Chapter 23

The Captain of the Murderer's Prize stormed on board with a flood of his crew, and while the Scurvy Raider's crew did nothing to stop them, the Captain shoved you back behind his back.

He swallowed. "Anika, these are trained swordsmen. Don't engage in a fight unless absolutely necessary."

"And what are you going to do?" you asked.

He sighed. "Engage in a fight."

And back-to-back, you and him sliced whatever sword was in your grip at the attackers. You only knocked away those that were out of the Captain's reach, while he took three-quarters of the space.

Several men around the Captain dropped, while you refused to do that to anyone, and at first it was going fine.

But the sheer number of them was pushing in on all sides like claustrophobia. Even though there was a smaller space for you to cover, they were trained, and they were so many of them, it was no more than a few moments before you were overwhelmed.

"Drop your weapons," the nearest pirate demanded.

The Captain narrowed his eyes. He'd have said, 'Or what?!' or something else cliche, but he knew they'd only end badly for you.

And the Captain set down his sword.

Ever so slowly, ever so carefully. Glancing around, making eye contact with every visible pirate, including that of his crew which had retreated to the far corner of the ship to mutter amongst themselves, and then slowly bent down, set his precious swords delicately on the deck, so they didn't even make a sound as they touched the wood. He stood up with equal grace, dignity, and caution, held under the fire of savage glares that returned his observative ones.

He stood up with equal grace, dignity, and caution, held under the fire of savage glares that returned his observative ones

Seeing the Captain surrender hit something in you. In your heart.

The Captain never set down his weapon. The Captain never let anything go when it regarded your safety. The Captain never gave up. The Captain never lost. The Captain never lost you.

And yet now he had.

So you set down your sword too, though you let it drop to the deck with a dull clatter that shattered through the silence.

You put your hand on the Captain's shoulder.

Your last hope had just dropped his weapon.

He looked at you over his shoulder and took your hands in his, turning his back to his enemies, logical or not.

"Anika," he whispered. "Whatever happens..." His gaze kept flitting between those around him. "Don't do anything rash, go along with anything I say, and if they kill me, let me die."

"No."

"Yes. Because they will kill me. And I don't know why they'd want both me and you, but..." He took a deep breath. "I'll love you until my last breath, Anika, so don't let that last breath be for nothing."

A tear glistened in your eye. "I love you too."

You went in to hug him, and he went in to hug you too, looking for one last time, deeply into each others' frightened eyes, leaning in one last time, your faces nearly close enough to kiss...

When someone grabbed you by the shoulder and threw you back.

A tall, very strong, relatively young man with a large nose, a rat's nest of brown hair, and an ugly face of scars over a long black Captain's Cloak and under a matching feathered hat, held you threateningly close to him with a sneer on his face.

"Well hello there, sweetheart. Gaspar has come to save you. Ready to come home? With me?"

Your eyes widened. Prince Gaspar...

"Brother, have you been playing with my betrothed?" Gaspar sneered to the Captain.

You swallowed.