This is an ongoing RP that I'm doing with my friend, known as Florville. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a log in here. Though, you can see some of her stuff on Y!Gallery, Florville619. Anyways...
The plot is set in the 1500's. Arthur/England is played by Florville and Sadik/Turkey... well Ottoman Empire is played by me, Scarletpath.
Each chapter is checked and proof read by Florville
Comments would be loved and cherished. :3

Plus, I'm only going to put up the first 2 chapters up here. The reason being is that it will get too NSFW for Fanfiction. But don't worry! I'll be putting the rest up on 'Archive Of Our Own'. I have the same name for my account. So just look for Scarletpath on AO3 to read more of this story.

Sandalwood and Roses

By Scarletpath and Florville

1

Damn the Portuguese and their lightning-fast ships, and damn his own blasted corsair for having rudder problems at such an inopportune time! After watching one half of his ship burning, a third of his crew mown down by canister, another third leaping off of the ship in flames, and the other third trying desperately to put the fires on the deck out, England had felt his heart drop into his stomach as he saw one of the cannons taking aim.

Fortunately, he had the good sense to shout at his men to take to the water. This probably saved a dozen men from the explosion that occurred when a shot was fired directly into the powder magazine.

When England regained his bearings, he could hear more cannons being fired, and he managed to grab his tricorn hat before it was swept away by the tide, clinging to it as valiantly as he was clinging to the fragment of his beautiful ship, which was now sinking. Shit…that meant he had to swim…or…whose ships were those now, firing on the Portuguese vessels who had taken his wounded ship down? He'd use his spyglass, but the damn thing was probably full of seawater.

Ropes…ropes were being thrown out to some of his men as the ship drew close to them. Since it would certainly be better than swimming back to England, Arthur swallowed his pride and waved an arm, catching the line that was thrown to him and securing it around his waist.

As soon as he was hauled up onto the deck of the craft, Arthur straightened his posture and settled the damp tricorn back on his head, trying to preserve as much dignity as his sopping wet state would allow. He didn't recognize the language being spoken by the men on this vessel…but they were certainly members of a navy. "Who is in charge here?" Arthur demanded, looking around as he saw some of his men being bound at the wrists. When someone went to tie his hands, England drew his saber, a low snarl issuing from his throat. "Bring that any closer, dog, and I will sever your hands from your body," he growled, unintimidated by the crowd of men who immediately gathered around him with their blades drawn in response.

From behind the crowding men sounded a loud voice. "Durma!" The armed men slowly stepped away from the captured man, lowering their weapons. A large white feather could be seen behind the men, moving closer towards the crowd. "It seems that we have a very special 'guest' on my ship," came the same voice; only now, he was now speaking in English and obviously directing it towards said man in interest. The men that had surrounded Arthur parted, leaving an opening for the man that was coming forward.

He soon came into view: Sadik Adnan, the Ottoman Empire. He was dressed in his flowing white robes with a red silk sleeveless shirt overtop. That white feather was placed on top of his large headdress, bobbing slightly as he moved. It was impossible to see his face, let alone what his expression was. Over his face was his trademark white mask, and his mouth was hidden behind some type of black fabric. "So this is the Arthur Kirkland everyone has been talking about." Sadik began to chuckle, placing a folded hand under his chin in amusement. "I'd thought that you would've at least put up a good fight."

With that, he pulled out his Shamshir and pointed it at the other. "You're highly outnumbered, Arthur. It would be in your best interests to submit to me. I did capture you fair and square. Unless..." he paused for a moment; one would swear that the grin on Sadik's hidden face was somehow visible, "…you want to fight for your freedom." His men quickly stepped backwards, moving and shifting so that they made a large human circle around them. "If you beat me, I'll let you go, but... If I beat you... well, I'm sure I can figure something that would best 'suit' you." He mused, holding his sword at the ready.

England scowled. Oh, how he would love to run this impressive, magnificent and far-too attractive bastard through…Arthur was about to step forward and accept the challenge when he saw his men being dragged below deck, probably to the brig. No…this was not merely a matter of personal honour…had Sadiq captured only himself, Arthur would have fought him to the bloody death. But in this case, if Sadiq defeated him, his men might be slaughtered, and what kind of Captain would Arthur Kirkland be remembered as then?

Thus, even though it was a loathsome thing and it felt wrong to his very core to do it, Arthur slowly slid his blade back into its sheath. "If I had no-one but myself to think of, I would accept your challenge; however, a Captain cannot think so selfishly. I wish to bargain with you for the lives of my men. What arrangement can we reach that will ensure safe passage of myself and my crew back to Great Britain?" he asked loudly enough that his men would hear as they were carried off, and would not despair.

The hand that was holding up Sadik's sword lowered slightly in disappointment as Arthur sheathed his weapon. It was no secret that Sadik was looking forward to an exciting yet furious battle of swords and wits. Arthur just had to play the 'noble' Captain card. Though, as he heard Arthur's reasoning words, mirth flowed right through him. Instantly, his shoulders started to shake. Gripping his mask, he started to laugh as though he had just heard a really funny joke.

Arthur felt his blood boil as the bastard laughed at him. This man…this Empire, he was much larger and much older than Britannia was, and it would probably be wise to remember that. It was the only thing that kept him from drawing his sword and taking a slash at the bastard in mid-laugh.

"What a cute request," Sadik mused out loud, sighing almost happily at the end before calming down. "Do you really think I would let you and your men go as easily as that?" Sadik sheathed his sword and started to walk over to the other. "Your men are nothing but a source of income for me." He started, slowly circling the Englishman. His hidden eyes looked Arthur over as though he were a piece of meat. Very nice.

England stood his ground as Sadik circled him, and he could feel the gaze on him, acutely aware of exactly how the other Empire saw him.

"You need something of equal or greater value to trade for them. And for you... Oh, that's a whole other bargain," Sadik said in a deeper voice. He leaned down behind the other to whisper into his ear so his men couldn't hear. "What can you offer me for your freedom, England? A prize such as yourself?" He purred darkly, placing his hands down on Arthur's shoulders.

The low voice in his ear made England shiver, his fists clenching as he ground his teeth with determination. "I have a stash of Spanish gold destined for the British Crown hidden on Madeira, which should contain enough to compensate you for the cost of my men. As for myself…" He turned dauntless green eyes upward to gaze into Sadik's darker ones. "It will take us five days to reach Madeira and another ten to reach Britain. In exchange for my freedom at the end of the fifteen days, I offer you my willing captivity in the interim. You may do with me as you see fit until we reach my shores."

Sadik hummed out in thought, stroking the other's shoulders lightly as Arthur told him what he could offer. "Very... very tempting." In fact, the offer made his toes curl in delight. All that gold would certainly be a good trade for the men, and for Arthur to willingly give up his body... oh, he would have fun with that. Stepping back from the other, Sadik walked around so that he was facing him. Lifting his arm up, he took hold of Arthur's chin and moved in close. "All right, then... but let's make your part of the deal a little more interesting. For every time you don't do what I ask, I'll add a day. If your men so much as raise their voice towards me... I'll add another day... I'm sure you know where I'm going with this. Stay true to your word and I'll stay true to mine." His thumb lightly stroked Arthur's chin as he held his head in place. "Oh, and if you or any of your ships attack me..." Sadik leaned in dangerously close. "I'll be adding more than just a day," he threatened in a very deep tone.

Arthur's nostrils flared slightly and his fists clenched, but he did not pull away from Sadik's grip on his chin. He knew better…dealing with nations like the Ottoman Empire was far different than dealing with the other nations in Europe. For men like Sadik, a deal was not just a game or a promise, but more like a sacred covenant, and it would have very severe consequences if it were broken. Or…that was what Arthur had gathered in his limited experience with the East.

Then Sadik leaned in close, and the faint smell of exotic spices drifted up from his robes, and Arthur cursed himself as his breaths grew a little shaky. Think of your men, think of them, now is not the time for this, if you were alone on the ship it would be different…

"My ships have no quarrel with you," Arthur rasped, clearing his throat as his cheeks coloured at the husky quality of his voice, which he truly did not like. The icy cold of the air was starting to creep into his body from the wet clothes that were hanging heavily on his lean frame, but he had valiantly kept from shivering so far. "If any English vessels are spotted, you need only bring me on deck so I am visible to them, and they will not fire on you. And because I have made a deal with you, I will not seek rescue for myself, however I do hope that in the case of a rendezvous you will allow my men to depart to a British ship so that their upkeep will not strain the supplies of food and water that you have on board. Add to my sentence in that case if you wish, but I have no desire to see either of our crews going hungry if it is not absolutely necessary." Of course, he wasn't going to mention the fact that if their positions had been the reverse, England would have made Sadik's men beg and fight over table scraps…

Arthur swallowed hard, his posture still proud as he looked the other nation directly in the eyes. "And I will agree to your terms, provided you allow me a moment to speak with my men to ensure their deference to you." A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I am certain if our positions were reversed, you would make the same request. A good crew taken prisoner with their Captain will often be quite quarrelsome and plot escape and other such mischief, unless they receive orders to the contrary. If they disobey my orders, however, I will gladly pay with a longer sentence."

It was amusing, watching the small changes of Arthur's expressions. The way the corners of his green eyes narrowed, his thick eyebrows twitched, his nostrils flared. He knew by looking into those green orbs that there was a lot of fight and fire in his spirit. He wanted to see what other expressions he could bring out in Arthur. Being as close as he was to the other's face, he caught the sound of elevated breathing. A grin pulled across his covered mouth as he noticed the interesting effect he was having on the British Empire.

"Ah, a gentleman. How noble of you…but you forget that this is my ship." His arm reached out and wrapped around Arthur's middle. His strength was easily hidden under his clothes, and Sadik made sure Arthur knew this as his bicep squeezed around him.

England tensed when he was grabbed around the waist, his breath hitching slightly at the flex of the powerful bicep against his side.

"Don't test my generosity. You're lucky I don't decide to sell your men to the highest bidder." Sadik let out a low growl into Arthur's ear, amused by the strong shiver it evoked. "Give me the gold, your men go free. I don't really care what happens to your men before the payment."

Sadik's tone then turned more cheerful as he let Arthur go. "Though, if you are willing to pay with your body..." Sadik paused, feeling his skin tingle in delight. "You have to impress me. Show me with your body how grateful you are for my kindness. If I like it, I'll make sure to tell my crew to be kind to your men." He then called out a command to his crew and they obediently went back to their jobs. "Leave your weapons behind, then you can talk to your men. Come to my quarters after you're done." With that, he motioned for one of his men to retrieve Arthur's dangerous belongings.

England's cheeks flushed in a combination of embarrassment and anger at the statement that he could improve his men's lot if he paid with his body, his fists clenching as he seethed silently. Bastard…but again, if their positions were reversed, Arthur would've had him swabbing the decks with his tongue, or something equally demeaning. It was a dog-eat-dog world, after all. He had merely gotten caught first.

Removing his saber and handing it over along with his pistol and the blades hidden in his boots, England continued seething sullenly as he was escorted to the brig. Standing at the door, he took careful stock of his men, who looked to him in obvious expectation of an order.

"I have made a bargain for safe passage to England," he began, his tone serious. "Your lives are assured so long as you behave; however, my life is not safe unless you show obedience and deference to the Ottoman Empire and his crew. If I hear a single word about one of you behaving like anything other than a perfect gentleman, I will have you pitched overboard myself, is that understood?"

"Yes, Cap'n," came the unanimous response.

"You are not to try and rescue me. You will not mutiny against the crew or captain of this vessel, and you will not do anything unless you are ordered to by either myself or the Ottoman Empire. You are to obey him as you would me, until you disembark from his vessel or are told otherwise by me personally. Any defiance toward our host will increase my suffering, and I will take that suffering out of your hides if you do anything to cause it. Is that understood?"

The affirmative response was delayed and scattered this time, and Arthur's green eyes flashed dangerously. "I said is that understood?!" he barked.

"Yes, Cap'n!" came the clearer reply, and Arthur relaxed visibly.

"You are a fine crew, and I will do everything I can to ensure that you are treated well. This is simply a storm that we must weather; however, if you behave extremely well, we shall be back in Britain in just under three weeks, and this will be but another of your tales to tell your loved ones. Stay strong. I am depending on your goodwill towards these men…do not disappoint me."

There was a rousing cry of 'Rule, Britannia!' that made Arthur's heart swell a little with pride, easing some of the dread that had settled in his breast. However, as he departed the brig, the dread began to return, rising up in full force as he stopped in front of Sadik's door, his cheeks flushing again as he lifted his hand and knocked. For his men…he was doing this for his men…