The Pirate Empress

by K R Martin

  “I do.” Her voice rang clearly in the room.

  “Then kneel.” She did as she was told, kneeling on the cushion before him. “Do you solemnly swear to serve the crown to the best of your ability?”

  “I do.”

  “Do you swear to serve your people, to uphold justice and the laws of Retanny? Do you swear to wear the crown with integrity and honor, and vow to lead with kindness and goodness?”

  “I do so swear. I do so vow.” The words turned breathy as the reality sank in.

  The priest smiled, and music began again. Gone were the wedding marches. In its place, triumphant songs, heralding in new royalty. He held the crown before her, lifting it high. “Let all here bear witness. Today, Princess Desiree is no more. Instead I declare this day the birth of a new reign. I proclaim you Empress Desiree of Retanny!”

  The crown settled on her head, heavier than she anticipated, and softer, almost like it hugged her head in welcoming embrace. “Arise,” the man spoke softly.

  Desiree did as bid, standing and turning to face the crowd before her.

  “All hail Empress Desiree!” the shout came behind her.

  “All hail Empress Desiree!” the shout echoed loudly before her. Cheers followed along with applause, and focus filled with hope and joy. So many were looking at her to lead, to rule. Panic crept back in; she wasn’t ready. She couldn’t do this, not alone.

  Desiree’s gaze caught Fedor’s, so full of support and faith in her. He’d seen his sister rise at this age, and he looked at her as if he knew she could do it too. A thought jolted through her mind, and she opened her mouth before she could think it through.

  “Prince Fedor?” she called, effectively silencing those around her.

  “Your majesty?” he asked as he stepped closer.

  “Earlier, when you said that you wished to marry me, did you mean it?” her voice had lost its bravado, even wavering a little.

  “I meant every word of it.” he replied, though he seemed unsure too.

  “Well... umm... I am dressed for a wedding?”

  His eyes lit up as he stepped closer. “Are you sure?”

  “Would you be willing to be prince of Retanny? To help rule at my side?”

  “I would love... well...” he turned to where his sister sat.

  “I know you love her.” Vasilissa spoke. “You have my blessing.”

  Fedor lit up at those words, turning back to Desiree. “Then yes. I wish for nothing more than to marry you. Right here and now.”

  “It’s about time!” Will called, causing all to chuckle and Renee to elbow his side, only to have her wince from the effort, drawing his attention back to finishing binding the few wounds she received.

  In a flurry even swifter than before, the veil was placed back on her head, and Will draped the red cape onto Fedor’s shoulders.

  Surrounded by friends, the two pledged their love, reciting their vows with excitement; rather than the dread she first felt. And when they were pronounced man and wife, her heart skipped with excitement.

  Fedor pulled her into his arms, his lips seeking hers. His kiss was sweet, gentle, pouring love into her, love she responded to with equal passion, excited to know this was only the beginning.

  Chapter 56

  Renee couldn’t help but cheer with those around her. Desiree had finally found her own love, and shed the darkness of her past to embrace a brilliant future, filled not only with the love of a good man, but a new family. As a crown was placed atop Fedor’s head, new cheers filling the room, and revealing all the support the two would have in their reign.

  Darkness had been lifted, chased away by the light of hope and love, kindness and respect. The future would be bright. All the rulers gathered here would see that good would prevail. Knowing Desiree, she would work hard to release the annexed and puppet states, giving them their sovereignty back. And, she had already asked Renee the best plan for ending slavery and returning them to their homes. There was a lot of work ahead of those two, but Renee had faith they would prevail, and the world would be made a better place for it.

  Looking around, all she saw were happy faces. Vasilissa all but beamed as she leaned against her husband’s side, his arm draped around her. Renee had a feeling their return to Vikieva would be postponed a little longer as they embraced their new family. Speaking of embracing families, Pallav now joined his brother and wife, Manish and Lavanya standing just a bit taller. Taras stood nearby, Esha beaming in his arms. She was so glad Desiree had found the girl, and that she had been reunited with Taras. Luca stood with Faraji and M’bali, Nya all but bouncing on her feet nearby.

  Then there was her crew. Her family. Caleb had gathered Sonia in his arms, his jaw resting atop her head. Jonathan stood beside them, his and Katie’s arms around each other’s backs, and Bartholomew stood beside his daughter. The family was back together, and she looked forward to everyone growing even closer; she especially knew Bartholomew would enjoy being a grandparent for all the children. And Little Wolf, her dear little brother stood with Mei’s arm wrapped in his, telling her that he’d finally declared his feelings. Even Arrow had been returned to her, his wing needing some care, but he was a hearty bird and she felt sure he’d come through just fine.

  Her eyes drifted to where Ama Lei stood, gazing up at her husband with a relaxed smile on her face. Ama Lei deserved that happiness, even if her own rule would be a bit rocky too. But Jian was a good man, and a perfect fit for her. She reached up, brushing her lips against Jian’s. Yes, those two had a beautiful future ahead of them.

  “Something on your mind, love?” Will whispered in her ear.

  “I was simply looking forward to the bright future ahead of all of us,” she replied.

  “It certainly does look beautiful. Just like my wife.”

  “You never stop flattering.”

  “My lady, I only speak truths. And the truth I know is that I have a wonderful future ahead of me, with my beloved wife at my side.”

  “Now that is a future I look forward to.”

  His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close. Arrow squawked in annoyance from her shoulder, but they ignored him. His lips descended, claiming hers. Her eyes closed and she savored all his love, pouring her own heart in return. The world disappeared, and Renee allowed herself to be swept away by all the love that poured between them; love that promised a future fit for a fairy tale.

  Epilogue: 10 years later

  “Keep your wrist loose, but grip firm,” Will instructed as he walked around the group sparring. They were young, ranging from 8 to 15; the youngest of those training used wooden training swords, but the oldest had metal weapons.

  Metal rang as the older ones paired off, each swinging at the other. Renee watched from the sides, enjoying the view. She and Will traded off teaching the children, and it was so nice watching them grow, even if it did feel like they had grown too fast. Ferdinand had grown as tall as his brother, almost reaching Caleb’s height, and currently he faced off against Rosa, still small, though Renee felt she had a few more inches to grow. It was almost comical watching them face off, but Rosa held her own. She ducked beneath his swing, but didn’t quite see his knee bent. Her leg caught, and she fell, face down onto the grass.

  “Point for me!” Ferdinand called, even as he reached down to help her up.

  “Slowly you are catching up to me,” she teased back as she leapt to her feet, dusting the dirt from her trousers.

  “Remember, this is not a competition, we are still learning,” Will admonished.

  “Doesn’t mean we can’t have fun while we learn,” Willy called back as he blocked a blow from Louisa. “Ow!” he yipped at the slap she gave his now open side.

  “And that is what happens when you don’t focus.” She told him as she stepped back.

  Spera and Cecily giggled as they traded blows with their wooden weapons. Spera was just about at the age where she could begin to use a metal one, but she and Cecily were so close, she wanted to wait
until Cecily could join her. Granted, Cecily wasn’t quite as advanced as the others, and that was fine. She took after her mother, being quieter and truly enjoyed embroidery, but even Sonia agreed that all the kids needed to learn defensive skills.

  Then there was the group of younger kids, more swinging their wooden swords than actually trying to do damage. Renee’s second twins, Trystan and Lyana sparred against each other. She still couldn’t believe that she managed to give birth to a second set of twins, not long after their triumph. After having them, though, both she and Will decided that they did not have the energy for another child, let alone if she had twins again. Not that she would trade any of her children for the world, though. She loved them all so dearly, and each made her life so much fuller.

  Near her twins were Jonathan and Katie’s youngest daughter, Ruby, born not long after the twins, and Caleb and Sonia’s daughter, Winter. Her darker skin only stood out slightly amongst the bunch, as she had been adopted from the new world, just like her older brother Ferdinand, and of course Little Wolf. Their youngest, Theo, was a bit younger than them, and more danced and swung his sword by himself, laughing at his own antics.

  Gazing into the sky, she watched as Arrow flew slowly in circles. The poor thing was getting old, but he had a lot of heart left in him. He had sired three chicks of his own, two boys and girl, who also flew with him, along with their mates as they taught their own young chicks how to hunt. They were all so loyal, she had no doubt they’d return to their roost as soon as they needed.

  “Why am I not surprised I would find you all here?”

  Renee grinned as she whirled around to see Little Wolf standing not far away. “Little Wolf!” she called as she dashed to him, enveloping him in a hug. She missed her little brother when he was away, but it was good for him and Mei to spend their time between her court and Ama Lei’s.

  “Woofy!” Ferdinand’s voice was the first to call out.

  “Uncle Woof!” The chorus echoed behind her and she couldn’t help but chuckle as she stepped back, allowing first Ferdinand, and then the rest of the kids to clamor around their uncle. It was funny how the nickname had stuck with him, even if he now rivaled Caleb in height and breadth. Almost everyone outside their little family knew him as Lord Wolf, being as he married royalty and had an official title as ambassador.

  “Good to have you back,” Will spoke as he stepped to Renee’s side, his arm wrapping around her waist. “We weren’t expecting you for another few weeks.”

  “We thought we’d come early,” he replied. A chorus of little voices reached their ears, and Renee watched as Mei emerged from the castle, two little boys running from her side, and a little one in her arms.

  “Mei.” Renee smiled as she opened her arms to gently hug the girl, well, woman now. It was hard not seeing the little girl, just as it was hard not seeing the little boy in Little Wolf. “And who is this?” she asked, gazing at the littlest bundle.

  “This is Suri,” Mei replied.

  “She our sister!” Fel, the oldest boy, exclaimed with a large grin.

  “Sister!” his brother, Naoto, added.

  “She is beautiful,” Renee replied.

  “And cousins here!” Fel added, earning a quick shush from both his parents.

  “I’m sorry, cousins?” Renee asked. Little Wolf and Mei looked at each other, a sheepish grin on both their faces.

  “It was supposed to be a surprise.” That was a voice Renee hadn’t heard in quite a long time, and she whirled to see Ama Lei standing behind her.

  “Ama Lei!” Renee squealed as she ran to meet Ama Lei, both of them wrapping the other in a tight hug. “You’re here,” Renee finally stepped back. “I can’t believe you’re here!”

  “Master Deshi agreed to help keep an eye on things in Jenha so I could have a bit of a vacation,” Ama Lei replied. “We thought ten years was more than enough time to wait before meeting back up again.”

  “Absolutely!” Renee agreed, pulling her friend in for another hug.

  “Jian,” Will spoke as he stepped near them, where she realized Jian had joined, a bundle in his arms as well. “It is a pleasure to see you.”

  “The pleasure is ours.” Jian replied as he shook Will’s hand. Several smaller people surrounded him, each with the same raven hair and brown eyes. “It has been quite an adventure for us,” he smiled down at them, earning smiles in return.

  “Renee, this is Isamu,” she motioned to the oldest boy who was born almost the same time her twins were. She wished they could have seen each other sooner, but it was nice to write letters and know someone else was going to through the same process. “Tori.” The oldest girl was just about a year younger than her brother. “Hyun and Dae.” Twins. Boy and girl, just like Renee’s. And she thought twins were supposed to be rare. “Eui,” the boy was just slightly younger than his twin siblings. “Gin,” the little girl almost hid behind her father. “Daisuke,” the boy grinned widely, obviously excited for this adventure. “And our youngest, Li,” she motioned to the girl in Jian’s arms.

  “I still can’t believe you have eight children,” Renee laughed. “These five keep me busy enough!” she said as she motioned her kids over. “You remember Willy, Rosa, and of course Spera,” she said.

  “Oh yes! You have all grown so much,” Ama Lei said. “I remember when you were born,” she told Spera, “And now you’re almost a young lady.”

  “And these,” Will sad as he pulled the twins close before they dashed off. “Are Trystan and Lyana.”

  “Hello!” They said in unison.

  “Twins,” Jian shook his head, fully understanding.

  “I think that is enough practice for today,” Will spoke. “Why don’t you show our guests to the play rooms.”

  “Come on!” Lyana said as she took Isamu’s hand, leading the way. The rest of the children followed suit, all but running into the castle, the oldest grabbing the littler ones’ hands, and almost running over Caleb as he stepped out.

  “I heard we had company,” he said. “I just wasn’t expecting a stampede.” He chuckled. “Ah! Your Majesties,” he bowed before them, never losing his twinkle.

  “It is good to see you again,” Ama Lei spoke.

  “Caleb, would you let Katie know that we’ll be having quite a few guests for some time.”

  “Of course, Captain!” He gave her a salute and a wink before sauntering off.

  “Captain?” Ama Lei asked.

  “I can’t get him to stop. Come,” Renee looped her arm into Ama Lei’s. “We have a lot of catching up to do.”

  “This ball is remarkable, Katie, thank you,” Renee told her friend, yet again. She was still surprised the woman had been able to plan a grand affair with only a couple of weeks.

  “Of course! It really wasn’t as hard as you’d think,” Katie replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I plan to enjoy myself with my husband.” She said as she practically danced off, Renee’s chuckles following her.

  So many dignitaries from Espan and Cartiana all mingled together, along with the guests from Jenha, many dancing to the music created by musicians from both worlds. The younger children had joined for a bit at first before being put to sleep, but the oldest were still enjoying themselves. Willy even now danced with Louisa, while Ferdinand whisked Rosa around the floor. Those four had especially grown close lately, and Renee wondered if two boys would be speaking with two fathers soon. She had to remind herself that she was not much older when she and Will married, though part of her hoped they might wait like Little Wolf and Mei.

  “My, what a beautiful sight,” Will’s soft voice tickled her ear, sending shivers up her spin.

  “The ball?” she asked, but she knew before she turned that his eyes weren’t on the dancers.

  “No, the most fetching woman here.” He replied. She turned to him, enjoying the adoration that still filled his gaze. How she loved to bask in his love, to give hers in return. They’d been through so much, but it only made their appreciation of ea
ch other stronger. Oh, they had their disagreements, and fought, but they worked through it, and always tried to show how much they appreciated each other. “Is there any chance I could convince you to sneak away for a moment?” he asked.

  “I suppose…” she agreed, and he took her hand, sneaking her from the room like a child, causing her to giggle. He led her through the halls, and out into the open air of her garden. “How’d I know you’d bring me here?”

  “Because, I wanted to see how radiant you looked in the moonlight,” he spoke softly, sending flutters into her chest. “And you are radiant, my lady.”

  “Well, thank you.”

  “I see we’re not the only ones with the idea to sneak away,” Jian said as he entered the courtyard with Ama Lei.

  “It’s hard not to want to be here,” Renee replied.

  “The garden is beautiful,” Ama Lei agreed.

  Just then, a new tune drifted from the halls, a mix of both Espan’s music and Jenha’s, beautiful, a love ballad that had been written for the monarchs.

  “May I have this dance, my lady?” Will bowed deep before her.

  “Of course,” she replied as she took his hand, allowing him to sweep her away. As he drew her into his arms, guiding her through the paths, she couldn’t help but gaze into his eyes, so bright and clear, like the depths of a calm sea, and filled with more love than the ocean could hold. They’d been through much, but they were still standing, still together, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

  He looked up for a moment, and chuckled.

  “What is it?” she asked, turning to look. Jian had pulled Ama Lei further into the garden, and pulled her into his arms for a deep kiss.

  “I think he has quite a good idea,” Will teased.

  “Oh, you think so?” Renee teased back.

  “Yes.” He said as he pulled her closer for a kiss. It was sweet, and quick before he pulled back. “I love you, Renee. I always have, and I always will.”