Piratefell/Sailfell AU (prequel to chapter 9)
When Papyrus had decided to hold a hostage for ransom, he hadn't been expecting...well, any of this.
Sans had been the one to suggest it. They hadn't gathered much in their raids for quite some time and their finances were strained. However, there were countless wealthy individuals that resided on the island in the Crossbones Pirate's territory. Why not simply take some helpless pup whose daddy would be more than able and willing to hand over their weight in gold?
The abduction had also gone to plan as well: a visiting Duchess was snagged from the largest port in their domain through the shorter brother's potent magic. She was now locked in the brig...but that was just about the only progress they had made.
If there was one thing humans were, it was Determined and this one seemed to have gained a few extra helpings of that trait. Four days and the young woman hadn't said so much as a single word—not even her name. We're she not his prisoner, Papyrus would have been impressed, but with his current position it was nothing more than an annoyance.
A knock came at the door, bringing the tall skeleton to the present. Calling for them to enter, Papyrus rose from his desk, waiting expectantly.
Dogamy crossed the threshold and removed his hat in a sign of respect.
"I did as you asked, sir," the white canine reported. "She's had no food nor water all day. She still refuses to speak, though I caught her staring at my supper with no small amount of envy."
The Captain hummed to himself thoughtfully, his usual scowl deepening.
"LET HER GO WITHOUT FOR ANOTHER DAY. IF SHE PASSES OUT, THEN YOU MAY GIVE HER A LITTLE WATER TO KEEP HER FROM DYING, BUT NO MORE."
Dogamy gave a salute and left his leader to his own thoughts as he saw himself out. Papyrus picked up his pen and reached into one of the desk drawers to withdraw a small leather-bound book, dyed a deep red. Dating the first available page, he began to record his thoughts for the day. When he finished with the more informative records, he turned his thoughts to the human in his brig.
THE DUCHESS WE HAVE CAPTURED REMAINS STUBBORN. I HAVE ENACTED MEASURES TO BREAK HER WILL, BUT IF SHE DOES NOT BEND SOON I WILL HAVE TO BE MORE...DRASTIC IN WHAT I PERMIT TO HAPPEN TO HER. SANS IS MOST EAGER FOR IT TO PROGRESS TO THAT POINT. PERHAPS I SHOULD TAKE THIS MATTER INTO MY OWN HANDS INSTEAD OF DELEGATING IT TO MY BROTHER, IF ONLY TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE THAT COULD LESSEN THE RANSOM PAYMENT.
It was well after midnight and Sans was on watch in the brig. The human was pretending to sleep, but he could see her raise up her head to check where he was and heard how often she shifted on the hard wooden floor. His own feigned slumber did not seem to put her at ease and he noticed how she glared at the key ring above his head, silently willing them to fall from the rocking of the ship and slide her way.
Loud footsteps sounded on the steps down to the brig. Sans almost jolted to attention, recognizing that stride as the captain's, but that would blow his cover with the human...not to mention it was possible his boss was counting on him slacking off so he could meet the human in private.
The door swung open and thudded lightly against the back wall. The stocky skeleton did not allow himself to flinch at the sound nor react to the following silence.
"UGH. LAZYBONES," he heard his brother grumble. While grouchy, his tone lacked the usual ire and he simply moved past his (apparently) sleeping sibling. He heard the key ring being lifted off its hook and some fumbling before Papyrus' looming shadow retreated and the cell door creaked open.
Sans finally dared to crack open an eyesocket and watched as the captain stepped into the cell with the human, keys clenched in his fist as he stared down at her still form. Papyrus dropped to one knee and took the human's face in one hand, looking over her appraisingly.
"I KNOW YOU'RE AWAKE, YOUR GRACE," the scarred skeleton remarked almost casually. "YOUR ACTING SKILLS ARE COMMENDABLE, BUT ULTIMATELY FRUITLESS."
The young woman's face twitched into a scowl before her eyes opened and she sat up, removing the captain's hand from her face.
"Well aren't you clever?" she retorted bitingly. Her voice was hoarse from disuse and she seemed to be suppressing a cough through the last word. "What do you want?"
"I BELIEVE THE OTHERS HAVE ALREADY ATTEMPTED TO GET YOUR NAME. I SIMPLY WISHED TO TRY MY LUCK AS WELL."
"So I can be ransomed for more than I'm worth? No one will pay for my safe return, I'll guarantee that."
"THEN THERE SHOULD BE NO ISSUE WITH YOU TELLING ME YOUR NAME."
The noblewoman curled her lip before putting her nose up in the air haughtily. The effect was somewhat ruined when a choked cough escaped her chest and devolved into a fit of them. Papyrus simply watched without sympathy as she tried to regain her breath before rising to his full, intimidating height.
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT PIRATES HAVE CAPTURED YOU?" he questioned.
"Seeing as you have to be the captain judging off your fairly clean clothes and I know there are very few skeleton monsters that have their own ships, I'd hazard a guess that you are the Crossbones Pirates," the duchess choked out. "You've raided my island before."
"WE RAID MANY ISLANDS. I DO NOT SEE HOW THAT IS OF CONSEQUENCE."
"We were left destitute by that raid! My people are starving and it is all your fault! You and your selfish monster ways!"
The brunette doubled over to cough once more and Papyrus sighed and made a head motion similar to when one rolls their eyes. Stepping out of the cell, he picked up a bucket of drinking water and returned, dropping it to the floor and slopping the liquid everywhere.
"DRINK," he ordered. "I CAN'T STAND THAT HACKING NOISE."
The human gave him a fierce glare before dipping her hands into the water and drinking from the small pool that formed between her palms. After several delicate swallows, her hands were drained and she dipped them again. Repeating this process three more times, she wiped her damp fingers on her skirts.
"IF YOU ARE A DUCHESS, SURELY YOU HAVE COFFERS OF GOLD TO YOUR NAME," the tall skeleton reasoned. "WHY NOT SPREAD YOUR WEALTH TO YOUR PEOPLE? I'M SURE YOU HAVE MORE THAN YOU NEED; MOST RULERS DO."
"While you may have the measure of most of my kind, I have always been the odd one," the young woman muttered with no small amount of bitterness. "All I had was spread freely to my people after the robbery and they are still ruined...we are ruined. It's why I was even in that stupid port you kidnapped me from; I was trying to strike a deal with some of the other nobles so I could restore my home to its former prosperity. But I suppose that'll never happen now, will it?"
The brunette glared up at the pirate captain with rage and hate burning in her eyes...but there was also a sadness to her words. The silence between them was deafening as their gazes remained locked. Finally, Papyrus released a huff that was supposed to be a sigh but sounded more irritated than weary.
"I DON'T MUCH CARE FOR YOUR SOB STORY, YOUR GRACE. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, YOU WILL BE RANSOMED, IF NOT BY YOUR CITIZENS THEN BY SOME FRIEND OR FAVOR-SEEKER WITH RESOURCES. HOWEVER, I STILL NEED YOUR NAME BEFORE WE CAN GET THIS OVER WITH-I DON'T LIKE TAKING PRISONERS; THEY'RE ALL USELESS WASTES OF SPACE, FOOD AND CLEAN WATER."
"You already took everything from my lands," the duchess spat. "I won't let you have a single coin more through me!"
"YOU MISUNDERSTAND, YOUR GRACE." The captain's tone had gone dark, threatening. Grown men and monsters alike had cowered before that voice. "I WAS MERELY ASKING AS COMMON COURTESY WOULD DICTATE. I HAVE WAYS TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE WITHOUT FILTERS. TELL ME, DO YOU KNOW WHAT LOOKING AT YOUR SOUL FOR INFORMATION WOULD MEAN?"
The blood draining from the young woman's face was enough to tell the skeleton that yes, she understood the implications of his threat. The rage in her face and body language flared before she leaned back against the cell wall in defeat.
"Tabatha," she mumbled. "Tabatha Strong of Blessed Atoll."
"GOOD GIRL," Papyrus drawled mockingly with a condescending pat on the head. Striding from the cell, he picked up the small metal platter that held the remains of Sans' dinner and strode back to the human, handing it over.
"I'LL ENSURE THAT YOU WILL HAVE BREAKFAST TOMORROW WHEN THE GUARD CHANGES," he promised as she bit into the unblemished side of the apple. "AND IF YOU CAUSE NO TROUBLE, YOU MAY ALSO HAVE A WALK ABOUT THE DECK ."
"How very generous of you," Tabatha replied sardonically. Sans noticed his brother's hands involuntarily coil into fists before he stalked from the cell for the final time, locking it behind him. Returning the key to the ring, he strode out of the brig with a whirl of his scarf and a heavy slam of the door. The human's hostile posture dropped the second the captain was gone and she curled in on herself, defeat in every line of her body.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled into her skirts. "I'm sorry this had to happen. I promised you all I'd make it better...but I've only brought more hardship upon you."
I swear, the whole time I was writing this, my brain was like "let's make Papyrus the Dread Pirate Roberts" and I was just rolling my eyes because as much as I love Westley and that movie, this is my pirate story; i'mma have myself some fun.
Thanks to my reviewers from last time!
Kagayaku Hoshi-chan: Gonna go hug that skele till he's orange for life! Flustered guys are too adorable!
MachUPB: Every time you review, I squee. YOU ARE TOO NICE TO MEEEEE! *internet tackle hugs*
UltimateGamer101: ?:}
TabbyCat: IT'S SO FLUFFY WE ALL GONNA DIE!
GoldGuardian2418: YES. PURE CINNAMON ROLLS HERE.
: I don't know much about Outertale, but I'll give it a shot! Would you prefer there to be a song involved in the body of the chapter or no (because I have two ways I could go with this)?