Pie-rat: So much story be hidden from view, but the princess need be warry, and the capt'n be cautious. Alas, they all be blind to the true threat of the seas.
/*-*/
The stone walls which surrounded the large room beheld a majesty of history and pleasantries from the murals and banners which donned the wall. The room was lit by golden candle posts which shined against the mahogany flooring.
At the center of the room sat the majestic King Frederick Acorn, so majestic with his grey unkempt hair, and slumped posture. His age truly showed through his form, once a majestic king, now an old man. Still, he held the crown and the authority, and still acted with wisdom in spite of his age and body.
Her father would be so proud that she could speak so properly even with the highest degree. Lady Sally was quite proud of her description as she stood next to her father and her mother. Her brother, who should have been studying under their father, was nowhere to be found.
Still, they waited as next messenger stepped forward, and knelt below at the steps, "My Glorious and Magnificent King of the Acorn Kingdom, I have word from the port."
The King sat up and stretched his back, "Pray tell, what news does the port bring."
They were waiting for news from the port, which would tell of the coming negotiations. The younger prince, Elias, her brother, was to be married off to the kingdom of Sol as part of a peace agreement. They were expecting three messages today, and in two weeks, two more messages, updating the royal family on the Princess's arrival.
"My King, who is wise and majestic, I have received two reports of the Princess of Sol, arrive at the designated check points." The messenger kept himself kneeling, but had a pleased smile.
"Did…did you just say that only two of the messages arrived?" The King demanded, sounding guarded and tense from his tone.
"Y-Yes, My King? Is that not what you were expecting?" The messenger asked, raising his head.
King Frederick slumped down with a long breath, sighing, "Yes… I was expecting as such. No more meetings!"
The Steward down in front of the steps nodded and shouted down the hallway, "The King will not see anyone else today!"
There were grumbles of displeasure, many diplomats were dismissed, but they dispersed. The guards also left the room, resulting in a quiet room with only the royal family… or most of them.
Frederick took a deep breath, showing his displeasure at the information, but too old to explode in a fury, "What is this? An insult? A trick?" The king glowered, before coughing furiously.
Prince Max looked to his wife, who put her fingers into his hand, before looking at his father, "Father, if I may, this is perhaps a simple delay. Storms can cause ships to be detoured. I am certain that the expense and exhaustion had made the Kingdom of Sol does not wish to continue this war anymore."
"I gave them fair time to return to course." Growled the old king.
Prince Max stopped, and looked down in thought. He finally sighed, "They traveled through the Islands near the new world? The sea is infested with pirates. It is possible that they would attack the Sol Princess on her journey, causing a delay… or capture."
"Why would they take such a foolish route." Frederick growled, "Their foolishness knows no bounds."
"I believe it was to prevent a miss fire from either one of our ships or another power's intervention." The Herald explained, "Ultimately… There is little information on what has happened."
King Frederick growled in his throat, before sighing, "The new world is infested with pirates, is it not?"
The Messenger kept his head low, "Yes, your highness. The seas surrounding the new world are filled with pirates. There are a few… what we might call pirate dens."
King Frederick growled, slamming his fist onto the throne, "Why have we not destroyed them all!"
"Father, if I may, the pirates have been especially useful in dealing with our rivals' trade and colonies." Prince Max proposed, bowing his head, "There was little reason to expect that such an event would occur."
"Well, your pet project has proven to be a serious threat to all that we…." Suddenly, the king of the Kingdom of Acorn clutched his heart, and began to breath heavily.
"My king, deep breaths." Princess Alicia stated calmy, rising from her throne, and holding her hands.
King Frederick slowed his breathing, before growling, "No more meetings today."
The steward stepped forward and shout down the hallway, "The king shall see no one else today! He thanks you for your patience, and awaits your next meeting."
There was grumbling, before Sally could hear a shouting from someone in the hallway, "You're highness! I need to see you effective immediately!"
Sally saw a Walrus rush forward with papers in his hands. Two guards with halberds stopped him at the doorway.
Sally's father sat up, and leaned over, mumbling something to the King. Prince Max apparently made some good arguments, because King Frederick growled and rose from his seat, "Blast them all. So be it, handle them. And Someone fetch my useless grandson. His absence is not to be tolerated!"
Sally stood up from her small chair, "I should go and gather him. I suspect of where he might be." It partial lie. Sally knew exactly where her brother was.
King Frederick growled to himself before taking a deep breath and sighing, "Do as you will."
Sally turned to her father, who gave her a nod, "You are dismissed."
Sally walked out of the room as the steward announced, "The High Prince will now see you."
Sally donned her cloak and casual wear to go out. She left her room to find Marshal Geoffrey waiting, "My lady, you should not be sent out into the rabble alone."
Sally groaned, "Lord Geoffrey, I assure you that I shall have protection on my person." She gestured to the small swords she kept at her leggings.
"Still, permit me to escort you and see to your return my lady, if not to deter some young fool from seeking your treasures out of his place." The Martial offered his hand to her.
Sally raised her hand and lower his, "Rest Assured, my brother will protect my chastity, as will the local guards. We do not wish to draw a public scene. No escort shall be required." Sally gave a graceful bow, one she had learned well from her tutors, and continued past him, all too aware of his gaze at her.
She made her way through the secret exit of the palace, and out onto the street. There were stallions pulling carts full of hay and goods which would be traded. Sally simply climbed aboard, a cart exiting the capitol building.
To say that she had an idea of where her brother was would be a technical lie. She knew exactly where Elias was, a place where he had started going for the past six months.
She climbed off at the crossroads with the missing sign, and walked down a path with yellow-green fields. It… had an appeal to her. Sally could hear the quiet chirping in the trees. It was peaceful.
Sally made her way to the small town, and towards the universal favorite building of towns and peasantry- the tavern. Sally pulled her hood further over her head as she walked in. The building was mostly filled with working men, sweet with the smell of sweat.
Sally took a deep breath, before moving towards the bar. She sat down, and the barkeeper walked over to her, "Greeting's miss. He's out back."
"Thank ya." Sally stretched out her voice to seem less formal. Why would he be out back? As far as Sally knew, her brother came out here to avoid the royal eyes and discipline for his drinking habits.
Sally made her way to the end of the bar and walked outside. She saw a small, beaten path which led to a small shed. No sign of her brother.
Sally walked along the path, and as she approached the storage shed, she heard giggling. Sally dared to approach and listened to her brother's voice.
"Well, miss, I can' help it. Yer a unique gem." Elias sounded so out of place.
Sally's fur bristled in the worst ways possible. She walked around the corner and saw her brother leaning against a fence, in a way that was clearly uncomfortable-trying to look comfortable.
"Why, I've never heard that one. You are truly a different kind of man." A woman's voice proclaimed with a giggle, " Though, I must insist. You need to speak with my father. I am not going to elope without him understanding. It would break his fine heart."
Sally walked out from the front of the shed. Her brother immediately tensed up and saw her. Sally's eyes laid on a young squirrel, with a fair form and complexion. Her hair was somehow neat and beautiful, despite her dress being clearly that of peasantry. The woman had two hands wrapped around Elias's, when she notice Sally standing there.
"A-, I apologize, Miss Megan. This here is ma sister, come to drag me back to ma father." Elias bowed his head, "I hope to see more of you soon." He bowed his head, and walked towards Sally. As he did, Megan grabbed his hand, and held it to her heart, before leaning over and kissing his cheek.
Sally bowed her head at "Megan" and the two walked back to the tavern. They made their way through the building and out to Elias's horse.
Sally climbed on back with Elias, "Why did you keep this from me?" Sally demanded, and the horse began to trot forward.
"I didn't want anyone to know… I swear, there is not a woman in the world like her." He mumbled in a daze.
"Is this why you've been disappearing." Sally demanded, before easing up. It wasn't her place to scold her brother, and he seemed to be genuinely happy.
He also was completely ignorant, "I love her. I love her with a sickness so terrible. Our time away is worse than time from food or sleep."
"You know you must be married to the Sol princess." Sally reminded him. She hoped her words would reach him.
"Alas that I must… I would rather run away with her. Flee to the Dragon kingdom." Elias insisted, leaning back.
"You'd last five days without an éclair and meat." Sally mocked as they arrived at the crossroads.
"Eclairs are bitter without her, and the meat I shall need will be on her lips." Elias returned to his daze, "Damn the traditions for peace, damn the war. All I will need is her."
"And what we all need is you. You must be prepared to make sacrifices for the kingdom. I will probably be married off to some lord thrice my age." Sally pointed out, groaning, before sighing, "You bride to be has gone missing."
The face on Elias turned conflicted. He was partially happy, and worried. The poor young man couldn't live in both worlds, "What do you think happened?"
"If you had been at the royal court, you would have heard talk of pirates." Sally sighed, and Elias picked up the pace with the young stallion.
"Good heavens. I can only imagine what the pirates would to royalty. What horrible life have they afflicted her with?" Elias grumbled in fear. A fear Sally shared.
/*-*/
The meager sloop pushed through the waves, splitting the soft hills with bow. Blaze stood at the mast, not desiring to look lower.
The crew around her seemed quite busy with well-to-do tasks, such as replacing the repair boards, and scooping out the water. Blaze found herself strangely comforted by the constant work that everyone was doing.
"LET ME OUT YA DAMNED SHORT-COCKS!" the Racoon's voice shouted from the hold below.
Blaze approached the captain hedgehog, "Could we not let her out? Surely she could not be a problem for long."
"She stays in the hold until she finally starts playing nice." The captain proclaimed from the helm.
"Arrow Head Isle Ho!" The fox shouted from the front of the ship.
"Which side are we going from?" The Captain asked.
"I think we best be heading from port. Starboard rope be a wee bit weak'r." The fox shouted back up at Sonic the Pirate Captain.
"Alright, Everyone, land on the port side!" the Captain shouted down, which the fox repeated urgently down below.
The Echidna pirate ran up to the top of the ship, and handled the sails, twisting the ropes to raise up the hemp sails, but left the wool intact.
"Lass, I'd recommend that you change into something a little bit more… sea worthy." The pirate captain offered, extending out his hand to gesture to her royal pants and white shirt, which had been stained by Blaze's sweat and blood.
"I have no clothes which would suite your-" Blaze began in outrage at the idea of changing to some commoner's clothing, only to be cut off.
"Enough of that, lass. Come now, speak normally. We don't need the proper speech for us simpletons." The captain laughed, earning a similar laugh from the crew.
Blaze looked at the five men, before sighing, "I see no fault in my attire or speech."
"Well, we'll have to about that, now won't we." The hedgehog pirate grinned at her in such a lecherous, and playful way.
Blaze moved her arms to cover herself, "If you should touch me-"
"Relax, lass, I don't intend to harm you one bit. You are a valuable prisoner. You'd be wise to start listening to me. I have plenty of bloody experience on these waves, and I think you have none." The pirate captain grinned.
"We be bringing her with us, Capt'n?" The Echidna asked in surprise.
"Of course. Keep her close, don't want anyone taking her off the ship without us. She's still a prisoner, worth a pleasant ransom." Captain Sonic proclaimed
Blaze grit her teeth, and was once again reminded of how much debt she had incurred to her kingdom. Indeed, the expense was great, and she would need to make contact with the Acorns for a bride price. Never mind the fact that she still had to procure the other emeralds, and send a special operations team to gather the others from Steelnik… if that was even where the gems were going.
Or… she break out. She didn't have the ability to operate a ship on her own, but she could use the Racoon, and escape. Still, Blaze would need the Sol Emerald from Sonic if she were to escape. Then, she had a brilliant idea.
The ship pulled along the side of the island, "Drop anchor!" shouted the Pirate captain.
"Aye, drop'n anch'r!" Shouted the fox, pulling the stopper from the anchor, causing the screw to spiral down. The ship began to lurch to a halt.
"Well, lass, time to see if you're attire is as good as you say it is." The Hedgehog captain grinned, and pushed her along towards a rowboat. Off the side. The crew lowered the rowboat, and untied it in the water.
The Captian stopped and actually looked afraid. It was pretty far down.
Princess Blaze also found herself gulping from the height. Her courage failed her in that moment, and her legs shook from fear.
"Well, It's… it's not getting any wetter." Pirate Captain Sonic smiled, with sweat dripping down the side of his face.
Blaze tried to step back, but she backed right into the captain's solid chest. She turned around, and saw him looking rather frightened.
"P-Please do not make me undertake such a journey. Surely I could be better on-" Princess Blaze started, her tail puffing up in terror.
"There's not much sense in waiting around. I've got the bullocks to go." The Captain nudged the princess forward towards the ladder as the fox and the echidna climbed down. The two climbed into the row boat.
Blaze stood at the edge of the sloop, clutching the railing as the two crewmen looked up at her.
"Don't worry, lass, you'll be fine." The pirate captain laughed behind her, and pushed her forward. Blaze fell off the side of the ship. The princess began to plummet… screaming until she landed in the arms of the pirates.
She was panting while looking up at the side of the ship. She felt… alive, dare she say, incredible. There was a rush in that moment. Her eyes continued to stare up as the captain climbed down the ladder.
He then jumped into the rowboat, with the rest of his crew save the wolf. The Hedgehog pirate smiled, letting out a deep breath, "Alright lads, lets get rowing. That treasure won't dig up itself."
The boat lurched forward as the princess clutched the sides of the boat. Each rock felt painful, so Princess Blaze looked at the pirate Captain, who looked very uncomfortable within the small vessel.
His face dripped with sweat as his eyes watched the waves. They were all distracted, and if the Princess needed to, she could jump into the water, and escape. But where would she go on the open waves? Whom could she trust with her status and value?
It was best to simply abide by the rules which he gave, and await further opportunities.
The boat struck the beach of the island, and the pirate crew members jumped out of onto the beach. The Pirate Captain reached down to pick up an old, rusty shovel, which was bound together by rope. It was clear that the old excavation tool had needed many repairs, and was in need of a replacement.
Princess blaze rose out of the row boat, and stepped out… into salt water. Her pants were soaked with the irritating, her coat and shirt soaked with salty liquid as her body dipped bellow the waters.
"You'll get off your sea legs." The Captain snorted, stretching out his hand to the Princess as he stood over her.
Blaze took it, and rose up, still feeling the weakness in her legs. The captain then turned around, and they started walking up the shore until they got to a pile of… freshly disturbed dirt. It had some grass growing over it, which indicated that someone had dug at most a week ago.
"Well, I'd say that makes our digging grounds very clear." The pirate captain commented, and the Echidna groaned, before walking forward with the shovel. The Echidna struck the dirt, and began to throw it back… onto Princess Blaze's jacket.
She raised her coat defensively, only to feel another volley of dirt thrown her way.
"Ya might want to move, lass." The Fox mumbled, stepping back to give her an even wider space to move around. Indeed, that would have been the wise decision.
The Princess rose and moved away, still shielding herself with her royal purple outfit as the Pirate Captain laughed innocently.
She would have spoken more, but she felt a tingling in her body. There was a Sol Emerald nearby, she could feel it. The Princess began to move instinctively towards the forest.
"Lass, hold it." The pirate captain stated, but Princess Blaze had a duty to recover any lost emeralds-
As she walked past the tree which was in front of the digging site, she felt the emeralds grow weaker, "What? Surely not?" The princess came to a sudden realization. More emeralds had been sent out, without her say or knowledge.
What horrid treachery was her father insisting upon? The cat felt a hand placed on her shoulder, gripping it, "Don't try and run off, lass. I'm far faster than you."
The Pirate captain was giving her a suspicious look. Perhaps he was not as easy to fool or deceive as she would have thought. That only served to make her life more difficult.
The dirt was slowly being cleared away. Princess Blaze needed to recover the remaining emeralds and return them to the kingdom.
"There is an emerald here." The Princess stated firmly, gesturing to the hole. The Echidna stopped digging, and looked up at her. The Pirate captain also looked skeptical, but that was to his demerit.
"Are you trying to make a fool of me?" Captain Sonic suggested, his hand resting on his cutlass.
"I know when they are close. I can find them when two or more are together." The cat princess stated firmly, glaring at the pirate hedgehog.
He looked at her for a moment, a scowl strained across his face, "Alright, who's taking bets?"
"Twenty silver says she be full of shite." The Fox boy called out.
"Aye, twenty silver that nothing be in this chest." The red Echidna growled, shoveling another pile.
The last one, a wolf, frowned, "I think she be alright, I'll place bets on ya." The Wolf gave her a simple nod.
The two who were not digging looked at the captain. The Hedgehog frowned, before sighing, "I don't gamble. Not going to put anything to chance." He turned to look down as the rest groaned in disappointment.
It seemed that it was a common response from the hedgehog for his crew to be so displeased.
"Enough beatin' 'round the bush. Get ta openin it." The wolf growled at the echidna, who groaned, and grabbed the top of the chest.
Princess Blaze watched as the lid opened with a green glow from within. She loomed over the chest, and saw the beautiful octagon resting on a velvet cushion.
The pirate captain walked over and saw the Gem, before turning back to the rest, "Well lads, George is forty pieces heavier."
The Fox and Echidna groaned, and reached into their furs to pull out their coin purses.
"There be no bloody way. Ya rigged it against us, Capt'n, din' ya?" The fox growled at Captain Sonic.
The Captain actually gave a light chortle, "That's why I avoid betting. Although, I would have been a winner in this case." He turned and gave the princess a smile, and a tip of his hat.
"You believed me, Pirate Captain Sonic?" the Princess asked, somewhat surprised by his statement, "Yet you said nothing of the sort."
The Captain gave another laugh as his crew exchanged silver pieces, "You don't strike me as a good liar, but you still could be mad. I avoided taking a side because I don't lose anything that way." The captain smiled at her with a large grin as the fox and echidna grumbled under the tone of the wolf's pleasant humming.
The Princess thought carefully, before sighing and nodded, "I suppose that is very shrewd of you."
The fox and wolf came over, with the wolf growling, "looks like a lad knew he be going through rough waters, and stashed it here to come back."
"Aye, but, do you think they be back soon?" The Fox offered, sounding rather guarded in his voice.
"We must be swift, we… will pay for both gems, full price." Princess Blaze pleaded desperately. If another ship came and took these, her odds of recovering the rest were extremely low.
"Aye, lass. Now, I've a proposition for you." The Pirate Captain extended a hand to pluck the gem from its cushion. He held the gem up in the light, and looked at Blaze with clever eyes.
The Pirate tossed her the gem, which she caught, and the Captain explained, "You help us find the rest of the gems, and I'll take twenty-five million silver coins, and five million gold coins for each of your articles. And before you ask, we'll do what we can to not kill your people."
He had such an arrogant smile. She should have refused in that spot. Her kingdom could not afford the possibility of five gems, and the Acorns would most certainly refuse the ransom price.
But… her mind struck an opportunity. She would cooperate with them, and once she had the gems, and they went to their drunken craze, she would escape on a night ship, and sail back to her homeland. She would even scorch the pirates ships, to prevent their pursuit.
Princess Blaze steeled herself, to prevent any discomfort from her lie. They were pirates, not people, "Very well, but I will be included in that cost. My crewmate and I will be within the ransom." She extended her hand towards the captain.
The Captain frowned, before looking at his crew, "Well lads?"
They all gave a nod to him. The Pirate Captain turned back to her, and shook her hand, " Welcome to the life of thieves and robbers."
As they shook, Blaze knew that she had put herself in a deeper situation than ever before. But, justice would be done on the seas in the end.
/*-*/
Alas, the tide of honest work and studies be a massive burden on me hindquarter. Expect less updates from the captain, but more time for ye all to leave him a note. The captain be busy, but he tries to keep the righted.
Thank you lads and lasses for reading this far. Hopefully, we be on course for another update in a month or so.