Pirate Princess (23 page)

“And?” I asked.

“I would have thought the princess would have possessed quite the opposite and not been encouraged to fight,” he said.

“You have met my aunt and uncle, right?” I asked him.

“Good point.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Esmeralda asked as she leaned in my doorway.

“A girl can never have too many weapons, but dresses are overrated,” I said.

She smiled. “Exactly! Not many people understand that.”

“This is the strangest kingdom I have ever visited,” Finn said.

“We hear that all the time,” Esmeralda admitted. “You should see the parties we have when other kingdoms visit. The women always faint whenever I throw a dagger at Jared.”

I laughed, remembering a time she did just that. “Even that king from Judby turned white as a ghost when you threw the dagger at Jared.”

“And the King from Qual couldn’t believe that Jared wouldn’t chop off my head,” she said with a snort. “Like he could catch me if he tried.”

“I like your head right where it is,” Jared said from behind her.

“Are you finished packing?” Esmeralda asked.

“Yes,” I said since I had just finished and closed the bags.

Finn grabbed my bags and headed out of the room. “I’ll meet you at our balcony,” he called over his shoulder.

“How do you have a balcony?” Jared asked, watching Finn walk away.

“I’m going to miss you guys,” I told them as I stepped forward to hug Esmeralda and then Jared. “You better stay out of trouble and save the fun fights for when I come back.”

“We’ll try,” Jared said.

“Don’t smoke anything on the islands. It makes you hallucinate and is very bad for you,” Esmeralda told me.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And don’t drink too much,” Jared said, “It dehydrates you.”

“Yes, sir.”

We walked down the stairs as they continued to give me advice. At the bottom, Faxon stood waiting for me. I hugged him and whispered, “Thank you for everything.”

“Keep practicing your magic. I expect you to be able to use that invisibility spell by the time you get back here and be able to pass your Conjurer’s test,” he said sternly.

“Oh I plan to learn it very soon so I can use it to my advantage,” I said with a smile.

“Trust a pirate to use a royal emergency protection spell to their benefit,” Faxon said with a smirk. I looked down at his ring and he whispered, “Keep it. I may be able to lend you aid in the future if you need it.”

I didn’t say anything because I was about to cry and I was trying extremely hard not to. He hugged me and I hugged him back. “Keep those two safe,” I said, “They need all the help they can get.”

“It’s a full time job,” Faxon admitted, “But I will do my best.”

They escorted me to the ballroom and I pushed open the doors to the balcony. Finn was leaning against the balcony rail, the wind tousling his hair around, and his shirt pressing tightly to accentuate his muscles and then billowing outwards. The sight of him, so handsome and relaxed made my breath catch in my throat. He looked at me and smiled. “Ready?”

“Where are my bags?” I asked him.

“In the boat already,” he said.

I turned and hugged my three guardians one more time and then put my mask on, stepped up onto the rail, and saluted them before stepping backwards off the railing. Finn dropped down right after me and Esmeralda and Jared raced forward to see where we had gone.

I waved to them laughing as Finn rowed us towards his ship.

“It’s only for a year,” Finn said, “You’ll be back before you know it.”

“I suppose I will just have to suffer through the year counting down my days until release,” I said with a sigh.

He pushed my mask up just enough to reach my lips and kissed me. “I am going to enjoy this year very, very much.”

I climbed up the rope ladder and his crew greeted me exuberantly. Finn climbed aboard and said, “Well men, we’ve taken on a new member. We have her for one year and I intend to show her as much of our sea as possible. Set course for the Fire Ring!”

The crew cheered and rushed around to haul the boat up, secure it, and get the ship ready to sail. Finn took my hand, carrying my bags with his other hand and led me to his cabin. “Since you are staying onboard my ship for an extended period of time, I have decided to give you this cabin,” he told me, setting my bags down on top of the bed.

I took my mask off and set it on the table since I didn’t need it with his crew. “Where are you going to sleep?” I asked in shock.

“With the crew down below,” he said.

“But, this is your room. I can’t take your room. I can’t kick the captain out of his cabin,” I said emphatically.

“Well you aren’t sleeping down below with the crew,” he said sternly.

“Can’t we just share the room?” I suggested.

“Well that would be up to you,” he said. “I can sleep on the floor I guess.”

“You’ll slide all around if there’s a storm,” I reminded him.

“I could hang a hammock in the center and toss out the table,” he said as he looked around at the best place to hang a hammock.

“You could share the bed and keep me warm at night instead,” I suggested.

“Your family would not like that idea,” he said with a grin.

“They aren’t here,” I whispered, pulling him towards me. “And I refuse to kick you out of your own cabin.”

“Well, if you insist,” he said, “but there will be ground rules.”

“Yes, rules,” I murmured as I kissed his cheek.

“No stealing my treasures,” he whispered, “no stealing the blankets, and no breaking my heart.”

I sighed dramatically. “You are absolutely no fun.”

“I know, but I’m the captain so I get to make the rules,” he said smugly.

“Well I get to make a few rules as well.”

“You’re not the captain.”

“I’m the co-captain,” I said.

“Since when? Who okayed this?”

“No stealing my necklace,” I whispered. “No hogging the blankets, and absolutely, unequivocally no other girls in this cabin
ever
.”

He groaned. “Now who is no fun?”

“I would tell you not to break my heart, but I’m sure my dad and uncle threatened you plenty already regarding that topic so it’s unnecessary for me to repeat anything along those lines.”

“Very well, recruit, I accept.”

“I am not a recruit. I am co-captain.”

“You most certainly are not,” he said.

“We agreed I was not a recruit before I boarded this ship,” I reminded him.

He groaned. “Of course you would remember that.”

“I remember everything,” I said.

He kissed me again and tugged me out of the cabin. “It’s time to set sail.”

I let go of his hand and yelled, “First one to the wheel gets to steer!”

He raced after me and yelled, “You got a head start! That’s cheating!”

“There’s no cheating in piracy!” I yelled back, “Just quick thinking!”

I was almost up the steps when he grabbed my leg and pulled me backwards, running passed me. I charged forward, and tackled him just as he was reaching for the wheel. I lay on top of him as I stretched my arm towards the wheel, sliding my body forward on top of his. He pulled me backwards and inched forwards. I did a somersault over him and stood up, grabbing the wheel. “Hah!” I said to him.

“You rolled over me,” he said in shock.

“Men, set sail!” I ordered.

“Aye aye, Captain!” they called.

“Hey, I’m the captain!” he yelled at them.

I spun the wheel and turned us east. “How long will it take to get to our destination?” I asked him.

He put his arms around me and said, “A pirate doesn’t have a destination. We just have stops along the way of the journey that is life. The only destination we have is to the waters below at the end of our days.”

“That was very poetic,” I said, leaning my head back. “Who told you that?”

“I just made it up.”

“Liar,” I said and then looked up at his face.

“I am not a liar. I just made it up,” he said.

“It’s from a song,” his first mate said, “But he did write the song.”

“You see!” Finn said.

“I bet you heard it from someone else and just added it to your song,” I accused.

“Do you have so little faith in me?” he asked.

“You’re a pirate,” I reminded him, “Deceit is second nature.”

“But pirates don’t lie to each other,” he said.

I laughed loudly. “That’s a fat lie.”

“Well, crew members do not lie to each other,” he corrected.

“Okay, that’s true,” I said, “I’ll accept that.”

“Now that’s she is crew, she should be getting marked, right?” his first mate asked.

Finn looked at me and I said, “Well I already have one pirate’s mark, what’s one more?”

“When we reach the Fire Ring we’ll have the ceremony,” Finn said.

His first mate left and Finn hugged me tightly. “You sure you want my symbol on you?”

“I’m a part of this crew now. I deserve a symbol just like anyone else,” I said adamantly.

“So, Jax, what about your symbol?” he asked, “The one you put on my flag.”

“Did you even look at it?” I asked him.

“No, I just burned my flag.”

“It wasn’t a symbol of mine. It was my dad’s symbol upside down.”

“Well I’ll be. No one ever realized that,” he said.

“Probably because no one looked for it,” I said with a shrug.

“That was pretty smart,” he said with a smile, “I’m impressed.”

I looked up at his pirate flag and asked, “What’s that symbol anyways?”

“It’s my kingdom’s symbol for the ocean king Aquin,” he said smugly.

“So, you think you’re an ocean king?” I asked, trying not to laugh.

“No, I am one of his descendents and he protects me,” he clarified.

“Okay.”

“I’m telling the truth,” he said.

“I believe you,” I said, looking at what appeared to be an endless amount of ocean all around us. “It’s so beautiful out,” I whispered.

“The view has improved greatly,” he whispered in my ear.

“Thank you for letting me sail with you. This is the most free I have felt in seven years,” I admitted to him.

“You are welcome on my ship any time you would like to be here,” he told me. “I think this year might pass by too quickly for my liking.”

“Me too,” I whispered.

“Well we will have to ensure that we waste none of it and enjoy the year ahead,” he said adamantly. “How long will you have to stay on land once you get back?”

I frowned. “We didn’t clarify that actually. I’ll have to ask when I send my first letter.”

“Dear Aunt Esmeralda, today Finn kissed me until my knees buckled and I swooned in his arms,” Finn teased me.

“I have never swooned,” I told him firmly.

“Perhaps you have not been kissed properly then,” he whispered, placing kisses that felt like butterfly wings touching my skin along my neck. “I will have to ensure that you have swooned several times before the year is up.”

A few of his crew brought out instruments and started playing a lively tune. I watched the men play and a few dance around and smiled. This was definitely where I belonged. I could see myself living here for a very long time.

“Aye a pirate is as his da trained him to be,” someone sang, “a scurvy dog with a sweet tongue for thee. He’ll swoon you round and steal your heart, then lock it up with a snap that smarts!”

“I have no idea where they got the idea for this song,” Finn mumbled.

“Mmhm,” I said.

“First mate, would you mind steering?” Finn called.

He took the wheel from me and I let Finn lead me to the main deck so we could join the rest of his crew. They were playing a livelier tune that they had no words for and Finn spun me around and danced me all around the main deck. He spun me off to one of his crew and as the day turned to night I danced with every single crewmember on his ship. We brought out food and drink and I told them stories about my dad that I remembered from when I was little.

I stumbled sleepily to the cabin and took my boots and weapons off before climbing into bed. Finn climbed in behind me and kissed my cheek. “Goodnight, my pirate princess.”

“Good night, co-captain,” I teased.

He grumbled a reply, but I didn’t hear it as I fell asleep to the swaying of the boat and the warmth of Finn’s arms around me and his body behind me.

Chapter Eight

We sailed for two more days and then the Fire Ring came into view. “The name is quite literal,” I said in shock. There were four islands, creating a circle and each had a volcano on it. “You sure they are dormant?” I asked Finn nervously.

“I would not risk your life like that,” he assured me.

Something bumped the ship, making us rock wildly right to left. Finn held on to me to keep me steady and called, “Report!”

“I don’t know what it is, but it’s huge!” the man in the crow’s nest yelled.

“Brace!” someone on the starboard yelled.

Finn pushed me against a railing, gripping the railing on either side of me while I gripped the railing myself.

Hello little mortals. Have you brought me a present?

“What would you have of us?” I yelled to whatever it was in hopes it would not eat us or destroy the ship.

A giant serpent rose out of the water above my head and looked at me curiously.
I am not a serpent, pirate. I am a sea dragon.

“I apologize, great sea dragon,” I said with a bow of my head.

And you are not a mere pirate
.
Normally only royalty can hear me.

“I’m the pirate princess,” I told him with a smile, “My mom was a princess and my father is the King of Pirates.”

Well Your Highness, what are you doing in my waters?

“Tilia,” Finn whispered softly.

I looked around and realized his crew had gathered weapons and were preparing to attack the dragon. “Put your weapons down this instant!” I ordered them. They obeyed, but Finn continued to stare at me like I was crazy. “This sea dragon wants to know why we are in his waters,” I explained to Finn. I turned back to the dragon and said, “I have been land locked for seven years and just now have I been allowed back to the sea. I have much to see and have never visited a volcano before.”