The Queen Lady sailed north on the calm sea waves while her crew scrambled about like a bunch of gulls. A call had been raised, and everyone was preparing for the worst. Another ship was spotted on the horizon and was closing in fast. There was only one kind of ship that would be brave enough to chase a pirate ship, and that was another pirate ship.
"Squeaker! What be the word on that other ship?" Christov yelled up to the crow's nest.
"Still comin', sah!" the mousey man shouted back.
"Can ya make out what it looks like? The Cap'n needs t' know what kind o' brainless, no good bunch o' scallywags been followin' us for Neptune knows 'ow long."
"I-it's hard to tell, sah." Squeaker peered through a beat up telescope. "Pink and purple sails, sah! It's got pink and purple sails! Ain't nevah seen nothin' like this b'fore!"
Christov cursed loudly. "That be the Bloody Rose. The Cap'n ain't gonna be 'appy t' 'ear this..."
Several hours later, Captain Kirkland stood on the deck of his ship and watched as the other vessel pulled in along side his own. He hated to admit it, but there was no way he could outrun the Bloody Rose. The Queen Lady may have been sturdy, but that by no means translated into speed, and Arthur knew it.
His mood had been in quite foul for a long time, and he glowered dangerously at anyone that walked a little too close. Everyone except Peter of course, who ran around the ship excitedly asking questions to anyone that listened.
"Why does that ship have pink sails?"
"'Cause the cap'n o' that ship 'as got a few screws loose up in the ol' noggin."
"What's the captain like?"
"Cap'n Bonnefoy is the most pompous, silly lookin' pirate ya'd evah meet on the high seas, but 'e somehow keeps 'is men in line."
"Have you ever-"
"Enough, Peter." Captain Kirkland gave the boy a warning look. "It would be better if you stayed below deck and stopped badgering everyone."
Peter looked crestfallen. "Awww, but Uncle! I never get to see anything interesting!"
"No. You are to stay below deck, and that's final." The Captain's voice didn't leave any room to argue, so Peter bowed his head and walked toward the stairs leading below deck.
A low murmur rippled through the men gathered on deck as the Bloody Rose coasted to a stop. Nothing happened for a while, but then a long plank was dropped to span the gap between the two ships. Captain Kirkland tensed as he caught sight of a familiar face grinning at him as the man crossed the plank.
"Ahoy there, Arthur! It's been far too long!"
"What do you want, Francis?"
The flamboyant pirate captain landed on the Queen Lady's deck with a deep bow. He flashed a cocky grin at the ship's crew before focusing his attention back on its captain.
"Why can't I just pop in to say hello? Aren't friends allowed to do that?"
"You're not my friend," Arthur growled. "Now I'll ask you again. What do you want?"
Francis sighed. His ruse had been quickly discovered. "Well, the truth is, rumor has gotten around that you've got your hands on a mermaid, and I just came to see if it was true."
"Where did you hear a thing like that?" Arthur narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He could tell Francis was up to something.
"I was at a bar in Wend, even though I don't usually like places like that, when I heard someone talking very loudly about their captain catching a mermaid."
He didn't have to say anymore because Arthur could put two and two together. He swore to himself that someone was going to be very sorry later that day, but first he had to throw Francis off his trail.
"I don't know what you heard, Francis, but I assure you there is no mermaid aboard this ship."
The other captain studied Arthur with his blue eyes before flipping his long blonde hair. "Well, that's quite a disappointment. I was hoping to see a real live mermaid." He leaned in and nudged Arthur with his elbow. "They say a mermaid is so beautiful that men can't help but falling in love with her. I'm glad you haven't seen one then because they also say mermaids are terrible heartbreakers."
"Then you should have been born a mermaid, Francis," Arthur replied with contempt. He really couldn't stand the womanizing captain of the Bloody Rose.
Francis laughed good naturedly, but he also noticed how Arthur tensed at the thought of falling for a mermaid. He didn't believe Arthur's words one bit. There was a mermaid onboard, and he was determined to find her.
"You've always been a funny one, Arthur, and your sense of style never fails to make me laugh. Ohonhonhon."
"Yes, well, my crew and I still have a long way to go, so if you could excuse us."
"Of course." Francis smirked and turned to return to his own ship, but stopped before stepping on the plank. "Oh, you wouldn't be going to Gaal, would you Arthur?"
"And if we are?" Arthur questioned suspiciously.
"Ah! What good luck! We should travel together, just like old times!"
Arthur grit his teeth. Traveling with Francis is the last thing he wanted to do, but he knew there was no way he could outrun the Bloody Rose. That left him with no choice.
"I suppose so," he grumbled.
"Magnifique! Lead the way, old friend!"
With that, Francis crossed back to his ship, and the plank was withdrawn. Captain Kirkland silently fumed for a moment before turning to his crew. They watched him warily for any sign of what to expect. Meeting with Francis always put him in a bad mood.
"What are you gits waiting for!" the Captain roared. "We've got a long ways to go yet, and it's not going to be pleasant in the least if you don't get moving. Now!" He waited for his crew to spring into action before going to his quarters. All he needed now was a nice bottle of rum.
~000~
The door to my room slowly opened a crack, and a timid face peeked through at me. It was Peter.
"You can come in, little one," I said.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you."
"You're not a bother." I waved him into the room, and he closed the door behind him. "Did your uncle send you here?"
"No. There's something going on, and he wouldn't let me stay."
"What's going on?" I figured if the boy wasn't allowed to stay, it must be serious.
"Another pirate ship's been following us for a while and they finally caught up with us," Peter explained.
"What do they want?"
"I don't know." He sighed. "Uncle Arthur never lets me do anything."
Even though his uncle was a total sleaze ball, my heart went out to the boy. "I know how you feel, little one."
"You do?" His eyes looked up at me curiously.
"Yup. I have an older brother that never lets me do anything. It's always 'You're too small, (y/n)' or 'maybe next time, (y/n)'."
"(Y/n)?"
I silently cursed my carelessness. My name wasn't supposed to be something I divulged with anyone. There's too much power in a name, but I doubted the boy knew what to do with that power.
"Is your name (y/n)?" he asked again.
"Yes little one, it is."
"Well, I'm Peter." He held his hand out to me, and I looked at it curiously. "You're supposed to shake it."
"How? Like this?" I took hold of his fingertips and shook his hand side to side.
"No, no. Like this." He slipped his palm into mine and shook it up and down a few times.
"I'm sorry. I'm not very accustomed to human manners."
"What's it like to be a mermaid?" he asked with wide, wonder filled eyes.
I laughed softly and motioned for him to sit on the stool that was still beside my tub. "Have a seat, little one, and I'll tell you tales that will make your head spin."
"That's what Uncle Arthur always says too," he said as he sat down.
"Well, I doubt your uncle has ever seen the monstrous Leviathan swimming through the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean, has he?"
~000~
It took Captain Kirkland several hours to realize Peter hadn't reappeared after sending him below deck. The boy usually sat next to the stairs so he could come right back up as soon as the commotion was over, but he had yet to resurface.
"Christov, have you seen Peter?"
"Not since ya sent the lad away, Cap'n," the first mate answered.
"Squeaker, have you seen him?"
"No, sah. Ain't seen him all mornin'"
"James, please tell me you've seen the boy."
"Me apologies, Cap'n."
Arthur swore loudly. He stomped off toward the stairs to have a look for himself. The stairs creaked softly as he took them one at a time. It was still light enough that he could see without much trouble, but the oil lamps would have to be lit soon. The Captain took a few steps before pausing. He didn't really have a clue where to search first.
That was when a door caught his eye. Someone had left it slightly ajar, so he decided to have a quick peek inside. He almost forgot it was the extra storage room where they were keeping the mermaid, but the though occurred to him just as he opened the door.
Sure enough, the boy was sitting on a stool with his head rested on his arms, which were leaned against the edge of the mermaid's tub. She was watching him carefully and didn't even look up when the Captain entered the room.
"What have you done to him?" he asked with panic rising in his chest.
"Nothing. He just fell asleep."
Captain Kirkland narrowed his eyes suspiciously. The words Francis spoke about mermaids making men fall in love were still fresh in his mind, and he didn't trust her one bit.
"If you harmed him in any way..."
"I assure you he's fine," the mermaid replied in a frustrated tone. "But he may not enjoy your stories quite so much anymore."
Her smug smile made Arthur feel even more uneasy, so he quickly picked up the boy to put in bed. A strange feeling came over him as he held Peter in his arms. It was a strange fondness that seemed to stem from his heart, although it didn't make much sense to him since he was always fond of the boy.
"There's been a bit of a delay, but we should be arriving at our destination by tomorrow," the Captain said without looking at the mermaid. "I suggest you keep that in mind the next time you feel like causing trouble."
She was about to protest, but he never gave her a chance. Arthur exited the room without another word.