Trial One~Time316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaK3zfDROP0
"If there's one thing I hate, it's arrogant assholes like you. What makes you so sure I won't slit your throat right here?"
Sin laughed against the touch of the cold blade at his neck."Go ahead then. Slit my throat." His smug grin only served to annoy her further.
She knew she couldn't kill him. Not only was incurring the Devil Queen's wrath highly undesirable but if he were to die here, a war between Solaria and Antalya would break out, meaning trouble in her waters. If Illya didn't kill her first, she would definitely die getting caught in the crossfire.
She sneered and pressed the dagger further into his neck, drawing the slightest bit of blood. "What do you want with us?"
"Well, mom seems to have taken an interest in you. So you must not be all that bad. She wants to meet you. I'm going to take you to her," he stated matter of factly.
She scoffed. "So you're just running an errand for mum then? How pathetic."
"I'm sure you know that as Queen she has important things to attend to. Unfortunately, she didn't see your little circus act as something important enough to put her duties on hold for and make a trip out here herself." His smiled widened devilishly as he viciously tore at her pride, enjoying the reactions it earned him.
"My crew is not a circus act! We're the strongest pirate crew in these waters. I bet a pretty boy like you wouldn't last a day through the shit a real pirate goes through."
He scoffed. "Oh please. My parents come from the most powerful pirate crew in the world and you want to lecture me on what a real pirate is? Believe me, I know what it's like."
This seemed to pique her interest somewhat and her grip weakened ever so slightly.
"Now if you don't mind..." He gestured down with his head, careful not to cut himself with the blade.
She glanced down at their position.
"I mean you don't have to get off if you don't want to but I'd prefer it if you got rid of the dagger. It'd just get in the way." He teased as he snaked his free arm around her waist. She tightened her grip on the dagger once again.
"If you don't want to lose your head. Get your hand off of me."
He pouted and pulled her closer. She flinched at the sudden action and he took her momentary lapse of assertion to place a short and sweet kiss on her forehead. She froze, her whole body tensing up. Sin looked back at her with a satisfied grin. Pure annoyance painted her face as she drove her knee into his crotch. He threw her off instantaneously and curled onto the bed, writhing in pain.
"Ugh fuck! Y'know...you may want that...ugh...part of me to work if we're-"
"Don't flatter yourself. I'll cooperate for now. Give me any reason to think you'll harm myself or my crew and your head will fly."
She pushed herself off the bed and went back onto the deck. She agreed too quickly. The underlying motive in her voice was evident but expected. Sin rolled himself off of the bed and gathered himself before hobbling out after her.
•~•~•~•~•~•
"She ended up getting me drunk and I passed out just before she attacked your ship. Old habits die hard I guess." He said with a laugh as he finished explaining.
Ea groaned. "I should have known mother was behind this."
"Hey, we found the Priestess and got a hot pirate babe to bring home just in time for our birthday. I'd say this little excursion was very eventful. We've both found something, Ri-is must have as well. Can't be the only one to come back empty handed."
Ea folded his hands. "I suppose so."
•~•~•~•~•~•
Illya stretched as she let herself relax into her bath. The soothing warmth of the water enveloped her sylphlike frame but did nothing to calm her mind.
She leaned against her hand in an idle daze, her mind constantly drifting back to the "message" Tobi brought to her.
"The demon from the horned statue huh..."
Her hushed voice trailed off as did her mind as memories of her first encounter with the demon resurfaced in her head. She had first met him whilst exploring the ruins of Aruma An. He was a rather sly fellow, he was a businessman after all. His sweet words and charming humour was seemingly harmless but the ulterior tone his voice took did not go unnoticed.
Her suspicions were confirmed when he revealed that he was once a powerful demon who was proficient in dealing in life and death. Illya's mother was the one who sealed him away in the statue because she didn't agree with his methods and he had been threatening Salem's kingdom by stealing its citizens. He seemed to recognize Illya as her daughter and offered her a deal. For a single drop of her blood, he would give her whatever she wanted.
When she refused he simply laughed and assured her that he would be there if she ever were to change her mind. She never did. In fact, despite being known for her less than desirable company, even she found the demon to be unnervingly suspicious. At first, she believed him to be the rumoured God of the extinct Ahsik people but there seemed to be more to him than just that, so she couldn't be sure.
Illya closed her eyes and let Tobi's message run through her head, over and over again.
"Goddess Henaer..."
As the words left her lips she felt her mind go blank, her irises turning that distinctive golden-purple colour again. They reflected the golden hue of the sparkling water in the bath, illuminating her features. She blinked slowly. When she opened her eyes again, she no longer saw the dazzling construct of her bath but rather a foreboding moon that rose above the capital. The feeling it warranted was unmistakable, clearly a moon of Henaer. Her blood ran cold as a rush of blue mist enveloped the capital. Cryptic symbols overran the streets and waters and emitted a glowing pulse as it veined itself through the land. As the sun set the sky became broken, revealing parts of Henaer's void.
".....ya...."
A voice called out. It was distant but it clearly held an amused tone. One you'd find in someone about to utter the words "I told you so."
"Illya....."
It was closer this time. Too close. It sounded as if it were right in her ear. She instinctively wanted to turn around but her body refused to move and something told her it wasn't a very wise idea to do so anyways.
"I'll see you soon little raven."
A woman's voice echoed in her head. Almost as if it were beckoning her to the depths. The voice soon turned into nothing more than white noise in the back of her mind and she watched the sky slowly lose it's sunset. As the moon took to the sky, a resounding dread filled the air and Illya could feel it rising in her chest, making her feel unbearably nauseated and short of breath.
"Illya..."
The worried sound of Seibel's voice brought her out of her trance. She blinked again, her eyes regaining their ruby glow.
"Another vision?" He asked, readying her robe.
She brought her hand to her face and covered her eyes. She hung her head and gently massaged it. Despite the steamy water, her body was covered in goosebumps, hairs raised right up.
"Yeah...looks like the capital really is being targeted. Not by Sana though..." A shiver tremored through her.
Darkness was fast approaching. She knew she had to act before she ran out of time. She pulled herself out of the bath and Seibel draped the robe over her.
"What do you want to do?"
She ran a hand through her pale, wet locks. "Well we know for sure Sana is planning to confront us. Our plan to lure him to the southeastern islands is still a go. However, the safety of the capital is now our first priority. I have a feeling we can use Mr.Spy to keep an eye on King Jackass. For now we'll wait and see which way the shi takes us."
"Understood my lady. Now perhaps you should hurry and change. I'd hate for you to catch a cold."
Illya scoffed. "Oh do spare me your make-believe concern. We both know all you'll do is complain about all the work you'll have to do and don't think I haven't forgotten about the time you tried to kill me in my sleep!"
"You jest my lady. I wouldn't dare dream of doing such a thing." He flashed her a mocking smile.
She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "...ugh. Demons."
Illya shot her hand out, catching him off guard. He teetered on the edge of the bath, trying desperately to regain his balance. With a "gentle" nudge from Illya's elbow, he was sent plundering into the water. She giggled, thoroughly pleased with his vexed expression.
"Mother!" Illya turned around to see Ri-is skipping up the mountain steps to where she was.
"Ri-is! You're back!"
"Yes. I had planned to leave two days earlier but um...well the harsh climate wasn't very kind to the troops. We had to wait until they were better."
"What? What happened to them?"
"I got lost in a blizzard and they ended up searching in the snowy mountains for me instead of going back. They said they were worried and couldn't just leave me there."
"...I'm guessing you found something then?"
"I did. She's waiting in the throne room with everyone else. Ein said you wanted to have a meeting?"
"She? You were never one to talk to women. Much less whisk them away!" Illya chimed excitedly, bypassing his question entirely.
"It's...It's not like that mother! Please Just get dressed and come down. I ran into Sin and Ea at the docks. They uh...had a successful trip too."
Illya's eyes lit up, the excitement evident in her mischievous expression.
"Alright. I'll be there in a bit!"
Ri-is nodded and headed back down the stairs. Illya spun around and made a mad dash up the stairs on the opposite end of the baths. In the process she managed to knock Seibel, who had just gotten out, back into the water.
"Get up Seibel! Bring me my party outfit! We've got guests!"
He huffed as he pulled himself out of the bath for a second time. Drenched and annoyed, he followed her up the stairs, all the while muttering complaints that Illya laughed at and brushed aside.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRYoy8s2it
