Callyope is sitting on the delicate sea shell throne with a look of utterly boredom on her face. In a few days is the Ursula`s Annual ball, which means she should be choosing what colors should be used, reviewing the sitting chart, tasting the menu and all the duties that are expected from the queen.
Voldie, the royal butler, is speaking of such things, oblivious of her queen`s pout.
She finds herself wishing once more for Penelope`s presence at her side. Her sister, loved this things, and she had an exquisite taste which Callyope lacks. Well, Penelope , all of her was exquisite and delicate. Nothing of which Callyope is.
She looks at Tristan, and the bastard is smiling. He knows well, how much Callyope will prefer to be training at the range or better yet, in other more pleasant activities.
After all, the Stratego of Atlantis Forces, is a very handsome man, with muscles carved like he was one of the statues that decorate the royal hall, ebony skin and beautiful amber eyes. He is wearing the full regalia of his job and she replaces her self pity thoughts for how she will like to take those off, specially the button shirt, and isn`t that shirt to small for him?
"So what do you think, Highness? Lavender or lilac?" Voldie ask at her and she blinks at him.
But before it is obvious that she has been spacing out, the doors open, and there, one of the messengers comes in running, dirty and exhausted, kneeling in front of the queen with Tristan`s sword at his neck.
"Tristan" she warns, knowing the man`s actions are his natural reaction to any perceived threat to her.
Which is ridiculous, since she has her own dagger in her hand.
"I am sorry my queen, they told me to reach you as fast as possible" the messenger, barely a kid, speaks. His breathe is heavy and he is trembling, clearly he has been running a long way.
Tristan offers his hand to retrieve the letter the messenger is clutching in his hands, retiring his sword, but the messengers shakes his head.
"They told me to deliver it only to you Majesty...I..."
Callyope stands up and walks towards him. "It is ok kid. Raise" she offers him a hand, ignoring the glare Tristan is giving them both, since according to him, she is always to reckless when treating with commoners and that one day will get her kill.
The boy blushes and takes her hand and she pulls him up, receiving the letter in the process ,and smiles to the lad.
"Who sends this?"
"General Abzu" and her smiles melts away.
From the corner of her eye, she can see, Tristan has tensed up too. She forces the smile again to her face, thanks the lad and asks Voldie to guide the boy to get some sleep and food. The butler, noticing the tension, bows and obeys.
When they are alone, her face falls and Tristan is next to her in a breathe. She does not look at him, knowing he will recognize the fear in her eyes if she does, and maybe is nothing, maybe old Abzu is only asking for something, more man, more wine, a couple of woman, something like that.
"Callyope?" asks Tristan and takes the letter of her trembling fingers, after she seems to finish reading it.
"Princess: The shadow is gone. Little strife may be involved. Magic became too unstable and the prison broke. Neverland is no more and she is free. She is here, on the Lady Lovibond. My last action as Captain, is to warn you. I am sorry I could not help you more than this. May the Gods blessed you, dear Callyope.
Captain Abzu"
Before Tristan can ask anything, she turns around. She has steeled herself in the brief moment he was reading the letter, the trembling gone, the fear concealed behind a the carefully practiced mask that come not from being a queen, but a warrior.
"Callie?" Tristan calls her again, pulling her to him, knowing that look perfectly. Blue eyes, cold and detached, the warrior queen once more, and his heart shivers, it is exactly this that almost destroyed her once. And he fears nothing, except losing Callyope.
Her eyes soften for a second, at the intimate nickname he calls her, mostly to reassure him, but then it is gone, and with a slight push, looks at her Strategos, loyal, loving and deadly Tristan.
" Call the royal council, and call all the Pirate Kings that are still alive. Send messengers with the word that she is free and we should prepare"
"And the little strife?" Tristan asks, letting her go, getting in his role as well.
Callyope smiles with a bitterness he has not seen in her for years.
"I don`t have any doubt he is involved in all of this. Since when he is not involved in all the crap that happens around the realms? Go fast, dear General, I should go and visit Davey and the Fates"
Tristan nods and he is about to bow, when she grabs his face and kisses him, deeply and with all the love they have share through the centuries.
"I love you" he whispers as they break the kiss. She looks up at him, all Callie again, and nods. "I know"
Without turning back, Tristan leaves to do his queen`s bidding.
Callyope stares back as the door closes and wishes one more time, for she to able to tell him how much she loves him. But she has a duty and a mission, and maybe when this is over, she will be able to love him freely and be his wife. Considering they both survive this.
She uses the secret passages towards her quarters, the place where she is not just the Queen, but she can be Callyope, in the privacy of her home.
Not in mood or with the time to hear her waiting ladies gossip, she takes off her dress, loses the corset, takes of her crown, most of her jewels except for three.
The Royal Ring, symbol of her position which can become handy. The pendant she wears on her neck, a little silver sea shell, a gift from her loyal General . And her most precious jewel, a simple golden chain, stole for her by a little troublesome strife, when he was only four years old.
She dresses herself with her training clothes. Resistant black leather pants, and simple black camisole. She chooses a wool jacket, navy blue and sturdy boots, comfortable to walk and water resistant. She carefully and lovingly, takes each one of her knifes and conceals them in her clothes.
She stares at her reflection. The woman in front of her, has long black hair and bronze skin, with blue eyes, the same shade of all the royal family members of Atlantis. Her body, is curvy and strong, fit to fight and run.
There is only one thing that does not feel right , so she takes her dagger, and with a bold movement, cuts her long long black hair in half, and as it falls, and she can imagine the shrieks of her ladies when they found she cut her "precious" hair. Her hair is now shoulder`s length as it was before she became queen.
Then, she takes the true source of her power, the item that it is hers by right. A long, metal spear, that glows a soft blue when she touches it.
The Spear of the Seas, given to her by Pontus, himself.
She looks again at the reflection and smiles. There is the Callyope she knows, the Callyope she is.
She looks like an adventurer again. Like a pirate again, not a little princess.
Which is exactly what she needs to be if she wants to succeed.
With a last look at the mirror, she runs back to the passages, this time towards the town.
