17

The conversation turned to lighter matters, and Gael watched as Ainsley began to relax once more. She was used to seeing anger written on the princess' features when she spoke of her father. This time, she had just looked sad.

It was getting late, but no one seemed to mind. Gael's thoughts were drifting, completely detached from what was going on around her. So she was never quite sure what led to the next topic of conversation, she just heard Ed's fearless, stupid tone again-

"Princess, are all dragonbloods so angry or is it just you?"

Ainsley's jaw was tight, and Gael was immediately able to realize that the tension had picked up once more between the two of them.

"Shut up."

"Why?" He asked, an amused smirk on his face. "I'm just asking a question. Your mom was a dragonblood, right? Think she'd be proud to see how pissy you are?"

That did it. Eyes blazing, Ainsley leapt to her feet, nearly lunging right through the fire to get at Ed. Nathe jumped up as well and caught her wrist.

"Hey, hey, settle down, princess. Ed, do you really think—?"

Gael let out a sigh and lifted a hand to calm the chaos that had erupted.

"Ed!" She snapped. "Ainsley. I won't have this constant bickering between people on my crew. We're all working together here, regardless of status and what we think of each other." She shot the young man a glare, and he shriveled back in respect. "You two are going to stop fighting. If you need to, get it all out right now. If not-"

She didn't need to finish her sentence. Ainsley had already unclasped her cloak and let it drop to the ground, and Ed was standing up, staring daggers at the princess.

"C'mon, Cap, she's just gonna call a dragon, or something."

Gael switched her gaze to Ainsley. Nathe was saying something to her, but she shrugged him off, staring at Ed with an intensity that outmatched the blazing fire. It seemed she wanted this fight as much as Ed did.

"Ainsley, fight fair."

The princess gave a tight nod.

"And Ed, you know the rules, too."

A scowl broke his features, but he pulled his cutlass off his belt and tossed it aside, as well as two small knives from his pockets. Gael groaned. She wasn't sure this was a good idea at all, and evidently Nathe wasn't sure either, considering the concerned expression he shot her from across the fire. This was the way Gael had solved fights among her crewmates since she had first become the captain, and it was how Clay ran the Finch before her. She distinctly remembered a time she had faced off against a younger Nathe, when she had been a gangly teenager of fourteen years. He had trounced her, but it solidified something for them.

The circle of pirates around the fire widened slightly to allow them more room.

Ainsley wasted no time.

Ed took two steps towards her and she lunged at him, dealing a solid blow square to his stomach. A unified tingle of surprise and approval flew through the onlookers. Ed, taken aback, choked and doubled over, giving her the opportunity to hit him again and then shove him to the ground. This time, though, he rolled aside and leapt to his feet, meeting her next attack and connecting his fist squarely with her jaw. Gael winced, briefly considering calling this off. What if they killed each other?

Even if she tried, however, Gael doubted she could stop either of them. Ainsley was a force of nature now, cast in red light from the fire, attacking Ed with a viciousness reminiscent of the creatures so closely bonded to her. In that moment, it was easy to forget she was nobility at all. She was just power. Living, breathing, violent rage. And Gael couldn't tear her eyes away from her.

The next hit from Ainsley sent Ed stumbling into Nathe, who promptly shoved him off and back at her. They met squarely, grappling for a hold before Ed wrestled her down onto the ground and landed two cruel blows to her face. She retaliated by kicking him hard enough that he pulled away, gasping for the air that had been bludgeoned out of him. She didn't give him a moment's mercy, falling down on him with a flurry of vicious attacks. He struggled to his feet, grabbed her, and flung her to the ground.

And there she stayed.

Crumpled. Breathing hard.

And then Ed was over her. She tensed, but all he did was offer a hand. He was swaying on his feet. She stared at the outstretched hand for a long moment, confused features gilded with firelight, then slowly reached out and grabbed his wrist. He gave her a smile and helped her to her feet.

"You fight well, for a princess."

Her tone matched his- hoarse, breathy, exhausted. Victorious.

"So do you, for a bastard."

He laughed, and so did she. In the next moment, the two were leaning against each other heavily, her arm thrown around his shoulders despite the fact that he looked to be on the verge of toppling over himself.

Gael shook her head.

"The two of you look awful."

Ed's nose was bleeding steadily, and Ainsley's face was going to suffer a few bruises. Both of them were the picture of exhaustion, hair wild, shoulders slouched. But they wore happy grins on their face, and Gael couldn't help but feel like maybe this was exactly what Ainsley had needed.

"Sorry I was an asshole."

"Apology accepted." She grinned.

Across the fire, Nathe watched them in amusement. He'd been on the crew of the Finch to have seen the same thing go down between various pirates throughout the years.

Holman was already standing up, sighing heavily.

"Alright, both of you. You're idiots. Get over here and let me clean you up."

They shared a laugh and made their way over to the ship medic, flopping down to sit next to him. Gael turned away from the scene, grinning. Unity had been restored on the Finch once more.

Later that night, as the circle of pirates dwindled down to seven, and then to five, until it was only the captain, her officer, Ainsley, and Ed still awake, Gael finally stood up and twisted her arms behind her back, stretching.

"Alright. I'm going to go to bed."

Nathe rose. "I will as well."

Gael glanced at Ainsley and Ed. The princess just gave her a sidetracked nod. She and the young pirate were deep in conversation. Gael smiled to herself, shook her head, and made her way towards her bedroll, on the fringes of the light cast by the dying fire. Nathe followed her every step.

"I thought they would've been at each other's throats until the end of time."

"I thought Ainsley would be at my throat for that long, too, but that didn't happen either," Gael replied, voice low. "She seems angry about a lot of things, but I don't think she's a hateful person."

"You think a lot more about her too, though, don't you?"

"I—sorry?" Gael stared at the older man in surprise.

"Nothin'." He smirked. "Don't worry about it, captain."

"Nathe, what are you insinuating?"

"I already told ya. And now I think I'll head to sleep."

"Nathe!"

He sobered up suddenly, staring at her with serious eyes. She'd nearly forgotten how much he could seem like an older brother at times.

"She makes you very happy, doesn't she?"

"The princess? I enjoy her company."

Gael wasn't sure why she was getting so defensive.

"We all do. There's somethin' different about the way you look at her."

Gael felt heat rise in her cheeks. "Nathe, I... whatever you're thinking, that is not how this is. I do not—" she cut herself off.

He shrugged. "Whatever you say. You're the captain. But I should remind you, she'll be leaving us in a few days time. Are y' ready for that?"

"Of course I am. Our duties with her will be complete." Gael found herself glancing back at the fireside. Ainsley was talking animatedly to Ed. The captain could make out her voice, but none of her words. The glow of the fire reflected in her eyes and cast her face in soft light.

When she tore her gaze back to Nathe, the pirate was shaking his head.

"Oh, Gael."

"What?" She snapped, unable to actually be angry with him. "It's nothing. I just think that—perhaps in different circumstances—we could've been friends, maybe. Don't pull out that tone with me. I'm your captain."

"My much younger captain."

"I'll have you marooned for mutiny, Nathe, don't doubt me."

He grinned, and the slight tension in the atmosphere broke. He shook his head again.

"Please be careful, Gael."

Gael felt as though her head was beginning to spin.

"Careful of what?"

He just gave her one last, somewhat pitying shake of his head before walking over to his bedroll, leaving her question unanswered and hanging heavily in the night.

another chapter for y'all! tides is so close to having 100 votes, so if this chapter is the one that gets us there, i'll publish the next one early! so don't forget to vote and comment <3 love y'all