A Pirate's Life For Me

Chapter 5~ Tri's POV

The guards unchained my wrists and I looked down at the pair of clean clothes lying on the bed. I had less than 24 hours to make contact with my crew and tell them their plans. I walked over to the bowl of water that was sitting on a table under a mirror. I bent down and took off my hat letting my hair down and splashed my face a few times to get all the dirt off. The prisoner cells haven't changed in the year I've been gone. Well if they did they got even worse. The entire time I was there it smelled like death and sorrow. It made me want to kill myself. Although, the look on Caelan's face when I told him that story was priceless. His eyes were so full of anger it almost made me double over in laughter. Except his punches have improved immensely since we were kids. Not by much though. I silently laughed to myself but stopped when I heard the door creak open. I looked up to the corner of the mirror and saw Brie standing by the bed. I smiled and ran to her. She welcomed me with open arms and a giant smile.

            "Oh Brie you made it back alright! Thank goodness I was so worried!" I blurted out not caring who heard. She put a finger over her lips and laughed slightly. It has been so long since I heard her laugh.

 "The prince found me and brought me back. Oh Tri, it is just like it used to be but better," she said glowing, "everyone remembers me and all the maids are throwing me a welcome home party tomorrow tonight. I wish you could come." She stopped talking and dropped her head sadly. My smile vanished at the sight of seeing her sad. I sighed then bent my head down to look her in the eyes smiling.

 "Who knows I just might," I winked at her and she instantly lit up with happiness. She grabbed my hands and started jumping around laughing and blurting out French.

 "Brie!" I screamed as I started getting whiplash from jumping too much. She stopped jumping but didn't stop talking.

 "Thank you again Tri. I really hope to see you tomorrow then," she left the room but I could still hear her laughs down the hall. I smiled then turned to the clothes on the bed. They were baggy and had a leather vest to go over it. I slipped on the undershirt and debated about the leather vest. I threw it to the side and pulled up my trousers. I walked back over to the mirror and put my hair back up and placed my hat over my head again. Just as I finished getting dressed Prince Caelan walked in with two guards. They again cuffed my hands behind my back and I dropped my head to cover my face more. I prayed that up close he wouldn't recognize me. Although I was always in the maid’s quarters with Brie, he and I always played together when we were young.

"Hey you get to work!" yelled the scary man with a big black beard.  I quickly started peeling the potatoes and washing them off. Every few minutes he would walk by to inspect how I was doing. Once I was done I put them in a basket to take them to the kitchen when he stopped me.

"Yes sir?" He looked down at my basket then let me pass but I still felt his gaze on my back. My arms fought to keep up the basket until I got there. As I turned the corner, everything seemed as it was in slow motion. A powerful force knocked me to the ground and the pounding of potatoes sounded around me. I didn’t dare open my eyes. I could just hear Sir Paine yelling now.

“Now you’ve done it you stupid child!” I slowly opened my eyes to find all of the potatoes I just peeled smashed on the floor and a small boy rubbing his head. I gasped suddenly realizing I just ran into the prince.

“I’m so sorry your highness! I wasn’t watching where I was going please forgive me?” Soft chuckles came from him and he looked at me smiling.

“It’s alright. I thought it was that crabby Mr. Paine so I wanted to make him angry and decided to run into him so he would have to apologize to me. Instead I run into you. Just my luck,” I found myself smiling at his idea but it didn’t last long. I looked back at all the mashed potatoes on the floor and moaned.

“How am I going to explain this to him?” I asked myself. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up at the prince.

“Don’t worry I’ll cover for you. Although in return you have to do whatever I say. Deal?” He said smiling wickedly at me.

I gawked at him horrified at his proclamation but nodded. Anything is better than being yelled at by Paine. He grabbed my arm and pulled me back to the storage room where Paine was standing. Paine bowed and greeted the young prince.

“This slave is going to be mine from now on,” said the prince. I didn’t like him calling me a slave but if he found out who I really am he might not cover for me and I wanted people to like me for me not who my parents are.

“But your highness-

“No I want this one to practice with. There isn’t anyone my size who I can practice with and all the adults go easy on me, but I have a feeling that this slave isn’t like other slaves.” he said. Paine mumbled something under his breathe so we couldn’t hear but he just nodded and I was back to being pulled around.

For the next few years the Prince and I practiced fighting every day from dawn til dusk. During this time he also became my best friend. But everything changed when his older brother died and he became the heir. We never practiced anymore because he was always so busy with his Royal Duties.

“Well are you ready to take off?” asked Caelan walking closer to me. I quickly looked at him and he stopped walking and stared at me. Something flashed in his eyes and a shiver flew down my body. Did he recognize me? No he couldn't it is impossible. I've changed to much in the past year. I glared at him.

“What is it your highness?” I slurred the word so he would know that I hated royals. He glared at me then turned his back and waved his hand over his shoulder. The two guards followed him out the door and so began our journey to search for the girl known as Trinity.