1 HONORABLY RECKLESS

"Who dared to wake up the queen?!"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Raigon furrowed his brows.

"Is it for real?" he mused upon hearing that voice.

He squinted his eyes as he leaned forward to search for the owner of the voice. The sky was already turning dark but a tall slender woman in a red swimsuit with long auburn wavy hair was visibly yelling at some youngsters.

"Didn't you see someone was taking a nap here?" she furiously steamed out.

"We're sorry. We won't do it again," one of them managed to speak. But they were still smirking at each other for their bad luck.

"Of course you won't!" she sniggered back.

She threw the ball back, aiming to hit one of them in the face. As luck would have it, one of the youngsters in the group intercepted it, grabbing the ball instead.

"I love her to be my queen," Raigon chuckled in amusement.

It was Raigon's first time seeing people outside the City. Stepping out of it was like an accepted legendary rule not just for a royal like him, but for every citizen of Terra, to prevent another bloodbath in the City again.

However, he received reports that a large group of individuals were suspected to be negotiating with people outside of Terra recently. 

Having no trust in anyone to inspect it, Raigon left and came here, the nearest isle, the Lord Howe Island.

"Help!!"

Raigon's smile became a frown when a different scream roared from the western part of the beach. It was far from the first voice that he heard.

He observed what was happening and saw a throng of people with flashlights directed toward the middle of the ocean. The sea with its angry waves had overturned a small boat attempting to eat its passengers alive.

"They need my help." Raigon rushed through as quickly as his muscular legs could carry him to the scene.

As he was running, he could see another figure, a woman was also dashing to the spot where he was going.

"Is she the queen?" Raigon contemplated as he ran.

His earlier fast pace unconsciously slowed down to watch that beauty in her tracks. 

It is not because she wore a two-piece crimson red bikini nor her graceful strides as she flew. There was something in her aura that made his heart palpitate.

"Call the lifeguard! Call 911!" She at once yelled with an authoritative sound. She commanded the spectators as she pulled her hair up in a ponytail.

'Yes, it was her majesty!'

By this time, he was a few feet from her when she dove at the speed of light and waded to the middle of the vast ocean.

'Wait... What was she thinking?!' He stopped and examined the condition of the seawater.

From where he was, he saw a boat lying helpless on its side. A female was waving her feeble arms while holding onto a piece of a lifebuoy.

In addition, there was another head bobbing in the water. It was a hopeless case for the poor victims.

He glanced at her again, the queen. She swam, heading towards the troubling scene. The waves were comparable to horses going berserk as they reared up then crashed on her. 

"Didn't she know how dangerous it was?!"

Raigon's admiration dissipated as lightning. "Give me a rope!"

His strong and angry tone thundered through the raging surge of waters. Their roars turned into meowing kittens.

The bystanders shivered, not by the chilly breeze but dreaded adding to the wrath of this man in front of them. His physical impression intimidated them as he appeared resembling the king of the ocean.

"H-here it is." Someone overcame his fear and found a rope that he weak-kneed gave to Raigon.

He grabbed it at top speed. "Hold this still and tie it well!" He instructed before he plunged into the waters.

The surfs stayed away in fright and bowed to him as he pierced through the depths of the deep.

The ocean knew him more than anyone. It was justified to name him the king of the sea.

"Help! Help! I'm over here!" The lady in the lifebuoy called out to him as he drew close.

Raigon was looking for the mysterious monarch but there were no traces of her anywhere.

"She said you had better rescue me first. She's responsible for the other." the woman in the lifesaver stuttered as if she understood what his eyes were searching for.

He checked the condition of the lady. Her body was shaking without control. The waters have drenched her for hours. She was shuddering with the icy whiff of the heartless sea.

'A few more minutes in this turbulent weather might make her collapse. But where is my queen?'

Raigon dived underwater near the vicinity of the woman. He searched for signs of her one last chance as waves kept coming at them, but he couldn't see any.

Raigon looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and decided. "Okay, let's go."

'With the way she carried herself, I just have to trust her she would make it. Even for just a few minutes until I get back, please stay alive!'

He swiftly put the rope on the woman's lifesaver and grabbed the other end. He swam as fast as a sea serpent towards the shore.

As soon as they reached the edge, he asked the bystanders to take care of the lady. He immediately bolted to the waters to rescue the other two.

"Whoooo!"

He froze and stared with wide eyes as the crowd clapped their hands and cheered. He was seeing two heads advancing towards the shore.

One was with a lifted chin, chest out, and shoulders back. She rose from its depths like a lioness who just triumphed in rescuing her cub from its predator.

He tilted his head as his eyes narrowed. "Would I be mad or glad?" 

He has never seen a woman as audacious, yet honorable, as this one.

Raigon inhaled sharply and put his arms behind his back as he approached "the Queen".