James awoke with a warmth buzzing in his chest. He rolled over to his side and smiled seeing the young prince curled up next to him. Carefully he wrapped an arm around the smaller male and pulled him closer, allowing Kendall to rest his head upon his chest.
"Rest easy, my love. For we have just started our life together." He whispered. The blond murmured in his sleep and James ran his fingers through his hair. James smiled and let his fingers gingerly run down the prince's neck and shoulders and down his spine. It was only then he noticed something... off.
A small mark at on Kendall's lower back. It had such an unnatural color. It was almost green and it looked so off. James tilted his head to the right and ran his hand over it. "Mm..." The prince hummed and curled up a bit and let out a silent murmur. James smiled at him.
"Sleep." he ordered softly and the blond slowly stilled and kept on sleeping peacefully.
The pirate captain smiled and got up and dressed before silently slipping out of the cabin and closing the door. It looked like it were to be a beautiful day the sun that had just started to rise above the horizon glowed red and orange and the few clouds that floated around in the sky turned rosy pink and sunny yellow by the rising orbs by the edge of the world.
James took a deep breath and then walked up to the rudder deck, silently greeting the pirate by the wheel before taking over and dismissing the tired crew member. He sighed a bit and blinked when he noted that the deck wasn't empty and the newest addition to the crew stood by the railing and looked out over the sea with a doleful look on his face.
The pirate captain pondered on whether he should call out for him or not but chose not to and simply ignored the raven haired boy and let his mind drift up in the blue.
The young prince down in the cabin was a most wondrous thing. James still couldn't understand how he'd fallen so hard for the blond and it was outside his reach of mind how Kendall could even think the thought of loving him back.
He thought back to how the blond had come down and found him in the fortress dungeon. How he had blurted out his feelings and left without even hearing James out. Then again it was for the better and James was glad to be reunited with his love.
"Captain?" A soft voice rang out and James snapped out of his chain of thoughts. Logan stood a few feet away, looking timid and a bit troubled. "M-... May I have a word with you?"
"Ar." James said silently and turned to look out over the ocean. "What is it?" He asked and sighed a bit. Logan hesitated and gulped, fiddling with his hands.
"I am wondering why you are letting me stay." He confessed. "I know the prince is not very keen on seeing me but... why do you bring me along?" He asked.
James eyed the small raven haired boy before scoffing. "Your prince seem to think that I am not the monster everyone else sees." He said. "Though my decision to allow your stay did not please him I am the captain of this ship and I am not denying a set of working hands." He said. Logan nodded.
"The prince seems quite fond of you." He mumbled carefully. "He would not stop talking about you." He said and James gave a light chuckle.
"Ar. I too am very fond of the prince." He said softly. "I am glad to have him with me and I am glad that he is alright." He continued before looking worried. "Logan, was it?" He asked and the former servant nodded. "I didn't bring you only for the sake of mercy and goodness." He mumbled. "You know more than anyone of the prince's... condition and I fear that it isn't quite over."
"Oh no, Captain... far from it..." Logan mumbled. "Very far from over though I don't know what will happen next."
James frowned a bit and nodded. "Then we are two." He sighed.
Linelineline
Kendall woke up a little before midday and stretched out on the bed. He had a warm feeling in his chest and his head felt light and a little fuzzy but all in a good way. He looked around in the cabin and then rubbed his eyes. Everything seemed a little clearer to him and he wondered if it had something to do with...
The young prince sat up in the bed and looked down at his naked chest. The branding had healed inhumanly fast and was now just a faint scar but it didn't look quite like a scar would. It wasn't red or gross like a normal scar but had somehow morphed into his skin and now looked more like a tattoo than anything. The greenish color stood out as a contrast to his own pale skin.
Carefully Kendall ran his fingers over the mark but he neither hurt nor felt it under his fingertips. His skin was completely smooth and if it weren't for the strange mark you'd never know that there had been a wound there.
The young prince got out of the bed and got dressed before heading out to the deck and found his love up on the rudder deck, studying maps and humming to himself. Kendall made his way up to the rudder deck, staying light on his feet and slowly approaching the handsome pirate.
"Hey." He greeted lowly and James turned to him with a smile.
"You're awake." He said and the prince's lips twisted into a small smile.
"A-Aye." He mumbled and blushed. The pirate captain eyed him for a moment before letting out a small sigh and turning to him, pulling him into an embrace and inhaling some of his scent. "C-Captain..." Kendall breathed out and leaned into the touch.
James hummed silently and gently caressed the blond's cheek. "Beauty like yours is impossible to find, for it is divine." James said. "A face sculpted by the Gods themselves." He said and leaned down and pressed his lips against the blonds.
"Oh, how you are showering me in praise." Kendall sighed and blushed again.
"You are my love." James said softly. "And my love deserves to be worshiped like the Godlike gift he is." He hummed and kissed the prince once more. Kendall let out a shaky breath and gulped, hesitating for a moment before pulling away.
James frowned, noticing that something wasn't right with the prince. "There is something I have to show you." Kendall whispered. The handsome brunet nodded and the prince glanced around before unbuttoning his coat and cotton shirt and pulling it out of the way, showing off his greenish mark. James' eyebrows knitted together in a worried frown. "'Tis no scar." Kendall whispered. "Merely a mark... if even that." He mumbled and James ran his fingers over the mark and nodded.
"Ar. I see it." He mumbled before looking up and meeting the blond's emerald green eyes and pausing for a moment both to admire the sight and to think about what he was just told. "How does it feel?" He asked. Kendall gulped a bit and shook his head.
"I-It... it feels good." He said. "It is like nothing I have ever felt. It is a feeling I enjoy... if I should or not I don't know." He mumbled and shook his head. "Oh, James... whatever should I do?"
"Hush, love." James whispered and pulled the blond into a hug and ran his hand over his back in a soothing way. Kendall slung his arms around the brunet and hugged him tightly. "Don't fret, my love, not for a minute for I am here." James sighed.
"I fear nothing when I am with you. Not even my fate." Kendall said and looked up at the brunet.
James smiled at him and nodded. "Our fate, love." James said. "Your fate is no longer yours alone. We are one and my fate as well as yours are intertwined into one." He said and nudged the blond's chin. "Be sure of that."
Kendall smiled at him and the captain let go of the prince that went down onto the deck and made his way over to the latino who sat comfortably with his legs tangled in the ropes from the mast, slowly swinging back and forth while carving in a piece of wood.
"Ahoy!" Kendall called out and Carlos looked down at him and smiled. "What are you up to, Carlos?" Kendall asked curiously and climbed up on the railing and peeked up at what the latino's work. "May I see?"
"Of course, your majesty." Carlos chuckled and held up the small wooden carving. Kendall tilted his head a little as he eyed it. "You look puzzled." Carlos said.
"What is it?" Kendall asked.
Carlos smiled at him. "It's a protection charm." he said. "Keeps evil spirits away, they say." He explained and continued to carve at the small wooden amulet. It was shaped like a small spiral that changed direction after a lap and then crossed itself, creating a very beautiful symbol. "I might need it when we pass the Siren's lair."
"Siren's lair?" Kendall questioned. "What's a siren?" he asked and climbed up to sit on the climbing net of the mast, sitting on the same level as his pirate friend.
"Sirens are magical creatures." he explained. "They can turn into the most beautiful things to lure you off the ship and straight into the water to your death." He said before smiling a little and holding up the symbol in his hand. "This is supposed to keep my head clear."
The young prince nodded slowly. "Have you seen ever seen a siren?" he asked. Carlos shook his head. "Do you-... Do you think Captain Diamond has ever seen one?" he asked.
"Oh, I bet." Carlos said and nodded. "Though he's never been fooled. We wouldn't have a captain if he had been." He said with a small chuckle.
Kendall gave a light laugh and nodded. "'Tis true." he said and glanced over his shoulder at the handsome brunet that didn't seem to notice that he was being watched. "You have all seen so much and I have seen so little." He mumbled. "All I want is to see what the world has to offer." He said and turned back to the latino who nodded, a distracted look on his face.
"Ar..." Carlos mumbled and eyed the prince a bit before coming to his senses and shaking his head. "Well, I believe I made you a promise while sick a while ago." he said. "would you like to learn how to climb the mast?" He asked and shoved his amulet into his pocket and pointing up at the tall mast with the knife he had.
Kendall it up and nodded excitedly. "Most definitely!" he replied and Carlos chuckled softly before swinging down from his spot and then demonstrating the climb for the young prince.
Hey guys! How are you all doing? Are you doing good? I hope you are!
Here's another chapter for you! I actually missed this story when I was away. I missed all of my stories actually and I got a pretty good idea for this one :)
Thank you all for reading! I love you!