Here's the next chapter! Sorry it took so long there were a lot of directions this story could have gone in but I chose this one - hope you like it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Cat Royal.

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Act Two: Scene Two; Kidnapped

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"Ow!" I woke up pressing a hand to the lump on my head. "Ow..."

I blinked my eyes blurily surveying my surroundings. I was lying on a bunk just like in a ship – the room also seemed to be rocking – no, that couldn't be possible, that would mean I was...My realization was greeted by a horrible sense of déjà vu. I was on a ship.

I sat up abruptly and immediately regretted it as I banged my head on the bunk above. I hissed in pain as reds and oranges shot through my closed eyelids. Something stirred above.

"Hello?" I called out cautiously.

There were a few moments of heavy silence.

"You're awake." Came the simple reply. It may have been simple but he said it in French – his hoarse raspy voice made me shiver.

"You can't keep me here against my will!" I shouted in French. "I'll get word to England," I assumed where ever we were, we were far from my home country. "I'm a close acquaintance of a peer of the realm."

My captor merely chuckled. It was a nasty sound coming from him for an expression of happiness.

"We're going to France, there's a revolution going on. Your peer of the realm can't help you there." There was a familiarity in his voice I couldn't quite place.

At his statement I felt my stomach drop I would have to get out of this scrape on my own – there would be no help from my friends this time. I was completely alone. Making my mind up quickly I knew I had to run. I rose swiftly darting towards the door, my hand outstretched, however, a couple of inches short I tripped. Looking down I realized too late that a length of rope attached to the bed post was tied to my ankle. Bugger.

The man laughed darkly. "You're not going anywhere."

I scowled. "You could at least show your face, are you really that ugly?"

I was surprised when a pair of hobnailed black boots swung themselves round and landed on the floor with a dull thud – I wasn't expecting him to actually come down. I looked up and tried to hold in a gasp. I was staring into the face of Mick Bailey -and to be honest he was ugly. His hair was dirty and matted and his face was a disarray of cuts and bruises, he now sported a long thin scar along the side of his right cheek, chalk white against his flushed skin. He smirked at my shocked expression showing uneven, yellowing teeth.

"Weren't expecting me. Were you Cat?" He said switching back to English.

I blinked stupidly back in reply, too stunned to say anything. What was he doing here? Why was he taking me to France? Too many questions were whizzing through my befuddled brain.

He laughed at me again.

"And enough of your cheek. I wouldn't want to be losing my temper and sticking this in your ribs." He threatened taking a knife out of his belt.

I cringed away from him and gave him the most contemptuous glare I could muster. He brought the knife down suddenly and slashed through the rope – it was sharp.

"Time for you to join the others, little missy."

"Others?"

"You're not special – my employer asked for more."

"What?" I asked alarmed. Who else for what ever twisted reason would want me kidnapped? I had plenty of enemies but I thought that I was at quits with the bishop of the Notre Dame thieves? I thought that the Avon's had paid him.

"Enough of your questions – you'll want to keep me in a good mood killing you would mean a lot of money wasted, but I'm doing well with the fortune your boyfriend earned me. I wouldn't mind losing a coupe of pounds."

With this final speech he kicked me through a door to his left slamming it shut behind me. I stumbled through letting my eyes adjust to the dim light, however, when they did I was met with a scene that sent a torrent of different emotions through my heart. The prevailing one was anger.

It was Syd, only he had his arms around a girl – no woman – about his age. I had to admit she was very pretty. No scratch that, she was beautiful. She had long raven black hair curling down to her waist and large grey – blue eyes rimmed with thick, dark eyelashes. However, her cheeks were blushing bright crimson at the compromising situation I had found her in with Syd.

"Cat?" He asked dropping his arms and coming towards me.

I was speechless for a moment or two before exploding, I wouldn't be surprised if steam was coming out from my ears I was that angry. No I was savage. "We've all been sick with worry about you and you're out here snogging the first girl you see!"

I was simply seething with rage. I marched forward brought my hand hand back and struck him hard around the face – feeling a little pleasure as my hand connected with a loud slapping noise.

My heart melted at the hurt expression on his face. So I threw my arms around him and buried my face in his shoulder.

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A/N So what did you think? Sorry Ellie no Billy. :) And the "big beefy bull of a man" was just someone Bailey hired. Who do you think wanted Cat? Who do you think this girl is? *Hint read chapter three.* Sorry to the Frank/Cat shippers but I had to add that dash of Syd/Cat. ;) Review!