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Precarious Fool
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#51
Old 06-12-2016, 10:59 PM

The chest was a welcome sight, she wanted to thank Ariel, and all but beg the woman to help her dress, but she was gone as quick as she came. With a frown, Rose climbed from the bed, wanting to be covered more than she wanted sleep. It wasn't proper to be so exposed in front of a man. Clutching the blanket around her tightly she opened the top of the chest, taking a deep breath of the lavender packets packed with the dresses to keep them fresh. Most of these were the more simple day dresses, only two or less petticoats and less intricate designs.

There were at least twenty dresses in the chest, as well as undergarments, matching slippers for each dress, her nightwear including the silk robe she was glad to have, and other odds and ends to complete her outfits, including shawls, wraps, and parasols. Of course none of her jewelry, that was all at the bottom of the ocean. The thought made her frown, she wanted to let him know what he had lost, sure they had her wedding gifts, some of the treasures she brought along, but the jewels, the most valuable thing, was gone. Yet to her, that wasn't the worse. Thinking of her ship being gone all she could remember was Fancy. That brought out the tears, which wouldn't stop once they started. She collapsed onto the ground, gripped the chest and letting the tears fall freely. It quickly turned into sobs, unable to control herself now that she had let go.

===

It seemed like hours before she returned, he was not used to idle time and he wanted noting more than to leave the cabin and do something. He could feel the rocking of the ship, knew they were traveling a bit faster, likely wanting to reach port as soon as possible. They needed to rid themselves of the Princess, and hopefully without the captain and them being found out. If their identities were revealed they would never be safe again, the king hunting them down for the rest of their days.

Eventually Ariel returned and Gerard found himself smiling. The food smelled good and he dug in before she could even talk. She didn't get food for herself? Holding the plate out he talked through a mouthful of food, "Enough to share. You need food too." He didn't feel as hungry today as he had yesterday, and it seemed she was prepared for his previous appetite.

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#52
Old 06-12-2016, 11:57 PM

Clark had sidestepped behind the princess, wanting to see what made the chest so heavy. His eyes wandered over the pretty dresses and accessories and a bunch of other things that could probably fetch a hefty price if he decided to even steal that away from her. 'No...I think I've taken enough.' A small, stabbing pain decided to nest itself in his head; Clark concluded that it was the lack of sleep making him feel this way.

If only Avery could see him now. Bold enough to steal from a royal ship, and taking the princess for hostage no doubt. If Clark would see him again, his mentor would probably tell him how stupid and reckless he was, but would congratulate him in the end. He wonders where he is now.

When the princess started to sob uncontrollably, Clark panicked. He wasn't the best at comforting others, heck he wasn't the best at keeping himself under control at times. Despite his limited experience, he knelt down and reluctantly rubbed her back, much in the same way his mother used to comfort him when he cried. Memories of his mother created a heavy feeling in his chest, and he decided to channel such energy into helping the princess calm down a little. "Hey now, I know it's a lot to take in, but I'll still stand my promise to not let anything happen to you. The king would have my head if he found out that I've been treating you poorly and that's the last thing I want."


"You're the one who isn't feeling too hot right now." Ariel shook her head, pushing the plate more towards him. "I'm not used to eating such lavish food," she confessed. She practically lived on servants' scraps and the like, yet she put on some sort of a figure, silently cursing whatever gods existed for her body. She looked at herself, wide hips and all, and decided that she could use a little bit of thinning. What was more thinning than a life on the seas?

"And don't eat to quick or yer stitches will come undone again." She shot him a look and laid on the cot next to him, her legs hanging off the edge. It was more comfortable than the floor, she could say that for sure, but she couldn't afford to fall asleep while he was there munching away next to her. Who knows what he would try to do. Gerard was still practically a stranger.

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#53
Old 06-13-2016, 11:53 AM

"It's a little late for all that!" Rose snapped and scooted away from him, looking at him with the angriest face she could make. The effect was ruined by her red, puffy eyes and the tears that still streamed down her face. "You've murdered my men, drown an innocent cat, and of all the stupid things, sunk an entire chest of valuable jewels to the bottom of the ocean!" Now she couldn't stop herself, she was upset, she was angry, and she was going to let him know. How could he think that he hadn't been treating her poorly up until now?

"What more could possibly happen to me? It matters not at this point, as you've ruined everything. No one will believe my innocence." She turned her back to him, digging through the chest until she could reach her robe to cover herself. It wasn't like she could get most of the dresses on, and she wasn't about to do so in front of him, so this would do. What difference did it make? She wasn't leaving this room until they made port.

With a glare in his direction she dropped the blanket she held tightly around her, letting it fall to the planks beneath her feet. Ignoring how exposed she felt she tugged on the robe, the silk soft against her bare arms. With it in place she tied it closed.

===

Gerard grunted a reply and kept eating. After the rough night it felt good to have a meal and fill his stomach. He used more care, chewing his food and not scarfing it down, not wanting to mess up the stitches once more, that was the last thing he wanted to go through right now.

Halfway through the plate he paused and looked at Ariel. She looked tired, perhaps she was not used to sleeping on a ship. Unless she had spent the entire night tending to him, if that was the case he felt responsible for that at least. "Eat. The crew is hungry and will leave nothing but scraps." He pushed the plate towards her, leaving on the bed beside him.

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#54
Old 06-13-2016, 06:06 PM

Clark stayed silent throughout her whole speech, not actually sure on what to say after all of that. "I'll say this, though. If you cooperate, nothing else will happen to you. Would you rather let me let you adrift on these seas? Have more consideration for your own life, you're a princess!" Her way of thinking frustrated him. Who cares if other people think of you differently? That's what he would've said anyway.

"What is this talk about innocence? The real world isn't like that. Whatever innocence you had is dashed the moment you entered this world. People will judge you no matter what." Clark got up and walked towards the huge port hole, the water rolling on by. "I've seen women more indecently dressed than you," he muttered as he left the room, hoping that the princess would at least try to change into whatever clothes she wished.


Ariel looked over at the food, thought about her figure again, and threw her thoughts to the wind. Like she said, the ship would run out of food sooner or later and she could slim down then. She tentatively picked at the food and ate it, pausing just to think about how good it tasted. Was this what royalty ate on a daily basis? If so, she'd easily fatten up. Maybe she was okay with just being part of the common folk.

"Thanks," she muttered as she ate more of what's left. Gerard was right, she would have to get her strength up. She had noticed that he slowed down on his eating, taking good care of the stitches she made. For that, she was grateful.

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#55
Old 06-13-2016, 07:38 PM

There was nothing she could say in reply, he didn't understand what it meant to be a princess any more than she understood what it meant to be a pirate, or captain a ship. She was glad he left, so she could attempt to compose herself once more. How she wanted to go on, to explain to him that it didn't matter one way or another if he touched her, everyone would assume a much. No matter who she met from this day forth they would remember this, knowing what happened. Would there only be pity, or disgust as well? There were no more tears to cry, instead she dried her cheeks with the sleeve of her robe and sat down on the floor in front of the chest, leaning forward against the carved wood.

She needed distractions, something, anything to keep her mind off of this. Her books, her embroidery, all of it was in another chest. Had they brought it along? There had also been fine linens and tapestries, so perhaps they had saw value in that. With a plan in mind she pulled out a dress she had yet to wear. It was a new fashion, her father had not been fond of it and refused to allow her to wear dresses in that fashion, but her mother ordered a few for her as a wedding present. Rose had never understood why her father didn't like them, they were simple and elegant. She held out the lavender coloured dress, it was made of a soft silk, a layer of chiffon gathered under the bust that draped down, sitting low on the hips, and gathered in the back.

Once again she took her place near the door, so she would be alerted before someone could burst in and see her in a state of undress. Riding herself of the robe and shift, she hurried to put on the needed undergarments before pulling the dress up. There were fewer buttons in the back and she managed to reach them after some careful stretching and maneuvering. It fit tight around the chest and flared out just under the bosom, then flowed down to the floor. She covered her bare shoulder with a silver shawl that seemed to glitter. The only thing left to do was her hair, something she wasn't sure she was completely capable of. A simple style would have to do. She spent just minutes, running a brush through the long, chestnut strands before braiding it into two long braids, one over each shoulder. It was far from a fancy style that she would wear at court, but at least it was brushed and out of the way.

She had been quick as she could and she was thankful the captain hadn't returned in that time. The door creaked when she opened it, the frame near instantly filled with the large fame of the pirate she had seen glimpses of earlier. Davey had been the name she heard. Pasting a small, innocent smile on her lips she looked up at him. "Davey?" At his nod, she continued, "The captain had been kind enough to allow me to look for a chest of my things. Perhaps I can count on you to accompany me on this task? I do not believe I could move such a large chest on my own." For a moment he didn't look like he'd believe her, but perhaps because she had asked so nicely, he relented and nodded in agreement of her plan. With a satisfied grin she waved him on, intending to follow him through the ship in search of her chest.

===

Gerard closed his eyes as she ate, she seemed hesitant and he didn't understand why she wouldn't take a good meal when it was offered. There were times when they ate rich, and times when it was but two watery meals a day that did little to keep them alive. Nothing could be done about it, it was the life of a pirate after all. At least they'd be making port in a week, so they would have a few weeks afterwards of decent food when they washed their hands of this mess with the princess. Even still he wondered why the captain had bothered, it was a risk to ransom her. If they got caught they'd never live to see the sea again. Would Ariel return with the princess? Perhaps he should give her a share of his treasure so she can make her own way, payment for what possibly saved his life.

"How's the princess holding up?" He figured she had gone to the captains chambers for the food, considering it was on a much nicer plate than the men use.

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#56
Old 06-14-2016, 12:19 AM

Clark needed some fresh air again, maybe being cooped up in a room for so long wasn't good for either his or her health. They're practically at their wits' end with each other, and it was only a day since she got on their ship. The serving girl seemed to be doing alright, Davey accompanying her at times when she needed him. That seemed a little bit suspicious, if not dangerous. Maybe there was a truth to the whole belief that women are bad luck on pirate ships. He needed all the luck he could get to get through this.

Barclay ended up in step with him, as the rest of the crew lazily piloted the ship. There wasn't much to do on the sea during times like this, the ocean was basically bare save for a few clouds on the horizon. "Captain, a storm a-coming. Pro'lly will take us a while longer to get to 'at port." His words seemed to pass over him, eliciting a simple nod. Clark shook his head. "Tighten down on supplies for now, as we won't know how much we have left." Barclay shrugged. "We got 'em supplies from the royal ship, I don't see why we 'ave to worry." The nonchalance made Clark stop in his tracks. "We won't know how much we have left," he repeated. As Clark went about the rest of his duties, trying to clear his mind of the princess, Davey trailed after her as she searched for what chest she wanted to find.

Davey wasn't sure if she was allowed to be out of the captain's quarters, but it would be better for her to be looked over than just left alone on a ship with the rest of the crew milling about.


Ariel paused, pondering over the question. "I wouldn't know... it seems as if she's not doing as well as I thought." She couldn't blame her; the captain had downed the ship before the princess could ever retrieve her jewels that the crew obviously failed to find, and her cat. The car was just so young. The princess was too young to see destruction this close, but isn't that how the world was? One death after another? After a moment, she pushed the plate away and shook her head.

"I feel responsible." She looked at the bottle of ale, mulled over her choices, and uncorked the bottle anyway. After taking a swig, she continued, "I didn't tell her that I would be there for her. She probably feels alone on this ship. I should've told her more clearly that I was still on her side despite all...this." Ariel's voice cracked as she finished off, taking another gulp from the bottle. The ale wasn't getting to her yet, a little worrying considering this was supposed to be one of the better bottles. She paused on her words a bit; did she mean what she said? A sudden feeling of anxiety on whether she was genuine or not earned her another gulp from the bottle without another thought. She soon felt a hit on her senses. 'Ah...there it is.' She was almost comforted by the feeling, not thinking about whether Gerard would take advantage of her or what.

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#57
Old 06-14-2016, 01:44 AM

Rose was surprised at how rough this ship was compared to the one that had been a part of her father's fleet. Not that she had wandered that one much, the guards made her keep to her room where she was safe and protected, not that it did much good for her. She had asked for directions from a few of the other men she encountered but all they did was leer at her, something she found she really didn't enjoy. Pulling the shawl tighter around her, covering up the pale skin that they all seemed to focus on, she was glad for Davey's stony silence behind her.

Eventually she found her way to the storage, where all of her chests were strewn about. Most of the things were piled on the floor, pretty dresses and silks in piles. Obviously they didn't realize how expensive the gowns were, otherwise they'd take more care. Her arms strained to lift each heavy lid, looking through five chests before she found the one she was looking for. Most of it was intact, aside from the fact it had been rifled through and her threads and books were tangled together. With a frown she shook her head and looked at Davey. "Can you please take this back to my room?"

Davey complied without a word, Rose wasn't even sure he spoke. He seemed kind enough, so who was she to complain? With ease he hefted the trunk on his shoulder and navigated the ship, Rose following close, not wanting to be left behind. At least no one had tried to bother her overly much, perhaps afraid of their captains wrath if she was harmed.

It was much quicker getting back to the cabin and with her chest now there she could at least distract herself. Soon enough Davey returned to his post outside the door. She shed her shawl, draping it across one of the chairs, then sat on the floor in front of the trunk and pulled out the mass of tangled threads. It would take hours to figure it all out, but at least it was something to do.

===

Gerard watched as she drank from the bottle, impressed. "Not much you can do about that, Cap had enough trouble with her, he'd likely not want you underfoot as well." That was the truth, the captain didn't care if she had a bevy of servants at home, he probably was annoyed enough sharing his quarters with her, let alone anyone else. "Soon enough she'll be on her way home." At least then they could move on.

He patted her lightly on the shoulder, not sure else how to offer comfort. Why was he bothering? She had at least helped him out, so he could try and be nice for a bit. He took the bottle from her and took a large swig, savouring the taste. "Ah, the good stuff." He grumbled, drinking more. At least it would help with the ache in his chest. "You going to hide in here with a cripple all day?" Sure, he wasn't that bad off, but considering he couldn't even leave bed, he was all but useless on the ship. As much as the princess, possibly even more.

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#58
Old 06-14-2016, 02:29 AM

Clark felt a lot better as he helped his fellow men with the sails and even took over the wheel for a couple of minutes. There was definitely a reason why he preferred the open sea more than anything; just breathing it in was a little therapeutic. Clearing his head, he made his way back to his cabin, where he was in a much better mood to deal with the princess at least. Opening the door, he found her on the floor again, but with a different sort of chest in front of her. He made a look, peered over at Davey next to him, and shrugged. What good is it to berate her for leaving the room? Even he admitted that it was stuffy.

The food had been cleared out, the table now full of more simpler foods for a midday eating. Crackers and a couple of fruits were centered on the table. Clark decided that some wine would work well with this beautiful weather. The storm would be something that he'd have to deal with later, he might as well enjoy what peace he had.

He walked over to the princess, wine bottle in hand, and looked at what the chest offered. There were books and thread, which the princess was working at for a while now. He frowned at how rowdy his men got with the chest that she had before her. While all they wanted was treasure, they could've showed some decency with items such as these. Clark remained silent as he sipped at his wine, frowning at how he hadn't felt the alcohol working its magic quite yet.


Ariel turned to look at him as he patted her shoulder. Gerard looked a bit strange through inebriated eyes. Maybe even handsome? She laughed at her own thoughts, what was she thinking, musing to herself how handsome her captor was. "If you play your cards right, I won't only be hiding in here with you," she flirted, her voice getting a little bit too high, as it always does whenever she was like this. She cleared her throat as she began to get increasingly tired. The lack of sleep was starting to get to her.

She started to press on his chest (careful with the stitches in the back of her mind), and pushed him down so that he was on the cot, knocking the plate down. Ariel could barely hear anything else other than the sound of her heartbeat, a sensation she hadn't felt in weeks. Ariel had been clean, up until this point. Her face neared his, her eyes narrowing. She had started her usual routine with him, nuzzling her face in the crook of his neck, a trick that she always used in her time at the whorehouse. The whorehouse. She stopped and shook her head, the shaking making her head swim more than in should. "I... I'm sorry."

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#59
Old 06-14-2016, 11:07 AM

Someone had entered the room, they were quiet and she didn't bother to look around, knowing it was likely the captain. The thread was mostly tangled beyond repair, she had used her teeth to break it apart at points, winding lengths of various colours into different sized balls. Scraps sat to her right, useless. Despite all the hard work she wasn't even a third of the way done, but with nowhere else to go she would simply keep working. After this she organize her books and press the pages that had gotten bent when her chest was rifled through.

She could hear the captain moving about the room, though soon he stopped right behind her and she tensed. Would he be upset she left the room without permission? All she had wanted was a distraction, and with this chest she would be good, at least for awhile. After all, she was used to spending long hours amusing herself, considering she lived the idle life of a sheltered princess. Her fingers ached from pulling at the threads and she struggled to continue working at the knotted threads. Grumbling to herself she threw the mess to the floor and closed her eyes. Her head was swimming and she swayed a bit. What was wrong with her? It would be fitting if she were to be sick here, with no doctor and no hope for relief.

Pale hands gripped the chest and she attempted to pull herself up, which only seemed to make it worse. Bent over and still gripped the chest she left out a rather pitiful moan. She felt weak and tired, and like she would fall to her feet if she attempted to move anywhere. Perhaps her protest of the food and drink offered her was catching up. Yet she hadn't even felt hungry, too disturbed by recent events to even eat. "Water." She mumbled, glancing in the captains direction before she straightened herself. She wavered a bit, swaying on her feet.

===

Gerard raised an eyebrow at her words. What was her game, speaking to him like that? Before he could figure that out she was pushing on him, and instead of fighting he allowed it, not sure what to make of this state she was in now. The plate clattered to the floor but she didn't seem to mind, and he said nothing, watching her closely, wondering if this was a trap. A groan escaped him when she nuzzled into his neck, his head swimming. Was he still that weak from his injury, that it would only take that small touch?

He was confused at her apology, he felt no need for her to be sorry for that, perhaps sorry for not continuing. "It's alright." He grumbled, not sure how to handle the situation. He was used to whores, who knew what they were doing and got the job done. Obviously she didn't know what she wanted and he was in no mood to figure it out. He scooted over, his shoulder pressing against the wall, leaving her some room to lie down on the cot beside him. She was drunk, that much was obvious, and he wasn't about to take advantage of that, in this state he couldn't even if he wanted to.

Realizing he still held the bottle of ale in his hands he struggled to sit up enough to take a large swig from the bottle, the stain on his chest more than he should have allowed, but if he was going to stay in bed with her, he felt like he just might need it.

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#60
Old 06-14-2016, 05:31 PM

Clark's face furrowed in concern when the princess swayed as she got on her feet. He hurried to get whatever water from the bucket that the men brought in. "Here," he said, offering to put it up to her lips. Her dropping her cup yesterday was a reminder of how weak she was in these sort of circumstances. "Maybe you get a piece of fruit in you." He moved over to give her a couple of grapes, although she'd probably need a lot more to get her strength up. "i won't have you dying on my ship."

"I'm curious, princess." Clark pulled up a plate and put some fruits on it, moving towards the bed so as to keep her comfortable. He motioned her over, with a look that showed her that he wouldn't try to do anything while they're on the bed together. "Have you been outside your castle, or something of the sort, before?"


Ariel rested her head on the cot, her eyes getting heavy. "I'm sorry...." she repeated, the fear crawling up her throat. She wasn't sure if she should be grateful or offended that Gerard didn't respond to her advances. She's confused, and a little bit angry at herself for letting herself go like this. The fact that he allowed her a kind of niceness was almost refreshing; oftentimes the men she sometimes shied away from in the heat of the moment would react violently. She turned her head away from him, a few tears escaping her tired eyes, sniffling a bit. She kept quiet as she fell into a restless sleep.

"I'll mess with that later..." she muttered as her breathing began to slow, emitting a soft snore.

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#61
Old 06-14-2016, 05:51 PM

Despite her fears, she accepted the captains help in order to steady herself, as well as the offered water. It helped a bit but she still felt off. His words sounded distant and she struggled to hear them as she followed him towards the bed, just barely staying upright in the process. Sitting down on the very edge, despite the sort of reassuring look he tried to give her, she tried to keep her space from him. The plate of fruits looked more appetizing than any of the food had last night and she grabbed a small handful of grapes, savouring each one as she popped them in her mouth.

"I left the castle once, to visit my grandparents estate." She shrugged, it was normal for ladies to not travel overly much. "I had everything I needed in the castle, why would I leave?" That was of course until she was given away to some foreign prince. Not that she hated the idea, she had been excited to travel, to see sights other than the castle, as well as meet this handsome man she was promised to. Why had he asked something like that? It wasn't the ship making her ill, not she had immensely enjoyed her time on her father's ship and had felt better than ever. No, it was being kidnapped that didn't sit well with her.

Another piece of fruit appealed to her, the melon sweet and juicy as she bit into it. Did the captain and his men even know what half of these fruits were? Many were native to much warmer climates, foreign in her father's lands, but he prided himself on having the best and greatest and Rose had lived on sweet fruits and delicacy from all over the world. The sugar in the fruit seemed to revitalize her, the colour returning to her cheeks and her head no longer felt so fuzzy.

===

Aye, he may not be as handsome to the ladies as the captain, but he'd had his share of willing bed partners and didn't feel the need to force one, especially not in his state. Clearly she was too drunk and tired to of done much in ways of pleasure anyways. He grunted as he shifted even more on the bed, allowing her a bit more room to stretch out. He had been about to say something when he heard a gentle snore.

The ache in his chest reminded him that he wasn't about to get out of bed, so here he was, trapped with a lady in bed. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but she was asleep and he wasn't the monster most believed him to be. Rolling his eyes he leaned up, resting on one elbow while bringing the bottle of ale to his mouth. The only thing to do was to get well and truly drunk, then pass out much like his companion had. He was still weary from restless night and it didn't take long before he could feel the effects of the ale, his mind perfectly muddled.

Half climbing on top of her he leaned over the bed, groaning in pain when his chest pressed against her, her soft curves doing little to help the painful wound. He managed to set the bottle down without completely falling off the cot or the bottle spilling it's contents. Hopefully they wouldn't reach to rough of waters, or they'd lose some fine ale. Content, he rolled back onto his side, the movement sending a wave of pain through him. Hopefully he hadn't damaged the stitches again. It didn't take long for the gentle rocking and ale to lure him into sleep, his dreamy state bringing him to curl into the warmth beside him.

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#62
Old 06-14-2016, 07:23 PM

(I hope that you don't mind me letting Ariel sleep for a little bit aha)

Clark let out a small sigh of relief when he realized that the princess felt a lot better with food in her. It would do her no good to just starve herself, for whatever reasons they may be. 'Everything she needed...' The thought mulled in her mind a bit, much like wine he swished around the bottle. He wonders what it was like to have everything they could ever need. There was a difference between needs and wants, though. "Aren't there any things you want? Sure, you have everything you needed... but humans are adventurous at heart," he mused, just speaking without much of a second thought. It was a little fascinating to him to hear from someone with a vastly different lifestyle. He only knew what it was like to be part of the working class, a pirate.

"I don't know.. the reason why I left home is because I could never feel satisfied. Probably different for ladies of your stature, but I digress." Clark shrugged a bit, finishing off whatever wine was left in the bottle.

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#63
Old 06-14-2016, 07:32 PM

"I couldn't have possibly wanted for anything. Sometimes I wondered what happened outside of the castle, but how could it be any better than my life in the castle?" Rose could only shrug, sure it would have been nice to see, but she hadn't been that desperate to escape. It wasn't like she didn't go outside, the castle gardens were extensive, she spent hours walking among the flowers, she even rode a horse through them regularly. Other than her time on a ship, she didn't know what else the world could offer. Other than the strange feelings of being kidnapped, things she was sure she could have lived without.

She left the rest of the fruit on the plate, feeling full enough for now. It wasn't that she was peckish at all, more that this ordeal had stolen her appetite, and even with the better ingredients they were nothing like what the cook at home served. "I'm a princess, I don't get to just want things, other than to be of use to the kingdom." She didn't say this with any spite, it was said with years of that fact drilled into her head, a fate she accepted and understood. It wasn't a horrible thing, her station afforded her every luxury in the world, so how could she complain?

Rose offered a weak smile, not sure how else to behave. She was doing her best to be civil, to control her tongue and her actions so she didn't incur his wrath.

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#64
Old 06-14-2016, 10:53 PM

Clark frowned. "You've never wondered what it's like outside your walls? Or be curious of what goes on with your people? Before you got on this ship, you told me that your father got rid of whatever pirates were out there." He picked at some stray thread on his bed, his mind racing as to what else she could have learned that didn't prove to be true. The thought made him pause, and then he asked, "Why were you on a boat? Where were you headed to?" If she hadn't been outside the castle until then, there was probably some sort of union involved. Even then, he wanted to clarify. Maybe he could come out of this with twice as much treasure than he initially thought, with a prospective husband awaiting.

'Be of use to the kingdom.' Her words seemed to repeat itself on his mind. Clark couldn't imagine the amount of responsibility placed on her. When he was her age, he was still working as a shoemaker, life as mundane as could be. Wouldn't the expectations be too much on her? Although he shouldn't sympathize. Royalty always seemed to have the largest cut out of everything, and used the common people as fodder. Reminding himself of hoe royalty treated them seemed to get his mind back to why he brought her on his ship in the first place.

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#65
Old 06-14-2016, 11:51 PM

"Sure, I wondered, but why over worry if you cannot change what you were born into? I was born into royalty and I've accepted my place and am quite happy with it." That was the truth, sure she liked the idea of travel, of seeing new things, but she also like the stability and tranquility of the castle and her life as it was before all this. Not just that, but the skills she had been raised to posses were not much use outside of her role, so why would she want anything different?

"I've been betrothed to a prince. I am on my way to his kingdom to be married. I believe it was to be a three week journey." That was about all she knew, just the name Prince Roan, that his kingdom had many ports and was important to trade, and she was expected to marry him. That had been enough for her. Sighing, she looked around the small cabin, wondering how he could enjoy his life cooped up in this place. Did they spend much time at port? Yet what she had seen of port seemed busy and crowded, and far too loud for her, not a place she wanted to be. How long would she be stuck in port before her father rescued her? After that, what would happen to her? Would she continue along to marry the prince or would he refuse her, treat her as if she was tainted goods?

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#66
Old 06-15-2016, 01:52 AM

"How does that feel... to be satisfied like that?" Clark asked, a small sadness in his eyes. He almost envied her, to not question anything, to be content with where you are in the world, right at your birth. How many lives could he have lived, but didn't, when he left home to go for a life on the seas? Stability. That was what the princess had that he didn't have. Did he want stability, though? Stability meant that he would just stay home as a shoemaker, maybe start a family, and die where he lived. All in the same place. The same old, same old. His father owned the shoe store, and his grandfather before him.

"Marriage..." Her words brought him out of his thoughts. "Do you know him? What he likes? What he hates?" Clark was always baffled when royalty married out of love. Then again, the idea of love was still a concept beyond him. Whatever love he had is saved for his ship and his parents. Nothing more.

Speaking of which, where was Gerard? 'He's probably still injured... I hope that serving girl didn't off 'im.'


Ariel woke up with a gasp. Her head was pounding and she was slightly confused as to why she was on Gerard's cot. The last thing she remembered was apologizing over and over. She placed a hand on her head, breathing out a sigh of annoyance directed at herself. She began to whale on herself for drinking again until she looked next to her and she found Gerard. Her eyes traced over his rugged features as her thoughts began to quell. At least this was someone she could distract her thoughts with.

She got up, slowly, and looked over the bandages. They were soaked through again but at least the chair was nearby. She stood up, wobbled a bit, and rifled through the chest to find new bandages. The wound wasn't bleeding as much as when it was fresh, so that was a good sign.

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#67
Old 06-15-2016, 12:30 PM

How did it feel to be satisfied? Rose wasn't sure how to answer that, since she didn't know anything else. She pouted a bit as she considered how to answer the question, no one had asked so much about her before, there was never a need. She was a princess, she did what princesses do, had to be content with it, and that was just it. There wasn't any questioning it, and she really didn't, since it was all she had known from birth. As a child when she did ask questions the answer was usually, 'this is how it's always been done'. That was enough for her. "It has made life easy, I am content with my lot in life and so I feel no need to change it, not draw to want something I cannot have." Sure, she had childhood dreams of faraway lands and travels, but those were exactly that, the dreams of children, not grown women. Not that she was all that grown at only eighteen years of age.

The next question was harder and she frowned, she knew so little about her future husband, which would surely surprise him. It didn't matter how much she knew, it was her duty to marry the prince and so what difference did it make to know much about him before or after? "Well, I know he is ten years my senior. I've been told he is handsome, and a good warrior. He is a prince and next in line to rule after his father passes, though the King is in good health." That was all the knowledge she had, and it was enough. She would be a queen one day, the highest aspiration she could ever hope for. Even if she had been given the option she would not have turned it down, for she could do no better for her kingdom than secure such an ally.

===

The cot beside him shifted and he reached out for the warmth that had been there. When he found nothing he groaned and opened his eyes, seeing Ariel across the small room at the chest. Ah, more doctoring for the cripple. He grunted with the effort it took to sit up, once more leaning against the wall. Had he tore the stitches in his sleep? He had tried to be careful but it was hard enough to do so while awake. While waiting on her he bent as carefully as he could to retrieve the bottle of ale he had left on the floor, glad it hadn't tipped while they napped.

"Feelin' better, lass?" His voice was thick with sleep and he took a large swig of ale after, trying to clear his throat. He felt a little better rested and wonder how long they had managed to sleep. Bright light streamed through the porthole still, so at least he hadn't managed to sleep the day away.

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#68
Old 06-15-2016, 11:59 PM

How frustrating it was for Clark to hear the princess sound so sure of herself. So sure of her life and her status, separate from the rest of the world. He figured it was easier for someone who had everything on a silver platter for them, and gave up the notion on trying to understand her, at least for the moment. After all, how would he truly know how she felt unless he was royalty himself? Despite that, he did notice the pause when she tried to answer his second question, on whether she knew who her husband was.

"Now... with all your talk for the kingdom, what happens now? You are kidnapped, held for ransom, spent a deal of time with pirates... Does that affect your future at all?"


Ariel shuffled over back to him, making muttering sounds to herself as she dealt with her headache in her own way: by generally trying to ignore it. "I've felt better," she smirked, kneeling down to inspect the wound. The stitches seemed to hold for now and the bleeding has lessened, although not stopped all the way. She helped him straighten up on the cot, placing her arms around his and holding him against her chest. "Just a little bit." Once she made sure that he was more comfortable, she unwrapped the bandages around him.

"Sorry about earlier." Ariel muttered after a while, dabbing at the wound with a damp rag. Whether she felt like explaining herself, she wasn't sure. She wasn't sure how he felt about Gerard yet, and would rather examine her feelings at a later time. Although that often led to her forgetting about them.

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#69
Old 06-16-2016, 12:21 AM

Rose wasn't so confident on that matter, "It is hard to say. No one will assume that I am... unscathed." She wasn't sure how to put it, her mother hadn't taught her much on the matter, bits and pieces of her duty to her husband, and only her husband. As a woman she was little without her purity and honor. "If that is the case my husband may refuse me and I will be settled in perhaps a more undesirable match, with a suitor who will overlook that." She didn't know why she bothered telling him, what difference did it make now? She doubted very much it would make him sympathetic to her plight, and his sympathy was worth very little to her right now. The only reason she trusted in her relative safety on this ship was because he needed her intact in order to send her home.

"I'm not saying my life is difficult, I know it is not, but there are things you don't understand." That was all she planned to say on the matter, it was all she could say.

===

Gerard groaned with the effort to get him upright, it didn't feel as comfortable as he'd like, sitting up seemed to strain his wound. As, it would figure he'd be out of commission right after their biggest haul yet. Couldn't be drinking with the men or basking in the glory on the main deck. The way he felt he wasn't sure he'd be able to leave his cabin before they made port. How was the captain and crew doing without him? Probably just fine, at least for now, but he was there to keep them in check and keep things running smoothly when the captain could not. Generally he wasn't too busy, they had a good crew, but with the abundance of drink and food they may be more rowdy than usual.

He couldn't see his chest from this position, but the lack of her complaining and any concern made him believe it was doing alright. The fever may have hit, but hopefully he had managed to stem off infection. He look up at her when she spoke, a grin on his face, "You're not the first woman to of done it, but ye are the first to apologize." He managed a weak laugh, the effort hurting him. He rarely took things serious, and with some fresh ale in him, he wasn't about to start now. After taking another drink, needing the ale to dull the ache, he held it out to her. "Only cure for a hangover is to never stop."

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#70
Old 06-16-2016, 04:01 AM

Clark frowned. "I told you, didn't I? That I would not harm you in anyway? What other aspect could I possibly 'scathe' yo-" He stopped, remembering of a queen who was revered for her virginity and purity when she came to the throne as the only ruler. Purity. Bah. A concept with judgment as it's focus. No one can be truly 'pure', although the princess seemed to be the number one contender for it. Never exposed to the outside world, with blind faith and contentment with their status? Well, to upper-class standards anyway, that seemed pure.

With a thoughtful look, he asked her, "Do you think people not of royalty are undesirable?" He wanted to see what he would say, steeling himself for an answer he may not like.


Ariel clicked her tongue. "I know this isn't the best position for you but stay with me," she clucked as she wrapped new bandages around him. Progress was slow, but that was to be expected on a less than sanitary pirate ship. He'll survive. With that thought in mind, she helped him lay back down on the cot. She snorted at his comment and shook her head. "I won't have any more, thanks though. I was a wreck the last time I heavily drank like that."Ariel shuddered at the memories. At least she found something different to do with her time other than serve to highly predictable people.

Was predictability such a bad thing, though? Before all this, she didn't think she could treat someone the way she treated Gerard right now. Even then, this was just your textbook cut, just a little bit worse.

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#71
Old 06-16-2016, 11:07 AM

Rose watched, his words cut off as he understood her meaning. A blush rose up on her cheeks, this was a highly improper conversation to be having. She looked away, not able to think on the matter anymore. She wouldn't need to, everyone from this moment on, rich or poor, would see her and imagine what the captain might have done to her. Could she plead with them that she was untouched? Would they believe her? Some may say they do, but in the back of their minds they might always consider this ordeal. Even if the captain kept his word, left her untouched, it would be too late to prove it, her innocence not sure of until her wedding night, which could very well be to someone other than the prince. Clenching her fists, she dug her nails into her palms. Why was she so angry? Perhaps it was because no one would believe her, even though she had never lied before in her life, no one would believe her story, her tale, and would judge her with falsehoods. How was that any bit fair?

Her anger abated a bit, her mind distracted by his question. "Undesirable?" A frown crossed her rosy lips, trying to gather his meaning. Perhaps he refereed to being handsome? "If by that you mean handsome, then wealth or status have little to do with it. I've seen many more knights with pleasing faces than I have lords." She remembered one particular knight, he had been so tall and handsome and she was so curious about him. Why, she couldn't explain, but she conceived ways to talk to him despite knowing that she shouldn't. Of course he hadn't been much interested in her, she had been but sixteen at the time, and soon after he left the castle, probably to escape her fascination. But as she thought about it, did he leave on his own, or had her strange attraction to him been noticed by others? Father would not have allowed it. Horror struck, she wondered if her innocent appraisal had caused the poor knight harm.

===

"Were ye? What could have been so bad that ye wont drink again?" Gerard sighed as he sunk into the cot, it wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, the bedding a bit old and lumpy. Perhaps with his share he may buy a new mattress, since he was sure after their adventure in port with the princess they wouldn't be spending much time on land until, hopefully, they were no longer wanted. That was something he did not want to think about right now, as much as he was looking forward to a hefty ransom, the idea of trying to return the princess to her father without getting caught was well... it wasn't something he was sure they would manage. He leaned up on one elbow, taking another drink of the ale, his head starting to swim, being drunk more familiar to him than not.

He managed to scoot over enough so she could join him if she wanted to, he patted the cot and attempted a sly smile and a wink, but he wasn't sure in his slightly drunken state they would be all that effective.

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#72
Old 06-16-2016, 03:42 PM

Clark smirked, noting the blush that rose on the young princess' cheeks. He also noticed the clench of her fists, and began to take more of an interest in her. There was more to the princess than she let on, and was reminded of a saying that he kept close to heart all these years: that humans are more complex than they seem to be. He picked up a piece of fruit and began to eat as he listened to her on what she thought was undesirable. "While that is one of it's many meanings, I was more interested in an 'undesirable' in the purity and clean aspect."

"What does it mean to be pure, princess? Tell me, I'm curious. As a man on the other side of the law, depending on how you look at it, I do find it fascinating that there is such a... 'show' about this."


Ariel had cleared off the rest of the supplies and placed them back in the chest, mulling over Gerard's question and how to answer them. She wasn't one for telling her whole life story, especially with someone she barely knew, but she guessed there was something about just sleeping with someone in bed with them. With a sigh, and a roll of her eyes at his antics, she sat down next to him on the cot. "You probably don't want to hear the ramblings of a serving girl like me," she brushed it off, still deciding whether to share some insight or not.

After a prolonged silence, she started, "I learned, or I guess in this case remembered, something about myself and it was too much. You always hear 'em religious folk who preach how empty you are when you have nothing to believe in? I threw myself into drinking and bedding anyone who was willing to just forget. But them priests do have some stick of truth to 'em, what bastards they may be. I felt numb." She stared at the wall, not willing to go deeper into it. Talking about it in a summarizing sense is difficult enough.

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#73
Old 06-16-2016, 07:14 PM

"They are undesirable to my father as match for me, if that's what you're asking. As a whole, I don't feel that way, and I don't think he does, but I can't assume to speak for him. I'm not sure how else to answer it..." Rose wasn't sure why he was asking such strange questions, but she was confused at this point and didn't enjoy this part of the conversation. She watched him eat the fruit, wondering if she should try and force down more. The little bit she ate, while tasty, hadn't agreed with her stomach, obviously she was not fully over this whole ordeal.

At his next question she blushed, was he asking what she thought he was? Surely he wouldn't. "A husband does not want a damaged woman, either in reputation, or..." She paused, shaking her head, not willing to finish that. "A wife is a reflection on her husband, she entertains his guests, runs his household, and is the mother of his children. If you're not pure, what good will you be in those aspects? A man would be a mockery to his friends, his children would be hellions without morals..." At least that is along the lines of what her mother had told her. All of it made sense to her as well, and she had no problem holding herself to those ideals, even if that now meant she was one of the women she had hoped to never be.

===

"Lass, you're on a pirate ship. Every man here had probably felt like that at one point in his life, that's how they end up here. It's easy to get caught up in being a pirate and ignoring whatever may be the issue." Gerard shrugged, not sure how to explain it much to her. He wasn't being completely truthful, he was here because this is where his father had once been, and his father's father, and so on. It was a cycle of sailing, drinking, and whoring that he wasn't about to break. He had been on a ship for so long that he wasn't sure he'd manage living on land for more than a week or two. "The only plus about being a pirate in that regard is you still get to drink and bed whomever you wish" He grinned at that and nudged her with his elbow. Apparently he couldn't stop himself from being crude, even during a more serious conversation.

Up on his elbow once more he drank from the bottle, sighing with content as the ale slid down his throat. This was good ale, he'd be sad when it was gone. Again he held it out towards her, raising his eyebrow, "You're already in my bed, what's the harm?" What else was he to do? He knew little else beside the three things a pirate was good at, and his answer always had been to drink.

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#74
Old 06-17-2016, 05:26 AM

"I do wonder, does the same go for your husband?" Clark wondered, soon getting up to stretch a bit. While he didn't mind being idle, he'd rather not fatten up from it. Before the princess could answer, there was a heavy knock on the door. Sedgewick peered in, looking over at the princess before he spoke to Clark. "Captain, Finley's ship comin' abreast." With that news, he left and Clark looked over at his maps for a bit. Of course he expected other pirates to be on the seas but there is a reason why he loved being on the sea: the solidarity of it all. Even though he was currently on good terms with Captain Finley, he wasn't going to let her know of the treasure he was holding.

He looked over at the princess, and warned, "We have guests. Don't make a sound unless you want to be swept away on another pirate ship." Finley was well-known for her prowess as a female captain, and can prove to be more abrasive than Clark himself. The minute he or any of his men mention the haul they got, it was over. She would want a cut of the profit and he wasn't about to offer her any. He needed Gerard by his side. Leaving the princess alone, he donned his cutlass and motioned to Davey as he left his room. "Call for Gerard. Tell him Finley's here." He paused, wondering if the wound would give them away. "On second thought, just tell him what's going on. I can't let anyone else know of the princess lest we want the rest of 'em pirates on our tails."

Clark's presence on deck put the rest of the crew at work, making sure they looked like they were in tiptop shape. He looked through his spyglass and saw Finley's flag, a blue star with golden edges, flapping in the distance. He silently pleaded to whatever was up there to get through this civilly.


Ariel just kept quiet while Gerard tried to comfort her, it seemed. He at least tried to make her feel like whatever she was feeling is pretty normal. Normal. She wasn't sure if what she was going through is regarded as normal anymore. She was lucky to be on a pirate ship and live. Or go pretty much unscathed for the time being. She simply looked at him in the eyes as he offered her more of the ale. "I've lived through my life, thinking that I knew who I was, and then I don't and it makes me anxious. If I don't know who my parents are, what my actual name is, then what is the point?" She took the bottle, hesitated, and took another sip. The ale comforted her, numbing her feelings.

"Oh, what do you know? You're just a pirate, and a guy at that." Ariel pouted. One sip and she was already pushing the issue away. Typical. Davey's head through the door distracted her as well. He let Gerard know that Finley was a few minutes away and that while Clark would rather have him there, he felt it necessary to keep him hidden for the time being. "'e doesn't want her to know about treasure or 'em hostages," he looked at Ariel as he mentioned hostages.

"What? Who's Finley?" Ariel asked.

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#75
Old 06-17-2016, 11:05 AM

Rose has been about to answer him, but the knock on the door interupted. She knew little about men and what was expected of them, she had spent only small amounts of time around her brothers and her father, and the odd sighting of knights when about the castle. We're men kept to the same stitch standards? Rose knew that she'd like to know her husband had not strayed before marriage, or sullied his reputation. The newcomer spoke of another ship, another pirate, she figured, her thoughts confirmed as they continued the conversation. She wanted to ask more questions, but the captain was busy looking at the maps, then he warned her to be quiet.

Could it be all that bad? It was bad enough here, but the captain was acting strangely... Could this new pirate, Finley, be all that much worse? Well, perhaps, they may kill her, or... She shivered, she didn't know much, but she did know there was something more that could be done to her. Frowning, she stayed silent, perched on the edge of the bed. What if the other captain tried to come in this room? There wasn't a good place to hide, perhaps in one of the chests, but the large ornate chests, the kings family crest carved in the top, would give away at least a hint of the contents.

Well, the captain would just have to keep them away from his cabin. She sighed and stretched out on the bed, knowing there was little she could do now.

===

Gerard didn't have time to answer Ariel, Davey's head through the door distracted him. Finley? Great. Struggling to sit up, Gerard cursed under his breath. His head swam, he was well and truly drunk, his chest ached, and he now needed to be on deck. Yes, he knew what Davey said, but Finley would find it odd that he wasn't present. Sure, Clark could blame it on drink, but that rarely stopped him before.

"Finley. Female captain, a bit ruthless. If she finds out about the princess, things will get complicated." He grunted as he struggled to climb over Ariel and out of the cot. "Help me into some clothes." He didn't mean to snap, but this was the last thing he needed. Already he felt it a struggle to stand, and the large amount of drink he had consumed wasn't helping the fact. If he made it on deck without falling on his face, it would probably be a miracle. Yet he had to, he wasn't going to make Clark do it alone.

"Extra bandage, don't need her to know about my injury." He was already all but stumbling to the chest and threw open the lid, pulling out a length of clean bandage and holding it out towards Ariel. He didn't give her time to wrap it before he made his way to the chest strapped to the wall, pulling out a clean linen shirt, this one black, so that if he did bleed through, at least Finley wouldn't notice. It was followed by a vest, which had looked like it'd been nice at one point, but was now a it ratty and threadbare. "You'll have to hide here, can't risk you being seen either, I don't want to explain away more than needed." With that he held out the articles of clothing as well, his pants would have to be fine, there were a few bloodstains on them, though most of his pants at this point had those.

 


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