#TSATD | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

brittysaucefanfic · 4 years

Text

The Serpent and The Dragon

Summary:

Lance Mcclain is many things. He is a pirate, a captain, a friend to half of the royal family and a tool to the other, a water mage, and a ladies' man. But there is one thing he is not, and that is a fool. It's no secret that the Empire of Daibazal and the Kingdom of Altea are on the brink of war. And through blackmail, Lance is made an unwilling pawn of Princess Romelle, soon to be General of the armed forces, right hand of the true heir, Princess Allura.

On the other side of the mountains that divide the two kingdoms, there is another, an old nemesis of Captain McClain.

Captain Keith Kogane. Pirate, fire mage, and a free man shackled by chains of brotherhood. He had no choice but to work for the Emperor, because if he didn't, the one who raised him would fall victim to the Arena. However, just because Emperor Zarkon has Keith's neck in his grasp, doesn't mean that Keith does not fight back. He works as a double agent for the Kingdom of Altea.

It is up to the two of them to save the four kingdoms from ruin, perhaps at the cost of life, limb, and even secrets.

Chapter 1

(Next)(AO3)

"Attack!" Lance calls out to his ship crew, the waters choppy with the commotion of a battle. The Serpent Lion is under attack by an old nemesis of of Lance's, the Dragon's Fire. Led by none other than the Dragon himself, Pirate Captain Kogane.

Lance can see him through his spyglass, standing on the railing of his ship. Lance adjusts so he can see Kogane in detail, despite knowing already what look he has on his face. A smug, know it all smirk. And Lance is right. On the railing of the ship, one hand holding on to a rope so he doesn't tumble into the raging waters, the other holding his own spyglass up to his face. Kogane must see him, because he lowers his spyglass and gives Lance a two fingered salute. The motion is mocking, since that’s Lance's thing.

Lance lowers his spyglass, compacting it and putting it away, and turns away in one motion. He won't let that bastard see Lance falter. Not until the battle is decided.

"Ready the fire cannons!" Lance calls out, raising one hand, fingers splayed wide to point towards the fire magic users on his ship. "Bolster the defenses!"

His crew don't even stop to shout an 'aye Captain!'. They just do what he says, not wasting any precious moments. They will need it. Lance's ship is still recovering from the last encounter with the Dragon's Fire. Lance keeps shouting orders, trying to keep the Dragon and his crew from being able to swing over to his ship. They have far better training than Lance's crew, so a battle face to face now would just result in the same thing it did the last two times.

The ship tilts as a blast of fire hits the hull. Lance stumbles down the steps of the quarterdeck as the ship rocks, nearly throwing himself off the ship to see the damages. Lance snarls in anger as he sees flames rising from the bottom of the hull where his ship was hit. Lance goes to jump off of the ship and into the water when a hand grabs him by the wrist.

"What are you doing!?" His first mate, Hunk, yells at him. There's a small burn on his cheek where fire magic singed his skin. Lance yanks his hand out of Hunk's grasp and jumps.

The water is ice cold, winter making the water so cold even Lance shivers from the temperature. And Lance's specialty is ice and water magic. Lance sinks low beneath the surface before the shock of hitting water fades. With gritted teeth he forces his magic into the water, and raises it with him in the center. The water swirls around him, propelling him to the surface, icy water stinging at his cheeks.

He breaks the surface with a gasp, and keeps going. He's two hundred feet in the air, just below the surface of the main deck when he sends himself flying to the ship's damaged hull. The water follows with him, splashing into the fire and putting it out, but Lance is moving too fast to avoid slamming into the wood.

The water falls back into the ocean, separating the two ships with the force. Lance freezes the water on his skin before he falls, cementing himself to his ship. When he catches his breath he forces more magic through his finger tips, and a sheet of ice surges across his ship. Over the hole Kogane's attack made, under the water, around to the other side and then thickening to make an ice dome.

Lance screams out as the magic is stretched more than it should, and just barely avoids passing out. When the ice dome is completed Lance wrenches his hands from the ice one by one to climb up onto his ship. The climb is short but it feels like he's climbed a mountain when he's finally reaching his hand up the railing.

Hunk brings him to the deck without hardly a grunt of effort.

Hunk smiles at him in relief. Lance wrenches his lips into a smile in return. Around him the battle has ended, and Lance thinks for a split second that his crew won. Then Hunk gives an apologetic look, and steps out of Lance's way. Behind Hunk is Kogane, standing in blood red clothing like the scales of a dragon, one hand gently placed on the hilt of his sword.

Lance's smile drops.

Lance straightens to his full height, the only current advantage he has on the enemy pirate captain in this moment. He shivers, cold, his muscles freezing to the bone and his magic worn thin to keep the ice dome intact. Lance steps forward from the railing, his shoes making a squelching sound unpleasant both to the ears and to his feet.

Kogane starts a slow applause.

"Very Impressive McClain." Kogane says, and what really pisses him off is it doesn't sound sarcastic or mocking. Just impressed. What a jackass.

"That means so much coming from you." Lance snipes, and he goes to move forward as if he might attack. Though whether he would have or not remains to be seen as his legs give out from under him. His head pounds and Lance feels his magic crack. He can't let it go until the hole is patched or his ship will sink.

Hunk catches him just before he hits the ground but Lance slides out of his grasp to hit the floor anyways. He fights back nausea as he forces more magic through his finger tips to strengthen the cracking ice. His hands glow faintly from the amount of magic he's using, a pretty blue that reminds him of the sea he loves.

The ice climbs just over the edge of the deck, a line of ice creeping from his fingers to connect with the ice dome so he has better control.

"Lance! You're using too much magic!" Hunk yells, falling to his knees beside Lance. His hands are raised in worry but not touching him, hovering over Lance’s form as if unsure whether to draw back or to take hold.

"McClain you might be strong, but keeping a spell up so long will only hurt you." Kogane scolds. Scolds. Like Lance is a child. Lance bares his teeth, a tremble in his arms to match the shivers beneath his skin. He raises his eyes in a glare and Kogane actually looks kind of intimidated.

"Take what you want. Leave me to save my ship from sinking if you don't mind." Lance grits out, and then yells in pain as his magic cracks beneath the pressure of the ocean. He reinforces it despite the warnings he's been told by his own worst enemy.

"Somebody go patch those holes or so help me I'll send every last one of you overboard!" Lance yells. Tears form in his eyes, but with so much magic exuding from him, the tears of pain freeze to his face. His crew, despite being held at sword and gun point, rush below deck to adhere to Lance's orders.

"I suppose I should be going then." Kogane says, almost uncertain. A crack in his magic bigger than ever sounds, the noise reaching all the way to the top deck. Lance whimpers in shame when he can't patch it. His arms tremble but he doesn't collapse, not yet.

"Dammit, go help them!" Kogane yells, apparently to his own men. He turns to Lance and takes a knee before him. "I may not like you Captain McClain, but I don't want death. Just your cargo. My men will help save your ship and then we will be on our way."

Kogane walks off without another word, presumably back down the planks connecting the two ships. Soon someone rushes on deck to tell Lance the holes are patched where the water might flood in. Lance collapses face first onto the wood deck, and a loud shattering of his ice is the last he hears.

The last he thinks of before giving into unconsciousness is an oath for revenge.

******

Welcome to my newest story! As of right now I will be setting my stories on a posting schedule one by one. TSATD (the acronym for The Serpent and The Dragon) will be posted every Monday at 5 to 6 pm central time. I hope you guys like it! I appreciate any and all feedback, and as always my ask box is open!

******

(Next)(AO3)

4 notes · View notes

nia-sketches · 6 years

Photo

He’s standing sideways okay, the thumb is not on the wrong side of the hand!

My oc Viveka from my original batb story and Katrina’s older sister. No one is messing with her goats!

#art #Illustration #nia's art #oc: viveka #tsatd

47 notes · View notes

nia-nita · 7 years

Text

How do one do angst? I absolutely adore impossible romances, every single OTP I’ve ever had, had had something that tried to keep them apart and them trying desperately to be together despite it. So how do I add that feel to my original batb couple in my story? Cause currently I kinda ship the dragons parents more than the beauty and the dragon themselves because of the tragic end in the parents story and I can’t of course have that. It is also a bit hard cause the story itself isn’t that developed yet either. Nothing seems good enough, nothing makes me go “YES, THIS” like the parents story did. So what do I do?

#some musings about my personal batb project #tsatd #i love angst but i'm good at fluff #crap

2 notes · View notes

spaceshipkat · 5 years

Note

I kinda want to read TSatD, but it just doesn't seem that interesting to me.

do you mean this book (the abbreviation isn’t familiar to me. heh)? if you do read it, i’d love to hear any thoughts! i have no plans of doing so myself (but i’ve also moved away from YA fantasy as of late)

#ask #anonymous

2 notes · View notes

salvaation · 4 years

Text

TSATD Epilogue, AKA Angie Goes Fucking Feral

#full on sicko mode #hunters au

0 notes

theblackpearlscaptain-arc-blog · 10 years

Text

The Swindler & The Dusk { Jack & Will }

A yell across the bustling town of Tortuga would normally be lost in the chaos of the already crazed port. But it was soon picked up with a variance of the name; by a few different men. Not as uncommon as one may think but the person running from the group screaming his name had no reason to be chased down like a dog.

At least, no reason that Jack Sparrow could remember.

If he could only get back to the pier, back to his Pearl, many of the crew could assist him. Or not. At this point Jack was still just focused on getting away from the half dozen men screeching his name across the crowd.

"SPARROW!"

Jack glanced back just long enough to bump hard into someone - his eyes catching the man with an annoyed glare. That was, until he made out his face in the fire's light around them. "Back on land so soon, William?"

#captainoftheflyingdutchman #tsatd #threads #{ Hope this works! }

8 notes · View notes

salemruinseverything · 11 months

Text

tess stevens i am shaking you by the lapels if you do not drop a release date for the runaway soon i am going to actually go batshit insane

#salem's random thoughts #tess stevens #tess stevens and the details #the runaway #the runaway tsatd

3 notes · View notes

brittysaucefanfic · 4 years

Text

The Serpent and The Dragon

Chapter 4

(First)(Previous)(Next)(AO3)

Lance goes to the tavern by the docks where his crew frequent the most.

It's not very late in the day, sunlight still bright and warm on his skin. Lance pushes open the door, a blast of the smell of alcohol and sweat. Lance crinkles his nose against the smell but still smiles anyways.

"Your Captain has arrived scalawags!" Lance yells as he steps into the room. The majority of the tavern's patrons turn and cheer. Raising their glasses in a toast of merriment. Lance walks forward, not needing to weave or squeeze between people since the patrons split like the sea before a tsunami. He gets claps on the back and a lot of hellos, especially from men and women looking for a good night with the infamous McClain.

Lance raises his hand and a pint is slipped between his fingers without a word. Lance knocks it back hard, earning cheers and high fives when he finishes the pint in seconds.

"Oi! Captain over here!" Rolo yells through the throng of people where the majority of the crew sits around a long table. Lance strides up and doesn't stop at the table. In a swift and graceful motion he hops onto the table.

"Hey everybody!" Lance yells, spreading his arms out wide. Hunk squeezes into a chair at the table with a huff. "Who's ready to party!?" Lance demands. Another round of cheers flows through the crowd.

Lance holds his hand out and another pint is shoved into his hand. Lance downs that one too, and smiles as he finally starts to feel a warmth at the pit of his stomach. He hops off the table and falls backwards into a chair.

"So what's the agenda Captain?" One of the crew asks.

"Well. After we complete what we originally set out for, we'll be hunting an old acquaintance of us all." Lance says. Confused looks are shared across the table.

"Who would that be?" Rolo asks. Lance smiles wickedly.

"Who wants revenge on the Dragon?" Lance asks. It's quiet, or at least as quiet as the rowdy tavern can get, before a round of cheers explodes across the table.

"When do we set out?" Someone else asks.

"Three days time so party hard tonight boys. Tomorrow we prepare for war and the day after, we sail!" Lance yells. His crew stand up with a loud cheer, clanking their drinks together so hard that ale spills over the sides of most of them. Lance casually uses his foot to push away from the table so when the ale spills over the side it doesn't go down legs.

"They sure are rowdy tonight McClain." A soothing voice sounds behind him. The person leans on the back of Lance's chair and her blonde hair spills down Lance's shoulder. Nyma, an old bed mate. Lance tilts his head to the side to look her in the eyes.

"That they are. Are you here for small talk or fun?" Lance asks. Nyma laughs and leans back, her corset creaking quietly.

"I'm here for fun, but not with you." Nyma teases, running her nail from Lance's chin to his cheek. Lance raises an eyebrow inquiringly.

"And who are you here for doll?" Lance asks. Nyma's eyes slide from Lance to across the table where his drunkest crew mates sway drunkenly to the pub song they're singing off key. Lance's eyes lock on Rolo, who doesn't look quite as drunk but laughs and sings anyways.

"Who's your blonde friend with the stubble over there?" Nyma asks. Lance smirks.

"Rolo. Want me to introduce you?" Lance asks but he knows the answer already.

"Oh Lance. You know I only let them come to me." She purrs. Her hand slips from his face as she saunters away, past the line of drunks with Rolo on the end. Nyma flashes her winning smile and that's that. Rolo's smile slips as his eyes track her across the room, and then he's slipping away from the group.

Lance laughs at him. He totally fell under her spell. Rolo better keep an eye on his coin pouch with that one. Lance holds out his hand again, and another pint finds its way into his palm. His crew are so good to him.

Lance waits until the night dies down, then slips out of the tavern. Hunk, of course, follows at his heels. As First Mate, Hunk takes his job of protecting Lance seriously, sometimes too seriously.

"So Hunk." Lance says, aiming to start a casual conversation while they walk back to his ship. "When are you gonna bite the bullet and ask her out?"

Hunk plays coy like he doesn't know who Lance is talking about.

"Ask who out?" Hunk says, still shuffling his steps to keep pace with Lance. He rolls his eyes skyward.

"Shay you idiot. I know you like her, she likes you, you two are practically courting. So why not make it official?" Lance suggests, nudging him in the side. Hunk swats away his arm with a huff as they round a corner to head to the docks.

"I want to take things slow okay? Besides, she deserves someone who isn't away all the time." Hunk says, a sorrowful note to his voice. Lance sighs.

"You don't have to sail with me you know. I know you miss land when we're at sea." Lance says softly, gently. Hunk sighs and waves his hand at the ground. A few small rocks float into the air and he plays with them, spinning them around his fingers like Lance threads a coin through his when bored.

"I wouldn't even be alive without you man. And I'm happy to sail. I love the ocean too." Hunk says. He still sounds sad.

"Hunk you don't owe me anything. You're my best friend. I just want what's best for you. And besides. You can still sail when you crave the ocean, you know you will always be welcome on my ship." Lance offers. Hunk shakes his head at him. This is a constant conversation between the two of them lately. Ever since Hunk started liking Shay Lance has tried to push him to find the love that could bloom if only he tried. But Hunk is stubborn, and loyal, and refuses to leave Lance's side.

"Maybe one day." Hunk says, and that's that. They reach the docks within minutes of the conversation ending, and Lance and Hunk climb onto his ship. They split up, Hunk going to his cabin to rest, while Lance heads to the war room.

He lays out a map of the nearby kingdoms, and makes another mark in ink on the paper. Every x on the map are places Kogane has crossed paths with Lance, every circle are places he's been spotted. He frequents the border between Daibazal and Balmera, a border that is frequently tested by Daibazalee soldiers.

Balmera has been a constant target of Daibazal.

They are the main producers of a mineral called quintessence, the crystals that produce their own light. Emperor Zarkon relies heavily on these crystals but trade has been scarce between the two kingdoms ever since talk of war has begun. Altea are allies with both Olkarion and Balmera, though Olkarion has already declared themselves a neutral kingdom should war break out.

It actually makes sense to be honest.

Olkarion is a kingdom of scholars and healers. Their military might is weak, but attacking them would be fatal even for large countries such as Altea and Daibazal. The Olkari may be weak in military might, but their people are exceptionally powerful witches and warlocks. To attack them is to force them into drastic measures.

Meaning their magic users would force natural disasters to occur unnaturally.

It's rumored there is one witch, a healer, with such powerful Earth magic that she could cause earthquakes in Altea without even leaving her home. And since Altea is on a fault line, that could mean the destruction of mass proportions. Of course, there is no evidence that Lance knows of to make these rumors true.

Lance leans back in his chair, a hand raised to play with the water in the air. His magic is weak right now, due to the amount of magic saving his ship took, but he will be ready for battle again in a few days. He just needs to rest some more. For now however, even drawing water from the air is difficult. He soon stops using his magic when a wave of fatigue makes his limbs heavy.

Lance ponders on what he would do should war break out.

His agreement with the king is only so far as Lance going on missions outside of Altea borders that the King's men can't make without heavy negotiations between kingdoms. To get involved in the war is to pick a side.

If he chooses Altea, which would be the most likely of choices for him, then his ventures even to Balmera territory would be dangerous. To pick Daibazal would be to betray Allura and he would never do such a thing. To be neutral like Olkarion is to sever ties with Altea altogether. At least until the war ends.

None of these options are ideal.

Altea is his home country though, where he became a man, where his family lives. So if the choice had to be made he would choose Altea. Lance eyes the map of the countries with narrowed eyes. Altea and Daibazal are both situated on the mainland, a thick line of mountains separating the two countries. Those mountains are treacherous to cross, even for the people who do so regularly.

Off the coasts of both countries are two large string of islands.

The string off of Daibazal is Balmera, and the string off of Altea is Olkarion. Separating the two islands is what is known as Death Valley. Sailing down this straight is a death wish because of all the whirlpools. Getting caught in one of those is no fun, Lance would know personally. They barely made it out of that alive let alone intact.

Across the sea is a lot of other countries, most of them at peace with each other. But the trip is so long and backbreaking that setting up trade is near impossible. Even communication between them and the four countries on this side of the map is difficult.

The crystals Balmera is particularly endowed with, when infused with every magic known to exist, even Light and Dark magic, provides the ability to communicate between crystals. However, there aren't as many Light or Dark magic users around anymore, so those kinds of crystals are scarce to come by. They fetch a heavy price on the black market just to pay someone to get one, not even including the crystal itself.

Lance sighs and rubs at his eyes. Figuring out a plan of capture that would fool the Dragon will be hard to come up with. He'll be stuck in this room for the next few days at the minimum. Hopefully while he's here Allura calls on him for something so he has no choice but to adhere to her summons.

This'll be a long night.

******

(First)(Previous)(Next)(AO3)

1 note · View note

brittysaucefanfic · 4 years

Text

Happy New Year

Alrighty everybody!

New year, new me. I have exactly 7 fics in progress right now, so everyday I will update a story sometime after 5pm central time. This is my new years resolution.

Order:

The Serpent and The Dragon - Monday

A Fate Unclaimed - Tuesday

Operation: Voltron - Wednesday

Brand New Blue (Revamped) - Thursday

Acting is Easy, Loving is Harder -Friday

Five Star Secrets - Saturday

Light & Wrong - Sunday

And then Teachings of the Heart will just be a whenever I get to it type of situation. You know, like usual. On the bright side, I found the piece of paper I set up the story with so now I actually can do it! You know, whenever I get to it.

I’m not starting this until Monday the 6th of January, so that i can get things set up first.

#brittysauce updates #TSATD #AFU #O:V #BNB(RV)#AiELiH #FSS #L&W #The Serpent and The Dragon #A Fate Unclaimed #Operation: Voltron #Brand New Blue(Revamped)#Acting is Easy Loving is Harder #Five Star Secrets #Light & Wrong #TotH #Teachings of the Heart

1 note · View note

brittysaucefanfic · 4 years

Text

The Serpent and The Dragon

Chapter 3

(First)(Previous)(Next)(AO3)

The Serpent Lion docks in the port at sunrise the next morning, Hunk having taken the night shift for steering the ship with two or three wind warlocks to keep the ship sailing forward. Even if only slowly.

They wait for the rest of the day crew to wake up before getting off the ship so Lance can tell them his usual speech. No bar fights, unless someone else starts it, be back on the ship by morning, don't destroy the capital city again. The works.

For some reason they usually get Lance into trouble with the King, like they do it on purpose. Lance steps on to the dock in his finest outfit, something bright blue and sparkly and as formal as he's willing to get. Shay, Lance's royally appointed handler, meets him at the end of the dock with a smile. Lance smiles at her but her eyes are all for Hunk, who shuffles behind him to keep with Lance's smaller strides.

Lance looks back at Hunk to see him blushing.

"Hey Lance, hey Hunk, you guys are back early." Shay greets them. Shay is a big girl with dark skin like mahogany wood and bright green eyes that remind Lance of emeralds. Her hair is just as big as her personality.

"Not by choice I'm afraid. The Dragon's Fire raided the ship and nearly sunk us into the ocean." Lance explains. Shay frowns with a worried look, and Hunk jumps in to comfort her.

"But it's okay! Lance made a huge ice dome around the hull of the ship to stop the water and kept it there until the holes could be patched up." Hunk explains. He doesn't go on to explain that Lance was unconscious for two days for it, but Lance won't make Shay more worried than she has to be.

"Anyways, I feel I need to report to the King since I'm here anyways. You mind accompanying us so the guards don't accost us?" Lance says, turning on the charm to get her to agree. Shay rolls her eyes, knowing fairly well that the guards wouldn't step against Lance at this point. His face is well known in Altea since he befriended the Princess and she got her father to allow them to be pirates for Altea instead of against.

"Oh of course Captain McClain, wouldn't want you to have any troubles in your travel to the castle." Shay replies dramatically. Even going so far as to delicately place a hand against her cheek in terror. Hunk sighs behind him when she smiles as bright as the sun.

"Shall we then?" Lance asks, bowing and allowing her to pass him. She does as directed, and when Hunk steps to follow, Lance nudges him in the side. "Take her arm lover boy."

Hunk's eyes widen and he hisses at Lance to be quiet. Lance crosses his arms and gives him a pointed look. "Do it or I will." Hunk looks at him with a glare.

"You guys coming?" Shay calls over her shoulder, a good few feet ahead of them. Lance gestures for Hunk to take her by the arm and escort her to the castle. Hunk huffs and rushes ahead. Lance watches fondly as Hunk shyly rubs the back of his neck and offers his arm, not even looking at Shay.

He misses the bright red blush that darkens her cheeks and the even brighter smile that lightens her face. Lance walks a few feet behind them and watches in content as they talk and giggle with each other. The two of them are adorable together, practically courting but not officially because they're both shy.

The walk to the castle gates flies by and soon Shay leaves them with a smile. Hunk gets brave for a moment and kisses her hand goodbye, and watches as she squeaks and runs away with a love struck smile. Lance laughs and slings an arm over Hunk's shoulder, which is an awkward angle to reach but totally worth it in Lance's eyes.

They are greeted by the Princess herself, Allura Altea, the third of her name. She wears a blue dress that flows to the ground and trails behind her just slightly with pink accents and long sleeves. The dress is her favorite because it's the most casual one she owns. If it was proper for a princess she would just wear a loose peasant shirt and tight pants, but if her father were to see her like that he would scold her gently (after he looks at her with love and pride, which actually never goes away when Allura is around).

Lance bounds up the long steps and kneels at the Princess' feet, a hand over his heart and the other taking her hand to kiss. Allura rolls her eyes as he looks up at her with a charming smile.

"Your highness, what a magnificent sight for this weary Pirate. Truly an honor to behold a beauty such as yours My Princess." Lance lays it on thick, and goofy smile at his lips.

His flirting is more playful instead of charming since he sees Allura more as a friend and vice versa. Allura slips her hand from his grasp and flicks him in the forehead. He makes a wounded sound like he had been struck through the heart with a bullet.

"Enough Lance, stop being so dramatic. Though seeing you so soon was unexpected, I was happy to hear your return." Allura says, her smile quirking her lips to the side. "The castle has been almost boring without you here to ruffle the court's feathers."

Lance rises to his feet as Hunk catches up, slightly out of breath.

"Why of course it has, I'm the life of the party Princess." Lance says, wiggling his eyebrows to make her giggle. She always says he looks funny when he does that. His self satisfaction is justified when she laughs like he had wanted.

"I'll escort you to my father then, so that I may keep you on a leash and not let you torment the staff." Allura teases. Lance makes another wounded sound as they start to walk.

"How dare you, I am a delight!"

They take a few more turns before reaching the main hall, Allura and Lance bantering back and forth. As they approach the Throne room, Allura subdues herself. Lance understands why she does that, the court is a minefield of drama and as future Queen she can't allow people she doesn't trust to really see the real her. It would be political ammo and Allura wants to start her Queen-ship with no issues to deal with. But that's still a few years away. She's only eighteen, she hasn't even been crowned Heir Apparent yet.

Which it's only between her and her cousin Romelle. However Romelle is a free spirit who doesn't want a crown of thorns to keep her tied to the castle. Every once in a while Romelle will even accompany Lance on his ship, so that she might learn to be a sailor. One day, when Allura is Queen, Romelle will be the overseer of the military.

It's actually funny, because she might not look it but Romelle is a master strategist. She plans to learn every aspect of war before she takes over from her father, Prince Ronan. Which she will need to, since the peace talks with Daibazal are tense and on a thin line between war and peace.

Emperor Zarkon is being very uncooperative.

They enter the throne room and the chatter that had been there silences as the Princess enters. Lance falls back and stands tall, one arm behind his back formally while the other one is across his stomach in the same manner. The crowd bows and curtsies as Allura passes. She walks taller than even Lance, head held high and hands folded in front of her delicately. Her dress flows behind her making her seem like she's floating instead of walking. Even her shoes don't make a sound.

When Allura comes upon the stairs to the raised dais, she curtsies so low she almost sits on the ground. She rises when she wants, not needing to wait for permission since she's a princess. She glides up the stairs to seat herself to the right of her father. Prince Ronan sits to King Alfor's left, his daughter Romelle to the left of him.

Lance steps up to the steps and takes a knee with a bow, throwing his coat back to keep from kneeling on the hem. Hunk does the same, though far less elegant due to his massive size. Lance keeps his head bowed in respect until the King gives him permission to rise.

"Greetings, Captain McClain. You and your First Mate may rise up." Alfor commands gently. Lance rises with the grace of a lion. Hunk rises as gracefully as he can but he gets flustered easily when eyes are on him, so he's clumsier than usual when he does. Poor guy.

"It is a wonder you have returned so soon Captain, may I ask why?" The King asks, though Lance doesn't actually have a choice in the matter. Lance fights to keep a scowl off his face.

"Forgive me your Majesty. My ship was ambushed by the Dragon's Fire, and was badly damaged. I only just recovered from the magic it took to keep us afloat myself." Lance says with as straight a face as possible. Allura stares at him with barely contained shock, only visible through her eyes and only known by those who know her well.

"I'm sorry to hear that Captain. Did they take anything of value?" The King inquires, but Lance knows what he really wants to know. He wants to know if the Olkarion cargo was taken.

"No your Majesty, just some supplies. We had to come back to port to restock and prepare for another encounter should it come." Lance says. King Alfor leans back in satisfaction. Prince Ronan is the one to speak up next.

"Forgive me your Majesty, but may I ask something of the Captain?" Ronan inquires. Alfor waves his hand in permission. Prince Ronan stands up, a man as tall as Hunk but not so broad. His hair has grayed at the roots of his dirty blonde hair. His brown eyes sharp and piercing into Lance.

"Captain McClain, might I ask why you were not prepared for an ambush by the Dragon's Fire when you left us last?" The Prince asks. His question sends the court into a whispering mass. Lance fights his snarl at the accusation that Lance was weak. Which is exactly what the Prince has implied.

He replies calmly if not sharply.

"The Dragon's Fire has not operated in Altean waters before, which we were still in when the ambush began. My crew and I were expecting to dock in the outlying islands for more supplies." Lance begins. The Prince tries to say something else but Lance cuts him off before he can. "Captain Kogane is a pirate for the Empire, he only ever operates in Daibazal controlled waters, such as Daibazal, Balmera Islands, and the waters between Balmera and Olkarion. For him to venture so far into Altean territory is against even his Emperor's wishes."

"Thank you for clearing that up Captain." King Alfor says, rubbing his fingers over his signet ring. Obviously seeing his chance to speak has been cut short, Prince Ronan takes his seat with a glare at Lance. He's never liked Lance, made most obvious in this conversation. "What, pray tell, is your plan to rectify this Captain?"

Lance looks the King in the eyes.

"If you allow it your Majesty, I believe we can capture the Pirate Captain Kogane, better known as the Dragon." Lance says. There's another wave of whispering through the court. King Alfor quiets them with a wave of his hand, and then Ronan stands out of turn.

"You think you can best the Dragon? The same one who has not only beaten you once but three times? Unlikely." Ronan says. King Alfor takes on an almost murderous look.

"Enough! Sit down Prince Ronan." King Alfor commands. Ronan sits with a scowl. "Now Captain, Ronan does have a point. What plan do you have to best the Dragon?"

Lance smiles wickedly. "Oh my dear King, a good Pirate never reveals their secrets." King Alfor chuckles lowly, inciting the court to follow his example.

"So if a good pirate doesn't reveal their secrets," Ronan says, silencing the room as he speaks out of turn once again. "Then why bother catching the Dragon if he won't talk?"

A wave of whispers follow his words, but the King waves for Lance to speak.

"Because. A good pirate also knows how to extract information from their target. And lucky for you I know my target very well." Lance says with a small purr at the end. He does it on purpose to make the court think he and Kogane have spent a night together. Allura fights a smile because she knows the truth, but Lance has a reputation for being promiscuous.

He has to keep them believing that if he wants to keep people from trying to set him and Allura up for marriage. It's actually happened before. With the two of them being so close of friends, people like to expect that there's more to it, which would then be ammo against her reign as Queen.

"As you say then Captain," King Alfor says. "I give you permission to hunt down and capture the Dragon. Just be sure it's you who comes out victorious this time." He warns. Lance bows low.

"Of course your Majesty, and don't worry, my plan will work." Lance assures.

"Dismissed then. Daughter, do escort Captain McClain from the castle." Alfor says. Allura stands gracefully from her seat and glides down the steps. When she comes to Lance's side she turns and curtsies low once more for a longer amount of time.

"As you wish father." Allura says, still curtsied, before standing gracefully and leading the way out of the throne room. They walk in silence until the door closes behind them, and Lance speeds up to match with Allura's stride.

"You don't have a plan do you?" Allura asks. Lance smiles widely.

"Not a bit."

******

(First)(Previous)(Next)(AO3)

1 note · View note

brittysaucefanfic · 4 years

Text

The Serpent and The Dragon

Chapter 2

(Previous)(Next)(AO3)

Lance wakes up in his cabin on the ship. It's dark outside, so the only light is the crystal in his room, illuminating his room in a soft blue light. Lance turns his head to the side, to find Hunk asleep in his desk chair, pulled up next to the bed as close as possible. His head is back, tilted on the back of the chair, and his arms are crossed. His mouth is open to let a trail of drool and soft snores escape.

Lance smiles at him.

Hunk is his best friend, and Lance hates that Hunk chooses so to be so far away from the Earth just for him. Fire magic is the only magic you can easily create out of thin air, whereas water, earth and air you draw from around you. Lance has the ocean, but Hunk is the only earth magic user on his ship.

Of course Lance tries to accommodate him as much as possible.

Lance shakes his head at the poor guy, who looks like he's one violent snore away from falling to the floor. He doesn't fit right in Lance's chair because he's so big, so he looks squished when he sits in it.

Lance eases up off the bed, careful to move slowly so it doesn't creak. He's still wearing his pants and loose peasant shirt, but no boots or his favorite coat. One of the water users must have pulled the water from his clothing because they're dry but stiff.

Lance slips on his boots and coat, situated where Lance always keeps them at the end of his bed, and slowly opens the door. He only opens it a crack, just enough to slip through. Lance breathes a sigh of relief when he walks away from his room without anyone the wiser. A cool breeze drifts across him, bringing with it the saltiness of the ocean air.

Lance walks around the main deck, finding most of his crew have gone to bed. The ship is eerie when it's so quiet. It has to be just before sunrise begins if it's this quiet.

"You really shouldn't be up and about Captain." Someone says in a gravelly voice. The shock of it makes Lance jump and spin around, reaching for a sword that isn't there. No one is behind him so he looks up instead.

In the crow's nest sits Rolo, feet propped up and the only thing visible to Lance from below. Lance rolls his eyes.

"I'll do what I want Rolo, and what time is it? How long did I sleep?" Lance calls up. Rolo retracts his feet, and leans his body over the edge of the nest. He props his head up on his hand as he calls down to Lance.

"It's almost morning, and it's been two days. You used a lot of magic just for a ship, Captain." Rolo teases. His smile is lazy, his gold tooth glinting. Lance cocks his hip with a smile as he calls back to him.

"Well you know what they say. A captain always goes down with the ship and I'm not so ready to die just yet."

Rolo laughs heartily. "Coulda fooled us!"

Lance shakes his head and turns to walk away, deciding since it's been two days he could use some food in his belly. Hopefully Cook has some leftovers.

Lance ducks down the steps to the forecastle.

The crew sleeps below him in the berth, so he makes sure to walk lightly and not make any noise to wake people up. He makes his way to the kitchens, and finds that Cook is already awake. Cook is a big guy, who makes some decent food but is no match for Hunk, and even Lance doesn't know his real name.

Cook lights up at the sight of Lance and performs a Hunk worthy bear hug.

"It's about time you woke up Captain!" Lance wheezes for a second until Cook puts him down. "Hunk has been running us like a drill sergeant to make sure the ship is in peak condition for you when you woke up."

Lance raises his eyebrows in shock and disbelief. If Hunk was so strict that means his worry meter was at an all time high. About that moment there's a blood curdling scream of his name on the top deck. Lance knows who it is before he even sees the man.

"I should go calm Hunk down. Later Cook." Lance says. As he starts to leave Cook draws him back by the arm and gives him a sandwich out of nowhere. Lance smiles gratefully and shoves it into his mouth as Hunk yells again. His crew start coming out of their bunks bleary eyed but ready for a battle. Which the only battle there will be at the moment is the battle of calming Hunk down from his worry.

Lance races past them with his sandwich hanging out of his mouth.

Hunk is on the top deck yelling Lance's name, and Lance can hear Rolo cracking up laughing in the crow's nest. Lance is spotted the moment he steps onto the top deck, and then he's wrapped up in a bear hug all over again, but this time with Hunk babbling in his ear at top volume.

"Why would you just leave without waking me up? I was so worried! I thought maybe you had been kidnapped or maybe you actually died two days ago and nursing you back to health was a hallucination! Or what if you tripped and fell when you woke up, what if you-" Hunk babbles, and Lance squeezes his arms out of Hunk's grasp to take the sandwich out of his mouth to speak.

"Hunk I'm fine! Really! I was just hungry calm down. I'm not so easy to kill you know." Lance says. Hunk whimpers into Lance's shoulder and Lance sighs.

"There there big guy, I'm sorry I worried all of you." Lance cooes to Hunk, patting him on the back and quietly easing his sandwich into his mouth so Hunk doesn't hear him chewing. Rolo dies laughing again. His crew begin to file out onto the top deck, snickering to themselves when they see Lance just chowing down on his sandwich while Hunk blubbers into his shoulder.

Lance's feet don't even touch the ground.

Hunk finally sets him down and wipes away his streaming tears, while Lance just continues to finish off his sandwich casually. Hunk notices this and glares at him.

"Are you seriously eating while comforting me?" Hunk demands. Lance shrugs, popping the last bite into his mouth and speaking with a mouth full.

"Hey man, a guy's gotta eat. Comforting or not." Lance replies. Hunk huffs at him but smiles gently anyways. His crew takes this moment as a cue to surround Lance to welcome him back from the living dead.

Someone claps him too hard on the back and nearly sends him to the floor. Lance laughs it off as he rolls his shoulder back. The jeers and shoulder claps keep up for a good few minutes before Lance decides to end it before they start throwing a party and getting drunk when they should be sailing and getting to work. At some point in all this the sun has breached the ocean line.

"Alright alright you bunch of hoodlums get to work! We need to sail north back into Altean waters so we can dock and restock the supplies Kogane and his crew took from us." Lance commands, adding a little extra spite on the enemy Pirate Captain's name.

His crew breaks apart the crowd to get to work even though it's earlier than usual, thanks to Hunk waking everybody up with his panicked yelling. Lance climbs up the stairs onto the quarter deck and takes the wheel, waiting for everyone to get ready to sail, without even needing direction. Hunk directs them anyways.

When the anchor raises Lance checks his compass, turning the ship ninety degrees to the right to head dead north. They had been on the way to Olkarion and Balmera, two small countries off the coast of Altea and Daibazal respectively. Olkarion to stock up on some new technology the King bartered for, and Balmera for some crystals to light the ship at night.

The crystal in Lance's cabin is one of the few left with power on the ship and they need to stock up on more since the second encounter with the Dragon's Fire ended up with no crystals left to use on the ship.

Lance whistles to Hunk to get his attention.

Hunk hears it and climbs the quarter deck, allowing the water mages to propel the ship forward at their own discretion. "Yes Captain?" Hunk asks, and Lance rolls his eyes. Hunk only uses Lance's title as Captain when Lance does something stupid that upsets Hunk. He does it to remind Lance that he has responsibility.

"Don't call me that. And take the wheel, I need to change into a less stiff outfit. This one is giving me a rash." Lance says. Hunk laughs at him but does as commanded and takes the wheel. Lance scrambles down the stairs to his room to put on something less itchy.

******

(Previous)(Next)(AO3)

1 note · View note