Eden of Monaco

Grace stood at the window of the Canteen to look down at the beautiful, glassy sea that seemed to stretch endlessly. It wasn’t hers. None of this was familiar, none of this was hers. As much as she’d been told to have courage, it was easy in practice but not execution. The last thing she wanted was for anybody to see her cry. Unshed tears burned her lungs and her sea-glass green eyes fluttered shut to prevent any tears from leaking. She wasn’t alone and she turned to look at them. 

“I wasn’t crying,” she tried to defend, brushing the tears off her cheeks with the sleeve of her sapphire blue sweater. “I just…don’t understand.”

The sky was greyer today. A reflection perhaps of recent events, Eden thought. Still, she’d found herself wandering between the buildings she was finally familiar with after a few months on the island. Stepping inside the Canteen in search of something warm to drink—tea, perhaps, to remind her of home—she looked around to find only one other soul currently occupying the space. A head of golden hair and the vibrant blue of her clothing caught the princess’ eye, but the heavy silence of contemplation was what truly caught her attention. Her quest for tea forgotten, Eden found herself approaching the stranger, heart hurting for the other young woman even though she couldn’t recall ever having met her.

Eden opened her mouth to reply to the blonde’s words, but held back her voice with a soft sigh as she instead took a seat beside the stranger. She wasn’t sure exactly what it was she was referring to, but somehow Eden understood the feeling in the air.

“I know...” she began softly. “A lot of this doesn’t make sense. Probably even most of it. Just know that you don’t have to be alone here....if you don’t want to.” Eden said, offering the blonde a warm smile.

Luka hadn’t wanted to be right about the whole Tulach Masquerade turning into something other than a holiday celebration and get together. It gave him no great pleasure in being correct, and even as Eden explained her melancholy, he somehow hoped she was mistaken. Having left the ball early with Celestine, the rest of the night for Luka included a bottle of red wine and immersing himself into his betrothed. Going to the ball wasn’t something he had wanted to do in the first place, but he needed to keep up appearances in case something did indeed go south. He needed to be there to make sure his sister was well cared for and watched. When all of that had fallen into place and nothing out of the ordinary occurred, Luka thought it had been safe to assume nothing was amiss or would turn disastrous by nights end.

Meeting Eden’s confused hues, he explained that he had indeed left early. When she told him about a murder, he immediately worried for his sister and his friends, almost missing the part that it was a pirate. Although he wasn’t keen on most of the pirates, there were a couple that he didn’t want to see harm befall on. There were so many questions he had about the new revelation, though the Italian prince wasn’t even sure where to begin. Taking a seat down on the pier, he let out a heavy sigh. Looking up at her, he began with a simple question, “Who was it…this pirate? Someone you knew?” There had to be something else bugging her though; something more profound than a pirate death. “Wait, it isn’t - it isn’t the anniversary….” his words trailed off, knowing how Tristan’s death would never fully stop being painful. Luka had been very close to the crown prince of Monaco, having grown up closely with the whole family of Monaco and visiting the other’s court often. It had been a devastating loss to lose a prince with so much zest for life and purpose. 

The masquerade had marked the first time Eden had been truly excited about anything since being brought to the island. With this very day looming further and further over her head, the princess had been eager for a night of distractions. It had served its purpose well, giving her an excuse to dress up and see everyone else dressed up, and to do some mingling and relaxing all at once. Anything to delay the inevitable weight of this day upon her shoulders. On top of everything else in her heart and on her mind, and as selfish as it might have been, she felt bitter that the previous night had descended into chaos. That seemed to be a trend in her life as of late.

As she watched the revelation sink in for Luka, she was struck by his calmness; the way he seemed to push back against the shock of what he’d heard and will it to be absorbed slowly into his mind rather than all at once, as doubtless would have been the case for Eden were their roles reversed in this moment. She allowed her body to set down beside the prince, only noticing as her legs dangled off the edge how weary she truly was from head to toe. She watched the movements of the water below as she heard Luka’s voice beside her.

“His name was Ramses. A surgeon, I think.” she sighed. “I met him once, briefly. He seemed like a decent man.” For a moment there was silence between the royals, two people barely out of their youth who bore the weight of crowns they didn’t even wear yet. And then Luka said it. A confirmation that he’d connected the dots in his head, that he knew the significance of this day. Eden felt tension enter her shoulders, and her fingers flexed against the wooden edge of the pier.

“Yes...it’s been seven years now since we lost him.” Eden murmured, lifting her gaze to the horizon. “I'd give anything to be home right now...” she turned her gaze to Luka, the ghost of a warm smile crossing her lips. “But I’m glad you’re here, Luka. You’re the closest thing to family I have on this island.”

“So you’re the heir to the throne?” There was a surprising hint of confidence in his voice when he spoke, as if he understood what being a crown princess or prince had truly meant. He was the furthest thing from royalty, an abandoned individual since birth, raised in one of most unwealthy villages in England. Though he didn’t envy over those who had more than him, the most Elias was able to do was imagine. “Seems like a job with lots of rules and responsibilities.” Elias felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him, finding his last remark quite silly. 

Of course she knows that, idiot. Elias shifted his stance once more, picking out his words carefully for what he could say next. He was making an attempt to relate but quickly realized he would never have the chance to know what it’s like to be in her position. To deal with the weight a royal frequently had to bare.

Elias couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh at Eden’s witty use of vocabulary when it came to the description of his captain. “That’s a nick name that actually quite suits him.” He proceeded with another sip of scotch followed by a firm nod. “Ah, you’re right princess. He’d want me to take the night off. To enjoy myself. Just don’t know how to properly relax at these things to be honest.”

Eden eyed Elias with amusement as he spoke, watching him shift his weight around as he appeared to second-guess the words he’d just said. Eden was grateful for the breath of fresh air—literally and figuratively—the conversation on the balcony was providing, and it was certainly interesting to hear a pirate speak so nonchalantly about ‘rules and responsibilites’. Eden presumed, as she imagined many royals did who actually took the time to reflect on it, that being a pirate demanded much of the same from those who held the title. After all, organized crime was...well, organized. And it didn’t get that way by chance. 

“Funny...I’d think piracy would involve alot of the same things. I mean...keeping a crew of so many people afloat-” she paused to snicker at her own unintentional pun. Dad humour abounding. “...would require a degree of rule-following, wouldn’t it? At least to the extent of doing ship...stuff...correctly.” Ship stuff. Perhaps it had been longer than she thought since she was on the water.

The princess watched the pirate nurse a bit more of his drink, smirking at the action as she spoke. “I’d say you’re doing pretty well so far.” she tipped her head towards the glass in his hand. “Drinking a calculated amount of that sort of thing is step one to ‘relaxing at these things’ in my experience.” her grin widened as a memory passed through her mind. “Step two is...hmm...I can’t remember step two...” she faked a contemplative expression, then cracked into a laugh. “I guess I’m a little too good at step one.”

Now that the New Year celebrations were over, Luka hoped that the new year would bring a chance at rescue, or a change in Roman’s agenda that would set all the royal captives free. He knew the man more than he cared to, yet he was clueless what his next move in this whole game of chess would be. To help clear his mind, Luka had found himself wondering to the pier and away from the rest of the pirates and royals. He had left the event early, missing the countdown to the new year in order to sneak off with his fiancee. The masquerade ball hadn’t been terrible, but it made the prince feel on edge. Once he knew his sister was looked after by her date, one of Luka’s closest friends, he decided to take the celebration back to his room.

The new day was proving to be an overly quiet one. Luka could only guess that others were hungover or extra tired from the late night celebrations. Even the docks were vacant as he walked along them, staring out at the crystal blue water as he made his way to the pier. When he approached, he immediately saw a female figure and considered turning back. His steps, however, continue to move him forward until he was facing someone that brought him immediately back to the past. Before he could speak, the other was already reciting his name and he moved immediately to her side to greet her. “Eden,” he said in recognition of the crown princess of Monaco, Luka’s past betrothed. “Wow it’s been…it’s been…a long time.” Slowly he pulled her into a hug, noting that she seemed somber. “Is everything okay?” he asked in response to her statement that she was out of it. The statement could mean a lot of things and he wasn’t sure if she was simply distracted or upset over something.

Eden felt some of the tension melt off her shoulders as Luka embraced her, a caring gesture from a longtime friend never failing to make her feel better. But as much as she appreciated being reunited with the Italian prince, the dark shadow looming over her—and the island itself, it seemed—wasn’t about to be banished. She heard his voice and the query it carried, but the words and the tone behind him puzzled her. As if he hadn’t heard... Brows pulling together in a show of her confusion, she gently pulled back from him and turned her gaze up to his, searching his eyes as if he were about to realize either of the reasons for her melancholic state. Yet no such realization came. She could understand Luka not knowing the exact date of the anniversary of her brother’s passing, but the other reason...the events of the previous night...surely he knew.

“Far from it...” Eden replied, in one last attempt to trigger a realization in the prince. But again, nothing. Her hazel eyes narrowed as she wondered aloud. “You...were at the ball last night, weren’t you? I didn’t see you but you must’ve—” she halted as she was struck with a realization of her own. “—I didn’t see you...you must’ve left early...” Another pause. Longer, more hesitant. She didn’t want to be the one to tell him, but there wasn’t a choice. Her gaze dropped to the planks below their feet, and she took a deep breath. “Someone was...killed last night, Luka. Murdered. One of the pirates...I think things are about to get a whole lot worse for us...”

Murdered. Someone had been murdered.

The word echoed like a bell through Eden’s mind, and indeed throughout the crowd surrounding her she’d it from every direction as the news first began to spread. Whispers turning into full voices and even a few panicked shouts. She felt a pang of that same panic wash over her as she began scanning the crowd, which was beginning to splinter and break in no semblance of order. She didn’t know why—she wasn’t in any sort of head-space to question it, really—but the first person she felt she needed to find in the brewing chaos was Dylan. Not only was he the pirate tasked with watching over her, he was also a Tulach. And if anyone was going to have information, especially the kind which might ease her mind even somewhat, it would be a Tulach. Then there was the uncertainty of exactly who had been murdered...followed by the dreadful yet inevitable thought of “What if it was Dylan?”.

For the first time that evening Eden found herself cursing the heels she’d worn to the masquerade. Though they managed to carry her at a fair pace as she weaved between bodies and around skirts as equally full as her own, they were unsteady. As she rounded a decorative column, far too quickly for the shoes in question, they failed her at last. She felt her body tipping fast towards someone directly in front of her, but by some miracle she managed to catch herself on the column with one hand. But not without her other hand coming to land on the unassuming person’s shoulder. Breathing heavily from scurrying across the ballroom, she straightened herself up as quickly as she could, her gaze flying up to meet...Dylan’s.

Eden said the pirate’s name breathlessly, blinking at him a few times. Then, the relief of having found him—and having found him alive—hit her, and without hesitation she threw her arms around the pirate. “Thank god you’re okay...I heard someone was killed and I didn’t know who and—and I thought what if it was you and—” Eden stopped herself before anymore words tumbled out of her, finally releasing the pirate and taking a step back. “Is it true? Is someone really...?”

Dead?

“You’re an artist?” He questioned the brunette curiously. Elias was always immensely fascinated by those who were blessed with creative minds. He had been left brain dominant throughout his entire life. Being raised by a fisherman and a stay at home mother led him to being taught to constantly be practical. Creativity normally took the backseat. Skills that were necessary for the harsh sea were most critical. Survival skills, as his father liked to call it. Although he considered his logical and methodical mentality as one of his most prominent traits, he had envied those who were skilled with a pen or a brush. He personally believed humankind would be nothing without the talented beings who provided any sort of emotional impact on peoples’ lives, despite the medium. “Hello Eden from Monaco. Elias, from England. Pleasure to meet you.” He began, extending his free hand towards her as a greeting. “Though I’m no royal but you probably know that by now.”

The corners of his lips tugged into a smile as he proceeded with a small sip of his favorite poison. “I appreciate the offer but I doubt Roman would like that very much.” Elias truly did appreciate the princess’ kindness towards him. Though the man would never admit, which was common among him and the pirates as a whole. “So, it looks like i’m staying.”

“Hm...I’m not sure if I’m at liberty to call myself an ‘artist’, per se...” Eden replied, pondering the term. “Maybe if I was making a career of it I’d be less hesitant to adopt the title.” Not that she would ever make a career out of anything. She sighed quietly at the thought. “Alas, princess-ing is the closest to a job I’ll get. Well...until I start queen-ing, that is.” Eden fell silent for a moment, watching the distant waves sparkle under the moonlight. But she softly cleared her throat and shifted up a bit where she stood when the realization hit that her words might’ve sounded like a complaint. Truth be told, perhaps they were a complaint—she wasn’t exactly looking forward to leading a country, after all—but she certainly didn’t want them to sound like one. Especially not to a someone she’d just met. And though she didn’t know the pirate next to her, her time on the island had taught her that many who shared his walk of life hadn’t exactly come from the most luxurious of circumstances. Not exactly the crowd to mope to about the pitfalls of royal life.

Eden chuckled lightly at the bit of dad-like humour Elias greeted her with, accepting the handshake he offered without hesitation. At the mention of the one and only Roman Tulach, Eden gave a hint of a shrug. “I’d think a pirate overlord has bigger fish to fry than one little sailor having a moment of rebellion.” 

Okay, several words in that sentence might not have been the best choice...

The princess’ tone made it sound like she wasn’t at all intimidated by the concept of the pirate leader, when in reality she knew full well she’d be shaking in her boots if she was ever in his presence. Here’s hoping that never happened.

“...Unless...he doesn’t have bigger fish to fry?”

The man’s gaze remained on the endlessly dark sky, the moon looking bright and full while its’ light reflected itself upon the dark waves of the sea. He took a second to close his eyes, listening to the cadence of the ocean as the waters were softly hitting the shore. The view from the pirates’ villas were beautiful but the Tulach home had an even better view of the entire island which overlooked the ships and trees. He brought his attention away from the distance and towards his company, surprised at the sight of a royal. She was dressed in a striking red dress that elegantly ruffled towards the ends. Her mask was simple yet tasteful. At first glance at the woman, it was clear she was a royal. A princess but a princess of which country? He was curious to discover as to where she considered home. 

Though the pirate highly disagreed with the kidnappings of the royals, he was always a bit apprehensive when interacting with the noblemen and women he wasn’t acquainted with prior to the ball. Many of them were highly opinionated but rightfully so, despising any pirate they laid eyes on. It didn’t matter if Elias were a decent man or not, some rarely gave him the time of day. This time it was different. She seemed kind, almost inviting even, which put the gunner at a slight ease. “It looks like something out of a painting”. He smiled bringing his the glass to his lips. “I’d prefer to be out there than on this balcony tonight if i’m being frank”.

It was the stranger’s casual air that had Eden suspecting him of being a pirate. She hated to revert to assumptions, but her time on the island had revealed a few common denominators which seemed fairly consistent among the pirate population. His musings brought the hint of a smile to her face, even as she gazed out to take in the very same view. “Makes me wish I had one of my easels...” Eden replied in return, her tone wistful as she tried her best to memorize what was before her. But her brows knit together just a touch as he spoke again, his words making her acutely aware of the casualness between her and the unfamiliar pirate thus far; the near-familiarity of her tone despite having never met the man. Maybe she was merely adjusting (finally) to life on this island, or maybe her system was just tired of feeling it, but the apprehension she normally felt when first meeting a pirate didn’t seem to be making an appearance tonight. Part of her wondered in passing if it was a sign she was becoming complacent, but that was something to be pondered at another time. Eden cleared her throat softly, a little embarrassed at her lack of manners, and half-turned to face the pirate as she spoke.

“I, uh...suppose I should’ve at least introduced myself before barging in on your peace and quiet...” she began, eyes wandering awkwardly to the railing beside her before finally raising to the pirate. “I’m Eden. From Monaco.” The princess allowed herself a bit of a smirk as she tilted her head towards the view. “And for the record, if you really want to check out for the night, I’d cover for you.” 

Elias remained by the bar, alone, overwhelmed by the mix of fragrances that lingered in the air and the crowds of people scattered on the ballroom floor. The man wasn’t much of a dancer but he probably wouldn’t oppose one if there was a bit more liquor in him. He took a sip of his old fashioned before sliding a generous bill across the marbled counter to the bartender. It was clear he needed some air. Elias rose from the bar stool and swiftly buttoned his suit before making his way to an unoccupied balcony. One which stunningly overlooked the entire island. The pirate took another sip as he felt someone’s presence looming behind him. “Nothing beats this view, huh?” he stated without turning around to greet them just yet.

It wasn’t something she wanted to let anyone see; the longing for home she found herself feeling as the sights and sounds of the masquerade surrounded her. It had hit quickly, without warning. One minute she’d been twirling on the ballroom floor, watching the fabric of her dress lift with the movement, and the next a flash of memory had seized her and she felt herself needing to step away from it all. This was, after all, the closest life on the island had gotten to life back in Monaco since Eden had arrived here. 

The princess had already taken a step out onto the balcony before realizing it wasn’t as empty as it had sounded from the hallway leading towards it. She moved to turn back and continue her search for a spot to herself, but the stranger occupying this particular balcony had already acknowledged her presence. Perhaps it had been the soft tap of her heeled shoe on the stone beneath it. Shrugging to herself, Eden crossed to the stranger, dress rustling as she leaned against the railing beside him to take in what he was seeing with her own eyes. And he wasn’t wrong. “Yeah...I’d say this takes the cake.” she breathed with a smile, eyes wide as she looked out. “And I suppose there’s nothing like a little perspective to cap off an evening, don’t you think?” It was easy, after all, to forget the paradise of the place she’d been surrounded by since being kidnapped, but this view was doing a marvelous job of reminding her.

Jack thought for a moment at the question and the best way to answer. “No, I can’t. And not because I’m trapped so much but because this is my family here and no matter how much I’d like to go search to find who I really am - I can’t when my heart will always be here with these people and right now they need me.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Besides the people that lost me might not even like how I turned out.”

Eden leaned back a bit more where she sat as Jack spoke, a genuine and warm smile creeping on to her face at his words. In the short time she’d known him, he seemed like a nice enough person, and given that he’d been thrust into a life he hadn’t necessarily chosen, she was glad to hear he’d found a sense of belonging within it.

“Know what? You’re right.” the princess began with a smirk. “Family doesn’t have to be blood. If you’re happy with who you’re surrounded by, why look for anyone else?” She paused a moment, lightly drumming her fingers on the wooden surface of the crate she sat on. “And for the record? I don’t think the people who lost you would have any complaints.”

It was late into the night, Rames found himself at the beach once more. A bottle of whiskey in hand and a glass in the other. He walked in a straight line towards the empty hammock. Sighing contently as he made himself comfortable in the hammock. It had been several months since he had this much to drink… he was surprised that his tolerance was still quite good. Looking out towards the dark water, the moon high in the sky. He couldn’t help but smile… enjoying the slightly colder than usual breeze that surrounded him.  “Are you up there,” he said towards the moon, his voice low.  “ - probably shaking your head at me no doubt. I’m not feeling sorry for myself… I just wanted a drink. Or two.” he said a little louder forgetting the glass altogether and drinking straight from the bottle. 

Eden’s eyes blinked open as she became aware of a voice beside her. From her spot on her back on a towel in the sand, where she’d come just to listen to the sound of the midnight tide—and had presumably begun to drift off in the process—, she admittedly hadn’t heard the creaking of rope as someone had plunked down into the adjacent hammock. The only reason she herself wasn’t currently occupying said hammock is that the one time she’d ever tried to manoeuver herself into one such contraption, she’d ended up where she was now, anyways; on her back in the sand. Pick your battles, right?

Sure, it was a bit awkward when the stranger who clearly hadn’t noticed her presence began talking to the moon. But then again, it was nothing Eden herself hadn’t caught herself doing on sleepless nights. She supposed it was one of those quirks of being human. Something which united everyone, even on this island. Pirate and royal alike.

“You know...I think she gets it.” Eden began when the stranger trailed off, staring up at the celestial body she spoke of. “I mean...when you’ve been in the sky as long as she has, watching over a bunch of dumb humans, I’m sure you end up sympathising with them.” a pause. “Or at least understanding their coping methods. Don’t you think?”

Seven years. Nearly to the day. No matter how much bigger the number was each year, the ache Eden felt when she spoke it never seemed to be any more faded than it was the year before. She supposed it never truly would be. That’s just how loss works.

It had been hard being on the island, being away from home. The thought of her parents worried sick about her whereabouts often kept Eden awake at night and distracted during the day. And yet, she’d managed to stay surprisingly positive, she thought, never allowing her circumstances to change how she treated others. But today, she couldn’t seem to lift herself up and be the sunshine her family always said she was. Today, it was harder than it had ever been to be away from them.

Eden leaned against a railing on the pier, looking out at the seemingly endless expanse of water and trying not to let her memories of that day surface. The sudden, deafening silence of a propeller cutting out, the plane falling from the sky. The fire drowning out the green of the surrounding countryside with black and orange. She wanted to remember how her brother had lived, not how he had died. It’s what he would have wanted. For the most part, she managed it, letting her happy memories of Tristan overshadow those of his final moments, holding him fondly in her heart. But like everything else about this day, that was proving quite the task.

Though lost in thought, the princess soon felt a presence by her side. She wasn’t sure who would approach her when it probably looked like she wanted to be alone. After all, to her knowledge there were few royals on this island who knew her well enough for that. Still, it wasn’t something she normally would have minded. She always made sure she was friendly to others, even when she didn’t feel like it. Especially when she didn’t feel like it. But today, she wasn’t sure she could muster the energy for that. Breathing a soft sigh, Eden turned her head to politely tell whoever it was that she was taking some time for herself, but when she raised her eyes she was met with a familar face after all.

“Luka...” she said, her momentary expression of surprise at seeing the Italian prince next to her melding into a weary but genuine half-smile. “I’m glad to see you...” And she was. She'd known Luka for many years, and for two of them had even been pledged to marry him someday. Tristan's death had changed that, with his role and title as crown prince falling to her in his stead. But it hadn't changed the connection Eden and her family had with the Rossis, nor the friendliness between her and Luka. "I hope you weren't standing there too long. I've just been...pretty out of it today."

💬 our muses playing truth or dare together

Playing truth or dare with one’s pirate babysitter doesn’t sound like a particularly ideal scenario. Then again, was any scenario on this island ideal, really? Eden narrowed her eyes at Dylan as she tried to think of something that might get him in more trouble for doing it than she would for making him do it. Suddenly her eyes shot wide and she grinned mischievously at the pirate.

“Dylan Tulach, I dare you to project the most unflattering picture you can find of one of your sisters onto the screen in the cinema until she finds it.”

💁 - our muses stuck in a small space together

Eden wasn’t exactly sure how she ended up having to help a pirate clean out a storage closet, and she especially wasn’t sure how she’d managed to kick the door closed behind her while they were both inside retrieving a box. All she knew is that she was now locked inside a very small space with a very attractive pirate. At least it was dark...that way he probably maybe couldn’t see how pink her entire face probably was standing within a few inches of the man.

“You, uh...you do have a phone, right?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Jack nodded and shrugged. “Miracle baby and all that. They’re not sure how long I was at sea so it could’ve only been like an hour or something crazy. I don’t know. But yeah, definitely beat the odds on that one.” He nodded. “Guess what you know depends on how you grew up.”

Jack wasn’t so much surprised by the question as he was that he had more of an answer to it. “Yeah, I guess, more recently I have been due to some unforeseen circumstances. It would be cool to like know the people that made me I guess. I always assumed they died but maybe not.”

Eden couldn’t help but smirk a little at the pirate’s reaction. It was clear he’d heard virtually everything she’d just said to him before, but the twinge of frustration she sensed from him was more endearing than anything.

For a moment she pondered the sort of possibility Jack was wondering about. As trapped as she and the rest of the royals felt on this island, in a way the pirates were more or less just as confined to its shores. "Don’t suppose you can just...take off and go searching, hey?” Eden said. “I mean, you all seem to value freedom pretty highly...being, y’know...pirates and all. Must be frustrating to be cooped up here.” The words weren’t meant to come out as sly sarcasm, but the princess was aware that they might've.