Chapter Text
In the earliest time of the night, right before the sun set, a hooded figure pulled itself from the ocean depths and onto dry land. The dark cloth shielded the troll from the searing rays of the departing sun that would normally burn the flesh off of any unfortunate soul that wasn’t a jade blood. Light on her feet, the hooded figure was careful to not draw too much attention as she rushed through the oceanside town, in search of someplace to hide. She could feel the eyes of the Empress upon her, searching for her to bring her to an unfortunate and bloody demise.
Honestly, it was a miracle she was alive now. Most defective trolls and tyrian blooded sea dwellers would be killed as small wrigglers. Barely able to walk on their new legs after molting from their infantile grub bodies, they never stood a chance. Yet somehow, she managed to escape the cold hand of death from just being herself and wandering off instead of following the elders orders to congregate in the throne room. The screams and wails of pure agony is still fresh in her mind today, haunting her dreams. Everyday she is aware she is living on borrowed time. Any second could be her last, especially now since she has gotten older. The color in her fins and in her eyes are unmistakably tyrian. Just one look from anyone loyal to the crown would spell her doom.
Luckily, during her travels she had managed to get her hands on a pair of goggles that completely hid the color of her eyes from any troll, instead reflecting their own image back at them. Her five fingered discount ensured she got away with them without raising any alarms. Thieving was her saving grace over the years that was carefully perfected with daily practice. Once couldn’t only live on meat and fish, especially with blood like hers. Any wound, no matter how small, was like a beacon of death. Any cut or scrape was bandaged immediately and efficiently with any stolen bandages she could get her hands on.
Recently she discovered the miracle of dyes. Yes, they were normally used in hair by highblood to boast their high status to the lowbloods, yet she found another use for them. Applying violet to her earfins, they would temporarily take on the appearance of the general sea dweller population, masking her empress worthy color for a lesser, yet still royal blood. Unfortunately it only lasted for a few weeks at a time before it wore off, plus the formula made her fins itch like crazy for the first few hours after application. Though that was the price she had to pay for survival.
Much to her horror, the empress has become aware of her survival somehow. Posters seemed to line the streets with promise of a large reward for locating this ‘mysterious’ tyrian that somehow avoided death greeted her at every turn. Maybe she just wasn’t careful enough or maybe during those early twilight hours a jade blood peered out from their caves and saw her true color when everyone was supposed to be asleep. She didn’t know or care, all she knew was that she needed protection and fast.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw it. A towering, intricately detailed ship with a pirate flag fluttering proudly in the sky. As soon as she saw it, an idea started to brew as she slunk around the closed down shops, glancing into the windows for any items that could be useful for her travels. What if she joined this pirate crew? She would always be at sea, plus she would be moving around a lot in a protected vessel, safe from prying imperial eyes. Sure, pirates weren’t the most trustworthy bunch, but they avoided the royal guard just as much as she did. No doubt their own crimes would deter them from the reward. At least that was what she was counting on if she were ever discovered.
After picking the locks of six separate businesses swiping bandages,thread, needles, dyes, food and even a little gold, Meenah headed to the docked ship. Who knows, maybe luck will continue to be on her side.