"So what's the plans, Captain?" The latino asked as he slowly swung back and forth on a loose rope hanging from the mast.
"We're going to disappear for a while, Carlos." James replied calmly and eyed the maps in front of him. "I was thinking some in the style of Isla de la Liberdad." He continued and looked up with a smirk ghosting over his face.
Carlos chuckled and shook his head. "You're taking the prince to a pirate island?" He asked. "He's a piece of meat for those guys, ya know." He continued and jumped down and padded over to the Captain. "There'll be countless of people looking for him as soon as they find out he's missing."
"Only if they know that he is in fact the prince." James pointed out. "Besides, I've got some people there I need to speak with, collect a few debts and y'all need someplace to waste your coins." He added and stood up straight.
The small latino shrugged, agreeing lightly. "Did ya hear about Porter?" Carlos asked after a few moments of silence.
"I heard." James sighed. "The bastard only has himself to blame." He grumbled and scoffed. "What did he leave behind?" He asked and turned to his friend.
"Besides debt and a foul smell?" Carlos asked. "A few coins, a blunt sword and a bunk to sleep in." He continued. James nodded slowly and went over to the rudder.
"Share whatever he left with the crew, then go and make sure our guest is enjoying himself." He mumbled and looked out into the distance. Carlos nodded.
"Ay, Captain." He said before making his way down under deck and announcing that whatever Porter had left behind was to be split among the rest of the crew. After receiving some approving groans and mumbles from them he left them and made his way back up on deck and over to the cab belonging to the captain of the ship.
He opened the door and stepped inside. He had a look around in the cab. It was just slightly messy, but what can you expect from a pirate? This space was probably the cleanest on the ship anyways. He looked up and saw the blond prince sitting on the edge of the bed with his hands folded in his lap.
"Ahoy, you majesty!" Carlos said. The blond stayed silent but watched him with caution. "Ya doin' alright in here?" The latino tried. Kendall furrowed his eyebrows and looked away from the pirate. Carlos sighed a bit and decided to give up. The prince obviously wasn't talking. "Just checking on ya, Captain's orders." He said.
"Of course it is..." Kendall muttered sadly and sighed a bit. Carlos frowned but decided to leave the prince alone and left the cabin.
"Oy, Captain!" He called and scurried back to James. "Ye should get yourself some rest before you collapse." he said. James sighed and nodded.
"Ar." He said and let go of the rudder wheel. "Take over here." he said. "But remember. Not a scratch." He muttered before descending the stairs and going into his cabin.
Kendall tensed up when the captain walked in and quickly let his eyes drop to the floor by his feet. He could hear some rustling and looked up to see Captain Diamond shed his red coat and his hat before striding over to the bed. Again, he tensed up and quickly got up from the bed. The prince was – to say the least – surprised when the brunet seemed to ignore him and flopped down on the bed with his hands behind his head.
"What?" James asked when the blond was staring. "'Tis my bed." He grumbled and closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
The prince nodded slowly and unnoticed while he eyed the handsome brunet lying on the bed. The white shirt he wore under his red coat was unbuttoned almost all the way down to his navel and while lying down he could see a streak of tanned skin and well defined muscles.
Kendall hesitated before slowly backing off. Was the captain seriously going to sleep? It was in the middle of the day! But then again... the brunet pirate hadn't slept all night from what Kendall knew. The prince gulped silently and quietly made his way over to the captain's coat and grabbed the dagger from the belt.
Slowly he approached the bed with the dagger in a tight grip. His breath was hitching but he kept his mouth closed and tried to stay silent – to not alert the captain – and stood by the bed holding the dagger, ready to bury it deep in the brunet's chest.
Yet he hesitated. As if he as trying to find the courage and strength to do so.
"What are you waiting for?" James asked lazily – startling the blond – and peered one of his hazel eyes open. "Are you going to try and kill me, might as well do it while I'm sleeping, right?" He asked and opened his eyes fully. "That's quite a pirate thing to do."
The prince furrowed his eyebrows and tightened his grip on the dagger. "S-Shut up!" Kendall yelled and gulped. His hands were trembling and he desperately tried to remain strong. "I-I'll kill you." He hissed.
Before the prince had anytime to react or even utter a yelp of surprise the captain had sat up and grabbed a hold of his wrist. Pressing the dagger against his own throat and staring right into Kendall's eyes with a daring and challenging look.
"Then do it." James gritted out. "Kill me." He whispered. Kendall stared wide eyed and frightened at him. His hands were shaking uncontrollably and his fingers suddenly felt stiff and awkward around the daggers handle. "Do it!" James yelled.
"I-I-..." Kendall whined and James let him go with a small shove. The dagger fell to the ground and the prince trembled with fear. He couldn't tear his eyes off of the pirate in front of him that shook his head slowly, making his soft brown hair flop back and forth over his forehead.
"A threat is nothing if you're not going to follow it through." James said and laid back down, seemingly unaffected by the attempted murder. Kendall gulped and sank down to sit on the floor before he fell down and James sighed before once again making himself comfortable on the bed.
Kendall left the captain alone after that. He curled up in the opposite corner of the cab with his arms wrapped around himself and silent tears rolling down his pale cheeks. From what he could tell the pirate was fast asleep and didn't at all seemed bothered by his presence.
The prince wasn't so sure how long the brunet had been resting when he was suddenly up again. James eyed Kendall before getting his coat back on and placing his hat on top of his head. His eyes were still set on the young blond when he walked towards the doors and walked out.
Linelineline
"So you dared yourself out here, huh?" James asked when Kendall came walking up the stairs to the rudder. The prince nodded timidly and James scoffed. "It's late." He pointed out.
The sun had just set and the stars were peeking out and the moon shone weakly down at them. The blond looked up at it, sighing at the memory of the last time he'd seen it. He turned back to the captain of the ship.
"You are still up." Kendall replied silently. James let out a snort and grinned.
"That I am, your majesty." He said and let go of the wheel and turned to the blond with a sly look. "And so are you." He murmured and sat down by the table, throwing his feet up on it and letting out an appreciative groan. "What's on your mind?" He asked and tipped his hat backwards so that he could properly see the prince.
"I'm tired of being locked up in that cabin." Kendall said and James chuckled lowly. The prince blushed angrily and clenched his hands into fists.
"I wouldn't call it locked up." James said and Kendall glared at him, green eyes digging straight into James' skull. It almost took the brunet by surprise. Never had he seen such a defiant glare from the usually timid prince. Not even earlier when he'd tried to kill him.
"Fearing what lies outside the cabin, afraid of my own skin when I leave it is what I call a prison." He gritted out. "If anything I might go insane staying in there." He said and turned away from the captain and crossed his arms over his chest. James stayed silent for a while and eyed the prince with great interest.
"Is that so?" He asked and swung his legs down onto the deck and got up from his seat. "Tell me, your majesty." The handsome brunet said, yanking at the prince's arm and arching an eyebrow. "What is freedom?" He asked. The young prince remained silent and the captain grinned and pulled the blond closer and looked him straight in the eyes. "I'll tell you." James said quietly and gazed into Kendall's emerald green eyes. "Freedom is doing what you want and going wherever you'd like and not being bothered by what others tell you." He said and smirked. "Freedom is being a pirate."
Kendall gulped. His breathing came out slow yet ragged and his heart was pounding harshly in his chest. He hesitated on whether he should answer or not, afraid he'd earn himself another slap in the face. The captain snorted and was just about to let the blond go when Kendall spoke up.
"I-I don't understand." Kendall mumbled. "Is freedom being hunted by the royal fleet?" He asked confusedly. He slowly shook his head and tried to understand the brunet. "How is it a free life if you can't even go ashore without being hanged by your neck?"
Captain Diamond chuckled lowly and shook his head. With a shrug of his shoulders he said, "That's a small price to pay for freedom. Also it's a part of the thrill of being a free soul, knowing it can end whenever. It makes you live every day like it's you last."
"But..." The prince said timidly, still not completely understanding the concept of freedom.
"I've got what I need on the sea." James said and turned his head to look out over the open ocean. "And if I'd ever need to refill my supplies, if I'd ever need a break for a good bottle of rum, if I'd ever get lonely," he purred and tugged the blond closer, "there's cities and shores made by pirates, for pirates." He said.
"A-Are w-we...?" Kendall asked, eyes widening and breath hitching in his throat. James grinned.
"We're currently heading towards the biggest pirate city on this side of the world." He confirmed and smirked.
The prince would have slumped in defeat if he hadn't been so tense and so close to the brunet. "Y-You..." He mumbled but completely forgot what he was saying when James' hands moved from his waist down to his lower back. "C-Captain!" he whined.
James chuckled darkly and leaned closer and Kendall was nearly holding his breath when they were mere millimeters apart.
But before it got further James pulled away with a suspicious look on his face and turned around and seemed to be listening. Kendall to tried to listen and hear when the brunet heard. He opened his mouth to speak but got interrupted by the captain.
"OY!" James shouted and let the blond go and stomped over to the railing and looked down at the deck. "All hands on deck!" He roared and stomped with his foot. Groaning pirates – just awoken – entered the deck and looked up at their captain.
"Captain?" Ty asked tiredly and sighed.
"Load the cannons and get ready. We've got company." James said with a tiny smirk. The crew members looked confused and looked around on the open sea. Kendall too was very confused and attempted to walk up to the railing to look out over the sea but James grabbed his arm and yanked him back. "Wouldn't do that if I were you." He said.
Just moments later the whole ship swayed too and if James hadn't held the blond he would have fallen over. "What in the world-?!" Kendall exclaimed.
"It's a kraken!" Ty shouted and pointed to where a shifting on the still ocean. A large slimy tentacle came crashing up from the blue and swung around before slamming down on deck, just barely missing everyone.
"Get the cannons ready!" James shouted. "The center's on starboard side!" He commanded and sailors scurried across the deck to follow the orders. "And hurry up! If my ship gets damaged more than necessary I'll hang every single on of you!"
"You heard him!" Carlos yelled. The captain of the ship walked up to the railing and jumped up on it.
"Ha! Smaller than the last!" James laughed and grinned wickedly down into the swivel of water and eyed the large gap in it filled with teeth and spores oozing with acid. The brunet jumped down from the railing and strode over to the blond prince who was seemingly paralyzed with fearful confusion.
"T-That thing..." Kendall stuttered and James laughed loudly at the blond's expression.
"Congratulations, your majesty. You've just encountered your first sea beast!" The pirate said and grabbed the prince by the arm and dragged him over to his cabin and shoved him inside before closing the doors behind them.
"C-Captain Diamond!" Kendall squeaked.
"I'm gonna have to ask your majesty to stay put in here while we deal with his." James said and pulled his dagger out of its sheet by his belt. He held the blade and offered the weapon to the prince. "I figure you'll feel familiar with this." He said.
The prince gulped and took the offered weapon and held it tightly. "I-I... I suppose." He mumbled and the tall pirate chuckled before getting serious.
"Just remember." James said. "Monsters like this won't give you any seconds chances." He said before turning around.
"Y-You're not seriously going out there, a-are you?!" Kendall exclaimed.
James chuckled and turned his head and smiled at the blond and patted his shoulder roughly. "I've protected this ship for as long as I can remember." He said. "I'm not gonna stop now and that big ugly thing is not going to drag this beauty down into Davy Jones' locker!" He said and smiled once more before disappearing out the doors.
The blond stayed put for a moment and then clenched his fingers around the handle of the dagger and tried to mentally prepare himself for whatever the Gods were going to throw at him.
Ahoy! Or something... I dunnuh...
Updating this story! Oh, I've been longing to do this. It takes time and I'm sorry but... gah, sorry! I'm so glad people seem to like it thought. I'm so happy that you're enjoying it and I'm enjoying to write this so much! I love you guys!
Thank you so much for reading and please, please keep up the good work with reviewing and being such wonderful readers! You're all amazing and I can't believe I'm so lucky to have you guys! (Is it weird that I think of you as friends? I hope not :S)
Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Love, Hannah :)