p dir="ltr"Pirates./p
p dir="ltr"Why didn't he see it before. Of course Wilford was a damn pirate. He should have seen that coming from a mile away. It was always pirates, wasn't it. The red and white stripes should have been the first clue./p
p dir="ltr"He growled as he was lead along, through the alleyways. Discreetly. No reason to raise a fuss. Not until they were out in the open and Dark had a better chance of escaping and could better defend himself./p
p dir="ltr""Don't take it personal, my sweet prince-" Dark jerked his shoulder free from Wilford's hold, shooting him a glare./p
p dir="ltr""I am not your emanything/em." he scowled, earning a pout in return. As well as a couple of snickers from the crew. "What is this all for? Ransom?" it was a lucrative act for sure. A kingdom with one heir to their name couldn't afford to lose them. It made sense for them to shill out mountains of gold to ensure their safety./p
p dir="ltr""Oh, no no! You heard Anti, didn't you?" Wilford nudged Dark forward, "Some people put a price on your head. Lucky you, emour/em employer wants you alive emand/em well."/p
p dir="ltr"Who would have done that? Sure Dark's pissed a lot of people off by rejecting them, but he couldn't think of anyone who would go to such lengths. At the moment. He had much more important things on his mind. Like how many of these pirates he could take out before they overpowered him./p
p dir="ltr"Or how many weapons were currently just seconds away from being sunk into his flesh./p
p dir="ltr""Who wants me that badly?" Dark eyed Wilford./p
p dir="ltr""Not important, keep moving."/p
p dir="ltr"He glared, hand tightening around his cane. He thought it was incredibly important./p
p dir="ltr"They kept walking, and eventually they were out in the open. At the docks. Dark could see a ship at the port. Large. Intimidating. Impressive. Of course they didn't have their true colors showing. They weren't stupid./p
p dir="ltr"Where was everyone?/p
p dir="ltr"Usually there would be fishermen and workers milling about. But Dark couldn't see a single one. Did they.../p
p dir="ltr"A shiver ran down his spine at the thought that they might have disposed of any potential witnesses. Maybe they were all at the festival? He hoped so./p
p dir="ltr"Focus./p
p dir="ltr"The prince surged forward, making a break for it. No one expected him to run emtowards/em where they were taking him. Dark counted on that. You'd expect someone to run back the way the came. But he didn't want to lead them back to his people, knowing how pirates were./p
p dir="ltr"He could hear them behind him, shouting, cursing. Scrambling to catch him. Even the pain in his knee couldn't make Dark slow down. Where could he run? Where could he go? He couldn't go back. Not to his home. To the festival. No where in the kingdom would be safe, for him or his people. He wasn't going to set a pack of angry pirates loose on the kingdom./p
p dir="ltr"It'd be best to flee./p
p dir="ltr"And there was only one direction he could go./p
p dir="ltr"The open sea./p
p dir="ltr""emstrongAuthor/strong/em!" Wilford's voice rang out clear, and suddenly a figure appeared from the ship./p
p dir="ltr"And Dark stopped./p
p dir="ltr"He couldn't move./p
p dir="ltr"He only discovered why when the figure drew closer, hearing their voice before he saw their face. Their words binding him to the spot, taking control of his limbs./p
p dir="ltr""'The prince stops in his tracks, unable to move from the spot on the pier.'" they said, reaching for their hood. The man before him looked into his eyes, and it felt as though he were peering into his very soul. It chilled him to the core. He's never experienced anything like this. "'He will stay here, on this spot. Until the Captain comes to get him. And then he will go with him willingly.'"/p
p dir="ltr"No./p
p dir="ltr"No he would not./p
p dir="ltr"Whoever this man was, his powers were emweak/em. Dark could feel it. Sense it./p
p dir="ltr"His eyes bore into the Author's, red and blue taking over. He could feel his magic flaring, bubbling up inside him. Boiling over with years of bottled up hatred and emotions./p
p dir="ltr"For years he had let others tell him what to do. Well, no more. This was a new chapter in his life. And he wasn't going to stand for it./p
p dir="ltr""What are you doing-'the emprince/em,'" Author growled, glaring intensely as Dark began to move. Slowly, like he was wading through syrup. But moving nonetheless. "'emstays/em emstrongput/strong/em.'" it was no use, Dark was stubborn. And as soon as he overpowered him he snapped forward, hands grabbing either side of the Author's face./p
p dir="ltr""No, he does emstrongnot/strong/em." Dark scowled, magic surging through his palms. From one to the other, straight through the man's skull. He felt a spike in his abilities, heard the crackling, followed by a piercing scream. He didn't know what he just did. But it was a great surge of energy./p
p dir="ltr"And whatever it was it caused the man's eyes to bleed./p
p dir="ltr"It must have been too much./p
p dir="ltr""I'm sorry-" Dark released him. He really was. He didn't mean to do that-whatever it was. He was only frightened. "I didn't-"/p
p dir="ltr"Author collapsed, hands clawing at his eyes. And Dark could hear the angry shouts from the crew. He had to flee. Now. Why they hadn't attempted to nab him then, he didn't know. Perhaps they were too confident in the Author. Or had been in shock./p
p dir="ltr"Regardless, he didn't look back as he dashed down the docks, jumping into the first rowboat he came across./p
p dir="ltr"He only hoped he still had enough magic reserved to pull this off./p
p dir="ltr"With one hand gripping the seat beneath him and the other poised, palm out, at the water, Dark used his powers to propel the boat forward. Away from the docks. Away from his home./p
p dir="ltr"Away from Wilford./p
p dir="ltr"Maybe in another life they could be together. But not this one./p
p dir="ltr"It pained Dark to think that. But what hurt the most was knowing he didn't feel the same. br /-br /"Well, fuck." Wilford hissed, glaring out at the prince as he made his get away. Surprisingly fast. It made him wonder just how powerful he really was./p
p dir="ltr"That and the downed crew member currently writhing on the dock./p
p dir="ltr""Author?" he cursed, kneeling down beside him as the man sobbed. Blood streamed down his face, leaking through the cracks between his fingers. "Will you be alright?"/p
p dir="ltr"He hissed, jerking away from the captain. "No! No I won't be alright!" he shrieked, "I can't fucking see!"/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford relented, grabbing hold of the Author's wrists to pull them away from his eyes. What he saw made his stomach churn. He's seen this once before. Power corruption. When one magic user overloads another and completely fucks over their alignment. Makes them unbalanced. Author wasn't bleeding blood, he was bleeding his emessence/em. If they couldn't help him he could become so unstable that he-/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford released his hands, standing up. He didn't want to think about it. It only brought back painful memories. Of Walter./p
p dir="ltr"It was quiet. For a bit. Until another crew mate spoke. "What now, Captain?"/p
p dir="ltr""... Bring Author on board. Get that doctor to treat him. Threaten him if you have to." he knew there was a reason they kidnapped that healer. "We set sail, now. Before anyone realizes the prince is missing and the kingdom goes on lockdown."/p
p dir="ltr"The prince just had to go and make this more difficult./p
p dir="ltr"Luckily, Wilford loved a good challenge./p
p dir="ltr"Why didn't he see it before. Of course Wilford was a damn pirate. He should have seen that coming from a mile away. It was always pirates, wasn't it. The red and white stripes should have been the first clue./p
p dir="ltr"He growled as he was lead along, through the alleyways. Discreetly. No reason to raise a fuss. Not until they were out in the open and Dark had a better chance of escaping and could better defend himself./p
p dir="ltr""Don't take it personal, my sweet prince-" Dark jerked his shoulder free from Wilford's hold, shooting him a glare./p
p dir="ltr""I am not your emanything/em." he scowled, earning a pout in return. As well as a couple of snickers from the crew. "What is this all for? Ransom?" it was a lucrative act for sure. A kingdom with one heir to their name couldn't afford to lose them. It made sense for them to shill out mountains of gold to ensure their safety./p
p dir="ltr""Oh, no no! You heard Anti, didn't you?" Wilford nudged Dark forward, "Some people put a price on your head. Lucky you, emour/em employer wants you alive emand/em well."/p
p dir="ltr"Who would have done that? Sure Dark's pissed a lot of people off by rejecting them, but he couldn't think of anyone who would go to such lengths. At the moment. He had much more important things on his mind. Like how many of these pirates he could take out before they overpowered him./p
p dir="ltr"Or how many weapons were currently just seconds away from being sunk into his flesh./p
p dir="ltr""Who wants me that badly?" Dark eyed Wilford./p
p dir="ltr""Not important, keep moving."/p
p dir="ltr"He glared, hand tightening around his cane. He thought it was incredibly important./p
p dir="ltr"They kept walking, and eventually they were out in the open. At the docks. Dark could see a ship at the port. Large. Intimidating. Impressive. Of course they didn't have their true colors showing. They weren't stupid./p
p dir="ltr"Where was everyone?/p
p dir="ltr"Usually there would be fishermen and workers milling about. But Dark couldn't see a single one. Did they.../p
p dir="ltr"A shiver ran down his spine at the thought that they might have disposed of any potential witnesses. Maybe they were all at the festival? He hoped so./p
p dir="ltr"Focus./p
p dir="ltr"The prince surged forward, making a break for it. No one expected him to run emtowards/em where they were taking him. Dark counted on that. You'd expect someone to run back the way the came. But he didn't want to lead them back to his people, knowing how pirates were./p
p dir="ltr"He could hear them behind him, shouting, cursing. Scrambling to catch him. Even the pain in his knee couldn't make Dark slow down. Where could he run? Where could he go? He couldn't go back. Not to his home. To the festival. No where in the kingdom would be safe, for him or his people. He wasn't going to set a pack of angry pirates loose on the kingdom./p
p dir="ltr"It'd be best to flee./p
p dir="ltr"And there was only one direction he could go./p
p dir="ltr"The open sea./p
p dir="ltr""emstrongAuthor/strong/em!" Wilford's voice rang out clear, and suddenly a figure appeared from the ship./p
p dir="ltr"And Dark stopped./p
p dir="ltr"He couldn't move./p
p dir="ltr"He only discovered why when the figure drew closer, hearing their voice before he saw their face. Their words binding him to the spot, taking control of his limbs./p
p dir="ltr""'The prince stops in his tracks, unable to move from the spot on the pier.'" they said, reaching for their hood. The man before him looked into his eyes, and it felt as though he were peering into his very soul. It chilled him to the core. He's never experienced anything like this. "'He will stay here, on this spot. Until the Captain comes to get him. And then he will go with him willingly.'"/p
p dir="ltr"No./p
p dir="ltr"No he would not./p
p dir="ltr"Whoever this man was, his powers were emweak/em. Dark could feel it. Sense it./p
p dir="ltr"His eyes bore into the Author's, red and blue taking over. He could feel his magic flaring, bubbling up inside him. Boiling over with years of bottled up hatred and emotions./p
p dir="ltr"For years he had let others tell him what to do. Well, no more. This was a new chapter in his life. And he wasn't going to stand for it./p
p dir="ltr""What are you doing-'the emprince/em,'" Author growled, glaring intensely as Dark began to move. Slowly, like he was wading through syrup. But moving nonetheless. "'emstays/em emstrongput/strong/em.'" it was no use, Dark was stubborn. And as soon as he overpowered him he snapped forward, hands grabbing either side of the Author's face./p
p dir="ltr""No, he does emstrongnot/strong/em." Dark scowled, magic surging through his palms. From one to the other, straight through the man's skull. He felt a spike in his abilities, heard the crackling, followed by a piercing scream. He didn't know what he just did. But it was a great surge of energy./p
p dir="ltr"And whatever it was it caused the man's eyes to bleed./p
p dir="ltr"It must have been too much./p
p dir="ltr""I'm sorry-" Dark released him. He really was. He didn't mean to do that-whatever it was. He was only frightened. "I didn't-"/p
p dir="ltr"Author collapsed, hands clawing at his eyes. And Dark could hear the angry shouts from the crew. He had to flee. Now. Why they hadn't attempted to nab him then, he didn't know. Perhaps they were too confident in the Author. Or had been in shock./p
p dir="ltr"Regardless, he didn't look back as he dashed down the docks, jumping into the first rowboat he came across./p
p dir="ltr"He only hoped he still had enough magic reserved to pull this off./p
p dir="ltr"With one hand gripping the seat beneath him and the other poised, palm out, at the water, Dark used his powers to propel the boat forward. Away from the docks. Away from his home./p
p dir="ltr"Away from Wilford./p
p dir="ltr"Maybe in another life they could be together. But not this one./p
p dir="ltr"It pained Dark to think that. But what hurt the most was knowing he didn't feel the same. br /-br /"Well, fuck." Wilford hissed, glaring out at the prince as he made his get away. Surprisingly fast. It made him wonder just how powerful he really was./p
p dir="ltr"That and the downed crew member currently writhing on the dock./p
p dir="ltr""Author?" he cursed, kneeling down beside him as the man sobbed. Blood streamed down his face, leaking through the cracks between his fingers. "Will you be alright?"/p
p dir="ltr"He hissed, jerking away from the captain. "No! No I won't be alright!" he shrieked, "I can't fucking see!"/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford relented, grabbing hold of the Author's wrists to pull them away from his eyes. What he saw made his stomach churn. He's seen this once before. Power corruption. When one magic user overloads another and completely fucks over their alignment. Makes them unbalanced. Author wasn't bleeding blood, he was bleeding his emessence/em. If they couldn't help him he could become so unstable that he-/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford released his hands, standing up. He didn't want to think about it. It only brought back painful memories. Of Walter./p
p dir="ltr"It was quiet. For a bit. Until another crew mate spoke. "What now, Captain?"/p
p dir="ltr""... Bring Author on board. Get that doctor to treat him. Threaten him if you have to." he knew there was a reason they kidnapped that healer. "We set sail, now. Before anyone realizes the prince is missing and the kingdom goes on lockdown."/p
p dir="ltr"The prince just had to go and make this more difficult./p
p dir="ltr"Luckily, Wilford loved a good challenge./p