CHAPTER 4.

❞𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓❞

The seagulls come in a flash of silver, creating a rather chaotic quay amongst the laced-top waves of the shore. Their cry makes their inverted arcs, tenacious, as they wheeled overhead. The beat of their wings creates a rhythmic tune amongst the skies, conjuring dark spells in their eyes as most voyagers lay deceased amongst the silver sands. At that blessed moment, Celeste felt the souls of the wave's aquatic heartbeat, bringing her to her consciousness.

She felt her back being dragged against the gritty remnants of the sand by one arm.

"Didn't bargain for no storm. Afeared that means a tiny jump in my fee." one man spoke in Celeste's native tongue, one that she was able to absorb in comprehension. She kept her eyes closed, peering through the smallest crack she created with her eyelids.

Large rocks occupied the shore, while Mereen's tranquil, aquamarine waters caressed its tainted sands. Stained with the remains of those who didn't survive the storm's wrath. Fragmented crates and broken remains of the ship were dispersed across the vast shoreline.

"It's no simple fee, lad. We lost sixteen of our best, all for simple blackmail and trade. The Lord of the Great Tides reward will be generous for her fair head." the second man scowled. A pit formed in the depths of her stomach, to imagine her head being delivered to her father.

"B-brandon--" Jade's silk-like voice cracked. Celeste watched as Jade sat with her knees folded beneath her, her head tilted forward, and her arms tightly cradled her brother in her arms. Jade's face scrunched, exhibiting the unbearable pain of losing her brother.

A fresh wave of guilt pounding within her breast sent shivers down Celeste's spine. Celeste's throat tightened with each small wail of agony that slipped from Jade's lips. A tainted-copper colour stained the front of Brandon's tunic. Lifelessly, his back was arched in a crooked position.

"Jiōragon té!" the smuggler hollered, forcing her up.

He grasped onto her forearm with an insufferable grip, making her scream loud enough to break Celeste's eardrums. A cloud of fury swirled within her breast, she could feel her insides quake at the sound of Jade's resistance.

"What about the prisoner?" the smuggler that dragged Celeste questioned his leadership, pointing to the Smuggler inflicting harm on Jade.

"Before the Master, we must bring her. On doing so, my honour relies." the second man expressed proudly. Her mind refrained from the questionable meaning that kept her pondering; did the smuggler refer to herself or Jade?

"No! NO!" Jade screamed, as her brother was torn from her arms. She was knocked to the ground with a bull-like force, then forced away from his corpse.

"Can't we just bring the bastard's head? Like doing so with the other?" the man that dragged Celeste improvised. Celeste examined the round, golden-hued, shields that hung from their backs with the sigil of three swords entwined.

"The other drowned, and we couldn't do anything. We deliver her alive." the leader demanded.

"Apart from the seven hells, I wish to see Corlys condemn the Seven Realms until we seek what is rightfully ours." the leader continued in a low, rigid, growl. Her eyes peered to the trail of blood that ascended the hem of the smuggler's tunic, that followed next to her. She surveyed the perfectly straight line of crimson to his belt.

Her heart tightened with trepidation at the sight of a man's head, that was fastened to his belt, with thick cords of leather. His sabre gently bounced from his hip with each step the smuggler took, and droplets of water sloshed against her arms.

Jade's cries began to die down to low quails of sorrow, she kept her head low, and her tears continued like a rhythm down her golden skin. With acknowledgment of high risk, Celeste raised her head for a moment, counting the soldiers that followed with persistence. Two carried a large trunk, while a larger man with an execution mask followed, with a large sabre resting on his shoulder.

Against the Rigid rocks, a burning shipwreck beneath gentle waves had become a gallant grand dame of the seabed. Supporting a potential structure for the high tides. She leaned to her left with caution as the hot sand began to clench her pale skin with a harsh bite.

She bit her lip and forced her eyes shut. She fought the quake of sandpaper against her skin and forced her eyes open. Her wrists were rubbed raw from the fastened rope that bound her wrists together. Celeste's eyes surveyed the sand for a rock or something that could cause a diversion for her to make an escape.

With a hassle, her eyes pinpointed a flat rock. Her hand glided against the hot sands and grasped the heated rock. With the remaining strength that seethed through her body, she hoisted her back up and tossed the rock backwards. With a crack as loud as any sky-born thunder, its violent breath collided against the man's skull. The man stumbled forward, freeing his grip from her arm. Celeste jumped to her feet and pushed back one man, ripping his sabre from his belt and charging it into the man's gut.

A splash of crimson painted parts of Celeste's dress and her forearms.

With no experience in quarrelling with swords, she practically wished only for a death sentence.

She ducked, as her brain became numb in fear. A mele from his sabre, grazing a couple of greasy strands from her head, missed her head by an inch. From behind a man drew closer, a chance to deliver a glancing blow. Her heels rock back as she dodges. Her hands narrowed to the blade, as her blood drew thick from her palms. A surge of pain evaporated from her palms. Celeste bit her lip and found no comfort in the battle, only struggle.

The smuggler's sword blunted in steel knew the quill in the hands of silver-tongued devils, to bring more trauma to those who opposed. The burnished steel wrought a perfect mele through her bindings, freeing her wrists from the captivating pain of her freedom, kept in the hands of the smugglers.

"Stop, we need her alive!" the leader barked. Celeste cut across the open spaces of sand, leading her further away from the men that chased her. She felt her limbs bounce and her heart quake with trepidation for abandoning Jade. 

Across the expanse was a staircase that led its way up rigid and sharp cliffs. The stairs were congested and tight. Panting with fear, she dragged herself over the shoulders of the crowd, apologizing every so often. She navigated herself through the empty alleyways of the mud and stone buildings, occasionally looking over her shoulder to see whether she managed to shake them from her trail.

She felt like screaming through her teeth. Tears clouded her vision, and she struggled to breathe, due to the poor, scorching, dry air. Her throat tightened in dehydration. In its atomic wind and in Mereen's seasoned weather, it felt like her soul melted into an ether.

A man grabbed a hold of her waist and cast her to the side. She tumbled, helpless, caught by the momentum of his weight. She slid onto the ground, hassling to stand. 

She couldn't. 

Her legs felt liquidized.

She quickly broke free of the man's grip, forcing her elbow against the man's jaw. An earsplitting crackle was created and her arm symphonized in a raw, irritation. Something heavy collided against her back after she regained her composure. Celeste recoiled forward, her cheek scraping against the rubble and sharp pieces of gravel that were left sprawled across the pavement.

For the smallest amount of air that continued to live, she felt a knee press against her back, squishing her against the pavement. Her arms were ripped out beneath her and fastened with leather. 

Her cry escalated in pain, as a tremor of fear rippled through her. With tainted clarity, she realized that even known Ladies of the realm held no power outside the walls of their fair land. The empires of men amongst Essos and Westeros were only tokens to power, simply disposable, just like pawns to a chessboard.

If anything, that uneasy feeling began to worsen. The small store of courage evaporated from her chest, as she was dragged onto her feet. She fought the last escalating quail that bubbled inside her chest. 

She only desired to rest her fingertips amongst her freedom, and for that, she was exhausted from running and fighting. Celeste premeditated that things would only worsen if she continued. Her heart tackled a staggered rhythm as they navigated her around merchant carts. Strange looks were cast her way, as many kept to their own business. Her legs began to shake, weakened from the early downfall of her escape.

Celeste's eyes ached, in strains from the harsh sunlight that burned her vision. The smugglers came to a halt, exchanging her with the third smuggler that drew her into the building. Identical to the thousands of homes of Mereen, located in the tainted shadows of downtown Mereen, closest to the docks.

 He took a hold of her, his fingers pinching the flesh bands of her arm, escorting her to the backroom of their base. She kept her gaze lowered, while her chest tightened. The strength she saved earlier ceased in the ocean's wrath and her undesigned attempt to escape.

She felt like she was caught in a storm, easily transitioning from fear to a mixed feeling of anxiety. Fear mobilized her energy, while anxiety did the opposite and opposed her strength. 

The feeling swirled inside her belly like hot iron compressed against her insides. Countless of questions prowled through her mind, as she tried to comprehend if her father previously worked with the company of smugglers. Whether they held to honour and were different men before they transitioned to a different path, she was uncertain. She doubted it. It was no coincidence her wine was tampered with, someone from the court wanted her gone.

In those dreadful moments of uncertainty, she wanted Daemon to reign down on the smugglers. Her nails clenched into the surface of her palms. Every emotion writhing beneath her skin became subtle. She came to the conclusion none of those she had known was hunting her absence. The same regret the night of her capture swirled inside her chest like a swollen balloon.

The building consisted of empty rooms of dim torchlight, that flickered to the harsh cries of Jade and to many other slaves that survived the voyage. Her captor tugged her into the line of slaves that huddled together. Harshly, she recoiled forward with a shove, catching herself in the momentum of her footwork. 

Celeste took a seat on the rigid soil-like floor, and carefully recalled her ability to map out the building. Her gaze surveyed her captor, closing the metal door with force. She rolled her hand and began to pick at the tight knots that occasionally felt like they cut off the bloodstream to her wrists. Her bare feet shuffled against the gritty remnants of the dirt-like floor. Her knees propped up against her chest, and her breathing was shallow.

Her gaze flickered to soft sobs across from her.  Celeste felt her insides numb, she couldn't bare the thought of losing her younger siblings; Laenor and Laena. However, she couldn't relate to how Jade felt about losing someone she cared for. Despite the guards being nearby, she couldn't comprehend the words to ease Jade's pain. And for that, she felt powerless. Even by knowing she was one of the ladies of Driftmark. Being one held no advantage to her by being so distant away from Westeros.

"While there is still time, justice may yet to be done. I promise you they'll beg the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms for mercy-"

"Justice cannot bring my brother back," Jade's voice cracked. And her eyes were swollen, her cheeks were stained by her tears, and all hope evaporated that very moment from her chest.

"My father once told me the Maiden of Light once ruled the Great Empire of Dawn for thousands of years, aiding those who struggled to live. And that very moment when they delivered harm and uspured her in a blood betrayal, she turned her back and cast a shadow over Yi-Ti, Essos, and Westeros. But after the rumours, her beloved the Lion of Night came forth with all of his fury to punish the wickedness of the Opal Prince. A fairytale I began to believe when I was taken from my home." Jade muttered quietly.

The story was familiar to Celeste, although she couldn't recall where or who shared the story. The conversation was indeed random, but Celeste was grateful Jade's mind shifted momentarily from her brother's demise.

"What happened to the Queen of Light?" Celeste questioned, curiously.

"Maiden of Light," Jade corrected Celeste.

"She abandoned her duties, her powers were stripped from her, and her legacy faded into memory," Jade added.

Celeste remained quiet, brooding, and lost to her thoughts. Despite Jade's story, paranoia continued to unravel in her belly.

"She settled down somewhere in Westeros and begged a man for help when she needed something the most. She begged a merchant, but some believed he was a deity. However, she knew everything came at a price and agreed to help the merchant after the Opal Prince continued to hunt for her fair head. He brought her to the temple of the moon, and the Curse of the Black Sun transformed her into something that could destroy the Seven Realms. In exchange for her husband's soul, she had the power to bring havoc down on the Opal Prince. And for what you did at the beach back there, you reminded me of her... Conveying the havoc you concealed, all for a strategic escape." Jade paused. Her eyes raised from the dirt and slid to Celeste. 

 The tale left her pondering in silence, speechless. Celeste's fingers hesitantly ghosted the cut on her cheek. Gritt and remnants of gravel were logged into the open wound, which peculiarly resembled an 'X'.

Despite the aggravating ache cascading through the flesh of her cheek, and her palms, she felt a level of guilt for abandoning Jade. Celeste felt her actions were rather rash and unplanned, which could have led to the fallout of innocent lives on the line. A line of clarity tormented her, and in harsh reality, she deemed herself a coward.

She knew she wasn't as valiant as Aegon the Conqueror, far from it. An easy comparison, for that, redeemed herself as a coward. A frosted breath left her lips as she propped her arms on top of her knees and gently closed her eyes momentarily, hoping hereafter the Old Gods would preserve her for another day.

"I'm no hero, no Maiden of Light that I wish to be...But if the Old Gods spare us, I promise you this is only the beginning of the storm. A storm they will not withstand." 

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A/note: Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your patience on the next update, I am thrilled about how this chapter was finalized! I hope you're enjoying my story as much as I do, I have big plans for the next oncoming chapters transitioning into the show, House of The Dragon. Feel free to leave a comment if you notice something or have a philosophy for what might happen next, I love hearing from my audience it gives me such inspiration! Or truly what you've been enjoying. Though I understand so far it's been a slow process for the characters. And of course, votes are always appreciated.  New characters will be added to THE DANCE OF DRAGONS Chapter. Thank you so much for 30k! And it's all thanks to you wonderful souls. Ahh, I am so excited to surprise my readers with more! Thank you for reading, the next upcoming update will be soon.

BIG SHOUT OUT TO: BreanneLHeureux for surprising me with such a beautiful cover!