Daenerys sat outside a beautiful sea side manse, the delicate clink of her porcelain cup accompanying the soft murmur of the morning. The scent of spiced tea mingled with the sweetness of freshly baked pastries spread before her. Nearby, her brother Viserys trained with his sword, each swing precise. Everything was perfect.
Then, a sudden scream shattered the calm. It tore through the morning air, raw and full of dread.
Viserys halted mid-strike. "I need to see what that was," he said, his tone determined.
"No! Please, don't go!" Daenerys begged, clutching at his sleeve.
But he was already moving, steps quick and sure. She ran after him, fear burning in her chest.
When she reached the source of the scream, there was nothing but silence—and then the terrible sight of her brother, collapsed and lifeless, blood staining the ground beneath him.
Daenerys jolted awake, sweat plastered to her skin, lungs grasping for air. The cramped cabin walls closed around her. For a moment, she fought to distinguish dream from reality. Pinching herself hard. She was awake this time, it wasn't a dream.
Sleep had eluded her. The weight of recent events clung to her mind, an ever-present nightmare.
Her thoughts interrupted by a soft knock at her door.
"Who is it?" she called cautiously from behind the door.
"Uh, Jin?" came a hesitant young voice.
"What do you want?" she demanded, suspicion tightening her tone.
"The captain wants everyone on the main deck," Jin said.
Daenerys's gaze slid toward the small window, the dim lamplight catching the guarded look in her own reflection. Looking past it to the dark, fog-laden sea beyond. It can't be true, she thought.
She had no intention of being lured anywhere on a stranger's whim. If this Jin or anyone else thought to corner her, she'd make it clear she wasn't without protection. Mentioning the captain might be enough to keep unwanted hands at bay.
"If he wants me," she said, voice steady, "he can come himself."
The door remained locked, and she sank back onto the bed.
On the main deck, nearly thirty pirates gathered, their armbands marked with the open jaws of a shark. Captain Elric stood tall by the ship's helm, his voice carrying over the crowd.
"Good day, mates! Yesterday's plunder was grand, but today I have an exciting announcement!"
His eyes scanned the crowd, searching—
and missing a certain silver-haired girl.
Leaping down, he pulled Cyril close. Quietly, he asked, "Where's the girl?"
"I sent Jin to fetch her," Cyril replied.
Elric's gaze fixed on Jin, a young man with dark brown skin, sharp green eyes, and weathered clothes. Jin stood apart, alone and calm.
Elric approached him.
"Where's the girl?" he asked again.
Jin's voice was flat. "I told her, but she said if you wanted her, you'd have to go yourself."
Elric's jaw tightened. "Is that so..." he muttered, patting Jin on the back before walking off.
"I'll be right back, boys!" he called, his tone sharp with annoyance.
Rey sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Today's going to be one of those days."
Daenerys lay on her bed, the sound of waves lulling her toward sleep, hoping to get some sleep without nightmares.
A knock shattered the quiet. "Who is it?" she called, irritated.
"It's me," came the unmistakable voice of Elric.
Panic surged like a cold tide. Had she misjudged Jin? Had the captain truly come himself? Her breath quickened. In her mind, the past uncoiled, Viserys's voice, sharp as a whip, his hand striking without warning, the sting on her cheek, the humiliation of lowering her eyes while his shadow loomed over her. Disobedience, even imagined, had always carried a price.
Her fingers, slightly trembling, worked the latch.
Elric filled the doorway, tall, imposing, his gaze fixed on her. To her eyes, it was the same look Viserys wore before the blow.
She lowered her head instantly, shoulders curling inward, bracing for what she thought might come.
"Why didn't you come when Jin told you I called everyone to the main deck?" His voice was low and controlled, but her mind dressed it in the memory of her brother's fury.
"I… I didn't think it was real," she whispered, the words almost a plea.
Silence pressed in heavily.
When Elric raised his hand, only to rake it back through his hair she flinched before she could stop herself, heart hammering. To her, that upward movement was the cruel gesture she had seen too many times before. But Elric's eyes held no malice, only a flicker of curiosity at her reaction, as though he'd just glimpsed a truth she wished to keep hidden.
But the blow never fell. Instead, he tugged gently at her ear.
Well, it was real," he said. "Now come on everyone's waiting."
Her eyes widened in shock.
"You didn't hit me..." she breathed.
"What?" He grunted, oblivious.
"Nothing," she said quickly, falling in behind him.
---
Elric returned to the deck, Daenerys close behind him, only to find the space almost deserted. The scattered remnants of the crew had melted away like morning mist.
The only figure left was Rey, leaning against the railing with arms crossed, eyes fixed on the gray expanse of sea stretching before them.
"Where's everyone gone?" Elric asked, his gaze sweeping the empty deck.
"Back to bed," Rey replied, his tone dry but tinged with a faint amusement.
Elric frowned, running a hand through his silver-gold hair. "What?" He sighed, the irritation clear in his voice. "Why's everyone so impatient?"
Rey shrugged, a hint of frustration creeping in. "Maybe next time you should make sure the person your announcement is about is actually present before dragging the entire crew up here."
"Well, whatever," Elric muttered, then nudged Daenerys forward, placing her squarely in front of Rey.
"This here is Rey," Elric said, nodding toward the broad-shouldered blond man. "First mate of this crew."
Daenerys dipped her head respectfully. "Pleasure to meet you."
Elric smirked, eyes flicking between them. "We'll work on that later."
Rey offered a curt smile before turning his attention back to Elric. "So what was this big announcement, then?"
Daenerys studied Rey carefully. He was the image of a pirate, dangerous, weathered by years at sea. Elric, too, matched the appearance, but there was something different about him. His danger was colder, more deliberate, sharper in a way that unsettled her.
Elric's voice softened, carrying a charm that made Daenerys's cheeks warm. "It was to introduce Dany, my woman and newest addition to the crew."
Heat rose in her face at the first part of the declaration, but it was the second that truly caught her off guard.
Before she could speak, Rey grabbed Elric's shoulder, his voice rising in disbelief. "What!? Introducing her as your woman, sure I get that, but new crew member?!"
Elric shrugged with casual ease. "Can't have her just standing around, waiting in my quarters."
Neither Rey nor Daenerys had a ready response. Elric's point was fair enough: if she was to remain on this ship, she needed to preoccupy herself with something.
"I was going to send her to work with Ol' Vakar," Elric added, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "The old man could use some help."
Rey scratched his chin thoughtfully. "That could work. Vakar's a grump, but the work is tedious and relatively safe. She wouldn't be in any immediate danger."
Elric's decision was final. "That settles it, then. She'll be working with the old man."
Wide-eyed, Daenerys looked between the two men. "What's happening?"
"Welcome to the crew," Rey said waving her goodbye, as Elric reached out pulling her down the stairs toward the lower deck.
The lower hold was heavy with the scent of salt and timber, crates and barrels piled high from their latest plunder. There, among the clutter, stood Vakar—a short, dark-skinned man with a face creased by years at sea and sharp eyes that missed nothing.
Vakar wasted no time. He launched into a string of grumbles and insults aimed squarely at Elric, who only laughed, clearly accustomed to the old man's cantankerous nature.
Elric introduced them briskly. "This is Vakar. He's in charge of logistics and our navigator. You'll be helping him from now on."
Then, with a grin, he added, "Old man, take care of her. She's my woman." And with that, Elric turned and left them alone.
Vakar's sharp gaze settled on Daenerys. "What god's temple did you defile to end up with that jackass?"
Startled, Daenerys hastened to answer, "I would never do anything like that!"
Vakar snorted, flat and dry. "Jest, girl."
He rummaged through a nearby chest and threw a bundle of folded clothes toward her.
"Change into these," he said. "It's been a long time since there's been a woman aboard, so you'll have to make do."
She caught the garments holding them to her chest: A white linen shirt, black trousers, brown boots and a white sash. Everything worn but clean.
Vakar returned to his ledger, quill in hand. "When you're done, come find me in the ship's vault."
Left alone, Daenerys stared down at the clothes in her hands. They smelled faintly of salt and smoke but were neatly folded. Her fingers lingered on the silk of her dress, a gift from her brother, the last remaining symbol of her past life.
But everything had changed. If she was to survive here, she would have to change, too.