24

"Luca, I saw something yesterday."

Ainsley's statement was serious, breaking away from the mostly excited chatter she and the knight had shared up until this point. They had left the city behind them hours ago by now, the two of them and a small patrol of another soldiers that had been sent to join Luca in escorting her home. The sun was high in the sky and heading westward.

"Oh?"

"There was a stable, but bigger than any I've seen before. And barracks and an armoury, all in the process of being built under the Ackerley symbol. Do you know what's going on?"

The young man's jaw tightened slightly and he evaded her gaze, flexing his gloved fingers around the reins of his mount. Ainsley's horse walked next to him.

"Do you remember the Reyngal noble?"

"The one I've been arranged to be married to someday."

"Yes. His family learned that your father allowed you to be taken as a hostage and were upset with the risks he's taken with you. They've removed their son from the marriage deal, and your father isn't happy about it. He's preparing to wage war if they don't reconsider now that he has you back."

Ainsley frowned, the sudden wave of new information barely being processed. She licked her lips, unsure of what to say for a second. "First, my father didn't allow me to do anything. He offered me to the pirates."

Her friend's eyes widened. "What?"

"I can explain that more later. But you didn't answer my question, not really. Why the stable?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "I... do not know."

"Luca." She glared at him. "Don't lie to me."

"I really don't know, Ainsley. If I knew I'd tell you. As far as I know, he's just hoping to renegotiate with the Reyngals. I don't know anything about the... military base you're talking about."

Ainsley was quiet, feeling the weight of her horse shift underneath her with each step. She had no reason not to trust Luca, but she didn't trust her father at all. Knowing him, he was likely lying to his whole court, Luca included.

"Anyways, what was this about him offering you?"

Ainsley felt a familiar surge of hatred that she struggled to push down.

"Gael—the captain, I mean—and her crew were only looking for safe passage while they passed through our waters, so they approached Ackerley to try to strike a deal. And he..." She swallowed. She thought she had come to terms with the betrayal, but it still stung. "He offered to let them have me as a hostage until they reached this coast and then return me."

"Ainsley, why would he do that?"

She could tell he was reluctant to believe her. "Because he thinks I've slipped his control, probably," she replied. "I've refused any suitors he's put forward and the few times he's asked if I would help with my abilities in case of war, my answer has always been no." The man was a warmonger. Ainsley knew if she agreed he wouldn't hesitate to invade every surrounding country.

Luca was quiet, appearing deep in thought. "This is all true?" He asked at last.

"Yes. I thought you would believe me."

"I do believe you, Ainsley, it's just..." He shook his head. "Something's happened to you since you left. You're different."

Ainsley stared between the flicking ears of her mount, unsure of what to say and with an apprehensive feeling in her gut. Luca took it as a sign to continue.

"The pirate seemed pretty friendly towards you."

His tone was hostile, and Ainsley reacted by jumping to defensive.

"Her name is Gael. She-"

He shook his head, cutting her off, and grinned bitterly. "Gael? You're on first name terms with her?"

Ainsley's jaw clenched and she pulled her horse to a stop. It pranced in place, watching its companions keep walking, apparently not having noticed the two fall behind and finally halt. Luca stopped as well and faced her, looking surprised. Ainsley began to talk before he could get a word in.

"Luca, listen to me." She stared at him. "I didn't like it any more than you did at first, but the crew of the Finch have been nothing but good to me since I arrived on board. They had no choice in the matter. The fault is on my father, not Gael." She paused. "And yes, we're on first name terms, because friends are typically referred to by name."

Luca's expression was indecisive and conflicted. He was quiet for a long time, the only sound between them the receding hoof beats on the road and a flock of birds above.

"You would really call her a friend?" He asked at last. "Ainsley, how do you even know she thinks anything of you at all? Your feelings of friendship could be entirely one-sided."

Ainsley ignored the sting she felt. That had been her fear in every allowing herself to consider Gael a friend in the first place. "I don't care. I enjoyed my time among the pirates, and many of them respected me in a way no one in my father's court ever has. To them I'm royalty, but to the pirates I've actually proved myself."

Luca shook his head, sighed, and stared up at the sky. His horse twitched beneath him and stomped its hoof.

"If you need proof," Ainsley continued after a moment, "the fact that they didn't feel the need to keep my powers contained should be enough." She held up her bare wrist needlessly. "I probably could have killed them all if I so pleased."

There was tense silence between the two of them.

"I apologize. I lied to you," Luca said suddenly, face flushing. Ainsley blinked.

"What?"

"I told you what your father instructed me to say, but I overheard him speaking to a small group of his advisors a few nights ago." Now, the words tumbled from the young knight's lips and he leaned closer, speaking in a low, rushed voice. "He doesn't intend to renegotiate with the Reyngals at all. As soon as you're back he wants to use your abilities to launch a surprise attack on the kingdom of Fortra and take it by force."

Ainsley's jaw hung open. It was almost too much to comprehend.

"He knows I would never agree!" She exclaimed, voice a pitch higher and louder than she had intended. One of the knights, now a good distance ahead, glanced back and stopped the rest of the escort. Ainsley swallowed.

Luca shrugged. "I'm not sure how he plans to convince you, or... if he's going to attempt convincing at all."

Ainsley stared at him, dread growing in her gut. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"All I know is that your father is intent on taking Fortra. I cant say what lengths he'll go to to have your help."

"Because he knows he could never accomplish it without a dragonblood."

Luca nodded.

Up ahead, the escort had turned around and the five knights were making their way back at a trot. They only had a moment or two, and Ainsley made a split second decision.

"I'm going back."

Now it was Luca's turn to be surprised. "What?"

The ring on her finger seemed to burn at the impulsive decision. "I will not be used as a weapon. I've had enough of my father's control. I'm going back to the Finch. To Gael."

"Ainsley, this is madness."

Her heart thudded in her chest, but she was suddenly resolute. "Perhaps, but it's what I need to do."

"Please think about it first."

The escort was nearly upon them. Ainsley pulled the reins of her mount tighter and straightened her posture. "I've thought about it all I need. Please don't try to stop me, Luca."

He glanced between her and the approaching patrol and swallowed. Then he met her gaze.

"I won't. But they might." He dipped his head in the direction of the others.

"They can try to catch me, then." She wheeled her horse in a tight circle to face back the way she had come. The sea glinted to her right and the city she had left was still faintly visible. She paused for a moment longer.

"I'm not sure what you'll say to my father, Luca, but you could always join me. He might be angry."

Luca smiled faintly. "I had better stay. I swear on my life I won't tell him where you went or who you left with."

Ainsley gave him a smile in return, suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude despite the anger she felt towards Ackerley. "Thank you, Luca."

"Anything for the princess."

The patrol slowed their horses to a walk, only a few paces away now. One of the men was about to call out. Ainsley leaned low over the neck of her horse and encouraged it into a burst of speed. Luca and the other soldiers disappeared in a cloud of dust behind her, their surprised shouts whipped away by the wind that blistered her face. Stretched low over the horse's neck, Ainsley raced down the road she had come from, desperately praying this wouldn't turn out to be a mistake.

She had responsibilities. A kingdom she should be preparing to take someday. But all that mattered right then was finding Gael and hoping the pirate would take her back.

hey folks, thanks for checking in on another chapter of tides! ainsley's deciding to go back to gael... i wonder what that'll bring about 🤔 dad probably won't be happy, though! please don't forget to vote if you liked it and feel free to drop your theories in the comments ;)