Author: sorry for the delay on the new chapter, everyone. I recently had to fly home for my grandfather's passing and I just hadn't had it in me to write anything. It was like my zeal to write vanished when he passed. He was the best story teller I ever knew! But here is the next chapter. Also, starting Friday I will be in a 6 week class so I will not be able to write any new chapters for Sparks, OJH or BTM.
Ace blinked awake to feel a soft warm body wrapped securely around him. The soft scent of peaches wafted greedily into his nose, bringing a hungry smile to his face. He looked down to see his Bride curled against him, his thigh wedged between hers. His shirt hung low, exposing her pale breasts to his hungry gaze.
Burying his face eagerly into her hair and inhaled deeply. His Companion stirred in excitement at her nearness. He wanted her badly.
" Ace?"
Pulling back he looked down to see Ai nuzzle her face against his chest, still sound asleep. He smiled eagerly before dipping his head down eagerly and kissed her neck. Grinning at the eager moan that came from the small blunette.
" A-Ace…"
Looking up he saw Ai's eyes flutter open, his grin spreading even more. " Yes?"
" Thank you."
" For what?" Ace asked in confusion.
" For everything." Ai said stroking his cheek lightly. " I honestly don't understand why you would want someone like me as your Bride."
" What are you talking about?"
" Y-You're the Crown Prince…you could have any woman you want are even multiple women." She paused when she saw an awkward smile that had flashed across Ace's face at her words. She suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy at the knowledge of him being with other women.
She had pretty much figured out who he had been with already. They were the one's in the castle that gave her murderous and envious looks. " So why would you want me?"
Reaching up, Ace cupped her soft cheek with his calloused hand. " You're the most stubbornest and hot headed woman I have ever met. You try my patience on an almost daily basis. There are times where I believe I would strangle you for being so stubborn."
His smirk grew wider as he saw her eyes look down, her hands clenched tightly. " Yet, that's also what I love most about you. That ability of yours to aggravate me beyond sanity is challenging. Yet I wouldn't have it any other way."
He saw a small smile appear on her face at his words. " When I was a child I dreamed of leaving here and sailing far away. To go on grand adventures with my brothers and see far away places." Stroking her cheek lightly he continued. " Yet now I have some changes that I would like to be made."
" I don't understand what you're talking about." Ai said in discomfort.
" That I want you with me on those adventures, Ai." Ace said causing Ai's face to redden. His grin returned as he continued to stroke her cheek. " You, me, my brothers, Koala and everyone else…we can all have them." Pulling her closer to him, Ace dipped his face towards her's causing it to redden even more.
" Or…" He whispered teasingly in her ear. " We could go on our own little adventures." Kissing her neck lightly and running a finger teasingly down her spine, earning an excited moan from the blunette. " Just the two of us."
" I-I-"
Ace pulled her eagerly against him as he buried his face against the side of her neck again. " You scare me." He found himself saying before he could stop himself.
" I'm sorry." Ai said quietly. " I shouldn't have gotten so upset."
" I thought I lost you." He said pulling her tighter against him.
" I'm sorry!" Ai said, tears swelling in her eyes. " I'm so sorry!"
" Don't ever do that to me again!" Ace growled protectively. " I can't lose you, Ai!"
" Ace, I'm sorry!" Ai said burying her face against his neck. " I…" She broke off, her body beginning to tremble.
" I have you." Ace whispered, his hand cupping the back of her head gently. " I'm here." Ace's touch was so strong and also so gentle that Ai felt herself relaxing against him. Nuzzling her face lightly against his neck she inhaled the warm scent of cinnamon that wafted from him and found a smile coming across her face.
Leaning forward Ai placed her lips gently against Ace's neck causing him to jump. Cupping her cheek lightly he looked at her in confusion. " What are you doing, Ai?" He said softly. " You were severely injured last night."
" Ace…every time you are near me I can't help but feel safe." Ai said softly. " My heart races in excitement whenever you are around. I catch myself smiling whenever I think about you." Wrapping her arms around his neck. " When I was attacked yesterday and the one thought that came to my mind was that I wouldn't ever see you again and I was so afraid."
" Ai…" Ace said leaning down and capturing her lips eagerly. He was thrilled at her words. He had been waiting a long time to hear them. Before he could stop himself he had the small blunette pinned quickly beneath him.
" A-Ace,wait!" Ai squeaked, immediately becoming uncomfortable. " I-I have to tell you something!"
" What is it?" Ace asked calmly looking down at her.
" I-It's a-about m-my…" Ai broke off, her eyes looking away in discomfort. Ace leaned down and kissed her forehead gently.
" Ai, I don't care about those…" He said softly, cupping her face tenderly.
" B-But I want you to see them." Ai said weakly. " But I am also afraid…"
" Why?" Ace asked as he saw his Bride begin to tremble. " Ai, why?"
" What if you don't want me after you see them?" Ai whispered sadly, avoiding his eyes.
" What are you talking about?"
" Women aren't supposed to have these…" Ai said weakly, tears starting to prick her eyes. " …women are supposed to be beautiful and pure, our skin perfect and unblemished and-" Ai was silenced instantly as Ace crushed his lips against hers, earning an eager whimper from her.
RIIIIIIIIP!
" A-ACE!" Ai squeaked in surprise as Ace pinned her arms above her head with one hand and the other he used to tear the front of the shirt she wore, exposing her front to him. Heat flooded her face as he eyed her hungrily. " W-What are you doing?"
The anger that flooded into his face made her freeze. " A-Ace?"
" Who did this to you?" Ace asked angrily, attempting to refrain himself from clenching his fists as to not hurt her. The sight before him made fire run angrily through him, as if his very blood was on fire at the sight before him. Littered greedily across her body were scars…scars from bite marks…bite marks that were caused from vampire fangs. " …Ai…who did this to you?"
When she refuse to answer him his anger grew, the flames from the candles nearby shot up wildly. " Who…hurt you?"
" O-One of my b-brothers…" Ai whimpered weakly. Her words caused his blood to freeze and the pain her eyes made his heart clench.
" What?" He said in disbelief. He said in disbelief. He couldn't believe what he had heard. From what he had seen of her brothers they were super ultra protective of her. So much so that they were ready to go to war to keep her safe. So how was it that one of them could do such a thing to her?
" O-One of brothers did this to me." Ai whimpered, tears beginning to stream down her face.
" What are you talking about?" Ace asked quickly, wiping the tears from her cheeks gently.
" My brother Teach…" Ai whispered weakly, her voice and body trembling. " When I was little." Her voice started to break, flinching in surprise a Ace pulled her tightly against him.
" Ai stop," He whispered quietly. " I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me."
" Yes I do!" Ai whimpered. " I want you to know what happened!"
*WOO FLASHBACK!*
" AI! Where do you think you are going?" A twelve years younger Thatch said, lifting a squirming four year old, blue haired girl from the floor.
" Fafpf!" The girl squealed, her legs flailing in excitement. " Wep bo!"
" Not until you tell me where you plan on running off to in such a hurry!" Thatch said, cradling the girl lightly in one arm and tickling her with the other. Squealing eagerly, Ai squirmed in her attempt for freedom.
" I wamma efpwowe!"
" Where do you plan on exploring, baby sister?" Thatch asked curiously. " The castle? The seashore? Find some seashells or maybe even a sand dollar or the giant squid?"
" Dah fowefp!" Ai said eagerly.
" Now why would you want to go into the forest?" Thatch asked.
" Abvempuwe!"
" Yes it would be quite an adventure but you can't go off in there by yourself!" Thatch said snuggling the girl lovingly. " Besides! It's going to be getting dark soon and that means bed time for you!"
" Bup!"
" No buts, baby sister!" Thatch said happily, kissing her nose gently.
" Me no baby!" Ai said cutely, her face puffed up in annoyance.
" Baby sister, until you are my age, you will always be my baby sister!" Thatch said snuggling her lovingly. " So! Shall we go look for some sea shells?" All he received from the child was a disgruntled huff.
" I'll take that as a yes!" Thatch said snuggling her closer as he walked to her room and pulled a small furled coat and helped her put it on. " Now that you are all nice and warm let us head down to the shore and get us some pretty shells!"
" Pay!" Ai said cheerfully, having now completely forgotten about wanting to go into the forest.
" OFF WE GO, BABY SISTER!" Thatch said eagerly as he scooped up the small blunette and placing her gently onto his shoulders.
" FEAFEWWF!" Ai squealed eagerly hugging Thatch's head.
" What do you plan on doing with the shells you find, baby sister?" Thatch asked as his hands held her ankles, securing her in place. " Will you make a cute little bracelet or maybe a necklace for yourself?"
" Me mape fomefimg fow Pops!" Ai said happily, her face beaming excitedly from her fur lined hood, her cheeks bright pink.
" Really?" Thatch said opening the castle door and heading towards the shoreline. " That's very sweet of you, Ai! I'm sure whatever it is you make for Pops, I'm sure he will love it!"
" Woop!" Ai squealed in excitement. " Biwbief!"
" Those are seagulls, baby sister!" Thatch laughed lifting her from his shoulders and setting her lightly down. " Now be careful not to stray to far from me and stay out of the water! We don't want you catching a chill."
With that said Thatch released the small blunette upon the shoreline. He smiled lovingly as he watched his sister dart excitedly around the beach, looking for a treasure to give to their father. She was always trying to find something that their father would like. Little did she realize that their father loved anything and everything his children gave him. They were his greatest treasures, not his lands or his vast amounts of gold.
" FAFP!"
Thatch looked up to see Ai hurrying towards a large blue and pink jellyfish at least three times her size. " Oh no, Ai!" Thatch said quickly, managing to scoop her up before she reached it. " You don't want to touch that!"
" Bup!" Ai said, her face falling into an adorable pout.
" No buts, little sister!" Thatch said kissing her nose lovingly. " That's a jellyfish. Those squiggly things coming out of it are called tentacles and they sting you…"
" Fpimg?"
" They have poison in them that will give you a very bad ouchie!"
" Ouppy!" Ai said worriedly.
" Yep!" Thatch said sternly. " So never ever touch one okay?"
" Pay!" Ai said squirming excitedly for freedom.
" I mean it, Ai!" Thatch said sternly as he set her down. " Don't touch any jellyfish!"
" Pay!" Ai said hurriedly running away from the jellyfish to find something new to discover.
Thatch smiled gently. He could hardly believe that it had already been three years since Ai came to be in their care. He could still remember Elia being pregnant with her and the proud look upon his brother Alduin's face when he held her for the first time.
Ai had been so small and fragile looking when she was born that Thatch himself had been afraid to hold her. Yet when she opened her round and curious eyes he felt all his fears just melt away and he held her with the steadiest of arms.
As a warrior he often held others lives in his hands, yet it was mainly to end it. Yet when Pops had adopted Ai the whole fleet suddenly found themselves scrambling around to understand child rearing. It was very awkward for them to hold her and they would often find themselves scrambling in a panic whenever she would start crying.
Yet like in any high-stress situation, Pops remained calm and would just cuddle her or feed her. Things became better and worse when she learned to walk and talk. After that it was nearly impossible to keep track of her and impossible to know what would come out of her mouth. Thankfully Pops had over a thousand men under his command that were all considered his sons. So Ai had over a thousand brothers with a thousand sets of eyes to keep track of her.
" Thankfully we have a lot of help to keep track of you, right munchkin?" Thatch said cheerfully before he realized she was no where around. " Ai?" He said worriedly looking around for the small blunette.
Panic flooded him as he began searching frantically for his little sister. " AI!" He yelled fearfully as he failed to do so.
" Come on, little sister!" A man with a massive build, as his body is round with relatively thin limbs, said happily. He had a big mouth with several broken or missing teeth, a pronounced crooked nose and a very large and hairy chest and torso. Long, thick, woolly black hair fell down the back of his neck, underneath a black bandana, and a small scruffy black beard that grew around his jawline.
" Bup Mawfaww," Ai said cutely as she toddled unsteadily behind him. " Fafpf faib mop awwobeb im woobf!"
" Only because he didn't want you to be in there by yourself! But we don't have to worry about that because I'll be with you so it'll be alright!" When Ai continued to look uncomfortable he continued. " Just trust me, little sister! I would never lie to you!"
