Starsea - Part V - Nightfall

Hey everyone and welcome back to the Realm! This article will undoubtedly make you cry so you might want some tissues hand because it's a real tear jerker. This part of Starsea has existed from the very beginning, even before Hook and Poseidon were two separate souls as opposed to a dual personality. I can only hope I can do it justice without having to write up the full scene. Onwards into the storm!

Almost a year prior...Mordred bolted upright in his bed screaming out for his godmother. His mother was by his side in an instant, wiping the cold sweat from his ashen skin. She asked him what he had dreamt about and the boy refused to say but did comment that he needed to leave Camelot by morning, that if he didn't then the Captain of the Jolly Roger would never know that he still had a heart. What he didn't say was that worse still, the man known as James Hook would never understand what his godmother felt for her Captain because he would not have the assurance of where her true loyalties lied, having been betrayed both by a corrupt king and a traitorous woman.

His mother simply replied that she knew. She possessed the gift of sight after all and she was The Seeress of the Blood Guard. The year to come was in flux, constantly shifting within her sight. Her son's gift was different than her own...while she saw countless possible futures to better maintain her Ladyship's time line, her son's gift as of now only occurred while asleep and anything he sees within those dreams were fixed as in a fixed set of events that could never be altered. Mordred having a vision in his sleep had now solidified the future and she could see it clearly, the shifting images falling into a single path. She honestly wished that it didn't have to be that way, but to save the Blood Guard then Artz needed to be saved in the future which requires three very specific individuals that cannot be replaced...it must be them or all is lost.

That morning the boy set out for the Jolly Roger's next target, specifically crossing paths with one Simeon Black knowing that the man hated his godmother and would take him to her Captain. He stood there, watching his godmother shatter to pieces as her Captain ordered her to kill him, but he knew...he knew that the dark captain would stop his wench because he had seen it in his dream, but it also gave Hook the answer he was looking for and revealed that his heart was still there before promptly being stolen by his godmother.

During the next year, the Druid boy did his best to make that year wonderful and full of joy, knowing exactly how it would end. He used his pranking as an excuse to get into parts of the ship that he would normally not be granted access to and it was in one of the darker and harder to reach storage rooms where he found evidence of what appeared to be a rudimentary chemistry station specifically tailored towards the dilution of something. 

That was the one thing he didn't know...what was being diluted? He knew the who, the why, the when and technically the how, just not the what. The who was obvious...there was only one person on board with the skills and knowledge to build and utilize a chemistry station effectively and that was the master of the galley, Mister Hawthorne. Delivery of the what was easily handled by the supposedly clutzy Mister Jefferson who was a lot smarter than people thought, but he did possess a defect within his inner ears that caused him to be slightly unsteady but would not result in the theatrical behavior he oftentimes exhibited.

Then there was the one behind it all, their leader and commanding officer, Admiral Simeon Black. Upon Torrin's death, the title of admiral was passed to his second in command which was Black whom he had sent undercover aboard The Jewel of the Realm. When Captain Liam Jones was killed, he was to assume control of the ship because he was its commander but due to the crew siding with Killian Jones, he was forced to remain as a simple commander.

He did manage to inform his superior, the Butcher of the Royal Navy, Augustus Torrin, about what had occurred. The admiral promoted him to captain and ordered him to find a means in which to murder Killian Jones without drawing attention to himself, even better if he could get the crew to turn on their captain. Black knew that the crew would never turn against Killian so he paid a visit to Mister Hawthorne for a solution. Mister Jefferson had fulfilled a personal request of Hawthorne's while they had been within a certain realm and procured a specific item of great worth. It would take time to dilute its potency but if administered over time, it would drive the Captain mad, making the crew turn on him or cause his heart to stop and seemingly appear as a natural death.

It took years to dilute it, its lethal viscosity almost impossible to dissipate. By the time they were ready to begin, they hit a snag in the form of Silver Jones, appointed chef by the Captain and saw to his food and drink personally, which prevented any attempts at implementing their plan. To make matters worse, the Captain declared the Star Child and her Guard would always be welcome aboard his ship, that she should be treated with respect as The Lady of the Jolly Roger, and that should his life be taken, this ship and its crew were to declare loyalty and fealty to the Blood Guard.

This had royally pissed off the commander because unlike the others, he had met the Star Child. He knew what she looked like so when she was brought on board after capturing her ship, he neglected to mention her true identity to the slowly being poisoned Captain. He loved watching her being worked to exhaustion, then later to hear her cry out in either pleasure or pain as she was bedded or beaten by the Scourge of the Sea, but the circumstances changed and James Hook was somehow regaining his sanity. It took about another month to realize why. The Captain mentioned in a passing jest that he was never going to get his evening wine back because his wench kept drinking it.

Hearing this, Black had never been so happy in his life because it meant that she was intentionally poisoning herself to protect Hook, thereby weakening herself. He informed Hawthorne in a change of plans and to up the dosage in the wine, the master of the galley initially refused but soon did as requested after learning that the Captain's new wench was the Star Child and knew that the Captain was being poisoned so she drank it herself to protect him. 

After a year of drinking the higher dosage, Black was finally able to do what he has always wanted and that was to make the Star Child his bitch. She didn't have much choice in the matter because she was too weak to use her powers and if she did, the strain on her body would kill her which would leave her Captain defenseless. Every time the Captain was away, Black raped her and in time, both Hawthorne and Jefferson joined him...she was completely at their mercy, but the tide turned once more when the Captain lessened her workload and started bedding her more frequently until it finally reached the point where she never left his side which was extremely annoying. It left Black having to service himself with his left hand, using his memories of their activities to gratify himself.

It was just shy of four years of the wench being on board that Black crossed paths with a druid boy with very similar physical characteristics of the sorcerer that had barged onto their ship. Upon learning the boy's name, he smirked inwardly...the gods had smiled upon him for this boy was the godson of his bitch. Admittedly it was a gamble because he was a child and the destruction of Port Rhianna was still very much felt amongst the crew, but he brought the boy to the Captain and said Captain used the boy as a test of loyalty. 

The look on her face had actually made him come in his own trousers, creating quite a mess, but he was startled back into reality when she actually tried to fulfill her Captain's orders to kill the boy. She was a monster and if she hadn't been one before, she would be after she cleaved her godson's head from the rest of his body. This was bad...very, very bad. Breaking her was one thing but according to history, pushing the Star Child too far resulted in an emotionless state that transformed her into fearsome demon with an unquenchable bloodlust with nothing but death in her wake.

Fortunately the Captain of the Jolly Roger had stopped his wench but she still tried to fulfill his orders and attempted to kill the boy again. By the gods, what has he done? He never imagined that her loyalty to the bastard was so resolute that she would shatter her entire being for the man heralded as The Scourge of the Sea. Again the Captain managed to halt the woman's assault, rescinding his order to kill the boy at the same time. Said boy having just stood there, hadn't bothered to run away, almost like...like he knew what was going to happen.

He took a closer look at the boy as he walked by, the boy's eyes glancing at him briefly with a brief flash of gold that only he saw. Magic...the boy has magic. In that moment, it made sense...he knew why the boy had seemed so familiar to him. The boy's name was Mordred as in Mordred Pendragon; son of Morgana Pendragon, the currently reigning Queen of the kingdom of Camelot, the High Priestess of the Old Religion and the Seeress of the Blood Guard and then there was her husband and the boy's father, the most powerful warlock to have ever lived, the Dragonlord and the Archmage of the Blood Guard, Merlin of Ealdor...more commonly known as Yuel and Noel.

He was not at all surprised when he was stripped of his rank and duties, but losing his dominant hand came as a bit of a shock and he barely managed to tie it off to staunch the blood loss. Then that idiotic moron fully aligned himself to his wench and as Black picked up his severed hand, his eyes met Hawthorne's and the man blinked once before turning on his heel and walking away in a dignified manner as if scorning the former first mate, but in reality, he was nonverbally telling the now one handed officer that he agreed to his plan of action and would up the dosage immediately.

Black steered clear of the child and did not go anywhere near where he, Hawthorne, and Jefferson had been conducting their affairs with the Star Child which was not far from the hidden alcove where the Hawthorne's instruments resided. Jefferson, his idiot son that no one knew about, would constantly glare at her or trip and seemingly fall, only to bowl her over and sending her crashing into the wood rather harshly. He had been close enough a few times to actually hear bones breaking...which meant that she would be dead in under a year.

Hawthorne, on the other hand, was becoming far too paranoid about the brat and was actually calling attention to himself by disturbing Hook while he was bedding the wench...definitely not a good idea. Fortunately the Star Child kept the dark haired captain occupied, making certain that his attention rarely wavered from her. He had no doubt that it was to prevent him and his associates from forcing her to submit to them or they would simply find another way to kill her beloved Captain; however, the Druid boy was incredibly clever, cunning like his mother and gifted with his father's knowledge and magic, but he also had his godmother's persistence and stubborn will.

Through pranking, the child had successfully discovered the chemistry station and absconded with it, attempting to ascertain what was being diluted. Mordred honestly believed that if he could work out what kind of poison or venom was being used then he could save his godmother. Thus the reason why he had been constantly checking up on her, noting any changes in her condition to narrow down the list. He was close...so very close to having the answer, but will it be in time to save her, to spare her Captain such terrible pain?

The problem was that his godmother was showing symptoms from several different kinds of neurotoxins and poisonous herbs while the chemistry equipment was definitely used for only one toxin, herb, or venom...many of which his godmother already held an immunity to. In fact, she has been poisoned so many times and in so many ways that her body has actually learned, with proper food and rest, how to metabolize a vast majority of them. She showed symptoms from tetradotoxin, Ageratina altissima more commonly known as White Snakeroot, Oleandor, Rhododendron, aconite more commonly known as monkshood or wolf's bane, the rosary pea, and Atropa Belladonna.

After much deliberation and inconclusive experiments, he decided to ask Mister Smee for help. There was something he was missing, something vital, something so important, but for the life of him, he just couldn't see it because there were too many conflicting symptoms and not enough information. He showed Smee the instruments and the first mate frowned slightly while picking up a small and currently empty container. He told Mordred that he recognized it and that it had once been in Mister Jefferson's possession during their mission to Neverland.

The druid boy paled, all color draining from his skin and his eyes wide in alarm. He immediately grabbed his notes and starting rifling through them, making Mister Smee ask what was wrong. What was wrong was that Mordred did forget something...time. He forgot to factor in time, specifically the amount of time that Black, Jefferson, and Hawthorne had been on board and he knew for a fact that those three had been poisoning his godmother for years. That meant that they held some modicum of patience and when factored with Jefferson's supposed stupidity, Hawthorne's intellect, and Black's ambition... there was only thing it could be.

The papers slipped from his hands fluttering to the floor as tears rolled down his face. William Smee, to his credit, tried to remain calm but he had never seen little Morrie cry before. His godmother literally walking up to him to cut off his head or impale him with a sword...no problem. Hostile crew members with hidden agendas...no problem. So what was causing the boy that never cried to shed silent tears, his eyes filled with grief and guilt? Why? He got his answer the next morning when his captain shouted for the boy to be brought to him at once.

Mordred entered the Captain's quarters but he already knew what he was going to find because he had felt it when it happened. There stood the Scourge of the Sea, barely dressed in a shirt and trousers, with tears streaming down his face.

'Morrie...'

'I know. I felt it...last night, about an hour after midnight.'

About an hour after midnight was a less than ten minutes after the Captain of the Jolly Roger had confessed his love for his wench, his beloved Alice. He honestly didn't know how to feel because his mother had died young as well...had he cursed his wench with his mother's fate?

'It's not your fault, Captain, and no, you did not curse my godmother.'

'Did you just read my mind?'

'Of course. You're one of us now and you haven't been taught how to close your mind yet.'

'What do you mean by one of us?'

Mordred walked over to his godmother ...his dead godmother. Her body simply couldn't cope with the strain any longer. It was actually a good thing that the Captain had been bedding her so much. It had kept her alive long enough for her Captain to be claimed as one their own and one step closer to securing the timeline of the Star Child.

'What do you see, Captain, when you look at her? How does she appear to you?'

The dark captain looked at the lifeless corpse in his bed, but it didn't make any sense. She still looked the same way as she did when he first captured her ship and took her to his bed. He told the boy that her hair was a vibrant crimson, her skin held a healthy tan and she had all the right curves in all the right places. The boy took his left hand and held it, a soft silver glow coming from the back of his hand.

'Look at her now and tell me what you see.'

He did so and he was shocked, actually taking a step back but the child would not allow him to go any further. The woman currently in his bed looked nothing like the woman he had been with the last five years. Her hair was so dark that it was almost brown, a few highlights of dark auburn here and there, but it was dull, thin and brittle. There was a significant loss in weight as well and he could see a good portion of her bones quite clearly. Her skin was a sickly white color and countless deep bruises littered her body. 

Him...he had caused those bruises and they were piled up on top of each other, meaning that he had made new ones every time he had bedded her. His legs gave out and he sagged to the floor. He would have just let himself curl up into a ball on the floor and let the whole bloody universe pass him by but he could still feel the child's hand holding his. He looked up at the boy then noticed the glowing mark on the back of his left hand, the silver hook within the prism.

'The Prismatic star...that's the mark of the Prismata, The Prism of the Blood Guard. Why would I have such a mark? I'm not Blood Guard nor have I met the Star Child.'

'You have always been Blood Guard...even before she ever created the Blood Guard. She loves you very much and she waited such a long time...just to see you again. You were granted your mark when you accepted your name and who you are to her.'

'I don't understand.'

'Fourth Captain of the Blood Guard, Captain of the Jolly Roger, The Scourge of the Sea. You are Hook of the Prism Guard and you are her captain.'

The captain's head whipped towards his wench, staring at her body in a state of shock and denial. He ripped his hand away from the boy's, the mark fading away and once again, he saw the vivacious and vibrant vixen that he had wanted to break so badly, only to fall in love with her...only to lose her and to learn that she was the Star Child. He reached out to her, his hands roaming over her and brushing through her hair. 

It wasn't supposed to be this way! This was supposed to be her home! A place of refuge, a sanctuary, a place where she belonged and was respected, treated fairly with people that genuinely cared! He killed her...he killed his wench, his very soul lay dead before him, and then it hit him and hit him hard...he brutally beat, raped, and murdered the mother of Silver Jones...the young man that had never feared him, that he considered to be a dear friend...he really was a monster.

'Stop that. My godmother would slap you into the next century for even thinking that you're a monster. For starters...monsters don't cry and you're making your own damn sea. Secondly, those bruises were not caused by you. Do you have an idea how many times she has been bowled over intentionally on this bloody ship?! That's what caused and not you! 

You took excellent care of her and you didn't even know that you were. Your subconscious mind knew something was wrong so your body reacted and always saw to her needs which is why you started having sex with her almost constantly. Why because it's a highly intensive form exercise that helps my godmother metabolize any pollutants within her body...in this case, poison.'

'What? What poison? We shared everything together. I would be dead too if that were the case.'

'Not everything. You said it yourself...that you would never get it back and you were being poisoned but it wasn't enough to cause any kind of permanent damage...at least not yet...another few months and it would have been. My godmother has the ability to gain immunity to almost every toxin, venom, herb, poison, and chemical in existence. It's how so many lives have been saved because an antidote could always be produced from my godmother's blood, but only with proper food and rest. 

In order to metabolize the more lethal varieties, she has to keep ingesting it and have an insane amount of exercise. By you taking her to your bed all the time, she was actually being saved from the very poison that was meant for you. The reason why she's dead is because the dosage had been significantly increased.'

He stared at the boy, his mouth open and his mind going in circles. The boy walked over to the table where the remnants of the evening meal were still present and grabbed the wine cup. He dumped the contents of a plate into another so he could pour the remaining fluid out. The Captain stood, slowly walking over to the table. His eyes held confusion because the normally red tinted wine was an eery purple tinged in a sickly green. That kind of coloring he had only seen once...on the arm Liam Jones had cut with a certain poisonous barbed plant.

'Morrie...is that what I think it is?'

'Dreamshade and at its purest form. The reason she died last night was because certain individuals got tired of waiting for the diluted form to work, knowing that if she stayed alive long enough, she would forever gain immunity to it...and one day create an inoculation that would render dreamshade completely useless.'

'Who, Mordred? Who is responsible for this?'

'You won't find them, Captain.'

The Scourge of the Sea looked behind him but nothing was there. He felt a hand gently take hold of his ankle...a rather familiar looking gloved hand as he looked down. He was met by the rather creepy and glowing red eyes of the suited man that had prevented the Archmage from using magic against him. The figure removed his hand and it retreated back into the shadows.

'The three men responsible for my mistress's premature demise are currently in the care of myself and my two associates. I can assure you, Captain, that there are fates worse than death and they will most certainly wish for death...but it will never be granted. *turns his attention to the Druid boy* Young Master, your mother is waiting at the nearest port to Camelot. She will be taking custody of your godmother so that the extraction process may begin. She will need you to keep her Ladyship stabilized until the Dreamshade has been fully purged from her body.'

'She can be saved?' 

'Yes, Captain, but only because of your efforts and the joining of our ranks. She has gained a resistance to Dreamshade but will not be able to gain immunity to it. Any amount will inflame the permanent damage left behind and die in a matter of minutes, but aside from that, she can and will be successfully revived. Lady Yuel has foreseen this as has the Young Master. Now if you'll excuse me. My associates would like very much to give a proper welcome to our guests; Mister Simeon Black, Mister Lawrence Hawthorne, and Mister Paul Jefferson.'

The captain's shadow lightened as the red eyes vanished, but he was very far away from sanity or stability at that moment...Black, Hawthorne, Jefferson...these three were the ones that the wench had railed against the most. Looking back, he could see it. The reason why she had practically hung onto him all the time, not wanting him to leave without her...she was afraid of them. He spoke briefly to his first mate, telling him to make for the nearest port to Camelot which was a two and half day journey if the winds stayed in their favor.

When he turned around, he noticed that his wench was now on her back and was dressed in white that faded into a steel blue color at the ends, the style similar to the outfits worn by and an order known as the Confessors. It was a surprisingly good look for her though he hadn't kept much of a wardrobe for her in the first place. He had kept ripping her clothes off all the time until this past year where she rarely wore clothes at all because he was pounding into her on his bed.

He looked down at himself and realized that he should probably get cleaned up and dressed. He wandered about his usual routine of getting bathed and clothed, having to stop himself from trying to speak to someone who could not hear him any longer. By the time he was done, he was crying again but this time he was engulfed by rage, a blind rage at that because when he came back to himself, the entirety of the wall mirror along with a majority of glassware and liquor bottles had been shattered. Blood dripped from his left hand, glass shards embedded deeply in the skin, his hand was definitely broken as was his wrist, and it was throbbing like a bitch, but it paled in comparison to losing her.

He looked as a gold flash caught his eye, the pain in his hand easing away. The druid boy stood next to him and he realized that little Morrie had used magic to heal him. He watched the boy's eyes flash again and the damage he had done to the environment reset itself.

'I was right. You are Noel's son.'

'Yes, Captain. I am the child of the Seeress and the Archmage of the Blood Guard, Yuel and Noel, but you might know them by their birth names, Morgana and Merlin.'

Hook blinked at that because he had basically ordered his wench to kill, not only her godson, but the Crown Prince of Camelot. He swallowed when he realized that he and his ship were heading to the port where the boy's mother was waiting. He was about to have an upfront and close encounter with the bloody Queen of Camelot.

'You don't have to worry, Captain. My mother would never kill one of our own, but more importantly, she wouldn't kill my godfather...well one of them anyways.'

'Godfather...after...I don't deserve that title. I don't deserve anything except a very long a tortuous death. Everything I touch dies, Mordred...dies or leaves or breaks or was never there at all.'

'Sounds to me like you could use a vacation.'

'*bitter chuckle* I can't just stop existing, Mordred. It doesn't work like that.'

'Stop...no, but you can let him take control. Though it will be a bitch to come back out again.'

Him? Who was the boy talking about? His mind flashed to a dream he had shortly after Silver's departure from the Jolly Roger. In that weird seascape, there had been two of him but the other waa nothing more than a fragment...was it strong enough to take control?

'Not before, no, but you having constant contact with my godmother...a mirror once shattered has been made a new. He sleeps inside of you...the one known as Killian Jones...waiting to awaken.'

'But if the mirror has been reformed then what does that make me? An echo, a memory, the darkness...is that who I am? The darkness of Killian Jones; all his wickedness and cruelty, his lust and bloodlust, his rage and his hatred?'

'No...you are James Hook and you have a mirror of your own. You and Killian Jones are two separate beings trapped within the same body. You slept for a long time and became molded to his shape. Now that he has been remade, he must step into your shoes so that he may understand both you and himself.'

Hook glanced at the prone and still form of the woman that had claimed his blackened heart and had become the very light of his soul. She died for him. All of this pain and suffering just to try and protect him and he realized that if he did this, if he relinquished control to the brat...he didn't want to come back out. She died to keep him safe so he will gladly bury himself inside the brat's mind and never breach the surface again. He would protect her from himself but also from herself.

Two and a half days later, the Jolly Roger docked at the port and the Queen of Camelot boarded the ship, along with a bed of flowers. The Scourge of the Sea appeared above deck with the body of his wench and gently placed her onto it. He leaned down and kissed her goodbye, knowing that even if she returned, he would not be the one she would find but she would find the brat, one Killian Jones. He had spent the journey to the port editing his memories so that the boy would think the absolute worst of him and recoil away from Hook to become a different person entirely.

He stepped back as his eyes descended to the wooden flooring of the deck. He mildly surprised when the druid boy hugged him and saying that he loved him which caused the captain's jaw to clench as he fought the tears trying to flood his eyes. He did manage to hug the boy back and to stay in plenty of trouble...this earned a snort of amusement from his mother.

'Who do you think is always saving that idiot brother of mine and his so called elite knights? They would be dead a thousand times over were it not for my son or my husband saving them all the time.

*To her son* Gwaine has volunteered himself to ride with you. He has been saving up all of his notes on the new pranking ideas so off you go to get your head crammed full of ideas that I fully expect to be implemented once Her Ladyship has been confined to bed rest. She'll go mad otherwise.'

'Ya know, Mum, you could have just said Go away, Morrie, while I stay and watch your godfather have an identity crisis.'

His mother's eyes narrowed at her son before her eyes flashed gold, making the boy yelp in pain and rubbing the back of his head like he had just been Gibbs smacked. The child smirked, completely unrepentant before saying his final goodbyes to Mister Smee and the crew. 

The High Priestess of the Old Religion regarded the man known as The Scourge of the Sea...more like he wanted to drop into the sea and never come back up. The man before her was broken, splintered, but he had yet to shatter though that would change one day. The way he was looking at her, his eyes black eyes dull and clouded, like he was waiting for her judgment or perhaps to pass sentence on him. Sweet Menti Celesti...these people were hard work young and there was just so much...angst and emo bullshit.

'If you are looking for condemnation, James, then I suggest you seek it elsewhere because I have none to give. I bear you no ill will, no misfortune, nor do I carry any rage or hatred in my heart for you. In fact, my heart breaks for you. You are not the first she has died for and you most certainly will not be the last. I would ask you to change your course but I have already foreseen that you won't.

There is something I wish to give to you. You are the only person with the exception of her doctor and her truest believer that she would entrust it with. *walks over to Artz and removes her pendant then walks over to the silently crying pirate who doesn't even realize that he's crying.* 

You may not wish to ever return, but the same cannot be said of her. The exact moment is in flux but she will call out to you, crying and pleading for you to come back. I know that you love her, that she is your soul, so when that day comes, don't ignore her, don't hesitate, and this pendant will be your guide. *places the Tardis pendant around his neck* It is a physical manifestation of her soul and it's light will be a guiding star. She's not called the Star Child for shits and giggles.'

This comment made the captain let out a short bark of choked and wet laughter. Yuel gave him a small smile as she placed both hands on his face, cupping his cheeks and wiping away the steady stream of tears.

'Everything be alright...eventually but I know you're tired so I'm going to sing you a lullaby to make it easier for you to sail the land of dreams.'

Artz: And...CUT!!!

Light: Are you using Sleepsong for this one?

Artz: How the hell should I know? I haven't even picked out Yuel's or Noel's personal theme tunes either.

Light: But you did settle on mine, right?

Artz: Yep. Now enough jabber jawwing! We're literally stuck at a between stage where neither Hook or Poseidon technically exist or haven't you noticed that they haven't suddenly butted into this article?

Light: *blinks a few* Fuck me.

Artz: Must you always have sex on the brain, Light?

Light: It was a figure of speech but now that you mentioned it...

Artz: *punts him out of the article* Goodbye! Right then, back to work then I'll be posting this beaut asap.

Starsea - Part IV - Song of the Sea

Hey everyone and welcome back to the Realm! Not entirely sure if this article will be silly or serious because with the introduction of Mordred into the equation, he kind of turns things upside down a lot...and on purpose. He's a bit of a wild card because it throws a child in between Hook and the wench he beds on a daily basis, but he is more than just a test of loyalty. He has both magic and knowledge, both of which will come into play, and the end result is Poseidon and Hook. Now enough of my gob and on to the article!

The Scourge of the Sea, along with the rest of his crew, returned to the ship and he took a moment to watch his new first mate, William Smee. The second he stepped on board he had started directing the crew towards specific tasks; ship prep, storage, but his top priority was the crew themselves, instructing anyone who was injured to see the ship's doctor immediately...including Simeon Black. This had admittedly surprised him given his first mate's friendship with his wench, but this was also a good trait to have for a second in command.

He informed Mister Smee that he was heading below deck and that he wasn't to be disturbed, leaving his first mate to handle getting them under way. Aye aye, Captain...that was his reply and it actually made him laugh because Silver did the same thing. Yep, her instincts were far better than his. He went to his quarters but paused at the sight of his wench sitting on the bed and clutching her godson tightly to her chest, her eyes being closed but it did not stop her tears.

'Its okay, Godmother. I knew he would stop you.'

'I didn't...for a brief moment...'

His jaw clenched, his stomach churning with regret. He never should have done it. He should not have gone that far and he had to inwardly admit to himself that he didn't hate her, that he genuinely cared for her, and he was a bloody bastard.

'You doubted me, wench? Shame on you and before we get any further into this discussion, I'm giving you a standing order, an order that cannot be overturned. Under no circumstances are you permitted to kill a child or to hold a child captive and force them to watch atrocities unfold before them. Is that clear, wench?'

'As my Captain commands so shall it be.'

'Its an unbreakable law of the Jolly Roger and Black went against that intentionally. He's been relieved of his duties as first mate and of his left hand.'

'You cut off his left hand? *he nods* Now that is just some serious irony. *opens his mouth to ask why* Tell me, Captain, which hand did Black use as his dominant hand? *the left which was why he had cut it off to start with* Its also the hand he uses...excuse me...used for self service.'

She had glanced down at his crotch a moment before smirking like the cat that ate the canary. He asked her if they should be discussing such things in front of her godson, to which she actually raised an eyebrow.

'Afraid to give him ideas, Captain?'

That took him off guard, especially when her godson snorted in amusement, and actually had to cover his mouth to stop himself from laughing. His godmother bonked him on the head and told him to mind his manners whilst in the presence of their Captain.

'You may follow his every order, Godmother, but I won't because I'm a child. Kind of in the job description to be rebellious.'

The Dark Captain started laughing and rather heartily at that, making the wench stare at him. When he got control of himself, he asked her what and she just sort of blushed and looked away, leaving her godson to answer for her.

'Considering her reaction, I would say you don't laugh much or at least any sort genuine laughter and she finds herself even more attracted to you. *earns a brief scolding from his godmother which he ignores* If there is something that you can be certain of, Captain, it's my godmother's desire for your happiness so laughing the way you did made her very happy just now.'

He glanced at the redhead that was currently blushing as bright as her hair and he knew the boy spoke the truth. It didn't make any bloody sense whatsoever, but didnt make it any less true either. He told Mordred, who promptly told him to call him Morrie, to find Mister Smee to help him get settled in while he spoke to his godmother.

'You know, Captain, all you had to say was Get out, Morrie. Why because it means that you are about to fuck my godmother into next week.'

He watched the child practically bounced out of his quarters with a smirk on his face. He heard his wench mumbling something about manners and tact and how she was going to beat Morrie's uncle into the next century. As amusing as her ramblings were, he really did have a deep desire to bed his wench and bed her he did...for almost two days straight. He thought he had been ferocious with her before but after what had occurred with her godson, it was like a massive tidal wave crashed upon him and drove him to go faster, harder, deeper, and in countless positions. 

It was like he had been possessed or infected with this craving, a ravenous hunger that demanded appeasing. His wench didn't complain in the slightest. In fact, he recalled her screaming for more. Blimey, she had been insanely vocal and he was pretty certain the whole damn ship heard her. The reason they stopped was due to a different hunger...for actual food. He was never getting his evening wine back but it was alright because it always put on a smile on her face every time he reached or asked for it.

It was that day that he asked her what her name was and in turn she had said to give her a name and that is who she shall be. Seeing as how she had no intention of telling him her name without him making it an order, he decided not to press the issue but he did tell her that he didn't know if there was a single name or word that would do her justice at all. She giggled and told him to simply look at her and say the first thing that came to mind...Alice. Honestly he wasn't surprised that he had spoken that name for it was the name of his dead mother, a woman unlike any other. Yes, a fine name for his wench and he was certain that his mother would approve.

Time seemingly flew by aboard the Jolly Roger. Pranking had returned via a certain druid boy though it wasn't nearly as devastating to one's digestive track than their chef's antics. Then there was the fact their Captain had become quite the dancer. He knew how of course given his naval background but the red haired woman that was his wench just seemed to take it to a whole new level. Then there was the fact that he was constantly playing the flute for her, learning the songs from her land...he even started singing and somehow got them involved as well.

Life was good on board the Jolly Roger with a few exceptions. The animosity that Black and Alice had for one another was now considered full blown hatred for Black and a rather righteous fury for Alice. He was smart though and kept his mouth shut and steered clear of her and her godson. The same could not be said for Jefferson or Hawthorne. Jefferson glared at her all the time when she wasn't looking and always made certain to accidentally knock her off her feet at least once a day.

Then there was Mister Hawthorne and little Morrie. The way the Druid boy would stare at him with knowing eyes creeped the older man out and he actually had the nerve to barge into the Captain's quarters while he was bedding his wench to demand that the boy no longer be permitted in the galley or storage facilities.

'Afraid of what he might find, Mister Hawthorne? *goes to respond but she cuts him off* If my godson has become fixated on you then there is a reason and knowing him the way I do, it's not a good one. Now get out before my Captain finishes making up his mind about whether or not to fuck me or kill you then fuck me. Your choice.'

Things continued to deteriorate and that wasn't the only thing either. Many of the crew had begun to notice just how unsteady Alice had become. Her overall appearance also didn't help matters. Her skin was much paler than when she had first come on board despite the amount of time she had spent on deck working in the sun. Her crimson hair was once vibrant and shined with a golden light was now much darker, closer to a dark auburn, dull and brittle too. Her skin was like ice and she had lost a lot of weight. Her eyes still sparkled and shined yet they were always so tired like it was taking everything she had just to get out of bed...when her Captain let her that is.

Then there was Mordred's sudden silence and he ceased all of his pranking. He no longer laughed and carried on with Mister Smee as well. It was as if his entire being was focused upon but a single task of the utmost importance...and he was running out of time. It had something to do with his godmother because he was always seeking her out and they just stared at each other without saying a single word, but facial expressions made it appear as if an entire conversation was transpiring between them. 

Their Captain seemed utterly oblivious to her declining condition like all he could see was the feisty maiden he had captured over five years ago and not the barely recognizable shell she was now. Many of the crew requested that she be given more time to rest and relax which his mind translated to taking her to his bed as consistently as possible and almost without pause. Smee finally told them to back off, that things like this always happened for a reason. The crew did as they were told and life on board the Jolly Roger continued on.

Hook had constantly been with his wench for years and her eyes still haven't changed. The radiant blue orbs that had always been filled with an emotion that he could never fully comprehend...until now. It took him over five years to realize why she never hated him because she loved him. Every time she called him Her Captain was her way of saying I love you. Upon reaching this conclusion, he had taken her to his bed and made love to her, rather passionately at that. His body trying so hard to show through actions how he truly felt for His Wench, but it wasn't enough. He had to say it at least once out loud whether she heard it or not.

'You've ruined me, wench. Stolen the black heart of the Scourge of the Sea, the heart I thought I no longer possessed. I am your Captain and you are my wench...*takes a breath to steady himself* I love you. I hope one day that you'll trust me with your true name and how you came to love me, but for today, I vow that no matter where you go, I will always follow. You may have my heart but for me, you are my soul.'

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close as he fell asleep, unaware of two very important things. The first was the appearance of a brand on his left hand, the silver hook within the prism, that faded away shortly after it had appeared and the second is what transpired less than ten minutes later, but he would not discover until the next morning.........and CUT!!!!

Hook: NO! No bloody way you are leaving it there, wench! That's too bloody cruel...even by your standards!

Artz: I wish I could say I was sorry but I'm not. I just love the suspense and I want to get the phrasing just right, so I'm posting this so they don't have to wait as long for an update.

Hook: *heartbroken* Oh just kill me now and be done with it already.

Poseidon: *pulls out his sword* If you insist...

Artz: Oi! That's enough, you two! *punts them out of the article*

Starsea - Part III - Blackheart

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Realm. I apologize for such a lengthy delay, but things have become a bit hectic in my household and my lovely muse decided to vamoose like the slippery devil that he is. Also I have forgotten the initial interaction between Hook and Artz, so there will be a minor time skip to where she has essentially accepted her role as his wench and the maelstrom caused by the sapphires that never changed.

James Hook, Captain of the Jolly Roger, was considered to be The Scourge of the Sea. No other could boast of a greater cruelty and tyranny as he. He was feared, loathed, despised, and none dared to challenge him. He selfishly and ruthlessly captured countless women and broke them all...none could withstand the power of the Sea. The Scourge was a creature of darkness that lived within the depths of his beloved sea, but all of that changed when he crossed paths with a creature unlike anything he had ever known...the Star Child.

The blissfully ignorant captain had supposedly captured her ship and made her his prisoner without ever knowing who she truly was. For months, it was a constant game of cat and mouse. He thought he had won because he had successfully bedded her countless times, worked her to the brink of exhaustion like a deckhand, and constantly abused and beat her body as he pleased, but there was something that never changed...her eyes.

Every time she looked at him, blue orbs filled with such warmth and compassion like he was her favorite person in the world. The more time he spent with her, the more perplexed he became and with it came some rather uncharacteristic mood swings from himself. He became more and more angry, his volatility sky rocketing, and he took it all out on her. He could feel himself slipping away more and more each day...like he was going insane, but then something happened.

At the time, he hadn't known what was causing his instability but over the course of several weeks, his mind began to calm and he could think clearly and rationally again. What he did know was that it had to do with his feisty wench that kept stealing his evening wine, but he had gotten used to it. He had lessened her workload, mainly so he could take her to his bed more often. Why...why was this bloody woman so different from the rest? Why did she call to him so much?

He hated her, really he did. He hated how she smiled at him, his stomach feeling like a swarm of butterflies. He hated how the sound of her laughter melted the stress of the day away. He hated the brilliant blue depths that never held any malice, contempt, or hatred. He hated the woman that was never afraid of him, whose spirit would not yield to him, yet she obeyed every order he gave to her. He didn't understand why...why would she obey him yet not yield to him? 

He needed to know just how far she was willing to go to follow his orders, but he didn't even know her name, let alone anything that he could use to apply pressure to her, but he was given quite the boon of good fortune in the form of a young boy; dark hair, pale blue eyes, and wearing the green cloak often associated to the druids. His first officer, Mister Black had stumbled across the lad during their last raid and had brought him to him.

Hook saw recognition flash through his wench's eyes with a brief flash of trepidation. She knew the boy and obviously cared for him, so he tested her. He beckoned her forward, withdrew his sword, and told her to kill the boy. For the first time...she refused. She had actually said no to him and he asked her why.

'His name is Mordred and he is my godson.'

That explained both the recognition and the trepidation. Should the boy become an orphan, she was to be his guardian...the one entrusted with his safety and happiness. He needed to know...he had to know...where did her loyalties truly lie, with her godson or with her captain? Was she like the traitorous bitch, Milah? Would she betray him like she had? He needed to know!!!

'I'm curious, wench. You have said time and again that you would obey any order I give you...that you would choose me over everything else.'

'You desire proof of my loyalty, that you are my Captain and I am your wench. Then do so...give me your orders, my Captain, and I shall obey...no matter the cost.'

There was a long, pregnant pause...a pressure building up in the air and then the Scourge of the Sea spoke the words that sealed his fate until the end of time.

'Kill him. Take my sword and murder your godson. Kill the boy you were entrusted to protect and don't let anyone stop you.'

A pain unlike anything he had ever experienced shot through his entire being as he watched the woman he thought would never break shatter right before his very eyes. All color faded from her once sparkling sapphire orbs, becoming a dull and lifeless gray. She walked towards him, his eyes widening as she took the sword from his hands. There was no hesitation, no doubt...just a soul shattering agony...as she came to a stop in front of the boy.

'Hello, Godmother.'

'Hello, Mordred. I'll make it quick, I promise.'

The Captain of the Jolly Roger could not believe what he was witnessing. She couldn't...she wouldn't...he was her godson! There was no way she would murder a child, let alone her godchild, simply because he had ordered her to? Would she? He moved closer to gain a better view, only for another crack of pain slice through his being. Her eyes were dead...he never should have ordered this. It was wrong, it was so wrong.

'I love you, Godmother.'

The boy wasn't even bothering to run. He was going to let her kill him...giving up his life as an act of proof of godmother's loyalty to her Captain. Hook watched as his wench positioned the sword so that she would cleave it completely away from the neck...with enough force, it would be a quick death. He still couldn't believe it. She won't do it, she won't do it, she won't do it! 

He watched in horror as she pulled back for the swing...she wasn't going to do it. The sword swung through the air and without a single thought in his mind, every fiber of his being screaming...his right hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, stopping the blade less than a quarter of an inch from the boy's skin.

'What the bloody hell are you doing, wench?!'

'Obeying the orders of my Captain...no matter the cost.'

She released the sword to catch it with her left hand. She swung the blade around so that she could impale the boy from above. She was once again following his orders because he had said to not let anyone get in her way of killing the boy. He barely managed to catch her other wrist in time. Bloody hell, she was strong...and clever...and resourceful...and loyal to a fault. He had his answer and immediately retracted his earlier orders to kill the boy. He almost sighed in relief when the light and color began to return to her eyes. He took his sword from her and ordered her to return to the ship. She didn't make it three feet away before he called out to her.

'Aren't you forgetting something, wench? Contrary to popular belief, there is such a thing as a code of honor amongst pirates. The loyalty you have shown to your captain this day surpasses that of my entire crew combined and as such, I shall grant you a most generous boon...the boy.

Your godson is now a member of my crew, so long as he earns his keep and doesn't cause any unnecessary headaches. Even if his godmother were to be slain by any means, he will always have a home aboard the Jolly Roger. Now off you go, wait in my quarters until I return.'

The look on her face...worth it, completely worth it...her brilliant sapphires shimmering with tears of joy, glowing with a light from within, and the smile...oh that smile...in that moment, the Captain of the Jolly Roger realized that he was not as heartless as he believed himself to be. Blacker than sin and darker than a moonless night but he most definitely had one because the most impossible woman he has ever known had just stolen his black heart and he doubted that he would ever get it back...even then, he didn't want it back. 

Before he could have a chance to explore this new revelation within himself, he needed to deal with his first mate...ex first mate for a second time. Black damn well knew that no member of the Jolly Roger was to slay a child or even hold a child captive to make them watch horrible acts to unfold before them. The destruction of Port Rhianna was still there and this one rule was unbreakable...why would Black go against his orders? Within moments, he had found out...the bastard had known of the connection between the boy and his wench.

Upon further questioning, Mister Black had brought the boy to act as a test, to ensure that his captain was not being conned by another woman and that he had never expected the bitch to be so fucking soulless that she would willing kill her own godchild. He had thought her to be manipulating their captain but he now firmly believed that she was truly evil and that she was going to kill Hook to become the Captain of the Jolly Roger.

The Scourge of the Sea knew that his wench and former first mate had an extreme dislike for one another, but this was just plain absurd. Did he honestly believe that his wench was capable of taking over his ship...yes, absolutely yes. The only power he had over that woman was the power she gave him. Her words, actions, and resolve this day had proven that to him, but she chose him and he honestly didn't know how to feel about that.

She was more than capable of taking over his ship but not through conspiracy or fear or even mutiny but through kindness, compassion, and honesty...a rather blunt honesty at that. She didn't need weapons or supporters...just a few kind words and passing warm smiles. She was already taking over the ship without knowing it because she had already befriended several people simply by listening. Every time she was working on deck, she would simply listen and let the crew rant, rave, ramble before ultimately smiling and saying Feel better? 

There was one person in particular that his wench had latched onto and that was Mister Smee...William Smee to be precise...Liam...perhaps the wench has a sixth sense because Simeon Black has proven to be untrustworthy and she clashed most mightily against him, but when it came to the soft spoken yet always polite and attentive William Smee, she practically claimed the man as family. He decided that he was going to trust her instincts because clearly his were faulty.

'Mister Smee, you are hereby promoted to First Mate...you can thank the wench for that and as for you, Mister Black...*uses his sword to slice the other man's left hand off completely*...be grateful that you're still alive. If that boy dies so do you. *addresses the rest of the crew* 

Let this serve as a warning; treachery, betrayal, and mutiny will result in a very slow, painful, and lingering death. That wench showed more courage, strength, resolve, fortitude, and honor than all of you put together! Even her own godson has stalwart and valiant heart while you lot allow yourselves to be swallowed whole by petty greed and momentary satisfaction.

Today....that changes! Pirates we may be but at least we still have our hearts...battered and broken, ripped to shreds by loss and pain, drowning in grief and regret...but they are still there! It's time for a new course, to become true pirates! To forge through the fiercest storms, to seek out treasures that no one has ever claimed! It's time to stop living in the past and start on a brand new adventure into uncharted waters, to be forever engraved in history, to rewrite the definition of piracy itself!'

His men, with the exception of a few, cheered loudly in response, fierce flames of adventure and excitement burning in their eyes but even more so in their hearts. Little did the Scourge of the Sea realize that it was this moment that ignited a light within the darkness. This light would grow stronger as it was tempered by the darkness until one day a miracle would occur and a mirror once broken would be reformed.

Hook: Enough, wench.

Artz: But, but, but...

Hook: You and I both know that the next section takes on a completely different tone from this one, so don't bother arguing and just post the damn thing. *suddenly has rotten fruit and vegetables thrown at him from two rather irritated fans*

Ren: Hey eyebrows, stop being an ass for two seconds.

Hope: More like five so she can shoot off a pm to me and Ren on Fan Fiction...feeling a bit neglected over here.

Poseidon: someone obviously didn't get the memo. Artz is practically working herself into the ground, both at work and at home.

Hook: She barely gets ready for bed before passing out like a dead weight.

Artz: You two really are assholes. They popped up here for a cameo so that their real life counterparts know that I haven't forgotten them...just burning the candle at both ends. On that note, one final image or two and Part III of Starsea will be posted! Catch ya on the flip side, dearies!

Anna: *pops up briefly once everyone had left* In case she has forgotten to tell you, all images within the blog belong to their respective owners and affiliates. She is not making money from this in any way. She's just trying to find pictures that resemble what's in her head. Trust me, everything thus far pales in comparison to what is actually in her mind. *notices her manager and quickly shoves her phone away while ducking out from the article.*

Intermission #1 - Fire Fox

Hey everyone and welcome back to the insanity that is The Realm. As the title may suggest, this is a break in the mainstream flow of the articles. There are a few reasons for this.

First - There has been a bit of confusion due to some minor continuity errors.

Two - I have actually forgotten Artz's and Hook's initial reaction to her after he captures her ship.

Three - Modifications to certain aspects of specific items, people, and events.

Four - The next chapter of Stardust will be posted soon but I guarantee that your head will be spinning. The issue is adding in some last minute details to smooth out the flow. Not as easy as it sounds.

Five - My muse has given me the slip again...or has been eaten by one of Kurama's death plants.

Kurama: *walks in like he owns the place* I would not wish for my precious plants to die such gruesome deaths.

Artz: *turns in her chair to face him* You're saying that my muse gives your amazing plants of agony… indigestion?

Kurama: *blinks before sighing* Should you not return to your… intermission?

Artz: *shrugs* I supposed.

Yusuke: *hands behind his head* Don't let the laid back demeanor full ya, fox boy. She's been burning the candle at both ends again. She's even taken cat naps at work of all the work she's been doing lately.

Hiei: *appears next to Artz* You didn't strike me as the sentimental type, detective.

Yusuke: Former Detective actually and as for being sentimental, that's what she's got you for, pyro pixie.

This results in a prolonged staring battle between the former spirit detective turned part demon and the fire/ice hybrid that was his comrade. Artz just shook her head and walked away, mumbling about doing some research into elemental abilities and all associated animals and interconnections. If she could just figure out who his teachers were then his character would practically unfold itself.

Kurama: *walks a short distance away and gives a small bow* You may or may not know who I am depending on your ages and preferences, so allow me to introduce myself. 

My name is Suuichi Minamino, more commonly known as Kurama.

I was once a youko, often referred to as a silver kitsune. Most of the current generation knows what a kitsune is, but for the sake of those still blissfully unaware of the anime and manga genres, a kitsune is a fox demon within most oriental countries to the far East. 

My trade during my time as a full fledged demon was the breaking of seals and the art of thievery. In fact, I am the one known as The Legendary Bandit Thief. The bandit portion of that title came from my association with my closest and dearest friend, a bat demon known as Kuronue. Together we were an unstoppable force, not even the the demon lords of the Cardinal lands could stop us, but out of respect for their many accomplishments, we did not steal from them...unless petitioned by another Cardinal Lord.

In the universe of the Blood Guard, much of my history as Youko Kurama has yet to be revealed. Only my association with certain individuals and I believe this may have something to do with an idea Artz has been attempting to ignore. This idea will revolve around my kitsune avatar with the rabid fan club. 

As for the two that are currently having a stare off. One is known to you as Hiei but is more formally known as The Master of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. The other individual was a boy recruited to be an investigater of sorts, a Spirit Detective. He was essentially the militant arm of the Reikai more commonly known as the Spirit World. He didn't really have much of a choice given that they did grant him second life after he was hit by a car to save a child's life.

After Yusuke died a second time, a dormant demonic gene was activated which essentially made him a demon yet not. In fact, most have taken to calling him a hanyou or half demon, emphasis on his demonic side. He, Hiei, and myself were eventually forced to the Makai, the demon world in the television series, but as to what Artz has planned for us has yet to be seen.

Artz: Kurama, this was meant to be an intermission and not another impromptu article.

Kurama: My apologies, Artz, but you were rather distracted earlier and I thought it prudent to inform the readers of some deviations and histories, albeit a rather brief overview.

Artz: *points to the idiots and the kitsune avatar simply sighed, his plants trapping them and dragging them away*

Right then, the main continuity problems are the normal variety that are generated when one does a jumper time stream like in Doctor Who fan fiction. Much of what is and what was and what possibly could be are entirely subjective, meaning that they can and will shift based on where the story is flowing.

An example of this can be found in my story Phoenix Saga: Origin. Originally Rose and Artz were to have a sibling like friendship but as the story progressed, it is strongly hinted that she and Rose are, in fact, romantically involved on some level.

Most of my continuity issues are derived from lack of research or were created before Anna became a permanent fixture in my life. Where Anna goes, the Blood Guard are sure to follow. My Guard, specifically the Prismata aka the Prism, are the ones most commonly seen in stories/chapters posted after Anna and I got back in touch with one another after a two year silence. These characters are the most defined but are also capable of transitioning between realities due to the strong bonds of love and devotion for Artz and Anna.

Both Phoenix Saga: Origin and Guardian Saga: Seeker are prime examples of my lack of research into Gallifrey and the Timelords yet are the most loved. Once I had done the research; Legacy Saga: Genesis and Warrior Saga: Rebirth came into being but were not as well received as the first two.

Moving along, a new twist is going to be added to the Phoenix Saga, mainly in regards to Artz knowing about events that occurred after she had been taken from her reality. The spoiler is that she to the nullification of a certain event, Artz shares a link with her counterpart still living in that world so she kind of just knows things. Doesn't help that she runs into Anna either.

Okay, I'm gonna keep this brief. Due to my inability to work out the exact beginning of Artz and Hook's meeting, the next part of Starsea will start up after an undetermined amount of time; either weeks or months, hopefully no more than a year. That's it for this intermission. Just add a few more images and it will posted. Until next time, dearies.