Reunion at Sea

Ultimatum

"You know what I'm gonna do when we get into town?" Pocket asked. "I am gonna pillage."

"Pillage? Not me! I am gonna plunder." Otter said smugly.

"Pillaging and plundering are the same thing!" Pocket said impatiently.

"Fine, then I'll loot." Otter declared.

"Pillage, plunder and loot are all synonymous, you morons." Anthony said, rolling his eyes. "I prefer to 'despoil'." He brought a hand to his chest in a dignified way.

"Boys, boys, boys. Let's not argue over semantics." Lady Caine walked over to them. "There will be plenty of time for that later."

Andrew chuckled. "Get a load of them." He nudged Varian.

"Guys, don't be so quick to raise suspicion or you'll be right back in prison." Varian told them with a sigh. "Stick to small crimes and build up over time, and make sure they don't see you do it. Steal from homes when the people are out, wait for them to go for firewood to rob their carts, stuff like that."

"Why can't we just coax one of them into handing the goods over?" Lady Caine smirked, looking back at him.

"I don't know, do any of you have baby-blue eyes and the face of a child that can do no wrong?" Varian asked, putting on puppy eyes before smirking.

"Point taken." Lady Caine chuckled. "Is that going to be your strategy, then?"

"My next move is reliant on the Princess." Varian replied. "If Eugene was telling the truth, which I know he was, then this 'Moonstone' should be able to help me free my father. I'm going for it. Whether I'm going to have to be sneaky about it or can convince her to take me to it is up to her."

"Still don't feel good about you planning to go off alone with her, but I'm sure you can take care of yourself. For now, let's keep our wits about us until we find that ferry." Lady Caine nodded firmly.

Eugene groaned fromwhere he was still tied to the mast. He couldn't hear what was said clearly from where he was, but it didn't sound good. He struggled with the ropes binding his wrists and realized with a long groan that on top of the rope, he also had goo on his gloved wrists. Of course, why did he expect any less?

"Hey, can someone let me loose for a bit?" He called. "I think that truth serum is really going through me or something!"

"We're not falling for it!" Varian called back as the others laughed.

"Darn." Eugene sighed heavily and looked over at Maximus, who was looking miserable, then looked back at his captors. "You know, I just don't get it. You're a ship full of criminals. You have to know that the law will be all over you as soon as you hit the mainland!"

"Well, here's the thing," Lady Caine walked over to him, "they'll be too busy worrying about the damage caused somewhere else."

"What do you mean?" Eugene paled.

"We're going to send someone ahead in secret to blow up something." She smirked. "Something big. Maybe another ship. Or maybe, we'll just blow up the ferry once we get what we want from it."

Eugene laughed. "Come on, you won't take the ferry! Cassandra is there, and she can take any of you on!"

"Sure, but will she act against her Princess's word?" Varian walked over and leaned his arm on Eugene's shoulder and he glanced at him, really taking in how much taller he'd gotten, his head easily reaching Eugene's shoulder now, around Rapunzel's height. "After all, you're not getting free of this thing until I let you loose. Or until thirteen hours have passed, take your pick." He shrugged. "Either way, nothing can stop us from killing you if she doesn't cooperate. We already promised the Stabbingtons they can have at you in that case. And, by the way, Cassandra attacking us is not cooperating."