Gerard was near giddy with excitement at the prospect of what they might find. The hysterical screaming behind the door they stopped at made him pause. A woman? He couldn't imagine all those guards were be there to protect a woman. Perhaps she was just the captains whore. When the captain gave orders that were not answered or obeyed, he threw himself into the door, the heavy wood creaking and groaning with his weight. Despite the ache in his shoulder he did it once more, pressing on the door until it opened a bit. He could see the edge of a wooden chest. Ah, so the lady tried to stop them. He groaned as he pushed once more, the chests moving away from the door slowly at first, but there was enough room for them to squeeze through.

The room was well appointed, finer than any other he'd seen before. A small, white ball of fluff hissed at him and he narrowed his eyes at it. He was about to give it the boot when he felt a slap across his face. "Do not dare hurt him, you fiend." The voice belonged to that of a quite pretty lady, long chestnut hair piled atop her head. The gold brocade dress and diamonds around her neck gave away that she was more than some simple miss. He grabbed her wrist, squeezing the pale, tender flesh. "You will regret that." His voice dripped venom, it was a warning he meant to make good on.

===

Rose hadn't believed Ariel, well until a rather gruff voice had sounded outside the door, informing them that the crew was dead. No, that had to be some mistake. Who would attack their ship? Sure once they saw she was the princess they would realize their mistake. Father would not be happy with them.

The door came open, allowing entry of a rather rough looking man. His blond hair dirty and matted, a scraggly beard to match. He wasn't dressed like anyone she had seen before, and he didn't look all that friendly. Stomping her slippered foot, she made her way towards door, only to get there just in time to slap him before he had hurt Fancy.

The rough hand around her wrist surprised her and she gasped, struggling to break free. "Unhand me! This is no way to treat a princess!" Her voice seemed to rise higher, and she tried to keep back the hysterics. Yet the hand about her wrist only tightened, her fingers feeling numb from the lack of blood flow. Her other hand clawed at the dirty fist that held her, crying out as he moved forward into the room, all but dragging her towards the bed. What could he possibly think he was doing? The king would have his head for this!