The air was stifling in the Duke's cramped study. There were scrolls and books strewn about almost every surface, covered in a thick layer of dust. It was hard to imagine anyone reading in this room, the only light came from a crack in the slatted windows. Captain Cecilia Storm sat in a plush burgundy armchair, awaiting a duke of some sort or other for a deal. She didn't like this one bit, but money was tough as of late and her ship and crew needed the extra coin. She tapped her foot faster with every tick of the infernal mahogany grandfather clock in the far corner of the room. It was grating on her nerves, lighting a fire under her that demanded she forget the whole thing and take flight.

After what seemed an eternity, a man with a red overcoat and a long curled wig walked in, muttering to himself. His nose was long and hooked and his black eyes were deep set and beady. All the telltale signs of a man you could never trust. "Apologies for the wait, my lady captain, always something in this godforsaken hovel of a summer home," he said smiling, his teeth were yellowed by age and tobacco tar and some were missing. Cecilia scrunched suntanned face in disgust. She felt as if she could smell his breath, despite him being a few feet away from her.

"No worries, your lordship, I've waited longer," her smile gleamed in the dim lit room and her light gray eyes twinkled with charm. "Your messenger mentioned that you require my services?" She didn't have time for dawdling. Time was money for her and she didn't have the patience required for wasting it frivolously.

"Ah, a woman of business. No time for beatin' 'round the bush," his accent was that of a commoner, it was a curiosity how he ever became a duke at all. "As you've no doubt noticed, I'm a duke of lowly means. I am also up in my years and very unappealing to the ladies of means. I mean to be king, and I'd like you to help me accomplish this task."

Cecilia raised an arched eyebrow in disbelief. He was a bold one, that much was certain. "Me? Why me?" She was actually curious why she was chosen out of the pool of mercenaries in all of Mera. She was merely a pirate. A captain of a pirate ship to be more specific and not at all involved in any kind of mercenary work. Jewels, gold coins, the occasional crown jewel, yes but mercenary work was not on her list of accomplishments.

"You my girl, are known far and wide as someone who gets what she wants by any means necessary. You have a head for numbers, and you order your crew with an iron fist. Provided the coin is plentiful, there is nothing that is too out of reach for you," he grinned. Cecilia tipped her head in agreement. This was true, to the letter. "What's in it for me then? What are the figures?"

"Twenty thousand gold crowns."

"What d'you need me to do, then?"

"I'd like for you to kidnap the princess," he said in a careless tone. Cecilia gazed at him in disbelief. He couldn't possibly be serious. "You couldn't possibly be serious," she voiced aloud.

"I am very serious young lady. I was not meant for this mockery of a dukedom!" his fist slammed on the table, cracking it slightly. "I don't have time to play games, little girl! Will you do this thing for me or not?"

"If I don't, what then?"

"Well, it's really quite simple, my dear," his voice was now an even, calm tone. It was disconcerting. "If you don't, I'll kill you."

"I suppose we have a deal..." she began, "on one condition." The duke met her piercing gaze and tilted his head to signal continuation of the terms. "Make it forty thousand crowns and the fastest ship in the king's fleet."

"They wer'n't jokin' when a little birdy told me you drive a hard bargain," he reached for a scroll with less dust on top of it than the rest of them. "I'll amend the contract and send it via messenger."

Cecilia nodded and left as quickly as she could. Time to grab me a princess, she thought.

“Your Royal Highness, it is time to begin the day,” an overly cheerful maid announced as she opened the ornate double doors leading to the princess’s chambers. “Oh, you’re already awake,” the maid said, clearly surprised to find the young woman not in bed.

Elena, the princess in question, sat in a velvet window seat, legs tucked under herself as she read a book. She was still in her nightgown, her long, light brown hair somewhat disheveled from sleep. Elena had already been awake for at least an hour. Mornings were in fact her favorite part of the day in the castle. Waking up early meant she was able to steal some time for herself. That time, she realized with a sigh, had ended with the arrival of her maid.

Elena rose from her seat, setting the book down on a small table. Every day was much the same in the palace. Just like the day before, Elena let her maid brush and fix her hair up in an elaborate twist atop her head. She was then herded into her changing room, where two maids laced her into a corset that left her barely able to draw a breath. Today, she was dressed in a lavender silk gown. The dress was, of course, the height of fashion. As a princess, she was to look immaculate in every regard.

Then came the lessons. Elena was instructed in the art of languages, needlework, painting, manners, musical instruments, singing, and other relatively useless crafts. She could barely tolerate her sessions with the stern tutors who corrected her every action. The only lessons that ever stirred her interest were history and riding sessions. Elena did not particularly mind these aspects of her education. She was, in fact, quite smart, and enjoyed learning. However, the majority of the lessons given to her were stifling and boring. She was not expected to use her mind any more than her tutors allowed. It was the droning lectures on the proper way to sit in a chair that frustrated her to no end.

Having just finished a lesson with her music tutor, she walked slowly through the twisting halls of the palace, lost in her thoughts. “Elena,” a voice called out to her. Looking up, Elena saw her mother, the queen approach. “I trust that your studies are going well?” the queen inquired.

“Mother,” Elena greeted the queen. “They are going quite well, thank you,” she replied, a polite smile on her face. After a bit of idle conversation, the queen continued down the hall, her maids trailing behind her. Elena rarely saw her parents other than during the evening meal. She had been raised by the servants of the castle, and her parents did not deem it necessary to constantly see their daughter. As a girl, she could not be the heir to the throne, and was therefore good only for marrying off to some wealthy stranger. Elena did not find her parents disinterest particularly strange. It was, after all, all she knew.

Having momentarily escaped the watchful eyes of her attendants, Elena walked through the elaborate gardens that surrounded the palace, taking a moment to herself. She pulled the many pins from her hair as she walked, letting the long locks fall freely down her back. Elena was bored. She was bored of the monotonous life of the palace. She was bored with the seemingly endless lessons and tasks. She felt as if she was wasting away, trapped within the stone prison that was the castle. She was barely ever allowed to venture beyond its walls, and even then, she was accompanied by a group of servants and guards who followed her around, watching her every move. Elena was not content to sit quietly, perfectly poised, unable to speak her mind or even have an opinion.

“There you are, Your Highness. We’ve been looking everywhere for you,” exclaimed the shrill voice of Elena’s maid. Elena sighed, heading towards the maid. The day was not over just yet, though Elena felt strangely exhausted already.

Soon after her very quick exit from the Duke's estate, Cecilia whipped her crew into shape, assigning everyone to their posts. If they were going to steal the Princess of Mera, it had to be done right. Although the coin was fair, she didn't feel like spending the rest of her life in some smelly hole beneath a castle. "Listen up, men!" When Cecilia spoke, she commanded everyone's attention. She never needed to repeat herself, there were penalties when she had to and everyone knew she was a force to be reckoned with. "I know things have been tough in our recent time together, but this heist will make us rich beyond our wildest dreams." Yes, she exaggerated a bit, but they ate it all up. "Everything must go exactly according to plan, is that understood?" she made direct eye contact with almost each one of her men. Her curly black hair was wild about her face, her tanned skinned gleamed in the ocean sun. "Ramsey, meet me in my quarters so we may discuss our strategy," she told her first mate. He was a handsome, rugged man she had shared many adventures with since before she became captain of the Aurora, but nothing ever blossomed between them. Cecilia would not allow it in the first place. He had proven himself indispensable many times over for her to lose him over something so impractical as love or a physical relationship.

Cecilia entered the captain's quarters in a hurry, they had not a moment to lose. The Aurora itself was a huge ship. It had room for a crew of almost one hundred sailors, thirty guns, which was too little, but it was slow even with plenty of wind in the sails. The prospect of the King's fastest ship made her stomach flip with anticipation, but was squashed immediately by her lack of a plan. As if by some sort of telepathy, Ramsey appeared before her. Cecilia playfully glared sideways at him. "You know I hate it when you do that," she jabbed. Ramsey only smiled and said, "Cap'n, as much as I would love to joke, we don't have a single idea how to steal a princess. I think you're in way over your head here."

"Oh don't be silly, Ramsey. There's no such thing. All we have to do is wait for the lights to go out and sneak in."

"Cap'n, even you know that is quite impossible." Cecilia sighed almost defeated. There had to have been some news she stored away for future use in that head of hers. A few moments passed when her eyes opened like saucers, "Didn't we hear that the Royal Family was to have a wedding in the next few days?" Ramsey looked at her confused. "Yes, but - -"

"Then we have a plan!" she exclaimed. The plan was actually quite simple and Cecilia patted herself on the back for her quick thinking. With the ball going on, most of the attention would be on the Prince and his Sovian bride, including the guards. The princess would be lightly guarded and knowing her type, she might be 'bored with life at the palace'. Distract her with some idle conversation, take her out onto the balcony and toss her in a sack. With all the commotion buzzing around the newlyweds, it would be impossible to know she was gone until after the fun was over. By that time, they would be long gone headed to the shores of Sovia, handing her over to that dreadful Duke and she would have a new ship and forty thousand crowns. "Ramsey, I think I need a dress," she grinned.

The wedding of a royal prince was indeed a grand affair. The people of Mera had been preparing for the event for months. No expense was to be spared. The day of the event saw the servants of the palace hurrying from place to place, making sure that all was in order for the big day. It was the beginning of a new alliance between Mera and Sovia. Like all royal weddings, the reasons behind it were of course political. There was a bad history between Sovia and Mera, though with this wedding, everyone was hopeful that their relationship could begin anew.

“Are you not excited, Your Highness?” asked one of the maids tasked with preparing Elena for the wedding. “It’s to be quite splendid I hear.”

“Yes, of course,” Elena replied, smiling softly. In truth, she was not as unhappy with the event as she had expected to be. Even though a royal wedding meant an even tighter corset than usual, it seemed like perhaps the event would not be so bad. She had only briefly met the Sovian princess who was soon to marry her brother, but she seemed to be a kind, gentle woman. As far as arranged marriages went, Elena felt that there was a chance her brother would not be completely miserable.

“There, now don’t you look splendid?” the maid said with a motherly smile. Elena glanced into the mirror. She had never been very fond of all the pomp that went into high court fashion, but even she had to admit that the ensemble did look quite nice. The dress was the same soft blue shade as her eyes. Diamonds glittered at her throat and ears. Her brown hair was done up elaborately, with a few strands hanging loose to elegantly frame her face. Elena gave a brave smile into the mirror. Perhaps things would turn out alright after all.

The night had so far proceeded without any problems. The ceremony had gone smoothly and the guests had all gathered in the grand ballroom to dance and socialize. The room was huge, though with the amount of people in attendance it was still somewhat crowded. It was softly lit, with candlelight shining from the many crystal chandeliers and gilded candelabras throughout the room. Servants moved slowly through the crowds, offering food and refreshments to the guests. Everyone in attendance was dressed in their finest, displaying the incredible wealth of the Meran and Sovian nobility. In the middle of the room, couples danced elegantly to music being played by the kingdom’s most accomplished musicians.

Elena drifted through the crowd, glad to be free from the close watch of her many servants and guards for once. She exchanged idle conversation with the guests, the same polite expression that everyone wore on her face as well. It was only when she saw her brother that her smile reached her eyes. Prince Eren caught his sister’s eyes and politely excused himself from the conversation he had been having with the Sovian ambassador. He walked up to Elena, a grin on his face. Though Elena had never had much of a relationship with her parents, her brother was the one person she felt close to. Eren and Elena had been inseparable as children, though he was several years older than she. They shared the same light brown hair, though where Elena had inherited her father’s soft blue eyes, Eren’s eyes were the same startling green as their mother’s.

“Sister dear, I hope you are enjoying the fine festivities this evening?” Eren grinned.

Elena shook her head at him, eyes twinkling. “My, my. How polite you are, brother. I did not know you had it in you.”

“Careful little sister, or I shall ruffle your pretty hair.”

She grinned at him. “Yes, yes. The festivities are quite nice. Everything is sufficiently shiny and overly expensive.” The smile dropped from her face as she broached a more serious topic. “Eren, are you really okay with this? You met the girl only last week,” she said, clearly concerned.

Eren sighed. “Elena,” he said quietly. “We are royalty. This kind of thing is simply part of our duty to the kingdom. And Princess Rosanna seems quite nice. Truly, I am fine. Now, go dance and enjoy the party. I have Sovian dignitaries to chat with.”

Elena smiled, though she was still not completely reassured, and left her brother to deal with the guests. He was right. It was a party, after all. She should at least try to enjoy herself.

The woman staring back at her from inside the mirror did not look like Captain Cecilia at all. It was the first time in her life she had ever bothered to get all done up, and for a party of all things. This was the type of thing she avoided. Everything leading up to this point was a mess. It took Ramsey and another crew mate to cinch up her corset. She was surprised she could breathe at all. The dress was stolen from one of the neighboring ships in the harbor, because her original dress was currently floating in the middle of the ocean somewhere. The dress was spectacular with a full silver brocade skirt and intricate lace designs on the corset. A delicate diamond circlet rested atop her head, her jet black hair was loose, falling in careful ringlets down to the small of her back. The look was completed with a delicately painted face, another job done by Ramsey. She questioned both his motives and sexuality most of the time. He definitely knew his way around getting her ready for this charade. She stood there, staring at herself for a few more moments. She looked about and did a girlish twirl, giggling softly.

It didn’t take long for Cecilia to arrive at the palace. “You look gorgeous, Cap’n,” Ramsey said as she stepped down from the coach. Cecilia took a deep breath in an attempt to steady her nerves. This had better go right, she thought. “You know what to do?”

“Yes, Cap’n,” Ramsey confirmed.

“Repeat the plan,” Cecilia needed to know everything will flow smoothly. Ramsey rolled his eyes. “Secure the garden and wait below the balcony for your signal,” he repeated for the thousandth time that day. Cecilia nodded, pulling the top of the corset. What was the point of cinching it so tight if it was going to fall? She exhaled sharply, this was going to be a long night. Guests mingled outside, laughing and talking about their fabulous lives as members of the court and sipping champagne. She hovered around a few groups, waiting for one of them to go inside, giving her an opportunity to look like she actually belonged there. A few minutes passed and the opportunity opened up. Once inside, she couldn’t contain her amazement. It was a festival of colors, women all dressed up in their Sunday best looking like royalty. People stared at her, whispering, “Do you know her? Who is she?”

She surveyed the area, searching for her target. Cecilia spotted the princess at the other end of the room, looking detached from all the party. She cut through the sea of people coming up beside her. “Spectacular party, your majesty,” she said. The princess looked beautiful, her dress almost the same hue as the color of her eyes. She was actually quite pretty, if one were to like the high maintenance royal type. Cecilia smiled her most enchanting smile, “Are you enjoying yourself?”

Elena had wandered to the edge of the party, seeking a small reprieve from the constant dancing and chatter. She accepted a glass of champagne from a passing servant and was simply observing the ball when she heard someone speak to her. Elena gazed curiously at the person who had approached her. The raven-haired woman was quite beautiful, but she seemed somewhat out of place. One did not see many noble women with tan skin, and her speech seemed slightly different from most ladies she had met. The fact that she had been addressed as “You Majesty” had not escaped Elena’s notice. It was Meran custom to call a princess “Your Highness.” Elena wondered if the woman had come with the Sovian delegation. Perhaps she was from one of the more eccentric noble houses. Either way, her curiosity was peaked by the woman’s arrival.

Elena sipped delicately at her champagne and gave the woman a refined smile. “The event has been quite grand, has it not?” she said in reply to the question. “I believe you have me at a disadvantage Lady…?”

Cecilia’s eyes widened like saucers, scanning nervously about the room for some sort of alias. You dolt, she thought. It was just like her to plan almost every aspect of the kidnapping except an alias. To be honest, however, she didn’t really think the princess would ask. “Ehm, Lady Jacquelyn Valierre, Duchess of Tirine, in the south of Sovia,” she finally replied. Where this had come from, she had no idea and right now she desperately hoped the princess was not too informed on the nobility of Sovia. The guests seemed to be enjoying the fete, wine and champagne was flowing freely on gilded trays carried by servants in Meran royal livery. The band had returned from a small intermission and were about to begin playing again.

Cecilia stood by the princess quietly, not really knowing what to say for fear that she might give herself away. The band had started a song, and Cecilia figured she might as well enjoy herself while she was here. “Would you care to dance, Highness?” she asked.

Elena looked had never heard of House Valierre or Tirine, but it would be rather impolite to say as much. She suppressed a smile. The duchess did not seem very at ease in court. As a princess, Elena had been present at these kinds of functions for many years now. Attending elegant parties and conversing with highborn strangers was natural to her.

She was beginning to wonder why the duchess had approached her in the first place when she asked Elena to dance. Elena looked at her guest, slightly surprised. Still, she did rather enjoy dancing and the duchess seemed to be quite an interesting lady, especially when compared to most nobles she had met. So, Elena smiled, handing the mostly full glass of champagne to a passing servant.

“I would love to dance,” she said, gently grabbing the hand of the duchess and walking towards the center of the room where the noble men and women danced elegantly to the music. “I hope you are enjoying your time in Mera, Lady Jacquelyn. Has everything been to your liking thus far?”

A wave of relief passed over Cecilia when the princess accepted the dance. Whether Elena had noticed Lady Jacquelyn was an impostor or not, she gave no outward indication of it. Two women dancing together was not widely conventional, but it wasn't something that people would look at as very strange. Cecilia smirked as Elena led her to the center of the dance floor. A few dances, a few glasses of champagne, and an excuse for fresh air would render the plan was as good as successful. In the meantime, she would enjoy the party and keep her eyes peeled for other targets. There were riches to be had here and Cecilia's greed was at its peak.

"Yes, thank you, Mera is quite lovely," she replied. And it was. Mera was her home, and there was nothing in the world quite like it. The beaches had sand so white it was almost blinding to look at and the water that crashed upon its shores was so clear you could see right to the bottom for almost a mile before it turned into a brilliant blue the color of fresh cut sapphires. The band was playing a happy tune and Cecilia couldn't help but get lost in the dance. It was the most fun she had had in years. She twirled the princess and then twirled herself, the close proximity of the princess making her the slightest bit uncomfortable although she didn't know why. Perhaps it was because Elena was royalty, something almost unreachable, like a star in the heavens. The dance ended and the guests clapped for a wonderful dance. Cecilia was enjoying herself so much she forgot why she was there. Her smile went from ear to ear and her gray eyes twinkled with excitement.

The dance had left her actually quite parched and she eyed the floor for passing servants carrying wine and champagne. She grabbed two glasses of champagne, handing one to the princess. "You dance beautifully, Princess, but I find myself a bit out of breath. Would you like to accompany me onto the balcony?" This was it, the plan was in motion. Her stomach churned with anticipation.

Elena smiled, accepting the glass of champagne as it was handed to her. She took a sip, hesitant to go out onto the balcony. She truly wanted to, but it would be improper of her to spend so much time with just one person. She was meant to drift from guest to guest, smiling, talking, and moving on. Staying with Lady Jacquelyn would be unwise, especially given that she was from such an unknown house. It would reflect poorly on her skills as a hostess, and it was not practical nor effective from a political standpoint. That the duchess was asking this of her in the first place was rather strange. However, Elena found herself wanting to forget the proper manners and polite conduct of court and nobility around Lady Jacquelyn. The princess could not help but feel intrigued, drawn in by the sheer vibrancy that Lady Jacquelyn exuded. When she smiled, it was not the blank, polite expression of politics and diplomacy. It was a true smile, an actual display of enjoyment. She seemed so full of life.

“I suppose I could use some fresh air,” said Elena. Turning away from the party, she headed towards the far side of the room. Moving through the double doors onto the balcony was like stepping into a different world. There was no one else with them, no nobles nor servants. The sound of music and voices faded away, leaving them completely alone. It was ever so slightly cool, and the night air felt wonderful after the heat of being inside. Elena walked over to the edge of the balcony, setting her glass of champagne aside and leaning on the cool stone of the balustrade with her elbows. The balcony they were on overlooked the castle gardens, normally a spectacular sight. But darkness had long since fallen, and the real view was up above. Countless stars twinkled in the sky, sparkling like thousands of diamonds. The moon was full that night, and its light shone down on them, making Elena’s porcelain skin look almost as if it glowed. Her blue eyes gazed up at the sky thoughtfully.

“The sky is so beautiful tonight,” Elena said with a small sigh. “You know,” she added quietly. “In my chambers, there is a great window that offers an almost perfect view of the stars. I often stay up late into the night simply looking out. There is something so enchanting about a sky full of stars, but I also find the sight to be rather...lonely. It is so magnificent, so exciting, yet it is so distant, so unreachable. It will always be up there, and I will always be down here, allowed only to look on from afar.” Her voice sounded almost sad, her eyes mournful.

Suddenly she glanced over at the duchess. She had nearly forgotten that she was speaking to a foreign dignitary. Embarrassed by having said something that felt so personal, Elena quickly straightened, a blush lightly coloring her cheeks. She smoothed her hands over her skirt, her face falling back into the carefully distant, polite expression it had shown previously. “If you will please excuse me, Lady Jacquelyn,” she said, “for I really should be going back inside now.”

She averted her eyes, looking away from the duchess as she turned to leave.

As Cecilia walked in stride with the princess, the chilled night air feeling pleasant against her skin. The warmth from the heat of dancing and the many guests exuding it in the ballroom had made her flush. It was quite a surprise the princess had accepted the invitation in the first place, but Cecilia simply thanked her lucky stars Elena had briefly abandoned her inhibitions. Elena looked beautiful beneath the light of the moon, but she seemed rather sad. For but a moment, Cecilia felt the need to take the sadness away, but remembered herself almost instantaneously, the sight of a shadow climbing over the balustrade behind them. She turned her attention quickly back to the princess.

"It is rather lovely," Cecilia replied, thinking that it was nothing in comparison to the blanket of stars visible when her ship rocked on the ocean. She realized that the princess would soon see it for herself. Her gaze fell to her hands, feeling slightly guilty. Here Elena was, sharing something so profoundly personal, not knowing that the person beside her was about to betray that brief lapse in judgment. Although there was a certain negative stigma among pirates' honor code, Cecilia placed a very high regard in maintaining her honor. This whole plan was like a stab through her scruples, something she never thought would physically hurt her.

The princess looked lovely beneath the light of the moon, her features half in shadow, but her eyes were bright, full of sorrow. Could it be possible that the princess herself was lonely? Cecilia stiffened, there was no room in her heart for softness now. Elena was nobody to her. Ramsey, Jonas, Salty Nate, they were her family and they would come first. The princess turned to leave and a slight panic rose in Cecilia's throat. "Brigantine!" she shouted the signal. She looked into the princess's eyes. "I'm sorry, Elena," she said almost silently, as Ramsey came up behind her.

Elena heard Lady Jacquelyn shout something and turned, confused. “Wha-” she started to say, but the word was cut off as the princess was suddenly grabbed from behind. Elena yelped, but the sound was muffled by someone’s hand clamped over her mouth. Panicking, she tried to scream, to call for help. It was useless. No one would be able to hear her out here. She struggled and felt her elbow connect with something solid. There was a muffled grunt and then suddenly her arms were restrained as well.

Blue eyes wide, her gaze fell on the woman in front of her. It was not difficult to figure out what had happened. Elena could feel an expression of hurt seeping into her eyes and immediately tried to push it back, but controlling her feelings was almost impossible at the moment. There was no reason for her to feel betrayed. She had met this woman only an hour ago.

These feelings were soon forgotten in the presence of the terror she felt. Elena was not strong. Any attempt she made to break free of the hands that held her did nothing, though she did not stop trying. Elena whimpered as her eyes were covered. She was utterly helpless, and she hated herself for it. The fear was a cold, icy feeling that started in her chest and slowly took over her entire body. Her panic, along with the tight corset she was wearing, made it difficult to breathe, which in turn only furthered her panic. Her struggles weakened. She could feel herself growing lightheaded, dizzy. One last small sound escaped her before she fainted.

Cecilia was grateful for the closed double doors. The sound of Elena's surprise would have called the guards and ruined everything. The pirate had to hand it to the princess, she put up a fight. Perhaps it would be best they kept her tied up once on the ship. Cecilia stifled laughter as Ramsey grunted softly from an elbow in the gut. Despite her attempts to look away, Cecilia's eyes locked with Elena's. The sinking feeling in her gut desperately screamed to release her but her mind screamed to do the opposite.

Ramsey placed a blindfold over her eyes, the sound of whimpering coming from her covered mouth. "Keep her silent!" she snapped. The sounds were echoing in her head, making the situation more difficult. Damn that duke! She thought to herself. At last, the struggling took the fight out of the princess and she fainted. "You didn't kill her, did you, Ramsey? We need her alive, you big lout," she said in a gruff tone. Ramsey shook his head as he picked the princess up into his arms.

With the utmost stealth, they made their way back to the Aurora. The streets were quiet, most of the town was back at the ball either as guests or as servants. A trio of guards walked noisily down the road, headed in their direction. "Quickly! In here," she said in a harsh whisper. They ducked into an alley and waited for the guards to pass, laughing and jesting. Cecilia unwittingly placed a hand on her heart, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. They continued their long walk back to the ship without incident. Once on the Aurora, Cecilia stamped her foot on the deck three times, the signal for the crew that the princess was on board. Almost immediately, the ship came to life with the scuttling of crew commanding their posts. "We set sail immediately, due south! Ramsey, put the princess in my quarters. We must keep her comfortable and away from these scurvy perverts." She walked hastily, the sound of her silver heels clomping on the deck, towards her quarters. Ramsey laid the princess on Cecilia's bed with care.

"Anything else, Cap'n?" he asked.

"No, thank you Ramsey. Keep an eye on the crew for now, I need to change," she ordered. Ramsey tipped his head slightly and left, closing the door quietly behind him. As soon as the latch clicked, Cecilia rushed to her wardrobe. It was a small room aft of the ship, with mirrors in the back and two alcoves with bars for hanging clothes. She put on her favorite outfit, a white corset with golden floral embroidery and a full lace skirt, a crimson coat trimmed with golden buttons on the front and on the cuff of the sleeves and a pair of knee high boots. The ensemble was completed with her captain's hat, black with ostrich feathers on the right side. She wiped her face from the silver glitter of the party and rimmed her eyes with black charcoal giving them a sultry, smoky look.

Cecilia looked out the grand windows of her quarters and could see that Mera was already a distant sliver of land behind them. I must remember to reward the men, she thought, her attention going back to the princess. She looked peaceful sleeping on Cecilia's grand four-poster bed. Elena's dress bunched up around her legs, looking very comical. The captain knelt beside the princess and removed the binds, gently stroking her cheek. "Princess," she said her tone barely above a whisper. "Wake up." She braced for whatever reaction Elena might have. Cecilia was sure it wouldn't be at all pleasant.

Elena woke slowly, her eyes fluttering open. Her head was pounding and she was thoroughly disoriented. The princess frowned. Where was she? She didn’t remember. She lifted her head, only to find herself gazing directly into a pair of light gray eyes. The sight helped to cut through the foggy confusion that had filled her mind. She remembered the party, talking, and dancing. She remembered walking out onto the balcony, the struggle, everything. Her own eyes widened.

Quickly, she she sat up, moving back to the edge of the bed she found herself on. Moving so suddenly had only worsened her headache, and she winced, putting a hand to her forehead. Since it appeared that the woman was not immediately planning to attack, she slowly got off the bed, standing up on the opposite side. She still did not feel completely well after having fainted. Noticing the way the floor seemed to shift beneath her feet, her gaze flicked around the room, trying to get a sense of her surroundings, before they settled on the raven-haired woman.

Remembering what had happened triggered many emotions for the princess. She felt an acute sense of betrayal, though she could not completely comprehend why. Elena was of course scared, and she gripped her skirt with both hands in order to hide the fact that they trembled ever so slightly. But, even stronger than her hurt and fear was her anger. She was angry for multiple reasons. She was angry at the fiends who had taken her, at the woman who had tricked her. She was angry at herself for having been so foolish, so gullible and stupid as to have fallen for her tricks. And though she would not admit it, she was angry because she was terrified. If she let go of her anger now, she would have to face the intense feelings of fear within herself. So she instead chose anger, because it was safer, because she could control it.

Elena’s anger was not like the hotheaded temper of her mother, nor the subtle annoyance of her brother. Hers was cold, leaving her feeling numb. She stared directly at the woman across from her, her soft blue gaze turned to ice. She tried to keep her focus. There did not appear to be anything she could really do at the moment. She felt exhausted, and had no strength to fight with. Instead, she spoke, hoping to get some answers.

It took Elena a moment to find her voice, but when she did she was glad that it came out strong, not weak and trembling like she felt. “Who are you? Where am I?” She had suspicions regarding what the answers might be, but a part of her still did not want to accept what had happened.

Cecilia gazed into the princess's eyes as she opened them, and saw that they were full of fear. The pirate rose from the bed and stepped back, giving Elena space to gather her bearings. Her cold stare gave Cecilia a chill down her spine, but she didn't let it show. This was her ship, this was her room, and she'd be damned if she let anyone let her feel inferior without her say so. After a few agonizing moments of intense silence, the princess asked the questions Cecilia had been expecting.

Cecilia smiled, her teeth gleaming in the dim light of her quarters. She removed her hat and bowed low, one leg extended in front of her, the hand holding the hat bent across her chest. She locked eyes with the princess, "Captain Cecilia Storm, at your service, highness," she said, her tone was taunting. It felt good to be herself and it showed, like the afterglow of the morning sun. "You are aboard my ship, the HMS Aurora, and we are headed to the southern coast of Mera to deliver you. You're worth quite a bit of gold, lady." Cecilia was still smiling and her eyes twinkled with mischief. It was the only way she could suppress her feelings of betraying the princess, among other things. She was a beautiful and intelligent girl, headstrong and brave. All the qualities that Cecilia admired in a woman. She would be lying to herself if she said she hadn't been tempted to ravish her just a few moments ago. Her skin flushed hot and she decided the best course of action was to keep talking.

"I do apologize for how you were treated at the party. I understand you must feel a bit foolish, but no cause for alarm, it happens to anyone who meets me," her grin was devilish. "There is no need to be afraid, poppet, you are quite safe here. I've removed the bindings, but don't make me regret allowing you that freedom. I'm sure you'd like to get out of your party clothes," she said as she walked towards her wardrobe. She pulled open the double doors, which squeaked a bit on their hinges. "You may have your pick of anything here. Once you've changed, knock on the door and I shall let you walk on the deck for some fresh air, are we in accord?" She raised an eyebrow over her shoulder. Cecilia moved away from the closet and headed towards the door, the room was stifling her and she needed to get out, fast. She stood with her back against the doors, her hands on the ornate glass doorknobs, "And don't even think about calling 'parlay'. It won't be granted," she said and walked out, locking the doors behind her. She took an enormous deep breath once outside, the scent of the ocean calming her nerves. "What on earth has gotten into me?" she thought aloud. Ramsey stood in front of her with a smirk that said he knew why, but didn't have the slightest inclination to tell her.

Elena watched the captain go silently. As soon as she was alone, she sat heavily on the edge of the large bed, putting her head in her hands. She took deep breaths, though she felt as if she was drowning. The whole situation was completely overwhelming. How had everything become so twisted? Try though she might, Elena could not see any plausible escape. She was on a ship in the middle of the ocean. She was not aware of how much time had passed since her capture, or if their Majesties even knew of her abduction. It was not as if she could sneak off in the night and run away. There was nowhere to run. There was a part of her, the terrified part, that wanted to crawl under a table and hide. She immediately squashed that part. She told herself that she had to stay strong. She refused to let these people affect her. Taking a moment, she forced herself to calm down. Her mind cleared. Her hands stopped trembling. Panicking would get her nowhere.

Elena stood, beginning to pace back and forth across the cabin. She could not get the captain's words out of her head. The woman confused her more than anything. She had not even known there were female pirate captains. With a somewhat bitter laugh, she realized that had she heard of Captain Cecilia under different circumstances, it would have been exactly the kind of tale she had always loved. She would have been impressed if she was not already so angry. She looked up to glare at the wardrobe that had been pointed out to her. Having been told to change made her inclined to stay as she was. The last thing she wanted to do was accept anything from the pirate. Her resolve wavered as she took notice of the way her ribs ached from being bound in the corset. She was extremely uncomfortable, and being contrary would not remedy the situation.

With a frustrated sigh, she stalked over to the wardrobe, quickly rifling through its contents. Finally, she settled on the simplest dress she could find. It had a long skirt and sleeves, with material a soft forest green, and elaborate embroidery in a darker shade. It had been stuffed in the back of the wardrobe, and she took it out, placing it on the bed. Getting out of her own dress was the difficult part. It had taken two maids to lace her into it, and normally it would take at least one other person to take the dress off. Muttering under her breath about ridiculous clothing that required too many people to use, she struggled with the laces of the corset. When she finally was free of the thing, she let it drop to the floor, sighing in relief. She pulled the new dress over her head. This dress laced tightly up the front of the bodice, and was therefore immensely easier to deal with. The neckline was much lower than she would have usually preferred, but the dress was still comfortable and she could finally breathe easily.

Elena quickly yanked the pins out of her hair, dropping them onto a small table. Her long hair fell all the way down to her waist, and she ran her hands through it with a sigh. She kept her jewelry on, imagining that it she would not see it again if she set it down. It was not as if she cared for the expensive necklace and earrings, but they were the only things of value she had on her. Perhaps she could bribe someone. She had already decided that she was not going to give up.

She looked hesitantly towards the door. It was true that she wanted desperately to get out of the room, but she was still quite nervous at the thought of facing any of the pirates again. Taking a deep breath, she found her resolve, a look of determination on her face. She would show this Captain Cecilia that she was not weak, that she would not be broken. Years of living at court had given her the skills to hide her true feelings, and she used these skills now, taking her fear and uncertainty and shoving them into the back of her mind. Her expression was carefully blank, her blue eyes defiant. She strode towards the door with purpose and knocked three times.

The seas were calm as the Aurora cut through the currents like a knife. Cecilia was at the helm, her gaze fixed on the horizon. The warm sea air had always reinvigorated her and helped clear her head for thinking. The sense of unease that filled her heart was increasing the closer they approached that crazy old duke's summer home. She didn't understand his motives for kidnappings the princess, or whether his despotic plan would even work. Her brow furrowed with concern. This not knowing rubbed her the wrong way, to say the very least.

"Ramsey," she called to her first mate, who was always somewhere close by. "I'm having second thoughts." Ramsey raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"That's a dangerous new habit, Cap'n," he replied with a smile. "What about?"

Cecilia expressed her concern over the duke's plan, advising him that he should prepare the men for anything. The sea smelled of treachery and she didn't like it. "I'll advise the crew," he said with conviction. Ramsey trusted his captain and never second guessed her intuition. As her first mate walked off to fulfill his duty, a nervous lieutenant walked up to the helm.

"Cap'n, she's knocked on the door," Salty Nate was a nervous little man with thinning hair and missing teeth. He had a nervous tick that made him look a bit crazy, but Cecilia thought him harmless. He never gave her cause to worry, and he performed his duties to the letter, never causing much of a fuss.

"Delightful. Thank you Nate." She left him in charge of the wheel as she headed down towards the door of her quarters. She produced her key and unlocked the door, "I see you've decided to join us, Princess," her tone was teasing, the mischievous smile crept over her face. "Of all the dresses in that wardrobe, you choose the plainest one? You surprise me, highness." The soft green of the dress made Elena look radiant, but Cecilia would never say it aloud. She extended her hand, "Would you like a tour?"

Elena looked at Cecilia and stepped forward, ignoring the outstretched hand. As Elena looked at her, she could not help but feeling slightly impressed. The woman seemed so confident and at ease on her ship. Elena envied the captain’s ability to make her own decisions and go about wherever she wanted. Granted, Elena was not happy that those decisions involved abducting her and selling her off like some rare artifact, however her status as a captain was still somewhat aweinspiring. Elena found the woman to be rather strange. She would have expected kidnapping pirates to be more unpleasant. Instead she found Cecilia to be quite… intriguing. Mentally she berated herself. She should be more suspicious, more afraid.

Glancing away from the pirate captain, Elena gazed warily around the ship. Seeing pirates going about their various duties right in front of her was somewhat intimidating. Without noticing her actions, she moved slightly closer to Cecilia. It was not as if she trusted the woman, or at least she should not trust her, but staying by her side seemed preferable to getting closer to any of the other pirates.

“You act as if I am here on a holiday, Captain Storm,” she said coolly. “Give me a tour if you feel you must, it does not truly matter to me.” She paused before continuing. “I do not suppose it has occurred to you that no matter the sum you have been offered by your employer, whoever that might be, you could elicit three times that amount if you were simply to return me to the palace,” she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear to bring attention to the diamonds that glittered there. “Surely if it is wealth you are after, their majesties could provide you with more than enough as a ransom.”

She hated the fact that her existence was reduced to her value in gold or as a political pawn. It was that aspect of her life that had gotten her into this mess, but she was willing to play the game along with everyone else if it meant that it could also get her out.