The storm had passed. The Empress of the Sea was battered but still afloat. The deck was slick, and the sails hung heavy with rain. Below, tension filled every corner of the ship. Whispers moved like wind through the corridors. Eyes darted nervously. The family's missing youngest — Erika — was on everyone's mind.
Zoe moved silently across the deck. Her black coat billowed behind her. Lace and velvet caught the dim lantern light. The crow on her shoulder observed everything. Every shuffle, every nervous glance, every hesitant footstep — nothing escaped her.
Below deck, the family gathered.
Captain Marxist, father of Zoe and Leonardo, stood at the head of the table. His gray hair was slicked back. His hands gripped the polished wood. "Where is she?" he asked, voice firm. "Erika was supposed to be on deck hours ago. This storm… she can't just disappear."
Leonardo, calm and watchful, stood beside him. Unlike Zoe, he didn't command fear. But he noticed everything. His eyes flicked over the cabin crew, noting their uneasy expressions.
Amara, the middle child, fidgeted with a seashell pendant Erika had given her long ago. "She… she wouldn't just vanish. Something must have happened," she whispered.
The youngest, Leandro, stayed quiet. Tension tightened his chest. The memory of their late mother, Captain Selene Marxist, hung over them all. Her guidance had kept the family steady through storms. Her absence left a hollow ache — one Erika had begun to fill in her quiet way.
Zoe entered the cabin, composed. Every step was measured. The crow tilted its head. "Worry not, family," she said smoothly. "Erika is… occupied."
Captain Marxist frowned. "Occupied? She's missing!"
Zoe let a strand of black hair fall over her eyes. "She is helping the crew. Tending to their needs. Assisting with chores. She insisted on it herself. Hardly heroic, I assure you."
Amara's eyes narrowed. "A maid? That doesn't sound like her!"
Zoe's smile widened. "Perhaps she seeks simplicity. Perhaps she wants to serve. Regardless, she is safe. You should be grateful."
Captain Marxist's voice was steady, though concern lingered. "I hope you are right. But remember… no one, not even you, may overstep the ship's order. I lead this vessel. All must answer to me."
Zoe's eyes gleamed. "Of course, Father. I serve only to maintain order. Erika's duties will not interfere."
The room fell silent. Zoe had claimed control — not only over her family's perception but over the ship's workers and cabin crew.
Deckhands moved with careful precision. They adjusted sails and rigging under her watchful gaze. Cabin staff polished silverware and prepared meals with trembling hands. Even the youngest workers obeyed instantly, fearful of her wrath.
Leonardo moved quietly among them. He whispered guidance. "Stick with me, and you'll be fine," he murmured to a few deckhands. "She's clever… but she cannot control everything."
The crow cawed sharply. It seemed to sense the subtle mutiny forming below.
Zoe's dominance was absolute. She tested the crew's loyalty, calling forward the hesitant. "Step forward," she commanded. "Who is loyal to me… and who hides their allegiance to a girl absent?"
A deckhand stammered, "W-we follow orders, Mistress Zoe!"
Zoe's black-gloved hand gestured toward the rigging. One sailor fumbled. A firm grip lifted him just enough to scare the others. Obedience solidified under fear.
Leonardo moved among the cabin crew quietly. He taught them to support one another. Fear might rule for now. But loyalty and unity could grow under his guidance.
Above deck and below, Zoe's influence was complete. Every glance, every word, bound them to her will. The Empress of the Sea answered to no one — except her father. She respected his authority just enough to maintain her shadow of absolute power.