So I couldn't update on Monday, but I'm not that late anymore, after all, it's only Tuesday! :D

And I just wanted to answer a Guest review: I totally agree with you! Morality is relative, and it can change over time, space and culture! And, yes! You're totally right! Dipper and Mabel's case in this fic is "superfecundation". It's cool to know at least someone searched for it and learned something from my fic! Though in this fic, they can't prove it since there's no DNA test... But yes, she's King Albert's daughter and he's Roderick's son. BT

Chapter 24

Problems Ahead

"So my dad really said that?" Dipper asked, "Because to me he only said it was impossible…"

"He did. And it was probably because you were the first to talk to him about it. He just needs some time to get used to us." Mabel explained, happy and vibrant, as always.

At the moment, both were at the market by Melody's request; she needed some ingredients to finish preparing lunch and later dinner. They parted soon after Dipper got home, by then, Mabel and Roderick had just finished talking with each other. Dipper only had time to change his clothes to a peasant-like to keep a low profile.

The people in Salus City was actually somewhat used in having pirates around, after all, Roderick had always gone there through the years Dipper grown with his whole crew. Since they never raided or done any harm to no one in the city, the people there started recognizing them from afar and not be too afraid of them.

It wasn't a very big city, but it wasn't so small for everyone to know each other, and so Dipper could walk around the city without being pointed as a pirate, but since he grew up there, indeed some people knew him, especially the sellers of the places he went more often, aside from the people that already knew him from when he was young.

As they walked down the street market, he politely greeted the sellers he used to be gentle with and have small talks every time he used to go there. They greeted back before going back to their business.

"No, that's more to it than that."

"What do you mean?"

"He clearly likes you better. He accepted to try and accept us for you."

"Dipper, you do realize you seem to be suffering form a sibling jealousy, right?"

"Of course I'm not. I'd have to have a sibling for that and I don't." He spoke naturally because for him that was the absolute truth. "But he does have a weak spot for girls and he only accepted that after talking to you."

"Dip, do you hear yourself? Maybe he just needed to be sure in what I thought about it all. He just needs some time, Dip."

"I know, you're right. I'm just not used to that, okay? Before I never had a problem with something I wanted, all I had to do was ask and he'd get for me. But now, I only ask him to be with the girl I love and then he tells me no."

"Dip, he's trying his best to tell us yes. Give him a break. At least he listen to you, to us. You should be happy for it." She reasoned, reaching for his hand so they would walk holding each other's hand, which was a good thing to do in such a crowded place so they wouldn't lose the other from sight. "Don't take what you've got for granted."

"Are you saying that because your dad never really paid enough attention to what you said?"

She stopped and he felt it, then he turned to look back at her. Mabel squeezed her hands against his tenderly for a moment before she gave him a small smile.

"I love him, Dip. And he loves me. But he's a king. He never had the time to really bond with me and he never really knew how. It took me a long while to understand that. Even today, I don't like it and don't fully accept it as much as I seem to, but I always wanted him to at least pay attention to me, to believe in me and to just let me be free. Roderick, on the other hand, listens and he tries to understand. Not because I asked, but because he loves us. The two of us. Equally."

"Yeah, I guess you're right…"

"Besides, you have to remember something important." She said in a rather serious tone and he just raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I am ir-re-s-sti-ble!" She chanted happily in a joke and his face fell to an annoyed look. "So of course he couldn't say no to me, you silly! But you should be happy for it. I guess I'm really lucky to have my 'father-in-law' to like me so much, don't you think?"

"Stop saying 'father-in-law'… You're gonna embarrass me…" Dipper was red as an apple.

"Oh, come on, I know you like the idea, don't you?"

"That's beside the point. And it is a bit too early to talk about that anyway. My dad needs time, remember?"

"I know, I'm just kidding, oh paranoid one." The girl said before pulling him by the collar of the white shirt under the dark brown commoner vest and kissed him lightly. "But it's okay, I still love you anyway."

"And I love you. I want to spend the rest of my days with you. I'm sorry if I was being a nag and didn't even get to say how happy I am that he told you he'd at least try to accept us being together."

"I knew you'd let some sense in this pretty little smart head of yours. And yes, you were a nag indeed. But now let's get going, we only got the potatoes, we still have a lot of things to buy before we go back home."

"You're right. Let's go, my princess." As he turned to go pulling her by the hand, they ended up bumping in a short ugly man that smelled like rum. Both apologized to the man and kept walking. If Dipper had paid at least a little bit of attention, he'd have recognized the man as Toby Determined. In this city, Dipper tends to lower his guard out of habit, after all, this is the city where he had grown up in and in some way, it was his haven, he felt safe in there and not be in total alert was only natural.

Then, they went to buy some eggs and fish. It was when they were at the vegetables stand, getting some carrots. Mabel was looking at everything still mesmerized by so many new stuff she heard someone clearing their throats and she turned to the person. There were two men with normal peasant clothes, each also using an expensive looking satchel.

"May I help you?" She asked confused, noticing they were looking at her anxiously.

"We hope so, you seem like a good girl. We're visiting this city and we want to know some places. Do you live here for long? Do you have family in here? Maybe you can take us there?" The younger one asked seeming eager and so she raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

Something inside her hear just screamed 'danger' and that instinct made her heart jump and race. She looked at them from head to toe and then back up. There was something odd about them, though she didn't know what it could be.

"I'm sorry if my friend startled you, we just need a few information, if you live here for long, you probably know every place, right? By the way, we're Smith and Jones." The older one explained and gestured to each one.

"I don't think it is a good idea, I'm busy…" She mumbled while Dipper was too distracted buying the carrots and paying for them.

Mabel backed away from them and got closer to Dipper, the two insisted to know more about her and she was getting too nervous. Looking at them with more attention, she tried to search for something like a clue that might indicate what she was feeling that was so wrong. But all she noticed was that even though they looked like they couldn't afford much, both were wearing very neat clothes that seemed new, as long with very new black boots. Why the two of them were using new sets of clothes that seemed to be recently bought? Especially with the expensive looking satchel? It was just weird.

And then, she noticed the dagger in their boots. Dipper once told her that when someone is trying to hide a blade but doesn't really have much experience in being stealthy, would probably put the blade in their boots because it's out of sight and the person has easy access to it.

However, if the person really needs so hide it completely, would need to hide in a better place. For example, Dipper liked to keep his dagger behind his back, in the middle, ticked inside his pants because it would be secured in place, yet very well hidden underneath his shirt and he could have an easy access to it if need be, though not as easy as leaving it in his boots. It all depends on what he needed more. Putting it inside the sleeves could also be a good option. So those two men definitely didn't have much experience in being stealthy and hiding blades, and they walked in a pretentious way that reminded her of cocky knights at the court.

But the most outstanding thing was the daggers's hilt, at the pommel to be exact. It not only made the dagger look very expensive for a commoner, but it also had a serpent heraldry sign borne for those who were at Gideon's family service, which only close knights would use to show their loyalty. It was an especial symbol very similar to the royal family one, only for the knights at their service.

Her heart skipped a beat as she looked back up at them. They could very well be working for her fiancé, searching for a girl with her description that would actually be herself.

"So, please help us, little lady."

"I'm sorry, I can't…"

"Why not? You seem so nice, I'm sure you'd help us."

"Because… because my brother won't let me. And we're busy taking groceries so our mother can finish cooking lunch." She said suddenly as she had the idea's excuse and just grabbed Dipper's arm, the boy looked shocked, but managed to nod. "So excuse me, but we're in a hurry."

And so both left as soon as she grabbed the paper sack with the carrots, away from the knights Powers and Trigger in disguise.

The two men just looked at each other in suspicion. The girl looked a lot like the painting of the princess they saw, but at the same time, she wasn't. Her clothes were definitely different and the long hair, now around her face seemed to be somewhat different than the picture. Yet, her eyes and face structure were very similar. But what left the two men wondering the most was her startled reaction. It could have been only from normal fear, she could be shy and the world is a dangerous place, however, something about her was still catching their attention.

"So, what do you think?" Trigger asked the more experienced one, looking the young couple walking away quite fast.

"I don't know, but she is the closest girl to the painting we've found so far. Let's keep a close eye on her."

"Sure. But, Powers, if she really is the princess, wouldn't she want to be rescued? Wait, wouldn't she be locked away with the pirates?"

"Well, I don't think they'd have kept her imprisoned for that long, that could be why she was with that boy, he didn't look like a pirate, but he could be one. We don't know how they're threatening her; however, she could be too scared to give a hint to us. Even so, she probably doesn't even know we're here to save her. How could she ever guess it, anyway? We're well disguised."

"You're right. Then let me keep an eye on her while you try to search for more clues. We need to find her and send a word to our prince." Powers nodded in agreement and both went into separated ways to do their job.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the market, Dipper got enough time to recover from the initial shock and then glared at Mabel who kept pulling him by the arm.

"Brother? You've got to be kidding me!" He exasperated, pushing his arm away from her grip in a rather harsh way, he wasn't yelling yet, though his voice was high in anger. She jumped in surprise and looked him in the eye. "Brother. You called me brother, after everything we've just been through?"

"Dipper, keep it down. I didn't mean it like that I just wanted an excuse to go away."

"Couldn't you come up with something better? Anything would have been better! Like a boyfriend or fiancé. Anything!"

"I was nervous and I panicked. I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"But you did! Urgh, just forget it and let's go back to the house."

"No. Dip, wait. Just let me explain… It's because I felt like they were here for me. Like they were searching for me."

"Why do you say that? There's no way someone could ever know about this place. You're safe here."

"I don't know how they discovered, but they… they had daggers too expensive for a commoner, and…"

"There could have a million reasons why they have expensive daggers, Mabel!There's no way someone could ever know about this place. You're safe here."

"But I'm scared. If I told them you were by brother, it would give them the impression that I have a family here and that I live here. Besides, the princess doesn't have a brother, so if they're really looking for me, it might drawn them away."

"But the thing is that she does. I mean, you do have a brother. Me. But no one knows that." They kept walking and stopping while they were fought each other.

"Dipper, please don't be mad."

"Were they from your castle?" He asked suddenly.

"No, but…"

"See! There's no problem here, Mabel. Nothing to worry about." He was irritated and so he continued walking back home, she followed right beside him. They were almost there.

"Of course there is. I'm scared all the time. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you, but I needed to draw them away and that's what I got in short notice!" She said as her voice rose as well during the argument. "I just needed to say something to get away because I can't go back, Dipper! If I go he will-" And she quickly shut her mouth and covered it with her hand when she realized she was talking too much.

"Wait, what?" He asked, now more confused than angry. "What do you mean? Who is he and what did he do?"

"It's nothing…"

"For crying out loud, Mabel! It's not true and we both know it! You're just hiding something from me, it's like you don't trust me."

"That is not true. I just want to forget it as if it never happened. And I don't want your pity. Or anyone's for that matter. I am a princess, Dipper. There are people starving in my kingdom while I grew up without even having to repeat a dress once in my life. I do not deserve pity. I was just in a situation that I didn't like, and then I managed to get away from it. I wasn't born for that; maybe any other girl at the court would be fine in that situation, but not me. Can't you just be satisfied with it?"

"No, I can't. You're hiding something from me and all I want to do is help you!" He yelled angry and barged inside the house, they finally walked all the way back home.

"Geez, how can you be so stubborn!"

"I don't know but you got that from the same place because we have it in common."

And so he left for the kitchen to give Melody the things she needed. Mabel humphed and marched upstairs to her temporary room. She slammed the door shut and crossed her arms. They were so loud that everyone inside noticed something was way wrong.

Roderick made a face palm, deciding not to butt in; after all, he had already done enough damage and was trying to fix his mistakes. Whatever it was, it probably was something that the two of them needed to work out as a couple, without a father as a mediator.

Dipper left the stuff for Melody and didn't even ask if she and Soos wanted help or not, he just left. The couple just looked at each other and shrugged, noticing the young pirate was just too angry for some reason, and then they went back to cooking. The boy made his way to the shop part of the house, finding Robbie and his Grunkle Stan.

"Hi. We're back. Is there something for me to do here?"

"Of course… Robbie, why don't you go inside and call us when lunch is ready?"

"Sure, Stan." The young man replied, taking the hint as a cue to leave the two alone.

Stan shifted in his chair and crossed his arms. His expression was skeptical. It was Dipper's conscious idea to seek his Grunkle's help, it just happened that way, and after all, he was used to do it as he grown up.

"Come on, kid. What happened?"

"It's just… She drives me crazy!"

"Mabel?"

"Yeah…"

"Does it have anything about the fact that she's your sister?"

"Yes! Wait… You… knew about that?" Dipper asked confused and utterly surprised. Stan sighed and stretched until his hand collides to the back of his grandnephew's head. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"Of course I knew, you silly. I know everything. Well, not everything, but a lot of things. And obviously I knew that from the beginning."

"And you're not grossed by it?"

"Kid, I'm not your father. For me she was just a name, a girl I never met. In fact, I predicted it might happen and I warned Roderick. Did he listen to me? No. Of course not. He told me 'the two would never fall in love, they're siblings!' and now he just shamelessly told me I was right all along and I knew what he meant."

"Great…"

"But don't worry, I'm on your side, kid. What happened?"

"She was so weird, she called me brother to get away from some creepy guys instead of telling them I was her boyfriend or anything else because she had that crazy idea they were here looking for her. And later, she denied telling me why she's so afraid to go back to the palace, even though she almost slipped it." Dipper sighed irritated. "I don't know why she keeps secrets from me, it's like she doesn't trust me! And that the fact of us being siblings doesn't matter."

"Oh, come on, Dipper it's not like that."

"It is and I still can't believe she called me 'brother' after everything we've been through."

"Oh, kid, if you didn't know you are related, you wouldn't be so sad about it."

"You're wrong, Grunkle. The fact that it is true is the reason why it hurts. If I didn't know or if it wasn't true, it would probably not even bother me at all. Well, there's the possibility we can be half-siblings because she believes the king is actually her father, but you know what I mean. The problem is still basically the same…" He huffed.

"I see…"

"I just can't help but feeling like I'm the only one who's really into it, you know? That I love her but that she doesn't love me back, not the way I do… I felt like I'm nothing but just a ticket out of the castle."

"Now you're just saying that. You know it's definitely not true. Your father didn't need to tell me I was right all along because the first moment you two walked in through that door I knew you two liked each other. No one can fool me. You know I've got a lot of experience."

"Yeah, but I felt like it…" The boy sighed sadly. "I just wished it could be easier to love her, you know…"

"Anything worth it in this life isn't easy, kid. Which only make us hold on tighter to what matters."

"Yeah, I guess so, but it doesn't help me, I don't know what to do…"

"Just calm down and try to talk to her. Try to understand her side of it and make her understand yours. You love each other; you just need to get to an agreement. And remember that this whole situation is very new and different for her. You're hurt and I'm not taking it for granted, but for her it's difficult as well being in an unknown place with all that's happening, she's probably just scared. Be patient, if there's one thing I know in this life beside piracy it that women are complicated."

"You're right about that… Geez, I never knew girls could be so complicated… They could come with a manual, though. I'd love to read about how their mind works, it would make things easier…"

"Indeed it would…" Stan mumbled with a joking tone.

Meanwhile, as Robbie walked out of the shop and into the home part, he saw Soos and Melody in the kitchen and Roderick in the living room, waiting for lunch to be ready. Then he made his way upstairs and knocked on the first door.

"Not now, Dipper." Mabel's voice came from the other side of the door. Robbie laughed lightly.

"It's not the looser. Can I come in?"

"Oh. Okay. Sure." She answered and so he entered. Mabel was at the table, with lots of cloths and textiles in front of her. Robbie looked at her confused; she understood his expression so she explained him.

"I'm sewing. It helps me relax. It's another skirt for me."

"Don't you already have a lot of those? And I'm no expert, but isn't that skirt a little bit too… revealing? Especially for a highborn girl like you?"

"You're right, it's a high-low skirt, but it's supposed to be used with pants. Kinda like the pink one I used yesterday at the ship. But this one is going to be short in the front part, instead on the side. You know, I've always wanted to be able to just do different stuff like that."

"Different is a good definition for it. I've never seen something like that before. That is, until you used something like that yesterday."

"Thanks."

"By the way, I noticed you and Dipper got home kinda shaken up… Something happened? What did that idiot do now?"

"I didn't know you actually cared if Dip and I are on good or bad terms."

"Well, I don't care much about Dipper, but the thing is that there isn't much to do and your argument is the most interesting thing I have right not."

"Your sincerity is touching." She said with a joking tone. "But yeah, he's being really idiot, right about now…"

"Yeah, well, maybe I should explain you some stuff… You see, the problem with Dipper is that he's smart."

Mabel looked to one side and then the other.

"Say, what?"

"Exactly. He's smart. And because of that, he thinks he's always right and that he knows everything. It's really annoying, actually."

"Thanks, but… what does that have to do with anything?"

"It's just that sometimes, all he needs is someone to bang him in the head and show him he's wrong."

"I don't think that's very helpful, but thanks."

"It is. But, seriously, what did he do?"

"He's just not understanding me. And now, he was supposed to be teaching me how to defend myself so I can train to be a pirate, but he's too busy in tantrum."

"Well you don't need him. You've got me. What do you want to do?"

"Wait, you can actually teach me how to defend myself?"

"Of course. Though I actually like the offensive than the defensive instance."

"I wouldn't expect anything else from you. In that case, then, I'd like to know how to knockout someone very quickly.

"With one hit? Easy. By the way, would you like me to get Dipper for a real-life demonstration?"

"That's not gonna be necessary. And you really must hate him."

"Nah, I just like to pick on him. Anyway, when we were young, we trained a little with the other. Well, it wasn't exactly training because it usually soon developed in a real fight, but that's beside the point…" Robbie mumbled remembering the past with a sarcastic grin on his lips. "Anyway, the most effective ways I can remember right now are the jaw punch, the temple punch, the back hit and the throat stab. Obviously you have to use strength, you have to hit it like you mean it, otherwise you will not even knockout an old lady. But if you go with too much strength, you might end up killing so much, which is great if that's what you're trying to do."

"Supposing that I don't want to kill anyone, then. Which would be better and how can I do then? I mean, where could I hit the person?" She asked very confused. Dipper used to explain while showing her what to do, Robbie, on the other hand, just blabbed and expected her to understand, though she was indeed grateful that he was at least trying to help her.

"Usually the head. Except for the throat stab. That would be in the throat, obviously."

Mabel sighed. Robbie was trying she could see that. But it was so much easier with Dipper she couldn't wait for him to be showing her everything. It took them a long while, but finally, he managed to show the right places that would give her an effective and quick knockout in someone.

After that, it was lunchtime, though it was a little awkward, since Dipper and Mabel barely spoke and usually she's so cheerful and noisy that the contrast could be noticed from afar.

Roderick decided not to get on the way, though. So after lunch, he decided to go for a walk. Stan, on the other hand, decided he needed to do something about it. He was not going to let his favorite and only grandnephew and grandniece feeling miserable. Even though Dipper told him about the possibility of Mabel actually be the King's real daughter when they talked earlier.

So, Stan told Mabel that, maybe, all she and Dipper needed to do was to talk about it and reason with him, away from the house and everyone. He suggested, then that they'd go get Wendy, later that afternoon. They could take a walk through the longest way and go very slowly to do so, and Stan assured them that by the time they reached Wendy's place, they'd have already made up.

As they walked down the streets, silence accompanied them through a long way, neither daring to say something. If it continued like that, they would get to Wendy's house and back without saying a word to the other. The place was less crowded than the market; this was a quiet street they choose for their path, only a few people could be seen walking near them. Though they could hear steps and carriages being pulled by horses not far.

"So… why did you think those men could be after you? Any particular reason or you just wanted to call me brother?" Dipper decided to finally ask with a bit more of bitterness than he intended.

"Of course there was a reason. But I don't know if it makes sense anymore, I just… At the time I just said the first thing that came into my head. But the thing is that they were carrying daggers."

"Yeah, you said that. Expensive ones, so what?"

"It's because at the pommel, there was a heraldry symbol."

"What symbol?"

"The symbol was the one that the people that work for Gideon's family bore. Well, at least I think it was, I couldn't see clearly, however I did see the shape of a serpent." She sighed sadly and stopped walking to look him in the eye, he couldn't help but give her his full attention. "Dipper, I might be free here, but if I go back, I'm engaged and loving you or not won't matter. I'll have to marry Gideon. I don't want that, I want you."

"I know, but when you said that it seemed so easy for you. Like it didn't even matter the fact we're actually related."

"Of course I care, Dipper. We wouldn't care if it weren't truth. I wanted to give them the idea that live here, that I have a family in here. Telling them you're my boyfriend wouldn't do it, but it was not easy for me to say that, I only managed because I found the strength to do that in order to stay with you."

"Really?"

"Obviously, oh paranoid one."

"Then why don't you just trust me?"

"I trust you. I just don't want to talk about that. It's over and I just want to let it go. I'm not coming back and that's what matters, don't you think?"

"Fine, you're right. But don't do that again. At least not without warning me first, you took me by surprise. Don't do that anymore."

"Okay, I promise. Unless it's an emergency again."

Dipper agreed and leaned to give her a soft kiss, already missing her wet lips for too long. She kissed him back and their soft kiss soon turned into a deeper one. Both, now happy with the agreement, continued walking their path, with no hurry.

By then, the sun had already set and the sky was turning darker as the minutes passed by. The streets were getting darker and even quieter. Even so, Dipper wasn't worried, that is until he heard an eerie well known voice speaking from the darkness.

"You were right, Toby, they're quite close indeed." Dipper froze in place as he recognized the voice. Getting out of the shadows that hid his frame, Captain Ivan emerged with a devilishly grin and he continued with the same sarcastic tone. "We've been watching you for a while and you know what? You're very predictable."

"Blind Ivan." The young pirate hissed, promptly putting himself in front of Mabel while pushing her behind him with a hand and reaching his sword's hilt with the other.

"Oh, you remember me. I'm pleased. But, this time, I didn't come here for you." Dipper quickly realized what that meant. If they weren't after him, they were here for Mabel. He gulped.

"Mabel, go back home." She heard him whisper to her while withdrawing his sword.

"But I cannot leave you alone."

"You can and you will." The urgency in his tone made her heart race as she realized this whole situation was even more dangerous than she realized. Both teenagers gave some steps back and hers were even bigger as she tried to run back to Stan's place as he recommended.

"Oh, do you really think it would be that easy?" Blind Ivan's eerie voice said and as soon as the couple were separated enough, more pirates from Ivan's crew started appearing, seemingly from nowhere, but in fact, they were just hiding and waiting for the right moment to show up.

One of the big, bulky and smelly pirates grabbed Mabel from behind, and even if she tried her best to break free, she couldn't. Dipper didn't need to turn his head to see that, he could perceive that through his peripheral vision, his main attention was directed to Ivan and the other pirates that were now holding their swords.

"Let me go! Let me go right now or… Or I'll scream!"

"Is that the best you've got?" Mocked the pirate that was holding her. Ivan laughed.

"You can scream whatever you want, no one will come for your aid. Do you really think that even if someone hear you, ordinary people would go against half a pirate's crew just for some weird girl they don't know?"

"Blind Ivan, just let her go. Please, she's got nothing to do with it. You can take me; my dad will pay you enough. Just let her go."

"Oh, but I can't. And I don't care how much he'd pay me; I have someone willing to pay a lot more for her. After all, she's the princess."

"How do you know?" Dipper asked automatically, his heart beating faster and faster.

"Oh, you stupid. I know a lot of things that you don't, kid."

The young pirate, however, didn't have much time to be thunderstruck because in a blink of an eye, two pirates jumped aiming their swords on him. Dipper had to dodge and swing his long sword to block the attacks.

Dipper kept fighting and doing his best not to get hit and he managed to do a lot of damage in several pirates that started attacking him. However, he was in a big disadvantage and even with all his ten years of intense training, he was too outnumbered.

Mabel noticed he was struggling too much to keep fighting; it didn't take long before he got empowered by the various pirate enemies. In fear, she saw them sending his weapon to the ground and they soon started to grab his arms. It all happens very fast and soon he was being held by four pirates bigger than him. Two in each side, but at least Dipper managed to hurt and cut some them, though not as much as he'd want to.

Even if Dipper knew it was useless, he tried to struggle nonetheless, but it only made the pirates hold him tighter. He was helpless and breathing heavily.

"No! Don't hurt him. Please don't hurt him." Mabel cried as she realized it was very easy for them to kill Dipper and there was nothing she could do. Captain Ivan smiled devilishly, feeling triumphant.

"You shouldn't be so worried about him, my dear. You should be worried about yourself. He'll live, but only for one reason. I'll like to leave him behind, knowing we've taken his precious princess, completely powerless to save you." Ivan said in his dark voice that made both Dipper and Mabel shiver. The captain got a white cloth and a small glass bottle from the inside pockets of his coat. He poured the liquid inside the bottle on the cloth.

"What?" She asked confused watching him give Toby the bottle and then approach her with the cloth still in his right hand.

Dipper soon understood and tried to struggle even more, demanding Ivan not to do this. Mabel didn't know what that was but she knew it was not a good thing so she tried to hold her breath as the captain pressed it against her nose, covering half of her face. She couldn't help it, she had to breathe, and the more she breathed, the dizzier she got.

Mabel struggled for a few seconds, but then she had no energy anymore. She felt her fingers getting numb, her legs got weak and she'd have fallen if it weren't for the big bulky man holding her and his arms. Her vision and hearing began to fail. She was starting to breathe slower as she was losing conscience. Dipper watched worried as her head started to hang to the sides and Ivan still pressuring the very wet cloth on her face for several minutes until she had completely fainted.

As soon as Blind Ivan got away from her, the pirate that was holding Mabel positioned her over his shoulder so it would be easier to carry the girl all the way back to the ship. No on noticed her long golden necklace falling to the ground as her head was down on the man's back.

Then, the Captain turned to Dipper. The boy was furious and still trying to resist, looking at that tall strong man taking his beloved away.

"Ivan, you son of a bitch! I'm gonna kill you for this!" Dipper swore shouting.

"No, you won't, kid. And even when we encounter again, it will be too late."

"Too late? What do you mean with 'too late'? What are you going to do with her?"

"It doesn't concern you. You won't be able to stop us." Ivan laughed and he lowered to get a rock on the floor. He twisted it in his hand, his devilish smile never leaving his lips. "And do you know why? Because you'll be too busy sleeping and then, we'll be long gone. You'll never find us in time. Bid farewell to your precious princess."

"No! You can't do this!"

"But I already did."

Blind Ivan gripped the rock tightly in his hand and Dipper took a deep breath as he realized just what he'd do with that. The next second, Ivan hit the boy's temple using the rock with great impact. His vision blacked immediately and he barely even felt as he collided against the floor when the pirates finally let him go.

Dan! Dan Dan!

I hope you all enjoyed it! Don't forget to leave me a review with what you guys think might happen next or if you liked the chap! And the more reviews I get, the faster I'll try to update! :D

Oh, out of curiosity, some might like to know that the name Salus (the city), is Latin for "Haven". Which is quite ironic, I think...

Itban Fuyu