Princess Pirate

As my eyes flicker open, I begin to cough excessively.

“Cap, she’s awake!” A dark blur in front of me moves close. I attempt an escape by back crawling, but my hands begin to sting. I look down and see them covered in cuts and blisters. I move away from the salty sea, wiping my hands on my, sand sprinkled, plain colored dress.

“Ah finally! Good morn’ Princess, come on with us!” Porina, their captain I meant briefly on the ship, before being thrown into a dark cell, demands. “Get away from me!” I hiss, as a familiar women hovers above me. “Why do those royal scalawags have to raise their kids as brats?” She complains as she leans down in front of me. “Hurry up Melly Jel-Eye!” Someone from behind me says impatiently.

I whip my head around and see an older looking women, I recall as the cook. She would cook the fish, I didn’t see her often, only one other time maybe. But I did take note of the seaweed intertwined with, the white braided strands in her long hair. Now I notice ink creeping up from her neck, she has a fish tattoo. As she grins widely, I realize her teeth are gold and some are missing. “Oh the young fool will like her!” The old women claps and starts running toward something.

I feel strange fabric against my hands, along with a slight tug on my wrist. I look back quickly at the girl sat in front of me, “There we are mate!” She smirks. Rope binds my already sore hands and cut up arms in place. “I don’t remember getting cut..” I mumble.

“Freya dear,” I recognize that voice from my time on the ship. Five weeks and I couldn’t avoid her. Even when she wasn’t in my presence, she flooded my thoughts. Now she stands before me, even though she’s tired the sun makes her deep chocolate skin glow, and green eyes shimmer. Tenja. “We got in a wreck darlin’ that is how we found this place. Weren’t too far off, but almost near darn passed it!” She exclaims laughing. She points over to the wrecked ship. The once white painted wood is now black from the flame that burnt it. There is scattered wood in a hundred yard radius of the abandoned pile.

“I thought you guys were dropping me at Africa, not an island,” I look over to Porina. She shrugs, “Lord Lard wanted you! We figure he is going to take ya there anyway,” She shrugs, “Now come on lads, let’s move!” She demands.

Every prirate around me moves to her. And Mel Jel-Eye pulls me up by my shoulders, I kick and pull at her hair but give up as she shoves me slightly along. I thought when a group of female pirates captured me, they wanted my clothes and crown, or to recruit me to ‘The Pacific Pirateers,’ not deliver me to a master.

Mel Jel-Eye bends down to tie her boot, and I take this as an opportunity to get away. I take off as fast I can toward the shore line, planning to run along it until I find help. This plan doesn’t seem smart with twenty, long nailed, strong pirates surrounding me. But I do it anyway.

My prior more rational thought proves to be right as, Porina jumps on me, clawing at my jet black hair. “Freya you best behave!” I hear Tenja call. As I tumble to the ground, Porina hops off me, and grabs my right ear and pulls at it. “Ow let go!” I howl. Not using my brain, I steer my body away, and her fingers slowly, and painfully slip from my ear. “Pull it off!” I hear one of them cheer.

My eyes become spotted with stars, and black dots, and my breathing speeds up. I lay curled up on the ground cupping my ear. She pries my fingers from their position, and digs her nails into the lobe, pulling me up. I yelp in pain, and practically run to keep in stride with her fast steps.

Once we reach the others Tenja approaches me after Porina goes to the front. “Oh darlin’,” She sighs, sympathy flashing through her eyes. Their is something else almost like pain. Did she expect me to stay with her? How could I with the rest of them here.. and my parents would never except!

She places her hand on my lower back and guides me behind the others.

As we walk, the scorching sun makes my already dried up scaly skin, itch. I scratch until red streaks pattern my tan legs. A buzzing noise irriates my punctured ear, and I begin to think I’m losing it, or Porina somehow made my hearing go. When suddenly A fat, bright yellow bee flies in front of my face. I could run and have one of these pirates tackle me again, or swat at it and hope to kill it. Having allergies to the pest, and wanting to hold onto my ability to hear, I decide against either.

Before we enter the green, dense, forest I shout, “Wait!” And they all turn to me. “So you are sending me to a man.. as a toy?” I question, afraid of the answer. Freya’s hand strokes my back gently, “Do you want that?” She ask, a bit of aggression surfaces in her tone. “No at all!” I deny, appalled. “Then let’s hope not..” She sighs. “I mean why else would he want you?” Porina follows her answer with. I shrug, disturbing thoughts entering my mind.

“Maybe he just wants ya to be as good luck?” The gold-teeth older pirate suggest. My face brightens in hopes it’s true. It’s my last fighting chance, so it seems. “Careful he is about ya age.. I believe,” She adds after a few moments of silence.

“Mates we just keep wasting time..” Janli the red haired pirateer groans. “You be right lad, onward we venture!” Porina gestures infront of us, and takes a step in.

Everyone follows suit, but Tenja grasp my arm. “Darlin’ wait..” She whispers. I turn towards her, and gaze at the way her metallic blue hair glimmers in the light. “Yes..love?” I mutter my cheeks tinting pink, at my own pet name for her.

Her hand flicks up to my chin, “Frey,” She sighs. “..I’ll be missin ya so much.” Without realizing I nod in agreement. Before I can process much her hands fling down to my waist, and she pulls me into her. I let out a small gasp, in surprise. A smile spreads across her beautiful face, and infects mine.

Her lips press softly to mine. At first I’m hesitant, but then forget the moment and let her touch overtake me. We pull apart slowly, and the kiss lingers.

After awhile she opens her mouth to speak, but closes it than pecks me on my heated cheek. Her smile is worth more then anything I've ever seen, and her kisses are the richest thing I’m yet to experience. Still, I cannot trust her.

She then brushes her thumb to my neck, “I have not many days with you, but we be soulmates, I sense it..” She sighs contently. I nod, not really thinking of anything but the past moments.

Kissing a girl pirate. After a little while I feel disgusted for going against my Father and Mothers’ rules. Instead they would want me to take an advantage of her. I decide to attempt at manipulating her to help myself.

“Please then, get me out of here Tenja!” I beg. She frowns, “I am not to free ya darlin’, I apologize,” Her voice is melachony. I feel a pang of regret, but I know no love is worth all that, in comparison of returning to family and surviving.

“What be the hol’ up?” One of the crew members from inside the rainforest calls. “Had to catch her, I’ll be right there!” Tenja fake pants. “Hurry along!” Porina calls, ”We might got a route!”

Tenja’s eyebrows furrow in thought, “Dear when I say, you will be goin to the inside of the scraps of ship,” She points to the abandoned ship far away. “I will be tellin the lads, you kicked me and ran somewhere I didn’t see,” She pauses, “As we look all night for ya, I will built a raft for ya to escape in, we clear?” She decides. “Thank you!” I whisper shout, tears blurring my vision, and throw my arms around her.

We share one last kiss, and even the ‘L’ word, and I’m on my way.

*Two Years Later*

As I inhale my lucky charms, I request from my maid a newspaper. Tomorrow I become the Queen, and need to have one last, almost normal day.

She brings it back, and gives me a small smile. I nod and open it up. I skim around for something interesting and my eyes glue to the words ‘The Pacific Pirateers.’

“After several years we found African princess Tenja Bengat. She had went by 'pirateer’ before she was found dead washed up on the side of England. On the ship with her fellow “Mates” they claim to not have known she was a princess, and let us search through her things. We found a diary, the most recent entry reads,

“My Darling Princess Freya I hope you’re back safe, I’m on my way!”

The poor twenty-one year old died from being poisoned. All her fellow pirateers are now under custody.

It takes several hours for me to process the event. She once saved me. And she was now coming to see me.

My heart stings, I should have took her with me that day.

I make a decision to avenge her by executing the other pirateers.

This is the day, crippled love drove me mad.

I now can be found sailing all the seas, with many ships.

I don’t want loot.

I don’t want a crew.

But I do love the name ‘Royal Pirate Huntress.’

END.