The Human Clan of Seamen reside in the west and control the vast waters. Even though known as expert seafarers, their clan is not as vast as the Huntsmen and they are ruled by the long-standing royal family surnamed 'Andal'.
For this reason, their territory is named The Andals in honor of their first ever ancestors.
**Odissey—LUDEN, Sara Mun**
In the history books Ember had been opportune to read, she had learned about the second largest human clan—the Seamen who ruled over the waters, with their towering sand castles built at their shore.
Ruled by his royal highness Marek Dorne Andal, a man whose deviousness was known throughout Velmoria, Ember had never thought the day would come when she would have to meet the living legend himself.
Yet even in that moment, all she could do was watch the hot rage of the woman whom she would now only refer to as a mother for a long, long, time.
Realizing that the reason why the crown princess would rather stay at a desolate temple than take refuge in her father's palace was probably because of a long existing familial bad blood, Ember wondered just how complicated the political knots she was now entangled in were.
But almost immediately, the hot rage that took over the crown princess's features dissipated until all that was left was cold rage, barely masked behind glassy, teary eyes—eyes that turned to Ember.
"Are you ready to meet your grandfather?" She said words that sounded so easy, but words that Ember knew were difficult for her to utter.
Ember braced herself. "Yes…mother." She finished, the words sounding strange in her lips. She had hoped to convey her preparedness, but she hadn't expected that referring to another as her mother would not be strange at all.
Particularly because the only mother she had ever had wasn't exactly the true model of what a mother should be. So the word 'mother' had become just that to her—a simple word that she could utter without emotion and attachment.
More than her new mother, Ember was curious to see how seamless well she would blend in with this new life…this new lie. She wondered if truly she had been born just for the moment that she would replace Elara Thorne.
So when they alighted the carriage, she did so without fear, her heart set in stone. Maybe it was the stony expression of her new mother that gave her the liquid courage to continue like this, or maybe it was the way their companions bowed at her, greeting her as, 'your highness' that made her fearless.
Yet none of it seemed to matter when Ember truly beheld the port city in its grandness.
In their world, there was a saying that while the Vampires were the most blessed, the humans were the most prosperous, and the witches, the most gifted. Ember could see why now.
Humans, unlike vampires and witches fought for what they had. They weren't born with the velth like witches, nor did they possess immortality like vampires, yet they worked hard to pave a path of prosperity for themselves.
Maybe that was why Ember was eager to escape to human territory. Because there, she wouldn't have to be judged for not possessing the velth. There, she could work hard to become whatever she wanted to be.
The port city nestled in the heart of the Andals stretched before her like a living painting woven from salt, wind, and ambition in sun-drenched majesty. The scent of brine and kelp filled the air. Towering sandcastles carved from golden stone and coral dust rose like guardians from the shoreline.
The harbor teemed with sleek, wind-shaped ships of different sizes, each a testament of the true heart of what the seamen represented.
At the farthest edge of the harbor, anchored in a berth that seemed to be reserved only for royalty was a ship like no other inscribed with the words; 'The Serpent of the Seas'.
It was not the largest vessel in the fleet, but it was unquestionably the one that stood out the most for its lethal presence.
Its hull, crafted from obsidian-hued timber gleamed like wet ink under the sun. Along its sides, overlapping plates of silvery steel had been hammered to resemble the scales of a serpent. It seemed decorative at first, but Ember realized it was probably defensive.
She was staring at a war ship that also served the purpose of a travel ship.
The prow jutted forward in the unmistakable likeness of a sea serpent, its mouth gaping wide, fangs bared, eyes set with blue stones that flickered like trapped lightning. Beneath it, carved in curling ancient runes, was the ship's name—in both the modern tongue and old tongue.
The sails were a rich, dark crimson, and they bore a coiling serpent sigil. Rows of ballistae lined the rails, masked behind a hinged panel, giving the ship the teeth of a predator.
"Is that your ship?" Ember asked, rooted in awe at the sight of it.
The crown princess mustered a small smile, gazing at the very ship that caught Ember's attention. "The Serpent of the Seas was a gift from my late mother. She was the only revered lady from the family of a regional lord so she was spoiled. The ship was a gift from her father, and is now mine."
Ember nodded, storing that information. "And your mother… I mean, my grandmother?"
"She died twelve years after I was born." The crown princess answered without emotion, "you must have understood now that my relationship with my father is a turbulent one."
Ember was stunned at first. But she got rid of her shock, nodding solemnly. "I understand."
"The meeting with my father must be a short one." The crown princess continued in a serious tone, her voice holding contempt,
"All you need to know about the man you shall now call grandfather is that he is a power hungry man with over fifteen children and times three of that number in grandchildren. Anyone is indispensable to him. He has never pressed so persistently to see me the way he's done today which only means that he is vying for an advantage." She paused, glancing sideways to Ember to make sure she was following.
Ember nodded frantically. The show was already starting, and it was time to make her very first appearance as princess Elara Thorne.
"In the five months I've been here with you, he's never asked to see you for once. I've just caught whiff of a bit of a political situation back at home in Thalor. If my father knows of the same, then the reason he wants to see us is to gauge how much power he might gain when this affair is over."
Ember kept nodding like a fish in water the more the crown princess's voice grew agitated and serious. She didn't understand much of the details, but she could paint a general picture.
They approached a large ship inscribed as 'The Emperor of the Seas', Knight Asborne still dutifully trailing behind them. The soldiers on the ship on catching sight of them immediately ordered that the steps be lowered for them. About five guards rushed to them, bowing.
"Greetings princess." They greeted the crown princess who all but ignored them while she stepped on the lowered stairs of the ship. Ember followed suit, shrinking herself by the woman's side as if that would make her any smaller or invisible.
Dealing with so many people at the same time was new to her, and the thought that this was only the beginning of her act was enough to set her thoughts straight as they stepped into the most luxurious ship she had ever been in.
In fact, as a matter of speaking, it was the only ship she had ever been in, but who was counting? Even without being told, she imagined the deceased princess had been well travelled due to her sickness. By implication, that meant Ember couldn't be found saying that this was her first time being on a ship.
That would be a grave error in her act.
Breathing deeply, she tried to calm her racing heart while her hand became clammy with sweat. She had been confident a moment ago, but now she was nervous.
The largest man she had ever set her eyes on appeared before them, different weapons decorating his waistline. He bowed at the crown princess curtly, then began to lead them deeper in the ship cabin until they were before a luxurious door guarded by two soldiers who looked just as lethal as the giant man.
The door was drawn open, and only the two of them were let inside. Knight Asborne had to wait outside. And it wasn't until the door slammed behind them did Ember take full note of the silver haired man that lounged against a seat draped in fur.
Without being told, she knew this was her maternal grandfather. If not for anything, the resemblance in his hair colour with that of the crown princess was a dead giveaway.
But there was no softness on his face. Just a hardness that reminded Ember of her mother.
He easily exuded cold blooded authority, and she knew without a doubt the crown princess was not bluffing when she said the man could sacrifice any of his children.
"You're here," he said in a deep bass, cold blue eyes resting on Ember's smaller figure.
Ember kept her eyes on the ground, pretending submission.
"She's already healed?" He said, voice filled with mild, almost disinterested, surprise.
"Didn't you know?" The crown princess said in a sarcastic tone, "I almost forgot, not to talk of keeping tabs with her health, you haven't seen this granddaughter of yours. After all, your royal highness is a very busy man. I wouldn't dare trouble you with my insignificant familial matters."
Ember raised her head up, observing the man's reaction.
He chuckled darkly, "I am a busy man indeed. But not so busy that I haven't taken note of your insubordination, daughter. You haven't greeted your monarch yet."
It was the crown princess's turn to laugh. "You must be so busy that you've forgotten that for ten years, you haven't been my monarch." She spelt in a deathly tone.
"I shall advise you now to release my ship which you've grounded, your royal highness Marek Dorne Andal. As the crown princess of the Huntsmen, your act can be seen as a declaration of war." She finished with a lethal grace.
While the crown princess managed to keep her composure despite her evident rage, her father was a different matter. The man stalked for her daughter, his fists balled, and Ember actually feared he was about to strike down the second most powerful woman of the Huntsmen down.
Without thinking twice about it, she put her body between them, arm spread out and eyes shut as she waited for the blow.