I took the longest hiatus from writing, but I have somewhat good reasoning. Work, school, work and school. I needed something short and sweet to post, and I just watched Stardust (for the 10000000000th time) aaaaaaaannnd this popped into my head. So. Yeah.

I do not own Stardust, but I do own the idea of Celia. Enjoy.

"Captain Shakespeare!"

The older man turned his head, the wind whipping against his long overcoat, to see a young, dark haired man holding a small golden haired child in his arms.

"Tristan, my boy!" Shakespeare said jovially. "And the lovely princess Celia." He dropped into a low bow, and the young girl in Tristan's arms giggled. "What brings the King of Stormhold to my humble ship?"

Tristan chuckled, shifting his daughter slightly.

"Yvaine's getting restless," he said by way of explanation. "She has until autumn before our little one gets here, and we wish to travel with my parents for a few weeks." Looking down at Celia and tucking a stray curl behind her ear, he added, "and we were hoping you'd be willing to watch Celia while we're gone."

Shakespeare nearly fell off the side of his ship. He was a pirate, one of the most fearsome in the kingdom, and Tristan Thorn wanted him to babysit? He was going to be in port for a month's time, maybe more, due to necessary ship repairs, but still.

"I'm not a nanny," he said, trying to dissuade the young king, but Tristan simply gave a sheepish smile.

"I know. But, there's not many people I trust with Celia, and you do have the toughest crew that I know of…" He shrugged. "No one better suited to protect the princess of Stormhold than the most fearsome crew in all the land."

He extended his arms, and the Captain found himself staring directly into the large dark eyes of Princess Celia.

"Uh, I don't," he began, but caught sight of Tristan's hopeful smile. He sighed. "I don't see how I can say no."

The young king beamed at the older pirate, depositing the princess into his arms. He said his quick goodbyes, and pressed a kiss to his daughter's cheek.

Shakespeare's first mate, a tall, skinny fellow, sat cross-legged before the small princess, a very serious look upon his face.

"And if anyone comes at you with intent to kill, you go ahead and throw etiquette and rules out the window, d'you hear me?" he said to her.

The three-year-old nodded solemnly, and prodded Skinny's knee with a small wooden sword. He grinned and patted her on the top of her golden curls.

"Atta girlie," he said proudly. "You'd make a good pirate."

"Oi!" Shakespeare hollered at a crewmate, Celia perched upon the other man's shoulders. "What're you doing, man?" He crossed his arms across his chest and shot him a fearsome glare.

The pirate paused, and turned his head around to look at the small blonde child, who was red faced from laughing.

"Er," he managed. "Horsey?"

Shakespeare uncrossed his arms and lifted Celia from the other man's shoulders.

"You're doing it all wrong!" he exclaimed. "You have to trot!"

He settled the princess onto his own shoulders, and took off across the deck of the ship, Celia shrieking in laughter.

"Mummy!" Celia squealed, sprinting across the deck towards the regal blonde woman. Her mother crouched down as low as the swell in her belly would let her, and outstretched her arms for a hug. She scooped her daughter up and peppered her face with kisses.

"I missed you," she murmured into her daughter's hair. "Did you have fun?"

Celia nodded earnestly, a wide grin splitting her face.

Tristan shot a gratitude-filled smile towards Captain Shakespeare.

"Thank you, for doing this." He said.

"Don't mention it," Shakespeare said with a wink, and Tristan laughed.

Yvaine set her daughter down, smiling at the pirate crew as she took Celia by the hand, Tristan taking her other.

As they walked away from the port, Celia could be heard saying to her father, "Daddy, what's a whoopsie?"

Thanks for reading, please review!

~Es