A Runaway Princess at Sea (bill x fem.dipper)

Chapter 26

The crew stood statue still, watching in an enclosed circle like hawks as Bill stood in front of a kneeling Pyronica. She was sporting a new bruise that was turning a dark purple on her left eye and on her lower chin was a new fresh cut, cleanly sliced by a pristine sword with a handle made of gold.

Dipper wanted to run to her, and tend to the wounds on her face. But the crushing weight of Bill's eyes and everyone else froze her in her spot. He didn't say anything and he didn't have to. He had been looking down at the terrified woman, watching and daring her to make a move. At the creek of the floorboard, Dipper could feel the pressure of the air push down on her as Bill's head moved molasses slow and directed that stare directly at her.

Dipper couldn't move out of that ensnaring grasp even if she wanted to. Her legs felt heavy as if they were made of heavy lead, and yet trembled as if they were ready to collapse like jelly. Everything around her made it feel like the world was crashing down.

Although Dipper was terrified of the power, she immediately sent her gaze down and brought a hand across her chest. With her head low, her neck was exposed and it presented that she was vulnerable to attacks. If there was a moment for Bill to take her life, it was now. But there wasn't pain, there wasn't any rustle of clothes, nor was there a glitter of a sword in the sunlight.

"Look up, Pinetree."

Dipper obeyed quickly and swiftly at the order. Arms to her side, head held high and eyes focused forward. She watched her captain intently with the feeling of wanting to turn tail and cower away in the brig and just live in the dark for the rest of her life.

All Bill did was speak and she acted the moment his words stopped.

"Walk." He commanded.

Dipper walked over to him but stopped less than a foot away.

"Sit. Down. Now."

She sat.

The two then sat together side by side in eerie silence. No one let out a word let alone a single breath for what seemed like ages. With her head low, Dipper could only glance at everyone standing around them. The eyes of the men around them glared with disdain, and Dipper could feel the evil grin Teeth had on his stupid, ugly face. She clenched her pants in her fists, trying so very hard to not get right up and punch him straight in the kisser. Dipper was already in deep, and she did not want to sink any further.

"You have five seconds to tell me who the fuck gave you permission to touch my ship. Because I know for a fact you wouldn't have the guts to act on your own, Pyronica." Bill ordered.

At first, Dipper couldn't tell who the captain was talking to. But when Pyronica's name came up, she could only feel the dreaded weight of what she made the pink-haired pirate do. The consequence of touching a captain's ship was the equivalent of asking for a swift death. She carefully looked over and Pyronica didn't speak. She didn't even blink. She just kept her head down and kept her gaze on the floor.

"Four." Bill counted down.

'Why is he asking this? If it was to know who it was, he already got the confession out of me. That I was the one who gave her the order. Does he want her to tell him herself?' Dipper's eyes narrowed in confusion. 'So why isn't she saying anything?! She's practically his second in command! It must be killing her inside not to answer her captain. What is she doing!?'

Watching her, Dipper's eyes widened and an overwhelming shiver of shame went down her spine. 'Dear lord...She couldn't be!'

"Three." Another number down.

She wasn't going to confess. Pyronica was going to take the blame for everything! Dipper's heart raced, and her mind spun with the desire to figure something out! Anything! She had to! Dipper couldn't let her ship sibling take the fall for such a hasty decision!