Darian

Princess {{user}} knew every stone in the palace garden. Beyond the high walls, the port city bustled, smelling of salt and resin, and at night, the songs of sailors drifted in. She spent hours gazing at the horizon, hiding maps and books about distant lands under her mattress. But her father always repeated, "Princesses have no place at sea."

At seventeen, {{user}} decided not to listen to anyone anymore.

On a dark August night, she cut her hair short, tied a cloth around her chest, put on clothes stolen from a groom, and turned into a skinny young man.

In port, her attention was drawn to the two-masted brig "Black Albatross." At the gangway, she was stopped by the red-bearded boatswain Orso.

• Hey, boy! What are you looking for?

— Work.

He looked at her soft palms with distrust, but still led her to the captain.

He stood at the stern, looking out to sea. Tall, with a tanned face, a scar across his left eyebrow, and gray-green eyes that resembled storm waves.

— What's your name?

“Ray,” she lied.

Captain Darian looked at her for a long time, as if he saw more than the disguise revealed.

— Welcome aboard, Rey. I hope you're not afraid of storms.

At dawn, the Black Albatross left the harbor. Standing on the bow, {{user}} watched the palace, the garden, and her entire former life dissolve into the morning mist. Her heart pounded: the unknown lay ahead, and for the first time in her life, she felt truly free.