Escape

“Mother! What do you mean by I have to marry into that family” Alicia yelled at her mother.

“Just like I said darling. We need you to marry into the Harrison family so that your father and brother can expand business through the Harrison estate” Alicia’s mother replied to her as calmly as possible. Alicia tried to defy her mother by throwing around anything she could get her hands on.

Alicia’s mother walks up to her daughter grabs her arms and pulls her closer, close enough to whisper. “Darling I don’t care how many things you break this decision is final. A week from now you will marry into Harrison family and help out your family. This is your duty to us. We didn’t raise you so one you go against us. You will do as we say.” Alicia’s mother lets go of her arms and walks out of the Victorian style living room. Alicia stands there until she sees her mother walk out towards the garden. Alicia runs to her room.

“Ma’am, can I get you something?” Beatrice, Alicia’s maid asks.

“Yes. Father’s gun would do and would you mind shooting me with it?” Alicia hissed.

“Ma’am I …”

“Pardon me Beatrice. I’m just angry at mother and father. I mean how could they order me to marry that idiot Harry Harrison. You know he’s a womanizer, there are stories about him with a different woman every week. How am I someone what wants to live and not be suppressed by marriage supposes to marry a man like him? Even if we put that aside I have no intention of marrying, I want to travel see the world. I want to reach the mountains and the sea and…” Alicia wonder off into her thought about the world she had always read in books.

Beatrice cuts her thoughts “I understand Ma’am but… tell me how I can help you with this?”

Alicia looks at Beatrice as if she found a solution to her problem. “I can think of one way you could help me” Alicia looks at Beatrice sympathetically “Can you help me escape?”

“Ma’am…?” Beatrice shocked at the mention of escape.

“Look you would not get caught I just need you to be the look out” Alicia pleads “Ma’am I cannot plea….” Beatrice starts but Alicia cuts her “Please do not say no. I beg you Beatrice.”

Alicia looks at Beatrice begging for her help. Beatrice gives in to Alicia’s pleas and accepts to help her. “I am grateful, I’ll always be grateful for your help” Alicia says holding Beatrice’s hands. Alicia explains her plan to Beatrice with great detail.

A week goes by and it’s the day before the wedding. Alicia is in her room with Beatrice and her mother enters.

“Darling you have made us proud. You will see this marriage will be fruitful” he mother says with a sly smile and then leaves her daughter’s room.

“Is everything going according to my plan” Alicia whispers

“Yes ma’am. Everything is ready your cloths are under the bed with the small bag with essentials and some money” Beatrice informs her “I’ll go out and signal you in 15 minutes and then you can head out.”

“Perfect” Alicia says and heads to change into a different set of cloths.

15 minutes later Alicia seats at her bay window waiting for Beatrice’s signal. Alicia witnesses a shadowy figure approaches the tower opposite to Alicia room and makes a hand gesture. Alicia understands what it means and heads out. She creeps through the halls and makes her way out through the kitchen. Once outside she heads for the east gate leading towards the city. It takes an hour for her to reach the city and then another hour to reach the docks. The pulls out a letter from Beatrice and silently reads it.

“The last ship to the neighboring country leaves at midnight. You can escape through it but be careful and please do not get discovered” the letter informs her. Alicia heads to the only ship, it is empty at the moment so she heads aboard and hides in one of the barrels. After sometime the ship starts to move, Alicia freezes in place in order to bland with the ship.

Hours later sun shines through wood cracks wakes up Alicia. The ship is steady but half of the barrels opposite to her are gone. Alicia panics and gets up to leave, she takes a small step at a time and constantly stops to hear any noise from near but there is none. Alicia is successful in leaving the ship. She stands at the dock and breaths in fresh air and takes in the sea before her. She finally turns to get off the dock when her heads bumps into something hard. She looks up to see a tall man with defined jaw line, muscular arms and pirate infused sailor cloths.

“And who might you be Miss?” The man inquires.

“Umm…no one you need to worry about. I’ll just be on my way” Alicia says and attempts to leave but the man blocks her path.

“I wouldn’t have questioned you but that place you see there and all those guards” the man points to the main shopping place on the dock and Alicia follow “they have a poster with your face on it. Now I’m not much of a helper but you did just leave my ship so either you explain yourself or I’ll call those guards here”

“Please don’t, I’ll tell you everything but can we talk on the ship. It not safe here” Alicia pleads.

The man listens and they head inside the ship in the captain’s room. “Now enlighten me with your story”

Alicia explains as fast as she could “I ran away from home because my parents arranged from me to marry the idiot Harry Harrison, a womanizer. I ran away because I want to see the world not get married and have kids. And they did this so they can expand the business.”

“And the guards?” the man asked

“I really don’t know, maybe the Harrisons did that. They are powerful” Alicia explains.

“So you want to see the world” the man asks.

“Yes more than anything”

“I’m only doing this because I hate the Harrisons and I’m not going to miss an opportunity to mess with them. But my crew and I travel to different countries and if you want you can join us.”

“Really?”

“But you will have to work if you want to stay. No one here cares that you are a woman and a pampered one at that if you want to stay with us you have to pull your own weight. Do you understand?”

“Yes. Of course. I understand. Thank you”

“Stay in here. No uhhhhh…” the man moves to the far right of the cabin and opens a compartment big enough for a man his size “get in there”

“Why?”

“Just do as I say”

Alicia reluctantly gets into the compartment, it has enough space for her to sit or even lay down.

“I’m trusting you with my life here but I don’t even know your name” Alicia asks keeping her eyes on the floor.

“Theodore Valor but my crew calls me Captain Theo or Theo. And that’s how you will address me as well”

“I’m Alicia Taylor Wright”

Theo closes the compartment door and leaves Alicia alone.

Theo walks out to the deck and calls his crew members “Come on hurry up we have other places to go and not enough time to waste.” The crew heads back up the ship.

“Stop right there!!” a man that could identify as a private guard shouts at the crew.

“What is this about?” Theo inquirers.

“I’m Sir Author Charles. I’m here to inquire on behalf of my companion Harry Harrisons. As you know your ship was last to leave his country last night. That same night his soon to be wife was kidnapped. That is why we are here, I order you to let my troops search your ship. If you have no part in this we will let you go. In case we find Miss Alicia on your ship or you refuse my order you and your crew will suffer. Am I clear?” Sir Author ordered his troops to move.

“As you wish, men give way to the troops” Theo orders his crew men who obey without question.

The troops board the ship and search every nook and cranny, they search through the Captain’s cabin. While they search Theo leaves the ship and strides towards Harry and Sir Author.

“Harry how are you, you look terrible” Theo grinned.

“If you are involved in kidnapping my soon to be wife I’ll—“

“Harry, Harry, Harry. Did you forget I’m the one who steals from people. And what am I to gain from kidnapping what’s her name…ahhh…yes Alicia.”

“She is the love of my life and if as much as hurt a hair on her head I’ll have you hanged”

“The love of your life” Theo laugh out of control “That is so stupid, you can’t love anyone but yourself but maybe money but a girl, I don’t think so. You’re probably marrying her because she has money or because her parents are too disparate otherwise no one in their right mind would marry an idiot like you”

“How dare yo--” Harry barked but is cut short by the sound of the troops.

The troops march out of the ship “The ship is clear. No sign of Miss Alicia”

“Did you search everywhere” Harry demands.

“Harry my troops are thorough when they search and would not have missed a corner. I assure you Miss Alicia is not on that ship. We should keep searching.” Sir Author addressing Theo “You may head out now”

Theo gives Harry a mischievous grin while he and his crew board the ship.

Theo’s ship leaves the dock and now is further away from the coast as possible. Theo heads into his cabin and opens the secret compartment.

“Rise and shine. Time to meet the crew you’ll be working and sailing with from now on” Theo escorts Alicia to the main deck. “Men let me introduce you to Miss Alicia Taylor Wright”

The crew men look at her in horror “Captain Theo why is the woman here, we should send her back. She is the Harrisons daughter in law.”

“I know but it was either hide her or be hanged and I prefer to live. From now on she will be treated as a crew man and will work for her living on this ship. And before you question she has agreed to this willingly and in no way forced”   

“I’m sorry if I brought troubles upon you but I had no other choice. I did not want to the wife of the awful man I would rather die but I also wanted to see the world. I know my actions were wrong and I am aware you despise the Harrisons in somewhat the same way as I do so I ask you to please consider me to be part of this crew” Alicia stand before the crew and request them.

The crewman whisper among themselves for a minute or two and then one of the crewman walks to her. He is tall with broad shoulder and rusty brown hair. He hands her a mop and says “As long as you do your part we do not mind that you are part of this crew”

Alicia smiles for being accepted “Thank you!!!”

They sail to the sea with the world before them. Alicia imagines her new world with the strangers she now travels with. Strangely to her they are no longer strangers but friends bonded by a small cause and who are accepting of her even though they don’t know her.