Thanks for reading, everyone! All three ficlets are separate one-shots for now, so this one is a little different. I wouldn't exactly call it realistic, but I hope it makes you smile when you read. Thank you, beatrixacs, for encouraging me to finish writing it!
Stowaway
"Your Majesty, I come forth today to inform you that Captain Rabb and the King's Royal Navy will set sail from port this afternoon. It will take them four days and four nights to reach Georgetown where they will offer gold and supplies in return for surrender of the territory."
The king stroked his chin thoughtfully as he listened to Admiral Chegwidden, his most trusted advisor, relay the latest battle plan. "And you believe the captain will be able to complete this mission successfully?"
"Captain Rabb is a highly skilled negotiator," the admiral assured him. "And with Georgetown's economy in its current state, I don't see how they can possibly refuse. But if they do, the captain is fully prepared to take them by force."
"Very well," the king agreed. He waved his hand dismissively. "Carry on."
Turning sharply on his heel, Admiral Chegwidden strode out of the castle's great hall, bowing respectfully as the fair princess Sarah entered the corridor.
"The Royal Navy?" she asked excitedly. "Oh, Father, please may I go to the port this afternoon to watch the ship set sail?"
King Joseph glared at his daughter disapprovingly. "No, you may not. I believe you have lessons to finish this afternoon with Lady Harriet. And extra reading for sneaking out of the castle the other day. Do not make me add eavesdropping to your latest list of offenses."
Sarah's beautiful face scrunched up in a scowl. "But Father—"
"No more excuses, Sarah." The king cut her off sharply. "I don't want to hear them anymore. Harriet!"
"Yes, Your Majesty?" Lady Harriet hurried into the room, her blond locks bouncing as she offered a graceful curtsy in front of her king.
"I believe you and the princess have lessons to finish today, do you not?" Joseph addressed the question to Harriet, but his stern gaze was directed at his daughter.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Harriet replied. "We have two new chapters of royal law to review."
"See to it that Sarah completes both chapters this afternoon."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
"Very good then. Lady Harriet, I entrust the princess to you for the remainder of the day, and I shall make my way to the kitchen to sample some of this season's finest strawberry cordial."
As the king proceeded down the hall, muttering that it would take much more than one drink to ease the stress of dealing with his rebellious daughter, Sarah let out an unladylike growl of frustration.
"Princess?" Harriet asked worriedly.
"Oh, Harriet," Sarah sighed. "The Royal Navy is setting sail this afternoon, and my father keeps me locked in this castle like it's a prison cell."
"Princess, it's your father's wish that you finish your lessons today," Harriet said reasonably.
Sarah's eyes flashed with anger. "No, my father's only wish is that someone else pours the cordial before he gets there."
With a heavy sigh, she sank down on the edge of one of the castle's elegant bay windows and rested her chin on her hand. "Harriet, the King's Royal Navy sails the fastest, most beautiful ship in the fleet, and the port market is filled with such delicious food and pretty things."
"It does sound nice," Harriet conceded.
Sarah raised an eyebrow and a slow smile started to spread over her face.
"Oh, princess, I didn't mean—"
Harriet backed away uneasily as she saw a mischievous sparkle light up in the princess's eyes.
"Oh, princess, no...we can't...oh, no..."
"Princess, we really shouldn't be here," Harriet whispered under her breath.
"Oh, Harriet, where's your sense of adventure?" Sarah chided with a smile. "And don't call me princess. For now, I'm just Sarah."
Sarah's face was partially hidden by the long, hooded brown cloak she wore, concealing her royal identity, but it didn't stop her from watching the scene before her in wonder, taking in all of the delightful sights and sounds and smells of the city port.
The market was filled with commotion that afternoon, with large crowds of people strolling through the little shops lining the streets, the aroma of sweet baked goods filling the air and the merchants bartering over prices for tools, toys, fabrics, and other trinkets.
And on the dock, the massive ship of the King's Royal Navy floated regally on the water. Her deck was also filled with activity, some of her crew scrambling to patch the sails and make repairs while other men hauled huge crates of cargo onto the ship, restocking food, clothing, and ammunition.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Sarah exclaimed as she and Harriet made their way across the dock alongside the ship. They were nearly close enough to reach out and touch the smooth wooden hull. "Can't you just imagine all of the adventure to be found sailing on the high seas?"
Harriet laughed a little nervously. "Princess—uh, Sarah, I really think we've had enough adventure for one day—"
"Roberts! Cut the tethers!"
"Aye, sir!"
Sarah and Harriet let out a gasp as one of the sailors swung off the side of the ship and landed in a rather clumsy heap beside them, grabbing hold of the ropes that tethered the ship to the dock in order to steady himself.
"Excuse me, ma'am," the young sailor apologized. "I just need to cut the tethers—ohhh."
The sailor was rendered speechless as his eyes fell upon Harriet and his cheeks turned bright red.
Sarah covered her mouth to smother a giggle as she noticed Harriet's cheeks also turning a similar shade of crimson.
"Harriet," she hissed, elbowing her friend. "Say something."
"Um, it's nice to meet you, sir," Harriet managed to spit out. "May I know your name?"
"Uh…my name?" he stuttered. "My name is…uh, Roberts. But you can call me Bud," he added with a shy grin.
There was a long silence as Bud and Harriet both stared awkwardly at the ground, neither knowing what to say next. Bud fidgeted with his hands as Harriet twirled a lock of her hair, and they both looked up at the same time and blushed furiously as their eyes met.
"Bud! You plan to sail this ship while she's still tied to the dock?"
Bud blinked owlishly as his captain's voice suddenly brought him back to the task at hand. When he glanced up on deck, the captain was giving him a hard glare, but there was also a hint of a playful smirk on his lips.
"No, sir," Bud replied, saluting his captain smartly.
"Your captain is displeased with you?" Sarah asked.
"Oh, no, ma'am," Bud replied, drawing a knife from his belt and slicing smoothly through the tethering ropes. "Captain Rabb might be firm in his command, but he's fair and kind to his crew, and all of his men consider it an honor to sail with him."
Sarah's gaze followed the captain admiringly as he strode across the deck. He was tall, dark, and strikingly handsome, resplendent in his white naval uniform with gold insignias and a silver sword sheathed in the scabbard at his side. But from as far away as the dock below, Sarah could see a heartbreaking sorrow in his eyes as he stared out over the open water.
"He looks so sad," she observed quietly.
"He often stands on the deck looking out over the horizon like that," Bud explained. "It's almost like he's looking for something."
"Or someone?" Sarah asked curiously.
Bud shrugged. "Some of the sailors say he's looking for his father who was lost at sea when he was just a boy, but no one actually knows if it's true or not."
"Anchors aweigh!"
The old Navy cheer suddenly rang out across the port, and it seemed to spur Bud back into action again.
"Duty calls," he proclaimed, swiftly untying the last set of knots. Then he blushed again. "It was…uh, very nice to meet you, Harriet. I hope I'll see you again soon."
Harriet smiled as Bud pressed a hesitant kiss to the back of her hand. "Maybe you will, sailor," she said softly.
While Harriet couldn't take her eyes off Bud as he made his way back to the ship, Sarah's gaze was once again drawn to the handsome captain who stood alone at the bow. He cast a long, lingering glance over the horizon and then turned away to attend to his ship and his crew, the devotion to his duty overriding whatever pain he was burying deep inside his heart.
"Let's go home, princess," Harriet suggested.
"You go on ahead," Sarah insisted. "I just want to watch them set sail."
"Sarah—"
"Go on, Harriet. I'll be right behind you."
"Are you sure it's just the ship you want to catch one last glimpse of?" Harriet teased.
She chuckled to herself as she couldn't resist thinking about the handsome sailor she had just met and also teasing the princess a little bit about the way she looked at the captain.
But Harriet had only taken a few steps off the dock when her merriment was replaced by a cold chill that suddenly raced up the back of her spine.
"Sarah?"
The sinking fear that the princess was no longer behind her made Harriet instantly freeze and turn back towards the ship, only to confirm that the princess had vanished from sight.
Harriet swallowed hard. "Sarah?"
A growing number of people had gathered around the dock to bid the ship farewell, and Harriet desperately scanned the area for any sign of the princess in the crowd.
"Sarah?"
But there was no reply.
"Excuse me. Pardon me. Oh, I'm sorry—"
Now stricken with panic, Harriet hurried through the port, her heart pounding hard as she jostled people out of her way, only to be rudely shoved backwards as the crowd squeezed in to watch the crew raise the gangplank from the dock.
Harriet paused to catch her breath, stretching on her tiptoes to see as far as she possibly could.
"Sarah?" she called again frantically.
And then out of the corner of her eye, Harriet caught the mere shadow of a long brown cloak disappearing onto the deck of the ship.
Harriet couldn't stop her exclamation. "Princess!" she shrieked.
But her voice was completely lost in the loud cheer of the crowd as the crew secured the gangplank, the heavy chains hoisted the anchor from the water, the sails unfurled in the breeze, and the wind and the waves pushed the mighty ship out to sea — on its way into wide open waters with the royal princess on board.