The Pirate and the Princess (Closed)

Aedion quirked a smile. "Just don't go around advertising that. I do have a reputation to uphold. If you start telling everyone how kind I am, it chips away at that." He didn't think there was anything that could save his reputation. It was broken beyond relief. It was riddled with teuth and lies until it was twisted into a monster. Until he was twisted into a monster. And he perhaps he was, but perhaps he wasn't.

"There is always someone put there who is worse. And not all of them look like you woukd expect. Pirates are not like you have read in your books. I am not the only captian that woukd have taken you in." He reached forward to flick her nose. "However, some of your father's sailors, and other sailors of other kingdoms would not be so kind. It's always the ones that look like they could inflict the least amount of damage that do the most."

He wouldn't deny the reupatiin of pirates. He wouldn't deny the horrible things they had done. That he had done. Because it was what it was. But that did not mean they were all bad. And did not mean that that she wouldn't have been treated with kindness had she stowed away on some of their ships. Still, it was better that she landed on his. He would offer her more than any of the others were able to. It helped that he was rich.

"Give yourself a couples days to acquaint yourself with the crew and then we can talk about this again." He didn't want her to jump the gun before she had ever given herself a chance to settle in.

“I’m not sure if they’d believe me. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but some of the nobles think I’m a bit… well, crazy. Telling them I was rescued by a kind pirate, the same pirate who happens to be their sworn enemy, would give them another reason to send me to an asylum.”

She wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t believe her. If she wasn’t on Aedion’s ship, she wouldn’t have believed her story either. Back in her country, Captain Callistar was known as the most wicked man alive. They told her that there wasn’t an ounce of kindness in his body, and yet, he took her on his ship and treated her like she was apart of his crew.

She grinned as he flicked her nose, batting his hand away. “Oh, I would know. I’ve met the captain of one of my father’s ships. Rudest man alive,” she replied. “But maybe I would’ve rather ended up on one of their ships. I’ve heard some of my father’s sailors are quite handsome. Maybe even better looking than you.”

She was teasing, of course. The men on her father’s ship all looked like they hadn’t bathed in years, and they smelled like it too.

“A couple of days?” She snorted, walking up onto the helm. “What am I supposed to do with all this free time?”

"Well, you did sneak onto my ship without a care in the world so I'd say they're not entirely wrong," Aedion said with a teasing tone and a grin on his face. He did not think she was crazy. She had a wild imagination, yes, and would likely make a great author if she could ever sit down long enough to write. Though he found that unlikely.

He laughed softly as she batted his hand away. An easy smile had returned to his face, their previous conversation pushed away to the back of his mind. It was a storm that was brewing that would likely come back to haunt him in his sleep. Even mentioning such things always brought the memories raging back. But it had been worth it to say, if only it made her realize more about him and why he was doing this. And as long as she didn't ask more questions.

Aedion snorted, rolling his eyes. "Oh please, darling, no one is better looking than I. Now you're just being mean." He reached out and pinched her cheek this time. That was for being smart with him.

He followed behind her, hands in his pockets. "You sleep. You eat. You get to know the crew. Let your mind and body rest for a couple days before the real work begins."

“Oh, I never said they were wrong,” she replied. “With how I used to act in court, I may be the slightest bit crazy. A few of them thought the gods had sent a devil to possess me. I’m surprised they never burned me at the stake.”

She may have been a wild child, but the nobles would’ve never touched her. Not with her parents around. She had no love for her parents anymore, and she was sure they no longer cared for her, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t defend her. She was their only heir, after all. She was the only person who could continue their bloodline.

A smile crossed her face as he reached out to pinch her cheek. Normally, she would’ve despised if someone else attempted to touch her, but he was… different. Whether that was a good or bad thing she had yet to find out.

“I should break your fingers for doing that.” She pulled his hand away from her face, keeping her hand wrapped firmly around his. “Or maybe I’ll settle with breaking your nose instead. Ruin that oh-so-perfect face.”

She smirked and winked at him, pulling away to walk up to the helm. It was only the second day, and he already seemed oddly comfortable around her. It seemed odd for the captain of an elite pirate ship to be acting this way, but she didn’t mention it. She enjoyed his company.

“You should know better than anyone how hard that is for me, my love. I have to do something with all this spare time.”

Aedion snorted, shaking his head at her. He completely believed it. Her imagination was wild but that doesn't mean she needed to be scorned for it, or worst-case scenario, burned for it. He understood at least to some degree. Being stuck in that palace, one had to rely on their imagination not to go crazy. Or at least retain a sane mind and not fall into the trap of scheming and lies and politics. It was a dangerous slope all too easy to get sucked into.

He snorted again, squeezing her fingers as she held on to them tight. "I don't think you could even break my nose or my fingers if you tried. At least not yet." He would teach her how soon enough. The better she was prepared, the better it would be for both of their sakes. "And leave my gorgeous face out of this. It's too pretty to be damaged."

Keeping hold of her hand, he followed her back up to the helm. He gave a nod to the man behind it, steering his ship for him. Aedion took over the helm more than most captains would but less than he would prefer. Unfortunately, being promoted meant he had other things to do than just steering his ship. Tragic.

He smiled softly at her. "You should be taking the time to rest right now. You've had a rough few days. No one here will think you any different if you take a few days to yourself."

Sadly, he was right. She may have acted like she could take out a whole army, when in actuality, her princess training hadn’t taught her how to fight. She likely couldn’t throw a proper punch, much less break a pirate captain’s nose.

“Your face might be pretty, but your vanity definitely is not,” she teased. “I wouldn’t expect a pirate like you to have a big ego, but you really do defy expectations.”

In more ways than one. For the last two days, the captain had never ceased to surprise her. It was one of the many aspects of him that kept her hooked; she never knew what to expect from him next.

She leaned back against him, closing her eyes as she listened to the ocean. She hadn’t seen many people as tall as Aedion, and she hadn’t met anyone who was as short as herself. It was an strange height difference, but one she oddly liked.

“You know, you never told me why you and my parents have such a rocky relationship,” she said. “You used to be the least of their concerns, but in just a day or two, you went straight to the top of their list of enemies. They hate you. Why?”

"How can I not?" He asked cheekily. "With a face and body like mine, I've already got more than enough to fuel it. But with my crew and my ship, there's no putting me down." Honestly, the ego was to make people look elsewhere. Whether it was away from his story or the fact that he was picking his pockets, it wasn't just because he was an asshole.

He placed his hands on her arms as she leaned back into him, giving her a squeeze. His crew was all here because something had happened to them in their lives that forced them to flee. And he had just been lucky enough to pick them up. He had been there for every one of them however they needed. And if Rose needed touch and affection, he would provide. It wouldn't be the first time that he had, though it was the first time he had done it so publicly.

Aedion tensed for a moment at her next question before forcing himself to relax. He eyed the helm where someone had been guiding it. He looked out to the sea. "It is better if some things were left unheard." And he wouldn't explain any more on that.

Suddenly, a select few of his scars began to feel tight, began to hurt. It took everything in him not to scratch of to even whimper. Such memories were not pleasant ones and he did not wish to relive them again.

“Please. Just wait until a woman rejects you because your ego is so huge,” she teased. “I’m sure it wouldn’t be the first time.”

She looked up at him, sending him a smirk. Gods, she hadn’t realized how close they were standing until now. Part of her hoped the rest of the crew wouldn’t see. They would likely get mocked for this, or at least she would. She doubted most of them would dare to tease their captain.

Of course, even with the threat of their teasing, Rosemary didn’t pull away. She needed this. For the first time in her life, she felt somewhat safe with someone, even if that someone was the captain of a notorious pirate ship.

She felt him tense slightly at her next question. She looked up at him, concerned. Whatever had happened between Aedion and her parents must’ve been bad. He had always been good at covering up his emotions; Rosemary figured this was the first time he had let his mask slip.

She placed her hands on top of his, giving them a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “Whatever you did to make them hate you, they’ve done worse,” she said softly. “Trust me.”

Aedion laughed, his shoulders shaking as he did so. "I am not immune to rejection, love, though it doesn't happen often. I am utterly irresistible." He was just teasing her, mostly. He didn't get rejected very often but it still happened to him. Even he wasn't immune to that. It was alright. He rather liked to let the women pursue him first so he didn't get the wrong idea. If it was only for the night, why try so hard?

His hands slowly rubbed up and down her arms, providing a comforting touch. They were mostly hidden from his crew but even the ones that could see went about their business. They may have given them a curious look but kept mostly to themselves and they would continue to do so. They all understood what was happening. it wasn't misinterpreted.

He looked down at her as she tilted her head up to look at him. He gave her a small, reassuring smile that was not all that reassuring. It was better this way. There were things that even she didn't know about her parents. And these were things he didn't want to share, didn't want to taint. He could already imagine her look of horror should she ever find out, and the pity that followed. He didn't want that.

"Thank you darling," he said, just barely above a whisper.

“Utterly irresistible, huh?” She snorted, rolling her eyes. “Keep telling yourself that, love.”

She wanted to say that she could resist his charm, but they both knew that wasn’t the truth. Sure, she wasn’t actively trying to pursue any sort of relationship with him, but they’d both done their fair share of flirting. At this point, she figured that everyone on the ship likely knew of their strange connection.

Of course, she knew he wasn’t entirely immune to her charm either. She saw the way he acted around her.

Her face darkened as they spoke about her parents. It was strange to meet someone who had experienced their cruelty just as she had. They appeared to be good rulers on the outside, but both she and the captain knew what kinds of things happened behind closed doors.

Rosemary turned towards him, talking his hands into hers. Now it was her turn to comfort him.

“I don’t want to end up like them, Aedion,” she whispered. “If I became ruler, they would still control the kingdom behind me. Even in their graves, they would find a way. I would be their puppet. I didn’t want that.”

Aedion most certainly would keep calling himself that. Or at least referring to as himself as irresistible to other people. Besides, who could say no to that smile of his, it was adorable.

He knew very well she couldn't resist his charm either, not that he could really resist hers. He didn't want to. He would be there for whatever she needed so long as she was with him and on his ship. He wouldn't overstep. He knew exactly what he was doing her. This flirting, teasing between them was alright. It was helping her. But he wouldn't take it any further than this. (Yeah right XD)

He held her hand tightly, raising it to his lips to kiss her knuckles.

He took a step closer to her, simultaneously pulling her closer to him. "You are nothing like them," he murmured. "Believe on that. They cannot touch you any longer. You are free of them. Do not let them further terrorize you."

(( We don’t believe you Aedion xD ))

A small smile crossed her face. “I suppose I can’t call you otherwise, now can I?”

She wondered what her parents would think if they saw her here, flirting with the captain. She could feel herself tense whenever he got close to her- thinking back to her parents and how they would punish her- but she had to remind herself that they weren’t in control anymore. She wouldn’t let them hurt her again.

Aedion pulled her close, and, just for a moment, she tried to forget about everything that had led up to this moment. She smiled up at him, raising an eyebrow. “Getting closer, are we? Aedion, you know better.”

The smiled dropped slightly when he replied to her comment about her parents. She rested her forehead against his shoulder, feeling like the weight of the world was pressing on her back. “How do you know? You don’t know me,” she reminded him. “I could be just like them, and you would have no idea…”

(XD)

Aedion looked down at her and he saw her. He saw parts of himself in her. Someone running away from their past and their destiny only to make their own. They had felt the world's cruel hand and decided enough was enough. They would not be tortured by it any longer.

"Perhaps I do not know you but you are not your parents. When I look into your eyes, I see life. I see a whole future ahead of you if only you can grasp it. I did not see the same in your parents'." Another reveal, that he had been close enough to see into her parents' eyes once and see the darkness that lay in them.

He placed his hand on the small of her back, holding her close. "And even if that is not enough, the fear you hold that you will be like them tells me that you are the opposite of them." He dropped a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "You are free of them now. You are safe." He looked out to the water before them, the sunlight glancing off of it as it rose steadily in the sky.

It felt strangely nice, having someone near who knew how cruel her parents could be. It was true that she never wanted anyone else to go what she had to go through, but it seemed like the whole world believed that her parents were excellent people. The best rulers they had had in decades. Both she and Aedion knew how far that was from the truth.

“Maybe I should’ve stayed,” she said softly. “Without me, they have no hope for a future leader. Who knows what kind of person will take the throne after my parents die.”

The future leader of her kingdom would likely be a terrible person. After the royal family’s bloodline ends, the throne is free gain. Anyone can receive the crown, and people from far and wide would fight to do so. The person who would become the king of her country wouldn’t care for her people. He would only care about the wealth and power that came with the position.

She smiled faintly as Aedion kissed the top of her head, closing her eyes. “I do feel safe. And on a pirate ship of all places.” She laughed softly. “Who would’ve thought.”

"And if you had stayed, you might have never made to ascend the throne," Aedion said. Either whatever was happening with her parents would have escalated resulting in them killing her, or perhaps she would have taken her own life. A terrible and dark thought that cast a shadow over his own heart. "This doesn't mean you can't ever go back, either. But maybe it would be your final 'fuck you' to your parents as they watched from their grave as their kingdom crumbles."

He couldn't care less about what happened to her kingdom. They had shown him no love. They had all turned their back on him. It would give him no greater pleasure than to watch them all suffer. He did acknowledge that there were good people, and he sincerely hoped they would be okay, but it wasn't enough for him to wish for the wellbeing of the kingdom.

He snorted softly. "Us pirates really aren't so bad. It's not our fault that history paints us in a bad light. All the accounts are biased." They were all written from the perspective of those wronged by pirates. There was none written from the perspective of actual pirates. Though he supposed that it didn't help that there were many who could not write, at least not legibly. There had been too many who had ran from their lives of poverty and never received proper education.

“Oh, I would end up with their throne, alright. Probably with an abusive husband and sixteen children.” She sighed, rolling her eyes. “They don’t care about me, but they want someone from their bloodline on the throne. It’s the only option they have.”

She couldn’t imagine what was happening now that she was gone. She must’ve caused an uproar in the castle. Without her, her parents would have no heir, and she was sure they would spend every resource they had trying to find her. Even if it meant taking money and supplies from their own people.

“But imagine me as a queen. Sure, the people love me, but I could barely deal with my parent’s expectations. Much less the expectations of the entire country,” she said. “I just… I would hate to see my people under a wicked ruler. That’s all.”

She frowned when she heard his statement that she should let the kingdom crumble. No matter how much she hated the royal family, she could never do that. She loved her people. And they loved her.

“I mean, stealing gold and burning villages aren’t exactly the best ways you could be spending your time, but I’m sure the rumors are a bit… well, exaggerated.”

She pulled away from him and walked over to the stairs leading down to the main part of the deck. “I don’t know about you, but I would love to meet the other crew members. Want to come with me…?”

"I'm sure they will find some cousin down the line and pass the crown on to them. You do not need to worry any longer. You're not there anymore. You have no obligations to the crown or any of its responsibilities. You are free." And Aedion would remind her of that for as long as she lived. Well, as long as she was in his company, which would be for only a few short months.

He looked down at her. "Your parents put unreasonable expectations on you. Anyone would have failed to meet them." He didn't bother to tell her that she would have been a wonderful queen. Didn't bother to tell her that all the traits he saw in her was the reason why. That her worry for ending up like her parents was why she would never be like them. He could go on and on about what a wonderful ruler she would make. But it didn't matter anymore. She was free of her kingdom. She would never be queen now. There was no point focusing on something that would never come to pass.

He huffed a laugh. "We have to make a living somehow now don't we?" His lips quirked up into a smirk. "And that's a little exaggerated. I've only burned one village and it was for good reason." And no, he would not be sharing what that reason was.

He followed behind her as she moved away from him, his hands tucked behind his back. "I suppose I will join you. I have nothing better to be doing." He did actually have other things he should be doing, but he found himself compelled to follow her.

”Well, more free than I was, at least. There’s always a chance my parents could find me and forced me to come back with them,” she reminded him. “But yes. For now, I am free.”

Rosemary knew that she would do everything in her power to keep that from happening. Even if her parents bought an entire army with them to “rescue” her, she would fight back until the very end. Right now, her parents were probably with the people, telling them how their daughter had been kidnapped by pirates. They knew the truth. She had gone willingly, as she had said she would do many times before, but they couldn’t tell the people that.

She snorted at his response. “A good reason, huh?” she replied. “I’ve always heard it was because someone in the village wronged you. Cheated you out of money.”

Rosemary walked down to the lower deck, watching the other pirates from afar. She could be talkative, yes, but she was still too nervous to go up and speak with any of them. What if they weren’t open to her? She was a princess from a family that hated pirates, so she couldn’t blame them.

Aedion would never let that happen, if he could help it. He would plant stories, rumors, that the princess had been spotted the opposite direction she actually was. He would lead the royal family on a wild goose chase and love every minute of it. He would call in his favors he was owed, anything to keep her safe and out of harm's way. Not that he would tell her any of this. He didn't want her to think she owed him. He didn't want anything in return. Not this time, not from her.

He smirked at her. "Wronged me, yes, but not in the way you think. Perhaps I will tell you that story one day." But not today. No, he had been vulnerable enough as it was today. Any more and it might send him spiraling. Even now the anxiety was creeping up on him with how exposed he was feeling.

He brought her below the deck and through the cabins until they reached the kitchens. They were empty save for one man who was currently doing inventory. "Rose, this is Ramsey. He is my Quartermaster. After myself and Vera, he has the highest authority. He's also in charge of our food and water intake."

Ramsey paused what he was doing, turning. He wasn't the happiest about being interrupted but he had a kind face nonetheless. He dipped his head in greeting. "It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you, princess."

“I’ll be looking forward to that day, captain,” she replied. “I’m sure you have plenty of stories to tell me.”

Yes, Rosemary did hope that Aedion would eventually speak to her about his adventures sailing on the seas, but she doubted that day would come any time soon. Aedion seemed oddly secretive about his past. She knew that she let it be, but his mysterious behavior only served to make her more curious about what he was hiding.

She reached forward, taking Aedion’s arm as he led her further into the ship. Aedion’s ship was huge, maybe even bigger than the ones back at the castle. She couldn’t imagine how long it must’ve taken him to save up the funds for such a large vessel.

Eventually, they arrived at the kitchen and approached the only man standing inside. He seemed hard at work, and Rosemary felt somewhat bad for interrupting him.

“Oh, you’ve heard a lot a lot me? From Aedion, I assume.” She smirked up at the captain. “And call me Rose, please. Princess is much too formal of a name for a pirate ship.”

Aedion had many stories, but not all were meant for sharing. Certainly not the ones that haunted his dreams. And certainly not the ones that would haunt her dreams should he tell her. And this might very well be one of those stories.

(Save up for this ship? Ha, funny.)

Ramsey had a bad habit of getting lost in his work when he was taking inventory. He would often get so caught up in his head he didn't notice someone entering the room, much less any noise going on outside it. They once engaged in a fight with a hostile pirate ship and he didn't even realize until a cannon went off. Aedion had no idea how he did it. If he got lost in his own head like that, he would go crazy.

Ramsey only looked down at her with a slight smile. "Rose it is then. How's life of a pirate treating you thus far?" He didn't need her to answer that. He could see it right in front of him. Aedion was giving her that look, and the way she was clinging to his arm, well, Ramsey would say she's doing quite well.

(( Poor innocent Rose xDD He definitely stole that ship ))

While she enjoyed being around the rowdy crew, Rosemary understood why Ramsey would want to stay down in the lower decks, away from everyone else. They could get a little loud at times, and Rosemary even found herself longing for some peace and solitude sometimes.

“It’s treating me quite well. Who thought that living on a pirate ship would be better than living in a castle?”

For a person who hated talking about her past so much, Rosemary definitely had a tendency to mention it a lot. Even after she’d escaped from the palace, she couldn’t seem to get the memories of what she’d left behind out of her head.

“How long have you been on this ship? Must’ve taken you forever to climb up in the ranks.” She laughed softly. “Meanwhile, I can’t even hold a sword properly, much less be a good pirate.”

Ramsey huffed a small laugh. "No one thinks that Rose, so it's not just you. Everyone thinks that living in a castle in the dream. They hide reality with fantasies that they spin. You'll find we have more freedom and structure than most monarchs."

Everyone on this ship had at least some idea of how the monarch ran. Not all of them were from the same kingdom, but they still witnessed similar cruelties throughout them all. Given the choice, they would all pick this ship over riches and a crown. Unless they had stolen the crown. That was another story entirely.

"I worked for Aedion's predecessor. When he took over as captain, I followed. Now years later, here we are." He glanced at Aedion, who was looking only at her. He resisted sighing. Aedion always had a tendency of putting himself in these situations. "You could learn, if you stayed. None of us were very pirate worthy when we first came here. It's something you have to train for. Lucky for you, there's no one better to teach you."

“You seem to know a lot about castle life. But you’re right. It’s not all that it’s cut out to be,” she replied. “The dresses, the parties, the beauty of it all… it’s all just a cover up. Most people don’t realize how much royals have to put up with.”

Rosemary knew better than all of them. From day one, she’d had the weight of the country thrown onto her shoulder. Her upbringing wasn’t simply learning how to be a proper princess. She quickly learned that any decision she made would affect her reputation in both the eyes of her people and of her family. Every move was being watched. One wrong step, and she could tarnish her family name for years to come.

It was a lot of stress to put on a child so young, but Rosemary put up with it. She dealt with it until she couldn’t anymore.

Ramsey’s next comment drew her out of her thoughts. “Well, Aedion did promise to teach me how to use a sword.” She playfully elbowed the captain. “I’m a fast leaned, but I can’t promise not to accidentally chop one of his fingers off.”

(I am in fact, alive. I just had a lot going on. Sorry for disappearing.)

Ramsey just gave her a kind smile. "I'm more observant than most. I know to look beyond the frilly front of such matters." Perhaps Ramsey didn't truly know, but his captain did. To a certain point that was.

Aedion placed his hand on the small of her back, trying to comfort her with the small touch. He could see the wheels turning in her head. The memories resurfacing, the trauma taking over. He knew where she was coming from. He had seen the life at court, and seen beyond the front that everyone put forth for the public. He saw past the petty dramas and saw the underlying issues.

He smiled down at her. "And that is why you will be practicing with a wooden sword at first. I like my body parts exactly where they are."

Ramsey smirked at him, knowing exactly which parts he wanted to keep. "Aedion is perhaps one of the best there is. Though don't tell Vera that."

( You’re all good! :) )

“Oh, how boring. Life isn’t fun unless you lose a few limbs.” She glanced up at Aedion, winking at him. “Or I could take half of your vision and you could join me in the blind club.”

Many people didn’t realize that Rosemary was partially blind. She was fairly efficient for a disabled girl, but her poor sight still made many simple tasks difficult. It would make learning how to use a sword hard— if not impossible— but she was prepared to give it a good shot. How could she survive in the world if she didn’t know how to protect herself?

“Oh, I’m sure he is. You don’t become the most feared pirate on the seas with no knowledge on how to use a sword.” She smirked. “But I dunno. Maybe I’ll get Vera to teach me instead.”

Aedion squeezed her side, giving her a scrunched face. He very much liked his limbs where they were and he wasn't in the market for losing them. Or gaining any, for that matter. As for his eyes, he was quite content with his eyesight. While he felt col rage wash over him any time he thought of who might have blinded her, he didn't envy her. He wouldn't want that fate for himself or anyone else for that matter.

Taking her hand, he brought it up to his lips to kiss. The action was more to soothe himself and his anger than her. The last thing he needed was to blow up around her, especially when they had mat.

Ramsey smirked. "Oh, he knows how to use his sword, that's for sure." And he wasn't talking about the weapon. Aedion found an apple and threw it at his head, which he didn't dodge. It hit his head and bounced right off. Ramsey's smirk didn't lessen any less. If anything, it was worse now.

Rosemary snorted as the apple hit Ramsey’s head, bouncing off and rolling to the floor. The crew seemed like a lively one, and while Rosemary enjoyed the entertainment, she still wasn’t quite sure what to think of their sense of humor.

“You and Aideon seem to have quite the friendship.” She grinned, raising an eyebrow. “With you two airheads leading this crew, I’m surprised the ship hasn’t sunk yet.”

Rosemary knew that the childish way they were acting now was just an act. She had seen the dark side of these men. She’d witnessed what they could do to villages and people that defied it. She had never seen Aedion when he was angry, but she didn’t wish to either.

“But it was nice meeting you, Ramsey.” She stole a glance at Aedion, smirking. “Good to know the captain isn’t the only handsome man on this ship.”

Aedion only grinned at her. "I don't know what you mean, sweetheart. I think we are perfectly capable men who can do adult things." He said this as if he hadn't just thrown an apple at his quartermaster's head.

Ramsey just smiled. He had a twinkle in his eye. He and Aedion had a strange relationship but one he was glad to have. He didn't know where he would be if he hadn't met Aedion. Perhaps under the ruling of another pirate who perhaps wouldn't be so kind as his own captain. Not all were like Aedion. Some were very much like the stories that were told.

Aedion gawked at Rose for saying such a thing. On the one hand, she thought him handsome. On the other, she was looking at other men on his ship. He didn't know how he felt about that. Perhaps it was selfish of him to want to keep her all to himself. But even he knew better not to pursue her. Not after everything she had just gone through. She needed time to adjust. And he couldn't give her the life she wanted either. He was meant to be a passing fling, nothing more. She wanted someone she could have a life with. That just wasn't him.

With a shake of his head, he took her arm and lead her away from the kitchen, and Ramsey who was still smirking at him.

“Oh, I’m sure. Does throwing an apple at your fellow pirate count as these so called ‘adult things’?”

Rosemary felt a twinge of guilt when Aedion began to gawk at her. She was only teasing, but still. She knew how he felt about her. She saw how he looked at her when he thought she wasn’t looking. She had played with his feelings, and she couldn’t help but be reminded of how her mother used to toy with her father’s emotions. She had learned from her.

Rosemary looked away as they headed back out of the kitchen. It wasn’t like any of this would matter in a few years. She would get off the ship and start a new life. He would forget about her and start chasing other women. The two of them wanted to live completely different lives. It would never work out.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “about what I said back there. That was rude of me.”