Princess Summer Bjorgman skipped happily through town. She loved being out and about, and smelling the fresh, salty, ocean air. She smiled, spinning around slowly to take everything in. It was market day, her favorite day to be out. It was the day everyone came to the center of town to buy that week's necessities. The town came alive and buzzed with excitement as people gathered to share news and gossip. Summer's senses were bombarded with colorful sights, strong smells, and delightful sounds. She giggled, watching a few townspeople haggle over the price of fruit. The sun was shining brightly and Summer lifted her face to the sky, soaking up the warm rays. She smiled at the sound of kids playing nearby. A sharp movement caught her eye and she turned quickly, her face scrunched in confusion.
Is that man stealing?
She watched him sneak behind a stall and take three apples.
Hey! That's not right!
Summer moved quickly, determined to get a good look at the young man's face. She stayed in the shadows watching him continue to steal more things. The man was quick too, never staying in one place for very long. She wasn't able to catch a glimpse of his face, so she followed him.
It wasn't very long before Summer realized that she had trailed him much farther than she had intended. He had led her, unknowingly to his lair, which happened to be the docks. She hid behind a barrel and peeked out. The young man strolled confidently down the dock and boarded a ship. It didn't look like he was planning on leaving the bay soon, so Summer decided to get help. Keeping her eye on the young man's ship, she crawled out from behind the barrel and backed away slowly. When she was far enough away she turned to run and ran—smack—into the chest of another man. She lost her balance and fell right on her backside.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The man peered down at her. He had brown pants that went to his calves. He was wearing shoes, but they were worn and dirty. His shirt was gray and he wore a navy blue vest over it. Both his knees and elbows had patches and dirt smudges. "What's a pretty little thing like you doin' 'round here?" Her reached out a hand, captured one of her curls and gave it a small tug. Summer politely pulled her curl out of his grasp.
"Pardon me, sir. But I have to go." She stood and brushed the dirt from her skirt.
"Go where?" He grinned, and it seemed he had no intention of letting her leave.
"Home. My family will be wondering where I am." She smiled, hoping he would leave her alone.
"Did you by any chance see a man lurkin' around these parts?" He watched her closely.
Did he know? Was he hunting the man too? Or was he in league with the man?
Summer bit her bottom lip and shook her head.
"I - uh... No. I did not." She dragged a toe across the floor.
"You didn't, huh? What were you doin' hidin' behind that barrel then?" The man crossed his arms and looked at her expectantly. He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.
"I um... I was looking for something." She nodded once.
That wasn't a total lie.
"And did you find it?" He stared long and hard at her, as if he could see right through her. Summer took a tiny gulp.
"Yes, I did." She smiled again, hoping it was convincing enough. She took a step to walk around the man. He grabbed her arm and yanked her close to his face.
"Hey!" She cried, and tried kicking him. He tightened his grip and Summer let out a small cry.
"I saw you watchin', and I know what you intend to do. And I'm here to tell you, I'm not lettin' you." The man lifted Summer up, and carried her towards the ship the other man had boarded a few minutes earlier.
"Hey! Hey!" She yelled again, trying hard to get loose. "Stop! Let me go!" She flailed her legs and tried beating him with her fists.
"No. Now stop your blabberin' before I do it for you." The man barked. Summer angrily closed her mouth, but still continued struggling. The man dragged her up the gangplank and onto the deck of the ship.
"Found us a little lady hidin' 'tween the barrels. She was plannin' on tellin' the authorities about us." The man explained to the two men on deck. Summer glanced at them.
The first man had dark hair and fair skin. He looked similar to the one who was holding her captive, but this man looked wiser, more experienced. He looked to be the oldest, and the one in charge. The second man was the young man she had seen stealing things at market. He had very blonde hair, and it was almost white like her Auntie Elsa's. He had pale skin with a light dusting of freckles across his cheeks and nose. He was thinner, much thinner, than the other two and younger looking, too. He had striking blue eyes, well, one striking blue eye, the other eye was covered by a black eye patch. Both men wore worn clothes each bearing a few patches. The older, wiser looking man's clothing seemed to fit him better compared to the young man's baggier ones. The young man smiled lightly. Summer glared, and his smile fell.
"Unhand me and let me go!" She shouted again. The man holding her wrists ignored her.
"Where do you want her, Alastair?" The man holding her spoke to the older, wiser man. 'Alastair' didn't speak at first. He simply looked Summer over, as if deciding whether or not she was a problem. The man holding her seemed to be impatient.
"Alastair, make up your mind already. She's a threat to the plan if we let her go."
"Patience, Allan. She's merely a girl. She can't bring much harm to us." Alastair spoke at last.
"No. She's seen and heard too much." Allan retorted with a snort.
"Allan! I am the captain of this ship and I will not have you mouthing off to me!" Alastair sent Allan a sharp look. "However, if what you say is true, she may be some sort of threat. She has already heard our names." He regarded her carefully. "Put her in the captain's cabin and I'll deal with her later."
"Yes, brother." Allan responded with a hint of sarcasm, and yanked Summer toward a door. He dragged her down a small flight of stairs and led her to another door. He jerked it open and tossed her inside, then shut the door and locked it.
Summer fell against a chair, but wasn't hurt too badly. She picked herself up and examined her surroundings. There was a bunk in one corner, a small built in cupboard next to it, and a wooden table with two wooden chairs in the middle of the room. There was a window across from the door and it faced the sea. She walked over to it and looked out.
Too far for anyone to see or hear.
She huffed and sat down hard on one of the chairs. This was not how today was supposed to go. Today she was supposed to enjoy market day, and then spend time with her brother Kristoff. But no. Instead she had to get kidnapped by... pirates? Who were these guys?
There was a gentle knock on the door. Summer almost said 'come in' but caught herself before doing so. This was not her room, and she was not speaking to these people.
The door creaked and the young man with the very blonde hair poked his head in.
"Hi. I uh, I thought you might be hungry." He smiled, and opened the door wider, revealing a tray of food. Summer rolled her eyes and looked the other direction. The young man walked to the table and set the tray down.
"I'm Alexander, but you can call me Alex." He grinned and held out his hand. Summer stared at it and then back at his face without moving a muscle.
"Okay, then." Alex pulled his hand back and sat in the chair across from her. He lifted the lid of the tray. There were two plates. One had a thick stew in it, and the other held a roll.
"Was I right? Are you hungry?" He looked eagerly at her.
"No." She glared at him.
So much for not speaking.
"Oh." Alex sucked in his cheeks and sat back in his chair. He ran a hand through his very blonde hair, making parts of it stand on end.
"So..." He tried again. He was trying to start a conversation, but Summer wasn't going to give him the pleasure. He could sit there in awkward silence for all she a burst of sudden movement, Alex stood up, knocking his chair over in the process.
"Oh! Of course you aren't hungry! You must be too confused to eat!" He slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead. "Sorry. I can't tell you much, but it's not as bad as it seems. I can tell you we're doing good for the people of this town."
Alex explained with a proud look on his face. Shocked by his words, Summer slapped him. Alex just stared at her, his words stunned out of him, and his proud look wiped completely off his face.
"Ow! What was that for?" He rubbed his cheek and stared at Summer.
She said nothing.
"Hey, you can't just slap a guy and not tell him why."
"I can and I will." She snapped.
"No, you can't. Now tell me why you slapped me." He raised his voice just a teensy bit.
"You lied to me. And I will not be taken for a fool." Summer crossed her arms and glared at him.
"I never lied to you." He replied, his voice held a hint of disbelief in it.
"You said you're doing good for the people of this town."
"Yeah, I said that and I meant it."
"But I saw you take from them. How is that good?"
"Look, I know it's confusing and you don't get it at all, but we are doing good. I wish I could explain it, but my brothers would have my head."
"Yes, it is confusing. Why can't you tell me?"
"I'm sorry it doesn't make sense, but if you would just trust me -"
"Trust you?"
"Yes."
"No way." Summer laughed.
"What?" Alex looked confused. This only served to make Summer laugh more. "'No', what do you mean 'no'?" He looked at her as if she was a puzzle, and he couldn't fit the pieces together.
He's really questioning that?
"You're holding me captive. And you want me to trust you? Ha! Not even in your dreams."
"Oh. I guess I didn't see it that way."
"Yeah, I guess not."
Alex glanced around the room as if searching for something else to say. His eyes landed on the tray of food and he looked up and met her eyes.
"Will you at least eat something?"
"No. Not until I get a proper room." She sniffed, glancing at the small pile of dirt in the corner.
"This is the captain's cabin! It doesn't get any nicer than this!"
"Well, then I want to go home." She stared at him long and hard. Alex sighed.
"I can't let you. I'm sorry."
"You aren't sorry."
"Can you at least eat something? Take a bite."
"If I do, will you leave?"
"Yes."
"Alright." Summer lifted the fork and looked at the stew. She carefully chose a piece of chicken and raised it to her lips. "Now if you don't leave..." She arched an eyebrow.
"I will. I promise."
"Good." She bit the piece of chicken. Setting her fork down, she looked at him, then at the door. He sighed again.
Goodness, he does a lot of sighing.
"You seem to not know how to clean up. Let me show you." Summer began putting the plate back on the tray. "First, you gather the dirty dishes and-" She was cut off.
"I know how to clean up. And I'm not taking back that roll, so keep it and eat it later." He piled the plate of stew and the eating utensils back on his tray, leaving the plate that contained the roll.
"If you're hungry later just... I don't know, yell or something." He lifted the tray and walked toward the door. He stepped out of the room, and then poked his head back in.
"Later, shrimp." He grinned and Summer's mouth fell open in an angry gasp. Alex shut the door just before her roll hit the place where his head had been.
Shrimp?! How dare he.
Alex laughed a little as he heard the thump of the girl's roll hitting the door.
She's got good aim. And quite the temper.
He laughed again and carried the tray to the ship's tiny kitchen. He pushed aside the curtain that separated the kitchen from the rest of the ship and found his two brothers awaiting him. They were much bigger than Alex, and their bodies made the cramped quarters seem even tighter than usual.
"So, how'd it go?" Alastair asked, glancing at the tray that Alex still held.
"It was fine. She wouldn't eat anything and she's still mad as a hornet." Alex shrugged.
"I see she didn't hurt you." Allan grunted.
"No, she didn't do anything. She just sat there and glared." Alex said.
"She ate nothing? She must not be looking for food then." Alastair thought aloud.
"No, she only ate one bite of chicken. And that's because I told her I wouldn't leave until she ate something. Oh, and I left her the roll, but she threw that at my head on my way out, so I'm guessing she won't be eating that anytime soon." Alex chuckled remembering the look on her face when he'd called her 'shrimp'.
It was true though. She was really tiny. He probably could have lifted her over his shoulder without really even trying. But her temper was the problem. She was feisty. Alex was surprised she didn't have red hair to match. Instead, she had dark brown hair. It was long, but he couldn't tell how long because it looked like she had curled it earlier. He couldn't get the image of her brown eyes glaring at him out of his head. Her nose scrunched when she was mad, and her cheeks got red, which made her freckles stand out.
"Alex? Alex!" Alastair cried.
"What? Sorry, sorry." Alex shook the thoughts from his head. "You were saying?"
"Man, Alex's got it bad." Allan laughed and slapped his brother on the back.
"Huh?" Alex looked back and forth between his brothers. Even Alastair was grinning."What's going on?"
"You, baby brother, are smitten with the little lady." Allan howled with laughter.
"What? No! I'm not!" Alex cried, his face heating with embarrassment.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day when quiet little Alex took a likin' to a lady. And I definitely didn't think it'd be a little spitfire like that one." Allan doubled over and pounded the small counter with his fist.
"Allan, please. Try to control yourself." Alastair reprimanded. He was trying to sound firm, but Alex saw the smile Alastair was trying to hide.
"Ugh, you two." Alex rolled his eyes and shoved the tray at Allan. "You're dish duty."
"Nice way of changing the subject. Now you go and dream of the lady, okay?" Allan laughed again.
"Ugh." Alex strode out of the kitchen and whipped the curtain behind him. Unfortunately, it didn't do much to block out Allan and Alastair's laughter.
Alex climbed the stairs to the top deck. He breathed deeply, inhaling the fresh air. He walked to the main mast and started climbing the ropes, and stopped when he got to the top of the Crow's Nest. This was where he came when he wanted to get away from his brothers. It was high, and since they were so much larger than him, they didn't even try climbing. Alex could sit up there for hours, just watching the sea and sky.
I am not smitten with that girl. Allan's just teasing like usual. Just because she's pretty doesn't mean I'm in love with her. I've only known her for two hours, and I don't even know her name.
Alex stared out over the sea. It sparkled and danced and eased his worries away.
There are lots of pretty girls in this world and I'm not in love with them.
He looked out into the clouds and tried to focus on perfecting the details of their plan. That girl had complicated a few things. Hopefully her family didn't freak out too much. They would return her, but not until a few things were figured out. Alex made a list of all the things he had to do. Well, he tried to make a list. His mind couldn't seem to stop thinking about glaring brown eyes and freckled pink cheeks.
"Alex!" Upon hearing his name, Alex was jolted out of his thoughts.
"Alex!" He looked over the edge and saw Alastair, his head tipped back and his hands cupping his mouth, ready to shout again.
"I'm coming!" Alex shouted back and scrambled back down the ropes. When he reached the bottom, Alastair was waiting for him.
"I sent Allan out. If you would take some food to the girl, that would be most helpful."
"I -... Of course. Though I'm not sure how much she'll eat." Alex shrugged. He wasn't exactly looking forward to going back to see her. Sure, she wasn't bad, and he didn't mind talking to her. She definitely had a mind of her own, but Alex knew that more teasing would follow.
"We must offer her food. We can't send her back to her family with reports that we starved her."
"Okay," he sighed. "I'll go get her some." Alex turned and slowly made his way toward the door that led belowdecks.
"Oh, and Alex," Alastair called. Alex turned to look at him, waiting for another command. "Don't let Allan get to you. He thinks he knows all there is to know about women and charm. But just because he's got a pretty face, doesn't mean he does." Alastair smiled, and Alex was reminded of why he liked Alastair so much.
He always knows how to make me feel better.
"Thanks, Alastair." Alex smiled at his brother and went below, his steps lighter than they had been before.