Eating a meal was the easiest thing that they had done since the negotiations started. Lorelei was the only one among them that knew Judy was awake. She wasn't about to tell Alexandria that even though it was pretty clear that they would have to go up and bring her down eventually. The blood pact treaty with something that had not been done in a very long time. The walled cities had forbidden it after a series of treaties were made to essentially kill off rivals and enemies that were just in the way. Of course, most pirates refused to obey a command by the walled city government. The last treaty was signed between the captains of the free pirate market. That treaty had been signed over a century ago. It still holds to this day, and no one has died from it.
Alexandria had obtained some of the paper that is used for these types of treaties in one of the treasure ships. It was one of the reasons she suggested the treaty in the first place because they had the means and materials in which to perform it. When the treaty was signed, and the blood was sealed inside the parchment there would be no going back.
“So, you mentioned something about a wife? Does that mean you got married not long after leaving my illustrious presence?” Fina let out a playful giggle knowing full well that there was no way either one of them had any type of romantic interest in each other. However, she did find it fun to mess with Alexandria and maybe someday they could fight just for fun to see who truly was stronger.
“Yes, I married shortly after gaining all of this territory. My wife doesn't have any powers, or she didn't. For some reason she was one of the few that did not gain a mutation from the virus. However, sharing my blood with her gave her the power to change materials. I don't know if you noticed our ships in the harbor when you came in. She's responsible for most of the building.” Alexandria may have given too much information however they were about to form a blood pact so there was no way they could betray each other.
Fina's eyes widened at this revelation. There were not many women who were born without an ability. The only way males can survive now is if they're born within one of the walled cities. The serums and other medications that have been created to prevent the virus from killing males has been the prime focus of the walled cities technological development. “That is something that only happens, I would say less than one percent. Why would you give her an ability when she is such a rarity in this world?” It was a fair question and Fina was interested to hear Alexandria's response. They did not have the technology of the walled cities to investigate rarities of what the virus does to the blood. However not giving her an ability would have been detrimental to Alexandria's cause.
While the two of them talked, Lorelei went upstairs. There wasn't much else left to do aside from bringing Judy downstairs. She wondered if Judy had been able to go back to sleep after she left her. Of course, she was about to find that out and only a few short steps. Hopefully after the treaty had been signed, they could finally begin planning the next attack on the walled city government.
“I wanted to give her something that she did want for herself. Judy wasn't in the best state since this place used to be ruled over by a man. He was among one of the few that survived outside of the walled cities. It was a pleasure to cut him down and take this place for my own. Once that was finished, I simply brought all of the islands that you had allowed me to take and made one super island. You are correct that keeping her without an ability would have been a good idea in a sense, but you are also correct that without her ability right now Crimson Judgment would be behind the eight ball.” Alexandria noticed her mother had walked away. No doubt she was on her way to get Judy since the meal was just about over there wasn't much left to do but sign the treaty.
Fina let out a playful laugh. “I can see your point. You have done a great deal in so little time. The walled cities will not take this lying down. The scroll that I have here proves that. Offering anything and everything to any organization group settlement crew who helps the walled cities in taking down Crimson Judgment. That is the gist of what my message says. You've attacked them and now they are coming for blood. The Red Eye Pirates will fight with you. Even though we may not see eye to eye on everything we do agree on one thing, the walled cities must be destroyed.”
Lorelei knocked softly on the door. “Are you awake Judy?” She reached for the doorknob about to open the door. The doorknob twisted on its own making a small screeching sound. Lorelei watched the door open and saw Judy standing there with a soft smile painted across her face.
“I've been awake this whole time Lorelei. Is she really serious about going through with this type of treaty?” Judy's smile faltered just for a moment. She shook her head and put on a slightly larger smile tilting her head to the side trying to seem as upbeat as possible.
“There is no other choice at the moment. We need as many allies as possible. The walled cities have wreaked havoc on the world ever since they're establishment. I was a prisoner for most of my daughter's life and the little time I was out of captivity I was in a shifted state until my daughter found me and brought me back to myself. You should understand the strength that she possesses, and you should also understand the need to completely decimate this governmental structure.” Lorelei had not been this serious in a very long time. Aside from earlier when she told Fina that if anything happened, she would rip her apart. A soft giggle escaped her lips, and she extended her hand. “Shall we go downstairs and join the others?”
Alexandria let out a playful giggle. She was glad to see they were starting to get along, even if only a little. This treaty would cement their strength and make Fina's territory whole again. Of course that would just be in an alliance sense. The two pirate crews would still be separate entities flying under one banner and that is to destroy the walled city government. “Do you believe those messages sent by the walled cities will bring might to their cause?” even though she had Fina on her side now there was no telling what the other organizations would do. Most of them would rather stay to their own devices than join in. However, if the offerings from the walled city government were enticing enough there was a chance the deck could become even more stacked against them.
“I can't speak for most of the pirates around today. We usually do as we please and even though they're offer was extremely enticing to me, your impression along with your mother tipped the scales in your favor. I will say that the free pirate market will not take sides no matter what they are offered. Those captains do not wish to fight anymore, at least not outside of their Islands. They will remain neutral and continue to gain riches from both sides.”
Judy wasn't sure how to respond to anything that Lorelei had just said. She would think of something clever to say later when she had some time to think. She took Lorelei's hand and closed the door behind her as the two of them walked down the stairs to join the others in the main hall.
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Lorelei smiled as the two of them descended down the stairs stepping into the conversation just in time to hear Fina's comments about the free pirate market and the potential of more allies for the walled city government.
Alexandria smiled as Lorelei and Judy came down the stairs and joined them in the hall. “Well, it is good to know they won't get more pirate allies. It appears that everyone is here.” Alexandria reached into a bag she had around her waist pulling out what looked to be a very old piece of parchment. She walked over to an empty table laying the parts man out taking some dishes and other things to smooth out the corners.
“This is the parchment we will use to make the blood pact. Thankfully Judy can create the instruments we need out of simple items by simply changing the materials that they are composed of. We have all the information about these treaties in this book.” She pulled a book from her bag and placed it on the table. “My wife will not only be a witness to this treaty, but she will also be the one to bind the two of us together.”
Judy's eyes widened. She was very familiar with these types of treaties. That book Alexandria had was from this settlement's small Library. It was one of the few books on the subject that had been saved before the walled cities came and destroyed any knowledge of the practice they could find. She had studied it cover to cover and with her Newfound ability it was just as Alexandria had said she was completely capable of performing the blood pact treaty. “Are you sure leaving something like this up to me is wise? I've never actually performed this before, so I don't know if just reading about it is enough for me to actually do it properly.”
Fina let out a soft giggle. “If Alexandria has put her faith in you, I see no reason to doubt it. Your resolve is what is going to be tested. We need to do this. This is the only way she will get my pirate crew's help. This will ensure fairness, and I will be able to learn everything about Lorelei. So is your ability and your knowledge enough to successfully help your wife and Crimson Judgment to succeed in taking the first step to winning this war. A war I might add, Crimson Judgment started." It wasn't Fina's intention to be that forward with Judy but there was no more time for games or stalling or indecisiveness. The treaty was either going to be signed now or Fina was going to leave and that would be the end of it.
Alexandria glared at Fina only for a moment and then walked over to Judy placing a hand on her shoulder, taking her index finger and raising Judy's chin. “I believe you are capable of doing this. You are the only one among us who has studied enough to be able to put this into practice. Trying to find someone else to facilitate this would take too long and we don't have any more time left. I started this war well in action. I started it but the walled city government initiated my action to start this war by putting everyone into harm's way for their own selfish desires. You can reverse that direction and set it towards a new world that no longer sees these damnable cities dotting its landscape.”
Tears welled up in Judy's eyes streaming down her face. She leaned forward and kissed Alexandria softly on the lips. The kiss was broken quickly as Judy took in a deep breath and moved to the table, opening the book and taking some objects that had been placed on the table creating the different items that she needed. There was a quill to write the terms of the treaty. There were two discs that needed to be placed onto the treaty that would hold Alexandria and Fina's blood separately. The last item would be the binding seal wrapped around the scroll after it was closed it would not mix the blood together, but it would bind it to the words on the treaty that if those words were broken the party that broke them would die and their descendants would be cursed for all eternity.
Everyone watched awe struck as Judy created the items one by one placing the two discs onto the parchment creating the seal and the quill. “Each of you needs to step forward in front of one of the discs on either side of the table. The last item to be created will be a small dagger. You must cut your hands with this. Once you do, each of you will wipe your blood on either side of the seal and take great care that they do not touch." She picked up a piece of ore which would make for the daggers blade next to it was a piece of wood from one of the strongest trees on the island that would serve as the dagger's handle.
Alexandria and Fina both stepped up to the table. The piece of parchment was massive; it needed to be so that the blood would mix onto the words of the treaty and into the paper which had a special property that allowed their blood not to mix together and cause an adverse reaction. Both of them were impressed with Judy's results and the way that she had just so masterfully gone from being indecisive and upset to soldiering through and making sure that this came to pass no matter what.
Judy was able to complete the dagger rather quickly. She looked to Lorelei and extended the quill in her direction. “You had a great deal to do with this treaty coming into existence. Out of everyone here you know all of the terms and conditions so you will pen the treaty on this parchment, and you will do it in between both of the discs. However, the only ink you may use is from one of their discs of blood.”
Lorelei took the quill from Judy standing in the center across from her on the table. “Well, it seems you have finally accepted your place within this family. I'm pleased to be able to be a part of all this.”
All four sides of the table now had somebody standing there. It was time for the blood to be spilled. “Who would like to go first?” Judy asked, looking first at Alexandria and then turning her head to look at Fina.
As silence hugged the room as Fina and Alexandria looked at each other from across the table. Judy extended the dagger in between them waiting to see who would reach out for it first.
A playful giggle escaped Alexandria's lips as she reached out and grabbed the blade of the dagger pulling her palm across the edge. The sound of the metal ripping into her flesh echoed across the room. Alexandria clenched her fist pulling her arm over the disc closest to her and she opened her hand. The blood streamed from the womb lightly tapping the bottom of the disc as it filled it up. She closed her fist and pulled her arm back so as not to drop any more blood on the parchment.
“Well, it seems you have drawn first blood Alexandria. I would have it no other way and my respect for you has risen quite a bit.” Fina let out a playful giggle of her own as she placed her arm out with her palm up looking at Judy raising an eyebrow.
Judy nodded, taking a napkin and wiping the blood off of the blade. Once the blade was clean of Alexandria's blood Judy slashed Fina's palm. Fina did essentially the same thing Alexandria did letting her blood drip into the disc closest to her.
Lorelei let out a playful giggle of her own, taking the quill and dipping it into Alexandria's blood. She started to pen the treaty between the two crews. Alexandria and Lorelei's conditions would be written in Alexandria's blood. It didn't take her long to finish and when she was done, she cleaned off the quill and dipped it into Fina's blood. Her blood would be used to write Fina's conditions for the treaty. Everything was written down within about twenty minutes.
“Now the two of you before your wounds close need to apply a bit of your blood to either side of the seal. Once that is done you both will sign the bottom of the treaty with the quill in your own blood and everything will be finished.” Judy smiled, taking a deep breath as Alexandria and Fina did what they were told to do.
The treaty and the ritual were now concluded as the two captains sign their names in their own blood at the bottom of the parchment. This was another step forward and the walled cities would rue the day.