Twin Trials

Once upon a time, in a far away land, there lived a beautiful princess who fell in love with a pirate. And a handsome pirate, who fell in love with a princess. Together they ran away, settling in a little cottage and making a small family. The princess gave birth to twins. A boy, Celdrake, and a girl, Aleena. The children grew in grace and beauty each day. Until tragedy struck on the children's eighth birthday. The family was discovered by both pirates and royals. The royal guard threatened to kill her husband if the princess did not return with them to court. And the pirates threatened to kill his wife if the former pirate captain refused to accompany them back to sea. Witnessing their parents sorrow, the brave little children tried to fight and defend their parents. The young boy running to aid his mother, and the little girl to her fathers. Admiring the children's courage, the royals scooped up Celdrake, and the pirates scooped up Aleena. The happy little family were no longer.

Celdrake lived in the palace with his mother, grandfather the king, and Aleric, as heir to the throne. Aleric was the illegitimate prince of an allied country. The princess fell fatally ill not long after her return to court, and Celdrake and Aleric became as inseparable as the twins had once been as a result. Celdrake held the pirates responsible for his family's separation and blamed his father most of all. He immersed himself in his studies and learnt all he could, with the help of his friend. Ten years after his arrival at court Celdrake's grandfather died and he became the King of Ruuna. His childhood was nothing more than a nostalgic dream.

Aleena lived aboard her father’s ship the Maniina, with him and her new pirate family. She absorbed all she could regarding pirating, how to captain a ship and how the common peoples lived. Aleena despised the royals and everything they stood for, she believed her mother had brought about the destruction of her family. The life of a young girl at sea was an isolated one, growing up surrounded by foul smelling men. However, she was loved by all as a little sister or daughter. Aleena suffered terribly from loss, the pirating lifestyle was one of many casualties. Ten years after her arrival into the life, the last of her original pirate family died from a fatal wound. It was her father, and at the young age of eighteen, Aleena became Captain of the Maniina.

During the first five years of King Celdrake reign, he fought to try and better his people’s lives. He often believed that his efforts were for naught, as his vulture advisors did their best to prevent him making a true difference for they refused to sacrifice a little of their accustomed luxury. Also the pirates were an ever increasing problem, especially the Captain Maniina and his crew. Every couple of weeks, King Celdrake would receive reports of lost freight and lost men. He had ordered many missions in attempts to bring the criminals to justice, however Captain Maniina continued to elude the King and his men. Desperate measures caused Celdrake to ask his dear friend Prince Aleric to disguise himself and hunt down the reputedly fearsome pirate.

Captain Aleena of the Maniina, commonly known as Captain Maniina, had built a fearsome reputation. She and her pirates were very skilled. Aleena, having noted the peoples suffering at the hand of the court, became their benefactor. A number of merchants sympathised with her cause and aided when they were able. Aleena and her men would rob the rich and buy the merchants goods to distribute among the needy. A number of men would also volunteer to remain with her crew, she would train them and then place them on other ships in her rapidly growing fleet. The merchants would then report attacks, deaths and robbery, fuelling the almost false reputation.

One day Aleena heard the shouts of a merchant she knew well, he shouted “Pirates! Pirates are coming! Prepare yourselves!” Hearing the secret signal she briefed her men. “Men,” she said, “harm no one, engage only the crew, they know the drill. Leave the troublemakers to Conrad and I.” Aleena turned towards her first mate, “Conrad please fetch my sword and hat.” Addressing the crew once more, she said, “Men! Let's pretend to be pirates!” Chuckling at her comment the crew ran through the practised motions whilst Aleena donned her hat and sword, and soon all were aboard the merchant ship. Noting five non-crew members, she disarmed and knocked two unconscious leaving Conrad two while she engaged the last.

Aleena stood opposite a handsome young man garbed in rags, once they engaged in combat she realised his disguise and although she managed to hold her own for a while, she was disarmed. Charging the men, sliding under his sword, she disarmed him in return. Her hat fell off and her luscious hair cascaded down her back, causing the handsome swordsman to start. Aleena took advantage of his surprise and he was quickly rendered unconscious. With all of the trouble hindered, the exchange was completed. Soon the goods, volunteers, crew and unconscious men were aboard the Maniina, and the merchant vessel set off to report the attack.

Upon hearing news of his dear friend’s death by the hand of Captain Maniina, King Celdrake immediately set about making plans to destroy this wretched foe. He ordered all the money that the kingdom could spare to be fuelled into creating a royal navy for the purpose of defeating the pirates. The pirates had taken everything from him and continued to ruin his life, it was time that they be brought to justice.

When he awoke on board the Maniina, Aleric was surprised to realise that he was not bound by ropes, hear good humoured laughter, and to see a beautiful young woman standing at the helm. He was greeted by the crew along with the other previously unconscious men. The nature of the pirates’ mission was explained and all decided to remain with Captain Maniina. The five men were sceptical when they learnt that Aleena was the dreaded captain, but all soon forgot their prejudice. They were soon re-stationed to another ship under the command of Conrad. All except Aleric, who accepted the position of Aleena’s new first mate when she offered it.

Over the course of a year, King Celdrake oversaw the construction of his royal fleet, and although he despised the ocean where the pirates dwelled, he learned all he could regarding the beast. His people began to suffer more and his short temper scared his advisors, so they all resigned. During this time, the pirate attacks increased and the death toll rocketed. Eventually the Royal fleet was complete and Celdrake wasted no time in setting sail to confront his enemy.

The year in which the king built his sea army, Aleena and her men increased the rate of their pirating. The people were suffering, but she was helping all she could. Her relationship with Aleric was confusing, they became very good friends but sometimes she would feel things that made her dislike or distrust him. Aleena despised the butterflies that fluttered around her stomach. She often thought of her brother when this happened, and wondered about his life. Aleena was unaware that he had become king. Over this time, Aleena also prepared her men for the imminent war.

Celdrake and his royal fleet, searched far and wide for the criminals, but could not find them anywhere. They were forced to return to land after a couple of weeks because they were running out of provisions. However, as they made their way back to shore, they happened to spot a lone ship sailing on the horizon. It was not a merchant ship, that they could tell. The whole armada promptly set chase after the mysterious vessel on the kings’ order.

The King had fallen for Aleena’s trap, and the armada chased her ship towards the rest of her now gigantic fleet. This is what they had planned. The pirates had stationed themselves in a cove where the water was restless and where they knew how to navigate well. They were well accustomed to the uneven footing of life at sea and would have the advantage over the seasoned land-dwellers. As soon as the royal vessels were in range, the pirates opened fire and the battle began.

The king soon realised his mistake and that he had severely underestimated the criminals. He had taken them to be dull, unskilled and untrained. He ordered a retreat. There were many Pirates on his ships and he would take them all as prisoners. Hopefully one of them would be the dreaded Captain Maniina. If not, he planned to set a trap, similar to the one he had fallen into himself.

The pirates had triumphed in the battle and started cheering when they saw the royals begin to retreat. “That's right!” they jeered, “run away you cowards! You and your king are no match for our Captain!” Aleena's men were joyful, but when she looked around and noticed that a number of her men were not there, she failed to replicate their happiness. There was one man that she sought out above the rest. Aleena recalled Aleric boarding one of the king's ships before they sailed away. An empty feeling settled in her chest when she thought about the possibility of never seeing him again. Having suffered from too much loss in her short life already, she began devising a plan to rescue her captured men.

When the royal fleet returned to the palace, the captured pirates were immediately locked away in the dungeons. Celdrake brewed over his failure and vowed to never be defeated again. He ordered his men to search through the prison, checking to see if any of the inmates was the dreaded Captain Maniina. The captain was not to be found, but his first mate stepped forward to speak to the king. He claimed that he knew how the King could conquer his foe. When Celdrake saw Aleric, he was astonished and relieved to see his friend alive. He refused to listen to Alerics pleas and plotted revenge for the criminal that held his friend captive for over a year.

Aleena denied any of her remaining crew's requests to accompany her on the dangerous mission. Wanting them to be her legacy, continue fighting the royals and aiding the kingdom's people. She found a way into the palace and snuck into the dungeon. Finding her men she picked the locks of their cells. Aleena led them to safety and scanned each of their faces as they passed. Once she had seen them all Aleena began to think the worst, feeling hollow inside. Until she heard a familiar voice, which she followed to its source.

Celdrake's friend refused to plot against the pirate, and the king began to believe Aleric had been indoctrinated while captive. They argued frequently, and during one of their worst altercations, they were interrupted. A beautiful young woman wearing odd clothes walked into the throne room. “Aleric?” she questioned. Aleric turned towards the voice that warmed his heart, and said, “Captain, what are you doing here?”

“Captain?” Celdrake wondered.

“Celdrake I beg you, no.” Aleric pleaded.

“Celdrake?” Aleena pondered.

“Aleena please, you must go!”

“Aleena?” Celdrake asked.

The twins looked at each other with tears in their eyes as they realised the truth.

In the years that followed, the twins built an empire and were good leaders. Aleena's pirates became the royal navy and she and Aleric were married. Celdrake fell in love with the sea, and with the twins reunited.

And all lived happily ever after.