Chapter Text
The salty sea breeze grazed the princess' cheek as Cassie slid off of her pegasus and onto the wooden streets of Trinity's harbor district. While she fed the long-legged stallion an apple, Robur hopped off his mount and breathed in the ocean air. He'd been coming with her on these excursions ever since she was a child–when her father was too busy with political matters or off negotiating–and recently decided to take Cassie on a grand tour of Trinity to familiarize her with all the districts and their peoples.
These three day’s destination was Sapphire, a vibrant harbor village with stunning views of the ocean, beautiful sandy beaches, and what some would say was the best seafood in all of Robloxia.
And Cassie hated it.
Well, she didn't have anything against Sapphire itself, the princess knew how important the town was to Trinity's culture and dwindling sea trade and whatnot. She just hated the water. No, not hated–was terrified of the water. Which happened to be about 94% of Sapphire.
Suffice to say the heiress had been dreading this trip in particular.
Robur patted his ward on the back as she swayed, somehow already seasick.
"My apologies, Princess Cassie, but it will be beneficial for you and the people if they get a chance to connect with their future ruler. I promise that as soon as we're done here, we can go visit Aun- I mean, High Scholar Azuri in Astral Isles," Robur reassured, noting her condition.
The Astral Isles were her favorite part of Trinity, where she could feel the pulse of magic in every structure and gaze at the violet skies for hours. The thought of stargazing made her head spin a little bit less, and she croaked out a response.
"No...i-it's fine, H-high Councilman... I-I should do this...f-for the future of Trinity."
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see curious spectators, drawn by the arrival of pegasi brandishing the royal crest. Cassie righted herself, trying to look strong for what would be her subjects one day. She prayed it was working. "And I...n-need to get over this little...weakness eventually, no?"
"Princess, it's perfectly fine if you're a little nauseous because of the sea."
She waved a hand at him. "N-no, really I'm- urk- fine. I'm great, in fact! Could we just- go to the inn n-now, please? And besides, the sooner we get settled the faster I can start meeting the- meeting the townspeople..!” The princess tried her best to emulate her father's easy confidence and humor. The thought of him really made her wish he were here right now instead of off on another political trip.
Cassie looked at Robur to see if her excuse had eased any of his concern.
...
...Yeah she wasn't fooling anybody.
The High Councilman sighed. "Very well. While we're here, I may as well tell you about Sapphire to pass the time. Back in the days before Trinity..." He began droning on about the town's history, sparing no detail.
Cassie tried her best to listen, she really did, but the taste of salt in the air made her thoughts wander.
She had no idea where her fear of the ocean even came from, but if she had to guess, it would be the sheer vastness of it all.
The skies were always the same–every morning the sun rose, and every night the stars reigned. Sure, they were also extensive, but they were certain.
The land was an anchor, so lush with life and vibrancy it was easier to be in awe than afraid.
But, the ocean...it was a different story for the princess. Having been in central Trinity for nearly all her life, she never really had any encounters with the sea until she was older. By then however, her imagination (plus Robur and Azuri's little lessons on every terrifying creature lurking in the deep), had made the ocean all the more nauseating. Nothing but blue in all directions, the emptiness of space on Earth. Lonely and isolated, but never actually alone...because you never truly knew what lay beneath the surface of the water.
It was vast.
It was suffocating.
It was overwhelming.
She tore herself away from that train of thought, pulling herself to the present. When she landed back in reality, however, Robur had fallen silent and stopped dead in his tracks, instead wordlessly staring at the harbor.
"Robur? What's wrong? Why did we stop?" Cassie forced herself to look in the direction he was gazing–at the ocean–ignoring the pit in her stomach. Just at the edge of the docks, was a giant, beautiful ship. Even though most of the wood appeared burnt or broken (from some kind of battle, perhaps), she stood tall, her sails flowing proudly.
The vessel's magnificence almost made the heiress forget she was standing over the ocean at the moment. Almost.
Suddenly, without explanation, Robur broke away from Cassie, muttering a "stay here" under his breath. There was an underlying panic in his stride that sent a current down the princess' spine. Just what was going on?
Against her better judgment, Cassie followed the path the council member left behind, chasing him to where a crowd had gathered around the ship. As she cut through and got closer, she could see the flag above what she knew to be the crow's nest, boldly flying in the sea breeze.
Pirates.
The awe in her heart turned to fear, and she wished she had something other than the dagger concealed in her boot. Robur stood at the front of the crowd, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword. It seemed like the entire harbor held its breath as he craned his head up.
"By the order of the Trinity Council, state your name and your purpose in the harbor town of Sapphire or turn around and leave this port immediately!"
A few moments of silence.
Then, a female voice drifted down.
"That won't be necessary, High Councilman."
Two ropes were thrown off the side of the large vessel, startling the crowd and driving them back. Cassie and Robur were alone in the space left behind. She felt exposed (and was wishing for her father even more now), but tried her best to stand with the poise and confidence of a future queen. A sudden snap turned the princess' attention to the top of the rope, where two silhouettes took hold and slid down. Robur tensed.
When they finally landed, a young, calm woman and an older man--who was grinning of all things--stood before them, dressed head to toe in pirate attire. If they somehow weren't pirates, they still definitely looked the part. She glanced at Cassie, raising an eyebrow.
"...Not the leaving part, anyway." The two sides stared at each other for a couple, tense moments, watching for any threat of a battle.
Suddenly, the brown-haired woman dipped into a low bow. She nudged the man, who seemed a little confused, to do the same. He shrugged and bowed as well. Both Robur and Cassie were caught off guard by the show of civility, and the councilman relaxed ever so slightly. Though, it didn't manage to take the edge off his voice when he repeated himself.
"State your name and your business in Sapphire, or you will be asked to leave."
"...My apologies, High Councilman Robur, it must be extremely alarming for a ship flying a flag such as ours to arrive here." She looked at Cassie again. "'specially with the heiress to the throne in town, no?"
She was avoiding something.
The heiress in question ignored the woman's reply. "Answer, or we will-" Cassie paused, glancing at Robur. "...or we will use force."
Finally, before she could say anything more, the older man stepped forward, waving a hand at the woman. "Ah, Calypso, quit teasin' 'em! We've nothin' to hide! Ye say yer the High Councilman, eh? And the Princess 'erself? Aye, well I'll be! I never thought we'd meet royalty on our 'ere little trip!" He perked up.
"Aye! Where be my manners?! Ye can call me Captain Trotter, Scour-" He looked at his companion, who was shaking her head. "Er- just Cap'n Trotter's alright with me! And this is my trusty first mate, Calypso!"
Calypso nodded. "...Greetings."
"Ah, what ye be so stoic fer?"
"Cap'n, it's best to be formal when in the presence of royalty."
"Aye, but there be a difference 'tween coldness and formality, 'lass! Anyways," Trotter said, turning back to Robur, who had been waiting patiently with his hand still on his sword's hilt, "me crew and I just wanted to stop by befer quite the dangerous voyage we're 'bout to embark on! Ye see, we're on our way to the Robloxian desert!"
"The desert?" Robur inquired. "You're quite far from it."
"That's why we're hoping to dock here and stock up for a while. We've had a few...rough weeks on the seas," Calypso explained, finding no more reason to hide their intentions.
Cassie tilted her head. "Why not dock at Bizville or Shark Bay? They're more likely to accept...unregistered ships."
Calypso and Trotter grimaced. "Ye see, we ain't on the best terms with 'em."
"...And our 'rough weeks' had cannons."
"Oh."
Robur shook his head. "How can you prove yourselves trustworthy? We cannot let a potential threat take refuge in Trinity, or lure in any unwanted attention."
"I assure ye any ‘unwanted attention’ has been taken care of! Ye should've seen the other ship," the Captain boasted enthusiastically. Nobody could see Robur's expression, but they could all feel him raise an eyebrow. The pirate quickly realized his mistake and deflated.
"I-I mean ye can trust me and me crew. We promise we won't be any trouble, and I'm a cap'n who keeps 'is promises!"
The councilman still didn't look convinced, but Cassie was amused by the man’s enthusiasm. He tried one last time. "Aye, I'll tell ye what, High Councilman, I'll strike ye a deal. If me crew and I 'elp with the dock work 'ere in Sapphire and promise to behave ourselves, then we can form some kind of alliance! What do ye say?"
Robur sighed and considered the offer, muttering to himself. "...It would be beneficial to Trinity if we had extra help on the seas, but I'd have to consult the rest of the council if we were to form an official alliance. For now, you and your crew will be allowed to take refuge in Sapphire if you agree to avoid creating any problems for its residents. That is the best I can offer for now. Princess Cassie?"
"Wh- Huh?"
"What is your input?"
"It...sounds like a good deal to me."
Calypso and Captain Trotter looked at each other and nodded. "Then it's agreed,” the first mate said, bowing slightly.
Robur nodded and turned around to the crowd gathered behind them. "These pirates are to be treated with the hospitality of the Kingdom of Trinity. If there are any complications, the Princess and I will be available."
The people stayed for a few uneasy seconds before muttering an agreement and dispersing, returning to what they were doing before. Robur began walking away from the edge of the docks, back to where the inn was. Cassie lingered for a few moments more, and despite herself, admired the magnificent vessel. Calypso noticed.
"She's a beauty, ain't she?"
The princess nodded. Captain Trotter chuckled, grinning once again after the tense conversation. "Aye. Too bad she costs a fortune to maintain! Ye'd think a crew as broke as we are'd 'ave a simpl-"
"The princess doesn't need to know that, Captain."
"Eh? Why not? I said we've nothing to hide, no?" He waved a dismissive hand at his first mate. "Besides, it'd be unwise to lie! Especially to royalty." Captain Trotter turned to Cassie, bringing his voice lower. "The truth is 'lass, me and me crew are dirt poor right now. But, not fer long, ‘cause us pirates are off to seize a great treasure!”
“Oh?”
”…Say ‘lass, ‘ave ye ever ‘eard of the legend of the Temple of the Red Su-“
“Princess Cassie!”
Cassie looked over her shoulder at Robur, whose patience she’d guess was wearing thin. “A-Apologies, Captain. I hope you and your crew have a pleasant time in Sapphire. Farewell.”
The duo watched as the young princess hurried away, avoiding looking at the ground. Calypso turned to Trotter.
“Cap’n. You can’t be blubbering our plans to just about anyone we come across like that. We could be compromised.”
He sighed, turning to the horizon, where the sun was just beginning to set. The sky lit like a brilliant torch, painted a dozen shades of vermillion by the rays.
“...Or we’d get some help, Calypso.
The gods know we'll need it.”