Somwang dashed across the wooden planks of the deck, deftly she took hold of a rope and leapt into the free air, swinging the gap and landing on the deck of the pirate vessel that had been so foolish to attack the Kumandran crew.

“SEND THE PIRATAS TO THE DEPTHS!” She heard Namaari yell. This was followed by a loud warcry from the Kumandran warriors. Before the pirates could even begin to regret their decision, they were met with the precision of a battalion of Fang soldiers.

Somwang moved fast with the precision of a trained killer, her bladed staff flashed and zipped through the air, making contact with a pirate’s blade. The pirate sneered at Somwang, the metal of his sword screeched against her own as he pulled it loose, going for a low swing.

He was trying to outmatch her speed, but with a staff Somwang easily had the upper hand. She swung down with the wooden end of the polearm, catching the sword in the wood. Then she yanked hard, pulling the sword from the pirates and casting it aside.

Somwang flashed a sneer of her own as she slashed her blade upwards, ripping through the pirate’s flesh. He hit the deck with a thud and Somwang was already on her next target.

Two pirates advanced on her and she quickly readied her stance, outstretching one hand with her staff held firm. Her combat form alone was enough to intimidate any petty thief, which was normally enough to de-escalate any situation. She could see it almost worked on the pirates, but to their credit, these men were no cowards. They believed themselves to be the most feared creatures in the sea. But Somwang knew better.

The pirates charged her down, each one slashing for a fatal blow. Somwang deftly flicked her blade at the first attacker, parrying his attack before she quickly flicked the wooden end of her staff and parried her other assailant. They wouldn’t be so easily deterred with a single fancy maneuver; however, their blades came around again. Somwang was like a predator, acutely aware of both assailants, flipping her staff in her hands, parrying each strike. If it came from her left, she was there, if it came from her right, she was there. With a simple leap, she dodged a low sweep and while she was in the air she spread her legs and delivered a powerful kick to the faces of both pirates.

The pirates were stunned by the kick and Somwang took the opportunity to run the bladed end of her weapon through the pirate’s stomach, then she quickly flipped back around, vaulting off the gunwale she descended on the second assailant from above, her blade readied in a downward arc.

Something flew at Somwang from the side, hitting her in the ribs and throwing her off her course with the impact, she hit the ground on her back and quickly kicked her legs, recovering onto her feet with a flourish, she spun wildly like a dancer on her feet, throwing her arm open wide to the side, as if to challenge the newcomer to her fight.

Another pirate had come to replace the one she had felled. The numbers were thinning, but there were still more to dispatch. She gripped the staff with two hands and carefully began to pace a circle around the two thugs. She was patient, careful not to do anything that would get her killed.

The pirates were not as patient, charging at Somwang with cries of intimidation. Somwang patiently stood as they charged her, at the last moment, she threw her staff into the air, the pirate made a thrust with his sword, but quickly Somwang dropped to the ground, letting the pirate run above her as she slipped between his legs. On the other side, she stood back to her feet and caught her staff. Now between the two assailants, Somwang quickly made to work.

She flipped her blade, she was a living whirlwind, each strike made against her was expertly parried away. She ducked a swing and sprung up, slapping the one who made the blow with the wooden end of her staff. Meanwhile, she thrusted her blade end at the other thug, to his credit he made a good parry, saving his life, if only temporarily.

She lept over a low sweep then came down on a pivoted spin, twisting on her feet she gave a firm strike to the back of the pirate’s knee, he buckled in on it then Somwang quickly flipped the blade around and severed him at the throat. She didn’t dwell on the kill, quickly flipping the staff vertically behind her back to block the incoming blade without even looking.

She quickly twisted around and thrust her blade forward, throwing off the balance of the assailant. She caught the wooden end under his foot and lifted him off the ground, tossing him over the side of the ship. All she heard was his scream.

She scanned the ship deck, her breath heavy as she panted. Her hair was frizzled and matted with sweat and blood. No pirates were left alive, only the Fang warriors stood on the deck.

Somwang stood to her full height. Her bun had become untangled, so she sheathed her weapon and fastened it. Awaiting the order from Namaari.

“Search the ship!” Her cousin yelled. “Find the Dragon Gem!” Immediately Somwang began to search, frantically checking every inch of the ship. She had to be on board. She had to be being held captive. Held for some kind of ransom. That was why the ship had attacked them, to demand their ransom for Lynn and the Gem. It just had to be why. She just had to be on board.

The below decks of the ship weren’t more than extra cargo space, but still Somwang pried the boards from their nails, searching under for what was hiding. For Lynn.

Yet when the whole of the ship had been searched, there was no sign of her friend. She stood in line with her comrades on the Kumandran ship. “We move on.” Instructed Raya, she had accompanied the journey, as the guardian of the Gem it seemed only right. “We sink every pirata in this ocean until we find the Dragon Gem. Kumandra is stronger than any scurvy-ridden sea rat, or pitiful kitchen worker that thinks they can steal our pride!” This was met with a unified cheer. From all except Somwang.

Namaari came to Raya’s side, Somwang watched their hands come together and felt a pang of something in her heart. “Set sail! For Kumandra! For the Draa!” Namaari yelled, raising her and Raya’s fist.

The line of guards broke as they made for setting sail. All were quick and worked with purpose. All except Somwang. She meant to. Under normal circumstances she would’ve. With so much to prove in her life, she would normally never be showing this type of lack of direct obedience.

“She means something to you, doesn’t she?” Raya spoke, startling Somwang. Somwang turned to the princess. She wasn’t a direct friend of Raya’s, but their shared association with Namaari brought them together frequently. Raya gave a warm smile to Somwang. “I didn’t mean all that back there. About pitiful kitchen workers. You kidding? Lynn’s the best cook on the staff.”

Somwang was surprised, “You know Lynn?” Somwang had expected Raya to be more like Namaari, separated from her palatial staff.

“She’s a wonderful girl. You’re lucky.” Raya gave for an answer.

“Lucky?” Somwang asked.

“Yeah. To be in love with a girl like her.” Raya said, as if it were obvious what she meant.

Somwang nearly fell over, “Wh-what?! NO no, we’re not- her and I aren’t- We’re really just good friends.” She admitted.

Raya raised an eyebrow, “Really? Wouldn’t have guessed. Come on, sooner we get sailing, sooner we can find her. And the Gem.” She gave Somwang a firm pat on the shoulder and walked off. “Sail until Temasek, we’ll make port on arrival!” She called in command to the sailing party.

On her own in the middle of the deck, Somwang muttered the words Raya had so casually put out. “In love?”