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Lightbringer
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It was no secret that Leonis was a wanted man, his face plastered on wanted posters all over the empire and the kingdoms neighboring it. To those on land, he was both myth and legend; to nobility and royalty, he was a scourge; to pirates, he was a man to be both feared and admired. It was rare that he found someone who didn't know who he was, and so he had gotten more than accustomed to being recognized by those he had captured. It was perhaps because of this that, when the woman turned around to face him, daggers in hand, the pirate captain didn't flinch even when she said his name. Instead, he slowed to a stop, amusement and intrigue lighting his gaze as he watched her. ` She was such a small thing, frail and fragile, he was certain, as any woman would be. And yet, there she stood, facing him as if she were seriously going to try and fight him. Perhaps he should be laughing at her misplaced courage, or at the stupidity of trying to fight him, but instead, he was intrigued. The men on this ship, the captain, and the soldiers had surrendered without much of a fight. Hell, all it had taken was a few cannons, and they were waving a white flag and dropping to their knees. Cowards. But this stowaway seemed to have far more balls than any of them; a woman was far more courageous than men under the direct orders of a king. Laughable, intriguing, amusing. ` The woman would not have made it far if she had chosen to flee up onto the deck; perhaps that was why she had chosen to fight? Letting his boots still a few feet from her, the pirate captain slipped his hands into his pockets, eyeing her with curiosity. His gaze flicked to the dagger in her hand before he returned his eyes back to her face, sharp and assessing. Slowly, a smirk curled onto his lips. "Armed and insolent, are you? I like that, though, a dagger against me? Bold, or hopelessly naive, I can't decide which yet." He said, amusement lacing his tone. "And as for thinking I'd pick another ship... I go where I please, take what I please, especially when it belongs to the empire. Your captain, bless him, was... quite the coward, hardly a man I'd expect to sail a ship like this." He added and leaned forward slightly, letting the edge of danger thread through his voice, teasing and deliberate. |
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Neutral
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"Yeah well, worth a shot." •~• Anthea replied, giving a half shrug before catching herself. What to do, what to do... She could continue playing chase around the crates and barrels until he got tired enough and left. Though that probably wasn't a very good plan, she'd probably either get tired eventually or he's faster then he looks. Maybe she could bribe him to just... Leave her here? No, he doesn't look like the type that'd take a bribe. Probably. Plus she didn't have much experience with being in charge of a ship so that was off the table now too. •~• Fighting or surrendering. That's all she could do, nothing else seemed possible enough. All of this could've been avoided if this crew were actually what people described royal ships! Unless she just got a bad batch, which in that case she'd blame them even more. She turned her thoughts back to the man Infront of her again suddenly, studying him for a second time. Fighting... If she tried would she even get anywhere with it? She had been hoping that it'd be a case of wrong rumors. But now seeing how he held himself, how close he purposely got, how he spoke... Yeah she didn't doubt it anymore. •~• Surrendering. Anthea didn't want to do that at all either, but it might be her only choice. Though she couldn't remember if there were reports of him killing the crews of ships he raids. Her father usually only shared little and her mother wasn't ever even trying to listen to that kind of stuff. And people usually don't go chatting about it on the streets loud enough for other people to hear. So she had a fifty/fifty chance that she was gonna have to take. Surrender, and hope the ship would simply be stripped of it's stuff and then left. But there was also now the possibility of the crew of the ship now finding out there was a stowaway. Then she'd have to lie about reasons and- 'Okay, one thing at a time. Famous pirate captain first.' She thought before looking him in the eyes. •~• She still held her dagger out, but it was now less in a `Come fight me coward!` stance and more in a `I'll stab you if you stab me.` stance. If he made a move she'd make a move, but she wasn't dumb enough to attack him first now. Despite how much she wanted to remove that annoying smirk from his face. •~• "Look, I don't wanna fight. I know that probably wouldn't go to well. Sooo... What's the chances I can just be left down here? Or is surrending the only thing pirates accept these days? Cause I don't particularly want to go up deck, thanks." •~• |
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Lightbringer
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Intrigued. That's what Leonis was as he watched the woman before him, her stance defensive, her hand holding firmly onto that small dagger of hers. It wasn't often that he came across women with such misplaced courage, and yet courage all the same. Most, he'd noted, wept and trembled, pleaded and begged. She, on the other hand, seemed to hold more fire in her eyes than any of the crew that had commanded this ship. Impressive, and likely the only reason that the pirate captain had made the decision to keep her alive this long. ` Leonis was not a kind man, nor was he very compassionate to anyone he didn't trust or care for. He did not think twice about ending lives or slaughtering the people of the empire. He felt no guilt, no shame; if anything, it was his way of getting back at the kingdom that had betrayed his family and sent men to slaughter them. So any ships that he came across, any crew that was under clear orders from the royal family or higher nobility, he didn't spare. He relished in their deaths just as his men did, and he equally enjoyed watching the prized ships sink beneath the onslaught of his cannons. This ship and the crew up on deck would be no different. He'd slaughter them and then sink their ship. However, the woman before him, he was half inclined to spare, if only for the fact that her attitude, demeanour, and reason for sneaking onto this ship interested him. ` When she spoke, he listened, his eyes dropping to the blade in her hand when she said she didn't want to fight. Interesting. He didn't doubt that, should he get within reach of that blade of hers, she'd waste little time in sinking it into his body if he gave her half the chance. "If you wish to stay on this ship, you're more than welcome to." He said with an amused grin. "But I'll be sinking it the moment my crew and I are off." He said and leaned back on his heels, taking on a rather calm and relaxed posture as he watched her. "Tell me, lass, what's a pretty thing like you doing aboard a Royal Navy ship? Hmm?" He questioned. Honestly, he doubted that the crew of this ship knew she'd been on board. Several things led him to that conclusion. One being the fact that she'd so clearly been sleeping down here, safely hidden and tucked away behind the cargo crates. Another being that she seemed so adamant about not being seen by this damned ship's crew. |
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Neutral
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Oh so he would be sinking the ship. Wonderful. Anthea doubt that land was less then a day close, so even if she tried to swim she'd likely die before then. Exhaustion, sharks, drowning... The list just goes on, so she should probably avoid doing that. And if he was gonna sink the ship, that just confirmed for her the crew is as good as dead. None of the crew have anything that would keep them alive even as just a prisoner. She doubted even the caption had top-secret information, or even just information for that matter. And if he did, the idiot would've probably given it up by now. What to do... She feels like she's been asking herself that to much lately. •~• Oh, of course he had to ask what she was doing here. Anthea tensed for a moment, before she forced herself to relax. She knew she probably shouldn't openly lie, cause even if she wanted to she didn't even have a lie ready. Well she did but it fled her brain the moment he had asked. She couldn't tell him the truth either, having no idea what he would do with the info. Would he care about some runaway noble? Feel the need to kill her sooner? Nothing? How should she know? It was Captain Leonis for heaven's sake. She had no idea how someone's mind like his worked. So she was gonna have to walk the middle line, and hope it was enough. •~• "I'm just someone that wanted to live outside the four walls of her home. Besides, I don't see how that's important right now." •~• Anthea answered, and quickly shut her mouth before she could add another comment without thinking. There, technically she didn't lie, she just didn't tell the full truth. With that no longer currently burdening her mind, she could once again focus her thoughts on the most important thing. Finding a damn way out. But now she felt like everything that could've gotten her off this boat was slipping through her fingers before she could fully grasp them. If only she had learned to deal with what she had and stayed home playing noble. Then she wouldn't currently be on a Royal Navy ship, feet away from the infamous Pirate Captain Leonis, and probably only a bit away from actually dying. Good moment to rethink her life choices. •~• Then one final idea planted itself in her head. It was stupid and the last thing someone would probably ever think about willingly. But as she weighed the chances with her own life, she knew she had to at least try. She didn't want to think her death would be going down with that cowardly crew up top. And maybe, just maybe, in the end it could play out in her favor. If she played her cards right. So she rushed the words out of her mouth before she could stop herself. •~• "Can you take me with you?" •~• She asked, lowering her dagger back to her side, but keeping it in had. There, she said it, and now she just needed to know. She didn't care if it was as a prisoner, or a distrusted passenger to be dropped off at the nearest dock, or anything really. Anything works better then finding herself in the ocean on a sinking ship. Which she knew was still very much a possibility. Oh what in the world is she thinking? |
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Summer Month: 1 
Night 
Earthquake Moon: 
