Summer stared at the tray of food left on the wood table in front of her. The platinum blonde haired boy, Alex, had been back with more food. This time, however, he had barely said anything to her. He'd just set the tray down and left.

Odd, considering how much he talked and wouldn't leave the first time.

But Summer didn't care. She liked the peace and quiet.

Most of the time.

She lifted the lid and looked at it's contents. Stew and a roll again. Probably leftovers since she hadn't eaten anything before. She took a few bites, since she was feeling a little hungry. She chewed, then stared down at her plate. Even though it was just chicken stew, it was some of the best food she had ever tasted. The palace cooks couldn't even cook this well. She scooped more into her mouth.

Finally, she forced herself to stop. She needed to appear as if she wasn't starving. Summer hadn't eaten that big of a breakfast because she had been supposed to meet her brother for a chocolate date, but at least she had enough food in her now to keep her stomach from making noises. Speaking of chocolate dates, Kristian was probably still waiting.

What does he think? I didn't show up. Is he looking for me? Did he tell mama and papa?

Summer rose from her chair and paced around the room. They wouldn't know where to find her, because she didn't normally go to the docks. Hopefully after a little while they'd figure out that this was the only place she could be.

As long as we don't set sail, I'll be fine.

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Yes?" She called, making no move to open the door. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, it was locked. Alex opened the door and stepped inside, shutting the door carefully behind him.

"Um, I just wanted to tell you that- oh, good. You ate something." He smiled at the tray. "Did you like it?" He looked hopeful, but Summer just shrugged.

"It was decent." She was not about to give in and tell him it was delicious and probably some of the best food she'd ever tasted.

"Oh, okay good. Well I made it so, I guess I'll take that as a compliment." He laughed.

He made it?

Her eyes widened for a moment before she caught herself and returned to her uninterested expression. She didn't want him to know it impressed her.
"That's nice. Did you poison it?" She lifted a small figurine from one of the shelves and examined it.

"Poison it? Why would I poison it?" He looked utterly baffled as to why Summer would ask him such a question. She set the figurine down and turned to look at him.
"Don't you want to get rid of me? I am a threat to your 'plan'." She crossed her arms and glared.
"Get rid of you? Why would we want to do that? Just because you're a threat doesn't mean we have to get rid of you. We are going to return you to your family." He gave her a sidelong glance that held a hint of confusion.
"You are?" Summer was stunned.

I'm going to go home?

She had thought that she would be held for ransom, killed, or just kept captive forever. That was what happened in the stories she'd heard. People captured by pirates didn't return.

"Of course. We're only temporarily holding you until we get some things figured out." He met her eyes with an earnest look.

"Figure things..." Summer's voice trailed off as the words sunk in. "So I'm going home soon? I'll get to see my family? You aren't killing me?" She stared at Alex in wonder.

"What? Why would we kill you?!" He looked at her, the confusion now spread plainly across his face.

"Isn't that what pirates do? Capture people, and once they're of no use, you get rid of them?"

"No, not all of them. It depends on the pirate. And the person being held captive." Summer was too busy thinking his first statement through to notice the slight color that had appeared on the young pirate's face.

"Anyway, I came to tell you that we'll be setting sail soon. Allan just had to get the rest of the crew." He turned to leave and was halfway to the door when shouts came from above. He smiled at the sound, which Summer guessed was the rest of the crew, took the last few steps to the door, and reached for the doorknob.

"Set sail?" Summer's voice came out a whole lot squeakier than she had intended. Alex turned back toward her.

"Yeah." He studied her with one crystal blue eye.

"But I'm on here. You can't just set sail." Summer was getting upset now. The slight, squeaky whine that had just filled her words vanished, replaced with a strong force that rarely came out. She often used her hands when speaking, and now as a result of getting worked up, they were flying rapidly with each word.

This was exactly what she didn't want.

They can't set sail with me on here. Then I'll never get home.

"Are you afraid of sailing?" Alex took a step toward her, and his voice went softer. "It's not bad, I promise." If Summer hadn't been so upset with him and the whole kidnapping and now sailing situation, she might have found his voice soothing. But as it was, she was frightened and alone, and she didn't trust this strange man with very blonde hair and an eye patch.

"No, I just don't want to set sail." She crossed her dainty arms in front of her. Her words seemed to snap a small piece inside of him. He took two steps closer to her, and his usual amiable countenance hardened into an expression Summer recognized as annoyance.

Ha. She had finally broken him. Well, not completely broken him, but this was the most reaction she'd seen in him since he'd called her shrimp.

"Listen, princess, this is not your ship, and you do not give commands. We are setting sail no matter what you want, and I suggest you get used to it." Summer's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open at his tone. He had always been so kind and now, ugh, how he irked her. No matter what he said, it always got under her skin. And the nerve he had calling her princess!

Wait, princess. Does he know? He can't know!

Panic surged through her, and she forced herself to hold a normal breathing pattern.

"Princess?" Summer raised her eyebrows and hoped she had added enough evenness to her voice to cover the nervous butterflies that had taken over her stomach. Alex visibly relaxed his shoulders, but his face didn't change back to its happy state.

"Yes, even if you aren't one, you certainly act like it. What is your name anyway?"

So he doesn't know. But he asked for my name, and I can't give him my real one.

"Um, Lacey."

"Lacey..." He trailed off, waiting for her to give more information, such as her last name.

"Just Lacey." She gave a tight smile that meant she wasn't sharing anymore.

"Very well, Just Lacey of Arendelle, we'll be setting off soon, so I suggest you get comfortable." He sent one last commanding look, crossed the small room, and then shut the door.

Summer crawled into the bunk and curled into a ball. This was going to be a long journey.