The Mage Queen Book 1: The Princess

Marick kicked down another soldier while scanning the area.

Where were Ana and Rowen?

He kicked down another soldier before shooting one in the chest with a pressurized water bullet. Taking another good look around him, Marick didn't see the two anywhere. But he didn't expect Anastacia to be the battle-type. As a princess, battle tactics and martial arts never fit into her curriculum on how to be a proper one. If they're in the Stormcleaver, they should be okay, he thought.

He ducked as a spear missed his head, sweeping the attacker off their feet. Marick whirled around and pointed his gunblade at the attacker only to see long, braided blonde hair and an eagle talon-shaped brooch cinching her cloak. His eyes widened when he saw the brooch.

"No," he muttered.

He bolted towards the ship, ignoring the arrows that whizzed past his face and spears that flew over his head. There was only one person in Xychosia who used the eagle talon as a symbol and she was the last person he needed Rowen or Ana to face. He remembered facing her once and it was a draw but only because the queen had told the general to back off.

He wrenched the doors of the Stormcleaver open and his heart sank to his stomach when his worst fears became a reality. The pale blonde General Melissa D'Eon pressed her ornate saber against his First Mate's throat. Despite the threat, both Anastacia and Rowen showed no fear. Confused, Marick then noticed a glowing bracelet made of white runes marked on both their wrists.

Rare to get the general at an impasse, he thought. What did Anastacia promise?

"If you kill him, my spell will assure that all you will bring back is a corpse," Anastacia repeated.

Marick paled. What was Anastacia doing? Risking her neck like that to someone who prioritized the mission's success above all else? When he saw Anastacia's determined expression, chills ran down his spine. What if the general didn't care if she brought back a corpse?

He checked the area and snaked his finger around the gunblade's trigger. Marick suckled in some air and stared at the two parties, lifting his gunblade. His heart pounded against his chest and the hand holding his gunblade trembled. What if he missed? What if she was just marinading Anastacia and Rowen before impaling the boy's throat?

The air thickened and began to choke him. His vision blurred and sweat pooled in his palms. But he bit his lower lip, restoring a bit of his vision. I'm bloody Marick Hawthorne. I never miss, he remembered.

He shot General Melissa's saber and staggered her, hearing a yelp from both Rowen and Anastacia. "Hide! Now!"

Anastacia and Rowen bolted, leaving him with General Melissa. He exhaled while drumming his fingers against his gunblade's hilt. His legs shivered. Blood rushed into his arms and legs as his throat ran dry. She turned towards him with a narrowed look and twirled her sword in hand.

"Marick Hawthorne."

Marick nodded and pointed his gunblade at her.

"Good to see you, General."

His body trembled at the sight of her faint smile and her ornate saber. Marick remembered the first time he encountered her. When she crossed blades with him and he took one good look at her silver eyes, it was as if he stared at a calm but vast ocean. Each strike she dealt him and each footstep had a purpose. The images of her easily cutting past his men did nothing to soothe his nerves. He sighed. Of all the people to encounter, why did it have to be the Eagle's Talons herself?

"Queen Regina must be getting desperate for her to send you," Marick quipped.

Melissa smiled. "So must be the princess to escape without her lady-in-waiting."

"... Fair point."

"What did she promise you?"

"My ship back which you are currently standing in."

"I see."

Marick tightened his grip on his gunblades. "Look, we're just on an escort request, General. If you're really planning to push the issue" — he pointed one of his gunblades at her — "I will fight you here."

Melissa nodded and brandished her saber. "So be it."

Marick clicked his tongue, noticing her hardened expression. What was he thinking? She wasn't going to give up her mission! The queen personally requested it so of course, she had to complete it. He sighed and squared his stance to meet her own. He rolled his eyes to check each twitch of her foot, waiting for her to lunge. Or at least, give him a signal that she was going to kill him.

The moment the wooden panels creaked under them, she lunged and thrust her saber towards his head. He dropped down and tried to sweep her off her feet but she managed to jump over his attempt before whirling around and kicking him in the stomach. He doubled over and opened fire as his back slammed against the wall. He gawked when the general simultaneously bisected all three of his shots.

"You're kidding," he grumbled. "Those are shotgun shells!"

Melissa twirled her saber and tucked it behind her. "Yes, they were."

Glaring at her, he inhaled and tightened his grip on his gunblade. Her cold but smug look made his blood boil. Each strike seemed to mock him especially when she landed that roundhouse kick in such a tight space. Marick gnashed his teeth in annoyance but then spared a glance to the side.

No one was in the hallway.

He sighed in relief. He's probably in the cabin with Ana, he thought. Marick bit his lower lip and sighed. With both of them not within an earshot or eyeshot, he slowly rose to his feet but didn't tear his gaze away from her. He inhaled again and let his fury melt into his sword. Marick inhaled again and then advanced towards her. Each step echoed through the still hallway with Melissa keeping a steely expression.

This will only work if my opponent is stronger and more experienced than I, Marick thought.

He slowly raised his sword before dropping it right in front of her. The moment Melissa's eyes wandered towards the falling blade, Marick lunged with his other gunblade but she barely managed to block it with her saber. He clicked his tongue before elbowing her face. She staggered back from the shock as he pinned her against the wall with his blade against her throat.

"Normally, I'd throw you overboard my ship for your crap," growled Marick. "But let's hear what you have to say."

Melissa narrowed her eyes. "I already told you," she chuckled. "I simply want to make sure the princess comes home in one piece."

"Killing us wasn't included in the mission, I'm sure."

"You're still breathing, last I checked."

Marick pressed his sword closer to her neck, ignoring her grunt from the sudden addition of weight. His eyes darted around only to find a dagger hanging from Melissa's side belt. A chill ran down his spine at the sight of it. The ornate hilt looked familiar but he wasn't sure what it was.

Suddenly, the air got knocked out of him as she kneed him in the gut. He tumbled back when Melissa lunged towards him and slapped her hand against his mouth before impaling him against the wall with her dagger through his shoulder. He managed a muffled yowl but she slammed the butt end of her saber into his gut.

"I grow weary of your games." Melissa shook her head. "Thank you for the play, however," said she before walking away from him.

Marick grunted and struggled to pull the dagger out, gnashing his teeth to bite back the pain. Get up, get up, he scolded himself. Before he could pull the blade out, the ship suddenly roared to life and threw Melissa against the wall. The blade dug deeper as he gritted his teeth in pain.

"Who in the Abyss is the driver!?" Marick hissed. "Driving's worse than a desperate sea sponge!"

Anastacia yelped as Rowen spun the wheel, slamming her into the wall. She yelped and forced down her urge to throw up, groaning. She grabbed the railing as the ship tilted on one side when the First Mate spun the wheel.

"Rowen, are you sure this is okay!?" She screamed over the groaning of the engine. "I can feel my food climbing!"

"Sorry but we just have to give Cap the fighting advantage," Rowen hollered back and spun the wheel again.

The ship tilted onto the other side. "We're all going to be sick!"

"At least she'll be sick with us!"

Anastacia gagged and keeled over. Her stomach tossed and turned, mixing with the fear of the general actually getting the upper hand over Marick. She had only heard stories of how the general always won her match. Her opponents were never heard from ever again. Suddenly, the ship lurched forward and threw Anastacia against the floor.

"Rowen! What was that!?" Anastacia gasped. "You are going to kill all of us!"

The boy sheepishly grinned. "Sorry but" — he turned his attention back to the wheel — "we're going to have to break out of Hindenburg Port the rough way!"

"The rough way? There was a smooth way!?"

Rowen didn't grace her with a response as the Stormcleaver shot out from the port. Anastacia yelped and grabbed onto the nearby handrails. She heard loud thumping and gunshots from beyond the door until heaving Marick tumbled through the door with a gash on his shoulder.

"Marick!" Anastacia rushed over, trying to plug the wound with her hand. "Where's the general?"

"She leaped off the moment the ship got moving," Marick groaned and grunted as he took his hand off his left lower abdomen, noticing the blood on his palm. "Great, she got me there too..."

Anastacia's heart broke at the sight of the wounds. Her fingers began to tremble at the sight of blood on them. Her heart pounded. The longer she stared at her bloodstained fingers, the more her throat tightened up. She shut her eyes tight, shaking her head. She couldn't afford to freeze up now.

You've done this before, she coaxed herself. Her shaky hand hovered over the wound she was putting pressure on as a white aura enveloped it. Dread filled her as the aura flickered in and out. She shook her head again, inhaling deeply. Try again.

The aura then stopped flickering slowly moved from her hand to the wound on Marick's shoulder. His labored breathing began to smoothen out and when she removed her hand, there was no longer any blood. She sighed in relief.

"Now that's a useful trick," Marick chuckled. "Thought you were all just running and light shows."

Anastacia pouted and slapped his shoulder, causing him to yelp. "Am not!"

"Alright, alright, ow, ow! You don't have to hit me."

"My apologies but that ought to teach you I am much more than just running and light shows."

Marick let out an amused snort and looked to Rowen. "How are the skies, sprout?"

Rowen nodded. "We should be in Sofiene after the next few hours or so. Probably 4 hours."

"That's a good estimate. Should give us some reprieve," said Marick as he turned to Anastacia. "You should get some sleep, lass. We don't know what kind of creatures are out there."

Anastacia nodded. "How about your wound?"

"Eh, you did a pretty good job. I doubt I'll be bleedin' out any time soon unless I go Garuda wrangling."

Blinking, Anastacia simply nodded and stood up. "Marick?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Marick chuckled. "Thank me after the trip is over, lass."

Smiling, the princess left the bridge and headed towards the cabins.