Azure Adventure

[xiumi]

After putting away the document, Ion immediately went out to rejoin his crew members. As they were already in the open sea, some of the crew members relaxed and left their posts as they were not absolutely required to stay there. The shout of orders were immediately replaced by sounds of merriment. When the ship is out at sea, there were really not much to do to amuse oneself yet for some reason, the crew members always managed to do something to amuse themselves, from merrymaking to gambling to friendly brawls to simple talks. Today, they chose to simply rejoice being out at sea... and to continue the festivity they indulged in during their stay at Faylea.


With the new addition to their crew, they invited the ambassador to join them, more for their amusement than a consideration for his feelings. There was nothing more entertaining than messing around with a young, wide-eyed, innocent noble who knew nothing about the world. The poor young man looked uncomfortable answering some of the questions that the pirates asked, especially those that were a little too inappropriate. Ion felt slightly apologetic towards the Chaelfer. He knew through first hand experience how overwhelming the crew members can be during the first meeting. He knew because they acted the exact same way when he first joined. They meant well, of course; they were just completely unaware that when they got together, their impact is even greater than that of a tempest. Chaelfer, though still a little scared, was starting to realize that the crew members weren't going to do anything that was outright rude or violent unless provoked.


Feeling assured that the ambassador is now in good (?) hands, he decided to return to his quarters to thoroughly read the royal document the man brought. There were still many things about this mission that were questionable and suspicious to him. It was reckless to set sail without knowing everything...but not knowing and the danger that came with it was part of the adventure. Still he'd rather have them come out of it unscathed and reap all possible benefits. But first things first, he had to make sure--really sure--that all the provisions were outlined in the contract and that no traps were laid out for him and his crew after they returned. If there was even a single trap, he'll tear the damn thing right away and turn the ship around.


With that thought in mind, he sat at his desk and opened the drawer which contained the document. Or at least, it was supposed to contain the document... Only the document was no where to be found. His first reaction was panic, but through years of practice and experience, he managed to calm himself. He knew without a doubt that that was where he placed the document, but nonetheless, he checked every drawer to make sure. Yet the document was no where to be found. He thought back to the events after he placed the document away. Someone--maybe one of his crew members--could have sneaked in here while he was with everyone. Though sneaking around his room does not sound like the doing of anyone from his crew. And they had no reason to take the contract because money was as far as they cared. So then, were they infiltrated--? It's possible--but completely reckless--


If they were infiltrated, then the culprit, whoever he is is still on the ship. There was nowhere to hide and eventually they were going to find him. He might still even be in his room, listening and watching whatever it is he was doing. If he was still in the room, then the logical immediate hiding place is the closet. However if there was an spy, or whatever he is, he didn't want to alert him. He then thought of an idea.


He walked calmly towards the door, as though to exit his room. He opened it, and without stepping outside, he closed it again, making sure each sound was loud and clear so that it can be heard throughout the room. He waited a moment, and then...

 

[ImagineInPink]

Elenore was careful to try and listen to the door as she read the document. The last thing she wanted was to be caught 'stealing' a letter from the castle. It was one thing to sneak into the ship, but she didn't want to add theft to the things she had done. However, a big part of her needed to find out what was happening with her Kingdom. After all, her parents didn't really tell her too much. And so, it was time for her to find out some answers on her own.


Due to this, the contents of the letter were quite a surprise. The young woman had no idea that her Kingdom was under the threat of war. Not to mention that it was so bad that her parents had to request the services of a pirate ship to transport the ambassador. Eleonore knew that Faylea's army wasn't the best, but she didn't know that the waters were so dangerous that a pirate ship had to be used. Now realizing that they were heading to the enemy kingdom, the Princess couldn't help but wonder just what the ambassador was going to offer the opposing side. She doubted it was money. Sure, her kingdom was pretty well off but she didn't think the kingdom of Dwilawyr really needed the money.


However, before she could finish figuring it out, or reading the document, Eleonore heard the door being opened. As fast and quietly as she could, the young woman stepped into the closet, closing the door. With the document still in hand, Eleonore pressed her ear against the closet door in an attempt to figure out when it was safe to go out. All she was able to hear for a few moments, however, was the shuffling of papers and the movement of drawers. The captain, no doubt, was trying to find the document she held in her hand.


Which made her worried, to tell the truth. However, she stayed inside the closet, waiting for the opportunity to get out and put back the contract. And when she thought she heard the door open and close, the Princess took the opportunity. With a sigh of relief, Eleonore took a step forward and opened the door. The shock, however, made her freeze for a moment.


"This....is not what it looks like..."


Was pretty much all the Princess was able to say. And although it was exactly what it looked like, Eleonore had to try and save herself in some way. And as she tried to read the man's face, she couldn't help but notice something....familiar about his blue eyes. Maybe it was this familiarity that made her take a couple of steps closer to the man, which she guessed was the captain, and stare at him for a couple of seconds.


And all of a sudden the image of her best friend came to mind. Before she knew it, the question came out of her mouth.


"Ion...is that you?"


The Princess asked, hoping with all her heart that it was. She hadn't seen her friend in years and although she appreciated the letters, there was nothing like seeing he was well. The fact, however, that he was a pirate ship captain seemed to disappear in her mind for now.

 

[xiumi]

The closet door opened as he had expected. When it did, he was determined to put the thief in his right place, but nothing prepared him from person he saw. Unable to think of anything, he just stood there with his eyes wide open in disbelief, mouth agape. She has definitely grown up, but the person who came out of his closet was undoubtedly Ellie... But that definitely couldn't be. There was no way... She must be a hallucination. Must be.


Standing close to the door as he is, he swiftly went out, only to open the door again to look inside his room. He repeated the action several times, as if the person in front of him will disappear just because he no longer sees her. One of his crew members, Reza, took notice of his odd behavior and gave him a peculiar look.


"Captain, what exactly are you doing?" The question made startled him.


He turned his head towards him and gave him a fake smile, "N-nothing, Reza. Can you call for Akeam?"


"Huh..." was the response he received, in addition to another peculiar look. Though he did leave and called for Akeam as Ion had asked.


Akeam approached him with ease, "Captain, you need something?" He gripped Akeam's shoulders and looked straight into his eyes with furrowed brows. "Umm... Ion, you're... a little too close..." Akeam states as he tries to get away from Ion's grip.


"Akeam... I might have gone crazy..." Ion states without looking away.


"Huh?!"


"Remember what I told you? About my childhood friend? And a promise?"


"Yeah..."


"I don't know if it's because of the guilt or what, but she is inside my room... Or at least I think she is... but she can't be because--"


"Because?"


"--because she just can't. So she must be a hallucination... but no matter how many times I open and close the door, she's still there."


Akeam looks at him for a minute before bursting out into a laugh. "What are you, a kid? I've never seen you this shaken up. If the crew members can see you like this--" he says between laughs.


"Akeam, I'm serious," starting to get a little irritated.


"Alright, alright, I'll go check inside. You are coming too, right?" Ion nodded slightly. "Why is it so bad if she's here anyway? I mean, I guess it is bad, but you make sound as if it's completely impossible for her to be here."


Ion considers whether to answer the question or not, but knowing Akeam for six years now, he knew he could trust him to say nothing to anyone. He starts... "...She can't be here... because she's not allowed to leave the palace."


"Palace? You did say you worked there once. But as a servant, you were able to leave freely right? So why can't she?"


"Because she's not a servant... She's the princess."


"Pri-- Well, well," Akeam says as a little smile formed in his mouth.


"Don't even think about it, Akeam... If she's here, this isn't funny..."


"Alright, I won't say anything," he shrugged. "Let's go put your worries to rest, shall we?" he continues as he opens the door and steps inside. Sure enough, there was a person, a girl, standing by the closet, looking unsure and a little bit scared. As he scrutinized her face, he recognized her as the person who tried to sneak into the ship three days before.


"It's you!" Akeam exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"


"Wai-- Akeam, you know each other? Since when?"


"Three days ago, she tried to sneak into the ship but I caught her so I sent her away. You must really have guts to come back here. I told you to leave, didn't I?"


"Oh, crap..." Ion sighs. "So she's not a hallucination." He shifts his gaze at her, looking at her carefully for the first time since she emerged from the closet. Now that he knew she was real, he couldn't decide how he felt. He had missed her more than he thought, but he resisted the urge to go hug her right then and there because he knew he didn't have the right after how he had just treated her only moments earlier. At the same time, he was afraid: afraid because now she could see what he's become; afraid because her presence meant all kinds of wrong, and no doubt the kingdom is in a chaos looking for her right now. He was afraid for her because their current destination was nothing short of dangerous. But then, he felt relieved, because now he had a chance to fulfill his promise, and excited for the journey ahead that he can finally share with her.


What does one say at a moment like this? How have you been? Look, I became a pirate captain. I missed you? Nothing seemed appropriate. Instead, all he could say was, "Ellie..."

 

[ImagineInPink]

Now recovered from the slight shock, Eleonore realized that she might have acted on impulse. Maybe it hadn't been the greatest idea to come here. After reading the letter, or what she could, the Princess couldn't help but notice how dangerous this was going to be. And in what position she had forced Ion into. Of course, she might have given this a second thought if she had known all of this beforehand but a little voice told her it would have changed nothing. Eleonore just couldn't stay in the castle any longer. Her fate already decided there, and so, she needed to be free for a little while before committing to that life forever.


"I'm taking that as a yes."


The Princess said upon seeing his alerted state. And before Eloenore could say anything else, Ion left the room and opened the door again. Eleonore couldn't help but sigh as he repeated the procedure several times. However, a smile was kept in her face as he tried to, she guessed, make sure she was actually there. And even though it had been years, Ion was still able to make the Princess laugh a little as he appeared extremely freaked out. And then finally, the door didn't open again. Eleonore thought about going out and seeing what Ion was doing but she didn't think it was a good idea to show herself to the crew without knowing what Ion thought of it.


When the door opened again though, Ion wasn't the first one to come out. Instead, she recognized the man that had sent her away the first time. And just like him, she couldn't help but vocalize her realization. Right about at the same time, too.


"It's you! Technically, you did. I'm sorry, but I had to come back."


The Princess said with an apologetic smile. Eleonore didn't want to cause trouble, but she wasn't going to turn back now. Especially when Ion was right in front of her. They had years to catch up on, after all. Even with the letters, there was nothing like talking to someone in person. And for a moment, Eleonore wanted to hug him. However, her instinct told her not to. That it was forbidden. Although she was away from the castle, Eleonore couldn't really escape 19 years of behavior habits. And then she realized that while she was away from the castle, Eleonore was going to make her own choices.


Now that he seemed convinced she was real, Eleonore walked up to him and smiled as he called her 'Ellie'. Maybe it was the nickname that made her get closer and shyly hug him. Truthfully, the Princess didn't think she had hugged a guy before. And so, the experience was a little awkward but she had to admit that Ion was warm.


"I'm...really sorry I sneaked in, Ion. I just couldn't stay in the castle anymore. And...I missed you the past few years."


Eleonore said, pulling away from her friend, hoping that he was happy to see her as well.

 

[ImagineInPink]

Bump~

 

[ImagineInPink]

Bump~

 

[ImagineInPink]

Bump~

 

[xiumi]

He stood as motionless as a statue as Ellie came closer. He had no idea what she would do: slap him, punch him, kick him, these seem to be the most logical consequences to his behavior so far. And quite frankly he would have deserved it. He promised that he would return as often as he can but he completely broke that, avoiding a visit to Faylea since he became captain of his own ship. He lied to her about his occupation. He wrote letters to her, yes, but they never contained the whole truth. It made complete sense if she did beat him up.


So he was completely surprised when she wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. His initial reaction was to stand even stiffer than he already was. He could sense her reluctance and reticence. He could feel the her shyness which only made him even more aware of her body and presence. He really ought to act more natural, but there was nothing natural about their current state. Ellie had never hugged him, or anyone, before, not even back when they were children. It was improper then and it was even more so now. But that was because he was a servant at her palace... Those status didn't matter here and there were no curious eyes watching them. So instead, he abandoned his reserve and wraps his arms around her shoulders, placing his chin on top of her head. She might have grown but compared to his frame, she was still so petite.


"I'm...really sorry I sneaked in, Ion. I just couldn't stay in the castle anymore. And...I missed you the past few years."


"I... missed you too..." He said quietly, feeling as though he was not completely in control of his own voice.


He allowed himself a moment to feel her warmth before she pulled away. For the first time since their unexpected reunion, he looked at her carefully, scanning her face. I can't believe she's here...She's here... She...'s here...


Akeam, whose presence was currently forgotten, cleared his throat loudly.


The feelings of warmth were replaced by panic as Ion recalls the direness of the situation. "You're here! What in the world went on in your head that you ran away from the palace?! Do you have any idea the kind of chaos the kingdom would be in right now looking for you?!


"To top it off, you sneaked inside my ship; they'll definitely accuse me of kidnapping you or some nonsense like that," he spoke rapidly, not really directing the comments to Ellie anymore, "Then they'll use it against me and the crew, using it as some excuse not to pay up then proceed to hang us to on the--"

 

[ImagineInPink]

Eleonore couldn't help but feel just as stiff and unfamiliar with the hug as Ion seemed to be. Although her reaction was more than embarassing, it really couldn't be helped. Having such physical proximity with anyone, much less a guy, was extremely forbidden by her parents. Even her meetings with Princes were monitored by a royal advisor. However, the uncomfortable feeling she had melted away as Ion wrapped his arms around her shoulders and placed his chin on hear head.


Before she knew it, Eleonore was smiling as he admitted to missing her. It was such a relief that Ion still cared about her depite not seeing her for so long.


That's right. They hadn't seen each other for six long years. Because Ion never came back home. Eleonore, now that she had distangled herself from Ion and his warmth, realized that her friend had broken his promise. That Eleonore had felt extremely lonely during the last six years and with no means of seeing her friend.


Before she could do some realization of her own, Eleonore was taken aback by the rambling Ion suddenly started. Although she couldn't blame him. Eleonore had done something reckless and outright stupid. But she had her reasons. And he was going to hear them. Plus, now that she realized he had broken his promise, Eleonore was starting to get angry.


Finally, Eleonore couldn't keep her feelings to herself any longer. In between his little speech, Eleonroe had no choice but raise her voice.


"Ion!" The girl shouted, interrupting him mid-sentence.


"No one needs to know I came here. Father and mother just know that I ran away. I'll deal with their wrath when I come back."


Eleonore said with a sigh as he asked what ran through her head when she ran away. Truthfully, it had been something she wanted to do for a long time. However, it had taken a conversation between her parents to make her realize it was now or never.


"I had to leave...because my parents are looking for a fiance. They want me to get married soon, Ion. I can't handle that without doing something for myself at least once. Plus, you...never came back home. For a while, I thought I would never see you again, so I had to take this chance when I could. We made a promise, remember?" Eleonore said, finally unable to hide her anger. That promise had meant a lot to the young woman. At some point in time, Eleonore thought that Ion just didn't want to see her. Now, she was glad to see that wasn't the truth. Nonetheless, she really wanted an explanation from Ion, to say the least.


"Be honest with me, Ion. If father hadn't requested your services...would we have never seen each other again?"

 

[ImagineInPink]

Bump~

 

[xiumi]

"I--" Ion started to answer but immediately stopped. He didn't really quite know how to answer her for he himself didn't know whether he would have returned. These six years, all he thought of was making something of himself. He frequently thought of his family in Faylea, of his mother and of Ellie. But the thought of seeing them was not quite as immediate as the next adventure. They'll always be in Faylea, he thought, there will always be more opportunities to visit them later. And that childhood promise between him and Elllie, the promise that he knew he couldn't keep but didn't want to break. But now all that was for nothing, it seemed. For Ellie was here on his ship even when he didn't want her to be there, even though he knew it was wrong for her to be there.


"I... It's not like I came just because your father wanted me to come, Ellie," it was an excuse that he came up with on the spot, but he realized that he meant it. The letter may have just been the catalyst, the push, he needed to get the courage to return. Besides, if he had truly wanted to avoid Ellie, then he wouldn't have written that letter telling her that he was coming home. Somewhere, maybe deep inside, he wanted to see his home country, his family. He wanted to see Ellie. But he wasn't about to admit that to her. "Look, I realize now that visiting these past six years was wrong but... I-- I-- I don't need to explain myself to you."


"Oooh--" Akeam softly whispered under his breath as he sensed the tension in the air. It's getting too dangerous in here.... "I'm just gonna.... uhh... step out while you two catch up..." he said as he exited the room. Although neither Ion nor Ellie have noticed his retreat.


He regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth. But by the time he realized what he said, it was already too late to take it back.

 

[ImagineInPink]

Eleonore, for a small moment, felt guilty. Maybe it really wasn't her place to ask that of Ion. However, Eleonore couldn't help but feel the way she felt. Lonely and like her best friend in the world didn't want to see her anymore. It was irrational but Ion really meant a lot to Eleonore. When she was with him, Eleonroe didn't feel like the princess of an entire kingdom. She felt like herself. And although that promise had meant the world to Eleonore, the princess was much more mature now. She knew it had been virtually impossible for her to be here. The only reason why she was standing here was because of disobedience. And yet, she couldn't help but feel upset.


Despite her feelings, Eleonore was happy to hear the job wasn't the only reason Ion was here. Plus, he had sent her a letter letting her know he was coming. And for a moment, everything seemed to be fine. Until Ion told her he didn't have to explain himself to her. Somehow, the words made her upset again. "No, you don't. But you could have at least told me you were a pirate. Were're friends, Ion. " The Princess found herself saying, her tone slightly angry and in tune with how she was feeling.


And then, Eleonore was suddenly reminded of Ion's occupation. That was a whole other issue. If Ion was a pirate, did that mean he had changed? Was he really a thief now? And suddenly, the lack of visits started to make sense. Maybe Ion really had wanted to come back, but he had been afraid. Afraid of what she would think once she heard Ion had become a pirate. Not only that but the captain of his own pirate ship. However, she still didn't know how long Ion had been a pirate. "Ion...did you avoid Faylea because you became a pirate?" The Princess asked, wondering if Ion had done something bad enough to hide from her. Maybe Eleonore was overreacting, but she really had missed him. More than she had thought.

 

[ImagineInPink]

Bump~


Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk

 

[ImagineInPink]

Bump~

 

[xiumi]

As question hung in the air, unanswered, silence stretched between them. Though the question was simple, there was no simple answer. Ion looked straight into her inquiring,curious eyes. She met his gaze squarely, unwavering.


He sighed, resigning himself to the reality of the current situation.


"Since we're already in this predicament, I suppose there really is nothing left to do but accept it. But listen here, Ellie, I love you like a younger sister, but I don't want to give you the wrong idea. I may not be the person you think I am anymore. So don't expect me to pretend like nothing has changed these last few years."


He shrugged, and shook his head as he let out a low, derisive laugh that seems to echo in the silence of the room. "Oh, Ellie, I really tried to... protect you from the realities of the world. It's not all rainbows and grand adventures, you know?"

 

[ImagineInPink]

Eleonore was not surprised at the silence. If Ion had avoided to talk to her about being a pirate, then it must not be an easy thing to talk about. Especially with all of the rumors and bad reputation pirates seemed to have. Their bad reputation had even managed to reach the princess' ears. However, all Eleonore could do was hope Ion hadn't changed too much over the years.


After Ion finished, it was Eleonore's time to stay quiet for a second. Of course Ion had changed. He had probably seen so much of this world that the experience had to have some impact. The princess, unlike her friend, had lived her entire life in a bubble. Nothing had changed for her. But that won't be true for long. Now, Eleonore was going to enjoy this time with Ion. After all, she still thought of him as a sibling as well.


Finally, after a while, Eleonore smiled at Ion. The princess knew that the man had avoided the question. However, it wasn't her place to push him. Eleonore had just missed him all these years. The young woman could always ask him later.


"Then let me get to know the new you. I appreciate your concern Ion but I think it's time for me to see the real world."

 

[xiumi]

At her declaration, he returned her smile with an impish grin, "I don't think you want to get to know the 'new' me. But--" he paused as he pointed at her, unmistakably challenging her with his eyes, "--don't swallow your own words."


After a moment, changing the topic, he continued, "You know, I'm quite impressed you were able to escape the palace. The royal guards must be slacking on their jobs. And to think that you stayed in town, unnoticed for days... that's remarkable too. What's more surprising still is that no one figured out who you are with those clothes," he nodded at her ostentatious dress, clearly exorbitant when compared to regular townspeople. He guessed that it was probably one of her simplest attires, but still, he couldn't quite hold back the words that followed. "If you were really being smart, you would have changed and acquired commoner clothing at the port."


"You're a smart girl so I probably don't need to tell you but no one in the ship can know who you are," he said as he turned around and walked to the door . "You should change. I'll be outside while you do. I'll introduce you to the crew when you're done changing." Reaching the door, the turned the knob and opened it slightly, "You can find more practical clothing in the closet." He moved to leave the room, but abruptly paused as though a certain thought just occurred to him, "Though I doubt you'll find anything that fits you..."


With that, he exited the room, the thud and click of the door as it shut closed marking the end of their conversation.


---


Akeam had been standing guard by door, overseeing the ship from where he stood. Nobody in the crew seemed to notice that something was amiss. When the door finally opened, Akeam straightened.


When the door slammed home, Ion could no longer stifle a sigh, so long that it resembled the never-ending sough of the sea. If the saying that one loses his a little bit of his life when one sighs, then Ion have probably lost at least 10 years of his. Akeam couldn't help but smile both in pity and amusement.


The grin still playing along his lips, he raised his eyebrows as Ion's eyes met his, a silent conversation passing between the two.


"Don't even start," Ion said, carefully enunciating each word, while walking towards the center of the deck.


"What?" he shrugged while stifling a laugh as he followed after Ion.

 

[ImagineInPink]

Eleonore kept her gaze on his as he talked. Although naive, the young princess was proud. She was going to prove to her parents and herself that she could go through with this. That she was old enough to take care of herself. And so, she answered Ion with a smile. "Don't worry, I won't." Eleonore assured him, meaning what she was saying.


Although her stare remained confident, Eleonore couldn't help but notice the change in her friend already. Although at this point it wasn't extreme, the princess wasn't used to being talked to in such a manner. Especially from someone that wasn't either her mother or father. However, she wasn't home anymore. No one knew who she was. And although she wanted to keep it that way, Eleonore had to accept that no one would treat her like a princess. Literally. She had to admit though, the lack of formality was refreshing. Since she didn't get to leave the castle whatsoever, the servants were the only ones she had the pleasure of speaking with. However, all the servants talked to her in a very polite manner.


As Ion talked, Eleonore couldn't help but agree. She should have thought more about her stay at the port. She had been careful to not act unnatural but even that task had been hard. Eleonore had been raised to act like royalty, after all. Plus, the princess had been extremely nervous throughout her journey here. She was disobeying her parents in a massive way. Something she would never hear the end of. Either way, Eleonore decided to take his speech as a compliment.


Finally, Eleonore nodded and watched as Ion started to walk away. "Alright. Thank you, Ion", his friend told him with a smile. Despite sneaking into his ship without permission, Ion was being really nice to her. It was nice to know that, although not unchanged, their bond was still there.


Eleonore watched the door until Ion walked through it, quickly closing it behind him. With a small sigh, the princess started to look through his closet. It felt strange, really. To look through someone else's closet. Even more so when the closet belonged to a man. The situation seemed ridiculous but Eleonore didn't have much of a choice.


And so, the princess started to slide clothes to the side, trying to find the smallest size she could. Once she had found a shirt and a pair of pants that somehow seemed smaller than the rest, Eleonore set the pieces of clothing down and began the process of changing.


The young woman had to admit, it was nerve racking so Eleonore decided to change next to the door in the event someone were to open it. That way, she would be covered by the door being opened. Once she was done, the princess couldn't help but sigh. Even without looking in the mirror, the young woman could feel how baggy the clothes were around her. After a moment of thought, Eleonore decided that her best hope was to find something resembling a belt. She could also ask Ion for help. However, Eleonore quickly disregarded the idea. She had gotten herself here, and the princess was determined to be independent from now on.


With this mindset, Eleonore began to look through his closet again, still wearing clothes that didn't even fit her.

 

[xiumi]

A substantial amount of time had passed since Ion left the princess in his room to--Akeam presumed--allow her to change to more suitable clothing. Ion had since said nothing regarding the issue and when approached, his outward expressions betrayed none of the thoughts or feelings swirling inside his head. Ion had resigned the past hour or so to fiddling and spinning an ornate dagger in his hands. Finding different ways of spinning the dagger was Ion's version of passing time, it was a typical enough activity for him that no one in the ship suspected anything. But it was precisely that habit that gave him away.


It was an unconscious, dynamic tic that Akeam noticed years ago: that when an issue was clouding Ion's thoughts, a specific aspect of his spinning routine changed ever so slightly, never the same way twice. When a thought consumes Ion, the subtle change eventually becomes part of the new routine, contributing to the spinning pattern that grows ever so complicated. His spinning techniques have become so polished and refined that if he ever quits being a pirate then he'd easily find a job entertaining people.


Ion had kept so quiet that Akeam decided to break the silence first. Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, Ion abruptly stopped spinning the dagger, and spoke, "She's taking way too long..."


Crossing his arms, Akeam shifted toward Ion, "Worried?" a small smile in his lips. Instead of answering, Ion resumed playing with his dagger. "Have it your way. You'll tell me eventually," Akeam shrugged in response as he begins walking toward the captain's quarters. As he turned away, he saw Ion scratch his head in a mixture of confusion and frustration. He mumbled to himself, "Can't be straightforward when it comes to her when he's usually so forthcoming... how interesting."


Upon reaching the door, he knocked twice. Momentarily, he opens the door, announcing his intrusion at exact moment of his entrance, "I'm coming in, Princess. I hope you're dressed because I'm not waiting." He continues as he makes his way into the room, "The captain is getting quite impatient, you know; or rather, restless. I'd appreciate it if you could--" His steps halted, the words caught in his throat, as his eyes locked on the pieces of clothing strewn across the floor. While he raised his eyes above the floor, he sees the princess in the middle of it all.


He placed a hand on his hips as he regarded her over-sized shirt and the baggy pants that was clearly slipping off her waist, "Need any help?"

 

[ImagineInPink]

Eleonore had to admit the frustration that flowed through her as she looked for a solution. How was it possible that the man had no belts in his closet? She didn't know much about pirates but she would guess Ion would have some spare ones. Nonetheless, the belts were pretty much the princess' only option. That, or turn one of Ion's bigger shirts into some sort of dress. That, however, was something she didn't know what to do. After all, making ones clothes did not seem to qualify as something a princess should learn. Hell, getting dressed on her own didn't happen most days either.


It might have been for that reason that Eleonore was not able to estimate the time she was taking to get this task done. Before she knew it, a knock was heard at the door. What the princess didn't expect though, was the simultaneous movement of the door accompanied by Akiem's voice.


"I'm still not fi-"


Before she could finish her sentence, Eleonore found herself shocked to find Akiem already in the room. No man had ever seen the princess without formal attire. Much less with a baggy shirt and pants. And as the man asked whether she needed help, Eleonore could feel the clothing begin to slip, revealing her undergarments.


Quickly, the princess pulled up the shirt and baggy pants with her hands. With a blushed face and a somehow angry tone, the princess was finally able to answer.


"N-No! Who comes in before being told it's okay!?"


Was all Eleonore said. The princess didn't know if she was overacting but it had been engraved in her that a scenario like this wasn't right and proper for a young lady. And so, Eleonore kept her hands around the baggy clothes as she stared at Akiem with a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

 

[xiumi]

"You don't get to lecture me about manners, Miss Trespasser," he replied teasingly as he walks towards the princess without any hesitation, completely unaffected by her attire, or lack thereof.


He pauses where her corset was on the floor and picks it up before continuing over where to where she stood frozen, with an incredulous expression in her coral-colored face.


As he closes the distance between them, he reaches behind her, "Stay still," he breathed softly, his mouth unintentionally close to her ear.

 

[ImagineInPink]

Bump~

 

[xiumi]

bump

 

[ImagineInPink]

Honestly, Eleonore couldn't understand why he was so calm. Ellie was literally in her undergarments with several layers of clothing scattered throughout the floor. Maybe she had been more sheltered than she thought. Either way though, entering a room without asking permission first when someone is changing inside was just rude.


At this point, Eleonore was not sure what to do. She had never even thought this situation was possible. The princess didn't even want to move in fear that the baggy clothes would just fall right off.


What the princess didn't expect was Akeam coming closer to her and picking up her corset. In fact, the surprise was big enough that Eleonore couldn't help but voice her concerns.


"What are you doing? I would appreciate it if you le-"


Before Eleonore could continue, Akeam reached behind her and started to put her corset on. His mouth was extremely close to her ear, causing Eleonore to blush even more so than before. Her heart even started to beat faster as he told her to stay still. Besides hugging Ion just some minutes ago, Eleonore had never been this close to a guy. However, she couldn't help but feel even more embarrassed now. After all, she was in her undergarments. At this point, Eleonore was not even sure what to say. Akeam was obviously trying to help but Eleonore wasn't very comfortable with the present situation. And so, she remained silent, hoping her face wasn't too red and that he wouldn't be able to hear her racing heart. Although it felt like her face was melting from the heat.

 

[ImagineInPink]

Bump~