3

Ainsley found herself falling into a sullen silence as the two of them made their way back through the depths of the city, until she was once more in front of the gates she had fled from. Then she mounted one of the provided horses, ignoring the offered help of one of the two male pirates, whatever his name had been. She had ridden plenty of times, though perhaps in different circumstances she would have politely accepted.

Some of the townsfolk watched them ride by in bewilderment, others simply averted their eyes, as they tended to do when nobility came through the streets. This was more and more common in the poorer folk. While Ainsley knew she was generally well-liked among the people, her father tended to rule with a hard hand, and not everyone was fond of him.

The officer, Nathe, had wanted to bind her hands after the escape she had attempted to pull, but the captain hadn't allowed it. It wouldn't have been necessary. Beneath the seething anger Ainsley showed at the surface, she had been completely broken down. No weapons. No dragons. No friends to rely on. It seemed she would simply have to live this out.

At least neither the captain nor the other two pirates made any attempts to talk to her for the rest of the long ride. She couldn't stop herself from glancing at the one in charge, noticing the way she chatted and laughed with her subordinates. The princess wasn't sure what she had expected from pirates, but this wasn't it. They seemed to be having a good time, words light and cheerful in the clear air.

The sun was high in the sky and beginning its descent when the four of them reached the harbour, the sun glittering harshly on the wavelets. There was a ship docked there that she'd never seen—this was the one she would be boarding, Ainsley guessed. It was a brigantine-style craft, somewhat small and made of dark wood, clearly built for speed. Along the sides were hatches, indicating the presence of firepower. The sails were lowered, the ship rocking peacefully with the swells. It really was a beautiful vessel; if her fate wasn't geared so negatively towards it, Ainsley could've appreciated the elegant boat.

The three pirates and their hostage brought their horses to the end of the cobblestone path and dismounted. While the captain pulled aside a young boy and offered him some money to return the horses to their owner, Ainsley stared up at the deck of the ship, heart pounding in her chest. She suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous, though she couldn't tell if that was because of her nerves or because she hadn't eaten anything since this nightmare of a day began.

The small group began towards the wooden pier that stretched out over the water, and Ainsley followed after a moment or two of hesitation. A gangplank was lowered, the two men on the ground hurrying over to brace it steadily against the surface. Ainsley could see the rest of the crew onboard now, figures rushing about on the deck and preparing for departure. Ainsley stared down at the water that lapped at the wooden posts of the pier, suddenly feeling more nauseous than ever. She wanted to take a moment and throw up over the edge and into the sea, but the two men had started up the gangplank and the captain was waiting expectantly at the foot of it. So instead, she forced her trembling legs to carry her up the slanted surface, hearing nothing but the roaring surf and the footsteps of the pirate captain behind her.

Ainsley stepped down onto the deck of the ship, almost instantly wheeling to lean out over the hull, stomach heaving. She couldn't possibly be seasick if they hadn't left yet, this was just her nerves acting up. She swallowed hard, annoyed at herself. She hadn't even eaten anything today.

"Is everything alright?"

Ainsley felt, rather than saw, the captain's presence next to her. At least she had the decency to leave her some space.

"Perfectly so," she growled, straightening and trying to force down the lump in her throat. A hot flash of anger burned through her. Was everything alright? What sort of question was that?

"In that case, I'll be moving your bag down to the stores."

"The stores? You're putting me in the hold?" Despite her attempts to be bitterly quiet, Ainsley couldn't help the way her voice flooded with anger. Gael shrugged.

"It's the only place, unless you want to stay in the crewmen's quarters. I assumed you would be most comfortable there, but I can make accommodations if you would like."

She was quiet, waiting on an answer from the princess, who would much rather hold a grudge than admit that she was right. Sure, the hold wasn't ideal, but Ainsley wouldn't prefer to spend her nights with the rest of the pirates. She would probably be murdered on the first night.

Ainsley sighed resolutely, eyes flashing hatred. "No."

"In that case, please follow me."

Gael turned to leave and Ainsley obeyed, one hand still toying with the cuff around her wrist. She had never felt so empty before, her mind constantly coming back to rest on the fact that her dragonblood abilities were gone. How would she survive until she got them back?

The better news was that most of the crew seemed to ignore her, busy preparing the ship and raising sails. They cast her second glances now and then, as though they couldn't believe the heir to the kingdom was on their ship, but for the most part they went about their duties and avoided her as she followed after the captain. Only one paused to watch her a little more closely, expression unreadable. He was probably a few years older than her, still the youngest person on the ship besides the captain. Many things about her struck Ainsley as odd, but her youth took precedence.

The captain was clearly at home on her ship, however. She led Ainsley across the deck, barking orders and giving instructions that were all followed out immediately. Ainsley could tell she was in charge here, was well-respected. Her step was looser and more casual, a constant half smile on her face. This was clearly where she liked to be.

Almost instantly, her tone had changed too, from professional and polite to... cheerful.

"We've tried to make it as comfortable down here for you as we can, so as long as you don't mind sharing space with some barrels of dried meat that we failed to find space for elsewhere, you may even find it alright here," she stated over her shoulder, pulling open a hatch. Ainsley could just make out the top of a set of stairs leading down, everything else was blackness. She shrank back involuntarily, not liking the dark. It wasn't that she was afraid of it by any means, but this situation was bad enough, and to be locked in a small, pitch black room...

The captain voiced her concerns without Ainsley having to speak up.

"There's lanterns down there and this hatch will stay open during the day, so long as the weather permits. You're not expected to stay down there, you'll find a corridor leading through the rest of the storage compartments and then stairs into the rest of the ship's interior. You're permitted to go wherever you like, though the deck isn't recommended. Just don't get in the way of the crew."

Ainsley frowned, turning the band around her wrist. Back and forth. Back and forth. It was the most her mind could really focus on right now.

Taking her silence as confirmation, Gael went down the steps, Ainsley trailing after. To her surprise, the interior truly wasn't as bad as it had seemed. It was dark, but there were several unlit lanterns on the tops of barrels and hanging off hooks in the wall. If they were lit, it wouldn't be so unappealing at all. Of course, there wasn't a real bed, but there was a thick layer of piled-up burlap sacks nestled between two crates, covered with a couple of blankets that would be more comfortable than the rough material acting as a mattress. As a child, Ainsley often spent the night out on the grass with Luca, staring at the stars until they both fell asleep. This makeshift bed wouldn't bother her, though those experiences had been long ago—it might take a few nights for her to become accustomed to a harder surface again.

The ship launched from the dock with a lurch that made Ainsley grab the metal rim of a barrel for balance. The captain had set down her belongings.

"Seems we're off. I'll be heading to the galley, the cook should have something prepared by now. Do you want to come with, or should I bring you something?"

Ainsley looked around under the pretence of examining her surroundings, when in reality she was just avoiding Gael's gaze. Arms folded over her chest, she was surprised by her own curt tone when she responded.

"I'm not hungry. Save your rations for your men."

It was a blatant lie, but the pirate accepted it with a shrug. "Alright. If you need anything, tell one of the crew and they'll direct you to me whenever."

Ainsley didn't get a chance to respond before a slim creature popped its head out from behind one of the crates, a confused murp escaping it. Surprised, Ainsley had to stare at it for moment before recognizing it as a cat. The feline trotted out, stretched, then coiled around the captains' legs. She hurriedly picked it up, already apologizing.

"I'm very sorry, this is where the Finch's mouser likes to sleep. She won't be a bother, I'll keep her locked in my own quarters so she can't come back."

"Oh—I..." Ainsley stared at it. "I don't mind. She can stay." She hesitated, curiosity winning over her grudge for a moment. "Does she have a name?"

"No, the crew didn't want to give her one after the last ship cat got swept overboard. They assumed it would stop them from getting attached to this one, I suppose." She grinned. "It didn't."

Ainsley almost smiled.

"Well, if you're sure, she'll stay here, but she does wander the ship so don't expect to see her much." Gael placed the cat on the ship floor and turned for the staircase. "Come find me if you need anything."

Ainsley didn't get a chance to reply, watching her disappear. Then she glanced down at the purring cat at her feet and picked it up, burying her face in its fur and releasing the breath she had been holding since this awful day began.

woog here's another chapter folks. please remember to vote and comment if you liked it!