Moonbloods Season 1
Sea Sick

I was fine for the first few hours.

When The Maiden reached high sea, it was as if I was suddenly struck by illness that confined me to my quarters. The rough seas had the ship rocking back and forth, up and down, side to side. There was nothing left in my stomach as I dry heaved into the wooden bucket once more. I wasn't sure how long the ship had been skipping along the sea but I noticed that we were finally slowing down, the shaking and tossing of the ship had stopped, now only every once in a while would the ship jump or dip when it caught a wave. I wasn't alone for long either.

As soon as the waters settled, I stumbled over to the table and grabbed up the water skin that was attached to the wall. When I opened it, I made a face at the smell. Wine.

I shuddered and looked around the cabin. It was tastefully decorated with rugs, tables, and most impressively, a four poster bed. The red velvet bedding cradled deep into the plush feather bed. By the looks of it, it was brand new. Small oil lamps, in glass cages of water hung on the walls, the doubles sided lamp making it impossible for the water to touch the flame or the oil.

As soon as I stepped aboard this ship, Niko had ordered the men to set sail. I watched as the crew around me, mostyly made of large men with long braids or locks scurried about the ship and felt an odd sense of triumph as the coast of Summercrest slowly disappeared, knowing I would never return. But Hiram had ships. He could come for me. I was a fool to think I would ever be free. Not truly free, anyway.

As the sun began to set, my stomach had just had enough of the open sea and Niko suggested I try and get some sleep and showed me to this cabin and promised he would return as soon as he was able. That someone would be by with food and drink as soon as possible. I hadn't been hungry. I nibbled on some bread but that was it. My anxiety was keeping me quite for the moment. I was doing my best not to throw up again so it was easy to ignore the fact that I was, indeed, on a ship at open sea. My stomach heaved again.

There was a heavy knock at the door. I felt my skin flare with awareness and I had to stop myself from using my powers to open the door, like I was used to. I cleared my throat. "Enter!"

The small, round door opened and Niko walked in with a long raven haired girl. She was dressed in a tight, fitted legging outfit, black and stretchy material, a black breastplate with a white X on it. "This is Hali. Your new Skave," he said. I raised an eyebrow. "I amin no need-"

Hali bowed her head before now. "Please, Princess, I am more then happy to serve you!" she said in a low voice. Before I could really answer, Niko handed me the water skin and then walked over to the bolted down table and chairs.

"There are some things you should know before arriving in Vandera , Princess," he told me.

I nodded and Niko sat down.

I watched Hali kneel by the door, her hands flat on her thighs, her head down.

For some reason I was on edge. I didn't feel safe.

I swollowed and shoved the thoughts aside. No.

"I figured you would need some water, Princess," Niko told me as he handed me a cold water skin.

I downed the water quickly and sat down at the table. The girl that had been with him, Hali, immediately walked to my side, picked up a brush and started brushing my hair.

Niko cleared his throat. "Princess, this is Skavi Hali. She is your new Skavi. We will have a Skavo already for you in Asga."

I was immediately offended "Why would I own a Skavi?" I demanded.

Niko closer his mouth and frowned, unsure how to proceed. "With all due respect, Princess... the Prince has commanded it."

I shook my head. "I do not need-"

"I knew your father, My Lady," Niko reminded me and my words caught in my throat. "In truth, I knew of your engagement to the Prince. I was friends with your father. I offered my services the day-"

I nodded, remembering now where I had seen him before. "The day Emris arrived in Summercrest for the marriage agreement."

Niko nodded. "Your father was a great man-"

I scoffed at him and sipped the water to keep the bile taste out of my mouth. "My father was a fool." The words burned in my mouth because they were not true. "He was a greedy man. He preferred the glory war brought him serving a king he just sold his daughter to!"

In truth, I was just doing my duty. I wasn't the last of my name, or... perhaps I was. I was not a Crast anymore. I was a Halcro. Or at least I would be.

Niko nodded. "You are the unfortunate pawn on the chess board of powerful men but who is to say that you can not grow just as powerful-"

I shook my head. "I don't want it!" I told him. Niko sighed.

"I am your sworn sword by order of my Lord and Prince, Emris Halcro-"

I laughed at him. "No need to worry," I teased him. "I have nowhere to run to and I can't swim!"

Niko sighed and shook his head.

"We are going as far North as North goes, Princess," Niko reminded me. "You should take the time to see the sea-"

I turned away from them, my voice cold when I spoke again. "No thank you. If it had been possible to go by horse back, I would have gone-"

Niko shook his head. "That would have taken up too much time and Prince Emris is eager to see you again."

I felt my face crease with surprise at this news. Emris had only met me briefly, at our engagement, a night full of meeting Lords and Ladies from all over Vanaheim.

Hali, for the first time cleared her throat but didn't speak. I turned to face her. "Please, speak freely, Lady Hali, you may say as you wish."

Niko frowned. "She is still a Maid, Princess. She should be treated as such." I frowned, ready to argue that I didn't want or need any Maids. That I had been fine all my life without a Maid but Niko waved her away. "Nonsense," I disagreed. "She is still human, after all, Lord Niko-"

Niko sighed and ran a hand over his face. "I am not a Lord!" he assured me. "And she is nothing more then a Ladies Maid. We are here in service to the King. In service to you. That is all."

Seeing that he would refuse to answer any other questions about himself or understand my point of so I turned back look at Hali , her long raven hair was braided over her shoulder and down her back. "How old are you?"

Hali bowed her head at me. "Nineteen, Princess," she answered, never raising her head to look at me. I pursed my lips.

"And how long have you been..." I looked up Niko pointedly. "In the service of Prince Emris?"

Hali peaked up at me now. "I just recently came into the employment of Sir Emris after I was sold to his household-"

I frowned again. "And how long ago was this?" I asked her, wanting to know just how long she had been at Asga. "When did Prince Emris bring you to Asga?"

Hali shrugged. "I haven't been to Asga yet, Princess. I was sold into the services of the Prince two days ago, brought to this ship and I haven't left since." she mused. "I haven't yet been to Asga or met his Lordship."

I nodded. "So we are in the same boat," I told her sympathetically.

Hali smiled at me. "Thank you, Princess."

Her smiled was broken, as were her eyes. There was little life left in them so it made me wonder what this girl had been through. She said she was nineteen. If she had been sold to Emris to service me, where had she been before she had come into his services?

"Have you ever been to Court?" I asked her and nodded for her to take a set at the table. Niko, stood beside me, quite as ever, observant with his hands behind his back.

Hali smiled timidly, griping the ends of her thick hair other hand gripped the hem of her robe.

"The Capital is a very big place, Princess," she said.

"Vendera is bigger," Niko assured me.

"Then what makes the Capitol so special?" I asked him.

Niko shrugged. "The ways of life, I would assume, Princess."

I frowned. "Why does Prince Emris not live in Star Hill?"

Niko shrugged. "Someone must man the North." he reasoned. "King Alistor Halcro is growing old and seeks to retire from the throne-"

I felt my heart sink. "Emris is the only child of the King!" I said.

No one spoke. I hadn't agreed to become Queen. I mean, I had but it was supposed to be years from now. Emris was a Warlock, immortal because of his Moon Blood. I shuddered. If Emris ever found out that I was a Moonblood and that my blood could change the line of succession... he would sooner have my head on a spike.

"Emris is the High Warlock of the North. Even the Mortals answer to him. How do the people see him?" I asked. Hali shrugged again.

"Prince Emris is still a mystery to his people and the subjects of the North. He may hold public banquets and host balls but no one really knows who he is."

I shook my head. If there was one thing Hiram had taught me, it was to make alliances with the ones you think you can trust. Of course, there is never really a way to tell if someone will betray you. It's up to chance a lot of the time.

"How is he supposed to have alliances when he does not interact with his people?"

No one spoke. "Well, when was the last time any of you were at Court?" I demanded. Hali raised her hand.

"Speak."

Hali bowed her head. "I was at Easthaven about six weeks ago. I was sold to work there with a Mistress before she sold me for gold." I shook my head. I felt awful for her. Yet I owned her. And Emris owner Niko. What a messed up world we lived in. People were property. Niko had said as much. I wasn't stupid. I knew there were people being sold. Owning Skav was against the fundamental

Laws of the gods. Religion is what kept Azga safe. The Nothern most continent hade its own laws. The North of Azga did not take well to outsiders. "Is Hali your true name?" I asked her.

I watched as she looked up at me, sudden realization sawing on her face. "Hali is what the Mistress called before I was sold the first time! It is my name, Princess."

Niko cleared his throat, his breath coming out in a white puff by the window. "We have reached Vendarien Sea, Princess," he said, his thick accent of the northern tribes leaking into his voice. Perhaps he did his best to hide it when he was away from Asga. The Nothern Tribes were not particularly popular since Prince Emris had come to the North seven years ago to take it back from foreign invaders and decided to stay. He had spent the last seven years between Asga and the war in the Capital before he was able to come and get me from the South. When Emris arrived in the North, he was ordered to rebuild it by his father. Instead, Emris had turned it into what many thought would be his new Keep when he took the throne. The North did not take kindly to outsiders coming in and putting their noses and weapons where they didn't belong. Politicaly, Prince Emris knew what he was doing. Even though no one wanted him here, the Nothern Tribes accepted him because he had brought peace and trade to the North. There were still the few rebels that caused a fuss every once in a while. Nothing Emris' men couldn't handle. No one but the King, his father, oppose him. Now that I thought about it, I could hardly remember what Emris looked like. Seven years ago, when we had first met, I was nearly out of my child years. Aunt Gracie had made me ware my first corset that year, fracturing one of my ribs. I shuddered in my thin dress.

"Perhaps a warm bath before we get you dressed for your arrival in Vendera?" Hali said.

I nodded and Niko swiftly left the room, leaving us woman alone. Hali walked over to a double door and shoved the warped wooden door to the side to reveal a wooden tub. "I already have some hot water ready for you."

I looked down at my crumbled, smelly dress. I had done well not to get sick on it. However it was wrinkled, I was sweaty and my hair was matted to my forehead and neck. I indeed needed a bath.

"Thank you, Hali."

I watched her face light up again when I used her name. "What were your owners like before Emris bought you?" I asked her carefully.

Hali shrugged. "Much like this now," she admitted. "Sometimes, when the Mistress was away, The Master would visit the Skave house and take one back to his room-"

I reached and took her hand. "I'm sorry."

There was a moments silence. "Come," Hali insisted.

I nodded and turned to undress myself. Hali set about getting the tub filled with hot water. As much as I was acting all nice and happy, in reality, I was looking for a way out. I needed to get home. To my cousin. He would know what to do! I couldn't go back to Summercrest and I didn't have any gold to support myself. I sighed. If Emris knew I was a Moonblood...Perhaps I can get a horse and rise east? I shoved the thoughts aside, knowing I would just go round and around with the same ideas. Nothing would get me out of docking at Asga. My fate had been sealed long ago.

Hali had me washed, cleaned and dressed before the sun had set. The riding-style outfit she had put me in, a long, black feathered gown, the shoulders were adorned with armor and fur, the sleeves were doubled sown with thick, lush pelts and a tight, buttoned waist, fashioned with a long trench cape that dragged on the ground, fanning out behind me when I walked.

"Am I expected to ride?" I asked l who nodded and handed me the pair of boots to top it off. I had just finished lacing up my boots when the door to my cabin burst open. "Hey, this is the Princess cabin!" Hali protested.

I watched in astonishment as a guard in deep black armor entered the room and looked around.

"We are here for the Lady Crast, on behalf of Lord of Summercrest, Hiram Crast," he said, his odd accent pitching and rolling in odd dips and tones.

It was like time had slowed down. Everyone froze as the guard, dressed in the familiar black and red armor, lunged at me, dagger in hand. My breath caught as I stumbled away from him, up and out of my seat. Hali quickly grabbed my wrist, pushing herself between me and the guard.

"He is no guard of Vendera!" she exclaimed and pointed at him. The guard turned to look at her and growled.

The man cried out as he lunged at me, dagger in hand. "She must die!" he screamed at me. There was a series of punches thrown and the man went to the ground with a defeated grunt, Niko having disarmed and disabled him quickly.

I watched as Niko stepped forward, a sharp spear coming up, the tip of the gleaming blade was at the guards throat before anyone could take the next breath. "On your knees!" Niko ordered. I watched the armored man kneel before me as I sat rooted in my chair.

"Remove his helmet," Niko ordered. I watched as two other guards stepped forward and remove his helmet. My heart sink.

"Lord Faius Ogawa." His name left my lips in a surprised gasp. He was one of my Uncles men, one of the richer ones for that matter. "Explain yourself!"

Ogawa was Lord of Winegrove Hill.

Lord Ogawa spit at my feet. "You should have died the same day as your father you filth!"

Niko swiftly walked forward, jerking his right hand forward, head butting Faius with the hilt of his sword. The cracking of bone echoed through the cabin and Faius cried out in a howl of pain.

"Why are you here?" I asked him. "Who sent you?"

Faius glared at me. "No one wants another Moonblood on the thrown-"

Niko turned to face me. "What?"

I felt the blood drain from my face. Hiram had gotten what he wanted from Emris, my husband to be, a man I didn't even know. A man who could yet kill me. Hiram had gotten what he wanted and now he has sent his men to kill me.

"This," Niko seethed, pressing the tip of his spear to Faius' neck. "Is an act of treason!"

"What is the meaning of this?"

Everyone froze, including myself. I knew that voice. It was burned into my memory. But we couldn't be in Vendarien territory yet. It was far to soon. Surely we still had a few days before us.

I turned to see a tall, dark figure standing in the door, his long black cloak was adorned with the fur of some wild animal, the grays and silvers looking more like ornamental adornments rather then a pelt. His eyes were green, glowing in the dim light of the cabin. "Someone had better answer."

Niko shoved Faius to his knees. "This mad attacked your Lady Wife, my Prince!”

. I watched the man in the door way walk slowly forward, his long heavy cloak dragging on the worn wooden floor of the cabin.

When he sooke again, his blice had turned deep, threatening. The sound made my skin crawl.

"You dare touch my wife?" I watched as the man reached and grabbed the spear from Niko and jabbed Fenris in the leg.

"Did you know that under Azgadien law, i couod kill you roght now?” the man demanded, his thick accent was rolling and deep, his voice husky and scratchy. I felt my heart sink.

Emris.

I felt my eyes go wide as I stared up at him. Had he always been so extremely tall? I still couldn't see his face clearly. The room was to poorly lit but seemed to darken as he stood there. I felt my head swim for a moment.

"You do know what the penalty for that is, don't you?"

I felt my heart sink. Was this really-

"Prince Emris, behold your Lady Wife- the Lady Nalia Crast." Niko bowed before both of us.

Emris towered over me, the small light from the window cast a small pool of light against his tan skin as he slowly stepped forward.

I watched as Niko handed me my cloak.

“It's time to go, Princess." Emris told me. His voice was warm, deep. He stood there, towering over me. I couldn't bring myself to hold his gaze. I dropped my eyes to the floor. So quickly, that I would have missed it if I hadn't already been looking at him, Emris raised his hand and touched his warm fingers to my chin and made me look at him. "What happened to your face?" he asked me.

I gulped as his green eyes flashed with some kind of emotion I didn't recognize. His eyes wandered me over slowly, roaming up my body, lingering and capturing every angle of me as he circled me slowly.

"Answer me," he ordered. The odd impulse to speak the truth gripped me. His warm breath tickled the back of my neck and i resisted the urge to jerk away from him.

Emris growled in distaste, his hand dropping to his side quickly.

"M-my Uncle, Your Majesty."

I wqtxhed him turn, nodding to the two guards and Niko before leaving the room.

Hali leaned away as she spoke. "We should gather your things now, Princess.”

Two guards appeared behind Emris and looked at me, waiting for me to move. Only I couldn't move my legs. My feet were frozen and I couldn't feel my body. Fear flooded through me when Emris, having realized I wasn't following him, turned back to face me.

"Come now, Princess ," he said impatiently. "We have places to be."

I shook my head and looked back at Faius. "What will happen to him?" I asked.

Emris sighed and turned to look at Faius. "What was his crime?" he mused. "Touching the Princess, was it?"

I watched as Emris drew his sword and Niko pushed Faius forward, holding his wrist out and forward.

"No!" Faius protested.

I turned away when Emris swung his sword, the sound of crunching bone, tearing flesh and screams filled the small cabin.

"Come now, Princess ."

I turned and followed Emris out of the Cabin and down the hallway leaving Faius to scream and clutch over his now severd hand. He was extremely tall, his staff thumped on the floor as he walked. Once on deck , I realize that Emris had come with his own ship. The massive ship was pulled up next to, tethered and anchored to ours. I swallowed back a surprised gasp as the cold hit my face, biting at my skin.

He just walked up the small board that connected our ship to his. I had been able to replace my voice to ask any questions. So I just followed, hesitantly. I wobbled a little as I crossed over onto the other ship and stepped down into the fine polished wooden floor of larger ship. This ship was meant for speed. It was huge. Niko bowed his head at me once he had joined us on deck. "Welcome aboard Stilla Mae- The Bloody Mae. The fastest ship in the three seas."

I watched as Emris, immediately surrounded by people, most notably a girl with long hair and dressed in a rather informal dress, showing off to much cleavage for my taste. I watched as she rubbed her arms against his as he passed her, a small smirk on his face.

"You should return below deck, Princess." Emris, even surrounded by people, held my gaze from across the deck of the ship. I tired to swallow lump in my throat.

"The Prince does not wish for you to catch a cold." Niko told me.

I sighed and turned to follow Hali and Niko down the hall. The ship groaned and rumbled around me and then the rocking and dipping up and down rocked the ship as we cast off into high waters. This ship was much bigger then the one before.

I turned to look at Niko. "Where are we?" I asked him.

"About an hour outside of Negera ," he told me. "Prince Emris has a room ready for you to stay in until we dock in Greywood to visit Greystone Temple."

I shook my head. "We don't have religion in the South-"

Niko nodded. "A fact the Prince is well aware of. He has already declared you are to convert to the ways of the Goddess."

Of course I already knew this and had been studying the Ways of the Goddess since I met Emris the first time. "Prince Emris would like you to join him for dinner tonight.

"So I am correct in assuming there will be some kind of ritual?"

Niko nodded again. "Indeed. Prince Emris has instructed you to be readied at the temple. Your wedding will take place in a week.-"

I felt my heart drop. "So soon?" I gasped. My heart sank. I knew it was going to happen but I didn't think it spiked be as soon as next week.

"The Prince wishes to wast no time." I watched as Niko pulled on a heavy riding cloak. There was definitely no going back now. If there had been any opportunity for me to get away, I had missed it. "We have a long way to go, so whenever you are ready, Princess."

I glanced around. "What?"

Niko raised an eyebrow now and leaned in so only I could hear him.

"You are in command of this ship, Princess,"he told me in a low voice. "They await your orders."

I looked around the deck of the ship and then back at Emris, but he had vanished into a cabin.

"Me?" I demanded.

Niko looked around at the crew. "They answer to you now."

Goosebumps rippled over my skin and I turned to look at Emris who was standing behind me. "You are royalty now. Learn to command them."

I chewed my lips, blood burning my face as I shook my head. Niko sighed and waved the crew. "Dorrak!"

I wasn't at all sure what was going to happen once we reached the Temple. Emris had hardly spoken to me. He was not at all what i thought he would be. Or what I remembered. I know he had herd Faius say what I was. I just wondered how long it would take Emris to kill me.