Emily rapidly slipped away between the dark trees; her skin was shivering from the cold and the fright; yet, as soon as she recognized her lover's tall figure standing by the fence, every dismal shadow seemed to fade behind her. He lifted her in his arms and she kissed him adoringly, as if it was the very first or the very last time. Arthur had been expecting her for a while. It was a lot harder for him to sneak away from the hostel, since he had to climb the railing of his window and jump towards the garden without making any noise. He also had to examine the perimeter in advance to make sure his guards were in their required positions at his bedroom's door and that no one was using the outdoor latrines. Emily grasped his hand with renewed spirit as he guided her to the nearest path: a winding road that led to an empty beach and a few scattered farmhouses. One of the dissidents had left them a horse tied up to a branch.

–Hold on tight, dear Emily. We must reach the agreed spot at the beach. My father has already parted from the east shore with some of the dissidents. They are coming our way. We will meet the rest of the group now and wait for the ship to arrive. It shouldn't take us long to get on board and finally depart for the pagan islands.

She carefully mounted the horse and embraced Arthur from behind.

–Where are we heading exactly? I know each territory is remarkably distinct in its culture and organization, but I have the feeling that the majority of them won't be too fond of a crew of Rosettan strangers.

–We intend to disembark on a vacant shore very close to Sphinx Island. The adjoining villages are known for their peaceful ways; we'll come to them as refugees. Hopefully they will listen to us about the holy conquest and help us warn the rest of the archipelago.

–Your grandfather would be so disappointed in you. Praise the gods.

They rode for some minutes underneath the silver moon, an eternal witness of lovers' crucial turns. The nearby houses were completely silent and empty. However, they were disturbed by the flickering of a distant lantern. A small group of men were coming in their direction. Arthur cursed very softly and considered switching routes, but Emily gripped his wrist halfway.

–Wait; those are not soldiers. I have an idea. Let me off the horse.

Arthur slowed down and Emily quickly jumped to the ground, holding the reins confidently. They resumed their path shortly after and walked past the lively men, who turned out to be a group of drunk friends. Emily wished them goodnight and turned her head, pretending to be in the middle of a heated discussion.

–You can't be doing this every night, master Edward! You have children to raise; you should be ashamed of yourself! I suggest you stay away from those ungodly taverns and focus on your prayers, like your husband said…

Arthur lowered his gaze and played his role to perfection. The pedestrians simply chuckled at the scene and continued walking.

–That was close, Emily. Great improvisation, by the way.

–It was not hard to come up with it. Lazy and irresponsible masters are a widespread problem…

He helped her return to her spot and they rushed to the beach at the end of the road. They galloped until they discerned several silhouettes hiding between the rocks and the sand: rebels from different regions and social stratums. They welcomed Lord Arthur very discreetly, using a secret whistle. He was eager to greet each one of them and corroborate their attendance. He also introduced Emily as his loving maiden, an expression she had never heard before. Apparently, it was an euphemism to describe a female lover.

Emily was awestruck by the diversity of the attendees. She saw other women there too. Some had been severely mistreated or repudiated by their masters, others were openly anti-religious. One of them had even run away from her household and disguised herself as a man in order to survive. Emily admired her courage and determination. Crossdressing was deemed a degenerate, unholy offense; in addition, a maiden who pretended to be a male and managed to fool everyone around could only be labeled a witch. After all, she was living proof that females could act, think, and love the exact same way as their masters, if only given the chance. Surprisingly, everyone present appeared to trust and cherish Lord Arthur's leadership, who made sure to give them a last instruction imbued with energy and inspiration.

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–Alright, dear friends. We are all gathered now; the vessel is on its way. Even so, our difficulties are far from over. We have a complicated journey ahead; we must confront the inclemency of the ocean and all the challenges that entail discovering a foreign land. However, we are about to accomplish a priceless mission: our liberty. We are not fighting for ourselves or our personal interests anymore; we are doing this for the ones we love, for the dreams and the principles we share. We are a community of outcasts; some of you have already paid the price of going against the stream. Fortunately, that only made you strong, unafraid. And we can also become unbreakable, as long as we stick together.

Emily's heart throbbed with longing and admiration. She could not be prouder to call that man hers; and she would finally be able to proclaim her love openly for the days to come. Moreover, the child in her womb would call her mother and they would be free to build a loving home side by side. They just had to be strong enough to overcome their tempestuous circumstances.

A couple of minutes later, the shadow of a ship materialized on the horizon. The small crowd immediately ran towards the water, carrying their exiguous belongings. Many of them did not know how to swim, so they would require some boards and ropes to reach the vessel and climb to the deck. Arthur was organizing them when, out of the blue, one of the dissidents on the back of the beach started whistling: it was an alarm sign. Lord Arthur's escort and Lily were approaching their secret spot with torches in their hands.

–There they are! I told you I saw them leaving… Wait a minute, what the heck is going on?

Lily instantly gawked at the distant sight of the rebels, and so did the sentinels behind her. One of them drew his sword, making his way in between the sharp rocks.

–I have no idea, but I don't like how it looks. Should we call the armada?

They were not even done analyzing the situation when they were ambushed by three armed rebels, including Lord Arthur. The guards fell to the ground, trying their best to fend off the unexpected attack. Lily, on her part, let out a scream and ran back to the road. She was about to reach one of the horses and flee when, suddenly, a familiar body tackled her and dragged her on the rough ground.

–I am sorry, but you are not going anywhere.

–Emily?!

The women wrestled and fought fiercely. Lily even pulled Emily's hair and managed to rip off her coat. Nonetheless, Emily had come prepared. She threatened Lily with a knife to her neck and forced her to surrender. Then she tied her hands behind her back, and her torso to an adjacent trunk. Her rival twisted and gasped, but eventually found herself completely immobilized and defenseless before her.

–Emily, what the hell is wrong with you? I don't know what you are trying to achieve, but you need to come to your senses. I promise I can make Lord Leandre forgive you, if you release me now and explain everything you know.

Emily took a deep breath before stepping away, wiping the blood on her lips.

–I don't need anyone to forgive me, Lily. I already know what I want for myself. Good luck being a vicious lapdog for the rest of your life.

–You fucking wench! Don't you dare leave me here! You will regret this!

She ignored Lily's desperate, empty insults and returned to the beach with a triumphant smile on her face. The other guards had also been captured and successfully disarmed by the rebels. Some of them were pondering whether they should punish them for their oppressive tactics throughout the years. However, Lord Arthur dismissed the proposal.

–We shouldn't wreak revenge on these men. They simply did as they were told all their lives. Besides, why would we waste our time punishing them? Let them report back to the man they chose to serve. I bet that is what they fear the most right now.

*

The last passengers were finally able to get on the boat with the help of some trained crew members. Emily reached the deck under Lord Arthur's skilled guidance. The water was cold and pitch-black, yet she was feeling secure in her lover's gentle arms. He handed her a change of clothes and a warm blanket. He also prepared an herbal ointment to treat the light wounds Lily had caused her. Everyone on board was cheering and crying out of joy. Arthur's parents were there as well, and Emily could meet them at last: that brave, tireless couple who had defied an entire empire for the sake of love. Undoubtedly, Arthur was a pellucid reflection of his mother. Her beautiful hazel eyes were a beacon of vigor and intelligence.

Emily found it easier to breathe as the boat began drifting away towards the open sea. The swinging of the vessel made her dizzy and the salted breeze was sending shivers down her spine. Despite that, not even ten lifetimes would be enough for her to describe her actual happiness. She found herself reminiscing about her childhood, about Jenna and all the beautiful people she had encountered and left behind the vastness of the ocean. She prayed for them and promised herself to treasure their memory and their priceless advice. Then she pulled Arthur closer, while he embraced her waist on the trembling edge of the ship. She rediscovered in his lips the delight of being. Not only that, but she also opened to him about the precious things to come; about the bewitching destiny of those who dare to love beyond frontiers.

–Arthur… we are having a child.