A.N. ~ OMG I was so pleased with all of my reviews! I got like six more reviewers overnight! I am just so so so happy I decided to update early! And this chapter's dedicated to all of my new guys! All 6 of my new reviewers!

QAM-Stu – Glad ya love the theme! Pirates interest me so much and I've done so much research into the whole thing to make it as accurate as possible. Thanks for the review

Desta – I know! Wouldn't he make a sexy pirate? But I have some advice for you, okay? NEVER EVER confuse anime' characters with cartoon characters! There is a BIG difference, 'kay? And yes, it is perfectly normal, seeing as how anime' characters surpass American animation by like a landslide! Vive la Bishie!

chibi_akuma_no_kage – Thanks for reading! I love a fan! *hugs* Here is your update!

Laina – Mwahahahahaha! I know! Aren't I ever so evil? Cliffies are so much fun to write!

HARK5291 – Ha ha! Thanks for reviewing! Thank you for reading! You make me feel so special! This one's for all of you!

mommy's little monster – LOL here's your update! Where's my cookies?! LOL j/k! Thanks for being a fan! Also much thanks for telling me about my summary. I need to know that that's what's bringing reviews in! Here's some cookies for you! *gives lots of cookies*

DBZ-fan-JESS – Nice to know I have a fellow fan of pirates! Was not Pirates of the Caribbean the greatest movie ever?! That was partly my inspiration for this movie, in fact, I think I'll go watch my POTC DVD right after I finish writing this! Thanks for being a fan! Luv ya! *hugs*

SilverWing145 – OMG you are really starting to creep me out! What is this with you and predicting?! O_o Okay, that's it, you're forcing me to change all of this around! It's your fault! Nah, I'm just kidding! But tone down the predicting, 'kay? You're gonna give it away to everyone else! Shhhhhh *gives cookie*

Shades of Crimson – I look forward so much to your reviews! You leave such long and encouraging ones! Thanks for the summary opinion, but I'm soo bad at writing attractive summaries! Maybe you could help? I'll have to find you online and get your help! In the meantime, spread the word around to you're friends about this original plot! You have a lot of connections, could ya help a sister out? LOL You're so great! I can't tell you how much I love reading your reviews! I can't wait to see what you think of this, it's not so great and as long, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

PANDORA001 – So, I'm your arch nemesis, eh? Well, FINE! Nah, I'm just kidding! Thanks so much for being there for me! You've been such a big help, I can't tell you! You are such the best! And future congrats on your 200 reviews! I know you'll definitely make it! You're just that good! Oh, and here's a little something from me to you to show my appreciation! *throws water balloon* ^^

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Chapter IV

The blue-eyed boy stared intently at his mother, his attention submerged in her every word. A story filled with pirates? This has got to be good, but how in the world could his mom, who would not even let him play fight with sticks, know anything about pirates? Suddenly a familiar voice called his attention away.

"Trunks!" a small boy, a year younger than himself, with ebony black hair came running up the hill. "Trunks, what did your mum say? Can you go?" The lavender haired boy glared at his friend, and immediately jumped out of his mother's lap. It was not manly at all to sit on mommy's knee and let her tell you a story.

"Goten! Can't you see I'm doing something here? It's rude to interrupt y'know." He admonished, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sorry, Trunks. It's just that you never came back and I was worried." The contrite boy scratched the back of his head. "What are you doing here with your mom anyway?"

"She's telling me a story. It's really great! It's got pirates in it and everything!"

"And pirates are just the beginning." She teased the boys. Both of them looked at her with childish excitement in their eyes, their adventuresome spirits unable to resist a good pirate tale. She smiled at them.

"Really?!" they asked simultaneously. The azure-haired mother nodded in the affirmative, then signaled for both of them to sit down.

"Now sit down if you want to hear the rest." She ordered, and they both followed it like British soldiers, plopping down in the grass and staring at her with rapt attention, begging her to continue with her tale. Clearing her throat and smoothing out her dress, she began once more.

"As I said before, James and the lady barely escaped with their lives from the nasty crooks, and they thought that it couldn't get any worse, but they were very much wrong."

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After tossing her in there like she were a sack of potatoes, the thieves slammed the door shut, then locked it. She picked herself up slowly, hoping to God that her hand didn't touch anything alive, or dead for that matter, and yelled at the door.

"You cowards! Monsters! Let me out of here this instant!" she shrieked as loud as she could, hoping for some sort of attention. Nothing. Well, there was some cynical chuckling from outside the door, but that's not what she wanted.

"Open this door instantly! I demand you set me free!"

Nothing still. There had to be some way out of here, and if yelling didn't work, she'd have to rely on her ingenuity. Good thing her dad was a genius.

She focused in the darkness, trying to see if she could make out anything that could help her escape. Pure and total darkness. And not only that, but it also smelled something awful and she had no desire to know what the smell was.

She sent a sharp glare to the door, trying to brainstorm what it was she might be able to do.

'Okay, I'm on a ship, kidnapped by pirates and just because the pirate happens to be the most notorious one, doesn't mean that there is no way out of here and I'm never getting off. Now what around here could be used as a tool…'

The Italian heiress knelt down and felt blindly around on the ground to try and find something, anything she could use to get out of this black, smelly prison. And it all seemed futile until she heard the door creak open…

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The captain sat back in his chair as he re-read the piece of paper before him. Normally, he wouldn't read poetry, but this wasn't ordinary poetry, this was a cryptic prophecy that would lead him to the treasure he so pined for.

Devils and Dragons guard the cave

To those orbs of blue

A man can do a lifetime of searching

And never have a clue

Cleverly hidden

And tucked away

Oblivious to the sight of men

Thus the only way to find the orbs

Is to look within

'What the hell does it mean?' he pondered, furrowing his brows. 'The only way to find the orbs is to look within. Within what? A box? The sand? The ocean? Dammit, how on earth is this a clue? This doesn't help anything.'

Tossing the paper onto the desk in front of him, he spun around in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'I'm so close. I know it; I can taste it. Those orbs will be mine.'

The Sapphirine Orbs are a treasure more hunted than the Holy Grail. For decades, men have searched and followed false clues all the way to their grave looking for them. It would seem silly and awkward to some to go on a quest for these two blue jewels, but it wasn't the jewels they were interested in, it was the power they held. Long ago, a wizard created an ominous magic that had the power to bring life and death, make spring into winter, and destroy the very universe they lived in. This wizard knew that if this much power got into the wrong hands, it would destroy them all. So he hid them into two Sapphire Orbs, hopeful that their location would never be discovered. By demand from the Majesty of England, he was forced to divulge to them the secret location of the orbs. The wizard never wanted them to be found, so he wrote a poem. He was later hung for treason and heresy*, but they never figured out what exactly the poem meant.

He slowly opened his eyes, and his obsidian gaze glared at the ocean in thought.

'Look within. What could that possibly mean?'

A knocking on his door interrupted his thoughts. He growled low in his throat at the disturbance. Standing from his chair he shifted over to the door, and swung it open, making sure that whoever was disturbing him knew he was annoyed.

"What is it?" he growled to the puny man in front of him.

"Beg pardon cap'n Vejita, but it would seem that the girl that we put in the cellars has… gotten loose."

"What? What do you mean she got loose?! You incompetent morons were supposed to be watching her!"

The man grew nervous and begun to sweat a little, If there was one thing you never wanted to do, it was anger him.

"Well, we was, sir. Until the cook went down there to the meals and…"

Vejita glared at the man, waiting for an intelligent excuse as to why one royal prissy woman was able to escape three burly men. And there was only one.

" Idiots!" he seethed as he shoved the man aside and stomped out of his doorway. "Where is she?"

"Last seen on portside, sir." The man replied nervously.

He would have asked why she wasn't caught yet, but he really didn't want to know. This was already to much.

He stomped left, and around the side, passing the bilges where the unconscious cook lie, then three more of his men. The captain arched an eyebrow. What on earth did she hit them with?

As soon as he reached the railing where the longboats were, he found the sneaky little petticoat trying to hijack one of his longboats. He smirked, then leaned against the building where the armory was kept.

"And I thought ladies were supposed to have more manners than that." He commented, obviously startling her because she dropped what looked like rotten zucchini into the ocean. She whipped around, and once her eyes met his, she glared at him.

"Richiedo la mia libertà questo istante!" she shot, her anger and indignation forced her to speak in her native tongue.

The smirk never left his lips. 'An Italian, eh? This is interesting. All right, let's play this game."

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"Spiacente, Non posso fare quell."

The words seemed to roll of his tongue like he actually hailed from the country. It caught her by surprise, but she hoped for the effect to be the other way around. That really backfired. She stared at him for awhile, knowing full well he was enjoying her bewildered moment.

"Parlate italiano?" she inquired after few seconds of silence.

" No, I'm just repeating a quote from a book I read." His reply dripping with sarcasm. She sent him another glare that only amused him further.

" I can speak 5 different languages, woman, including my mother tongue."

Okay, now she was impressed. A buccaneer who knew 5 different languages? There was no way that a regular pirate would just have the desire to learn a different language. Either you spoke their language, or you didn't. And it's a whole lot easier to rob someone who doesn't speak your language.

She stared at him for awhile more, suddenly intrigued by this dark, mysterious buccaneer. The young duchess knew that there is more to him than meets the eye, and she was going to find out what. She also noticed a scar that marred his bronze skin. About 5 inches long, right next to his left eye. She mentally shook her head.

'Get ahold of yourself, girl! This is the evil villain that kidnapped you, remember? You aren't intrigued by him, you're repulsed!'

" Well obviously you don't understand English very well, so I'll repeat myself. Let me go!" she ordered, flashing off her superiority and royalty.

"Oh, I understand just fine, woman. Just perfectly." As he ended that statement, he began to slowly walk towards her, his eyes firmly locked onto hers. The dark captain's unwavering gaze and the direction he was going made her very nervous. Her hands gripped the back railing for support as he got closer and closer. When he finally reached her, they were inches apart.

"I understand just fine, woman. I'm not the kind of guy to just dump you in the middle of the ocean with no compass, no oars, and no map and leave you to find your way home. Not when you could make such a suitable servant."

Her eyes narrowed and she became indignant once more.

"I am an heiress to my father's business and an Italian duchess. I am no one's servant."

"Well then, I have news for you, princess." He whispered, drawing close to her. His hands caressed the skin of her cheek to brush a stray wisp of hair from her face as he leaned in close to her, so close that she could feel his breath against her lips. His deep obsidian eyes pierced her own as he softly whispered, "You're mine now."

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It was only a day's ride from Sashburry Heights to Sobris' (sO-Bree), where he had to go to bear the bad news to the duke, but to him, it seemed like forever.

Above him, the gray sky rumbled and a few drops fell onto his head. Being a messenger, he wasn't allowed the privilege of travelling in a carriage. He had to go by horse, which was becoming rather uncomfortable, especially if it was going to rain.

He could see the mansion of the duke rising up in the distance. Kicking his horse to go faster, it became much clearer. The sky rumbled again, and the rain began to fall faster. Before it turned into a complete pour, he tied his horse up in the stables, and walked inside. A herald and a guard approached him.

"What is your business with Sir Victor de Barlow?" the herald demanded

"I need to speak with him immediately. I have news of his son."

"James? What about him?" he asked once more. The guard just stood solidly by his side.

"It's very urgent. Tell the duke I have to speak with him straight away concerning Sir James."

The herald turned to the guard and both nodded. And then the herald spoke,

"I will tell him you're here." And then he walked away towards two large wooden oak doors that had the crest of Sobris engraved into them.

"Thank you."

The herald was only gone a few minutes before he emerged once more waving them in. The guard escorted the messenger and the guard into a large, grand room that smelled of pine. Van Gough paintings hung on the wall, and the many solemn colors of royal purple and shimmering gold banners dressed the walls.

"Ah, Luke! Welcome!" the duke greeted the messenger by first name, walking up to him with open arms, ready to embrace the boy. He heard the herald gasp from behind him, dukes never did something so low as to hug lowly messenger boys.

"Thank you for your kind welcome, Sir Victor."

"'Tis no trouble at all, miboy. Now, what news bring you of my son?"

Luke took a grim look on his face.

"Sir Victor, your ears will hate me for the load I'm about to bear on them." *

The duke flashed him a puzzled look.

"Boy, is James all right?"

"No Sire, I'm he is not."

The duke grabbed the boys arm tightly.

"Is he ill?"

"No sire. He…he and your ship were attacked by the Black Dragon."

"But surely the boy lives?"

"No. He does not, sire. Lady Aubrianna sent men out to check the ruins, but there were no survivors amongst the dead and cargo. I'm very sorry."

The king backed away, and took a pained look on his face. He really hated this job, especially this part. Sir Victor de Barlow was one of his friends, and it pained him to give him this grim news.

"Leave me, boy. I thank you for your message."

Luke bowed and slowly backed out. The duke held his head in his hands, and walked up to his chair in great disbelief.

"James…my son…dead…I never thought I'd see the day…"

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Translations

1. Richiedo la mia libertà questo istante - I demand my freedom this instant!

2. Spiacente, Non posso fare quell - Sorry, I cannot make that

3. Parlate italiano - You speak Italian?

Definitions

1. *heresy - this is for all you who don't know, heresy is when the government says that what your saying/teaching/believing is crazy talk, and bad for the people to hear. Even if what you're saying is the truth, they would either force you to revoke what you said, or you died. It was that simple.

2. *"...your ears will hate me for the load I'm about to bear on them." - A quote from Shakespeare's MacBeth. I couldn't help it! I love Shakespeare, plus that's my line in the play! I'm so dedicated! ^^

A.N. ~ I spent all of my sick day finishing this chapter up! I know it's not as fulfilling as the last few chapters, but it is a chapter! It moves the story along, and trust me there will be more fulfilling chapters to come! Now, you know what to do!

Please review!

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*Griffyn ^_~