The temperament of the Fox Hole crew shifted along with the changing winds. Whitecaps began to show on the ocean's surface as the sails trembled. The pirates were becoming restless, snapping at each other and getting even snippier at Arnold. He did his best to stay invisible and out of the way, but no matter where he went someone was always snapping at him, spitting at his shoes, or even threatening to keelhaul him. He didn't even want to know what the last one entailed. He was lucky that Helga never replaced the rope around his wrists or else they probably would have tied it around his neck already. Arnold wasn't completely unaffected by the change in the air either. He found himself staring off into the horizon more often than usual. He wasn't irritable, but he could feel something stirring inside of him. Was it hope? Was he still hoping for a rescue ship, even now? Or was he looking for something else?

"Are you daydreaming again!? Criminy, you have to be the laziest captive this ship's ever had!"

Even angry her voice had an effect on him. Arnold didn't even attempt to hide his smile as he turned to face her. Helga met his smile with a scowl; it was obvious that the ship's restlessness was affecting her too. In one hand, she carried a bucket filled with water.

"My lady," Arnold inclined his head in a small bow, "how are you today?"

"Irritable," Helga snapped and tossed the bucket at his feet, spilling half of it on his pant leg. "Now stop lounging and get to scrubbing. The Captain ain't keeping ya here because he likes your company."

"And what about you, my lady?" Arnold took a step closer to her, "Do you enjoy my company?"

A light flush appeared in her cheeks just as he hoped it would. He bit the inside of his cheek to hold back a laugh. Teasing Helga had become somewhat of an amusing activity to him. There was always a risk that he would irritate her past the point of no return, but it was worth it. Helga shook her head and tossed him a bristle brush. Or rather, she pegged it at him, hitting him square in the chest, knocking the wind out of him.

"I'm not going to tell you again, my lord," Her lips were snarling but her eyes were sparkling.

Arnold rubbed the now sore spot on his chest with a grimace, but obediently got on his knees and began scrubbing. There was a soft scraping sound and he looked up to see Helga settling on a wooden crate, and pulling out a small leather book to write in. His breath caught in his throat and he quickly glanced around. Half hidden by the mast and raised forecastle deck, the two of them were as secluded as they could be on an open deck. The only time he had ever seen her write in her book was when she was in her room. He always thought of her writing as a secretive hobby. Arnold scrubbed the deck thoughtfully for a moment. Was writing in front of him mean that she trusted him? And normally, Helga would just order him to work but then order Curly or Harold to watch him. Was there a reason she was sticking around?

When he looked up again, all the heat slammed into his face. Helga was sitting with her legs crossed, one knee over the other. The slit in her dress had fallen open and was exposing her long, toned legs up to her thighs. Her hair was tossed over one shoulder as her head tilted to the side. Arnold eyed the slim line of her neck, lingering on a scar on her collarbone. Her skin looked so soft, he wondered if it was sensitive too.

"What are you gawking at?"

Arnold's eyes shot up again to find Helga smirking at him. She giggled, obviously enjoying his discomfort. His brain scrambled to something, anything to say before he said what he was really thinking.

"Do you like writing?" He blurted out, "I noticed you writing in that book before. I mean, the first time I met you."

Helga stopped giggling and tapped her pen against the book a few times before answering, "Yeah. It's a hobby. What does it concern you?"

"Curiosity," Arnold smiled and shifted into a more comfortable position, "what do you write about?"

"None of your business." Helga snapped the book shut and tucked it away somewhere, "So tell me, governor, what do you do when you're not being kidnapped by loathsome pirates?"

Arnold hid his surprise the best he could. It was the first time Helga had made an effort to get to know him. But his elation faded when he realized that he didn't have anything interesting to impress her with.

"Oh you know, I approved ordinances, submit budgets, and… stuff…" He answered weakly with a half shrug.

"Really?" Helga raised an eyebrow in surprise, "You make it sound so… exciting."

"What can I say? I have a responsibility to the people of Port Hillwood. It isn't supposed to be exciting."

"Then I suppose we did you a favor?"

Arnold found himself unable to answer her, choosing instead to focus on scrubbing. The guilt which had just started to fade came back full force. Port Hillwood needed him and he was in the middle of the ocean. No plan to get back, no rescue in sight. But maybe worst of all was the fact that just maybe, he had been enjoying his departure from his responsibilities. Shops in Port Hillwood were probably going out of business while he was staring out at the horizon and dancing with beautiful pirates.

The bucket suddenly tipped over, spilling water all over his knees. Arnold snapped out of his guilt filled ruminations and jumped up. Helga snickered, her foot still bouncing in the air.

"I don't like being ignored, my lord," she laughed. She then leaned forward, peering at Arnold with bright blue, inquisitive eyes, "Where did you go just now?"

"I was… thinking about home," Arnold answered morosely, "Helga, please, I'm begging you. They need me back home. They don't have the money or the resources to replace me and they can't afford a ransom. I'd never forgive myself if the port closed down because of me."

Helga gave a slow nod and her expression became contemplative, "And what if it does?"

"What?" Arnold's head came up and he stared at her. He looked for any sign of mocking or malice but found none. He frowned, feeling a little annoyed, "What do you mean?"

Helga looked away from him, out onto the water. And when she spoke her voice was quiet but firm, "Qui n'avance pas, recule. Who does not move forward, recedes. Even if the port does close, doesn't mean the world will cease to exist."

"But- but- people would lose their businesses! Their homes!" Arnold exclaimed in shock, "Don't you care!?"

"It's happened before," She shrugged, "Businesses come and businesses go. But the thing I've learned is, no matter what happens, you have to keep moving forward. If one plan doesn't pan out, you make another one. If you're met with an obstacle, you fight through it or go around it. Just because the port closes, doesn't mean the people disappear. Their fate doesn't rest in your hands, Sir Shortman. Whether or not they'll persevere is up to them."

Arnold's mouth opened but no words came out. The agitation that had been building inside of him dissipated. The tension in his muscles eased. Helga sounded so sure of her words; so world-wise and confident. It made him feel that much more inexperienced. But did that mean, she was talking from experience?

"You… sound like you've been through some things," He whispered thoughtfully. Arnold's legs began to feel weak so he moved to lean against the railing. Helga was just so many leagues ahead of him in so many ways. She's probably traveled around the seas while he sat at home. Arnold watched the clouds drift lazily across the horizon. An uncomfortable thought whispered at the back of his mind and he tried his best to push it away. He could feel Helga watching him and it made the palms of his hands prickle.

"Sir Shortman?"

"My parents disappeared when I was young." The words came out of Arnold's mouth unbidden and unexpectedly. He bit his lips hard, unwilling to let painful memories and the deep sorrow that came with them swallow him up with her watching.

A jolt went through him when he felt something soft press against his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Helga step up to the railing next to him. Her arm brushed against his and he was surprised he just noticed that she was nearly as tall as he was. She wasn't looking at him, but she didn't need to. A warm feeling began to spread through him at her touch, but whether it was accidental or on purpose he didn't know. But he didn't have the courage to press closer. Accidental or on purpose, Helga's touch had a soothing effect even as the sparks began to dance under his skin. Arnold took a deep breath, willing his voice to remain strong.

"My parents were explorers," he continued, "But one day, they just never came back. My grandparents and I held on for as long as we could, but we went bankrupt looking for them. And then… my grandparents got sick. We hadn't realized our financial situation until we couldn't afford doctors or medicine. Then they passed. All I had left was my best friend Gerald."

"But you made a way," Helga whispered, "You're far from destitute, my lord."

Arnold snorted, "The way was handed to me. I inherited the title and the position. I didn't want it, but I took it because I had nothing left. Port Hillwood needs me, but I need them just as much. I honestly don't know who I am if not their governor."

The waves continued to dance, throwing up small bursts of salty foam. A lone gull called ahead and got no answer. Arnold's chest felt tight but his shoulders felt light. He had never really talked like this about anyone, not even Gerald. He always tried to keep a bright view on everything, trying not even to let himself wallow in dark thoughts. The soft pressure against his arm increased, making him smile because he knew this time it was deliberate. He closed his eyes and pressed back, waiting for her words of comfort.

"You're a complete idiot."

Arnold's eyes snapped opened and looked at her with a frown. "Hey!"

"What? I mean it," Helga smirked at him, her eyes both sympathetic and teasing, "Look at me Sir Shortman. What's the different between me and you?"

A warm blush spread across Arnold's face as he took her in. From the coy smile on her face to her impatient and bold stance. Her arms were folded as she waited for him to answer her question and he couldn't help but notice-

"I'm a woman, duh," Helga roughly poked him in the chest, "And you, sir, are a man."

"I, um, n-noticed," Arnold cleared his throat awkwardly, "but what does that have to do with anything?"

"It means you can do anything you want," Helga's gaze softened, "You're so lucky you were born a guy. And even more, you don't have anything tying you down. You're free to go where you want and do what you want. Who cares if you don't have money? Why, my own mother-"

"Spanish Galleon, twenty degrees northeast!" A voice cried overhead, "fully loaded and fully armed!"

Before the cry had even ended, it was answered by over a dozen excited shouts from all over the ship. Arnold looked around as the noise on the ship increased. The tension that had plagued the ship seemed to have broken as the pirates ran around the ship, yelling in excitement.

"Helga, what's going… on…"

Arnold trailed off when he noticed a familiar dangerous glint in her eyes. Helga braced one leg against the railing and pulled a spyglass out of her boot, scanning the horizon with it. Arnold looked in the same direction and spotted a large ship which they were quickly on their way to intercept.

"Four masts, five cannon ports on the starboard side," Helga mused out loud, "might be a challenge but it'll definitely be worth the booty."

Arnold felt the blood drain from his face as he realized what was about to happen, "You guys aren't going to attack it are you?"

"Of course we are! What kind of stupid question-" Helga's eyes widened in sudden realization, "Ah hell!"

"Helga!" Wolfgang strode up to them and pushed Arnold out of the way to loop an arm around Helga's shoulders. His twin sabers were hanging unsheathed by his side and two pistols were tucked into his belt. He pushed his face close to Helga's, making Arnold's blood boil. "You ready to have some fun, gorgeous?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be right there," Helga pushed him away and grabbed Arnold's wrist, "Come on, governor, we have to get you below deck."

Helga began to drag him across the crowded deck were the pirates were getting ready for a fight. Weapons were unsheathed and sharpened, guns were being cleaned and loaded, and more than one bottle was being passed around. Arnold's stomach clenched remembering the brutal attack on his home not so long ago.

"Helga, you don't have to do this," Arnold pleaded as they disappeared below deck, "there are innocent people onboard that ship just trying to make a living."

Helga glanced at him over her shoulder, "Have you forgotten who we are, governor?"

"No, but," Arnold licked his dry lips, "do you really have to do this?"

This time, Helga's smile was predatory and wicked, "Have you forgotten who I am?"

They made it to her room and she pulled him inside. She immediately went for her sword laying against the wall, but Arnold stepped in front of her.

"I cannot let you do this, my lady," He said firmly, "As I gentleman I have to protest and insist on your safety."

Helga responded by rolling her eyes and punched him in the stomach, bringing him to his knees. As Arnold gasped for breath and tried to blink the water out of his eyes, she easily moved around him and grabbed her sword.

"Brian where are you?" She called out, "Get in here now!"

There was a soft rasping sound and Brian crawled out from under her bed. There was the sound of cannons and the ship suddenly rocked as it changed direction. Helga spared Arnold one more glance before kissing Brian on the forehead and rushing out of the room, closing the door behind her. Arnold rushed up to open it again but the knob wouldn't budge.

"She locked us in!" Arnold cried out in astonishment, "I can't believe she locked us in."

"We're supposed to… stay here…" Brian rasped calmly, sitting on her bed, "Keeps us…. Safe…"

"But they're out there attacking that ship. We must stop them. Innocent people…" Arnold trailed off and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the door. Deep down, he knew it wasn't the merchants he was worried about. It was her. Pirate or not, she was willingly walking headfirst into danger and the thought made him sick to his stomach. He'd witnessed her bravery first hand; he'd experienced her fierceness. But there was something in him that refused to ignore the fact that she was a woman, and it was his job as a gentleman to protect her.

With a sudden rush of determination, Arnold pushed away from the door and looked around for a means of escape. The ship gave another jerk and the shouting overhead told him that something was happening and he was running out of time. Then his eyes fell upon the stack of crates against the wall. A similar stack of crates on the other side hid a passage between the rooms. Arnold moved the crates aside but was immediately dismayed to see that the passage was too small for him to fit through. But it wasn't too small for someone else.

"Brian," Arnold dropped to his knees in front of the young boy, "I need your help. Helga's out there and… I can't just sit here and do nothing! Can you crawl through that passage and unlock the door from the outside?"

For a moment Brian just sat there, seemingly impassive. But then he nodded, "Um… okay…"

Brian slowly eased off the bed and made his way to the passage, disappearing to the other side. Arnold was ready to pull his hair out by the time Brian opened the door and he sprinted out of the room. His mind was only filled with the worst. What if she was killed? What if the pirates were overpowered? The punishment for piracy was death by hanging and not even he would be able to save her if it came to that.

The sunlight was glaring and the air was already thick with cannon smoke by the time Arnold made it on deck. Just as he suspected, the Fox Hole was pulled astride the heavily armed merchant ship. Billows of smoke rose from both sips and sounds of fighting and clashing metal filled the air. While the deck of the Fox Hole was nearly empty, the deck of the merchant ship was crowded. Arnold leaned over the railing, straining his eyes to see any flash of pink or yellow, but there was too much commotion to see anything.

"Where were you, hiding like a little baby?" A voice jeered behind him. Harold walked up behind him with a smug grin, "What's the matter? Was all of this too much for your delicate constitution, governor?"

Far from being intimidated, Arnold narrowed his eyes at him, "I could ask you the same thing! How could you just stay safely on the ship while Helga is over there fighting?"

Harold frowned in annoyance, "Hey, someone has to watch the ship to make sure we don't drift away during the fight. Besides, what are you so worried about Helga for? She and Wolfgang can handle ten guys at once."

"A lady shouldn't be fighting at all," Arnold groaned and leaned over the railing again, "I can't even see her. What if she gets hurt or worse?"

"Oh calm down, you big baby. Here, you can see for yourself that's she and Wolfgang are fine."

Harold roughly elbowed him and handed him a spyglass. Putting it to his eye, Arnold impatiently adjusted the lens until the deck of the opposite ship came into focus. Just as he feared, the armed merchants easily outnumbered the Fox Hole's crew. But the crew was fighting back fiercely. A small flurry of explosions led him to locate Curly, using smoke bombs and cherry bombs to disable and distract his opponents. A body little flew across the deck and moving the spyglass around, he spotted Captain Roth literally throwing men around like rag dolls using his brute strength.

And then finally, he saw her.

How she was so graceful, Arnold couldn't fathom. Sword in hand, hair tied back, she moved like a dancer. She was facing off against a large man; more than a hundred pounds heavier and more muscular than she. With a snarl, he pulled out a large, ugly pistol and aimed it directly at her. Arnold's heart stopped. The man pulled the trigger. The gun fired. Helga was gone.

"What?" Arnold blinked and peered through the spyglass again.

Helga had dropped, faster than he or the merchant, had been able to track. The round shot clear over her head. Helga then shot forward, still low to the ground, and delivered a sweeping kick, knocking the man off his feet. As he fell he tried to fire another round at her, but Helga easily avoided it and slashed at his wrist, forcing him to drop his pistol. Arnold would have cried in relief if he wasn't so awestruck. But then more men began to surround her.

"Alright, here we go!" Harold crowed excitedly, pulling out yet another spyglass, "Now the real exciting part is about to happen."

"What are you talking about? We have to help her!" Arnold yelled in a panic, "There's no way she can handle them by herself."

"Who said that she was?"

He made Arnold look again and this time he saw Wolfgang by her side. The men charged at them, rapiers raised. Wolfgang blocked three of the swords at once with his twin sabers, Helga used his shoulders as leverage to leap over him and deliver a kick to knock one of them away, while Wolfgang finished the other two off with a powerful horizontal strike. Another man tried attacking Wolfgang from behind, but Helga spun around him and slashed at him. The merchant stepped back to avoid her giving Wolfgang enough time to pull out one of his pistols and shot him down. The two of them worked in tandem, almost in a dance of their own. Wolfgang's brute strength and Helga's agility made them a formidable pair.

Arnold's stomach was suddenly seized with a burning, tightening sensation that he didn't have a name for. He should have been more than glad that Helga wasn't fighting by herself. It should be a relief to know that together, the two of them, were more than a match for the men they were fighting. Their movements were fluid, almost rehearsed. As if they spent years doing this. Together.

Arnold sighed, "As long as she's safe, that's all that matters."

Suddenly though, something broke in their routine. Helga moved forward to strike one of the men but Wolfgang roughly pushed her aside to take him on himself. Helga only had time to shoot Wolfgang an annoyed look before she had to fight someone else. Rather than assist her though, Wolfgang once again pushed her aside to take him on himself. It was clear he wasn't doing it to protect her though. Every time he did it the cocky grin on his face increase and Helga looked more and more annoyed. There were also unforeseen consequences to Wolfgang's brashness. It was nothing now to separate and surround Helga without Wolfgang even noticing. Regardless, Helga fought back fiercely, holding her own if only just barely. That is until a gargantuan man wielding a broadsword stepped forward. One swing and Helga was knocked back. Another swing and her sword went flying out of her hand. She made a dive for it but caught his boot in her ribs, knocking her further from it. The broad sword went up again to end her life.

"Helga!" Arnold yelled in desperation.

None of the other pirates were close enough to help her. Arnold looked around desperately. At the riggings. The loose ropes. The knife in Harold's belt.

An idea suddenly struck him. Without a second thought, Arnold snatched the knife from Harold's belt and ran towards the rigging. Jumping on one of the barrels for height, he gripped the taut rope with one hand and started cutting. As soon as the tension released, the rope swung out, carrying Arnold with it. He swung toward the merchant ship angling his body to aim at Helga. His heart was thundering in his chest as the force of the wind blew back his hair. He must have called her name again, because Helga looked up, and met him with wide, shocked eyes.

Suddenly, Arnold's hand slipped from the rope and he collided with the gargantuan man. They crashed to the deck and the impact was enough to send Arnold tumbling. There was a moment of disorientation where spots danced before his eyes until he regained his senses.

"Maldito pirata!" The gargantuan man was only briefly knocked off balance and quickly regained his footing. He shot Arnold a venomous look before returning his attention to Helga again. "I'll take care of you after I kill this murderous perra."

"No!" Arnold snatched up Helga's fallen sword and ran forward, "Don't touch her!"

"Shortman, don't!"

Again the broadsword swung down, but this time Arnold dove between them, raising Helga's sword to block it. There was the sharp ching of metal against metal. But the broad sword broke through Helga's lighter sword and the momentum carried the broadsword down, cutting right into Arnold's shoulder.

"Ahh!" Arnold cried out in both shock and pain.

Thick, sharp smelling blood poured out of the searing wound and his arm felt numb. He didn't know what to do. His mind felt like it was clouding over. Helga suddenly pulled him backward and the air whooshed above his head as the sword swung over him. Arnold regained just enough focus to see Helga, her face like thunder, pull a strange looking blade out of her belt and fling it at the man. It flew out of her hand in a surprisingly straight path and embedded itself right in the man's forehead. His eyes showed surprise for just a moment before crossing and he fell over, dead.

"What were you thinking, you idiot?" Helga's face came into focus as Arnold felt her tug him into her lap, pressing down on his numb, tingling shoulder. Something wet hit his face and he realized with a shock that it was a tear drop. Helga's eyes sparkled with more unshed tears even as she scowled at him.

Arnold felt his lips turned up in a smile before his vision went dark.

"It was my pleasure… my lady…"

Somehow, even outnumbered and outgunned, the Fox Hole crew ended up the victors. The goods were transferred over to the Fox Hole; mostly sugar, spices, fruits, and timber. An excited cry went out though when several stores of silver and silk were discovered. Captain Roth ordered the extra row boats to be dismantled for wood, their cannons thrown overboard, and all their weapons and gunpowder confiscated, but allowed the merchants to keep some supplies and enough provisions to get them back to land safely.

Somehow, with the help of Wolfgang and Edmund, Helga managed to get Arnold back to their ship and into Brian's room to tend to his injury. Brian looked like he was about to cry when he saw him, and quite frankly, Arnold almost fainted when he looked down at himself. Helga insisted that it wasn't as bad as it looked, but it still needed to be stitched up.

"Ow!" Arnold hissed in pain, "Do you have to be so rough!?"

"You should have thought of that before you did something so stupid!" Helga snapped back, not even bothering to look up.

Arnold fell back against the bed with a groan, wishing he could be unconscious again. Helga shot him an annoyed look and readjusted her position on the bed to keep working on him. Arnold's heart still felt like it was racing. If not for the pain in his shoulder, he almost wouldn't have believed what had happened in the past few hours. Quite frankly, he almost didn't feel like himself. He never expected that he could do the things that did in the past few hours.

It was… incredible.

"Ow!" He yelped again, "Helga-"

"Brian, go tell Harold to boil up some water and mash up some mint and garlic," Helga ordered him, "then mix it up together and bring it in a warm cloth."

"Uh… okay…." Brian rasped and left the room, leaving an awkward silence behind.

Arnold could only watch Helga as she poured a little more whiskey on his wound and continued sewing his wound closed. Her dress was torn and spotted with blood in several places, but he couldn't tell which was her blood, his, or someone else's. His own shirt had been drenched with blood beyond help and was currently sitting in the corner. If he wasn't in so much pain, he would have been more self-conscious about being shirtless around her. He was, however, pleased to note a light blush on her face.

"What you did was stupid you know," Helga finally looked up to meet his eyes, "my sword was specially crafted. It wasn't made for blocking everything. And more than that, you could have gotten killed!"

"You could have as well, my lady," Arnold found himself lost in the endless sea of her eyes, "And I would never let that happen."

Helga's cheeks began to turn pink and she hastily looked away, "I told you to stop calling me that. I haven't been a lady in years. And more than that, I don't need you to protect me or save me. I can take care of myself, Arnold."

A sudden jolt went through Arnold, rocking him to his core. It was the first time that she had called by his first name. His eyes fell to her lips. A battle began in his mind over what he wanted to do, and what he should do.

"Hey!" Helga turned to him with a glare, "Are you even listening to me? I don't ever want you to do something so stupid or dangerous again, Arnold!"

And then, for once in his life, Arnold decided to go for the thing he wanted. He sat up so suddenly that Helga fell back with a look of surprise on her face.

"Arn-"

Before she could say his name a third time, Arnold grabbed the back of her head and brought her lips down to his.