The ship was quiet without Natalia. When Samson moved through the ship, ensuring sails were tied correctly and everyone was doing what they should be, no one questioned him. There were soft murmurs of good morning and quick signs of how are you, Captain? but there was little in the way of actual conversation. Below the deck, Cheng rested with their eyes shut and did not look up.

Rhea moved around behind the counter, humming to herself absently as her skirt swayed and her hands kept busy. She smiled when Samson approached, but it was shy. “Captain.”

He nodded. “How are you?” he asked. If anyone was affected by the glaring absence on the ship, it would be her.

“Mm, you know. It’s strange sleeping without her and not waking up beside her. But she’s in good hands.” She sighed as she prepared a plate. “I know you wouldn’t send her directly into danger if you can help it.” She paused her preparations, looking up to him. “Coffee?”

He nodded again and she hurried to pour it. She was quick with everything she did, always on top of each task, ensuring it was done neatly. When she passed him his food and drink, Samson raised his hands. “Karim won’t have her fight for him. Regardless of what happens aboard his ship, she’s protected by the best.”

Rhea grinned. “She is the best.”

That was fair.

“It’s strange with the two of them,” she said. “His Highness was only here for a little while, but everything felt so different when he was here, didn’t it?” She smiled. “For you especially, huh?”

“It was different, yes.” He sighed. It felt pathetic to mourn the loss of him when he had only just left. To yearn for company he’d only been given for two days, that he’d lived without for years before, it was overly dramatic. “Though I’m sure having your wife absent is more difficult than me missing His Highness.” After all, for all anyone else needed to know, Elias was just a prince he had chosen to obsess over arbitrarily. Any real motivations were between him, Karim, and Natalia. Granted, Samson couldn’t help but assume Natalia may have let slip some of his intentions to her wife. He couldn’t fault her for that.

Rhea nodded. “Perhaps. But I know she’s coming back. And I’m sure if I hassle you enough, you’d make a meeting with Karim to have her home sooner. It’s hard when you don’t know the next time you’ll see someone you care about.” She took a sip of her own coffee and offered a smile. “You’ll see him again soon, I’m sure.”

Samson stood, taking a bit of the toast on his plate. He didn’t answer, but he hoped that she was right. He had sent a letter at each port, but had yet to receive any reply from Elias. Surely he was busy with wedding preparations. He would summon Samson soon enough. When he was ready and when Samson was needed.

“Have you thought about asking him to remain in contact when he is in Yadan?” she asked. “We could use some ties there. If you were to gain their favor, it would make the ship nearly unsinkable. Between the support of Verand, Kremal, and Yadan…”

He placed his plate on the counter. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea. Though that would likely mean more tension with Xiang.” He glanced over his shoulder, as though Cheng would have somehow heard the sound of his hands spelling out the word. They remained nearly asleep, mug in hand.

“That’s true. Still. For your sake, it may be good to open a relationship with them in some capacity. It would be good for you to see His Highness more often.” She seemed to hesitate before continuing. “You seem more yourself when you’re around him. It’s nice to see you so interested in someone.”

Samson struggled to form his response. That his affection was so obvious wasn’t something that he was ashamed of, but it did raise some concern. If his interest was clear to those on the ship, that was fine. They had been at his side with every attempt to keep His Highness safe, assuming that the contract he held with Kremal was simply about protection. Some interest was natural in such a circumstance. However, if Elias was too keenly aware of it and uncomfortable, then he needed to fix that. Something had to change if he was coming on so strongly. Still, the feeling of that soft hand pressed against his chest in the garden kept him feeling steady. If Elias hated the attention, he wouldn’t have returned it in such a capacity.

“Captain!” a loud voice called from above. A small, frantic young man skittered down the stairs, his eyes wide and his voice booming. “There’s a ship from Xiang attacking. They’re firing toward us. No canons yet, but–”

A massive boom rang through the air and the walls of the ship trembled. Samson rose, turning toward Cheng, who still reclined on the sofa as others sprinted toward the stairway. They opened an eye, huffing. “Forgive me, Captain, but I’m not going to fight a ship from Xiang.”

Samson weighed the words for a moment, but there was no time to argue with that. If they were too committed to their homeland and their people to fight against them when they attacked, so be it. That was none of his business. Instead of trying to argue, Samson fled up the stairs.

It was difficult without Natalia. The attacking ship was small, but the crew seemed frantic and already there were people attempting to board the ship. There was little reason that a ship from Xiang should be attacking, but it wasn’t the first time. King’s Sentinel had long been rumored to be in the direct service of Kremal, and when small, brave crews stumbled upon them, it wasn’t odd for them to attempt an attack.

This was not something that could end in a deal. There was nothing that a stray Xiangese ship could offer that would be of any value, and their ill will toward Elias made it difficult to even want to haggle with them. So, silently, Samson drew his sword.

Even without Natalia to lead them, his crew moved quickly, knocking into the handful of people who had managed to board the ship before Samson even gave an order. He frowned, watching as unskilled assailants scrambled up over the side of his ship. He sighed, weaving between people. No one attempting to board made any move toward him, instead backing away as he passed. The rumors of the unkillable captain, who walked with certainty in the face of danger and who managed to stand even when swords went straight through his leg had spread over time. Unless particularly bold, people didn’t aim for him.

He shuddered at the memory of that crew just over a week ago, turning all at once to rush toward him. Normally, this was how it went. He moved through crowds easily, the others taking his silence as some terrifying sign of confidence in himself. The small rope ladder that had been tossed over the side of his ship was not reinforced in any way. He glanced over the side of his ship. A long way down, directly into black, frigid waters. It would be difficult for anyone to make it from those shifting waves back to a lifeboat or their own ship. Perhaps if they had wanted to do that, though, they shouldn’t have attempted boarding King’s Sentinel. He drew his sword, cutting through the rope, and did his best not to hear the screaming and splashing below.

Without Natalia and without Cheng, there would have been trouble during the last attack. But this was the sort of thing his crew was more than adjusted to. It was easy. No one even needed to die. The small group of people who’d made it onto the ship were simple enough to knock out or disarm, and it was only a few moments before his crew had begun dragging them toward the side of the ship.

Samson sighed.

“You may have won this fight, but so long as you protect Kremal–” The woman’s shout was cut off when it became a wordless scream and then a nearly silent crash against the water. Right then. This was nothing but a nuisance. Nothing to fret over.

Even with the previous attempt, it had been simple enough. Samson had certainly not been in the right mind when returning to the ship after being run through at the temple. If anyone had seen Elias then, he would not have noticed. As odd as their attack was and as much as the vision of all those eyes in the dark turning toward him at once made his skin crawl, it wasn’t out of the ordinary. They’d gone in with a plan. Attack, and if Samson seemed to be in the way, target him upon the given signal.

The only thing he needed to concern himself with now was getting to the root of this thing with the temple.

Samson gave one last glance around the deck. No one was injured. Good. He sighed, signing a quick thanks to those around him before slipping back beneath the hull. Cheng hadn’t moved, and Rhea stood behind the counter, ensuring the safety of Samson’s still warm mug of coffee. Had it really been over so quickly? He walked past her, taking the coffee in his hands before moving toward Cheng.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

Cheng just smirked. “Are you? What’s with the not talking? I thought you’d be fine again when your prince left.”

Samson narrowed his brow. They were fine. “This has always been easier.”

“Mm, maybe for you. We aren’t taught that shit in the colonies.” Cheng rolled their eyes. “It’s easier for me if you just suck it up.”

Samson shook his head. He wasn’t going to give his time of day to this argument. Cheng had learned quickly when he joined the crew. It wasn’t as though they had been expected to understand everything immediately. They’d been given lessons by half the crew, and when Samson’s sign was too complex, they had not been left out of the conversation. Someone always took that irritated look on their face as a signal, quickly murmuring a translation for them. They were good enough now and Samson took the time to sign slower for them. They had been taught. If they were too annoyed by the concept now to want to listen when Samson spoke in the easiest way he could, that was their own fault.

He walked away, not bothering to deal with them. There were more important things to concern himself with. Without a word, he made his way back upstairs, finding the crew as relaxed as they had been before, attending to chores and lounging about. He tucked himself into his cabin and behind his desk, retrieving a pen.

Your Highness,

Thank you for always making an effort with me.

I have much to work through, so this letter must be short, but I would like you to know that I appreciate everything you have done. Even in the times when it was inconvenient for you, you took my hands in yours and helped me to form words. If you were annoyed with this long process or frustrated when I was unable to translate that into speech for you, you never showed it in my presence.

For that, I am grateful.

You allowed me to communicate. You have helped me to feel whole.

You asked nothing more of me.

For allowing me to be enough, I thank you.

I will see you again soon.

Forever Yours,

Samson.