The Princess and The Pirate

Within the bustling, music-filled streets of Paradiso, everything was bright, vibrant, and filled with buzzing energy. However, to Novice and Father Cordinae, it was simply a temple of debauchery. Paradiso represented a treacherous, godless way of living. It endorsed a life of sinful indulgence, a lack of authority, and worst of all, it created a small niche in the environment for the wicked to freely walk. It was a pit of immoral amnesty! Paradiso was the only city to offer amnesty to pirates, traitors, and murderers! Father Cordinae chuckled at the idea that the unjust could be reformed or that they even deserved reform.

The pair had been subjected to the port city’s bastardization of “culture” for roughly three days and it wore on their righteous souls. Now they sat in a small room with a window to the busy port.

“I pray we could purge them all,” Novice said, fingering the beads of her rosary.

“Patience, child. We’re doing a small part of God’s will. He will do the rest, in time. Read Revelations once more if that isn’t satisfying,” the father replied, leaning on the windowsill, watching the ships come and go. Finally, a practically derelict ship was edging its way to port. A white stripe had been placed over a black triangle flag, signaling heavy damage. The ogre was finally here.

“Do you know their next plan?” she replied after muttering the Madre Prayer.

“God will tell me. But they are here, injured, and their vessel is crippled. It will be like tracking a bleeding animal.” His confidence was reassuring. “They will no doubt leave carnage all over the place.”

“Father, what will we bring to the Queen as proof?” Completing her prayers, Novice put her scarred lips against the marble beads, kissing the religious trinket.

Turning away from the window, he brought the monastery hood over his head. “Her eyes. Come, let’s go.”

“Yes, father.” The fact didn’t even faze her.

The two left, like phantoms, leaving no sign they were ever there. Not a sheet was moved, no dust was stirred. Not even a fiber of carpet too conspicuously crushed was left behind.