The Pirate and the Princess (Closed)

(So sorry this took so long. I've had a bunch of stuff going on at home and I really haven't had the time to respond.)

Aedion smirked. "Rather they don't quite fit in anywhere. It's why they do so well in my crew. No one here really fits in anywhere else. So I think you'll fit in just fine, princess."

Rosemary didn't fit in anywhere else. Not the palace, otherwise she wouldn't be here. And no one would accept her as she truly was anywhere else. So perhaps she just might stay with him. And he wasn't sure how he felt about that. Or why his heart warmed slightly at the thought of her staying.

He just shrugged his shoulders, taking a step back from her. He was still entirely in her personal space but at least he wasn't touching her anymore. And she was steering by herself.

"What belongings? You don't have any. Yet." That didn't mean she wouldn't collect any as they looted the ships they passed by. Because everything was game out on the water. Even other pirate ships, depending on who they were, that us. He did have some alliances he didn't wish to ruin over that.

"Perhaps I'll give you one of mine. If you promise to take care of it that is." He wasn't entirely joking either. He might just very well give her one of his.

(( You’re all good :) ))

“They’re all quite rowdy. Much different than the sorts of people I grew up with, but I like them. It’ll just take a bit of getting used to,” she replied. “I quite like Vera, though. We haven’t spoken much, but I think would we would get along.”

Of course, she wasn’t entirely sure that Vera liked her; she gave off some mixed signals. If Vera avoided her, Rosemary wouldn’t blame her. She was a princess, after all, and her very presence on the ship could put everyone’s lives in danger. The captain didn’t seem to mind, though. He seemed to love the thrill of his life being in peril.

A chill ran up Rosemary’s spine as the captain stepped out from behind her, allowing her to steer the ship on her own. It was still hard to believe that she was on a pirate ship, far away from the castle and her past. The countless months of preparation had started to pay off.

“I’m going to hold you to that, you know. Giving me one of your hats,” she teased. “Of course, I don’t know how well it would fit me considering the height difference.”

Aedion smirked. He bet she had never seen anything quite like this. Everyone at court likely had a stick up their ass and were too busy trying to climb the social ladder. Etiquette and manners were taught, brutally sometimes, and were excepted at all hours of the day.

Here in the sea, they could be free. Here, no one was there to tell them what to do and what not to do. They could be their true selves. They were a band of misfits who had found each other and made the most out of life. Now they ruled the seas. No other pirate crew would ever attack them. At least no one in their right mind would.

"Give Vera a little time to warm up. I'm sure you'll be friends in no time. Or she just wants to steal the gown you arrived in." He quirked the corner of his lip. "I'm sure you'll have everyone here eating out of the palm of your hand in no time." She had an aura to her that just drew him in. And he knew he wasn't the only one.

He just smiled at her. "I'll even let you choose." He placed his hands in his pockets, his gaze moving to the horizon. Murmurs could be heard below as the crew began to wake and got to their daily chores. Food was being made, the floor scrubbed and clean. Laundry done, among other things.

For once in her life, Rosemary felt a sense of freedom. For years, she had been trapped— both physically and emotionally. People in her kingdom loved the royal family, but little did they know that it was all a façade. Few people knew about the horrors that took place within the castle walls.

“Oh, she did seem to like the gown. Said it was quite flattering. But she can have it if she wants. I’m quite sick of palace gowns.”

At the second comment, she reached over, brushing her fingers against his like she had the night before. With a grin, she whispered to him, “oh? And what about you? Will I have you eating out of the palm of my hand, my love?”

With a wink, she released the captain, turning her attention back towards the ocean. She had never been much of a flirt, but with the captain, it was different. He was different. “You have that many hats, do you?” She laughed. “I’m afraid I’ll never be able to choose.”

And Vera would likely quite happily take the gown. Just because she was his first mate, didn't mean that she had given up her femininity at all. She still tended to be pulled to the finer things in life. And it had cost him a pretty penny more than a couple of times. Which he had been more than willing to do. He loved his crew. He would do anything for them. And anything to keep them happy. And anytime he upset Vera, the way to her heart was expensive gifts.

"Oh, darling, the only thing that has my heart is the sea. You can try, though." Aedion smirked down at her. He answered to no one but himself, the sea, and sometimes Vera. She could be quite terrifying when she was upset.

He captured her fingers, bringing them to his lips and placing a light kiss on them. He returned her wink as he dropped her hand and turned his focus back on the vast body of water before them. "Then chose your favorites. So long as you leave me a few, I think I will be okay." He wasn't vain, but he did like nice things and he liked to look good. Even when captaining a ship.

"You are welcome to say as long as you need," he murmured. The words had more than one meaning to it. Up here, yes, away from the crew and where the breeze would hit her face. But also here, with him, with the crew. If she could handle the life, if needed more time away from everything, she was more than welcome to stay. Though she would have to start pulling her weight by then.

“The only thing, huh?” She looked up at him, returning the smirk. “How I do love a challenge.”

Despite convincing herself that she would never catch any sort of feelings for the pirate king, her face still grew slightly red as he kissed her fingers. Sure, many of the men in the court had kissed her hand, but only to be respectful to their princess. His kiss had an entirely different meaning behind it.

“I’m sure I would be the most hated woman in the world if I did that,” she replied. “The pirate women might not like you, but the village women do. You should hear how they speak about you.”

For a long time, Rosemary never understood the fascination with the captain. But now that she was with him, on the ship, she was beginning to see what made the women swoon over the pirate. She would never tell him that, of course.

Aedion only looked her up and down with a heated gaze. He would certainly look forward to it, even if she was bound to lose. While he certainly had a fascination with her ever since she stepped onto his ship, nothing could take over his heart that had been given to the sea.

He chuckled softly. "They love the idea of me, of what I represent. But none of them could ever love me. No one can." And that was alright. He had lived enough and seen enough that he would be content as he was. He was never with anyone longer than a night and then he was on to the next. Or leaving out to the sea.

He didn't take the helm away from her. Not when she looked content to guide his ship. There was no danger on the horizon and no reason she couldn't be up here. He would wait until the morning hunger set in, then allow another to take over and guide her downstairs to the kitchens to grab something.

He doubted she would ever take up his offer. Not after she saw his way of life, and truly experienced what he did. He wasn't a good man. He didn't claim to be and would never claim to be so. He hadn't started out this way but life had been cruel to him and this was where he had ended up. Now he was making the most of his life.

But then again, life seemed to have been cruel to her. She might just fit in with his little group of misfits. A runaway princess was about as much a misfit as one could become. Only time would tell.

She grew even more flustered at the intensity in his gaze. Had he ever looked at her like that before? She didn’t think so. Maybe he was planning to take her up on the little challenge of hers.

“True. Just like they love the idea of the men from the story books,” she replied. “But I think, if they met the real you, they may fall in love regardless. You do have a certain charm.”

Rosemary went silent as he continued to speak. She may have not said it out loud, but she knew how the captain was feeling. In fact, in a strange twist, she related to his sentiment. No one would ever truly love her. Sure, she was beautiful, and her people loved her. But she was also wealthy and powerful. Most of her suitors only wanted her because of her status as royalty.

“Mm… you never know. I think someone could fall in love with you,” she replied. “You’d be surprised.”

Aedion never had any hopes of finding a woman for himself. He didn't want one nor did he need one. There were enough women in his life as it was. Vera along with the few other women on board. And the sea. It was enough for him. It always had been and it always would be. There wasn't room for anyone else, especially if this runaway princess decided to join their little band.

Nevertheless, he offered a grateful smile for her kind words, even if he didn't believe them himself. Sure, he was a charmer, but it was all a facade so that no one looked passed the mask he put up. He so rarely let his crew, his family, see him. It was easier like this.

"And what about you, love? You're no longer a princess. There's nothing to your name. Nothing to stop you from a man who loves you for you, and not what you can do for them." He was steering the conversation away from himself, something he was excellent at doing. He didn't like talking about himself, not like this. Not when the conversation actually meant something.

“A man? To love me?” She snorted, as if it was a joke. “I know I speak of marriage at times, but no one could ever love me. Anyone who has shown interest in me usually does it because I’m powerful and wealthy. It’s hard to trust anyone anymore.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want a relationship. While she sometimes insisted that she wanted to be alone for the rest of her life, she knew that it could be a lonely trail to go down. Especially for someone like her. But what other choice did she have? Even if she did start a relationship, the person would most likely leave her in the end. It’s what usually ended up happening.

“But enough about that. It’s all behind us. Right now, it’s just you, me, and the sea,” she said softly. “I should be more concerned with escaping than finding love.”

She was getting a little too comfortable with this pirate. He was easy to talk to. He was kind, sympathetic, and even caring towards her. But she knew how easy it would be for him to break her if she got too close.

But you don't have power and wealth anymore. Aedion kept the words to himself, sensing she didn't like talking about it as much as he did. While there was much to him as a person, he never really ket anyone get passed the surface. Vera would be the only exception, but as his first mate, she had seen more than just ugly. She had seen the terrible parts of him and still chose to stay by his side. He would likely be dead if it weren't for Vera. She was his platonic soulmate.

"Well, you have escaped darling. You can go anywhere in the world now, though I'd might suggest to go anywhere but you're father's kingdom." It would be easier to recognize her there. But elsewhere, no one would bat an eye so long as she looked the part.

One of his sailing masters aporached them, offering to take over the helm. He nodded his head and gestured to Rose to hand over the helm and follow Aedion. "You must be hungry, sweetheart. Let's get you some breakfast."

“Anywhere? Maybe there’s somewhere far away I could go. Somewhere where no one knows my name,” she replied. “But I don’t know if my parents will ever stop looking for me. A runaway princess… it makes them look bad.”

That was the only reason they would bother looking for her. That and the fact that they needed an heir to their throne. Someone to continue their bloodline. As queen, she would never have the ability to make decisions for their country. She was only there to look pretty and allow her husband to rule their kingdom. But, judging by the man her parents betrothed her to, she would live long enough to make a name for herself anyways.

The captain’s next comment pulled her from her thoughts. “Breakfast?” she questioned. “I thought all pirates had rum for breakfast.”

Rosemary slipped her hand into Aedion’s as they walked down towards the main part of the deck. A few of the pirates stole a glance at them, curious, but a majority of the crew paid little attention.

"Change your name, maybe your hair, and no one will ever know its you. They'll ve looking for a princess, not a commoner." People tended to see only what they wanted to see. Not what was really there.

He took her hand as she extended it out to him and led her down the stairs. He paid no heed to his crew who looked at them with curious faces. They had never seen him behave this way towards anyone. But then again, they had never been in the circumstance before. He'd never had someone stowaway on his ship. This was new to him as anyone else.

"Rum? Only on special occasions." He winked at her. He knew the reputation that pirates had. It was vastly untrue. As much as they enjoyed a drink, they were sober more often than not. They were very clean and orderly, and everyone respected one another. He wasn't feared, at least not by his crew. They had set schedules and stuck tight to them. Only when they arrived on shore did they let loose a bit and party.

There was a bit of porridge left from breakfast and Aedion dished up two bowls for then before finding a spot to sit on the stairs. There wasn't much traffic from below deck to above, so it was the perfect place to eat and still feel the warm air on his skin.

“Sounds easy enough, but of course, I can’t seem to stay out of the eyes of the public,” she replied. “It’s one of the many things my parents hated about me. I’ll end up doing something stupid and completely blow my cover.”

Rosemary followed Aiden down the stairs, glancing around at the crew as she walked. The crew of the ship intrigued her, to say the least. They all looked different— no doubt with widely varying backgrounds— but, in a way, they were all connected. They all had a common love for adventure and the sea. They all longed to escape the mediocre life that society offered them. They were all the things that her court was not. The officials of the court may have fooled the public into thinking that they worked for the same cause, but Rosemary knew the truth. Each and every one of them were out for their own personal gain. They would lie, deceive, and cheat to get what they wanted. The pirates, on the other, had respect towards each other. They could be rowdy at times, sure, but they all loved each other.

Rosemary let the captain lead her up onto the stairs. She sat down beside him, taking the bowl of porridge and placing it in her lap. Here, she could see all the pirates gathered on the deck. Most of them were focused on their tasks, but she could see two young pirates sword fighting near the entrance to the captain’s quarters.

Rosemary quickly finished her porridge before she stood up. “I want you to teach me how to fight.”

Aedion had his spoon raised midway when she asked for him to teach her. His hand paused, staring at his porridge. He never could quite figure out what she was going to say but that had been the last thing he ever expected.

He placed his spoon back in his bowl, raised his head to look at her, blinking. "You want to learn how to fight? Why?" He didn't say in a discouraging voice. He was truly curious as to why. While his crew all knew how to fight, that was because of their occupation. In a few months time, they woukd be dropping her off and wishing her luck with the rest of her life. Along with a enough gold to have a comfortable life. What need did she have with learning to fight?

He placed his bowl on the step above him, his appetite gone. He could snack on something later. Right now, his focus had been taken away from his food and onto the princess in front of her.

"Did someone try to hurt you?" He asked quietly, so no one coukd hear them but each other. "Physically? Is that why you left?" Because if this was a trauma response, he needed to know before putting her in a sparing ring. Things could go south very quickly if she didn't know how to focus.

“Oh, I dunno. I am a runaway princess. Do you know how many people will be looking for me when I suddenly disappear? I’m their only heir, after all,” she replied. “Plus, there are plenty of people out there who hate me. I can’t imagine what they would do if they discovered that I am— well, was the princess.”

She shuddered at the thought of it. It wasn’t that she was a bad princess; in fact, the people of her country adored her. But she had heard the rumors that circulated about the royal family. She had no doubt there were plenty of people who wanted to see her dead.

She froze at his next question. Oh, if only he knew. She would never tell him the full extent of what happened in the castle, of course, but he deserved to know some of it. Why she ran away, perhaps. He was committing an act of treason by helping her, after all, so she figured the least she could do was give him a glimpse into why she left.

She motioned to the scar that trailed down her face. “I’m mostly blind in one eye, Aedion. Do you think I did this to myself?”

Well, she had him there. If anyone did find out who she was, they would try to grab her and sell her to the highest bidder. Who wouldn't want a missing princess? But it was also just as likely no one would ever find out who she was. Even if he had to take her half way around the world where no one has even heard of her. She would be safer there.

Aedion felt his heart tightened as he stared at the scar down her cheek. He'd assumed that it was a traitor or enemy that had snuck into the palace and caused harm to her. It was what the rumors had said. Though he should know better than anyone that rumors were hardly ever true. He was living proof of it.

"Then I will train you Rose. But don't think I will take it easy on you just because your a princess." In fact, it woukd be quite the opposite. He would be even harder on her because of it.

"We will start training tonight." That way, most of the crew had gone to bed and no one need watch her as they trained. Because she would fail, over and over again. And while his crew would respect her for learning, he didn't want to put her in an uncomfortable position.

She watched him intently, stiffening when she noticed his eyes wander to her scar. She felt what was almost a sense of relief when he didn’t ask her questions about the wound. Many people in her country thought that the injury had been given to her by a rebel group. That was what the royal family had led them to believe.

“I don’t want you to take it easy on me,” she insisted. “Besides, the title of princess means nothing any more. Like you said before. If I change my name and appearance, no one will ever find out who I am.”

Rosemary slipped her hand into his, leading him over to the side of the ship. She watched as waves splashed up against the vessel, spraying them with salty ocean water.

“I’ve been told about the mythical creatures that live in these waters. Sirens, kraken, mermaids…” She glanced over at the captain. “Have you ever seen them before, or are they only myths?”

Aedion didn't point out that she was dead set on the fact that someone would find her, no matter where she hid. He simply nodded his head in agreement with her. He would train her as much as he was capable of doing until they finally departed. He would make sure she was able to protect herself and others by the time he was done with her.

He took her hand and let her guide him this time. Up the stairs and to the side of his ship. The water was relatively smooth and there was little rocking. It was a good day at sea but it wasn't always. He wondered how well she would handle it when a rough day came at sea. Or even a storm or hurricane. It was brutal and he had lost more than one man due to the rough seas.

He slipped his hands in his front pockets, a smirk pulling up on his lips as she mentioned the creatures of the sea. "I've never met a siren or mermaid. I avoid all the waters that they've been rumored to occupy. My men can't seem to put their head on straight when go to port and they find a woman for the night. I can't imagine what would happen if we came into contact with either of those."

He was teasing mostly, about his crew that was. Not about the stories of the sea. There was always truth hidden in the stories, even if it had been exaggerated throughout history.

"Krakens however," he turned, leaning his back against the railing. "You've got to watch the waters for those. They tend to stick to warmer waters. They'll below the surface, just far enough where you can't see them. Then, once you sail over them, they attack."

Rosemary was glad that Addison was the one steering the ship. If she was the captain, she would be tempted to steer the vessel straight for a mermaid lagoon. Mermaids were mostly harmless, but they were curious creatures. They were mischievous, known for stealing items from the humans they came into contact with. Sirens, on the other hand, were much more dangerous. Thousands of people had died at sea from hearing their singing.

“But haven’t you ever wanted to hear a siren song?” she asked. “They say their songs carry prophecies for the ones that listen to them. If you can survive, that is.”

Rosemary secretly wanted to hear the siren song. She didn’t tell Aideon this, of course; he would think she was crazy. After all, many believed that the myth about the siren songs was just that. A myth. But what if was true? Rosemary had nothing else to lose.

Her eyes widened at his mention of krakens. “Have you been attacked by one?”

(I'm sorry, you're autocorrections to Aedion are the funniest thing XD)

Aedion smirked at her excitement. She said all this now, but the moment she came in close vicinity to one, she would likely run the other way. Or she would be entrapped by the siren's song and be lost like thousands of others before her who thought the same thing.

"Many have tried to know their fates and all of them have failed. It's just a tale that's been passed down for generations and has been the result of too many deaths. Everyone thinks they're the exception. They find out too late that they're not."

Her excitement was cute, however, even if misplaced. He shook his head silently. He was content exactly where he was. He didn't want to know the future. He loved the mystery of it all. He loved not knowing, the rush of whether this would be his last day or not. Fortune telling and prophecies were not his thing. He'd even hated it when the traveling circus would come to town as a child and there was always the fake fortune teller with the crystal ball. Crazy, the lot of them.

He pulled up his shirt, revealing a thin, white scar traveling across his torso and up to his chest and around his back. "I didn't get this from just laying around. I lost a few friends that day." It had been before he had become captain. It was hard to tell where they would be. Over the years, the pirates tried to track where the Krakens usually populated so that the others knew where to avoid. But it didn't always work.

(( Autocorrect is the absolute worst xD ))

“So sirens are real.” She laughed. “And everyone used to call me crazy for believing in them. Maybe they were just worried that I was going to take off on a ship and try to find one. Kind of like what I’m doing now.”

She noticed his subtle head shake and raised an eyebrow. How curious. Despite whether a person believed in sirens or not, she had never met someone who didn’t want to hear a prophecy about their fate. Of course, she couldn’t blame him. Sometimes not knowing was better than knowing the truth.

“If I bumped into a siren, heard it’s song, and survived, there’s only one thing I would be scared of,” she said. “Imagine you die a tragic, brutal death, and the siren tells you about your fate through her song. Wouldn’t it be horrible? Living every single day knowing how your life ends?”

She sighed, shaking her head. “But I would still want to hear the song. It’s not like things can get much worse.”

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Things could get worse. She had seen it happen. But what else did she have to live for.

She whistled, her eyes tracing the scar. “It’s massive,” she replied. “How in the world did you survive a kraken attack?”

"There is always truth hidden behind the stories. It might not be to such an extent, but, there is always some truth. Especially when regarding the sea. There is so much unexplored, only the gods know what creatures roam the sea." While Aedion was generally a carefree man when it came to the mysteries of the sea, he always proceeded with caution. Taking over a vessel and robbing them of their money was done without a second thought, but sailing into uncharted seas was always done with caution and more guns than likely necessary.

Life could be so much worse than she truly realized. It was luck that she boarded his ship and not another. Not all sailors were kind to women. Especially when there were no women aboard already. No one on his ship would even lay a hand on her without consent. She was safe with him, or as relatively as she could be when aboard a pirate ship. If she didn't take care of herself, she might find herself in dangerous situations.

He huffed a chuckle. "Pure luck. I was still so young. About sixteen of age. Someone had been looking over me that day. It's the only explanation. Someone shot it right in the eye and we were able to make our escape. Luckily we found land hours later. And good thing too, otherwise I would have succumbed to my injuries." If the blood loss hadn't taken him, infection likely would have been without the proper cleaning and medications he had needed for a wound so large.

His head tilted as he looked down at her, a gentle smile on his lips at her curiosity. "Anything else you wish to know?

“Maybe one day, you’ll find a new creature. Something no one has discovered yet. You’ll be put down in history books as the greatest pirate to ever roam the seas.” She grinned, winking at him. “I guess I’m lucky to meet you now before you become famous.”

Well, he was already famous. At least in the eyes of her people. He had been a thorn in the royal family’s side ever since he had become a pirate, but the people loved him. Her people longed to be free from the countless rules and burdens of their society, and Aedion was proof that they could achieve it.

“Only sixteen?” She leaned against the railing, looked out over the deep blue sea. “Gods, I don’t even remember what I was doing at sixteen. Roaming around the castle? Attending boring meetings? All while you had encountered a kraken…”

Maybe Rosemary was naive. A little foolish. She, of course, didn’t want to actually see a kraken, but it sounded so exciting. She was sure that Aideon plenty of other stories about his childhood, if only she could drag them out of him.

“Oh… I dunno. Are you truly as dangerous as you are charming?” She laughed, turning towards him. “You’re so young, but you’ve been declared the king of the seas…”

Aedion laughed quietly. "Oh, sweetheart, I already am one of the greatest pirates to have ever sailed." He wasn't sure if he ever did want to discover something new like that. He wanted to explore, travel, and eventually retire as a rich, rich man. What more was there to life?

Yes, he had been sixteen. But he had been out on the sea longer than that. His childhood wasn't one that he liked to remember. However, no one who chose the pirate's life really was. Well, he supposed the pirate life actually chose them, not the other way around. He had been at the bottom of the hierarchy at sixteen. He had been in charge of cleaning the bathrooms and the living quarters and the deck. Not exactly the prime of his life but it had been better than the alternative. And he had cleaned better than anyone else had. He had done it like he had something to prove. Which he had.

He remembered the day clearly. Or at least until he had been injured. Everything was a bit fuzzy once the blood loss had set in. "Well, let's just say I don't recommend it at any age. I've only encountered one once and I hope to never again." Fighting creatures wasn't his forte. Someone with a hero complex was more than welcome to try their luck.

His smile fell slightly. "I ama dangerous man, Rose. Never forget that. There is always truth hidden in the stories. It's just up to you to decipher fact from fiction."

“True, but great for what? Burning villages? Taking the lives of hundreds of innocent people?” She reached up, gently brushing a lock of hair back from his eyes. “Do you really want to be known for that?”

Yes, most of it was rumors, but Rosemary knew that there were kernels of truth mixed in with the lies. He was a pirate. He would lie, steal, cheat, and more. Whatever it took to achieve his goals. Yes, he had helped her escape, but Rosemary didn’t entirely believe that he was getting nothing out of it.

She looked up, furrowing her eyebrows as he emphasized to her that he was a dangerous man. There was her answer.

“I’ve seen first hand what destruction you’ve caused. But I also know what harm my family is caused has caused to you. What I don’t understand is why you would help the daughter of your enemy escape. There are so many ways you could get back at my family. You’ve done much worse to other people for offenses less than this. Why show mercy to me?” She leaned against the side of the ship, shaking her head. “But I guess it’s not my place to question. I should be glad you’re helping me.”

Aedion didn't stop her as she reached up to touch his face. He never really let anyone touch him, not like this. Sure, he had been affectionate with some of his crew when they had needed it. He had offered comfort and solace. But even with the women he romanced for their one and only night, none ever touched him like this. He never let any of them touch him like this. This was a lover's touch, and not one that he sought out. And yet, he didn't stop her as she reached out.

"It is better than the alternative." And he left it at that.

There was much wrong in his history that had led him to behave the way that he did. And while it was slightly exaggerated that he killed hundreds of innocent people, he never claimed to be a good man. He wasn't necessarily bad either. He was just Aedion. And he did what was necessary to survive. It wasn't all in black and white. There was a lot of grey area.

Her question made him pause. Rose was definitely not black and white. This was certainly a grey area in his life. He sighed softly, turning to look out at the ocean. He placed his elbows on the railing and leaned over it.

"Because, many years ago I was you. A lot younger, albeit, but still you. I snuck onto a ship in the middle of the night, not knowing who it was. Or what it was. I discovered almost right away and brought to the captain. Come to find out I had snuck onto The Poisoned North. The pirate ship that belonged to one of the most notorious pirates of all time. But instead of killing me or throwing me overboard, or just taking me back, he took me under his wing and showed me everything I know now. I wouldn't be alive today had it not been for him."

Rosemary was almost as conflicted as Aedion was. Sure, they had flirted plenty within the last few days, but this felt… different. She tried to keep herself from getting too close to him, but still found herself brushing back the hair from his face and running her fingertips down his cheek.

Once her hand returned to her side, she turned back towards the ocean, wanting to look at anything besides him.

What would her family think of this? It wasn’t like she cared what they thought much at all, but she still felt a sense of guilt when thinking back to him. This was enemy of her people. So much destruction had been caused because of him. She knew of all the evil he had caused, and yet, through her acts, she was choosing to ignore it.

What kind of a princess was she?

She listened to Aideon as he spoke, trying to ignore her guilt-ridden thoughts. “So you’re returning the favor to me…”

It was hard to imagine Aideon as the young, naive child he described. She wanted to press more, get him to talk about his past. But she knew that, if they got too deep into this conversation, he would start to ask questions about her history. She didn’t want them to go there.

“Well, while I’m on this ship, I want to help around this ship some. I might be a guest, but I still want to contribute,” she said. “I’ve always been good with maps. I was trained in navigation as a child. Maybe I could assist with that?”

Aedion shrugged his shoulders. "In a sense. But someone took a chance on me, nine, bruised and starving. Who would I be to turn someone away who needed solace? An escape? I am a dangerous man but I am not cruel. If anything, it is where I come from that keeps me from being so. I have offered sanctuary to more than one person aboard my ship. And I will continue to do so for those that seek me out."

His past was something well-guarded and not something he liked to share. But if snippets were enough for her to understand why he was doing what he did, he would share them. And he hoped that one day she would feel comfortable enough to tell him exactly why she was running.

"You are my guest. You needn't do a thing. But if you're so inclined to help, Vera will find a place for you. Our navigation team is well-established. They don't even like it I interrupt them. But we might be able to find something here that is well suited for you." And somewhere there were other women. He didn't think she would be quite comfortable being alone with the men on his ship. Or any man in that case.

“That’s kind of you, Aedion. I thought boarding your ship would be a punishment worst than death, but I was wrong. Maybe the gods do have my back,” she replied. “Honestly, I’m glad it was your ship. You may be a dangerous pirate, but there are worse.”

Most pirates’ crimes had some sort of cause. Sometimes they would burn down a village because the leader of the town had wronged them, or they would execute a man because he stole for them. They were awful, extreme actions, yes, but Rosemary knew of several pirate crews who would commit terrible acts without cause. Almost if they enjoyed watching people suffer.

Rosemary knew that, when she left the palace, she would face the possibility that she would end up on one of their ships. The thought scared her, but the idea of staying at the castle scared her even more.

“I’m a fast learner. I can help wherever you want me to,” she insisted. “Besides, I’ve barely spoken to the rest of the crew. Maybe working with them will help them to grow more comfortable around me.”