a/n: I know the story is not written that well but once I've finished this I will be revising it… oh well at least I haven't received any flames : ) thx 2 all u brilliant reviewers…
Disclaimer: Sorry I forgot to put this in the other chapters but I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS (duh) except the prince, Firit and Kith, I only own the plot… this disclaimer applies to the whole story (just in case I forget in chapters to come)
Chapter 3: The Pirates
I am a stone thought Kel as she waited for the pirates to arrive. She watched as the ship drew near. She stood alone on the beach with the wind stirring up the black tresses of her wig. She looked down at her extravagant dress. It was a deep green, a frilly lacy affair that Kel absolutely. No practicality at all! Thank god I'm wearing fight clothes underneath thought Kel to herself. She looked back up to see the pirate's ship moored in the deep sea in front of her and a dinghy rowing towards her. She put her hands behind her back as they pulled up to shore. A man dressed richly stepped out and walked towards her and bowed.
"Princess Kaia I assume?" asked the stranger.
"Yes and who may I ask are you?" asked Kel loftily.
"I am Duke Etiakret," replied the noble. He offered her his hand and escorted her to the boat. Discreetly Kel observed the man. He was elderly, his hair was almost completely grey but he had an air of dignity about him. She looked at the waves as the slaves rowed them towards the ship.
"Might I ask why you requested for a princess after your first demands were not met?" asked Kel sweetly. I don't even get a break from being polite after getting kidnapped thought Kel.
"Forward little one aren't you?" asked the Duke.
"But even if I wanted to I can not tell you, orders from the prince. Perhaps when you meet him he'll tell you," added Etiakret.
"The prince?" asked Kel curiously.
"No more questions until we reach the ship," ordered Duke Etiakret abruptly. Kel sighed and sat silently through the trip. A ladder was thrown down the side of the ship and the Duke motioned for her to climb it. Kel made a sound of indignation and half-heartedly climbing the ladder. She pretended to be scared the whole way though it wasn't that hard since that although she had overcome her fear of heights she still didn't like them. Finally she landed on the deck. Standing before her was what she considered to be an overdressed Carthaki noble.
"Welcome your Highness, I am Prince Reash," he said as he took her hand and kissed it. Kel smiled coolly at him.
"May I inquire as to why I am here?" asked the princess.
"You will address his Highness with respect," shouted Duke Etiakret from behind her.
"Do not worry about it my dear Duke, after all what is the use of formal titles between two betrothed?" asked Reash with a smile that showed numerous white pearly teeth.
"As for you my dear, if you haven't figured out yet I will marry you. You will be my key to the Yamani throne," explained the prince turning his face back towards her.
"Why the Yamani throne?" asked Keladry.
"My dear Kaia, it's not just the Yamani throne I want. I want all the kingdoms under my rule. I'll take Carthak and the Yamani Isles by birthright, once I marry you of course and then the other kingdoms will probably have to be taken by force," replied Prince Reash.
"And if I don't agree to marry you?" asked Kel defiantly.
"Oh you will," said the prince with a grin.
"I have no intention of marrying you and I never will," stated Kaia. Reash just shook his head with a knowing smile on his face. What's up with him? thought Kel to herself.
"Slaves show my betrothed to her rooms," commanded Prince Reash without taking his eyes off her. His eyes continued to follow her as she was escorted away.
Kel took out a nail and pushed it into the floor of the ship. That done she lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling. What to do now? I've planted the tracker, I'm not expected to use my bracelet to contact the Emperor's mages yet so I can't tell them what I've learnt so far and who knows how much more there are to this freak's plan. One thing's for sure I am not going to marry him. Who knows when the wedding will be? I'll have to finish this quickly and efficiently and then get the hell out of here.
Kel was allowed limited freedom during the next few days and she was getting frustrated that she hadn't learnt anymore since the day she boarded the ship. That night her door was locked as usual but she heard an extra lock added. Now why would they go through all the trouble to go and add another lock? asked Kel to herself. Her midnight expeditions on the ship had not enlightened her the previous nights but she had a feeling that something was going on. She slipped into black fighting clothes and went up to the door. She unlocked the normal lock but had no idea how to unlock the lock securing the bolt which was on the outside door. She realised her only problem was getting to the padlock. She took out a magically enchanted strip that attracts metal. She was given a few of these in case she needed to search for weapons on someone but now Kel found a different use for it. She carefully slid the thin piece of metal through the gap in the door and managed to get it to stick on the padlock. She brought it as close as she could to herself. She took out her picks and slid her spare hand through the door with them. She struggled a bit but finally managed to open the lock. From there she had no problem getting out. Kel snuck out quietly onto the deck and, seeing no one else on deck except for a lone person in the crows nest, went to the captain's cabin. There was no one there either. She snuck back down to the prince's room to find him and all the missing crew having a meeting.
"I'll go over the plan once and only once, alright?" said the prince as he paced in the middle of the room. The rest of the crew snapped to attention immediately.
"We'll rejoin the main fleet in three days and start our attack on Carthak. Once we secure Carthak as our base we'll set about taking over the Copper Isles. Remember we have to make this subtle so they'll think I'm the good guy and you pirates are the bad guys. Meanwhile, in Tortall my agent has been gaining a hold on the royal family so it will be easy to arrange my marriage to Princess Kalasin. A little while after that We kill off the older siblings so Kalasin becomes next in line for the throne. From there we wait until the Tortallan monarchs die. From there we claim the Yamani throne and their armies. We will have massive forces to then take over Scanra and Galla. We will have more power than -," said Prince Reash but suddenly he turned to the door. Suddenly Kel felt herself go immobile as one of the crew muttered a few words.
"Well I see we have a spy in our midst, I always thought you were too ugly to be a princess," said Reash as he walked up to the door and opened it.
"Firit, Kith lock her up in her room after beating her thoroughly and stay outside the door in case she still tries to escape," he said coldly. Kel stared in horror as the burly sailors took her back to her room and beat to within an inch of her life. She lay there, still immobile from the spell, with her blood pooling around her. I have to do something thought Kel. This guy's a lunatic, I have to warn the others. She tried in vain to activate the bracelet but soon the pain overwhelmed her and she blacked out.
Kel woke groggily as someone slapped her. She looked to see the blurry face of Prince Reash.
"I admit you were good at your work but now your work and your life are over. Good bye Princess Kaia or whoever you are," said Prince Reash with a cruel smile on his face. With that she felt herself being lifted up and thrown overboard. She hit the water with a huge splash and then she was drowning. She struggled feebly to swim to the surface but the effort was too much. Her clothes dragged her down deeper and deeper. The last of her breath escaped her and her eyes closed. She sank even deeper into the dark, fathomless depths of the ocean her dress billowing around her like a funeral cloth.
a/n: if you want to know what happens next then REVIEW!!! Come on, you know you want to…