Psychic

18. Infiltration

Two days later, as they continued back towards Sakorin, Rai and Debra were asleep in Debra's cabin. Ken walked in and approached the chair Debra was asleep in. he shook her shoulder gently. "Hey, get up."

"Ugh, what?" she groaned, wiping the drool from her cheek.

"We have a... situation."

"What kind of situation?" she mumbled, rubbing her face. The sudden sounds stirred Rai as well and started to get herself up from Debra's bed.

"Military was patrolling the coast of Sakorin. I guess they suspected someone would come after Kiyo and Marlene."

"And?"

"They had me dock at Port Diadem."

Debra sighed, "and that's where we are now?"

"They're on the ship. They want to see my passengers."

"Holy shit... Ken," Rai mumbled as she stood up and stretched herself out, guessing that Ken wanted her to fix the situation. "I'll fix this. Time to fuck their shit up."

"Not quite yet. I have a plan that requires a little less fucking up of shit. I told them I was bringing a princess to Laridion to see Marlene. Fortunately, none of them recognize me. They said she's not in the palace. She's here. That's just convenient for us."

"Okay, so you thought a princess would just fall out of the sky for us?" Debra said condescendingly.

Ken dropped his hands on Rai's shoulders and she started shaking her head slowly. He started to nod, "yes, yes, your name is Rosalyn."

"Nah, man, I can't do that."

"You have to. I picked Rosalyn because she's never left her palace, just like Marlene. No one will know what she looks like. She's the daughter of the Ostendien's Emperor Lorein. Lestat will be your attendant. He's getting ready and you can't be a princess in that." Rai clenched the neck of her shirt closed, knowing it was going to have to come off.

They took Rai into Marlene's room to get her ready. "This is so... wrong," Rai sighed, shaking her head slowly as Ken tightened an obi over the kimono they put on her. Debra had put it there while she was using the ship as a storage space. It was black with silver edges that sparkled like chrome. The bottom of it featured the outline of a modern city at night, complete with stars and the moon, all sewn in silver threads.

"What are you doing?" Rai asked Debra when she peeled open one end of the kimono and touched a brush to the skin just above one of her breast.

"I have to draw the Emperor's seal on you. They'll want to see it. I'm putting it here so they don't look too closely. All royalty receives a tattoo at birth. They're normally tattooed with the blood of the Emperor, so it can't be replicated by just anyone but they usually only check them when someone is attempting to claim the throne so they won't look too closely."

"I was okay with being punched in the face but this is making my stomach hurt..."

Debra smirked, "oh come on, it'll be exciting. To be right under their noses while they have no clue what's going on."

"I'd rather not be anywhere near them."

"Listen to every detail I'm about to give you, Raisha," Ken spoke very directly and specifically, changing the subject quickly. "As long as me and Debra remain unseen by the whoever the fuck that straw hat guy was, everything will be fine. As long as we aren't seen by that person, no one will see through your disguise. Now, you're going to say that you have a gift for Marlene. It's from your brother and it's in this box," he handed her a glittery soft pink box then turned to look around the room. He picked up a toy bear in a bee costume and put it in the box. "When you see Marlene, see if you can ask her where Kiyo is. Just remember, no one here knows Rosalyn. You can act like whoever you want, just not yourself. After you see Marlene, ask to come back to the ship. Don't forget, you're royalty. Act like it. Sound all proper and shit and be entitled. Don't forget to fake that Ostendien accent. Well," he sighed, "you ready?"