Hey everybody! I would have gotten this chapter out sooner but my sister got married on Saturday and everything was crazy around here. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Oh and about The Ghost Hunter, I will definitely write a sequel but not for a little while. I've got college starting in August and everything is going to get hectic for a little while.
!#&()
The Pirate King
Chapter 6: A Plot Discovered
Endymion descended the stairs to Serenity's cabin and unlocked her door. He opened it to find her sitting on the sofa, scribbling away at a piece of parchment. "Always up to something, aren't you?"
Serenity jumped, startled. "When did you come in?" she scolded, putting away her papers and pen.
"Just now; what were you working on?" asked, coming to sit beside her.
"It's nothing…did you find any new crew members?"
"Ah, I see, let's change the subject. Would you like to meet them?"
"Certainly, how shall I be introduced? As a hostage or a guest?"
"Hmm…I believe it will be safe for you to go free among them. They'll discover soon enough about your strange power over us." Endymion smiled as Serenity blushed. He led her to the deck and called the new crew members to him.
"Gentlemen, this is our special guest, Princess Serenity. I would appreciate it if you behave appropriately around her as she will frequently be on deck."
The men bowed low to her and she curtsied back. "I am so happy you chose the Fool's Gold to sail on." She smiled sweetly at them. The men all stared at her in stunned amazement. Endymion led her away, allowing the boys to regain their wits.
"Keep that up Princess and they'll all be in love with you." Endymion warned jokingly.
"Those boys looked so familiar…" Serenity muttered, ignoring his comment.
"They said they attended the academy. Did you ever visit it?"
"No, I didn't even know Japan had an academy."
"Hmm…we have a mystery on our hands I suppose." Serenity gazed across the ocean in concentration. She knew she had seen those boys before, but where? They looked extremely familiar…
That night Serenity observed the boys, trying to discover how she knew them. They were whispering in a corner of the deck. Serenity tiptoed as close to them as she dared, straining to hear their words.
"I didn't count on traveling to America when I made this plan…" Amos whispered.
"It certainly does make capturing the princess more difficult. I suppose we shall have to keep up our disguises a good while longer." Mack sighed.
"Yes and when we come back we'll get the princess and then turn the captain into the Patrol officers." Ray concluded.
"The plan can still work then; we just have to be patient." Larry laughed.
Serenity sat in shock. They were going to kidnap her! They were going to betray Endymion! Well she wouldn't allow it. Serenity crept from her hiding spot and made her way, quietly to Endymion's cabin. At her gentle knock he opened the door and smiled at her.
"Hello Princess! To what do I…" he was cut off as Serenity pushed him inside and closed the door quickly. "What are you doing?"
"It's the boys…They plan to betray you and kidnap me! For the ransom, no doubt! Oh…money is so vain!"
"Wait a minute, slow down…" Endymion calmed her. "Now what is this?"
"The boys, Amos, Mack, Larry, and Ray…When we make port in Japan again, they plan to turn you over to the Port Patrol and capture me. You must stop them!"
"Why Princess, you mean you want to stay with us aboard the Fool's Gold? What if they are a rescue team sent by your father?"
"My father would not send four boys to rescue me! He would rather pay the ransom and bring me back peacefully."
"And yet the ransom remains unpaid. I believe I may have to up the price just to pay for your room and board."
"Do you mean to say you want them to capture me?" Serenity asked in confusion, her eyes showing her hurt.
"I'd like to see them try. Don't worry Princess. They will not succeed." Endymion assured her. He pulled open the door and stomped to where the four boys still remained huddled.
"Talking about anything interesting, boys?"
They all jumped up, flustered by his sudden appearance. "Umm…no sir." Amos was the first to recover.
"Really? Because betraying your captain and capturing a princess seems like a very interesting conversation indeed."
They all stared at him in shock.
"Well, we've been discovered girls." Mack laughed.
"Girls?" Endymion and Serenity gasped in unison.
"My ladies-in-waiting!" Serenity exclaimed. Endymion stared at her in shock.
"Ladies-in-waiting?"
"Ami, Mina, Lita, Raye!" Serenity opened her arms and they all ran into her embrace.
"We were so worried about you, Princess!" Lita cried.
"Ami came up with this plan to try to save you." Mina wailed.
"We were afraid the pirates would hurt you before we came!" Ami sobbed. Raye stepped back and inspected Serenity.
"Although it appears we had no reason to worry…" she said slowly. The others stopped their fawning and stepped back as well. "I'm confused…Earlier the captain said you were a guest and he lets you run around freely. Aren't you in danger?"
"Oh…umm…well," Serenity looked at Endymion in amusement. He was still staring at her, flabbergasted.
"Technically…I'm a hostage." She smiled.
"Technically? You either are a hostage or you aren't." Ami said.
"It's complicated," Serenity whispered.
"What's so complicated about being a hostage?" Lita pressed.
"Why all the questions?" Serenity exclaimed. "Can't you just…just…leave me alone!"
The girls all stared at her in shock. The princess had never yelled at them before. Endymion snapped out of his thoughts and broke in, pulling Serenity towards him.
"Alright, that's more than enough revelations for one night. Malachite," A man seemed to appear from the shadows. "Show these ladies to the second guest cabin and bring them extra blankets." He led Serenity back towards her room.
"What just happened?" he murmured to Serenity.
"It seems my maids have come to rescue me."
"By turning me into the Patrol? Didn't they realize that we're pirates?"
"It's the thought that counts, right?"
"And what am I to do with them now? I needed crew members, not lady's maids!"
"Well they told me they trained at the academy so I'm sure they could still help crew the ship."
Endymion looked at his feet, considering her option. "That's a good idea. If they're going to deceive me and try to turn me over to the patrol then the least they could do is help crew my ship." They parted at her door and Endymion returned to his cabin.
The next morning found the four girls manning the sail and performing the daily duties of the crew.
"Who knew they were actually women?" Malachite laughed. "I told you we shouldn't have let them in…but no…They'll grow, they'll get stronger…"
Endymion closed his eyes in agitation. Ever since Malachite had learned the truth of the girls he had been gloating.
"Although I have to say…it is refreshing to have so many beautiful women around rather than sweating men…" Endymion laughed with Malachite in agreement.
"What's so funny?" Zoicite asked, coming to stand with them.
"We were just discussing the state of our crew," Endymion laughed.
"Ah yes, we seem to have picked up some feminists."
"They seem to be doing as good a job as the other men." Jadeite came up to stand with them. "I wouldn't be surprised if they're running the ship by the time we get back."
"You mean the women?" Nephlite asked, appearing next to Jadeite. "I bet they won't last until America."
"I'll take that bet!" Jadeite laughed. "Forty pieces of gold to the winner."
"I want in on that bet," Malachite chuckled. "I say they won't make it."
"It's a little rich for my blood." Zoicite muttered.
"What about you captain?" Malachite asked Endymion.
"I'd better not; they are still part of the crew after all."
"Suit yourself," The men clasped hands in agreement. Endymion turned back to watch over his crew, smiling as he saw a blond head come up from below deck.
Serenity walked over to where her friends were working. "Hello, did you sleep well?"
"Surprisingly," Mina began. "We slept very well. I wasn't expecting such grandeur on a pirate ship."
"Indeed, it was highly unusual." Ami added. "What is the deal with these pirates? They're gentlemen, not the rude, dirty men we expected."
"These pirates are…special."
"So…what is happening with you and the captain?" Raye asked slyly.
Serenity felt her face turn red. "There is nothing happening between me and the captain. We just have an understanding, that's all."
The girls all looked at each other knowingly. "I believe what we have here is a case of misplaced love." Lita said, nodding.
"Misplaced love? What does that even mean?"
"It means that you have fallen in love with someone you could never be with!" Raye exclaimed. Serenity, face still red, tried to silence her.
"Don't speak so loudly! I do not love him, okay? Could we just drop it? I'm just waiting for my father to pay the ransom and I can go home." Serenity whispered.
"Are you sure that's all there is to it, Serenity?" Ami asked seriously, her eyes searching Serenity's imploringly.
"Yes," Serenity whispered, casting her eyes downwards.
!#&()
Chapter 6 is done! I hope you guys enjoyed it. And I have a big announcement! I won runner-up in Alicia Blade's Phantom Writing Contest. My entry has already been posted. It is called The Ghost Hunter. I hope you guys can read it. God bless! Oh and I do not own Sailor Moon!