Chapter 36: Rubies… A Girl's Best Friend

"Let's show the captain, shall we?" Tina nodded.

"I'm sure he'll love it. Oh, but first," she walked over to where the box was sitting on Stephanie's bed. "Apparently, he thought you'd need some shoes to go with it." She reached in the box and pulled a pair of shoes made of the same velvety material the dress was made of. They looked almost like a pair of ballerina slippers, except that they had high heels on them. Very high heels. Stephanie sighed.

"Oh, they'll go perfectly, and of course I would have needed them, but… I don't know that I can walk in them." Tina chuckled.

"Just put them on. You're far more graceful than you tend to think." Stephanie rolled her eyes, but put them on none the less, taking a few experimental steps before heading towards the door.

"I guess this isn't sobad."

"Did I not tell you it wouldn't be? Now, let's go show your dear captain, shall we?" She urged Stephanie out the door even as she proceeded to protest the fact that the captain was in any way 'hers'. They walked down the short hallway and Tina knocked on his door.

"Captain? She's ready, sir." He told them he'd left the door unlocked, so Tina went first, smiling broadly at the captain in a way that very clearly said 'you shall definitely love it, sir'. He chuckled.

"Well, alright then, let's have it princess." Stephanie stood for a moment more outside the door, then strode through it slowly, coming to stand in front of the captain. He seemed somewhat mesmerized for a moment.

"Oh, you look absolutely stunning, milady." She smiled, trying hard to quell a blush as she did a small curtsy.

"Thank you, for the compliment and the dress. This is probably the nicest gift any guy has ever given me…" She was trying not to blush, but failing miserably.

"That's hard to believe… I'm sure you'll receive much nicer gifts once you get settled in the palace." She locked eyes with him.

"Maybe I will, but none of them will be quite as special as this one…" Stephanie smiled almost flirtatiously, and Tina took that as her queue to slip quietly out the door so as to leave the two alone…

Robbie Rotten was in his lair, doing sit-ups (and, as usual, wondering why exactly he was actually listening to his older sister. Thanks to her, he was dead tired half the time, and desperately craving something chocolate,) when his phone rang and he picked it up to hear the last voice he wanted to hear at that moment.

"You just finally left an hour ago, Julia, what could you possible want now?"

"Do you always have to be such a jerk, Robbie? I mean, jeez, every time I call, and with news too."

"Another vision?" A slight hint of worry crept into his voice. "You've never had so many of them, and one right after the other too…"

"I know, but I've been looking for them, trying to make them come so I can see what's happening with Stephy-"

"Stephanie, Julia, Stephanie."

"Ah, yes, sorry, Stephanie… anyways, it's been working quite well. Apparently she's been have a very good time with her dearest captain."

"Cut to the chase, Julia, please."

"Alright, alright, the point is she's falling for him."

"Falling… for him? I thought you said they seemed to hate each other?"

"Well, they did, but something's changed, because she's falling head over heels. I don't understand it any more than you do, I keep getting these 10 second visions, not nearly enough to get the full picture." She sounded frustrated. Robbie sighed, the worry coming back again.

"Relax, Jules, you're trying too hard. You obviously can't expect to make them come and have them be as long as usual. You do have limits, you know…" He trailed off. Julia was silent on the other end for a moment, and she sounded calmer when she responded.

"I know. Perhaps I should take a break for a day or two… anyways, what I have seen is actually quite disturbing. They're flirting with each other like crazy. It all started, it seems, with this rather expensive gift that he bought about two weeks ago…"

"A gift?"

"Yes, a dress, red and velvety, trimmed with gold, came with a pair of heals. The dress goes all the way to the floor. She looked gorgeous, too, she's got a nice figure-"

"Julia!"

"Ok, sorry, gods Rob. Again, the point is that it'll be another few days before they actually get to the palace. He's been purposefully delaying they're little trip, trying to teach her some 'manners' before they get there so she won't get in trouble, and it's working well enough; she's listening to him, but at the same time they're spending hours every day together because of it."

"Manners? Ha, I can't even begin to imagine how little that would affect her in the long run. She can act all she wants, but I know her far better than that."

"Indeed. Oh, another thing you'll find interesting: she's learning how to fight."

"Uh, care to elaborate?"

"Fight like a man, Robbie, with a sword. You know how it is over there; us chicks get the short end of the stick. It didn't take long for her to realize it, and it took even less time after that for her to start breaking all the rules on purpose because she thinks they're silly. She made friends with one of the crewman, and he's secretly teaching her how to fence."

"Yep, that sounds like my Stephanie. I told her not to let them control her like that. Apparently she listened." He smiled into the phone.

"Well, yeah, but it is that really a good thing? I think it just spells disaster."

"She can take care of herself. She'll be alright."

"I hope so… Anyways, did you like the fruit salad I left you?"

"Salad?" He glanced over at the empty bowl sitting on the table next to his favorite fuzzy orange chair and made a face. It wasn't chocolate, but it actually didn't taste half bad, and that worried him. "It, uh, wasn't so bad…"

Stephanie stood at the bow of the Crusader as it flew through clouds quite gracefully, heading for the large stone castle ahead. So beautiful… Good thing we were able to fly the rest of the way here. I can't wait to finally walk on land again… Captain Jack walked up and stood next to her.

"Stunning, isn't it?"

"Yes, very. I can't believe I'm going to be living there…" She continued to stare ahead in awe.

"You'll love it." He chuckled and took on a teasing tone. "As long as you don't stir up any trouble."

"Me? Start trouble? I've no idea what you're talking about." She laughed. "I would never… well, not on purpose anyways."

"Of course not…" He watched as her smile fade.

"Will, uh, will I get to see you? I mean, I don't know how things are going to go, but…"

"I'll be around. I mean, princess or not, you are a grown woman. You'll have more freedom than someone younger would."

"I thought I was extremely young compared too…"

"Well, yes, but you're not a child either… It's odd, how aging works for us. We get to about 20-21 and it slows so much that five years equals only one for us." He smiled. "But one is still considered able to think for oneself by the time they reach that age. If you truly wish to see me, you can simply come down to the docks whenever I make port there, which is quite often mind you." Her smile returned.

"Well, good… We'll be there soon. I suppose I should go get Tina to help me put on your gift."

"I didn't know you were planning to wear it…"

"Well, it is the most beautiful dress I own, is it not?" He nodded slightly.

"Well, alright then. Come into my cabin once you've finished dressing. I, uh, have another gift for you." She gave him a curious look, but didn't say anything, just nodded and walked away.

Jack was pacing about his cabin, waiting anxiously for Stephanie to stride in as if it were own, as she always did. He was beyond nervous. It had been a long time since he'd tried to woo a woman, and although he had a good feeling he'd already won her, he still had a bad feeling that he was moving too fast. It didn't help that she was so young, and he wasn't sure how everyone else would react… but, it was not like such lopsided matches were unheard of. Besides, the only opinions that really mattered were those of the king and queen, and they knew him well enough to know that he would be good for her… He sighed, glancing at the boxes on the table, one containing the necklace and earrings, the other containing a small and simple diamond ring. Please don't reject, them Stephanie, please… He was so lost in his thoughts and his pacing that he jumped when he heard a knock on the door.

"Uh, come in, it's not locked milady." He watched as she walked in just like he had expected her too. She scowled at him.

"Milady? I thought we were past that, captain." He gave her a blank look before realizing what she was talking about.

"Oh, yes, sorry my dear. It wasn't purposeful. I'm, uh, just a bit nervous."

"Nervous?"

"Yes… see, as I said earlier, I have another gift for you, and I am again quite unsure of how you'll react to it."

"Oh, I see. Well, then, perhaps you should just give it to me and hope for the best." A hint of a smile graced her lips as she walked past him to sit down at his desk.

"Yes, maybe I should…" He took a deep breath and walked over to the desk as well, picking up the biggest box on top of it, his hands shaking nervously. Stephanie watched looking amused.

"What on earth could it be that has you so nervous, Jacky?" He winced slightly. Jacky was a pet name she'd taken to using whenever she felt like teasing him.

"Uh, well…" He sighed and came to stand in front of her. "Something to go with your current attire, actually." She looked down at the box in his hands, then back to meet his eyes.

"J-jewelry?" She suddenly sounded slightly nervous herself.

"Yes, my dear, jewelry…" He slowly opened the lid to the box. She stared into his eyes for a moment longer, then slowly brought hers down to look at the beautiful diamond and ruby studded contents of the box.

"Oh my…"

"Do you like them?"

"Like them? I love them! They're absolutely gorgeous, but…"

"What is it?"

"I can't except them, Jack."

"What? Why not?"

"Because I just… just can't." She seemed very flustered.

"I-I don't understand. I-I want you to have them. This sort of gift is not one that even a princess would wear unless it was given to her by someone very special." The words came out slowly as he tried to cipher her reaction. "And I want everyone to know that you're, uh, how would you put it? Taken?"

"Yes and I know. Such beautiful jewelry isn't worn lightly where I come from either, but that's just it. I'm not so sure I'm ready to give myself over just yet."

"Give yourself over? I'm afraid I still don't understand." She averted her eyes, not looking him in his.

"I, uh, I think I love you… no, I know I do. But that worries me. I don't want to… I don't want to be taken. I mean, even with Robbie, I was still free…" She tried to put what she was feeling into words. He was beginning to understand.

"You're afraid, then."

"No, not afraid." She looked indignant. "I just don't want to lose that freedom. I mean, I've already lost so much of that just being here, as a woman."

"So much… freedom?" He tried to fully grasp what she was saying.

"Yes. I don't like the idea of being confined to a dress for the rest of my life." She sounded almost angry now. He stared at her hard for a moment before it finally hit him.

"You don't want to be a, uh, 'house wife', so to speak. You want to keep the freedom that you had…"

"Yes! The thought of being little miss house wife/queen is absolutely revolting to me."

"Interesting choice of words…" She sent him a mild glare. He sighed and took the necklace out of the case. "I suppose I can understand that. But, the truth is, I wouldn't want you to be 'little miss house wife', as you so quaintly put it…" He held out his hand for her to take and led her over to a full length mirror standing in the far corner of his cabin, then handed her the earrings. "Because that is not what you are." He handed her the earrings and she put them in as he clasped the necklace around her neck. "And I wouldn't love you the way that I do if, in fact, you were anything but what you are." They stayed behind her and they both looked at the beautiful woman reflected in the mirror. The dress she wore was tied tightly in the front, clinging perfectly to every curve of her upper half, then flowing down freely to the ground from her hips. Her dark pink hair was piled up on top of her head with a loose strand or two falling about her face. Her normally hidden pointed ears were out in the open, proudly screaming the woman's elfin origins. Two golden earrings with teardrop shaped rubies were dangling from them daintily. The matching necklace rested on her neck delicately, studded with small diamonds and rubies. Stephanie bit her lip.

"And what am I exactly?"

"You are beautiful, and feisty, and dangerous, and sweet, and loving, and sassy, and… complicated, my dear Stephanie, you are complicated."

"Oh, am I now?" She turned to him, smirking slightly.

"Yes, you are. And, quite frankly, I wouldn't have you any other way… So, in short, you can have all the freedom you can manage to keep, and I won't say a word." She smiled.

"I don't believe it." His eyebrows furrowed.

"What?"

"You are, quite literally, giving me permission to simply be me." He stared at her for a moment, then chuckled.

"Yes, indeed, I am." They both looked up as they heard a knock at the door, and Tina's muffled voice saying that they had arrived at the palace. Stephanie sighed and took a step away from them, as they were awfully close.

"Awful pity." She smoothed out the front of her dress. "I suppose I should be going…" She began to head for the door, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Am I to understand that you are excepting my gift, then?"

"Yes, you are." His face lit up and he turned to walk back to his desk, picking up the other box, then walking back to her.

"Something for you to wear with anything; for you to always have on. So that there will never be a doubt as to whether you are taken." He opened the box. She smiled almost immediately and held out her hand for him to place the ring on it.

"Thank you so much. I never would have thought… I mean, Robbie would have never…" He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and effectively shutting her up.

"Yes, well then, princess. Seal it with a kiss, shall we?" She responded by pulling him in for one. They had not kissed since the trick she had played on him in her cabin, and this one was much different from that one. It was gentle and passionate, but short.

"Good enough?"

"Oh, yes, that'll do nicely." He released her. "I'll be around for the next few weeks because of the engine repairs. I'm usually here, even with the men working on it, so feel free to, um, visit anytime you like."

"Oh, I will, believe me." He nodded.

"Right then, off you go." She smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek before hurrying out of his cabin.

Stephanie will meet her grandparents in the next chapter. Should be fun… Review, please, I've had none for the past several chapters.