Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

[SheLuvsMusic]

For AvianJen

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Storms always made Josephine nervous. The loud booms of thunder were one thing, but she was terrified of getting struck by lightning or getting caught in a fire when it struck the top of a tall building. The air felt ominous and she shivered both out of fear and cold as she stared out the carriage window. They should have stayed at the Winston's for the night. Surely father would have understood if her and Ella didn't come home until the morning, especially in this weather. The Winston's were old family friends and would have taken nice care of them, but she had let other matters cloud her judgement that night.


Josephine was now twenty, her sister just a year younger. It was time, their father had informed them, that they begin to think about finding a suitable match for marriage. The Winston's had a couple of unmarried sons, so the invitation to tea had clearly been a plot between their father and his old friends at matchmaking. The problem was, Josephine wasnt interested in either of the Winstons, nor any match her father tried to make. Her heart already belonged to somebody else. As impossible and doomed their relationship was sure to be, she just wasn't ready to let go. And Ella, well, she wasn't sure what Ella wanted, but those Winston men didn't deserve her. So they'd left under the guise of beating the storm. Unfortunately, they had ended up right in the middle of it.


She wrapped her arm around her sisters for comfort. It was just a year difference between the too, but Josephine always tried to protect Ella like a good older sister should. It wasn't often that she found herself clinging onto Ella for protection.


Suddenly a loud clap of thunder sounded and the carriage jerked forward. She tightened her grip on Ella but steadied herself, thinking the horses had probably just gotten spooked. But when the carriage didn't continue to move forward, she reached out and opened the window between the compartment and the driver's seat. "Is everything alright out there?" she asked nervously, trying to project over the sound of the rain. "Driver?"


The door to the carriage burst open after that. Josephine barely had time to react before she felt hands around her waist, dragging her out into the rain. She hit the ground first, scraping her elbow on the stones, before somebody else yanked her up by the arm and spun her around. She tried to scream, her sister's name on her lips, but somebody slipped a piece of cloth between her teeth. Her instinct was flail, hoping to knock her assailant away, but she felt whoever it was only pull her closer and tighter, and then the cool metal of a blade pressed against her throat.


"Stay quiet, and your sister lives," a man said. That was when she noticed that Ella was in a similar predicament. She just had enough time to make eye contact before the man slipped another band of cloth around her eyes.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella hated the rain.  She had no idea why Josie had been so insistent on leaving...actually, she knew exactly why, but it felt like a stupid reason.  So what if they weren't going to marry either of those men?  So what if Alec was waiting for her back home?  Her dashing stable boy would still be there tomorrow, and tomorrow there would be no rain.  Ella loved her sister dearly, but her tendency to let emotions get in the way of sound reason could be a bit frustrating.  


For her part, Ella had been having a nice time.  She couldn't see herself marrying either of those men, but she didn't mind their company.  It was nice to get out of the house every once in a while, and the younger brother, Charles, had been especially handsome.  He seemed adventurous and spoke often of his travels, which sounded incredibly grand to Ella who had hardly ever set a foot outside of her home town, though he did seem...what was the word?  Promiscuous.  Josephine had apparently decided that neither of them were husband material, and while Ella would have liked to have stayed, they would be home soon...hopefully.  


Winter was fading into spring, but there was still a harsh chill in the air and Josie's arm around her was very welcome.  The carriage rocking back and forth at the mercy of the wind was nauseating, and Ella leaned her head against Josie's shoulder, closing her eyes as she tried to relax through it.  They would be home soon.  They would be home soon...


And then the carriage stopped.  Ella jerked up, her eyes flying wide open.  What the...?  She leaned forward with Josie, trying to see where the driver was, but he wasn't in his seat outside.  "Josie, what's going on?" Ella asked nervously.  Then in a split second, the doors on either side were torn open, and Ella was dragged out by her hair.  "Josie!" she screamed.  A strong hand clamped over her mouth to keep her from calling out for a second time as an arm wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly.  


"You scream again, you're gonna regret it."  The voice belonged to a man, low and threatening.  Everything was happening too fast for Ella to process.  She was gagged and blindfolded just like Josephine, and a coarse rope bound her wrists behind her back.  Still, she struggled, trying to shake the blindfold from her eyes and pull her wrists from the restraints.  All her efforts were futile, but she took comfort in the fact that she could hear Josie was nearby.  Whatever was happening, they were going through it together.  They would figure it out, if they got out of this alive.


When the blindfold was finally removed, they were no longer on the road home.  They were on a boat.  A ship, more specifically.  Ella frantically looked around, and as she did it took a second for the truth to sink in.  They had been kidnapped by pirates.  Though the gag was still in her mouth, Ella watched as Josephine was also dragged on board.  The two sisters were taken below deck to a dark, damp prison cell cabin where the gag was removed at last, though their hands remained bound.  Both girls were thrown to the ground.


"Let us go!" Ella cried lamely.  Her blue eyes were wet with tears as she scooted across the dirty floor to be closer to Josie.   "What are you doing this for?"


"We'll let you go," a man responded gruffly.  "As soon as your father pays."  With that, the cell door was slammed shut and the men disappeared.  Ella was all but hysterical, trying hard not to panic. 


"Josie, Josie are you okay?" she gasped.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine was in shock. While their captors moved them, a billion scenarios kept racing through her mind. What did they want with them? Were they going to force themselves on them? Were they going to die tonight? Was this it? And worse, what if she never saw her father or Alec ever again? Her heart ached at the thought, and she found herself chocking on tears of panic and dread all the way until they were thrown into the cell. When the gag and blindfold were removed she stopped, staring up at the man and trying to force herself to stay strong. Her eyes went wide when the man told them they would be set free as soon as their father paid. They were being held for ransom.


With the pirate gone, Josephine looked to her sister. She ignored the question for a moment while she looked Ella  over, making sure she wasn't hurt. "I'm alright," she said, though it was a lie. Of course she wasn't alright. She was cold, wet, scared, and her dress at the sleeve was torn and stained red from when they had grabbed her out of the carriage. She had to be strong, though. "We'll be alright... f-father will pay and we'll be set free."


Except she knew that whatever the pirates were asking for them, he might not be able to afford it. They were wealthy, but mostly by name these days. Their father's business was struggling, their finances starting to dwindle. It was why he was pushing marriage on them. It was so that they could be financially secure through their husbands. If he couldn't afford the payment, Josie didn't want to imagine what would happen to her and Ella. She'd heard the stories about pirates.


She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to look around the dimly lit cell. "I'm sorry," she said. "This is my fault... we should have never left with the storm approaching."

 

[AvianJen]

Ransom.  If they were being held for ransom, that meant that there was hope.  Ella knew that their father would do everything in his power to get them back, and if he couldn't afford it he would find a way.  Father was a very determined man when he wanted to be, and Ella knew that he loved her and Josie more than life.  He would find a way.  He had to.  If he didn't, Ella didn't even want to think about what would happen to her and her sister.


Most likely, they would be sold as slaves in some exotic island, to barbaric owners whose fondest pleasure was to misuse women.  Everyone knew the stories, and if that didn't happen then the pirates would have their way with them before tossing them overboard to the sharks.  Probably.  This whole situation was a living nightmare, and Ella was absolutely terrified.  Josie didn't look like she was any better off.  "You're not alright, you're hurt," Ella disagreed, seeing the blood stain on her sleeve.  She came over to her sister and tore the remainder of her sleeve off, doing her best to wrap it up.  It wasn't great, and the dress was soaking wet, but it was the best she could do in the circumstances.  "Is that a little better?"


Josie taken care of, Ella slid against the wall and let her emotions get the better of her.  Tears rolled down her cheeks and she buried her face in her hands, not wanting Josephine to see her crying but not able to help herself.  "It's not your fault," she replied.  "How were you supposed to know?  I'm...I'm freezing."  Her dress was soaking wet, and it was cold below deck.  They had no blankets in the cell to keep warm with, so instead she reached to undo her dress, sliding it off.  Underneath she wore several layers of undergarments, which she continued to remove as well until she was dressed in only her camisole.  Without the wet clothes pressed against her skin it was a bit warmer, and by tearing a ribbon from her dress she was able to fashion a messy bun, to keep her hair from dripping down her back.  By the time she had finished she had stopped crying, but she was still sniffling and shivering occasionally.


"Josie, you should do this," she advised, moderately happy with the results of her experiment.  "Let your clothes dry out and put them back on tomorrow.  You'll feel better."  Ella also took the liberty of snuggling up to her, both for comfort and for additional warmth.  The younger girl was always cold.  "How long do you think we'll be here?" she whimpered.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine gave her sister a small smile when she tore off a bit of her sleeve to wrap around her arm. It was just a scrape. There were many times when she was a kid that she had had worse, but the sentiment was sweet. Besides, in a time like this, they had to take care of each other. They were all they had until father was able to get them out of here. "Thank you," she said, and gave a nod. "Much better."


She looked away again. There were not even windows to peer out of. Although she could hear it was still raining, she wondered if by the time morning came they would even be able to tell. "It is my fault," she said. "The Winstons are nice people, but I'm too stubborn to do what father wants me to do. If we weren't out in that storm, maybe we wouldn't be here now..." She turned back and watched her sister start to undress. It wasn't like she had seen her sister in various states of undress before. They were sisters, after all, and that didn't bother. She was just shocked that she could feel comfortable undressing at all here.


"What are you doing?" she asked. "What if... what if one of them comes down here?" She couldn't bear the thought of a strange man, let alone a pirate, staring at her or her sister in such a state. It was bad enough they were down here at all. She didn't want to let go of any of the dignity she had left, and didn't need to tempt them or give them any ideas. They were probably the only two women on the ship, and that was probably more than tempting enough for a pirate. "I think I'll stay as I am..." she said, though she shivered from the cold, her thoughts drifting for a moment to Alec. They were supposed to be meeting in the morning. What would he think when she didn't show up?


She relaxed as she felt Ella draw near. She draped an arm around her frame and drew as much comfort as she could from her. "I don't know. It will take a least some time for word to reach him, and even then, I have no idea how much they are asking for us. He might not be able to afford it, Ella... we could be here for... for weeks. Or months, even. Let's just hope it won't be like that."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella beamed, happy that she could at least do a small bit of good.  Most of the time there wasn't a whole lot she could do to help, but she didn't want to sit down here and mope.  There didn't seem to be much that they could do to escape, but she was hopeful that with a little bit of investigation, they would find a way.  


Josephine seemed to insist on the fact that what had happened to them was her fault.  Ella wished she wouldn't be so hard on herself, but when someone wanted to believe that everything was their fault there was very little that could be done to convince them otherwise.  "You are stubborn," she consented, trying to lighten the mood just slightly.  "I liked Charles okay.  He seemed nice, don't you think?"  Why was she even talking about it?  It wasn't as if she was going to marry him, especially not now.  But focusing on that instead of what was currently happening made it a little easier. 


Josie was in love with Alec, so Ella didn't expect her to have much of an opinion on other men, but the Winstons might have been decent options.  Ella had never truly been courted or been in love- it was Josie who received all the suitors.  It was only fair, since she was the eldest and it was customary that the eldest married first, but sometimes she couldn't help but be a little jealous of her sister.  Men came to call on her all the time, but someone else already had her heart.  Ella didn't know how Alec could stand it, honestly.  He was a nice guy, and he was madly in love with Josie, but Ella didn't know why they had kept it going for so long.  They weren't going to be able to stay together, and both of them knew that.  Why put themselves through that kind of pain?  Ella didn't understand it, but she didn't question her sister's judgment, at least not to her face.  Love, it seemed, made people do crazy things.


It had crossed Ella's mind that the pirates would want more than just a ransom, and it had also crossed her mind that they were probably the only women on the ship.  But, as scary as that prospect was, she would rather be warm tonight and get dressed again tomorrow.  Besides, it wasn't as if she was stripping completely; her undergarments left quite a bit to the imagination as it was.  "I don't think it'll make a whole lot of difference," Ella said thoughtfully.  "If that's what they want, they'll take it regardless of what we're wearing.  It's about power, not desire."  She glanced up at the ceiling above them, listening to the shouts and harsh footsteps coming from the upper deck.  They appeared to be alone, but she was sure they would be visited at some point or another.


Ella felt a little better with Josie's arm around her, but there wasn't much that could be done to make their situation any more bearable.  "We aren't far from home," she murmured, thinking about it.  "Or, we weren't when they took us.  Father should get the news soon."  She teared up again, thinking of how he would react when he found that his daughters had been taken captive.  "Of course he'll be able to afford it," she shot back, more harshly than she meant to.  "Don't even think about that."  The possibility that he might not be able to afford the pirates' price was too real, and thinking on it made Ella's heart rate quicken in panic.  


"I'm hungry," she complained a moment later.  Her voice was weak.  "I don't want to be here for months.  I want to go home."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josie thought back to their brief visit from earlier today. If she had known they would end up in this situation, she probably would have appreciated the visit more, if for nothing else than the good food and hospitality. Mrs. Winston was a lovely and kind lady. Josephine really should have tried to be kinder. Thinking of Charles, she tilted her head. "He is handsome," she said. "And he seemed to be talking to you a lot. He's a bit of a flirt, though... I'm not sure he's exactly suited to the married life. His eyes wander too much. You deserve better than that, even if they are from a good family. Edward wasn't much better. He might make a faithful husband, but he's such a bore." And he stared. A lot. Josephine had caught him looking down the neckline of both her and Ella's dresses.


She sighed. She knew that no matter what, inevitably, she would have to choose somebody to marry. She was doing Ella a disservice in the meantime. She just wished there was a way where she could marry the man she truly wanted for a husband. It was unconventional, sure, but he was more a man than any of the ones who had called on her so far. It was too bad he worked in the stables. Father gave them so much, but this was the one thing she knew he would never allow. Especially now that their livelihood was at risk. It was actually somewhat of a miracle that he hadn't found out yet. The only one who even knew about the relationship was Ella, and that was only because she had caught them during one of their secret meetings once. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell her, but she was afraid to. Thank God Ella was so reliable and a wonderful sister to keep their secret.


Josephine's stomach turned at the thought of whatever else the pirates might to do them in the meantime. "Well, aren't you the smart one. I suppose you're right... I just don't think I can do that. You go ahead and whatever you can to keep comfortable, though. I don't blame you. And I'm not trying to frighten you, I'm just being realistic... I don't want to be here for months either, but we have to prepare ourselves for the worst. There's no point in lying to ourselves about it."


As if cued by Ella's words, she heard a pair of footsteps above stop above where she assumed was the door to below deck where they were. A moment later, a bit of light, though not much because it was still raining, illuminated them for a moment, then disappeared as the door closed again. A man walked down the stairs and approached them, a plate in hand. He stopped when he got to their cell. His eyes focused on Ella, raising his eyebrow. He wasn't rude about it, and seemed more surprised than anything else.


"Getting comfortable, I see," he said. He slid the plate under the cellar bars to them. "Better not let the lads up above see ya like that. Then again, it don't take much to get the lot of them excited about women. It's a good thing the captain's forbade anyone from laying a hand on ya, cause I guarantee most of em have thought about it." He looked around their cell, frowning. "Which is ironic, because clearly none of em know how to treat a lady. Their manners or shit. The captain'd be ashamed if he found out they didn't offer ya anything to keep warm. Can't very well collect ransom if you've died from cold, now, can we?"

 

[AvianJen]

Ella shrugged.  She didn't mind flirts, not really, but she could see how it could be a problem as far as marriage went.  Josephine was always more observant; Ella hadn't noticed anyone looking at her strangely, but she hadn't been paying attention.  She smirked slightly when Josie told her that she deserved better, shrugging.  It was something her sister said often, though Ella had never quite understood.  "There may not be any better for me," she responded.  "I mean, not everyone has an Alec."  Ella wasn't convinced that her own prince charming existed, but she wasn't too broken up about it.  Marriage was just a thing, a thing that she had to do.  Very few girls had much of a choice in it, and they were fortunate that Father was allowing them to have any say at all.  She trusted Josephine's judgment, but sometimes she was a little picky.


She shrugged again when Josie said that she would stay as she was; that was fine, especially if it was what made her more comfortable.  Ella couldn't stand sitting in her wet clothes, so for her this was the only option, but to each their own.  "Why do you always have to be realistic?" she complained, pouting.  She gave her sister a hard time, but Ella knew that she was right.  They did need to prepare for the worst, at least mentally.  They weren't getting out of here tomorrow.  "Let's just take things...one day at a time," she suggested, thinking that sounded like a less painful method of coping.


She glanced up when they heard the footsteps, blinking as she tried to adjust her eyes to the light so that she could see who was coming.  It was a man, and he appeared to have a plate of food with him.  She was not made self-conscious by his presence, and when he raised his eyebrow at her Ella lifted her chin ever so slightly, not wanting to appear as though she had fallen victim to her circumstances.  His explanation of the captain's orders came as a relief, though.  "I had to.  It's freezing down here, and we're all wet."  He hadn't passed any judgment, but Ella was kind of hoping that he would take a hint and go get some blankets or something.  He'd brought them food, and that was a start.  


As he spoke, though, her expression softened from resolute to something more curious in nature.  He didn't seem so bad, if she compared him to the other pirates they'd encountered so far, but it was best to remain skeptical.  "And you do know how to treat ladies?" she asked, now her turn to raise an eyebrow at him.  She was faking confidence, trying to appear strong instead of letting him know that she was nothing more than a scared girl who had been crying five minutes ago.  But, she was hungry, so slowly she reached forward to the plate and took a biscuit.  "Who are you?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine felt her cheeks warm at Ella's words. She supposed she was lucky, in a way, to have found him. Too bad it was also a curse, because she wouldn't be able to keep him. It made her even more upset that they were in this situation now. It was taking away precious time she would never get back. "There is better for you, Ella," she said. "You just haven't found it yet. At least one of us should have the option not to settle." There wasn't much more there could be had with the conversation as they were interrupted. She didn't even realize how ridiculous it was to be talking about love in a time like this until the man slid the plate under. She took a biscuit and watched the exchange.


The man let out a surprised chuckle. Clearly he hadn't expected Ella to be so headstrong. Josephine hadn't, either, really. "I wouldn't say any one of us really knows how to treat a lady," he said. "We don't see em much unless we pay for em. But I do know you're both better off with me than any of those blokes, and that when a lady is cold, you best offer your jacket."


He walked away for a moment, disappearing into the shadows. Josephine could hear him dig around in some things. He returned a moment later and laid some blankets out in front of the cell door within their reach. "I can't offer my jacket, but you can take these, at the very least. I'm afraid I can't do nothing about your dresses, though. Can't say we have much in the way of women's clothing around here."


"Don't you think it's a bit ironic?" Josephine spoke up, borrowing from her sister's courage. "That a pirate, keeping us for ransom, is trying to do us good by giving us food and blankets? We're not your guests... we're prisoners."


The man tilted his head, then nodded. "Aye, I suppose that's true. But morals are not always black and white, my dear. You have your reasons for hating me, and rightfully so, but we have our reasons for taking you. And rightfully so. So, if you're going to be here anyway, the least I can do is try to made the ride a bit more comfortable for ya."


He turned to leave, but paused at the base of the stairs back up to the deck. He turned back and looked at Ella. "Oh, and to answer your question, Miss, you can call me Peter. Or nothing at all, if you'd prefer, but I imagine we'll be seeing each other often now."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella and Josephine had been prisoners on the ship for almost two weeks, for her part, Ella was becoming concerned.  They had barely seen the sun in the entire fourteen days; it was ironic, she thought, to be on a ship and yet never get to see the ocean.  But aside from that, they had yet to hear anything from Father.  Things weren't looking good.


Josephine looked pale.  Ella was sure that she did too; it was dark, for one thing, but she also wasn't sure they had been eating quite enough.  Definitely not as much as they were used to.  Peter was nice as far as pirates went, and he was very good about taking care of them and treating them with some degree of respect, but they were still trapped and freedom didn't seem to be getting any nearer.  Today, Peter said, they were docking to restock some supplies.  Ella had begged to be let out just to see the land and the sun, but she doubted anything was going to come of it.  There was hope, though; maybe today would be the day that Father finally tracked down this blasted ship.


Their father wasn't waiting at the dock to board the ship and steal them back, but someone else was.  Two days after the girls hadn't come home, the household had received word that Josephine and Ella were being held for ransom on the The Dragon, a pirate ship that was famous for pulling similar stunts in the past.  The price they had requested for the safe return of the two sisters was steep, and their father was anxiously trying to put together the funds.  Doing so, however, would bankrupt the family.  If he was lucky, he would be able to cash in a few favors from friends he had helped in the past, but once he'd paid off the pirates they would have nothing left.  So, without telling his employer, Alec had decided to take matters into his own hands.


Cleverly, he had spent the past two weeks traveling, asking around to find out ship's most likely destination.  Pirates were hard to find unless you asked the right people, but Alec had figured it out by disguising himself as someone who wanted to join.  It wasn't hard to do; if he wore the tattered clothes he typically did in the stables (he reserved his nicer things for when he met Josephine), it wasn't hard for him to appear as a poor, grungy man looking for a new way to make ends meet.  He was waiting for The Dragon when it arrived, and was quick to approach the captain.


"Sir!" he called boldly, scampering up to meet him.  This was his one chance; Josie was on that ship, and he had to get to her.  He would board as a stowaway if he must, but this would be ideal.


"Whaddya want?" the captain asked grumpily. 


"Captain, sir, I'd like to join your crew."


"What?"


"I'd like to join your crew.  I'm lookin' for a fresh start, see, and I've got some experience sailing.  I don't mind performing the menial chores either.  Have you got any extra room on board?"  The captain glared at him with a critical eye, looking him up and down.  He seemed like a strong lad, young and able-bodied, and he always needed someone who would swab the deck without complaining.


"Alright.  But, you cause any trouble for my men they won't hesitate to throw ya overboard."


"Understood.  Thank you, sir.  I won't let you down."  Alec was elated, and he rushed on board before the captain could change his mind.  Now to find the girls.  Casually, he went around the ship, pretending to acquaint himself with his new surroundings.  They were surely below deck, only he didn't know in which compartment...so he would explore every last one of them.  Finally he came across a small trapdoor in the corner of the ship, and upon descending the stairs he was greeted with a familiar face.  Ella.  She was leaned against the bars of a cell, dressed in her undergarments with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and talking to one of the pirates.  She looked irritated, but that didn't surprise him one bit.


"Sorry to interrupt," Alec said to the man, looking around and being careful not to let any emotion cross his face.  "I've only just joined the crew, looking around.  What's this here, ransom?"  He took a moment to look at the girls, locking eyes with Josie for a split second.  In his heart, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief.  They were okay.  They were trapped, but it definitely could be worse.  "I imagine these two will fetch a pretty price, eh?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine was growing more distraught by the day. It was so hard to tell how long they'd been on this ship when they couldn't even see the sun, and the rocking of the waves had made her sick to her stomach on more than one occasion. She was miserable. She could barely sleep, and though Peter brought them food twice daily, it wasn't nearly enough to keep her stomach full. On top of all of that, she could really use a bath. Unlike Ella, she had kept her gown on this whole time, too afraid and too embarrassed to show herself in just her undergarments. Even though, to be fair, Peter was really the only one who saw the two of them, and occasionally, the captain.


Now she was battling with the boredom. The only entertainment she seemed to get now was exchanging childhood memories with Ella or listening to the banter between her sister and Peter. He was really strange for a pirate. She wanted to hate him for keeping them here, but at the same time, he was the one who kept them warm and fed and broke up the monotony. She supposed she still hated him, just less so than the others. In either case, she didn't have the energy to deal with him. Ella had taken over that responsibility. Today she was begging him to at least let them above deck for a bit.


"Can't," Peter said. "We're docked. But I can talk to the captain once we leave port and see what I can do." Josephine raised an eyebrow at that, honestly surprised that it was a possibility. She could look those other pirates in the eyes if it meant she could see sunlight again.


"What about a bath?" Josie piped up.


"Not even the crew gets that luxury often," Peter said with a shrug. "But... again, I'll see what I can do." He wasn't completely neglectful to their comfort like some of the others were. He realized these circumstances were less than desirable for them, and for that he was sorry. There just wasn't another way. This was about survival.


Peter turned at the voice. His eyes narrowed, appraising the stranger. "We hope so, yes," he said. "And you are....?"


Josie sat up at the voice, at first thinking she was just imagining the familiarity. But then she could see him, and her heart nearly stopped with the mixed emotions of joy and panic. She wanted to run out of this cell and into his arms, a million questions on her mind, but she knew better. She had to remain calm, and act as if she didn't know him. She kept a fixed expression, but her eyes remained glued to him.

 

[AvianJen]

Though every day was becoming more scary, in a way Ella was almost becoming used to it.  She wasn't crying anymore, not like she had for the first several days.  Their situation grew more and more grim, but Ella still tried to remain as positive as she could.  As Father would say, worrying wasn't going to change anything.  While they were waiting, she just tried to remain as comfortable as she possibly could.  Since taking it off she had absolutely no interest in putting her corset and uncomfortable gown back on; she didn't see how Josie could stand it.  Ella wasn't embarrassed at all, but she was happy that none of the other pirates really came down to see them.  Judging by what Peter had said, she didn't imagine that would go over very well.


She did, however, fully intend to put her clothes back on if Peter would allow them up on deck.  The lack of sunlight had begun to drive her crazy.  When Peter finally consented to "seeing what he could do," Ella bounced up and down and clapped her hands together, elated just at the prospect.  She was dying for some fresh air; it would be the best thing to happen to them since getting on this damned ship.  A bath sounded delightful too, and Ella mentally thanked her sister for bringing it up.  She put her hair back up in a bun every day after it fell out in her sleep, but it was starting to feel disgusting all the same.


"I've never actually been on a ship before," Ella said thoughtfully, making conversation.  Try as she might, she'd found she couldn't really convince herself to hate Peter.  He was the only one who helped them out.  And while she loved talking to Josie, but every once in a while she wanted to talk to someone else.  "Well, not before this anyways.  What's it like upstairs?  Everyone's always stomping around, even at night."  Pirates, she was convinced, were related to elephants.  "Do you ever see whales or dolphins?  Or mermaids?  Father always swore that he saw one, once.  I never could figure out if he was telling the truth."


At the sound of a second man's voice, Ella turned her head along with Peter.  It sounded vaguely familiar, but Ella couldn't place it until she saw the man's face.  When she did, her jaw nearly dropped open.  Alec?  This was it, they were saved!  She glanced back at her sister to make sure she wasn't crazy, and sure enough, Josie was staring at the man as if he was the only person in the universe.


"Adam," Alec replied to Peter.  "And you?"  He wasn't sure if using a fake name was going to really do him any good, but it was better safe than sorry.  He had to admit, he'd thought getting on board would be trickier.  But the most challenging part by far would be getting the girls off of the ship.  Alec had no idea how to go about rescuing them without getting all three of them killed, but if a good opportunity didn't present itself, at the very least he could ensure that they were taken care of while they were there.  And he needed to talk to Josie, so it was time to practice his acting skills.


He looked the two girls over, a smirk coming onto his face.  "How many decks do I gotta swab to get an hour with that one?" he half-joked, gesturing towards Josephine.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter couldn't help but be slightly amused with Ella's fascination about life at sea. It was a life he had been living nearly his entire life. Even before Tom had taken him in, he spent a lot of time out on a fishing boat with his father, learning how to cast a line or a net, to navigate by the stars, and sail. He was probably as equally intrigued by her own life as she was by his. To have money and a privileged life on land was a foreign concept to him. Of course, the life of a lady was bound to be very different than any rich or comfortable life he could afford as a man.


"It's busy," he said. "A ship never really rests. There is always work to be done. But it's nice, too, when the weather is right. It's easy to feel lost in the ocean, especially when it's all you can see, but it's so freeing not to be surrounded by city life and judgmental people. Occasionally we'll see the whales or dolphins. Sharks, also. But mostly birds. Now, mermaids... that's something rarer, but I can guarantee they are real, and very dangerous creatures. Although absolutely bloody breathtaking as well, much like yourselves." He gave them a grin. Josephine rolled her eyes. She didn't care much for what she supposed was supposed was meant to be a compliment, but also didn't believe in mermaids.


Another thing she couldn't believe was that she was now looking at Alec. It wouldn't be much longer now, before they got to home. It couldn't be. Or else whatever plan he had cooked up would go south and probably end up getting him killed. Josie couldn't bear to think it coming to that, though, so she forced herself to try and be optimistic. She felt her cheeks warm when he gestured at her, even though she knew it was just his way of trying to get a moment to speak. They had never actually gone so far before, even if they had wanted to. It was too risky. And now, she would have given anything just to hear him say her name, so certain she was that she might not see him again. This was the one circumstance in which she would probably beg just for the chance that Peter might let somebody pay to get a few moments with her.


"Well, Adam. I'm Peter. First mate. So you'll be taking orders from me from now on, unless the captain tells you otherwise." He looked between Alec and Josephine. "And I'm afraid no amount of deckswabbing will get ya any time alone with either of the ladies. They're our guests, and we'll be treating em like it. Don't even think about so much as lookin' at em without permission. Captain'll have yer head if you try laying a hand."


He glanced back towards the girls. "I'll see what I can do about your requests." Then, clapping Alec on the back and leading him towards the upper deck, "Now, let me show ya where you'll be sleeping."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella was fascinated by Peter's response.  She was longing to be allowed onto the main deck, not just to see the sun but also to see the ocean.  The beach wasn't far from their home on land, but she could only imagine what it would look like to stand on a ship and see nothing but water in every direction.  It was almost overwhelming for her to picture, but upstairs that was their reality.  "Pirates aren't judgmental?" she asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.  All people were judgmental from what Ella had seen, at least to some extent.  She highly doubted that pirates were exempt from that, but people were judgmental in different ways.  


When he started talking about mermaids, Ella hung on every word.  She wasn't nearly as skeptical as Josephine; she lived in fantasies almost as often as she lived in the real world, and she had always dreamed of seeing a mermaid.  "You've seen one?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with wonder.  "What was it like?  Dangerous how?"  She'd never thought of mermaids as being dangerous; their mother had told Ella and Josephine lovely stories about the people that lived under the sea, and Ella had always imagined them that way.  She smirked at his compliment, letting out a little laugh.  "Hm."


It was shocking, seeing Alec standing before them.  How on earth had he gotten here?  Ella wasn't sure what to think, other than that it was terribly romantic that he had come all this way to rescue his love.  And herself, of course, though Ella highly doubted that he would have come to her rescue had Josephine not also been captured.  Seeing him also gave some credibility to the hope she still carried with her; maybe, just maybe, he would be able to free them.  Surely he had a plan.


Unfortunately, Alec didn't really have a plan.  He hoped to have one soon, but until he'd earned the trust of the pirates and knew what he was dealing with he didn't want to try anything.  They would be watching him too closely, and if he stepped out of line or raised suspicion, they would all be killed and their father would likely end up paying the ransom anyways- if he ever got the money.  He didn't have to fake his disappointment when Peter informed him that he wouldn't be getting any time alone with the girls, although it did come as a relief to know that the other pirates hadn't been taking advantage of them.


"Roger that," he sighed, looking them over once more.  He turned to follow Peter upstairs, his head spinning as he tried to piece together what to do.  He'd have to give it a few days, and then maybe he'd be brave enough to sneak down and talk to them during the night.  Or maybe another opportunity would arise.  Alec wasn't sure what to do, but at the very least he would make sure that they stayed safe.


When the men were gone, Ella looked over at her sister and clapped her hands with delight, smiling widely.  "How romantic!" she swooned, sitting next to Josephine and pretending to faint in her lap.  "He's come to save you."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter chuckled softly, unsure if Ella was trying to make a point or if she really didn't know much about pirates and was honestly looking for an answer. "No, all people are judgmental. But at least out here I'm surrounded by my own people, and they can't judge me without judging themselves first." There was also the fact that pirates were generally more vocal about their opinions. City folk, especially the rich ones, just stared down their noses, like they were too dignified to even speak to you. That was another thing he found strikingly odd about Ella. She wasn't exactly like most of the other girls of her stature that he'd encountered. 


On the subject of mermaids, he nodded. "Aye. Just once, though. She brought her head up from under water and just watched our ship go past. Men say once a mermaid starts singing, you're a goner. If you don't jump in the water after them yourself, they'll come and drag you down if you're in reach and drown ya. But this one, she didn't sing. She just stared. She got the whole crew out on deck, until the captain came up. I probably would have jumped in after her myself if Tom didn't cock his gun at her. She disappeared real quick after that, and I haven't seen one since. But they're real, and they're out there. Tom said it was lucky there were just one. They're apparently bolder in groups."


He left them with that story to think about as he led the new guy away. He started to show him around the ship, introducing him to members of the crew as he went. "I hope ya didn't join thinking this was going to be easy," he said. "Life at sea isn't for everyone. Most of the men here came because they didn't have a choice, didn't have a home, or are on the run. Not everyone here is kind, but if you do your share of work, you'll be accepted well enough. Have you ever been at sea before?"


Back below deck, Josephine's heart and mind were racing. She smiled when Ella collapsed in her lap, and shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous," she said. "He's come to get himself killed..." She was still incredibly worried about that possibility, but she couldn't help but agree with her sister. "But you're right... it is romantic. God, I hope he knows what he's doing. If anything happens to him, I don't know if I'd be able to live with myself knowing it was all for me..." At least it was a comfort knowing that he was near her, always. Even if she couldn't speak with him. At least, not for now.


"Speaking of, I hope you know what you're doing," she said to Ella, giving her a playful push off of her lap. "Please tell me your flirting with Peter is a plot to get us out of the cell and closer to going home, not just an accident." She would kill to get out of this cramped, dark cell. Even if she had to walk among her kidnappers, she'd be happier knowing she could get fresh air and stretch out her legs. And maybe then, she could find a way to talk to Alec.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella had a naturally inquisitive personality, and she couldn't help wanting to know everything.  She shrugged at his comment about the pirates, thinking about it.  "I mean, I think people usually judge others first, without looking in the mirror.  But I guess in your case their judgment wouldn't hold much credibility."  That seemed to make more sense.  She did have to agree with them that wealthier families tended to have a haughty air about them; that was one of the reasons it had been so difficult for Josephine and Ella to find suitors they could actually tolerate.  Father had raised them differently, to understand the value of hard work and not take what they had for granted.  They certainly weren't taking anything for granted now. 


And his story about the mermaid was enthralling. There was always the possibility that he was lying, but she didn't think that he was.  Why would he lie to her?  "I can't believe you saw one," she said, almost dreamily as she imagined it.  Secretly, Ella hoped that one day she would be able to see one, but she wouldn't if they were never allowed on the main deck.  "Tom," she repeated.  "That's the captain?"  Ella wasn't sure; she hadn't met any other pirates besides Peter and the captain when he came down on rare occasions, but she wasn't sure what his first name was.  It didn't make much of a difference, though, because all she could think about was what it must have been like to see a mermaid.  Confronted with the knowledge that they were real, she was determined to see for herself.  Maybe when they got home she would as Father about it again, ask him to retell his story.


She sighed when Josephine insisted that Alec was going to be killed, shaking her head.  "He's not stupid," she pointed out.  "He can't be, to have found us.  I'm sure he won't get himself killed.  And I'm sure if he rescues us then Father will let him marry you," she added, thinking about it.  "He'd be silly not to.  So think about that instead of him dying."  Josie was such a realist sometimes.


Ella sat up at the mention of Peter, looking genuinely bewildered.  "What?  I wasn't flirting," she said innocently.  Her friendliness hadn't been out of any desire to get out of their cell (though that would be nice) but more out of a desire to hear his stories.  With a life at sea, she was sure he had plenty, and Ella was adventurous at heart.  If she had the choice, she would choose never to settle down and travel with their father instead.  "I wasn't flirting," she repeated, now slightly concerned about the pirate's perception of her.  Did Peter think she was flirting?  That was embarrassing.  "I wasn't trying to.  But did it work?"


Alec shook his head.  His life had never been easy, so he figured the biggest adjustment would be getting used to living at sea instead of on land.  And maybe getting cabin fever since he couldn't get off the ship.  But it was worth it, to help Josephine and her sister.  "Well, I think I fall under the 'no home' category," he said to Peter casually, greeting the other crew members as they walked about.  "It's a long story, but I need a new life.  Haven't been at sea before, no.  But I'm a fast learner."  Already Alec was missing his horses.  He loved riding, not sailing, but he would get the hang of this quickly.  He had to.  "How long have you been on the water?" he asked Peter.  They appeared to be around the same age, though Peter acted as though he had years of experience.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine smiled to herself and fiddled with a lose string on her dress. "Do you really think so?" she asked. They had never talked about it before, probably because they both knew it was an impossible dream. She was sure that someday he might want to marry her, though. A man didn't sneak onto a pirate ship to rescue a girl if he didn't love her. Maybe if they did get out of this, they could finally be open about their relationship. If Alec saved them, maybe their father wouldn't be so upset about the secret, and maybe Ella was right. Maybe it was enough to make marrying the man she truly loved a reality. She was giddy at the thought.


"You most definitely were flirting," Josie informed her. She cleared her voice and sat up straighter, about to put on her Ella impression. "Oh, Peter, tell me about life on the ocean. Ooh, what about mermaids? Have you ever seen a mermaid, Peter?" She relaxed again and grinned at her sister. "And he's eating it up, telling you stories, doing us favors, like asking Captain Tom whether or not we'll be allowed up on deck. How many others do you think they've ever allowed that for? Probably not many. Whatever you're doing, he likes you. Certainly more than he likes me, anyway. Keep it up and he'll probably escort us off this ship himself. And for goodness sake, Ella, he's seen you in your undergarments, too. Whatever happened to 'I'll put them back on in the morning'? You can't tell me you're not doing all of this on purpose..."


She thought for a moment, reaching for a bit of biscuit. It was getting old, having these every day, but they were the only food they got. "If you're not, you should start. It might help us."


Peter nodded. "Alright, as long you're ready and willing to learn. Get ready to grow a pair of sea legs. It's a lot different on land." He opened a door and shoved a mop into Alec's hands. "You can start with this until you get used to it, then maybe we'll consider moving on to better things."


When Alec asked him about how long he'd been on the water, he shrugged. "As long as I can remember. I didn't fully live on a ship until I was about twelve, but I was in a boat often enough until then. I don't really have a home other than the open water. Maybe one day you'll feel the same way."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella nodded.  "Yeah, I really think so. Why would the man who rescued his daughters not be good enough for Father?"  It was a little unorthodox, but Father was not an unreasonable man.  If Alec was successful in rescuing them, he would have more than proven himself worthy, and once he saw how in love Josephine truly was then she was sure that he would bend.  "Besides, I think he'd deserve some kind of reward, right?" she added, smirking.  It was customary in the fairytales Ella was fond of for the man who rescued the princess to receive her hand in marriage.  "I mean, first things first, of course.  No weddings until we get back home."


Ella pouted in response to Josephine's impression.  "I did not sound like that," she protested.  "I was just...genuinely curious.  I like his stories.  They're the best entertainment we have.  And I really do want to know about mermaids.  I don't see anyone else down here who's going to tell us."  She wasn't trying to flirt, but Ella never had any idea how she might be coming off.  She just didn't care all that much.  When Josephine said that he was eating it up, though, she perked up slightly.  "Really?  If he likes me better, it's only because I talk to him and you just sit there and look grumpy."  She rolled her eyes at the comment about her undergarments, laughing.  "I don't understand why you're so obsessed with that.  It's more comfortable, and it's not like he can see anything. Regular dresses don't even cover you up that much more, they just make you harder to get to.  He's not trying anything.  And he actually keeps the other pirates from trying anything."  Her undergarments weren't revealing; she'd taken off the corset, but she left her camisole and had put the petticoat back on so it almost looked like a white dress.  And she usually had a blanket over her shoulders anyways.


"I'm really not doing anything on purpose, really.  I'm just not worrying about what he thinks of me."  Ella never did; she didn't care, as long as she was comfortable and content.  Obviously here there was no way to be content, but she had gotten in trouble with Father many times for not being "proper." She really didn't think that Peter was interested in her, and it was ludicrous if he was, but she did like talking to him.  He had some interesting stories that made the days go by just a tiny bit faster, and he was as nice to them as he was able to be.  He wasn't exactly unpleasant to look at either, but she wasn't going to admit that to Josephine now.  "I think that trying to flirt may mess the whole thing up," she mused, smirking a bit.  "I'll just keep on being nice, and see where that get's us."  She smiled at her sister, shaking her head with amusement.  "It's been a while.  I think they'll let upstairs soon enough."


Alec wasn't surprised when Peter handed him the mop; that was what he had volunteered to do, and he imagined it was a right of passage for all the crew members.  He listened to Peter's answer, wondering under what circumstances a twelve-year-old boy would become a full-time pirate, but he didn't ask.  Alec's own childhood hadn't been easy either, though he was happy working for Ella and Josephine's father now. He loved his horses and he loved his girl, even though the day where she would marry another man was drawing nearer.  He hadn't given any thought to marrying Josephine- it was an impossible dream, and Alec knew that he could never provide for her the way someone else could.  No father wanted to see his daughter go from riches to rags, either.  He didn't know why he hadn't broken it off long ago, because staying together and prolonging the inevitable would only cause them more pain in the end, but he couldn't help it.


With a stiff nod and a slight smile, Alec got to work mopping the deck as she ship pulled away from the dock.  He was a little unsteady on his feet as they started to move, but he was sure that he would get the hang of it quickly.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine wasn't so sure, but was hopeful that maybe Ella was right. What he was doing for her was beyond anything she could have ever imagined. "Can you imagine? Me and Alec, married, instead of sneaking around? I always thought we'd be forced to end it whenever father got impatient with me, or we would get caught by somebody other than you and never get to see each other again. If we get out of this, I don't think I could give him up." She smiled to herself with the mental image of it. She hadn't ever allowed herself to think about it before, but now she couldn't stop picturing waking up to him every morning, looking into the faces of a few perfect little children, growing old by his side. She could stand a simple domestic life if it meant she got to do it with him. She found herself frowning, though, when she realized what it would mean for Ella if she got to have that life. "What about you, though? Even if Alec does get us out of this mess, and father doesn't have to pay the ransom, and I can marry Alec... our family is still losing our money. If I got to marry for love, you might not have that luxury anymore."


"Mermaids aren't real..." Josephine said, sure of it. "He just told you those things because he's messing with you. And I am grumpy. I'm tired of sitting in a cold and dark cell as a captive. I don't really see the point in pretending otherwise. I'm not about to go and make myself comfortable, either. If I'm going to be down here, I'm going to do it with dignity. It doesn't matter how much or how little our actual dresses cover up, it's about the implications. Women aren't supposed to let men see them like that... it's not proper. It's an invitation. Just because he hasn't done anything doesn't mean he won't. Or that somebody else might not try." She wasn't like Ella in that sense. She wasn't capable of being so carefree. Getting involved with Alec was probably the only scandalous action Josephine had ever taken. Other than that, she had a tendency to do things strictly by the book.


"Anyway, you can do what you're comfortable with. If it gets us what we want, I can't really complain. Just be careful, alright? That's all I'm saying."


Peter watched Alec scrub the deck for a few minutes while the ship pulled away from the dock. Once he was certain that Alec was capable of the work on his own, he got on his own way. He had his other duties to attend to, a few crew mates to speak to. He did his job for a little while until they were well enough away. An hour or so had passed before he found his way to the captain, who was more like a father to him than his boss. He mentioned the girls' requests about time above deck to stretch out their legs and a bath. Surprisingly, the captain agreed. Then again, Peter usually got what he asked for. The captain always trusted his judgment.


He returned back below deck. "I just spoke with the captain. He said it's alright to go above deck for a bit, but that there are a few conditions. One is that you agree to mend a few sails for us. The other is that you both join us for dinner tonight. I guess he's in the mood for different company, and that's also where you'll have to bathe if you want it. You'll have your privacy, of course, it's just the only place on the ship with a tub."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella didn't really know what to say.  She had never pictured Josephine and Alec married, and if they were she wasn't sure what that would look like.  Would they be poor? Granted, if their father didn't get his finances straightened out then they would all be poor, but it was hard for Ella to comprehend. She also couldn't quite relate to Josephine's intense desire to marry Alec in particular, because she'd never had an opportunity to fall in love and had no idea what it felt like.  It sounded wonderful, but it seemed like it caused more pain than joy.  "I'm sure it'd be great," she said to her sister, smiling widely.  "I hope it works out for you."  She shrugged when Josephine pointed out that she might not have the same opportunities if that happened.  "Well, I'm not in love.  It doesn't matter, and neither of us are supposed to marry for love anyways."  Ella loved the idea of romance, but she just didn't see it in her future.  She was content to read her fairy tales and imagine it, because especially with everything happening, there was no reason to get her hopes up.


"I don't know, I think they are," Ella disagreed with Josie.  "And I think implications are silly.  I'm not inviting anything, and if they think that then that's their problem.  Who decides what's proper, anyways?" Ella had a great disdain for social customs and all the restrictions placed upon women, especially when it came to wardrobe.  She loved to dress up nice and feel like a princess, but sometimes she just didn't feel like it.  She'd gone without wearing a corset multiple times, and nobody could ever really tell.  Ella sighed, running a hand through her hair.  It felt disgusting.  "If we get to go upstairs then I'll put my dress back on. But not the corset."  Josephine could think what she wanted and that was fine- to each their own.  She knew that Josie was just trying to look out for her.  "I'm always careful," she lied, smirking as she wove her hair into a braid.


The next couple of hours passed in silence.  Ella laid down to take a nap for a bit, using her dress as a pillow like she had been for the past couple of weeks.  The blankets were nice, too- she didn't know what they would do without them.  She was awoken by the bit of light that entered the cell when the door opened and the familiar sound of Peter stomping down the steps.  Ella recognized his gait by heart now, and she stirred, sitting up to see what he had to tell them.


The news was better than she had expected.  "Really?" she said, rising to her feet and grinning broadly.  It was a little funny that they wanted them to mend sails, but Ella certainly didn't mind.  She wasn't great at sewing, but she could patch up a couple of holes no problem. "That sounds wonderful.  Can we go now?"  True to her word, she slid her gown over her head and stuck her arms through the sleeves.  She looked at Josephine briefly, about to ask her to button the dress for her, but then she remembered that she was supposed to be flirting and had a better idea.  While Josie was getting up, Ella pranced over to Peter and turned around, sliding her braid around her shoulder.  


"Can you button it up for me?" she asked innocently, waiting for Josephine to gag.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. Now that she had the image of that dream in her mind it was going to be impossible to get it out. Ella, though. Poor, poor Ella. Josie couldn't decide whether she should pity her sister for not believing that love was out there for her, or envy her for being able to accept a loveless marriage as just a fact of life. Then again, she'd never tasted what it was like, so how could she know what she was missing? But it had to be out there for her. She just hadn't been as lucky as herself to have found it yet. 


"Why? Because mum told you so in a story?" Josephine asked, raising an eyebrow. She loved her sister, but she could be really annoyingly imaginative sometimes. "I suppose you believe in unicorns and magic, too? They were fairy tales, Ella. To teach us morals and give us good dreams instead of nightmares. They're not real." She could understand why Ella clung to them so much, though. The fairy tale life was much more fantastical than the real world. Although, in their current situation, she would give anything to get back to the real world. "You know, I really don't understand you." But she grinned at her sister. They had their differences, sure, but she would give her the world if she could.


When Peter came in and gave them the good news, Josephine couldn't help but smile. Finally, a chance to see the sun again. A chance to get clean, and breath fresh air, and eat something other than a biscuit, even if it was in the presence of less than desirable company. And, maybe, if she was lucky, she could speak with Alec. At the very least, she might get to see his face again. Also, Ella was finally putting her clothes back on, though she frowned when she offered her back to Peter. It wasn't exactly what she meant by flirting.


"Oh, well," Peter stared at Ella's back for a moment, surprised that she was asking him to help. He hesitated for a moment, wondering why she hadn't just asked Josephine to help her. But he also felt awkward refusing, even if he felt awkward following through with the request as well. "Alright." His fingers found the first button and he started to fasten up her dress as quickly and gently as he could. It was strange, having recalled a few time where he'd unbuttoned a dress like this, but never a time when a woman had asked him to do the opposite. "There," he said, indicating when he was done. Josephine was shooting daggers with her eyes.


A moment of awkward silence. He cleared his throat and took a key out. "Better get going, then," he said, unlocking the cell for the first time since they've been on the ship. He felt a little bit nervous about it, as if they might escape or try something. But it was a silly fear, he realized. They were two women on a ship of dozens of men. Nothing they could do short of throwing themselves overboard was going to get them anywhere.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella pouted when Josephine started to make fun of her, rolling her eyes.  "No, because Father told us he'd seen one," she argued.  "And Peter said he'd seen one.  I don't think he was lying.  And he said they were dangerous."  That didn't prove anything, but he hadn't made fun of her or told her how mermaids were wonderful, magical creatures like in fairytales.  Maybe dangerous mermaids were more realistic.  "I know, I know, I'm the silly one.  But if we see a mermaid, I will hold it over you forever," she informed Josephine, a playful smile on her face.  Ella did love to live in her daydreams and often fantasized about magical creatures and fantastic adventures.  If Josephine wanted to spend the rest of her life in a little house raising children with Alec then that was fine, but Ella wanted to see the world and know everything there was to know about it.  As a married woman, her chances of being able to travel abroad would be slim, and to Ella that was the greatest tragedy.  Maybe Father could at least find a merchant's son to marry her to.  


She stood there patiently as Peter began to button up her dress, smirking at Josie all the while.  It was all fun and games to her.  Even though Peter tried to be quick, there were probably a dozen tiny buttons on the back of her dress. "Thanks," she smiled, rolling her shoulders back and turning around when he was done.  It felt odd to be wearing it again; she'd gotten so comfortable without it.  "Josie always gets the buttons mixed up."  She shot another playful grin back at her sister, feeling rather accomplished even though she had no reason to. As Peter started to unlock the cell, Ella could hardly stand still.  The sun!  The ocean! She hadn't given a second thought to having to face the rest of the pirates, and if she had she wouldn't have cared.  She was so excited to finally get some fresh air, and when Peter opened the cell she all but flew out.


The girls followed him up above deck.  It was so bright that Ella had to squint at the ground for several seconds as her eyes adjusted from weeks of being in the darkness.  It was so bright. Had the outdoors always been this bright?  It took her a good few minutes, but finally her eyes had adjusted enough for her to look up. And despite their circumstances, Ella felt her heart soar.  "Oh my goodness."  She wandered over to the edge of the ship and took in the sight.  As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but sparkling blue water.  She leaned over and watched it ripple against the side of the boat, hypnotized by the movement.  Slowly, Ella looked back up, following the water to the horizon. It made her feel tiny, like nothing more than a spec in the universe.  "Josie, this is amazing."  She turned around to look at her sister, but her eyes fell on Peter instead.  She tilted her head, studying his face.


"You look different in the light," she told him, squinting ever so slightly.  He had a nice face, when it wasn't obstructed by shadows.  "What's first, sails or bath?"


As she waited for her answer, Ella continued to look around.  It didn't take long for her to find Alec, scrubbing the deck.  He still stumbled a bit here and there but he'd gotten the hang of it, and Ella noticed that he looked up at Josie every few seconds, just barely enough to be noticeable. The pirates on the deck weren't so subtle about their staring- most of them had never gotten a good look at the girls, and most of them hadn't had a close encounter with a woman for a long time.  Surprisingly, Ella was glad to not be in her undergarments.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter seemed to accept the explanation, but Josephine shot her sister an offended look. It disappeared when the cell door was opened though. She quickly followed Peter and her sister out, relishing in the feeling of being able to walk and stretch her limbs, and as they got closer to the deck, the warm sun on her face. She smiled, tilting her face to the warmth and letting it bathe her. She never thought she would ever miss the sun, but she would never take it for granted again.

She opened her eyes and joined her sister by the edge of the boat, looking out onto the water. It was an odd feeling, being surrounded by ocean on all sides and confined to this tiny ship. They were at the mercy of the waves out here. She didn't really like it as much as Ella seemed to, but it was kind of beautiful. She was able to admire it for a few moments before she allowed herself to look around for Alec. When she saw him, her heart skipped a beat. They locked eyes, but she quickly looked away, fighting to urge to run to him or even smile. Over time, she had gotten good at pretending there was nothing between them, but it was more important now than ever. Just how was she going to get a message to him if she had to act like she didn't even know him?

Peter raised an eyebrow at Ella's comment. A short laugh. "Good different, I hope. I can say the same about you two." He hadn't actually ever seen them in the light before, but even in the dark he could tell they were both really pretty. Of course he'd never said so. He always did his best to avoid being crude, unlike the majority of his shipmates, who often poked fun at him for being the "gentleman". He reached out and touched Ella's elbow lightly, pulling her back from the edge of the ship a bit. "Careful, though, it gets slippery around there."

Josephine looked back up at them when she was done with her thinking. "Perhaps I can take my bath first while Ella starts the mending. I just got her back in proper clothes, she doesn't really need an excuse to take them off again." She glanced to Ella, simultaneously digging at her for choosing to go without her dress but also subtly making an innuendo on her sister's behalf towards Peter. Might as well help. Besides, Peter had mentioned they would get their privacy. Maybe she could use the opportunity to snoop around a little bit and find some parchment so she could slip a letter to Alec.

Peter nodded. "Sure," he said. "Why don't you both follow me. I'll show you where the captain's quarters are so you can bathe, and then I'll take you to the sails that need mended."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella had never been so amazed. The sight before her was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, and she couldn't take her eyes off of the rolling waves. She glanced over at her sister, her smile widening. Josie didn't look quite so amazed, but Ella hadn't expected her to. Ella watched as Josie glanced over at Alec, wondering what thoughts were passing through each of their heads.

For Alec, it was mostly relief. In the light he was able to see them more clearly and see that they didn't appear to be harmed. There were no bruises on their faces, no cuts, and while they could both certainly use baths they looked relatively like themselves. Their dresses were torn in places and they were maybe a bit thinner, but they didn't appear to be starved. Alec was filled with longing to be with Josie, but he was used to denying his desires. He had developed a strong sense of self-control, and was hardly fazed. It was a different set of circumstances, the stakes were higher, but the facts remained the same. They needed to be careful. He returned to mopping the deck, turning so that his back was towards the girls. He couldn't risk the temptation, and he didn't want to tempt Josie any more than he had to.

Ella smirked, leaning against the railing and looking at Peter. "Hm, good different, I think," she decided. He had a little braid in his hair that she hadn't been able to see in the dark, and her eyes fixated on it momentarily. "What about you, good different?" She was startled when he touched her to pull her back, but she didn't protest. It was a little bit slippery, and Ella knew that Peter probably knew best. The last thing she wanted was to fall overboard, but the ocean was so beautiful. She wanted to see more of it, even though it surrounded them on all sides.

Her thoughts remained distracted, as usual, until she heard Josephine say her name. Ella pouted at her sister's remark, tugging her hair out of her braid and flipping it back. All around them, the other pirates snickered, making what Ella was sure were unnecessarily colorful comments among themselves. What did Josie have to do that for? It stung a bit, even if it was unintentional. She was a little surprised that Josephine wanted to split up; she would have thought they would stick together, but she trusted her sister's judgment well enough. It wasn't like anything was going to happen, and she knew that she was probably just trying to get a minute with Alec.

"That's fine," she shrugged, turning to follow Peter. Her eyes lingered on the sparkling sea as they departed towards the captain's quarters.

Alec turned to watch them go. The sound of Josie's voice made his heart hurt, and he had to resist the urge to smile in response to her matter-of-fact comment about Ella. It was so like her, and again Alec felt relief to know that her spirit had not been broken by captivity. He would wait for the perfect moment, but he would do everything he could to get them out soon.