Heyo~ Author here. :3 So I had found this (unfinished) story in my notebook from about two years ago, maybe? I think I did a really good job on it so I thought I'd post it here. I hope you enjoy! ^^
Tonight's the night… thought Kathleen, That my parents officially announce my engagement to Gilbert. She gave an unpleasant sigh. "Oh, what a bother…"
"Oh, come now, Kathleen. You should be mingling among your guests. This is an exciting evening." This voice belonged to Kathleen's younger half-sister, Elizabeth, whom she refers to as 'Lizzie'. Kathleen is a rather informal princess. She refuses to call her sister Elizabeth except when her father is around, which wasn't often. Her father is a respected and very skilled captain. Gilbert is the son of his beloved best friend and co-captain, who was recently lost at sea on a personal voyage and is reportedly dead. Kathleen's father was soon to be retired and Gilbert was next in line to become captain. This was also a reason he graced Gilbert with his daughter's hand in marriage.
"Since when do you call me Kathleen, Lizzie? What is with the sudden formality? It's just another boring ball." muttered Kat.
"Since you're getting married, silly! Father said I must act on my best behavior." Lizzie sighed with envy. "What I wouldn't give to be married to Gilbert!"
"Dido…" then Kat smirked, "Oh, Lizzie! Now's your chance! He's right over there talking to those girls. Go try and win him over." Lizzie began to blush fiercely. "B-but you're marrying soon. He'd never-"
Kat interrupted her, "Oh, I'm sure he finds you more attractive than me." Kat got out of her seat and placed her hands on Lizzie's shoulders. "And what if I were to be kidnapped and never return? What then? You better get a head start on him before he finds another girl to replace me. Go!" Kat shoved her towards Gilbert's direction. "For my sake, go flirt away!" They shared a quick giggle and Lizzie was off. Kat watched as Lizzie made her way over to him and he bowed before her, taking her hand and kissing it. The other girls seemed to fade into the crowd as his full attention was focused on Lizzie alone. Kat thought to herself, I don't see what she or any of the other girls see in him. He's a self-centered flirt who only talks of himself. He thinks he's so awesome. How annoying. And I can't believe he's flirting with all those girls when WE'RE to be married! What an ass! I can see right through him like a shallow pool. I can't believe I have to marry him. Someone please take me away from this hell. She folded her arms and rolled her eyes. She turned to sit back down when she saw something flick underneath her chair. She grabbed handfuls of her elegant pink dress and bent down. Her long, blonde curls rolled off her shoulders and bounced. She knelt down and leaned in further to see under the chair but couldn't see anything but black. Two golden eyes opened and peered at her. The creature pounced at her, causing her to fling back and fall. It lay on her stomach and purred. A black cat with a torn right ear meowed happily and placed a paw on Kat's face. "Keke! How'd you get in here? I missed you." She hugged her and the cat replied with a head rub. Purreow~
Keke was Kathleen's pet cat whom she loved dearly. Kat found her in one of the palace gardens as a kitten and they've been inseparable ever since.
Ellice, Kat's step mother, heard the commotion came charging over. In a sincere, worried voice she asked, "Kathleen, are you alright?"
Kat replied annoyed, "I'm fine, Ellice."
"What is that damned creature doing here?" snarled Ellice. "It's going to ruin everything. Get it out of here at once!"
"As long as you're still married to my father, I'll do whatever I want. I still haven't forgotten our last incident."
At age 10, shortly after finding Keke, Ellice came into the family picture and tried everything in her power to rid the castle of that cat. She tired chasing her out, but she found her way back in. She ordered a servant to take the cat into town inside a bag, but again, she found her way back. Ellice couldn't stand the nuisance much longer and finally snapped. She took the cat by its tail, carried her down to the dungeon room, and threw her into the very last cellar. Keke hit the wall, knocking a loose chunk of brick that fell with her, landing on her ear. She tugged and tugged until she finally freed her ear, torn and bloody. Kat and Keke have shared a grudge against Ellice ever since then.
When Kat had found Keke, she took her to her father, told him what had happened, and that night she laid outside his bedroom and listened as her father had a stern word with Ellice. "You're lucky she survived or I would have thrown you out for that!" That is all Kat could remember of the conversation.
There are two reasons why Ellice did such a thing:
1. She was extremely superstitious about black cats. But Keke has been nothing but luck to Kat. She found Keke the day of her mother died of cancer. Kat has always assumed that Keke was her mother's farewell gift.
2. Kat assumed Ellice never liked her since she wasn't her daughter and Kat never accepted her as a mother either. Kat never once, in the past six years, called Ellice 'mother', nor does she ever intend to. There was an obvious reason for that…
Kat has never held a grudge against Lizzie, even though she's Ellice's daughter. Lizzie resembles her mother in appearance but not in personality. She's sweet, cute, innocent, and tries desperately to cling to Kat and her father. Kat doesn't mind this. She's always wanted a little sister. Lizzie is only two years younger than Kat and when they first met, Lizzie was shy and sucked her thumb. When Kat pointed out that an eight year old shouldn't be sucking their thumb, she quit in an instant. She was so eager to please and that was her only flaw. She has never changed. Although she is more energetic and lively now.
But she's like a little turtle in its shell when she's around Gilbert. I don't get it. thought Kat. A mumbling in the background interrupted Kat's thoughts. "…ignore me! I'm talking to you young lady! Get off the floor right this instant!" yelled Ellice.
"Oh, shut your trap, Ellice." replied Kat getting up.
Ellice's face flushed red, "You-!"
Kat interrupted, "You annoy the crap out of me. Just because you married my father doesn't mean you can rule over my life! You'll never be like my mother!"
Silence swept over the room. Just then a tall, dark figure entered through the large doorway. "Well, don't stop the party on my account!" boomed a voice that echoed throughout the ballroom. The owner of the voice was none other than Captain James Willow. The crowd turned and looked over to him.
"Daddy!" squealed Kat. She dashed through the crowd and leapt into a giant bear hug in her father's arms. He cradled her, wrapping his arms tightly around her and kissing her forehead repeatedly.
"Father!" yelled Lizzie as she came running over. He put Kat down and embraced Lizzie, swinging her around.
"My little kitty Kat and Lizzie lizard! How I've missed you so… and I've got something for you two." He reached into his pocket and pulled out two cloth bags. He handed Kat and Lizzie each a bag and they opened them, revealing a yellow and a blue gem necklace. Kat hugged her father again and put on the yellow necklace. Lizzie did the same and they squealed together.
"It matches my blue eyes." said Lizzie gleefully.
"It reminds me of Keke's golden eyes." murmured Kat thoughtfully. Lizzie squealed once more and twirled around. Her blue dress and curls followed and rippled. She paused and composed herself before saying, "Thank you, Father."
"They're perfect! Thank you!" Kat hugged her father once again, and then she and Lizzie grabbed his hands, pulling him towards the other end of the room where their chairs awaited.
Once they were at their seats, Kat and Lizzie sat at the edges of their chairs and called out, "Tell us of your adventures, Captain Willow!"
The crowd began to cheer and clap. James' voice boomed with laughter. "Alright. Alright!" He looked over his shoulder and winked at his girls before starting. "So there I was… only blue sea as far as the eye could see…"
There was a shuffling of shadows in the hallway outside the doorway of the main entrance. This went unnoticed because everyone was tuned into James' tale. Kat shifted and looked around for Keke. She was nowhere nearby. This wasn't uncommon for her to do though. Kat looked across the room and found Keke by the doorway. Her back was arched and her fur stood on end.
That's strange. Keke never acts that way. Well, except for Ellice but… I wonder… she leaned over to Lizzie and whispered, "I'm going to the restroom. Excuse me."
"But the stories just getting good." whispered Lizzie.
"Sorry. Fill me in later." Lizzie nodded to her as Kat got out of her chair and snuck away.
She made her way across the room, passing a servant who took notice but only watched, wondering where she was going. A tall man with scraggly hair came through the main entrance as Kat came over to him and picked Keke up. She scratched Keke under the chin and noted the man's haphazard appearance. He was filthy and improperly dressed in a servant's attire.
"Excuse me, madam." he said half bowing.
Kathleen replied hastily, "Are you a new servant? Where have you been? You're filthy. Fix your clothing. The food needs tending to."
He half bowed once more and apologized, "Forgive me, madam." He noticed the hallway lights glistening off her silver tiara.
"Quit your slacking." she snapped.
The man straightened and looked down at her. "You must be Princess Kathleen." he noted aloud as her took in her whole figure and appearance. She squinted at him angrily. "Of course. Pardon my indecency, malady." He snatched her wrist and circled around her, covering a hand over her mouth. Pulling her around the corner and into the hallway, the earlier servant jolted and gasped.
"Captain! Someone's kidnapping Princess Kathleen!" he pointed towards the doorway.
Gilbert spun around and charged through the crowd, James following in pursuit. Ellice hurried to Lizzie's side and grabbed her hand the moment she burst into tears. A woman screamed and another nearly fainted. Uproar broke out among the crowd.
Kat stumbled alongside the kidnapper, almost dropping Keke. Keke sunk her claws into Kat's dress and growled. I can't run this fast like this! She bit the man's hand and dug her heels into the ground, jerking backwards. He glared back at her and scooped her up before she stumbled onto the ground. Kat tried wiggling and kicking but his grip wasn't giving. She buried her face into Keke's back with frustration. Why is this happening? It's never happened before. What do I do? I don't know! I don't know… Then she heard her father bellow, "Unhand her, you fiend!"
She looked back towards him. "Daddy!" she screamed.
"I'll kill him!" yelled Gilbert. Kat looked ahead and saw the large, wooden palace doors opening.
"Hurry!" yelled the kidnapper. Two men came out from behind the doors and ran ahead of them.
"Pirates!" exclaimed Gilbert and James in unison.
The pirates ran down a dirt path towards the piers, where their giant ship awaited them. "Set sail!" ordered the kidnapper. The pirates jumped onto the deck and the crew prepared to set sail. Kat and the kidnapper reached the pier as Gilbert and James came trailing close behind. I have to act now. By now Kat was on full panic mood and the moment the kidnapper stepped foot on deck, she elbowed him in the face and she was dropped, landing on her feet. She leapt for her father with arms outstretched. An arm wrapped around her waist mid-jump and she was lurched back. "Daddy!" she shrilled at the top of her lungs, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The platform used to board the ship was pulled in before Gilbert or James could climb aboard. The ship pulled away from the pier as the crew members laughed at the two men. Kat was passed on to another crew member who held her back so she wouldn't attempt another jump. "Farewell, Gilbert Beilschmidt. It seems this is the end of our little game of cat and mouse." announced the kidnapper.
"What? Arthur Kirkland? You filthy scumbag of a pirate!"
"Yes. It is I, Captain Arthur Kirkland, and I have finally kidnapped your precious little princess and future bride." he grinned and began to laugh.
"Fuck you! I'll find you and slit your throat. You're finished, I tell you, finished!"
James yelled reassuringly to Kat, "Stay strong my little princess! I'm coming for you!"
Kirkland laughed even louder.
"Daddy! I love you!" cried Kat.
"I love you too, my darling!"
Kat started to sob. Her father always told her Stay strong my little princess whenever she was hurt or felt down. He knew just how to kindle and nurture the fire in her heart. She became red in the face, seething with rage. She growled ferociously, wriggling and yanking her head back, colliding it into the face of the one holding her back. She pulled her right arm free and elbowed him in the nose. She ducked and bolted for the railing. She put her hands on the railing, then a foot, and pushed off. Kirkland grabbed her hand and she spun around, her foot never leaving the railing. She growled and punched him square in the jaw. Kat leaned down and bit his knuckles as hard as she could, breaking skin and making them bleed. He grunted wincing in pain and pulled his hand back, letting her go. He tried swinging at her but missed. She fell backwards into the water. The impact of her body against the surface knocked the wind out of her and she gasped in water. The shock overwhelmed her completely and she couldn't react. She was drowning.
"Get her!" ordered the captain.
A dingy was lowered down and two pirates jumped in. A third jumped into the water after Kat. Moments later he resurfaced with his arm interlocked with hers. James dove into the water and swam towards them. Kat was thrown halfway into the dingy. The pirate clung to the side and hollered, "Go!" The first pirate stood up with an ore in his hands, waited for the right moment, and cracked it down onto James' head, causing him to sink. The dingy rowed closer to the ship as James resurfaced two feet away, gasping for air.
He tried swimming after them again and choked, "No! Kat!"
The second pirate helped pull Kat fully into the dingy, shifting his weight and picking her up. The third pirate pulled himself in just as James made it over to them again. The first pirate kicked James' hands as he tried to get a grip on the dingy and kicked him in the face once he's let go. James finally backed off, defeated. He knew he was at a disadvantage. Ropes were lowered down and the dingy was tied and hauled up to the deck.
"No…" said James half-heartedly. He turned around and headed back to the piers.
The crewmen stood around panting and drenched. Kat's body lay soaking wet and sprawled on the deck. She began gagging and violently coughing up water. Her vision was blurry and her muscles heavy though she tried to look around.
Kirkland stood over her and said, "We have a feisty one here."
Kat's vision started to fade black and the noises blended together and grew fainter.
"Tie her…"
Her body laid limp and lifeless as darkness enveloped her.
Okie dokie then~ I hope you enjoyed the read. There is another chapter coming soon and after that... I'm not entirely sure. ^^; Any critiques, thoughts, comments, etc. just let me know. Thanks for reading and I hope you'll stick with me(if I don't let this story hang off an eternal cliff pfff). :3
~*~To Be Continued~*~