Author's note: Adam's point of view

"We've lost them Captain," said the first mate.

"How can they be going faster than us?" I demanded.

"Patience Prince Adam. The pirates are known for their speed. But we will catch them. Just you wait. Now then, let's see where they are headed shall we?" asked Captain Larken.

I used the tracker and new coordinates appeared on the slip of paper.

"They've changed route. We're so close," said Larken.

I looked down at the coordinates and looked out at sea. I only hoped that Belle was doing ok. I couldn't bear it if any of those disgusting pirates had hurt her in any way.

"It's been nine days since I have seen my wife. How much longer until we get them?" I asked.

Captain Larken looked at me and sighed, "Prince Adam, might I have a word with you in my office?"

I nodded. We walked into his quarters and Larken opened a small chest and took out a cigar.

"Would you like one?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Your highness, I used to have a wife. She was beautiful, everything I could ever want in a wife. But one day, she was killed by pirates. So trust me when I say I know what you're going through," he said and lit his cigar. "You have to trust me Adam. I have been hunting pirates since my wife was killed which was ten years ago. I haven't lost a ship yet. And I don't intend to."

I nodded.

"They are headed toward Madagascar right now. I am prepared to raise a fake pirate flag. It will send the message that we are not their enemies. Then, once we get close enough, we'll get them," said the Captain and he smashed his cigar into an ash tray.

Author's note: Back to Belle

The next day, I was reading the book that William had gotten me in the Crow's nest. I also had the elephant with me. I took it everywhere. I tried to figure it out all day yesterday. But it didn't make any sense. I couldn't figure it out.

So today, I figured I could take a small break and read the book that William had gotten me. It was very interesting so far. It was about a boy who had found a genie lamp and wished for wealth for his family and an elephant. But he saved the last wish for a different day.

The boy and his elephant were very close. He kept the elephant in a dark and cool place so that the Sun wouldn't harm the elephant. But one day his elephant had grown sick. The boy took the elephant out of his dark stable and into the sunlight. And the elephant healed quickly.

The elephant's friend and enemy is the Sun. He must love and hate it both in order to survive. I put the book down and looked down at the gold elephant.

The sun was bright and hot today. So I picked up the gold elephant and held it up in the sun. Suddenly when I looked down, I could see the tiny holes and the gems forming a pattern. I gasped and quickly jumped up.

I slipped my book in my belt and climbed out of the crow's nest and onto the rope ladder. I quickly climbed down with the golden elephant under my arm. Once I was at the deck, I hopped down and almost ran in to William.

"Whoa, easy there speedy. What's the hurry?" he asked.

"Where's your father? I've figured out the map!" I said.

I saw William's smile falter then he turned and the Captain was walking out of his quarters.

I smiled and walked over to him.

"Captain Higgins, I've figured it out," I said.

"Well, that was fast," said the captain.

"I need a map," I said. "And a table, out here on the deck."

The Captain raised an eyebrow but nodded. A few of the crew members brought out a table with a map.

I looked up at the sun and raised the golden elephant so that it was angled over the map. The sun did its work and the dots and the gems formed a map.

The Captain looked closely and ran his finger over the lighted reflections. "I suspect that the treasure is where the gems are. But, which gem?"

I looked at the ruby reflection and the sapphire and the emerald. I looked up at the golden elephant. There was a diamond but it didn't show up on the map.

"William, will you hold this?" I asked.

William took the elephant from me and I looked at the diamond. I took out my sword and put the tip of the blade to the diamond and the end was on the map. We all looked down at the map. It was placed on Madagascar.

"I think this is it. It's the only one not that far from India," I said.

"We just passed Madagascar Capn'," said the first mate.

"Then let's turn around," said the Captain. He turned to me. "Good work mi dear."

I smiled and sheathed my sword. I took the elephant back from William and handed it to the Captain. He took it and made sure that the rest of the crew knew about the change of course.

I was so much closer to getting home.

"Belle," said William.

"Yes?" I asked and turned to him.

"I…I don't want you to leave," he said.

"William, I have to. We already talked about this remember?" I asked.

"Yes, but you're the first girl that has shared the same interests that I do," he said. "I love the way you light up when you talk about books and other things that interest you." He took my hands and stared deeply into my eyes. "Please, stay with me. This adventure will be better than the one at your castle."

I stared at William. I felt a pang in my heart. William and I had gotten so close. But I didn't think of him as anything else but my friend. I was in love and married to Adam, and I always would be.

"I'm sorry William," I said and pulled my hands out of his and ran to my room. I sat on the bed and held my hand to my heart. I just wanted to be back home. I wanted to be in Adam's arms again. I was almost there. We just needed to find the special treasure and then I was free.

The next morning, the Captain and I had another sword battle. He decided to hold nothing back and it showed. I struggled a bit and gave him everything I had. He knocked me to the ground and I kicked his knee. He fell back and I got up and raised his hands.

"Alright, truce," he said. "Ye gave mi knee a good beatin'."

"Oh, I'm sorry, do you want me to look at it?" I asked.

"No, ye did well Princess," said the Captain and he sat down on the step and sheathed his sword. "Listen, Belle, the crew and I were thinkin' that maybe ye wanted to stay. Ye could be part of mi crew."

I sighed and sheathed my sword. "Captain Higgins, I belong in France with my family."

"I understand," said the Captain with a smile. "Also, I wanted to give ye this." He handed me a red ribbon with two holes cut out in the middle of it. "It's fer yar protection. No one will know who ye are that way no one'll get any ideas about kidnappin' ye again."

I smiled and thanked him.

"Oh and one more thing," he said and one of the crew member handed him a pirate hat with a feather sticking out of it. "This is to remember us by." He put the hat on my head.

I smiled and suddenly felt a rain drop hit my hand. I looked up and saw gray clouds fill the sky.

"Looks like a small rain storm. Shouldn't slow us down," said the Captain.

"Land ho!" yelled the pirate from the crow's nest.

The Captain and I rushed to the front of the ship. I could see Madagascar. It was so close.

"We'll get there in a few hours," said the Captain. "We row to shore once we drop anchor!"

The crew all cheered. Then the rain started to pour down on us. I actually enjoyed the feeling of the rain. The sun had been so hot and the rain was like a huge wave of relief. That and I hadn't bathed for nearly ten days. I ran my hand across my cheek. Mud was on my hand. I knew that I had grown dirtier but not this dirty. I wondered what I even looked like. I hadn't seen a mirror in a long time.

I walked into the Captain's quarters and found a mirror. I looked at myself. I actually wasn't as bad as I thought. My hair wasn't too knotted. I had a brush to thank for that. My face had only a few smudges of dirt on it. I wiped it off with my sleeve and soon I looked almost like I did before. But there was something about my face that was different. No, it was my eyes. They looked…fierier. They looked like they craved for adventure.

I looked down at the red ribbon and tied it around my eyes. Then I fixed the pirate hat so that it looked straighter. Then I looked at myself. I smiled. I didn't even look like myself. I looked like a pirate.

"It suits you," said a voice.

I looked up and saw William standing a few steps away from me.

"Listen Belle, I-I'm sorry. I know that this isn't what you really, truly want. I know that you belong with Prince Adam and in your castle. And I'm sorry I just…ambushed you like that," said William.

"It's all right William," I said.

"Thank you," he replied. "Can we just go back to the way things were before? I want to enjoy whatever time I have left with you as friends."

I smiled and nodded, "I would like that very much."

"I'm actually serious about the look. You should keep the ribbon on. It makes you look more…mysterious," said William and he laughed.

I laughed too and nodded.

"We haven't given you a pirate name have we?" he asked.

"You don't have a pirate name," I said and laughed.

"Sure I do, it's Chip," he said.

"Wait what?" I asked wondering if I had heard right.

"Chip, as in Chip of the ol' block," said William.

I looked down.

"What's wrong?" asked William.

"I have a friend named Chip. I lost him in England. I only hope he's okay," I said.

William walked up to me and rested his hand on my shoulder. "I think I have a good pirate name for you. Mysterious beauty," he said and lifted my chin. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

I smiled. "I like it."