WR: hello hello, yes, another update. Man.. it is SO tedious having to re-type it all!! But hey, I do it for you guys.. my readers! 3

Enjoy!!

Chapter 3

"Ramirez, I want an explanation for your scene in the Harem!"

The Captain thought back in irritation to his conversation with his master. How was he to have known that Celeste was the General's favourite?! His face was perfectly blank as he walked back towards his quarters, but anger and irritation whirled beneath his calm surface.

"Celeste was your first, boy! You owe her the courtesy of your respect, especially after the insult of never asking for her again."

"Yes, Sir."

"It is pleasing to see you make such an effort to preserve the Queen's gift, but remember, she was given to you for punishment."

"I will, Sir."

"Good, now I don't expect to see a repetition of these events. If in future you see the girl fighting, have her flogged, her fault or no. She has a spirit that needs beating out of her."

"Yes, Sir."

He said it, but the words were hollow. Ramirez would hate to see her spirit die. Finally he had discovered someone who was unafraid to speak back to him, and he found it refreshing. He would not stand for seeing her beaten down into a quiet, simpering doll. But what did it matter? He would not touch her again, not unless she welcomed it. The memory of her, involuntarily pushing her chest harder against him as his mouth had descended on her, and her short, sharp breaths of pleasure.

With a growl that made a passing serving maid squeak in surprise, he forced her image away. He had only just subdued the fiery arousal she had left him with. He had managed to pause at her request, but was unsure if his vigil would have held, had he not been saved from forcing himself on her by Galcian's summons.

Now, even as he drew closer to his rooms, he was trying to think of a way to delay his entrance. He did not want to see her. No… that was a lie. He did want to see her, to touch her, to kiss her, to have her. But she did not. For this reason, were his footsteps lagging…

He had reached his doors.

"What will you do?" He asked himself. "Will you sleep on your floor again like a dog?" He had no answer to this question, and he pushed open the door.

"Sir! Captain Ramirez!" He glanced around to see one of his own men running towards him.

"What?!" He snapped, he was tired, angry, and wanted sleep.

"It's Alfonso, Sir!" Gasped the man, coming level with him. "He is back ahead of schedule!"

Ramirez froze. Thoughts of Aika and sleep evaporated from his mind.

"Was he successful?" He breathed.

"I don't know, Sir. I hear he came in alone, on a life boat. I've been told to inform you to come with all haste to the Throne Room. All the Admirals are assembling, Sir."

"Ramirez..?" Aika had come to the door. Her clothes were ruffled, and her dark eyes hazy with sleep. Their voices had obviously woken her.

'How has she slept?' Wondered Ramirez, after what had passed between them? He looked sourly at the woman who had denied him barely an hour before, clearly it had not made much of an impression on her.

"Go back to sleep, girl, this does not concern you." With that, he snapped the door closed in her drowsy face before she could offer a response.

Aika blinked as the wood clicked back into place in its frame.

"I don't want this door opened again until I get back." She heard him say to the guard, and irritation and anger melted away her tiredness. She hammered her fist furiously on the door as she heard the metallic turning of a lock.

"Damn you, Ramirez! You can't leave me locked in here like an animal!" She shouted.

"Silence, or I'll have you whipped like one!" Came the reply, which made her choke in shock. "Enjoy your watch, Roddick." Came his dry voice to the guard. "I don't know how long this will take."

Then footsteps, then the quiet whistling of her jailer.

'Fuck him!' She thought. She glared at the door, and slowly an idea came to her, it was childish, but it made hr grin in anticipation. Not allowed out, eh? What if he wasn't allowed in?

Standing before the Throne, Ramirez, along with Galcian and the Admirals listened to Alfonso as he related his ordeal to the Queen. He still looked impeccable, but to have sunk to using an escape raft meant that something had, indeed happened.

"Well Alfonso?" The Queen asked sternly, as Enrique joined her on the Dias.

"Your Majesty. We found her. The radar Captain Ramirez created detected her ship in the region of the Silver Moon. We hit her with a stunning blast, and took her onboard. Her vessel we allowed to sink into Deep Sky."

'That idiot!' Thought Ramirez. 'He has no clue how rare those ships are!' But his blood ran faster at the knowledge that she had been captured.

"Well?! Where is she, Alfonso, where?!" Breathed the Queen, her enormous breast rising and falling rapidly in anticipation.

"My Queen, I was betrayed. By my own Captain, no less. He was clearly bribed and gave away our position. We were attacked by a group of heavily armed Air Pirates." He glanced swiftly at Ramirez. "They flew the same flag as the pirate whore I captured a few days ago."

"But what of the girl, Alfonso?" This time it was Galcian who spoke.

"Well, Sir, during the raid, I attempted to board a life vessel with her, to bring her back here. I was, however, followed by a score of them, and despite the fact that I loosed my War Machine on them, they managed to overpower it and take her. I had no option but to flee for my life, Majesty."

The Queen was tight lipped and quivering with rage.

"And what of your men, Alfonso?" Galcian, again, had spoken.

The blond haired Admiral shook his head regretfully.

"Alas, all dead, Sir, the pirates were ruthless."

"Yet they rescued an innocent, unknown girl and took her to safety." Enrique's musing words were quiet.

"Yes, and because of them, our plans have been stepped back!" Snapped Teadora. "Who can tell what corner of Arcadia those pirates call home!?"

"With your permission, Majesty," Said Ramirez, "I believe I may have a possible answer to that."

All eyes turned to the young officer.

"Where?" Breathed the Queen.

"Yesterday I spoke with Aika, the girl you so kindly gifted upon me, My Queen, and she told me the region in which her home island is located."

"And why would she tell you, her captor, something like that?" Asked the Prince coldly.

"I have certain ways of persuasion, Your Grace." Came the Captain's reply. Enrique pulled a disgusted face, clearly familiar with Ramirez's brutal reputation. The platinum haired man saw no reason to correct him, for the Queen was nodding her approval.

"Excellent, Ramirez, excellent." She swivelled her violet eyes to Galcian. "General, I believe you know what to do." He bowed.

"I and my Captain shall attend to the matter personally. If the girl's Island proves to be an Air Pirate base, we shall also know for sure that she is indeed a Blue Rogue."

Ramirez's sharp intake of breath was noted by on one. The penalty for piracy was death. There was no two ways about it. If the people of Aika's home, were indeed the Blue Rogues they were searching for, then not only would they die, but so would she.

They were to leave with all haste. Ramirez had only two hours before he, his crew, and a contingent of men would be sailing. Monoceros, his own ship, would be leading followed by five separate war ships. Galcian would be on board with him, as his ship, which was larger and more powerful, was not as swift or as streamlined as Ramirez's. He needed to return to his quarters to collect a few clothes, a whetstone for his blade, and spell boxes in the off chance it came to a hand to hand fight. Although, Ramirez doubted he would actually need such powerful magic against mere Pirates, but he was always cautious.

Reaching his rooms, Roddick snapped to attention.

"No escape attempts I trust?" He asked.

"None, Sir… though there were a lot of scraping and banging noises. I demanded to know what she was doing, but I just received a barrage of curses."

Ramirez frowned, eyeing the door. What had she done?

"You did not think to enter and check?"

"No Sir, I was cautious in case it was merely a diversion to force me into opening the door."

Swearing under his breath, the Captain faced the door. The man was right, it was the kind of thing Aika would think of in order to gain an escape opportunity.

"Very well. Now, round up the crew, and a contingent. I want you all at the docks and ready to pilot the Monoceros on the double. I will be there shortly, any man who delays or is late answers to me."

"Aye, Sir." The man saluted before jogging away in the direction of the barracks. When he had gone, Ramirez laid one hand on the wooden panel, with the other he drew out a thin chain from his breast pocket, from which dangled a key.

"What have you been doing Aika?" He said, loud enough for her to hear.

Within the chambers, Aika smirked, and sipped at a glass of wine she had poured herself at the culmination of her labours. It was not so much that she had even been planning on leaving the rooms, it was the fact that the privilege had been denied to her, if she had wanted to.

"Nothing at all my dear Master. Why would you think something like that of me?" She called back, in a sweetly sarcastic voice. The lock clicked, and the handle fell, but the door did not open. It couldn't. Almost every available piece of furniture in the lavish apartments, had been shoved and piled against it, all bar the bed, which was crafted skilfully from the same material as the floor and the ceiling. It seemed it had been carved into the room. She couldn't contain a laugh of triumph as she heard his infuriated curse. He tried again, and twice more before his angry voice reached her.

"Enough of this Aika! What have you done?!"

"Only a little reorganising, you'd hardly notice the difference, Captain. I'd call it a woman's touch!"

She jumped in surprise at the sound of a bang, he had clearly thrown his full weight against the door. The furniture shuddered, and the door opened by perhaps a centimetre. By the Moons the man was strong! But there was no way he would ever be able to move it all…

"Aika! This is not a laughing matter, I am supposed to be on my way to the docks to sail!"

She wondered idly where he was meant to be sailing to…

Ramirez was furious. Through the crack, he had managed to see exactly what she had done. It would take an hour, and a horribly bruised shoulder to smash his was in like this, and he was loathe to use magic, as it would cause great damage to his rooms. But he had no time, recapturing the girl was of the utmost importance. He had no choice!

Aika was gazing at the wine in her glass, mildly wondering what the Captain would do once he got hold of her, when suddenly the temperature in the room plummeted. An icy mist was oozing and rolling over the jumble of furniture. Suddenly, through the centre, erupting, it seemed, from the keyhole, a huge spear of ice grew. When its jagged point was around half way into the room, the thing began to expand, sideways. With a screeching and splintering of wood, the objects she had heaved and dragged into position, were thrust aside like toys. She had never before seen ice magic, and his manipulation of it was expert. But now what? He had merely barred his own way with an impregnable wall of frozen water. The ice creaked ominously, and she eyed it uncertainly…

Then, after a moment, a moment that stretched… then it exploded. Aika screamed in surprise, curling her body into the window seat for protection from the shards. However, it had fragmented itself so finely that only a freezing dust touched her. For a moment only, she was still. Then there was a bang, as the doors flew open, smashing into the walls, they shattered as the permafrost which had settled over them, had made them as fragile as glass. She caught one glimpse of him before he was upon her. His fists clamped around her biceps, painfully hard, and wrenched her to her feet. The glass of wine, which she had somehow managed not to spill, tumbled from her hand, and smashed at her feet. She gasped as several slivers of razor sharp crystal snaked into her flesh. His eyes were dark with fury.

"Don't you dare," He said in a deadly calm voice, "do anything like that, ever again!"

She could never have imagined him so angry. His hands were biting into her skin, causing her immense pain.

"Please.. I-I'm sorry..!" Was all she could gasp out.

"No, you are not, but you will be!" He flung her back at the window seat, then turned and proceeded to hunt through the wreckage of his belongings for the things he needed. He found them, mercifully intact, before returning to her, and snatching up her wrist in the same crushing grip. He dragged her across the room, through the broken glass, and out into the corridors. Wincing at the pain in her feet, Aika attempted to keep up with his swift march.

"Ramirez," She gasped as they hurried through the palace, "Please.. it was just.. just a prank, I was angry and…"

"And now I am angry!" He snapped, halting and spinning to face her. "And when I am angry, I do not play childish games! Besides, you belong to me, if you are angry, then it is no concern or care of mine! You are in no position to play 'pranks' Aika!" He snarled. "You are a prisoner, and by the Moons, you are going to learn it! You!!" He snapped at a passing Serf, who stumbled to a surprised halt. "Summon masons and carpenters to my quarters, they have sustained a certain amount of damage."

Without waiting for a response from either Aika or the surprised vassal, he turned and continued marching.

Don-vito had been the head jailer in the Palace dungeons for almost twenty years. It was steady work, there was always an inmate or two. It was good pay too. He lived in Lower City, but managed to be among the few who could afford white bread. His wife and three children were as healthy as could be hoped for. Right now he had Marco by the scruff. The young urchin had been caught stealing food in Upper City, and had been dragged in for thirty lashes. The guards had brought him in and left him with Don. It was well known that the jailer had a good arm, and almost always drew blood. Don, however, had not lashed the boy, he never did. He soundly boxed his ears and left him to himself in a cell for a night. Don liked the orphan, he had known the boy's father, and had a certain affection towards the child. Marco had no home, so a night in a safe and secure cell, and a solid meal would be welcome. He had just finished bolting the booy's cell, and was about to return to the paperwork he needed to compile.

Suddenly the door leading to the Palace Common smashed open, and Captain Ramirez strode in. Don-vito gaped to see the young man, he had only met him on one other occasion; Galcian had brought him to observe a whipping. With him he now dragged a woman.

"Open that cell." He commanded, pointing towards the nearest empty prison. Hurriedly Don obeyed, and swung the door wide. Ramirez slung the girl inside, she stumbled, and her knees cracked painfully on the stone floor.

"Now, fetch me a silencing serum, one that will last a week." Came the next demand.

As swiftly as his large frame would allow, Don went to a cabinet, within which was a multitude of bottles, mainly poisons, and selected a small one from the back. Returning, he held it out, and the Captain snatched it from him.

"How much?" He asked, stepping towards the terrified looking woman.

"All, My Lord." Don replied, watching the scene with curiosity.

Without replying, the man stepped forwards. In vain, the girl tried to scrabble backwards, away from him, but he stepped over her, pressing his knees down onto her shoulders, so she was forced flat onto her back.

"Open your mouth, Aika." His voice was as hard as nails. In response she clamped her lips together, her blazing lavender eyes glaring up at him defiantly.

"Aika, you will open your mouth, if I have to damned well break your jaw!" Her eyes widened, and slowly her trembling lips parted, as two hot tears of shame spilled down her cheeks.

Don thought it odd, that even as the Captain was pouring the serum down her throat with one hand, he was almost unconsciously thumbing away the moisture from her face with the other.

Then he stood, and strode out of the cell. The girl struggled to her knees, and called after him.

"Ramirez.. please don't! I.. I .." Her weakening voice dissolved into a coughing fit. The potion was strong. The Captain acted as if she had not spoken, and turned to Don.

"She is to receive minimum rations, once a day, and none will be permitted to speak to her. She is to remain there until my return. None are to touch her, none. I will be away for several days. If she causes trouble," At this point he cast her a glance, "Use the lash."

At his words, she surged to her feet and staggered across to the bars, as he was turning to leave, and managed to catch a hold of his sleeve. She was shaking her head vigorously, her eyes panic stricken. He looked at her and tugged his arm free, before pinching her chin in his fingers.

"Nothing to say, Aika?" He breathed, leaning close to her. Her mouth moved, but of course, no sound came forth. "You will learn girl, and if you don't, I'll hand you over to my men." With that he leaned forwards pressing an almost mocking kiss to her lips.

Then, he released her, and turned to leave. Without his support, she sank to the cold floor, her shoulders trembling in soundless sobs. The door to the dungeon closed with sickening finality.

Galcian's eyes were dark with anger as Ramirez strode across the docks to the Monoceros. The five war ships were already airborne, and seemed to drift listlessly without the flagship to lead them.

"Captain." He growled. Ramirez made a hasty bow to his master.

"Sir, I apologise is earnest." He said.

"Explain yourself boy, and it had better not be because you were busy rutting!"

"I will be happy to explain My Lord, but perhaps I should do so once the Monoceros is in the air."

With a curt nod, Galcian led the way onto the flagship, and its engines fired powerfully. As the gigantic ship rose away from the docks, Ramirez turned from the huge glass windbreakers and turned to the General.

"The girl was being defiant. She managed to barricade me out of my quarters. I was forced to use magic to get in, else I would have been much later. I left her in Don-vito's capable hands."

Galcian nodded in approval.

"Good, I am glad to see the girl hasn't utterly enthralled you." The taller man turned to Ramirez's crew and begun giving out orders. The Captain did not mind this in the least, Galcian was his Lord and Master, and a far more adept air Captain. So he was able to gaze on in silence. His mind going over and over that desperate pleading look she had given him…. Then, when he had kissed her… she had kissed him back, desperately, passionately, as if he was the only one in the entire world who could save her…In his anger.. what had he done?

Aika felt defeated and disgusted at herself. Begging?! What Blue Rogue would lower themselves to begging?! Yet, wretched as she felt, she could not stop her mute sobbing. He would be gone for several days. Where, she did not know, but that didn't matter to her. All she knew was, that she would be alone, silent, and without a soul who would speak to her. She wanted to hate him, and she did, for what he had done to her, but what would she give, to see him walk through the dungeon door and carry her back to his soft, inviting bed… Why did she kiss him back?! She did not understand what she felt for the man she had seen for the first time , barely twenty-four hours previously. He had bewitched her mind. She longed for him, yet she despised him! Vyse had been right; she was not a true Rogue. A full blooded pirate would never sink into this pitiful state! Pirates were bred with the power of the Skies in their bones! Who was she?! The daughter of a merchant, and a cheap belly dancer! She had managed to stand up some time during her sorrowful reverie, and stagger to the back wall of her cell. There she would stay, she decided, until he returned for her. What would she do then? She wondered. Would she deliver a stunning blow to his crotch? Or would she fall quivering into his arms, thanking the Moons that he had come to end her torment?

"Wot'choo do then?" Her head snapped up. In the cell beside her, a young boy was pressing his round, eager face to the bars.

"Silence Marco!" Roared the fat jailer. "You heard the Captain, none are to speak to her!"

"Well, I 'ent seen 'im before, 'av I? 'Ow was I suppose to know 'ee was a piggin' Captain!"

"Well you know now, you worthless urchin, so leave the girl be!"

"Fine! I'll ask you then! What she do?"

"How should I bloody know boy?" The man replied. "You saw the same thing I did! He didn't say!"

"Why'd 'ee kiss you?" He asked, his eyes full of curiosity, turned back to her. Aika gave him a half smile, and edged marginally closer to the bars that separated her from the boy.

"Talk to her again, Marco, and I'll remove my belt and open your back with it!" The man shouted.

"Ha! That'd be a sight! It's the only thing stoppin' your breeches poppin' at the seams!" The boy said merrily, "Besides, Don, you 'en't ever lashed me before!"

"Aye, lad, that's true enough. The guards are starting to wonder why you ain't learned your lesson, so maybe I should start!" The youth, Marco, merely grinned before turning back to Aika.

"You in love with 'im then? You looked like you were."

Don sighed, and shook his head in defeat, before lumbering back to his desk. Aika shook her head vigorously in response, her face was flushing, she could feel it, and Marco grinned at her.

"Ee looked like 'ee was into you too! But why'd 'ee bring you 'ere then?" The answer he needed was not one Aika could supply verbally, so she tapped her throat and shrugged. He nodded, as if remembering she had been silenced.

"Oh yeah… well you don't look like a whore… dressed too smart for that. Hm, but you got some blood on you, 'specially your feet."

Aika glanced down and inspected them. As he said, there were several rivulets of blood which were congealing, and she could still feel several shards of glass embedded in her soles, pushed deep from her hurried march through the Palace. Raising her feet to her mouth, the turned the bottoms to face her, and proceeded to seek out the painful slivers with her tongue, then suck them free. It was foul, her flesh was covered in the filth from the floor of the cells, but she could not chance leaving them as they were… infection in a place like this could lead to death.

"Well, what are you then?" Marco snapped at her when she was done. The girl smiled ruefully at him, and stood limping the rest of the way to the bars. She crouched down, so they were eye to eye, and began to write out a word in the grime at her feet. He frowned at her. Her lavender eyes were sparkling, and she had a finger pressed to her lips. Leaning closer to the bars, the boy whispered.

"I 'ent good with letters, gimmie a second…"

He looked down again, his brow was furrowed and his lips moved as he slowly mouthed each syllable. It took him a few minutes to put the word together, so it made sense. But Aika knew he had it when his expression froze and his eyes widened. His gaze shot up.

"You're a…"

Her finger to her mouth quieted him, while her other hand brushed over the word, eradicating it as Don looked up at them curiously. When the jailer had gone back to his work, the boy gazed at her, a sense of awe in his face.

"Pirate?!" He mouthed to her. Smiling proudly, she nodded, then leaned forward to scratch out her name. She held out her hand to him, and blinked in surprise when he barely glanced at the letters and said.

"You're Aika." He clasped her hand and shook it. "I 'eard 'im say your name when 'ee brought you in."

Aika smiled at the boy, and happiness swelled within her. It seemed that in this unlikely place, she had made a friend. She was glad of the company and wondered how long he would be here. His next words answered her silent question, as if he could read her mind.

"Shame I'm only 'ere for a night. Mebe I should steal some more bread tomorrow so I can come back teh see yer!"

"If you do that boy, I'll make sure you get no rations and a sound thrashing!" Don's words only made Marco chuckle.

"Old Don wouldn't hurt a fly, 'ee's not a bad sort."

Aika smiled, but was little reassured. They spent the next hour conversing in the best way that they could, which was mainly Marco chattering away about himself and his life, as he was not a gifted reader.

Soon, as the night drew on, the boy stretched and yawned.

"Sorry Aika, but a growin' lad like me needs some shut-eye! Good to 'ave someone to chat to though, 'ent it?" Without waiting for a response, he grinned and rolled over onto a heap of sacking. He was asleep in moments, and Aika decided to follow his example and lay back on the pile of stinking rags that would serve as her bedding. She could feel her dirty feet itching, and hoped it meant that they were healing nicely. Sleep did not come so easily to her, as it had to the boy. Her mind was reeling with an array of confusing thoughts and emotions. When she did finally give way to unconsciousness, her dreams were either incomprehensible riddles, or wildly erotic scenes.

WR: So there you have it, Ramirez is all pissed at her, and shes all confused, AND Ramirez is off to round up her beloved family for execution, so that is sure to sweeten their relationship. My, my, my, what WILL be next??? Well… I know, but im not telling :P

Review! x