatly in blood soaked cloth. The blood looked like a rustic color, which meant the blood had dried. 

Tracing the outline of blood with her finger, she glanced around the room. She had woken up to a soft flickering glow in the room. Candle lights. When her eyes finally adjusted to the dim light she noticed it was well into the night. The battle with The White Squid had taken place early in the morning. Leona had to have been out for many hours, or even days. Leona licked her dried lips and looked around for some sort of liquid, preferably rum, to drink and cease the thirst that choked her.  On the desk that laid against a wall not to far away was a flask. Leona didn't know if it was full or not, but it was her only hope of liquid. 

Lifting her torso up slowly to avoid causing to much pain, she sat up. She swung her legs off the side of the bed and faced towards the desk. Now her eyes had fully adjusted to the lack of light in the room. She focused her gaze on her prize, the flask. Next to it on the desk was a mess papers that weren't there before. As Leo became more and more awake, her senses returned to normal and she could hear chatter muffled by distance. But the sound didn't distract her from her true desire, the flask. Leona started to lift herself off the bed when the door suddenly opened. 

Brilliant beams of moonlight flooded into the room only to be shielded by a large figure stepping into the door frame. Leona looked over her shoulder and stared, making her eyes adjust to the sudden yet still dim light. The figure however didn't fully enter the room or seem to notice Leona sitting up. The figure seemed to have their back towards Leona as the faced another figure whose shape could barely be made out as it was over shadowed by the larger, more masculine silhouette. 

"I am aware Neda, i trust you can check on the others, right now, Leona is the most important." The voice belong to Rin, the figure in the door frame. When Rin spoke the name Neda, Leona's heart skipped a beat. 

"Neda?" She spoke softly to herself, though it was louder than she intended.

"Leona? By the gods, you are finally awake." Rin gasped and ran towards Leona, leaving the door open for Neda to enter, which she did. 

"I am awake, that much was obvious." Leo looked at Neda as she came into the room. "Neda... is that truly you?" She asked

"Hello... Captain." Neda greeted. Leona's heart fluttered when Neda responded. Her only true friend from The White Squid.

"Neda! By Vemus' will, how are ya here?" Neda gave a soft smile when Leona mentioned the king of the gods' name.  The dark skinned woman came and sat next to Leona on the bed. 

"I crossed over during the battle, Ingram never knew." Neda explained. "Oh Leona, it is horrible over there. Ingram is a tyrant. Harsher than the sea during a storm." She cried. 

"I-I..." Leona glanced at Rin who was remaining quiet as the two women spoke. "I can not go back, i am only here to sink it." Leona sighed. "Ingram almost killed me... twice! Think what he'll do the third time."

"You are still such a fool... like when we were kids." Neda frowned. "You cant sink the squid... what were you thinking? A bunch of scraggly sea-dogs and a few lads could sink the most powerful ship in the nine kingdoms?"