Vaid Empire: Conquest Ch. 75

Vaid Empire: Conquest is a massive fantasy series that aims to mix erotica with the quality of a published novel. New chapters and artwork are released every month for free, with the completely optional possibility to receive early access on the official Vaid Empire Website. The Series focuses heavily on worldbuilding, story, and characters.

The world of Ayphieal is shattered and chaotic, with kingdoms and tribes of six distinctive races vying for territory amongst themselves. It is only when a young human warrior finally pushes back against the chaos that the world begins to shift towards order.

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12th of Twic, 15 AVE.

Kingdom of Harin, Nighri.

Cendra used a finger to stir the dark liquid in her cup as she studied the bustling port below. High atop Nighri's stronghold, the window of her personal quarters stretched from ceiling to floor, granting her an optimal view as workers hurried about their business.

She took a long sip before folding her arms beneath her perky breasts. She felt the soft black silk of her nearly transparent robe. Standing before the window, she could only smirk with excitement as she watched dozens of ships preparing for war. One of those vessels would soon await her command, she knew, yet which one?

Legion soldiers guarded the port. They stood in formation and inspected cargo, while others prepared their ships for departure. An ordinary human would've been required to strain to make out any individual at such a distance, yet Cendra quickly found Clin without effort. She watched as he commanded the organized chaos of the port, granting orders and inspecting manifests. The sight of him brought a flutter of guilt to her chest. When was the last time they had spoken? Yesterday? Two days ago?

Near him, she saw Irith watching over Cliax as he played with Arinax and Zela. Though Nafalya would have been content to assist her mother with the children any other day, she now stood with Hesin near the edge of the crowds, mirroring her master's stance. Cendra watched her sister giggle as Hesin whispered something into her ear.

Cendra placed her cup upon a short table. Beside it sat a long lounge cushion, and she eased onto her back. As the thin cushion was parallel to the window, she was required to turn her head to continue peering through the glass. She allowed her robe to fall open, letting her left leg dangle over the edge until her foot touched the floor. Thighs apart, she ran a finger up and down the length of her abdomen, biting her lip as she watched the port.

A tingle of excitement coursed through her. Soon, she'd claim a city by her own command. Soon, she'd have a chance to earn true glory. Soon, she'd make The God Emperor proud.

Exploring, the finger searched her body, running over her soft skin until she began to caress herself fully. What a shift she had experienced upon learning of her upcoming duties. She had been drowning, falling, losing control, only to be presented with the very opportunity she had craved.

She savored the softness of her own skin, fingers sliding downward before narrowly avoiding the treasure between her legs. It was undeniable just how... alluring she felt lately. Her hands moved over her hips, feeling her feminine curves. The weakness of the past months would soon be redeemed, and she couldn't help but part her lips with a heavy breath as she grasped her breasts.

Squeezing gently, she felt her own perky mounds, banishing a hint of fear. The God Emperor's firstborn was a warrior, a being of worth. What could she possibly fear?

A thumb brushed against her hard nipple, feeling the truth of her arousal. It began to circle as her other hand crept down her toned abdomen, feeling a growing wetness between her parted thighs.

"Father, I'll earn your pride," she thought as her fingers lightly slid over her lower lips. Slowly dragging up and down between her legs, her fingers took as much time as she pleased to simply trace the outside of her delicate pink labia. Able to smell her own sweet pheromones, she lifted her hand to watch a string of slick royal juices hanging between two spread fingers.

Turning her head once more, she studied the waiting ships through the towering window as she lightly massaged her clit. She eased into her pleasure, circling her sensitive bud slowly until it nearly throbbed. Which one awaited her? Which ship would carry her to victory? A breath became a moan.

For a moment, Cendra thought back to Vixin's gift, annoyed that she regretted rejecting the vibshir. Her loins tingled as she slid a finger inside to prod her royal depths. A second joined, pushing into her tight embrace as she slid them in and out. The thought of the vibrating slug was thrust aside, knowing she'd rather throw herself from the window than return to her sister for such a request.

A tingle of awareness touched her as she sensed her father nearby, feeling his power radiating openly. The God Emperor approached.

Her fingers increased their pace, closing her eyes. She did little to conceal her pleasure from him, arching her back as she steadily built towards her climax. Anticipation peaked when she clenched her lithe muscles, body quivering as she finished.

It came as no surprise when, a moment after she regained her composure, a knock thumped at the door. She sensed him, a bursting sun of power just outside. Her senses somewhat dampened as she opened her eyes, seeing little more than an ordinary door. It opened without her command, allowing her father to enter with slow, methodical steps.

"My flower," his deep voice rippled through the chamber, smirking with amusement as he watched her fingers hesitate. "By all means, continue."

Her chest fluttered, uncertain for only a moment before mirroring his smirk. Fingers resuming, she did nothing to conceal herself as he approached. Her top half lifted momentarily as he moved to sit down upon the long cushion before she placed her head in his lap. "Are you certain I should-"

He cut her off with a nod, gazing down to observe her masturbation. Evidence of her growing needs came with each soft sound of her sliding fingers, allowing his keen ears to hear just how wet she had become. "I'll do nothing to prevent my offspring from satisfying herself. Go on."

Head in his lap, she couldn't help but blush at being so close to him. Her pregnancy had placed a noticeable distance between them that had been torturous. He hadn't abandoned her, she had reminded herself constantly, yet gone were the days of their secret dalliances. Now that he was here, however...

"Ooohhh..." Cendra moaned as she attempted to grant him a pleasing display.

Though arousal shown clearly in his gaze, he caressed her cheek as his lips thinned. "The moment approaches when you'll set sail, child."

She had expected to sense pride within him yet found only a void as he concealed his thoughts. The mere warmth of his hand was all that prevented her from tumbling over the edge of doubt. "Kisrin will submit to my will or burn. You have my word, father."

"Pleasing words, yet they'll turn to ash if we're premature," he said as his finger traced her pretty chin.

Her fingers slowed, arousal mixing with trepidation as she massaged her clit. "Premature? I'm ready, father. If you'll grant me this chance, I'll-"

"So you say. So Irith says. We shall see." His eyes wandered down to her fingers, observing each subtle twitch of her body.

His hard tone stirred a hint of panic within her. Did he truly doubt her? She slowly rolled onto her belly, sliding her hand up his thigh. "You've yet to see what I'm truly capable of. You named Vixin as The Goddess of Fertility simply for spreading her legs. You'll name me The Goddess of War before I'm done with Kisrin."

Dominax watched as she slowly opened the groin slit of his one-suit. Her eyes nearly sparkled as his manhood emerged, already hardening at the sight of her. "Pride and arrogance are your birthright as a superior being, yet never allow them to blind you to the dangers you'll face. I did not sire a fool."

She survived the sting of his words, using her approaching opportunity like a shield. "You shall see," she thought to herself as her fingers wrapped around the base of his cock, feeling his thick girth. A deep longing to feel him after so long overshadowed any shame she felt as her tongue gently ran up his shaft. "Please... let me be victorious..."

His manhood tingled with each sensual lick, moving from the base of his cock to its tip each time. She took in the alluring scent of her father as she felt her loins beginning to throb in response. Her pussy craved to feel him inside once more.

Lust crept into his hard expression as her tongue slowly circled his tip. He watched her hand sneak downward, returning between her own thighs as she lightly humped against her palm. He felt the softness of his daughter's lips as she took him inside, beginning to suck.

The familiar taste of him sent tingling bursts through her loins, pressing harder against her hand. Inexperience nearly caused her to gag on his girth, forcing her to proceed cautiously as her head slowly bobbed up and down.

It was a simple thing to sense her desires pulsating through the fabric of reality. A smirk formed as he savored her mouth, only to fall away as he peered through the window at the waiting ships. He slowly guided her head to lift, allowing his cock to leave her lips as he peered down. "Rise."

Wordlessly obeying his command, she felt a tingle of doubt before he claimed her place upon the cushion, lying upon his back. Taking her hand, he guided her to straddle his waist, pressing his hardened cock against her midriff. The sensation of her own warm saliva coating his manhood sent a chill down her spin as her body ached for his touch.

Cendra allowed the thin robe to fall away, revealing herself fully as she felt his one-suit against her parted thighs. Longing to feel his skin against hers, she savored every second as she held his bare cock against her toned belly. "Father... if we do this once more..."

Dominax cut her off with a nod. "We overstepped. Your next child shall be sired at a time of your own choosing. For now, I'd merely feel my firstborn before sending her into danger."

A nervous breath escaped her, knowing the danger as she lifted to press his tip against her womanhood. Her instincts tingled, flaring to consume her as she slowly lowered herself. Pink labia parted as a deep moan of incestuous satisfaction eased from her lips, feeling her father's cock sliding into her tight depths.

She could feel every detail of his manhood, holding him tightly inside before she dared to move. When he took her hands in his, she gladly eased onto her stomach atop him. His touch explored her curves, moving down to hold her rump as she made slow, intimate grinding motions with her hips.

"Father..." she said as she rested atop his chest, feeling his cock stirring her insides with each movement. For a moment her thoughts fell away, focusing solely upon the feeling of his tip pressing hard against her cervix. She was utterly filled by his cock, as if her tight vagina was a perfect match.

Dominax caressed the soft skin of her asscheeks, feeling her feminine form. Every second seemed to drag by, his cock flaring with pleasure each time she moved her hips.

"I'm ready... father," Cendra said before moaning. "I will not fail you..."

His hand ran through her black hair, feeling each soft strand gliding between his fingers before he cupped her cheek. Peering into her eyes, silver into silver, his expression hardened as something flashed within his gaze. Sorrow, perhaps? "I made a vow to your mother long ago, child, that I'd allow no living being to harm you. I must be certain."

The fatherly concern in his voice caused her chest to flutter, even as doubts blossomed anew. The memory of Vixin's victory during their training made her grip the fabric of his one-suit as if he'd slip away. "I've seen battle... ahh... already..."

"At my side, my flower," he nearly growled, pressing his forehead to hers as her hips lightly rose and fell in slow thrusts. "If you go forth, you'll proceed without my protection."

"So be it," she said, even as her grip tightened. Pressing her lips to his, she closed her eyes and moaned as her slow rhythm continued. "I'll make you proud..."

Dominax's powerful arms slid across her back to embrace her, holding her head against his shoulder. He peered up at the ceiling, gritting his teeth as pleasure tingled through him. "Should you fail, the man that dares to harm an imperial princess shall drown in his own blood."

A moan escaped her, feeling safe in her father's arms. With no witnesses, no shame, she allowed her words to ease from her lips. "Of course... daddy..."

His hold tightened, closing his eyes to savor every sensation of their incestuous sex. Father and daughter, their loins ached with each thrust, his cock pushing hard inside each time.

Her deep breaths quickened, hot against his skin as her body clenched. Slowing her movements further, she began to quiver as she finished hard. Dominax allowed his smirk to return, caressing his daughter through her orgasm.

"Fuck..." she bit off her moan, enduring a deep satisfaction that eased through her body with every pulse of pleasure. Their love was pure, clean, between kin. It required every ounce of her will to avoid asking him to cum inside her.

Dominax reveled in his offspring's ecstasy, feeling his own limit approaching. The sensation of their slow, intimate pace after their loins were apart for so long had a curious effect upon him. As each minute dragged by, his craving for her body slowly became overpowering.

Cendra sensed his pleasure, as if he were offering a silent warning. Dreading their parting, she groaned deeply as she finally slid his cock from her, instantly feeling a deep emptiness. The cushion allowed her just enough room to slide off of him, moving to rest on her side as she began to stroke his cock. The feeling of her own juices coating her father's cock made her bite her lip, feeling his arm wrap around her to hold her body against his side.

Dominax tensed as his daughter's soft hand worked his cock, moving up and down until he was pushed over the edge of his limit. She slowed her hand, continuing to make tight strokes as he finished.

Her lips parted in arousal as she positioned his cock to shoot his seed in thick bursts across her hip and midriff. The feeling of his warmth forced her to moan, gently massaging his sperm to coat her skin.

Easing as his climax faded, he held Cendra close as they remained together, their silence broken only by their breaths. Looking over, he studied her face, seeing hints of her mother alongside himself.

There was much he must say, much he must tell her, yet what words remained? In the end, he simply granted her a kiss, peering into her eyes.

"Return to me, my flower."

17th of Twic, 15 AVE.

Domani, Capital of The Vaid Empire.

"Please..." Lalian's pleading voice echoed off the walls of Anthara's chamber. Woven tapestries of traditional Lanthian symbols hung from the walls, flavoring the once bare white stone with various greens. Candles burned with a scent that reminded him of the jungle. Even the feeling of the blanket beneath his knees spoke of his former homeland, a gift of his own making.

All these reminders fell away at the sensation of her soft hands.

"Please... Anthara..." his voice shook without a single care to hide his desperation, for there'd be no point. His prisoner, his goddess, relaxed on her back, displaying every inch of her gorgeous green body as he remained kneeling between her spread thighs.

"You're not permitted to enter." A cruel smile ripped across her pretty lips as her hands continued their work. Reaching between her legs to gently caress him, her teasing fingers dragged down his short cock with tantalizing slowness, only to return to his base and repeat. "A hand for a hand. A tongue for a tongue. That was our agreement, was it not?"

He groaned as he held her thighs, savoring the sensation of Lanthian skin.

Tilting her head, she pursed her lips. "Are you truly so desperate? Poor little Lalian..." she chuckled as she watched him squirm. "If your need is so great, I'll permit you to rub against me. Don't push inside. Fair?"

Nodding quickly, Lalian waited for her hands to pull away before he placed his cock against her lower lips. Moving his hips back and forth, he shivered as the underside of his shaft rubbed against her green labia.

"Better?" she giggled once more, laying her arms above her head as she simply enjoyed the moment. "You're quite an obsessed little thing, aren't you? I offer mutual masturbation, and you come to my chambers nearly every night for the past few months."

Lalian nearly glared, only to moan as she watched him hump. His cock was dangerously close to a Lanthian womb, forcing every instinct to scream at him to breed his own kind. He felt her juices coating his shaft, the result of nearly an hour of his fingers' efforts. "Please... allow me to push inside once. A single time. In... and then..." He shuttered, feeling her labia gliding back and forth against the underside of his shaft. "... out..."

She pretended to consider the proposition, though the glee in her green eyes as she playfully shook her head spoke of her true enjoyment. "I've allowed only slaves to taste my tight depths. Are you a slave, Lalian? Does your cock only exist to serve the vaginas of your mistresses?"

Grimacing as anger mixed with pure lust, Lalian conjured a look of defiance. "I'm a slave no more..."

Anthara gave him a careless shrug as his hips continued to pump away. "Of course. It's quite an accomplished life you've built for yourself here, if all the tales you've spoken are true. What a shame it'd be to reduce you once more."

"That's quite... illogical," Lalian managed to say as his cock twitched, savoring every second. "Nothing prevents us from... enjoying ourselves. Was that n... not the purpose of this arrangement?"

"Yet that is my rule, Lalian. Only the cocks of infertile slaves or superior men that may grant me worthy offspring shall be permitted to slide inside. You're more than a slave," she replied with a slight blush, easing her tone.

Her words lured his eyes to meet hers, seeing a hint of softness through her teasing exterior. It lasted only a moment before his quick mind absorbed the implication she had narrowly avoided. A slave no longer, yet sterile all the same. A deeply humiliating arousal poured through him, for they both knew he could never grant her a child.

"You cannot fuck me, yet you have my permission to cum. Hump, little Lalian. Feel the wetness you've caused," Anthara chuckled as she spread her legs wider. The softness in her eyes was quickly buried by a cruel lust, laying her head back with a grin as she endured his slick movements.

Loins sliding against each other, Lalian took in every detail of her body, knowing his flawless memory would record every inch until the day he perished. She was a Lanthian. A true member of his species. His small cock throbbed as it rubbed against the outside of a green vagina, a sensation as natural as breathing.

He imagined slipping inside, wondering what her tight embrace would feel like. He craved her body, hungering to fill her with seed that had been taken from him.

"You can't impregnate her."

The thought echoed through his mind, feeling his body tense as he finished. He released soft whimpers that brought a chuckle to her lips, watching his cock strain. A tiny dribble of clear liquid leaked from his tip just above her clit.

"Good boy." She reached down to gently rub the liquid against her green skin, spreading what little he had produced. "Come. Rest. You've earned it."

An instinct to obey claimed him before he could scowl at himself, already maneuvering to lay at her side. Like he had done dozens of times since they had begun their nightly rendezvous, he rested his head upon the perky cushions that were her modest breasts.

She heard him breathe as he recovered, caressing his head softly. Finally, when she dared to speak, she allowed a hint of softness to poke through her tone once more. "What I said was true, Lalian. None but slaves have enjoyed me, for I've yet to be permitted the privilege of breeding with the Priarch. I suppose that can never happen now."

He closed his eyes as he felt her chest lightly rise and fall. It was a simple thing to hear the pain in her tone at such words, clumsily concealed. A silence lingered as he focused upon her touch. He was nearly an infant, head held gently against her breasts.

"There's another way, of course," she continued in a tone far softer than she had ever muttered in his presence. "Slaves and Priarchs. The cocks of inferiors and superiors. Both are far beyond my reach now, yet what of an equal?"

Ears perking, he cleared his throat before building the courage to reply. "An equal?"

She grew hesitant, pausing. The hand upon his head seemed to press him closer. "A companion. A lover. Our women form such bonds between each other frequently, yet if I discovered the same emotions for a male, I'd proudly permit him inside me. Not for pleasure, nor procreation, but an act of love, Lalian."

A faint trembling seized his nervous hands as he touched her hip. For a moment he ignored the feeling of his manhood resting against her thigh, instead focusing upon a flutter in his chest.

A second seemed to be an eternity. The next even longer. His quick mind utterly failed him as he remained still, unable to find the words to respond. She chuckled when she closed her eyes, merely enjoying caressing his head as the moment lingered.

When her soft breaths deepened after several minutes, he realized she had drifted to sleep. A single thought remained to Lalian as he replayed her words over and over.

"Love?"

18th of Twic, 15 AVE.

Kingdom of Harin, Nighri.

Cendra listened to the soft sounds of water lapping at the hull of her command ship. She leaned against the railing, holding tight as she peered into the black waves below. Their gentle movements did little to calm the dread seeping through her belly as moonlight danced and shimmered across the river's surface.

She studied the water, trying to calm her beating heart. The river offered no mercy. It ran deep and narrow here, a dark tomb that threatened to pull her in. As she peered closer, she could nearly make out the image of Briza's face beginning to form just beneath the surface. She shook her head, dispelling the sight. A simple trick of her mind, she assured herself.

"A quiet night, my princess," a voice came from behind to tear away her thoughts.

Immediately straightening up, Cendra clasped her hands behind her back as she saw Queen Regent Elmia moving to join her. She silently cursed herself for allowing anyone to take her off guard, knowing she should have sensed the approaching presence. "So it is. Tell me, Queen Regent, are you in the habit of disturbing your betters?"

Her words had clearly come harsher than intended, said more out of embarrassment than spite. Elmia met her scowl with a casual smile. "Habit? Not particularly." She rested her back against the railing, folding her arms. "You're nervous, princess."

Taken aback, Cendra glared at the older woman. "If you were of any less value to my father, I'd take your tongue for that."

Elmia chucked as she shook her head. The white pieces of her armor nearly appeared to glow in the moonlight, while the tight black dress underneath clung to her form like a feminine shadow. "I have no doubt you would. If you'll spare my tongue a moment more, perhaps you'll see it offers wisdom. I'm no stranger to the dawn of battle."

"I've had my taste of war. Don't forget."

The Queen Regent nodded. "Under another's command. Misgivings come harder when other lives rest upon your shoulders alone."

Cendra quietly swallowed and shrugged. "Lives committed to The Empire. If they fall, so be it, for they've served their purpose."

Once more Elmia chuckled, receiving another glare from the younger woman. "So we tell ourselves, hoping it'll ease our burdens, calm our fears. After all, what is fear to a princess?"

Cendra's silver eyes focused upon her as if for the first time.

"Oh, we hope others cannot see, no less our royal fathers. What would they think of us, knowing their firstborns shook with terror before battle?" Elmia said as she watched the princess's pretty lips tighten. "Thus, we fight, we breed, we prance around with pride, hoping to earn our place. A battle of a different sort, you could say, and I get the feeling you've been fighting for quite... a... while."

A tightness claimed Cendra's throat as she touched it, blinking. She would not break. Not now. "How could you possibly know of such things? You? With a legacy forged in battle?"

"At the present, your majesty. No name is forged by a single victory." Elmia nodded towards the deck of the ship. "You'll see many such nights before you may walk with ease. Would you allow a subordinate to offer advice?"

"I'll..." Cendra cleared her throat, restraining a dampness threatening to pool in her gaze. "I'll allow it."

"The fear of battle is easier to endure when you're only fighting one at a time." Elmia dared to place her hand on Cendra's shoulder. She was pleased when it wasn't yanked away.

"And how might one do that?" Cendra asked, preventing her prideful tone from slipping.

"By realizing that upholding the expectations of a throne will destroy you. We both fight in the name of our fathers' legacies, yet where is your own? Who will you become?"

"I... don't know." Cendra felt her chest tighten. The growing dampness in her eyes became her war, struggling to hold back.

"Discover who that is, and you'll find your way." Elmia turned around to gaze across the water. The trees upon the shore glistened in the moonlight, just far away enough to allow a single ship to flank their own at either side. The fleet sailed in rows of three, gliding through the night. "You may cut my throat for uttering a lie if I claim it's easy. I granted my son the name of old King Galis, fighting in his honor. By The Creator... how I wanted his approval... still do. Yet when I focus upon the warriors beneath my command, fighting for each other rather than a dead man's approval, I may face each battle with a steady hand. Where are your comrades? Your allies? Your friends? A lone princess crushed beneath expectation shall shatter in silence."

Cendra watched the woman quietly, only daring to open her mouth when she could no longer endure. "An imperial princess has no need to show weakness... yet if I sought to confide in someone, perhaps a fellow royal would be acceptable."

Elmia smiled. A genuine smile, lacking the hidden aims and goals behind the lips of those she faced at court. Elmia wanted nothing from her. "If such was your desire, you'd find my ear open. I cannot deny that we've experienced similar paths. Perhaps if-"

Cendra heard a hissing sound, feeling something splash across her face. Another sound zoomed passed as she watched Elmia reach up to find an arrow protruding from her own throat.

Touching her cheek, Cendra pulled back to watch Elmia's blood drip from her fingers. She felt The Queen Regent's hand slip from her shoulder, eyes widening, then rolling back as she collapsed to the deck. The thud of her body broke Cendra from her shock, hearing the shouts of the lookouts.

"ARCHERS!"

A volley of arrows whacked into the side of her ship as she twirled around, drawing her sword. "Take cover!"

A horn of battle boomed from the shore to the left, then another on the right. She turned her head, watching as archers poured from the trees on either side of the fleet. Her lips parted in horror, for only King Siril's missing army could contain such numbers. They'd been found. Ambushed.

Archers of her own began to pour onto the deck, taking formation as legionaries raised their shields to protect them. Cendra hurled her hand outward, sending a wave of fire that incinerated a volley of arrows screaming towards her. The rest slammed into the deck and shields a moment before she commanded their retaliation.

Nock. Draw. Loose. Arrows erupted from the decks of each ship. They launched into the trees, blanketed by darkness. Only the moonlight gleaming off the armor of their attackers offered a hint of their number, yet more poured from the vegetation to replace any who fell.

Bright streaks of light flung from the trees, twinkling in the black void of the sky, and Cendra's heart quickened further as they slammed into the deck. Having been soaked in oil from an Elivai, a creature found only in the north, the arrows burned brightly as their flames took to the wooden ships.

Screams cried out around Cendra as legionaries rushed to put out fires, only to be struck with incoming arrows. She allowed her own fire to erupt up her blade, thrusting outward to send a burst of flame arching across the sky into the trees. More archers emerged, endless, unrelenting.

Her ships began to light up the night, burning. Vastly outnumbered, there was little hope of putting out the flames as they crept up each mast. Cendra opened her mouth to order her men below deck to take cover, then thought better of it. She took a step. Stopped.

Peering around, she watched as men and women bled upon the deck, her voice trapped in her throat. She needed to grant an order, to take control, to do anything.

A swipe of her sword deflected a flurry of arrows with a wave of flame, protecting herself. She heard the splintering of wood as a ship behind her was consumed by fire. The warriors aboard began to jump into the water, swimming for shore. Those that made it were quickly cut down without mercy.

The screams of her legionaries pounded in her ears. There'd be no retreat. Her command ship groaned as the mast collapsed, crashing to the deck in flames.

Regardless of what awaited them upon the shore, it was clear that remaining aboard was no longer an option. Flames began to consume her ship, inciting her crew to flee the command ship. Cendra turned towards the railing, peering down into the black waves. She breathed, trying to calm her trembling. "A... abandon ship! Abandon ship!"

Arrows continued to strike against wood around her as she sheathed her blade, securing it. She prepared herself for the plunge, only to remain frozen.

"Princess! We must go!" a legionary called out as he reached her, dropping his armor onto the deck.

"The water..." she managed to say. "I... I can't..."

The man gritted his teeth. An arrow struck the deck near their feet, and he simply grabbed her waist and pushed. She cried out in shock and horror as she toppled overboard, plunging into the black waves below.

Sinking into darkness, Cendra frantically fought to swim towards the surface. How could she? Having never learned, her struggle proved fruitless as terror seized her. Of course, a Vaid could be trained to hold her breath for nearly an hour, regulating her oxygen flow, yet her panicked movements removed that possibility. Her lungs already begged for air.

"Not like this..." she thought to herself. "Please... not like this..."

She could almost hear Xenia's laughter, remembering how others had described her mother's corpse. Her lips parted with a strangled gasp, tasting only water. Was this what Briza felt when she drowned? Cendra wanted to scream.

As her vision began to fade, she felt something wrap around her waist. It pulled her upwards, rising towards shimmering moonlight until she finally broke free from the surface of the river. She choked, coughing hard as she wheezed for air. She felt herself pressed against a man's chest, his arm around her.

"I have you, princess..." the man said in a low voice, the same legionary who pushed her. He supported her head above the water, pulling her along. "Can't go to shore. Not yet..."

Lungs burning, Cendra fought to regain her breath as tears poured down her wet cheeks. No longer could they be contained as her resilience shattered. She had nearly drowned like her mother, feeling her pain. Her weeping grew hysterical, forcing the man to struggle to cover her mouth.

"Forgive me, yet quiet! They'll hear us," the man commanded, holding her tightly as he pulled her away from the wreckage. The screams of dying and burning legionaries echoed across the waves.

The river's current aided in their escape as they drifted downstream together, watching the inferno of her fleet. Arrows continued to rain down upon survivors, and those few around her were far too concerned for their own survival to notice their princess. She took it as a small comfort, for none would see her tears.

Cendra used whatever remained of her willpower to quiet herself, allowing the man to release her mouth and continue swimming. He pulled her along, slowly putting distance between themselves and the slaughter.

They drifted downstream for what felt like an hour, lost in the darkness. As her protector finally began to pull her towards the shore, only the sounds of the night echoed from the trees. Her hands ached from holding onto him so tightly, finger digging into the fabric of his one-suit.

As the trees approached, she wanted to let go, releasing herself to join her fallen men. She had failed, utterly, yet her fingers would not release. The terror of the water overshadowed her honor, her failure.

She felt the sand against her skin. Momentarily safe, she resumed her weeping once more, unable to banish a thought of Briza's drowning face.