It's been a long time. But even though Rob and I broke up, I have a need to finish this, at least a little bit. I love this story. Thank you for reading.

Atara groggily batted at the buzzing noise that was insisting upon waking her from her sleep. Why wouldn't the buzzing stop? It couldn't be more than seven in the morning the day after a ball...Let her sleep! Her hand hit something but it didn't stop. She pried her eyes open to yell at her chambermaid...but it wasn't her chamber. The walls were dark, hers were coated in gold. There were no windows, but there was a small round thing that had fish and water in it attached to the wall. A port-hole perhaps. She slowly sat up on the damask bedding of deep green and shakily peeled the sheets off of her frame.

She stepped out of the bed, still in the golden gown that she had been wearing...when those guards betrayed her! Her blood boiled. How dare they? She saw no more of her surroundings, her attention focused solely on the door. She had been kidnapped or stolen or whatever the term was and she would not allow it. She was an Empress, not some princess to be held for ransom! She marched over to the door (solid oak or pine, she didn't care) and yanked on the brass doorknob. It didn't budge. She yanked again, harder. Nothing.

She spun away and paced fumingly. She was locked in this room like a criminal! She hated him! That guard with the scar and red hair...he did this. He organized it...She remembered now! He had been in her private corridors, the day before the ball...It was he! She grabbed the nearest thing and threw it against the wall. Well, he'd see soon that she wouldn't stand for this!

Aridian sucked the last few drops from the bottom of his bottle of rum and smacked his lips contentedly. Hidden in their secret caves, far away from the Empress's kingdom, deep in the mountains, he felt safe. Would he prefer to be out on open sea, with the breeze at his back and the sun on his face? Hell yes. But at least, there was rum here. And of a good quality and stock. It'd last him maybe a week if he was careful. Just five bottles a day, six a night. That should work out well. He grinned as he grabbed the second bottle on hand and deftly popped the cork.

"This is the life!" He beamed at Dustin who was buried in charts and maps and formulas. "Come, my friend. Have a drink!"

"You know I never drink." Dustin responded, his fingers following the trail that the Royal Search Party were most likely to take. "I have to cast a few more enchantments about the mouth of the paths coming into the mountains."

"Ah, a good rainstorm should make the tracks wash away." Aridian said dismissively, swigging the wonderful brew. "Ah! What fine rum. I haven't had any this fine in months."

"Right, when we were off the coast near that community famous for the apples."

"Yes, Pittington." Aridian grinned, remembering the rum and the ample-breasted blonde who had served him both drinks and pleasure. "What a wonderful town."

Dustin managed to keep from rolling his eyes as he gathered the supplies he needed for his enchantments. "Yes, it was."

"Can we go back there?"

"No, Captain. Don't you remember the mob?"

"...Oh, yes." Aridian shrugged, then downed the rest of his rum. The warmth of the drink spread through his stomach and he grinned. "Ah, Daphene. She really was the greatest lass."

"You mean she had the greatest ass."

"What was that, Dustin?"

"I said, Captain, she really was the best lass."

"That's what I thought you said."

That's when Artanen chose to come into the sitting area, biting his lower lip worriedly. "Captain?"

"What, what, oh servant of Jehovah?" Aridian rolled his eyes, waving the bottle at him. "If this is about my 'eternal soul' again-"

"No, sir. It's the captive."

Aridian looked at him. "Well?"

"She's awake. And throwing things."

Aridian grinned. "Fiesty, eh? Well, I'll tame that out of her soon enough." He stood, drained the rest of the rum and grabbed his finest coat from the back of his chair. Sliding it on, he gave a roguish grin to Artanen. "How do I look?"

"You should cut your hair."

Aridian frowned at him. "And destroy these golden glory locks? Never!" He flicked his curly ponytail impudently and straightened his cuffs. "I'm ready to meet this tigress. Lead on, Artanen."

Atara heard footsteps in the corridor behind that dratted door. She quickly straightened her hair as best she could and sat in the chair that she had arranged to face to the door. She assumed her haughtiest look and waited. The footsteps paused outside her door and the lock rattled in the lock. She lifted her chin a little higher as the door swung open.

"Good morning." The red-haired man said pleasantly as he strode in. She glared. She admit, she was a bit taken off guard by his attire.

"You have some nerve greeting me in such a manner." She huffed.

He swept the fancy hat from his head as he bowed low to the Empress. "An excellent morning, to you, your most glorious Majesty." He laughed as he stood back up, the hat plopping back down on his long hair. "Or whatever."

"You peasant!" She snarled. "You will release me at once. I am not a mere Princess to be trifled with!"

"Oh, we know that." The man smiled as he pulled a chair up across from her and spun it about so that he could easily straddle it. "We know exactly who you are, Empress Atara of the Highest Stars."

She drew her shoulders more square. "Then you will release me! My council will not stand for this. And they will pay no ransom, I can promise you!"

"Strict orders by yours truly, I assume." He had the NERVE to pull a rum bottle out of a deep pocket of his velvet coat. He pulled the cork out with his teeth and spat it back into his pocket. "No worries, we aren't after a ransom."

"Then why have you stolen me away from my kingdom and imprisoned me?" She demanded.

"Simple." He took a swig of rum. "You're a spoilt brat." She must have looked like she had just been slapped for he continued. "Yes, you are a spoilt, glittering brat who cannot control her people anymore than she can control her temper tantrums."

"You filthy degenerate harpscord-!"

"Ah, ah, ah, your Highness. Language."

"You will release me now!"

He dodged the book thrown at his head with ease. "No, I will not. You need to learn how to rule properly."

She laughed scornfully. "And I suppose you're the one to teach me!"

He shook his head, sipping from the rum again. She wrinkled her nostrils at the smell of alcohol that bit at her nose. "No, not me."

"Then I guess one of your many friends that hate me." She said sarcastically, throwing up her hands.

"No, not one of them."

"Who then?"

He pointed the bottle straight at her. "You."

"Me?" She started laughing. Hysterically.

He shrugged, getting up. "You may laugh your Highness, but it's you and you alone that can learn and teach yourself to become a better leader and Empress, as you so call yourself. Lunch will be in a half hour."

With that, in the middle of her hysteric laughing fit, he left the room and locked it behind him. She realized what had happened just seconds too late. She ran to the door, pounding on it with her fists until they were numb.

"LET ME OUT!"

Aridian stroked his fine beard as he walked away, listening to the relentless beating of the door. "She's going to have to listen eventually."

"Nice bit with the lunch line, sir." Artanen said with a smile.

"What are you talking about?" Aridian asked, giving him a look. "Lunch will be served for her and I in a half hour." He gave Artanen a devilishly rougish smile. "Savvy?"

"Aye sir!" Artanen replied sharply before rushing off towards the kitchen of the caverns. Aridian laughed as he strode down his halls to his crew waiting for him in the common room.

"Gentlemen!" He grinned upon entering. "Her Esteemed Majesty has awoken!"

"And probably still a brat!" Candy laughed, sucking on a pickled pig's foot.

"As ever."

Barraolplyn shrugged, sipping from his glass of deep red wine. "She is still but a child." He said in his quiet tones. "Do not be too harsh upon her."

"I'll be as harsh or as gentle as she is." Aridian said with a shrug. "Just so the ground's even."

Atara looked up from her arms as the door opened again, but this time a woman entered. A woman carrying a sack.

"Oh, God, please! Help me!" She cried, rising from the bed upon which she had been weeping. "Help me!"

"I will help you." said the woman, setting down the sack and locking the door again. "Get out of that dress."

The Empress clung the golden threads to her. "No! It's mine!"

The woman sighed. "I know that, child. I just want to have it cleaned from the dirt of travel."

"But then what will I wear?" Atara shrieked. "He'll be coming back!"

The woman shook her head and pulled a dress from the sack. "This. You'll be putting this on."

Atara shook her head furiously. "Never! It's filthy peasant garb!"

The woman sighed heavily and cracked her knuckles. Atara felt nothing but whirling hands and was spun so fast that she couldn't catch her breath. All she knew was that suddenly she was in her undergarments and the woman was leaving with her golden dress, leaving the burgandy peasant dress behind. She cursed after the woman and the locked door. She sat shivering in her undergarments for a few moments before picking up the dress. She spread it in her hands and looked it over. It really wasn't too bad...the seams were well sewn, the fabric wasn't too coarse. And it was a nice burgandy color, it would match her hair well.

She bit her tounge angrily and put it on. Anything was better than letting that red-haired soldier see her in her corset and stockings. It was hardly appropriate. Then again, nothing was normal in this situation. But she was better than them and she'd show that with her higher breeding. Let the red-haired man come. She wasn't afraid.