The Mage Queen Book 1: The Princess
Hindenburg Port

Queen Regina shook her head at the flying airship. Her heart sank at the sight but turned her attention to the burning hangar. The soldiers started putting out fires with buckets of water with some of the practicing magoi to assist. She sighed and walked towards the hangar, waving her hand in the air. Water droplets rushed towards her before forming a large roaring serpent. She walked along and began putting out the fires, much to the shock of the other soldiers.

"Your Highness, please! Trouble yourself not with this menial work!" One of the soldiers grabbed another pail of water. "We shall have this hangar clean by tonight!"

Queen Regina smiled. "I know but, I require something to alleviate my stress."

"But... is menial work not stressful? Will the nobles not complain about your pruny fingers?"

A mischievous light twinkled in her eye as she placed her finger on her lips. "It shall be the empire's secret."

The soldier sighed with a resigned chuckle. "Very well, Your Grace. My lips are sealed."

"Thank you, kind sir. Now do get back to scrubbing. Burn stains are quite hard to remove."

Beaming, he saluted her and scurried off to continue scrubbing the walls.

Once she saw no one around her, her smile faded. She brushed her hand against the charred crates and the burned plant life. Incredible, she thought. Queen Regina looked out the hangar exit, recalling the white aura that engulfed the ship. She had a mirthless smile.

"I hope you're happy. Now that you're choosing this," she murmured.

"Your Grace?" Someone called.

She looked back to see a guard saluting at her.

"Erkalla has awoken. The healers thought you would like to know."

Nodding, she forced out a smile. "Thank you. I will see her shortly. You may go."

The soldier bowed and began brushing away the debris that littered the runway.

Queen Regina sighed while staring at the grey clouds. She shook her head and rubbed the ring on her finger before walking to the Healer's Quarters.

Anastacia strolled around and observed the portraits that decorated the Stormcleaver's Halls. The glittering gold wooden frames and the smooth paintbrush strokes told her everything. These were the real deal! She brushed her fingers against the varnished wooden tables and smiled.

"Such an interesting sense of design," she murmured.

Anastacia stopped however when she saw a vase holding some wolfsbane flowers. She reached out to it. Once the petals brushed her fingertips, her heart sank. She jerked back and wrapped her cloak tightly around her, fighting a chill that ran up her spine. Her heart raced. Something began to choke her. Her trembling hands slowly climbed up to her neck...

"Still suffering from that shell shock, huh," someone remarked.

Anastacia jumped and saw Marick leaning against the wall with his arms folded. "M-Marick, n-no—"

"—No shame in admitting you're still shell-shocked. Even hardened fighters still have their nightmares."

Despite hearing that, it did nothing to make the rock in her stomach disappear. Anastacia clutched the fringes of her cloak. "I'm useless..."

"Well, you are now."

Anastacia looked up at him and gawked. What kind of encouragement was that? Marick shrugged.

"But are you gonna let those waves swallow you or are you gonna swim?"

Anastacia remained silent.

"It's sink or swim. Fly or die. That's how everyone's been living."

Anastacia cocked her head. "Is it not stressful? It sounds like you are constantly at war."

Marick shrugged. "Maybe. But, it's what gets things done." He fished out his pocketwatch. "We should be right over Hindenburg Port."

Anastacia blinked. "I thought we are going to Sofiene?"

The pirate shoved his pocket watch into his pocket. "We are. But we need intel. We're not going in blind."

"What is intel...?"

"It's short for intelligence. Information. Haven't you shortened words before for easier use?"

Anastacia pondered for a moment. The way her mother taught her Corporean was that as a noble, she should never shorten her words. She must speak with regality, poise, and grace. She shook her head at Marick who sighed.

"No wonder people can figure out you're some nobleman's brat. Your speech doesn't fit."

"I am not a brat," she huffed.

"Brat can also mean kid. Kids of soldiers are called military brats. Kids of pirate captains can either be called sea brats or sea pups. Nothing insulting there."

Her cheeks heated up. "Oh."

"... Well, not everyone speaks fancy. You gotta learn how to talk to us common folk too if you're planning to be queen."

She paused. "How did you know?"

"Why else would anyone be insane enough to head back to Sofiene? Assuming you're the real deal then, that's the most possible motive I can think of."

Anastacia nodded. She then looked at Sofiene's regalia hanging on her neck. Her heart fluttered as the lights in the violet gemstone danced like fireflies in the night sky. She smiled. She finally was heading home!

Suddenly, the ship began to slow down. Anastacia felt her stomach slightly lurch as the ship began to descend. Marick nodded and turned to her.

"Okay, one major rule: do not open your mouth. Keep your thoughts to yourself."

Anastacia frowned. "A woman—"

"—is capable of being an amazing swashbuckling pirate but doesn't talk like some privileged, airheaded noble," Marick cut her off with a glare. "So, until you know how to speak colloquially, mouth shut."

Frustration bubbled inside her. "But—"

"Unless you want the whole damn Cloud Continent to know that the Princess of Sofiene rose from the dead, keep your mouth shut."

Anastacia sighed and nodded. "Alright."

"Good. Time to keep our cards close to our chest."

"Cards...?"

"Meaning, we don't just let out anything."

"Alright."

A knock on the door stopped their conversation. Marick whistled. The door creaked open with smiling Rowen peeking through the tiny opening.

"Permission to enter, Cap?"

"Granted, Sprout. We at Hindenburg Port?"

"Yes sir, she has landed."

Marick nodded. He turned to Anastacia. "Remember: mouth shut."

She nodded and followed Marick and Rowen out the door. Anastacia drew her cloak closer to her and began wringing her pendant under its fringes. She had only gone in between cities but never to common places. She trembled at each step she took until they stood at the doors of the Stormcleaver. Marick nodded at her and popped open the hatch. When the hatch flew open, she clutched her cloak to prevent the gust from blowing it away. The sunlight pierced her eyes with its brightness. Only when her eyes adjusted to the brightness did she see the whole of Hindenburg Port.

Hindenburg Port appeared to be built on a mountain range. She saw airships soaring through the sky and others docking into the hangars. Merchant stalls lined the passenger's pathways with sellers declaring their wares.

"Lucky Rabbit's Foot! Get one over here for 5 Oro! 3 for 10!"

"Cold iced tea! Refresh with ice-cold, iced tea!"

Anastacia beamed at the sight of the wares and tried to get one but someone's hand shot past her and grabbed the bottle she wanted. She gawked and tapped her foot in annoyance but the buyer just walked away. She stalked towards him until she felt someone tap her shoulder. Anastacia whirled around and saw Rowen smiling with two bottles of iced tea.

"Want one? It's Lemongrass flavor."

Anastacia blinked. "Lemongrass...?"

"It's an herb from the east. Cap says you can grill it with chicken too and it'll taste good!"

She giggled. "You really hang on to every word he says, don't you?"

"How can I not?" —Rowen cocked his head to the side— "He showed me the world."

Anastacia smiled and took a sip. The cold, sweet drink splashed against his parched throat, causing her to exhale in delight. How come they never served something like this in the palace, she thought. She stared at the golden liquid until someone held her hand. She looked up and saw Rowen, smiling.

"Stay close, okay? I'll be your buddy for this trip." He grinned. "Cap says that whenever we travel, always have a buddy system!"

Anastacia giggled at his warm smile and let the boy lead her along. She saw more airships coming in and docking. Transporters brought out the cargo from the airships and people began bustling around. Bells and horns rang to signal others that the ships were departing.

"Amazing," Anastacia murmured.

Rowen blinked. "You've never seen airships before?"

"Oh, I have. But" —she hung head— "just in books."

"It must be a shock to you then."

"Not really. I have seen them. I know of them. But it is truly so different to see them live and up close." She scoffed. "You must think I am so sheltered..."

Rowen shrugged. "So, let's pull you out of the shelter then."

Anastacia giggled. Rowen's bluntness had a child-like innocence to it which was refreshing compared to Erkalla's brutal and violent bluntness. He's so small yet not afraid, she thought. People's bustling voices and laughter faded into an echo.

"Ana?" Someone called.

She snapped out of her thoughts and saw Rowen standing in front of her. Anastacia noticed her hands stopped trembling and her chest loosened up. Her heartbeat slowed down. The volume of the voices returned to normal as he beamed at her.

"It's going to be okay. I'm here," the little boy reassured. "Let's go on an adventure!"

Anastacia, seeing the excited twinkle in his eye, nodded. "Yes. Let us go."

"Oh, but before we go, we need a new name!"

"But, why would we need a new name?"

Rowen shrugged. "Cap says you're not sure who's out there to kill ya. But since it's just me and Cap who are well-known here, we have to find a name for you!"

The princess nodded. "Um, how about Ana?"

"Yeah, there are tons of Ana's! Just say like you're Cap's sister or something!"

Anastacia giggled. "We look nothing alike!"

"Either that or you say he's your boyfriend."

Anastacia flushed bright pink. "I wouldn't date a ruffian like him!"

Rowen pouted. "Are you saying Cap's not good enough?"

"N-no! Of course not! He's just..."

"Not from your station?"

Anastacia pouted. "You're not supposed to know things like that!"

Rowen gave her a cheeky grin. "I've read enough books. Plus, Cap always says that you nobles don't like hanging around our lot 'cause we're not from your station."

The princess frowned but knew she couldn't retort. Most marriages among nobles had political importance. Usually, it was marrying for money. Another was marrying for power. Some chose to marry to help another family. Even for her, she never found a prince who she loved on the get-go.

"True. But I think that should change. Besides, princes don't just land right in front of you," snickered Anastacia.

The moment she said that however, she saw Marick fly back and skid all the way towards her with his gunblades drawn. She blinked in surprise and saw several other men with different kinds of swords. One of them wore a badge of a pair of gears that seemed to work together. She paled. There was only one country that had that insignia.

"Machinos," she whispered.

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