Pirate Princess (40 page)

“We are going to the southern port and from there we will travel north. The Capitol is in the northernmost area of Blith, at the northwest edge of the kingdom and starting at our southern port will give us the best route to see the most of Blith on the way to the Capitol.”

“How long will it take to reach the Capitol?” I asked. I didn’t really care about the length, I was just wondering how big Blith was.

“It is a smaller kingdom than Crilan and only takes three days to travel from south to north. It is a two week journey from east to west, but we will be making that journey after we visit the Capitol. If you decide to stay with me as I make that journey.”

“If your land is smaller, how do you have twice as many in your population compared to us?” I asked him curiously.

He smiled and said, “I’ll let you witness that for yourself when we arrive. It is something hard to explain and much easier to see with your own eyes.”

“Princess, we have a room available for you if you wish to rest,” the steward said, “We won’t arrive at the southern port until tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you,” I said, “I will use it after dinner tonight.”

He bowed and said, “I’ll be sure someone is ready to escort you to your room.”

He walked away and I asked, “Are they all going to treat me like that?”

Eric smiled wide and said, “Yes. Some might even gravel a little. It’s been a long time since royalty has wandered around Blith. They haven’t seen a princess or anyone in a decade at least.”

“The King and Queen don’t travel?” I asked curiously.

He shook his head. “They’re getting up there in age and unlike your aunt and uncle they were never active people so they don’t have the best health conditions.”

“What about the prince?” I asked. I knew they had one, but I didn’t pay attention to learn his name.

“Prince Samson stays in the Capitol with his parents.” He leaned closer to me and whispered, “to be honest he makes most of the decisions for his parents because of their health problems, but they do advise him.”

“Why not just crown him?” I asked. I knew Esmeralda and Jared would make me queen if they weren’t fit to rule anymore.

“Here you aren’t crowned until the previous monarchs die.”

What a weird country. “Interesting,” I said.

He smirked. “Mhm”

“Do they often get visitors?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Your Kingdom is the closest and usually the only to visit us, but they haven’t visited since you joined them.”

The day I joined them came back to me instantly. The tears that spilled, the fear of being marooned on land. The royal family of Crilan had not visited Blith since dad had dumped me on my Aunt and Uncle. It was just like Finn. Both of the men I loved had booted me off their ships at the Capitol and left me. My dad had a somewhat legitimate reason, but at least he had written me letters and kept in contact. Not that I wanted to hear from Finn about his exploits now that I was gone.

Maybe that was it. Maybe he was too frustrated and thought I was prudish.

“I’m going to talk with the steward, I’ll be back shortly,” Eric said.

He walked away and I leaned slightly over the railing to look at the ocean as it sped below us. It was calm, dark, and boring. So very boring. I almost wished a mermaid would snatch me from the boat or a giant crab took me. I let my mind go blank and stared at the ocean before me until the sun lowered and my stomach growled. Eric hadn’t returned and I was started to get worried. Numerous people milled about the ship, but they were all strangers to me.

I went in search of Eric and the steward, heading down the stairs to the lower decks. The first deck had several doors lining a long hallway that stretched from stern to bow. I walked up to one and knocked tentatively. A young girl opened the door and stared at me with wide eyes. I peeked around her and realized it was a room. Her father stood up and smiled at me.

“Hello, Princess. What can I do for you?” he asked.

I smiled and said, “Sorry for bothering you, I’m just a bit lost. I was trying to find the steward or the kitchen.”

“No problem at all. If you go down the stairs at the end of the hall, head towards the stern and you can’t miss the kitchen,” he said.

His daughter hadn’t said a word the entire time and just stared at me with wide eyes. I squatted down so I could meet her at eye level. “Are you from Crilan?” I asked her. She nodded her head. I pulled out one of my daggers and held it on the flats of my palms. “All Crilan’s must keep their wits about them, even when traveling to an ally’s kingdom. Plus, a dagger is used for much more than fighting. All girls need at least one.”

Her eyes bulged and a huge smile split her face. She looked up at her father and he smiled. “Go on and take it. I’ve been meaning to get you one anyways.”

She gently took it from my hands and gripped the handle as she examined it. “It’s very sharp,” I instructed her, “Before you keep it secured to yourself make sure to find a proper sheath for it so you don’t stab or cut yourself.” I leaned close to her and whispered, “I’ve done it a few times and it hurts very badly, but that’s our secret.”

She nodded her head and continued to smile so wide I worried her face might split. “Thank you, Princess,” she said in a soft voice.

“You’re very welcome. Enjoy your time in Blith,” I said to her and her father and walked down the hallway.

“The Princess gave me a gift!” she yelled loudly.

Her dad laughed and shut the door behind them. “That was sweet of you,” Eric said from behind me.

I spun around and saw him leaning against a door at the other end of the hallway. “How long have you been there?”

“I heard you talking to them and came out, but you were preoccupied with the little girl and I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Where have you been?” I asked him.

He arched and eyebrow. “I came up at lunchtime to talk to you and you completely ignored me. You just continued to stare out at the sea so I assumed you wanted to be left alone.”

Oops. “Sorry,” I said sincerely, “I didn’t hear you.”

“Well I’m betting that you were coming down to find some food since you missed lunch and dinner has already ended.”

“It ended?” I asked loudly. How could dinner have ended? Didn’t they have food on hand? What type of ship was this?

“Don’t worry they’ll have something for you to eat down there,” he assured me.

He led the way down the hallway, down a set of stairs, and into a large kitchen with several tables and chairs. He pulled out a chair for me and I sat down in it while he spoke to the cook and poured water into two mugs. The cook handed him a tray and then waved to me. I waved back and Eric set the tray of cheese and crackers on the table in between us.

“Oh I haven’t had cheese in ages!” I said happily.

“Well you are about to see a lot of it in Blith,” he said, “It’s a main staple of theirs.”

“You keep switching between ‘theirs’ and ‘ours’,” I commented.

He sighed and leaned back with a cracker in his hand. “I am a royal from there, but I fit in more and loved it in Crilan. It’s a distinction I have yet to make about myself. Am I Crilan or Blith?”

“You can be both,” I said. “You can be whatever you want.”

“And you said you weren’t optimistic,” he teased.

I cut a piece of cheese off and popped it into my mouth to keep from saying anything rude. “Can I ask you something?” I asked after I cooled my temper.

“You can ask me anything,” he said with a smile.

“Why are you still single? You’re obviously of age and I know you’ve been a Commander, but many of them have wives who wait for them to come home off the ships.”

He bit into his cracker and chewed on it for a minute before answering. “I already told you that most women are too timid for me. I don’t want a wife who does whatever I tell her to or who can’t handle the sight of blood. I need, no, I
want
a woman who challenges me to be better and who can take me as I am.”

“What if you can’t find her?” I asked him.

“Esmeralda and Jared found each other,” he said, “There has to be at least one girl for me between both kingdoms.”

As long as he didn’t try to make that girl me I was fine. “I guess you have another reason for traveling across Blith.”

“I’m not looking to settle down yet,” he said. “I just retired from being a Commander. I want to have my freedom for a few years.”

I could understand that. “Makes sense,” I said around another bite of cheese.

“What are your plans?” he asked me, “Once you return from our trip.”

I shrugged. “I won’t be queen for a very long time, if ever, and I don’t have any duties yet. I’m still learning. I want to at least become a Master rank Mage, but I have plenty of time to accomplish that. I might see if Esmeralda will take me to other kingdoms to expand my knowledge.” I paused and said, “Definitely not to Trian though.”

“You don’t like Trian?” he asked curiously.

“You haven’t heard, have you?” I asked him in shock.

“Heard what?” he asked with a scowl.

“They declared war against pirates.”

“I knew that. They’re trying to convince the other kingdoms to rally behind them and form a strategy to get rid of them.”

“Trian sent two war ships and attacked a town where pirates spend time together in a neutral position. They opened fire on the town killing pirates and innocents with no warning,” I told him.

“You’re not joking, are you?”

I shook my head. “I was there. If I had been in one of the closer buildings I might not be here right now.”

“I’m going to have to talk with the King and Queen in Blith about this,” he said, “I’m not going to let my kingdom align with anyone who attacks innocents just to sate their fury.” He paused and looked at me with sorrow, “Is that why you came back? Did the captain…”

“It is part of the reason I returned, but no, he is alive, or was the last time I saw him,” I said.

“Why would they attack innocents?”

“Kill a few innocents to kill a hundred pirates,” I said, “to some that’s worth it.”

“That’s preposterous.”

“Trian is likely very upset with their failure and the, uh, disappearance of their war ships and crew,” I said.

“Disappearance? They’re gone?”

I made an exploding gesture with my hands. “Exploded into ash.”

“Only one family is known to have that ability,” he told me straight faced, “Esmeralda was the last known person with that power.”

“How odd,” I said with a smirk.

“Did Jax perhaps cause this?” he asked me.

“That’s the report we received,” I told him.

“Tilia,” he whispered, “You…”

“Jax warned them and they did not stop their attack. What would you have done in her situation? With your friends and loved ones in danger and someone attacking without provocation?”

He sighed. “I would have done the same if I could. Don’t you realize that this will turn eyes towards Esmeralda?”

“Esmeralda was in Markleville and I doubt Trian would be dumb enough to think of attacking Crilan.”

“They will look at you as well.”

I shrugged. “Everyone knows I have very little magical abilities. I’ve been tutored by Faxon, the Great Mage himself and Esmeralda and I can only light a candle.”

“Or that is what has been told to the outside world,” he murmured.

“In honesty I only recently learned of my abilities with Faxon. They’ll keep that secret to their graves to protect me and besides, it wasn’t me, it was Jax.”

“Who has mysteriously died,” he said.

“She was a victim in an attack from Trian,” I told him.

“Your entire Kingdom is spreading the news of Jax’s death like wildfire, but no one knows
how
she died.”

“No one really needs to know the how and no one really cares. They’ll make up their own conclusions and assume it was another pirate, Trian, or the military.”

“And you don’t care?”

“I do, but I’m putting that life behind me. Jax is dead for better or worse and those who want to mourn her will.”

“What about those who know you are Jax?” he asked.

“Esmeralda will inform my father of the truth before the news reaches him so he won’t worry.”

“And it will keep Trian from searching for her,” he said with a laugh, “Thought it all out, didn’t you?”

I smiled. “I’m not all fighting. I have brains too.”

“And beauty,” he said. “Fighting, beauty, and brains. The deadly trio, just like your aunt.”

“I don’t know about that, but I appreciate the compliment,” I replied.

We ate in silence for a while and then he showed me to my room where my bags had mysteriously appeared. I hadn’t realized that I had left them on the main deck. “I took these when I tried to talk to you at lunchtime,” he explained.

“Thank you,” I said and leaned against the open door. “I know I’m not the most pleasant to be around right now, but I appreciate you taking me with you anyways. I will try to be more cordial and less snappy.”

“Don’t worry about it at all,” he said, “I prefer the real you and not the one you’re trying to be for your family.” He bowed grandly and said, “Goodnight Princess Tilia.”

I watched him walk away and shook my head. He was something else. He was unlike any of the men in Crilan and so different from Finn that being with him rarely made me think of the stupid pirate.

I went to bed and fell asleep faster than ever thanks to the swaying boat.

The steward woke me up the next morning with polite knocks on my door and informed me that we were nearing Blith. I changed clothes, put all my weapons on and walked out of the room with both of my bags.

As soon as I stepped out of the room, Eric grabbed both of my bags and slung them over his shoulder with his bag. “Let’s hurry up so you can see it as we approach,” he said, heading to the stairs without waiting for me to respond.

I climbed the stairs and jogged to the bow where he was already standing. The girl I had given the dagger to was sitting on her dad’s shoulders nearby to watch too. I waved to her and she waved back. I could see a leather holder with a dagger now hanging from her belt. Her father must have made one for her last night. Eric pulled me to the railing and I looked in front of us. The port was twice the size of any in Crilan and there were many brightly colored ships. Beyond the port was the magnificent part. Houses were built into the sides of the cliffs and inland there were tall buildings with more windows than I could count as far as I could see. “How many people live here?” I asked him in awe.