Chapter 25

"Need to say goodbye, Sima?"

"Please leave him alone. Captain, Prince, Master, whatever you want me to call you, let him go, you've already won!"

"But what's the fun in that? I would've killed him myself all those years ago had it not been so risky as to someone uncovering my involvement in his disappearance."

"Please, I'll do anything! Just let him live!"

"Anything? Really anything?"

You swallowed. "Yes." Your hand began to shake in the Captain's.

"Don't you dare, Anika," the Captain hissed. "Don't you dare forfeit your freedom for me, I'd rather die than live knowing you'll have to survive as his complete slave."

"And you'd die, leaving me all alone?" you replied. "If you love me, you'll let me let you live!"

"And if you love me, you won't let me let you let me live!"

"This be sweet in all, but either way, we be going to at least play with him before we be letting him leave."

"But you have to make sure he's safe! It's part of the deal!"

"Too late." Gaspar pulled a knife out of his belt. "Oh, hey, Sima. I have this hilarious joke for you."

You and the Captain met eyes and exchanged terrified glances.

"How do you be making a little prince run in circles and scream?"

You didn't say anything.

"Go on. Ask me how."

You still didn't reply.

"Come on! Ask me how or I'll be cutting his feet off!"

"How, then, your Majesty?" your voice cracked.

"Finally. The solution is...nail his hand to the floor." Prince Gaspar twirled the knife in his fingers and reeled back to slam down on the Captain's hand.

"No!" you exclaimed, grabbing his wrist before it could come down. "Don't you touch him!"

"This would have been funny, Sima, but not anymore. He'll get two hands down now, thanks to you."

"I'll trade you one of those hands for a favor," you said immediately. Oh man, this is the last thing I want to say, but I really gotta say it...! "If I kiss you well enough to make you kiss me back, you'll revoke his first punishment."

He chuckled. "Well then." He glanced around, clearly proud of his progress with you. "Sounds like a deal to me. Now...kiss me, Princess."

You trembled to your feet, needing to shake off the Captain's grip on your hand, who had wanted so badly to protest to save you just a moment with him, but knew it would go badly if he did.

You stood up, right in front of him.

More than close enough to smell his breath, even worse than the Captain's. The Captain didn't have ugly yellow crooked teeth, either. Sure, they weren't pearly white, but they weren't any worse than french vanilla ice cream... What a weird reference for the moment...

You leaned in until you were close enough to count his individual eyelashes.

You swallowed.

"Kiss me, sweetheart," he breathed. You nearly gagged. Man he is disgusting...

"Yes sir, Captain," you whispered to him, and plunged in to the most dramatic kiss you'd ever had.

You wrapped your arms around him and kissed him so hard he couldn't help but kiss you back.

But you weren't just kissing him to save the Captain's hands, and what you got wasn't deep enough.

You acted like you'd really gotten into it, pushing up against him and gripping him hard, as the Captain, behind you, stared up at you open-mouthed, as did all pirates from all crews watching you and Gaspar.

And then he wrapped his arms around you too.

Less than a second later, you had a knife pulled from his belt and driven into his side.

He tensed, and fell to one knee, gasping. It wasn't a lethal stab, but it was one to definitely put him out of the game. You grabbed his sword from his scabbard and held it to his throat.

His breathing was tense and labored. "You're a clever girl, aren't you?"

"Yes sir, Captain. Now order your crew to retreat."

"Still soft, though." He noted.

"I never said you were leaving."

"And why should I listen to you?"

"Because if you don't, the Captain will take my place and make you tell them.

"Fair enough." He nodded, after a pause. "I've got to hand it to you. You're worth more than I thought. But...alright. Murderer's Prize! Retreat!"

The angry crew, after exchanging a few glances, wove around you, who was standing over a pained Gaspar, in front of the floored Captain. They retreated to their ship, removed the bridging plank, and you watched as they sailed away.