The Prince and The Prowess

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen:

                After trying to free myself for a complete hour, I eventually gave up and let myself sink to the floor. I tried to think of an escape plan, but came up with none. I decided to take the man’s advice and let sleep overcome.

When I awoke, it wasn’t long till someone came into the cabin. They came up to me and – without hesitation – tore my bindings off and cut the bag off my head.

                “Where’s Herbert? Oh…” I asked in a worried tone first. At the moment, I needed to be Juniper Sparks, and June wasn’t a girl who would curse and yell snarky remarks at men twice their size. That was Azria.

                “You’ll see him momentarily.” The man said. I shivered when I recognized his clothing. He wasn’t dressed in peasant clothes, but he wasn’t dressed in official Northern clothes either, so I wondered who’s side he was on. Maybe he was a Southern Pirate? “Please stand.” He said. A polite Southern Pirate. I added.

                He was too polite to belong to the king’s army, anyways. I stood. “Who are you?” I asked.

                “The leader asks the questions here, miss.” He said, walking out of the cabin. “Do not try to attack and fight your way out of here. We are deep in the ocean, and there’s no possible way you can escape.”

                “I’ll take a note of that.” I said, following up a set of wooden stairs. I swayed to the right and could hear the water churn deep beneath us.

                We walked into the bright morning light. I squinted my eyes, blocking the sun.

                “Ah, our female has arrived.” I didn’t like being called that.

                “June?” I heard from somewhere.

                “Herbert?” I called, looking up. I found Zayden on the ground, his wrists shackled. I ran over to him, grabbing his hands. The side of his face where his cheek had nearly healed was torn open again. “What have you done to him?”

                “He didn’t…give in easily when we pulled the two of you on the ship. It was merely accidental.” One of the men said.

                “June,” Zayden said, holding my hands for our romantic act. “It’s fine – I did this myself.”

                I looked at the people on the ship. There were about fifty people on the deck, mostly men but I could make out a few women. They all dressed the same, in the same, middle-class outfits as Zayden and I. “Who are you all?”

                “I ask the questions.” a lean man said, stepping up in front of us. His eyes were bright blue against his tanned skin. “Who are you?” he asked us both.

                “I’m Juniper Sparks.” I said.

                “I am Herbert Ophelius.” Zayden said, not too proud. “We are from…” he considered lying. “Oberon.”

                I shot him a look. Even the slightest bit of truth could cost us.

“You are?” the man asked. “Why are you all the way up north then?”

                I opened my mouth to speak, but Zayden spoke first. “We were taken by the king’s men.” Too much to tell Southern Pirates!