My left hand grabbed onto the handle of my sword. “Gentlemen!” I shouted without turning around. I heard them all stand up without fear. “Stand ready! Don’t be afraid! Show them the warriors of Western Wind!” As I declared preparations for my men, I heard them pull out their swords.  

I turned to my mother. “Mother?”  

She looked back at me, now showing a hint of her on her face.  

“You made a deal with me. Once your purpose has been served, do what we agreed upon,” I reminded.  

She held onto my arm, “I will, my son.”  

“Guards,” I called out to the group of guards standing beside Mother and her ladies. They rushed towards me, bowing. “Her Majesty will have a special purpose in this battle. Once she’s done her purpose, you must take her and her ladies to their room as soon as possible.” I continued, “Once we’ve clashed with the pirates, put them all in the evacuation shoots with at least three guards with them. Protect them with your life.”  

“Yes, Your Highness,” they backed away and returned to their fighting stance.  

As we continued to come closer and closer to the blockade, I noticed that some of them couldn’t wait any longer and launched out small boats to board us immediately.  

“Your Highness?” the captain called my attention.  

Without warning, I pulled out my sword which made everyone on board grab their swords as well.  

I looked at Mother and she turned to me as well. I gave her a nod and she walked forward, two guards standing near her.  

“Gentlemen,” I started. “It’s time.”  

As soon as Mother began summoning the creatures from down below, I shouted, “Cannons!”  

The captain stomped his foot twice. I could hear the sailors roll the cannons on the deck and the cannons below are also being launched.  

Mother stopped her calling to the creatures and stepped back. Our ship suddenly stopped. Everything came to a halt and silence came upon all of us.  

Then, I heard a faint sound from under the ship. It was humongous, a sound that only something of gigantic size will make.  

“Your Highness, what was that?” the captain was quick to ask.  

I could hear the men behind me starting to panic.  

“Fear not, gentlemen,” I remarked, turning to them with a smirk. “Our reinforcements are here.”  

They all looked at me, baffled as to why I said reinforcements. Without warning, the giant sea creature rose from under the waves. Its shade of blue was glowing with tiny crystal-like matters all over its body. It was followed by five more of them and they started to move forward ahead of us.  

I watched as the pirates on the small boats started rowing back to their ships. Some of the men on the boats started shooting at the creatures. The creatures would whine in response and dive back down to the water. A few seconds later, those who were shot rose again and carried the boats in their mouths, shutting them close.

The men behind me began to cheer at the sight of that. It somehow gave the men some kind of hope that we’ll be able to win this.  

The captain looked at the scene with disbelief, “What are those? How did they get here? Why are they fighting the pirates?”  

“Mother introduced these sea creatures to me this morning,” I started my explanation. “As long as we don’t hit them or harm them, they will not harm us.” I turned to the sailors, “One of you, inform the people under the deck not to hit these creatures. They’re on our side.” Two of them gave a quick salute and ran down to the deck.  

Our ship began to move again and more creatures started to appear. Those playful fish this morning? They were aiding the big ones, impaling some of the pirates’ ships with their horns. Everyone on deck stood their ground in case some of the pirates got away.  

“Mother, you have to go now,” I turned to Mother, keeping this conversation between the both of us.  

“But, child, there’s no imminent danger. The creatures are fighting for us,” she reasoned against me.  

“I will not risk your life, Mother. Please go back inside now.” I turned to the guards and her ladies, “Go to your room and never open for anyone.” I pointed to the guards, “The three of you, stand before the door. Never let anyone in unless it’s me.”  

They nodded and started assisting Mother and her ladies back to their respective room. Most of the danger is indeed taken away by these creatures but I will not let any confidence get the best of me. I still need to be cautious.  

I resumed my attention to the front and a few more feet, we’re about to clash with the ships. There are still ships that are afloat and there are pirates that are just waiting for the clash. 

“Release the spikes!” the captain shouted. The sailors began to move as quickly as possible.  

As our ship started to get nearer and nearer, I shouted, “Brace yourselves! Raise your swords for the king of Western Wind!”  

“YAAH!” The men shouted in unison behind me.

Some of the guards suddenly stood in front of me, protecting me from the first line of pirates that would jump on board.  

My grip on my sword tightened as the seconds started to count down.  

3….  

2….  

1…  

And our ship clashed with the ships in front of us. As the ships collided, pirates jumped on the deck, starting the battle.  

The captain dragged me to the back of the line to let the fighters take the first blow. We started pushing through the blockade with the help of the sea creatures. But as our ship passed through their blockade, more pirates jumped from the side.  

Here we go. I thought to myself.  

A few more men encircled me and the captain, putting us in the middle. A pirate began running towards me, his sword ready to pierce one’s body. I pushed the captain away, preventing him from being pierced through. I countered his attack, defending myself by pushing his sword with mine. He attacked once more and we began to clash our swords with one another. And as I got an opportunity, I kicked him away, letting the other guards take care of him.  

I turned around and I saw the captain being overpowered. I rushed over to his side, impaling one of the pirated from behind and kicking the pirates that were coming from both sides. I pulled the captain from the corner he was on and we stood back to back, protecting each other.  

“Your Highness?!” he shouted as we fought with a few more pirates.  

“Yes, captain?!”  

“Go to your mother! I’ll take care of the deck!” he continued, finishing off more and more pirates for me.  

“What about you?!”

“Don’t mind me! Your mother comes first!” he grunted, kicking a pirate off the ship.  

“Guards, follow me! The rest of you, make sure the captain is unharmed!” With a group of seven guards, I rushed inside, hoping that Mother and her ladies are safe.  

Rushing to the cabins, we were met by pirates who were already inside. The guards finished them off for me as we continued to move forward, heading towards my mother’s cabin.  

♔♔♔  

When we arrived, the door was already open and the guards were dead, lying down in a pool of blood. As I barged into the room and the first thing that caught my sight was my mother, a knife pointed to her throat. The pirate was gripping her hair back, giving the knife a clean path to slice through.

The ladies were cornered with multiple pirates. All of them were suppressing their cries, fearing that if they made more sound, the swords in front of them would enter their bodies.  

I cautiously made my way into the cabin with the guards, keeping my gaze at my mother. 

“Let my mother go.”  

“Uh-uh, young prince. That’s not how we do business here in the Sea of Gliss,” he tightened his grip on my mother, putting the knife closer to her throat. “I thought this was just an ordinary ship but what a surprise! We have two monarchs on board!” he cackled.  

I continued to look at Mother, trying my best not to panic about the current situation. She wasn’t crying. Her face is emotionless right now. She stood quiet but still looking straight into my eyes.  

“And the best part about this is we have the queen and the next heir to the kingdom of Western Wind,” he continued with a sly smile. “This is the luckiest and unluckiest ship we’ve ever raided!” he remarked, raising his hand into the air. “Oh, but you,” he pointed at me using the knife. “You had to ruin everything… just like your father.”  

My brows furrowed, my eyes widened. Does he know my father? And if he truly does, how?  

“You think I don’t know him, don’t you?” he grinned his evil smile. “What made it easy for me to know is because of this lovely woman right here,” he turned back to my mother, moving his face to her ear. “Your mother is such a beauty and we would’ve taken her captive if your father didn’t meddle with our business and saved her!”  

His screams frightened the ladies, making their cries and moans heard even louder.  

“Shut them up!” he shouted at his men, irritated with the ladies’ noise.  

“Calm yourself, good sir. No one needs to get hurt here,” I quickly responded, putting my free hand in front of me. “You don’t need to harm anyone in this room.”

“Oh, really?” he chuckled. “And why would I do that… when the price,” he suddenly swiped the knife a few inches away from my mother’s neck, “Is too good to let go? Imagine the glory this would bring me? As king, shouldn’t you be concerned about the needs of your subjects?”  

I continued to keep my composure. But I know that I need to move fast and get Mother and her household away from this situation. I can’t make a wrong decision now. I can’t lose Mother in this battle. I need to be smart, at the very least. “What is it that you want?” I enquired.  

“What I want?” he repeated, pointing the knife to himself.  

“Yes. If it’s gold, treasure, or anything else that you can find profitable in this ship, take it. Just don’t hurt my mother,” I bargained.  

“And why should I agree with your plight? For all I know, you’ll just take me in as a trophy and have your father cut off my head in your kingdom,” he replied. “Is that what your family wants? For our heads to be displayed on the walls of your castle?!”  

“Of course not, good sir!” I quickly answered. “But what you’re doing won’t solve anything. I’m willing to give everything to you in exchange for my mother’s safety.”  

“Anything?” he raised an eyebrow, smirking.  

“Yes, anything.”  

He pulled his hand away from my mother’s neck. “Put your sword on the ground.”  

I hesitated, looking at my mother. She shook her head, telling me not to.  

“Put your sword down or your mother’s head will be the one lying on the floor,” he threatened.  

“Of course,” I spoke quietly. “It’s all right, Mother. Everything’s going to be fine,” I reassured her, never taking my gaze off of her. My sword made a loud thud as it hit the wooden floor. I kept my eyes on the pirate and his grip on Mother.

“Now, tell your guards to leave the room,” he pointed at the guards behind me. My guards were about to step forward when the pirate shouted, “Try to take another step and your queen will be no more!” He returned the knife next to her neck, making some of the ladies squeal. They were hit by a pirate, causing them to fall to the ground.