A/N: Thank you so much for the kind reviews! :D I'm really glad you enjoyed the first chapter. I managed to finish the second chapter in response. Hope you all enjoy this too~!

Warning: French, German and nudity. Oh my!

Dawn was about to break on the sea as Cloud's eyes surveyed the scenery. He had been unable to sleep, deciding to keep watch over his now soundly asleep siblings. The pirates that held them hostage had not come to speak to them; he assumed that the crew were under no circumstances to enter the captain's cabin unless told to otherwise. Even so, the silence from the pirate crew and their captain made the blond aristocrat even more nervous.

The cabin wasn't exactly elaborate like the Ifrit's gilded furnishes, every piece of furniture in the room practical and unassuming. Dark wood was the main theme of the room, with only the barest hint of a pale staining on the wooden panels of the room. The bed wasn't uncomfortable since the triplets were curled up together in its cotton soft sheets and barely stirring from discomfort, and there seemed to be maps, books and a few nautical pieces of equipment lying around on a very plain desk. All very neat and tidy he had to add which made him question just what kind of pirate captain had he been captured by. A pirate with a modest taste and a compulsion to be orderly? It seemed to completely contradict his image of what a pirate should be.

He heard a rapping of knuckles at the door, followed by… a woman's voice? "Just bringing your breakfast. Get decent in the next minute." Cloud's eyes blinked. There was a woman on board? He thought pirates were so superstitious that they would never allow a member of the fairer sex come aboard their ship. Before he had a chance to let that fact sink in, the door opened.

He corrected himself mentally; it was a young girl, maybe about Naminé's age. She had short crimson hair that skimmed over her shoulders, and a face that could rival an angel's. Her eyes were the darkest of lavenders, deep and so very difficult to perceive what she was truly thinking. It was her garb that surprised him. She wore men's clothes; worn out britches with no stockings, heavily sun bleached leather boots that had been curiously shorn to her ankles, a practical white shirt with sleeves that only slightly puffed but was left somewhat undone so that a semblance of her cleavage could be seen, where a golden pendant shaped into a heart hung in between. Around her waist was a leather belt where a revolver and a small dirk were attached to. In her hands was a tray but the contents on it left much to be desired. It was only a few slices of what he could be almost certain was hardened bread and a few small cups of water. Whether it was sea water or fresh water was yet to be known.

"It's not much, but captain said that it's the best we can do for everyone right now and that he hopes that you understand that. The cooks are still checking the food we stole from the Ifrit is good to eat." She had said this so calmly in Bastionite and with such authority that Cloud was certain that this girl seemed to have quite an important position aboard ship. She placed the tray on the desk, careful not to move any of the equipment placed about it. "And if they aren't done by today, I'll cut their fingers." Yes… very important indeed.

"…does your captain intend to make an appearance?" Cloud asked, utterly overlooking the fact that the girl had spoken good Bastionite to him. She shrugged.

"He'll come in his own good time. He's got other things to worry about." He then looked over to the triplets. "Make sure your sister eats well. She's too thin." Cloud raised an eyebrow. He never thought his sister was too thin. "If you need anything, poke your head past the door or come out onto deck. The door's open. My name's Kairi and I am the third mate on the Ragnarok." She then smiled broadly at him. "Hope you'll come to see us as one big happy family with a couple of lunatics in it." She soon turned on her heel with all intention of leaving.

"What do you plan on doing to us?" Cloud demanded. She stopped, turned, put her hands on her hips and gave him a look that could only be compared to the look of a mother when her child asks her a childishly foolish question.

"Nothing bad. Just keeping you away from a certain continent that awaits your arrival." She then turned and walked to the door, disappearing behind it. Behind her came the lone cry of gulls, the sea breeze and the sound of the waves as they crashed against the sides of the ship. Amongst all the peace were the sounds of people mumbling outside as they set about their work on the ship. It sounded no different to being on the Ifrit. Then again, he wasn't sure what to really expect on a pirate ship. So far his conceptions of them had been blown to pieces. Curiosity was beginning to get the better of him; he knew that the door was unlocked because there had been no sound of locking or unlocking when the third mate had visited them, but he knew he couldn't leave the triplets behind. He tread quietly across the floorboards to them, shaking Ven's shoulder carefully to stir him awake. The more mature of the triplets groggily groaned in his slumber.

"Nnn?"

"Breakfast is on the desk. I'll be outside."

"Nnn…" Ven fell back into slumber, cuddling up close to his identical brother and sister. Cloud just shook his head; Ven could sleep like the dead if he wanted to. He pulled himself away, tentatively approaching the door and placing a hand on the cool wood. He could hear it creak, and the muffled sounds of the crew and the sea. It seemed to beckon to him to come out of the hiding place. With a deep breath, he pushed the door open, getting blinded by the sun as he groggily stepped out onto deck. He heard the ship grow silent slowly but surely and felt the eyes of many fall upon him.

Although many of the sailors were sea-hardened types with tattoos and battle scars, there were a lot of young boys and grizzled old sea dogs amongst them as well. They stared at him, and he stared back. He felt like an outsider, or that these men hadn't realised he had been brought aboard at all. There were a few whispers mingling through the crowd; most of them Gardenian, but there were a few other languages dotted around. Cloud felt hopelessly lost.

"Hey! Wer hat gesagt, Sie könnten nachlassen?!" The crew suddenly jumped at the yell coming from the ship's wheel just above and behind Cloud. He recognised it immediately; brash and loud, and a tinge of danger in the voice. He looked behind to see that flash of red hair. It had been smoothed down a little today, a green strip of cloth wrapped around his forehead to keep the hair out of his eyes, while his clothes consisted of dark pantaloons fastened by a dark leather belt and a weather-beaten buckskin vest. He looked fearsome; he looked like what a pirate should be. Maybe what a Rex Pirata should be, but Cloud had only caught a glimpse of the back of the Rex Pirata's hair. In the darkness of that night illuminated only by the moon, he managed to make out that the Rex Pirata was of dark colouration.

The pirate's eyes met Cloud's. He seemed to consider him, tilting his head to the side and then sighing, looking over to where another man -a slate-haired man that was of short stature- was standing. This man was leaning over a surface with a map and a compass, trying to measure distance. "Hey Zexion, einer der jungen Herren aus dem Käfig."

"Hmm?" The man -Zexion, Cloud assumed- looked up from his map and with a solitary eye regarded Cloud. "Oh. Sprechen Sie mit ihm dann."

"Du weißt, ich mag nicht sprechen, Fremde, die nicht verstehen Gardenian," the man at the wheel whined in his mother tongue.

"Den Mund halten. Ich weiß sehr wohl, dass man Bastionite sprechen. Sie haben viele Bastionite Bewunderer."

"Gott verdammt! Hoffe, Sie würde es nicht bemerken!"

"Nur weil ich ein Auge haben, bedeutet nicht, ich bin blind für alles." The slate-haired one then sighed. "Fine. I'll go," he grumbled, reverting to Bastionite and heading down the steps to the blond. His face was completely unmoved from its state of annoyance as he approached Cloud. "Is there a problem, Your Grace?"

If Cloud had something in his mouth, he would have spat it out in surprise. Politeness?! In a pirate?! "Oh… no. I hadn't realised I was free to walk where I pleased."

"Within the confines of the ship, yes," was the informative reply. "All the men are on orders to not lay a finger of harm on any of you otherwise the risk being marooned on whatever deserted island we next come across." He then crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm Zexion, the ship's navigator." He cocked his head to the redhead at the wheel. "And that lazy bastard up there is Axel, first mate and pilot of the Ragnarok."

Cloud nodded his head. He gathered that he should soon meet the captain of this ship then, the Rex Pirata. "Why did you… kidnap us?"

"I'd say we saved your lives," Zexion retorted, his passive indigo eye barely flickering. "Life as a hostage to a ragtag pirate crew often ends with death because of drunken disorderly behaviour. You're safer here."

"Because you're on orders from a governor?" He watched as the man's stance stiffened lightly.

"Demyx has been talking," he murmured.

"Demyx?" Cloud asked.

"The heathen that was keeping an eye on you," Zexion explained. "I had hoped this wouldn't come up."

"Which governor ordered this?"

"I'm not at liberty to impart that information."

"An enemy of my brother's?"

"Possibly."

"So that's a definite," Cloud concluded, but it didn't really help. Vanitas had made several enemies already; any one of them could have ordered his siblings' capture. "How much were you paid?"

"No comment."

"You can't be telling me that you're doing this for nothing."

"No. Comment." Zexion's eye glared at him, daring the blond to question him further. His attention was taken away when one of the crew members, a young ginger-haired boy garbed in green that looked no more than fourteen, walked to Zexion's side and began speaking.

"Der Arzt prüft bis auf der Aristokraten. Fräulein Kairi erzählte ihm von der Dame Dünne," the boy reported.

"Ist das so? Sagen Sie ihm, dass sie dann auf ihn warten in der Kapitänskajüte." The boy nodded his head to Zexion's reply, speeding off across the deck and disappearing into the bowels of the ship. Zexion turned his attention back to Cloud. "The ship's doctor would like to take an examination of you and your siblings. It appears he's unhappy about something."

"Unhappy about what?"

"Please go back to the cabin for now," Zexion said, ignoring the aristocrat's question. "Terra will be with you momentarily."

"Unhappy about what?" Cloud asked more firmly. Zexion refused to answer again, taking him by the arm and dragging him back to the cabin.

"Just please desist with the questions and let Terra explain things to you instead."

Cloud stumbled a bit as he was tossed back into the cabin, growling heavily as the door was shut behind them. He didn't hear it lock so he assumed that they still had freedom of movement upon the ship. His siblings had gathered around the desk, the boys eating hungrily but Naminé didn't even touch the food, opting to just drink the water. She stood up slowly. "Did our captors interrogate you?"

"I walked out of the cabin of my own violation," Cloud replied. "There are a few on board that can speak perfect Bastionite, and apparently the ship's doctor wants to see us."

"Why?" Roxas asked between mouthfuls. "Pirates don't care about the health of their prisoners surely."

"I don't think we're prisoners on the ship," Cloud murmured thoughtfully. "If anything… I think we're being treated like guests."

"Just because they forgot to lock the cabin door doesn't mean-" Roxas started, but Cloud stopped him.

"That's the thing. If they just forgot to lock the cabin door, I would have been shoved back in here as soon as someone saw me out. The crew is already out doing chores. Plus they've had two chances to rectify the door being unlocked but they haven't. In addition to that, this girl-"

"Girl?" Ventus piped up, looking curious at that. "I thought pirates believed women aboard ships were unlucky."

"Apparently this pirate ship does not," Cloud replied before continuing. "This girl -the ship's third mate in fact- came in and apologised for how… scant the meal was." He looked at it; there was barely anything left. "And I've been informed that she's the one that reported back to the ship's doctor, hence why he's coming here."

"I refuse to-" Roxas began, but the door opened again. New visitors. Visitors that further shocked the aristocratic siblings.

A man and a woman. The man was tall, his brown hair teased into spikes. The woman was slender, blue hair short and falling around her face, framing it beautifully. Both owned clear blue eyes. The woman was a shock on her own; the second woman pirate on board. On top of that was her garb. She wore tall thigh-high boots, a loose billowing shirt that was corseted to her with black leather and off-white ribbons. Around her waist was two entwined light blue and white scarves, not even trying to cover the breeches that had been shorn so short that not even the tops of the boots could cover the revealed flesh of her milky thighs. The man in juxtaposition was more covered up in a strange pair of flowing trousers that Cloud mistook for a skirt, tough leather boots from what was able to be seen and a tightly fitted waistcoat. On both strangers there were long black bandages on their wrists. What made Cloud surprised was that both were wearing the crucified heart symbol of the Eraqus religion (named after the man that had long ago founded the religious sect away from the normal Ansem teachings, another wise man that had a religion named after him). The woman wore her symbol around her neck, tied by a black ribbon, while the man had his in the traditional 'around the chest, secured by two belts' fashion of the sect he belonged to.

The man's eyes looked over to Naminé, and he whispered quietly to the woman in Gardenian. The woman nodded and smiled at the young aristocratic girl. "Hello, I'm Aqua, the ship nurse," she greeted in perfect Bastionite. "I'll be just checking up on your general health. Captain's orders to make sure the guests are happy and healthy."

"Or to make sure his hostages aren't going to die on the way back to his filthy hole of hideout," Roxas spat hostilely. Cloud thumped him on the shoulder.

"I can assure you that you will be treated as guests unless you push the Captain's patience," the man spoke, keeping a very calm and even tone. His Bastionite was good, but slightly shaky. "The last time a guest tried his patience, said guest found himself doing all the swabbing for two weeks. And he had it lightly." That certainly forced Roxas to just scowl angrily at the man. Ventus had been silent the entire time, staring at the man. It was almost as if he was frozen in time. "Aqua, take the lady to the women's quarter and examine her. I'll examine the men here."

"Verstehen, Terra." Aqua went over to Naminé, put an arm around her and guided her gently towards the door. "Come on miss. Let's get you somewhere private so that I can have a proper understanding of what that corset is doing to you."

Roxas made to protest, but Cloud suddenly grabbed his shoulders and shook his head. No. They shouldn't make this any harder upon themselves. Guests, captives or whatever they were, they were at the mercy of these pirates. They could turn easily. He felt the man's –Terra's– eyes on him. "If you would kindly allow me to begin the examination," he said. To Cloud, the accent of the man was only faintly Gardenian. There was something else lacing his words. He moved first; Roxas and Ventus backed up.

"What do you intend to do?" Cloud asked carefully.

"I'll need you to remove your shirt. I'll be able to better assess you." Terra then muttered in some foreign language –not Gardenian. Did he turn pirate by force, or did he come willingly?

Leon was up at the crow's nest, watching over the Ragnarok's progress. Clear skies and miles of sea beckoned to him; to venture more. To see what was over the furthest horizon. However, he did yearn to be home now. Who knows how long he might have to be at sea while he had the Strifes on board, running away from multiple bodies of authority. Of course, he figured that he couldn't have been a more wanted man for all the wrong reasons even if he tried. The only thing protecting him from a hangman's noose was the fact that he did own an aristocratic title, and even then it wasn't certain. He could… at any point in time, his standing in the world could be rushed out from under his feet. Taking on this current task would make him a dead man walking if Hollow Bastion ever found out that not only did their prize ship sink, that the Ragnarok was responsible for it and for the capture of the four Strife siblings being shipped off as diplomatic gifts.

He'd be dead before he got to the gallows.

"Do you intend to keep our guests in the dark about their fates, Cap'n?"

Leon looked to the side, seeing that it was Kairi who had scaled the rigging and mainmast to talk to him. He looked back to the sea. "I'm not… good at this sort of thing. I don't know whether to let them continue to think they're captives or tell them that they actually are free to choose what they want to do… provided it's not return them to Hollow Bastion or take them to their intended new homes."

"I'd say you should watch out for one of those triplets then. The one with the angry scowl permanently on his face," Kairi warned, taking a seat and letting her legs dangle from between the posts of the crow's nest. "He looks like the type to continue the fight when it isn't necessary."

"What about the others?"

"Well, the girl's a perfect little doll if a little malnourished. Aqua's seeing to her; maybe we can get her to eat and look healthy. I think she's way too pale and sickly looking personally. Then there's the other twin; looks like a total mouse really but I think he's got that bit more understanding than the sourpuss one. Then the older boy… well, I'm not really sure what to make of him. Curious one, maybe. Then again, I think he's a little too… compliant."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Don't you think it's strange that someone who doesn't look scared at all is being compliant with us? I don't like it. It makes me feel nervous." Kairi then looked up at Leon. "It makes me worry that he's going to be the one to cause a mutiny."

And he didn't blame Kairi one bit for thinking that. The oldest blond had been too quiet. He hadn't even made an attempt to escape like his younger siblings had when they were first taken onto the Ragnarok. On the other hand, he had been the only one so far to venture out of the captain's cabin of his own free will.

He was an interesting one. Leon decided he was personally going to keep an eye out for him. "Kairi… I intend to put them to work eventually," Leon said softly. He watched as Kairi's vibrant lilac-blue eyes widened in surprise. "But I can't have them altogether. Just in case they do try to plot their escape together." He looked back to the sea. "I don't want to push the girl either if she's too frail. I want you to personally see to it that she gets plump. This ship doesn't need fragility on board."

"I'll make sure she gets healthy, but what are you going to do with the boys?"

"Terra's been pestering me for an extra pair of hands when it comes to injuries and illness," Leon murmured thoughtfully; he could put one of the younger boys with him. "And I suppose I should put the grumpy one in Axel's care; he'll probably tame that one if given time."

"And the other?" Kairi asked; her eyes already told Leon that Axel would more likely kill the grumpy one if his patience was tried too far.

"The eldest will be under my protection," Leon responded. "I might as well keep the most suspicious one close by so I can monitor him better."

"Be careful," Kairi murmured. "I don't want to find you with a knife in your chest one morning."

"Trust me. You won't. I'm not Rex Pirata for nothing."

The ship's doctor had seemed quite happy with the three Strifes, having murmured absently in Bastionite that they were all "in robust good health" by most standards. This was followed by the muttering in the strange language; Cloud strained to understand what Terra had meant as some of his words sounded familiar to him but his mind was unable to comprehend. "So what will you do with us now?" Cloud asked.

"I report to the Captain, he decides upon what to do with you all," Terra replied in absent-mindedness; he was too busy putting back his doctoring equipment into the box he had arrived with. "I'm sure you know this, but you are free to walk about topside if you wish. It's best to get some sun and sea air. Do not disturb the crew from their work. I also advise you to not get under Fraulein Kairi's or Herr Axel's feet. Both of them are hard taskmasters."

"…the red-haired pirate?"

"Aye. That's him," Terra said, closing his box. "Don't try his patience too far. He has little to no tolerance."

Cloud looked over to Roxas; if that red-haired pirate at the wheel had just as short a temper as his little brother, Cloud feared for Roxas' safety. There was no doubt in his mind that Roxas would go too far in antagonising the pirate. "What about the Captain?"

Terra looked over; he seemed surprised. "What of him?"

"I'd very much like to know the face and name of our captor. Not just his fancy title," Cloud frowned. "Unless his name really is Rex Pirata, which I heavily doubt."

"…you'll find out in his own damn time," Terra muttered, turning again. "If you excuse me, I have patients to attend to." He strode purposefully out.

Cloud hadn't realised that Ven's eyes hadn't left Terra's back, not until he was out of sight. Roxas was staring out of the window, a petulant look on his face. Cloud went over to the moody triplet. "Continue to frown and your face will stay like that," he warned.

"Oh so I should just smile and act like it's all sunshine and rainbows then?!" Roxas snapped. "We're prisoners here! I don't ever intend to cooperate for these… these… sea scum!"

"That's the worst insult you can think of?" Cloud asked; a solitary blond eyebrow rose.

"I'll think of far worse! Later!" Knowing that he had irritated the middle triplet, Cloud wasn't surprised that Roxas had stormed out of the cabin.

"I just hope he won't cause trouble," Cloud murmured. Out of the four of them, he worried for Roxas the most. He looked over to Ven; he seemed pensive about something. "Are you alright? I'm surprised you didn't try to stop him."

"…huh? Oh… well, I'm sure getting onto the deck will give him a chance to calm down," Ven said, but he sounded distant.

"Is something the matter?"

"No," Ven said quickly. He jumped from his spot and went over to the cabinet that held all of the Rex Pirata's books. "I-I don't feel like going on deck. Maybe you should go out and make sure Roxas doesn't get himself killed."

Cloud stared at him; Ven was acting very peculiarly all of a sudden.

With Roxas now probably pacing up and down like an angered tiger topside, Ven acting strangely and Naminé still not returned from wherever the women's quarters were, Cloud was afraid that the once tight family unit was starting to fall apart at the seams after only one night of captivity.

No… that isn't strictly true. We've been captives all of our lives. This third and sudden captivity is probably all too much for us.

Axel just stared at Leon with the most ferocious glare in his eyes. "No. Absolutely not."

Leon had known that Axel would be the hardest to convince of his plans. But if hearing reports from Kairi and listening in to Terra's muttering about how the middle triplet was such a nuisance to deal with was a hint to the grumpy blond's temper, Axel was the only one with an even shorter temper and a firmer hand who might be able to best him. That, and he couldn't deal with him and the older brother of the four. That would be a trial. "Axel. Please. You're the only other one I can trust with this."

"What about Baron von Smarty Pants?" Axel seethed; clearly Zexion had gotten up Axel's nose today too.

"I can't do that to Zexion either. He has to make sure we're still on course; a grumpy child should be the least of his problems." He looked at Axel, showing only the most trace amount of pleading in his eyes. Rex Pirata should never beg. Axel knew this. He grumbled darkly under his breath some oath.

"Fine… just stop lowering yourself in front of me. It makes me uncomfortable."

"Aussi stupide que mon frère!"

Axel and Leon barely flinched when they heard the screech of Bastionite, both turning to where, sure enough, the aforementioned grumpy child was angrily stalking along the topside. The crew members stopped their work for only a moment to see what the problem was, then they went back to their tasks with disinterest. Axel looked back to Leon. "You are kidding me, right?"

"Axel, you've probably got an even worse temper than he does and we don't know for sure if he can turn violent. You really are the only option."

"I'll end up killing him, you know. You willing to risk that?"

"Feel free to if you think it's necessary. Just make sure to make it look like suicide," Leon said. Axel knew that his long-time friend wasn't joking. Leon rarely joked. This was rewarded with a sigh from the first mate.

"Fine. Fine. I'll remember to put the pistol in his hand when it looks like he's shot himself up the jaw," Axel muttered, looking back to the short spitfire of a boy that was prowling about like a predator. He almost groaned in exasperation when he realised that the boy was about to knock over some of the swab buckets in his fury. "Looks like I'm going to have to save his neck now. He's walking straight into trouble." Axel strode away from Leon; the Rex Pirata only watched what happened next.

"That stupid brother of mine! That stupid, idiotic imbecile of a brother!" Roxas raged, irate that Cloud was suggesting that they should cooperate with their captors. Now, one would believe that Roxas had wanted to go straight home to Hollow Bastion but no…

Roxas had never responded well to be restrained. Even as a child, Roxas would try to finds a mean to escape his gilded home. Their father was kind, but strict and was determined to make "his little savages" civilised as he said one time when Roxas had managed to scare half the kitchen staff when he tried to hide himself in sacks meant to go out to the wool mill. He had stunk of sheep, and dirt and straggly bits of wool clung to him when he was discovered. This was in response to the schoolmaster brought out to educate the triplets.

And this engagement, Roxas had fought tooth and claw against it, but Vanitas would not hear of any of it. He would go to the Land of Dragons, and that was final.

Except Roxas was absolutely determined to escape the Land of Dragons. He did feel sorry for the poor bride that was going to be jilted by him, but he could not and would not agree to this farce. He had it all planned out; he would pretend to go along with it and then when no one was looking, he'd escape from his escort and find a new way of life. One where he set his own rules and not follow anyone else's.

Being captured by pirates twice over had not fitted into his plans at all! For this, he was seething. His foot collided with some poor pirate's swab bucket, spewing its contents all over the deck. Roxas couldn't care less.

"Hey!" the pirate yowled, looking at the young noble with anger. Roxas did not heed him. "Hey! Zurück kommt und sauber!" Roxas still ignored the pirate. And the pirate did not take kindly to it. Roxas yelped when his arm was yanked on and he found himself face to face with a tall, darkly-skinned man with welts patterned on his skin. Roxas should have been terrified, but he was not. He was too angry to be terrified.

"What?!" Roxas seethed, an irritated fire blazing in his sapphire eyes.

"Sauber dieses Unordnung!" the man yelled.

Roxas, for a moment, looked at the mess on the floor. He could only guess that the pirate was demanding him to clean up. "No!" Roxas shouted back.

"Wenig Hure!" the pirate screeched, his hand rose as if to hit the boy. Roxas closed his eyes, anticipating the hit.

It never came. But another voice had broken through. "Hände weg! Er ist meine Frau!" Roxas dared to open his eyes. The dark man's arm was being held tightly by the wrist by another man. Another tall one, but this one's hair was as red as fire and was styled into such fearsome spikes that it resembled a burning, raging flame. Roxas could see his eyes; bright emerald. Fire also within them.

"Ihre Frau?" the dark man asked quizzically.

"Ja. Meine Frau. Gibt es ein Problem mit, dass?"

"…Nein…" the man conceded, forcing his arm away from the red-haired pirate. Roxas had watched this whole conversation with confusion. What was going on? What did that man say?-! Now the red-haired one had turned his green eyes upon him, as did every other pirate who had their curiosity piqued. Roxas no longer cared, his rage beginning to return as his face flushed crimson.

"Es reinigen," the pirate said firmly, pointing to the mess of dirty water that was lying across the floorboards. Roxas' face went a deeper scarlet in anger. How dare this pirate order him about!

"No!" Roxas spat angrily, standing firm. He would not give in. He would not concede to pirates.

"Es gibt Probleme, wenn man das nicht tut," the pirate said in a warning tone.

"I will not clean up!" Roxas bellowed. "I will not be ordered about by petty thieves and sea scum!" The red-haired pirate just looked at him with a blank face, sighing wearily as he approached the young blond. Roxas took steps back, disliking intently how the man seemed to stalk him like a hunter. "Stay back! I warn you!" He blindly tried to reach for something to defend himself, his hand coming upon a brush. He yanked it from the pirate who had been holding it, and pointed the bristles threateningly at the red-haired one. He stopped… and much to Roxas' fury an amused smile appeared on his long features. It made the tear drop tattoos on the pirate's face crinkle with mirth under his eyes.

"So wollen sie mich bewaffnete Kampf nur mit einer Bürste?" the pirate chuckled. Then he whipped out a cutlass from his person. "Beleidigen Sie nicht mir, junge. Ich konnte sie töten rechts wo sie stehen wenn ich wollte."

If Roxas had any understanding of the threat given to him in the pirate's mother tongue, Roxas might have dropped his 'weapon' in order to save his skin. However, pure blind panic was preventing him from doing anything sensible. He started thrusting his broom madly at the pirate. The red-haired one just deftly dodged each blow with the grace of a cat, but he did not use his blade. Roxas finally made to slash downwards at the pirate and strike him with the wooden head of the brush… but he suddenly went still when he felt the cold tip of steel upon his jugular. The emerald eyes of the pirate were harsh and warning him to dare to defy him.

Roxas knew this man would kill him in an instant if he pushed him further. "Lass es sein," the pirate ordered, his voice low but not hiding the menace in his words. Roxas glared back but did not drop the brush, partially because he didn't understand, and partially because he was determined to be defiant. Clearly the pirate was unhappy with the blond's defiance.

Swifter than Roxas had a chance to respond, the red-haired pirate had suddenly struck him in the middle with a fist, causing the youngster to yelp in surprise and drop his weapon. Then he found himself struggling over the pirate's shoulder, screeching oaths and curses at the red-haired one. The pirate seemed unfazed, ignoring what sounded like jeers from his fellows as he walked straight below deck. Roxas fought even harder. "Let me go! Let me go!" he screeched at the pirate. The pirate was unmoved, kicking the door open for another room; this was another cabin. Roxas was now fighting with everything he had. "Let me go! You can't do this to me!"

"Oh shut up!" the pirate roared, speaking to him in Bastionite and momentarily stunning the blond. He barely had time to register that the pirate was sitting on the edge of the bed and had the young noble laid across his lap. Roxas yelped when he felt his breeches being pulled down unceremoniously, revealing the aristocratic derrière. "Schlechte Kinder erhalten verhauen für ihre Frechheit!" Swiftly and with terrifying power, Roxas screeched as a bare hand slapped against his buttocks again and again. Tears, tears that he had only last night vowed to never shed out of fear or pain, fell freely now but he would not… he could not cry in front of the pirate. Crying was a sign of weakness.

It must've only been brief but it had felt to him like an eternity when the pirate finally stopped and gave his poor arse some respite; however, the pirate rather angrily tossed him onto the bed, pinning him by straddling his waist and gripping the youth's wrists. Roxas looked up in terror as those green eyes sparked into angry flame. Their noses were close to touching each other as he spoke in Bastionite: "If you ever behave like that on my deck again, I'll cut your tongue out and then your balls and force you to eat them!"

"Your deck?!" Roxas screeched, his temper flaring again.

"Aye! My deck!" the pirate yelled. "I'm the bleeding first mate on this ship! And I've ended up having to make sure you don't get yourself killed, by the Captain's orders!" He looked infuriated that he had to look after the blond. "Mehr Sorge als seinen Wert," he muttered darkly under his breath. Green and blue did not break eye contact even for a second. "I'm warning you… next time you try something like that again, I'll let the crew do what they wish with you."

And Roxas did not doubt that the pirate would. He daren't move. The red-haired man moved away now, stretching out slightly before moving forwards. His body was relaxed, almost as if he hadn't lost his temper at all. "Stay here," he ordered.

"You can't tell me what to do," Roxas persisted. The pirate swivelled on his heels; that green fiery glare was upon him again. Roxas did not falter.

"I think you'll find that I can. So help me, if you do not heed me, you'll rue the day you defied Axel Brandt," the pirate -Axel- threatened. He then turned back to the door and slammed it shut. Roxas dashed off to go to it, but to his horror he heard the sound of a bolt being thumped into place.

He was trapped.

Leon had been pleasantly surprised by Terra's response to his plans for their guests. While in the middle of writing down his notes about the Strife girl as reported by Aqua, the Departurian looked up at the Rex Pirata and calmly said, "Oh? So I'm getting the eldest triplet? That's good. I didn't fancy the middle one." He then turned back to his notes.

"No remarks on the choice?" Leon pressed.

"No. The girl would have been a fine choice too but I think we'd see a rise in 'maladies' if she were to become a nurse on board. The middle triplet would have given me a headache and too much trouble. The eldest sibling is not someone I'd be happy to work with; seems too much of a cold fish. That leaves the oldest triplet. I think I could get him to help me down here in the practice." Terra finished his notes; he had prescribed an increase in dietary needs and enforced activity if the young lady refused to take walks up topside. "Besides, I need the extra help, not the trouble."

"Then you'll go fetch him?"

"When I've met with the young lady after she's suitably attired, yes," Terra replied, standing up. "So… am I to assume that the lady will be in Kairi's care, and the oldest in yours?"

"Nothing gets past you, does it?"

"No. Not really," Terra replied. Leon knew that Terra was probably the most mature of the three leading officers on board. He had suffered the most compared to the Brandt siblings, with scars that would mark him deeper than any tattoo. "You should show your face to him. I think he wants to know which face and name he should wish to see dangle from a noose." A wry smile appeared on the doctor's face.

"Saying that doesn't make me want to do it anymore," Leon grumbled; if anything, he'd rather just avoid his cabin altogether if that Strife brother was in there.

"He's a beauty," Terra remarked. Now this caught Leon's attention.

"What?" Leon might have had an aristocratic title, but a pirate never really changed his spots whether if he was a good pirate or a bad pirate. Anything that glistened or had value to it would be attractive and was prized when claimed. And Terra knew that. Why else would he say something like that to Leon?

He was smiling knowingly. "Well, let's just say that if Silver even took the time to look at him rather than send him sprawling across the floor when the boy spoke against him, that buffoon might have been a bit more careful." He put away his ink well and quill. "If that boy didn't have wealth and noble ancestry protecting him now, his looks might save him."

Cloud had missed Roxas being carried off by the pirate Axel, having tried to get some answers from his quieter brother Ven who had been insisting that he was alright. Now that he was back topside, his eyes searched for his missing brother and sister. Surely Naminé was not so sickly that the pirate nurse would insist on holding her for longer… right?

"Your clothes look like they could do with a wash."

Cloud jumped, looking to the side of him. Kairi was sitting along the railings nearest to the steps that climbed to the ship's quarterdeck. She seemed to be keeping an eye on the pirates that were busy making repairs to a sail. Cloud wasn't sure which sail it was, though he looked around to see if there were any missing. He looked back to Kairi. "It's all I've got though. I don't think our luggage was plundered."

"Probably was," Kairi replied nonchalantly. "Waste not, want not. I bet your luggage had a few gemstones that could feed a family for a year." Cloud looked at the girl pirate with a quizzical look. He was surprised that she had used the word 'family' instead of 'crew' in that sentence. She continued, "Besides, we plundered the food store, checked the treasury and took you four. I think that'd be pretty poor of us to not think of luggage too since you were travelling." She suddenly screeched at one of the pirates in Gardenian, "Sein Sie vorsichtig mit dem! Segel Tücher sind nicht billig!" The pirate that had been yelled at grumbled but was now more careful with his stitching. Kairi turned back to Cloud. "'Pologies. Sail cloth isn't cheap, so if it isn't repaired correctly, we're one short of a flying jib."

"A what?"

"One of the triangular sails at the bowsprit," Kairi said. "So you haven't met the Captain?"

"He hasn't made an appearance," he responded. He still wondered what the captain looked like. He had been certain that it was probably an old sea dog, but now he was certain on two facts.

One: the captain had all of his limbs, was an incredible shot with a gun and seemed to have youth on his side. So not an old sea dog with a hook for a hand and pet parrot or monkey as expected.

Two: his dark colouration had made it impossible to make out a face. So for all Cloud knew… there would probably be a lot of scars and an eye patch. And he probably didn't have all of his teeth.

"You'll probably see him soon," Kairi stated. "He's just making arrangements for your siblings."

"Arrangements?" Cloud questioned.

"Where they'll stay. We can't give you separate cabins, so you'll have to share with the officers." She leaned back. "Unless you're the lady, who's sharing with me and Aqua."

"Then what about my brothers?"

"Well, Mr. Grumpy has already been carried off by the first mate," Kairi said calmly. Cloud went stiff at that, his eyes demanding. "To be honest, Axel pretty much saved him from getting thrown overboard by the crew. Then I know that-" She stopped and waved to somebody. Cloud followed the girl's line of sight; it was the ship doctor. He smiled back and nodded his head respectfully before going towards the captain's cabin. Cloud made to go back, but Kairi's hand was on his arm; her grip was very strong. He could feel how rough her hands were from hard work and sea brine. "Ven will be fine. If there was ever a man that could pass himself off as a gentleman in a pirate crew, it's Terra."

"And what of me?" Cloud demanded. "Why should I agree to this?!"

"…Your Grace," she started carefully. "We don't intend to harm any of you."

"To ransom us you do intend though!" Cloud was beginning to forget his 'heart of stone' plan. If anything though, Cloud was so scared of not being able to keep his siblings close and safe. They were what was keeping him sane through this whole situation.

"…no. We do not," she whispered softly.

"Then what do you intend to do to me then?!"

"…I'm afraid that's for the Captain to tell you and not me." She then looked away, over Cloud's shoulder. Cloud looked back.

He had expected Ven to be carried off like some screeching woman who had been wretched from her home by marauders. He had expected Ven to be fighting back his new captor. Instead, his eyes widened, almost in horror, at the scene before him.

Ven was willingly following the pirate doctor, head held high and eyes full of curiosity as he kept his gaze fixed on the man's back. Ven was leaving him.

They all were leaving him.

It was almost dark when Leon finally decided to go into his cabin, having heard an earful from an irate Axel; apparently the first mate had decided that the middle triplet would only be awarded his belongings when he started behaving, including the end of biting, kicking and screaming. After that, freedom outside the officer's cabin would be next awarded for good behaviour.

It seemed that it would be a long time till the middle triplet would begin to behave himself.

He looked at the double doors; according to Kairi, Zexion and Demyx the oldest Strife sibling had retreated to the captain's cabin after the oldest twin had been taken away, and learning that he would be separated had caused him to become distressed. Leon hadn't really wanted to cause distress… but he supposed there was no avoiding it. He took a deep breath… and opened the door.

Cloud looked from his spot by the window, trying to keep a strong front as he prepared himself mentally to face the mysterious and infamous Rex Pirata. Ready to face the horrible teeth, eye patch and scarred face. But…

It was the biggest surprise of the day to see the true face of Rex Pirata.

He couldn't have been much older than him. Maybe two years at most. Maybe three. His breeches were black and held tight to his thighs, long leather black boots covering his calves. His shirt may have once been white but the salt air, hard work and gunpowder had stained it cream, and it was hanging open to reveal an expanse of bronze chest. Cloud had half expected a tricorn hat with exotic plumage seated upon his head but no… all Cloud could see was dark mahogany hair.

And two eyes!

The pirate bowed slightly to him. "Guten Abend," the pirate greeted. Cloud feared that this might only be an act; be nice now, be cruel later. Pirates were all the same after all. The pirate stood straight again. "I hope that my cabin suits your tastes," he said calmly in Bastionite.

Oh lord… Leon had thought when he finally laid eyes on the oldest of their guests. Terra had been right when he said he was a beauty. In the dying sunlight, the youth's hair shone like liquid gold, his skin was white as porcelain and his eyes… they were so deep and blue. Just like twin sapphires. Those eyes right now were filled with cold fire; steely determination, passionate fire to defy where possible. "Bon soir," the young man said, his voice shaking with fearful fury.

He was doomed.

"…your cabin was fine, until you arrived," Cloud spat harshly. This was the man that had enforced a separation of his siblings. This was the man that had kidnapped them, no matter how much he tried to disguise it as rescue.

The man raised a dark eyebrow in response. The scar slashing from above his right eye in a downward slash to under his left eye arched with him, the straight line curving ever so slightly. He moved towards him; Cloud tried to push himself back against the glass of the window.

"Then I apologise, Your Grace, but I have no intention of leaving my cabin tonight, or indeed leaving it only to you." Cloud could see that his eyes were a strange colour; light blue, and yet they seemed to shine silver in the sunset. "So you will have to deal with my presence for a good long while, Lord Strife. You aren't the one barking the orders. Especially not to me." He slammed a hand against the windows, the skin of his arm brushing past his hair. Cloud flinched; inwardly he scolded himself for showing a smidgeon of fear. He was going to get hurt… he knew it.

Then he pulled away, stretching his back and arms. The pirate didn't appear to be too bothered about what he had done. Cloud's eyes just glared at that back. I hate him. The pirate started to undress, and Cloud begin to fear the worst. "What on earth are you doing?!" he screeched. Oh no… this pirate was a fan of Olympian love! He was going to get raped!

"Undressing for bed," the pirate said coolly. "I suggest you do the same."

"I don't have night clothes!"

"There is a coverlet," the pirate answered swiftly. "I don't understand the problem. We're both men."

"Two men sharing a bed is problem!" Cloud protested. "It's disgusting!"

The Rex Pirata raised an eyebrow; his blue-silver eyes were utterly unfazed by the blond's outburst. "Well, you have two options Lord Strife. Either you buck up and we share the bed, or you continue to cry like a fishwife and sleep on the floorboards. Your choice."

"I refuse to-"

"Then enjoy your night on my floorboards. I'm sure they're comfortable." He went to his bed, his bronze form naked and his clothes thrown over the back of a chair. Cloud dared not to stare, instead looking for a good place to sleep.

There were no carpets in the room, and most open spaces in the cabin had some sort of object that Cloud could bump into during the night. And there was also the case of the fact there was nothing to keep the cold sea air away from him in the night… He looked over to the brunet. The pirate king's eyes were on him, his face still but his eyes looking victorious. He knew that he had won this battle. Furious, Cloud kicked his shoes off and stormed over to the bed, laying on his side next to the Rex Pirata but kept his back firmly to him. He heard the pirate softly laugh. "Not so disgusting now when you have little choice, hmm?"

"Conceited oaf," Cloud growled.

"No," the pirate whispered; Cloud felt a smile near his ear. "It's Leon."