Chapter 26

It was a few glorious minutes later until the ship of the Murderer's Prize was a safe distance away, and then you turned your main attention back to Gaspar.

"Hey Gaspar, want to hear a joke?" you asked him sneeringly.

"No."

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

"Anika, let's not," the Captain warned.

Oh well. You weren't sure you had it in you anyways.

"So you be going to kill me?" Gaspar asked, his accented voice vacant of worry or concern for himself.

"No." You said.

Gaspar raised his bushy eyebrows.

"I'll leave the glory of killing you to my Captain."

You held a hand out, and helped the Captain to his feet.

"Thank you, Anika. Fine job you've just done."

"Yes sir, Captain." Your grin beamed from cheek-to-cheek.

"Has anyone ever told you that you look cute when you're stabbing people?"

"No, that's a first."

"I love you."

"Love you too."

You handed the Captain Gaspar's sword and stepped back.

"Any last words?" the Captain asked.

"Not really." He smiled a mouthful of rotten yellow teeth. "But your cabin slave is a mighty good kisser."

Those were quite the memorable last words.

The Captain left the sword sticking in Gaspar's skull as he stepped back.

"You know, you don't always have to stab them all the same way. It's getting kind of creepy," you said honestly.

"It's my a trademark."

"It's a creepy trademark."

"You live with pirates now. 'Creepy' isn't really in the vocabulary."

"You mean we're staying?" you asked him. "Like, on this ship? We just move on like nothing happened?"

"No, definitely not. I need a new ship, this one's trashed, from the storms and battles. And I need a new crew, they've betrayed me. So..." he paused, "but finding a new crew takes years. And so does building or buying a new ship. I...guess I don't know what to do anymore."

"Well, we could go on a vacation? Just the two of us?" you asked.

"Anika, this isn't over. Gaspar over there had more brothers besides me. They all have ships, and they all want me dead. And you're still betrothed to every one of them, because when you're betrothed to a prince, you're not betrothed to him, you're betrothed to his county."

"Well of course, Prince Skipp." You smiled deviously.

He smiled too. "Skipp just means 'the Captain,' I still don't truly have a name...But, now that you mention it, I'm a Prince of Tristram, and the true heir to the throne..."

"So would you like to meet my parents?" you asked. "Sail to the palace?"

"Why? You want to rule a country?"

"As long as we can still explore."

"Well, the rulers of the country always make the rules..."

"But leaving the palace is a no-no."

"Exactly the reason I left."

"Want to just send a letter?"

"Does that mean we're eloping on the King and Queen of Tristram and Etholira?"

"You said it, not me."

He chuckled. "Well, I do seem to like that idea." He took a step towards you.

You laughed a little too. "I do too." You took a step towards him.

"So then it would be settled?" He asked, looking into your eyes, leaning in for a kiss.

"Yes, but you have to promise me something first."

"Oh? And what is that?"

"To brush your teeth next time before you kiss me."

He closed his eyes and put his hands on your shoulders. "I think I can do that. And you can promise me."

"Really? What?"

"That you love me and always will."

You draped your arms around his shoulders and kissed, but not before one last,

"Yes sir, Captain."