Captive, Kidnapped by a Pirate [Inactive]

"A book?" Adelaide's eyebrows crossed in confusion. She wasn't sure what that was even supposed to mean until he mentioned the Gods. Then the recognition came, but, it still didn't explain what Lunaris really wanted to do with her. The book was long gone, she didn't have it, and even then it was only a myth. The Gods didn't exist, they were gone.


She sighed, fingering the edge of the crystal. "Yes, marriage. Delightful." Adelaide sighed quietly. The girl didn't look forward to the idea any more than she had on the eve of her birthday. All men wanted the titled, not the girl. It was difficult to see through to their intentions when they approached her that night. Now with Lunaris as an added threat, there was an added worry of spies trying to wiggle their way close to the girl.


Of the eligible Lords among the various cities and estates, she didn't know one who was close to her. All of their eyes were focused on the crown on her head, instead of what color her eyes were.
 
Christopher scoffed. "Then don't marry, I don't give a damn. You're the queen. I'm just a commodore who'll die before this is all over." He took another long drink of the wine and filled yet another cup.


"No idea where the book is, but they're looking for it. Says it'll free Lunaris from his fleshy prison. All a damn cult if you ask me, but I'll let them chase fairy tales, Meanwhile I'll plan my war against them."
 
"Don't be so sour about it." Adelaide frowned and looked to Christopher. He was so bitter about helping her, but it was his own choice.


"The book is real." She insisted. "Of course, I don't say that lightly, there's a page of it in Caister." If this was news to Christopher, she had no idea. But a single preserved page lay safe in Caister, hidden deep in the vaults. Really, it was closer to another city entirely with the maze at it's front. It was real, and it was important to the Everette line, always had been.


"But, freeing Lunaris?" She scoffed. "That's just a myth. There are no Gods or Goddesses, never have been. But I assure you the book is very much real, hidden somewhere on Valhalla."
 
He was immediately intrigued by the news of an existing page separate from the rest of the book--he was certain it didn't exist at all, but if she believed it so than perhaps it was true.


"You've seen this page with your own eyes?" he asked. "Read it? Touched it?"


Christopher leaned forward in interest, locking his eyes with her in search of a lie she may have been spitting.
 
"I haven't touched it." She teased. "It's far too fragile, but yes, I've read it. Seen it. Granted, it was years ago, but I'm sure of it."


He seemed to be testing her for some lie, but she was telling the truth. The single page made no comprehensive sense when read on it's own, but the family kept it for purposes unknown. Adelaide's father explained they kept it because it was an important part of history, but she doubted it. What good was a single page out of a book, locked away so deep?


"Only he who bound the Dark can let the light through." She recited from some memory, an inscription on the page. "It goes on to describe a man of shadow, but, no one has ever heard of this so called false God. We don't have any more information."
 
"A false god in the shape of a shadow? Sounds like a demon to me." Christopher shrugged as if he couldn't care less, swirling the remaining liquid in his cup and debating whether or not he should drink more.


"When we get to Caister, I want to see that page."
 
"There's two keys you'll need then." Adelaide sat back in her chair. "One from the Captain of the Guard, and the other, well."


This is where she was uncertain. She knew where the key was, yes, but saying it out loud was sure to coax a negative reaction. Christopher wouldn't like the news.


"My father was in charge of that." Sighing, she continued. "He hid it somewhere in the castle, even I don't know where it is. The only other entrance to the place is in Rutherglen, but it's abandoned now. Cursed, the dead walk there." Whether or not it was true was uncertain, but no one traveled to the abandoned fort. Nothing but misfortune and grave peril came out of that place.
 
"Wasn't your redheaded friend Captain of the Guard?" he asked, not sure how the Caisteran politics worked as far as succession and the lineup of general career, but he was fairly certain that Evan had been important somehow.


"Addy, everything you're describing sounds like a bloody perfect opportunity for a good pirate story. We'll find those keys and do all that other shit while you're sitting pretty on your little throne, aye? Don't worry. Leave the discovering and sneaking and scourging to us professionals."
 
"Aye, Captain." Adelaide smirked, her tone sultry, trying to act more the pirate at the sound of his quest. She liked the idea of the pirates going right under Lunaris' nose. It was a perfect idea to her, if she stayed up top and dealt with matters concerning the crown, then Christopher could steal the page, yes she wanted him to take it, and they could figure out the mess.


"However, Evan was my person guard." She explained sourly. "The Captain of the Guard was like another father to me, he'll give us the key no questions." If he's still alive. "But I honestly have no idea where the second key is, Christopher. It's possible it's hidden in the castle, but it's also possible Lunaris has it."
 
"If he was close to you, it's safe to assume he died in the massacre you were so luckily not a part of. You know, the one I saved you from nearly six months ago. Or had you forgotten?" Christopher had an air of teasing in his voice as he pushed himself up from his seat, taking the bottle of wine with him. He tossed the crystal glass out the window and continued drinking from the bottle itself as he paced.


"I'll find it. If Lunaris has it we're f*cked, the only person in my fleet who is from there originally is Catherine and I'm not going to send her anywhere near that place again."
 
"Oh, was that you?" She replied with the same tone. Then she tapped her finger against her lip in deep mock thought. "Must have slipped my mind."


If they key was in Lunaris, there was only one way to get it back. It felt crucial they find it, so Adelaide could figure out what it was they really wanted. There was an inkling of an idea, but, it set wrong in the pit of her stomach.


"If Lunaris has they key, you could trade me for it." Adelaide tried to offer the idea casually, she shrugged and twirled with the end of her growing hair. "If Lunaris is after me because of some book, I feel like it's more important we have that before we go anywhere, don't you?"
 
"No." His answer was immediate, and he shook his head as if she were a complete idiot for even suggesting such an idea. "You're much too valuable to trade for anything, fuck their keys. Winning this war is what matters. Can't do that without a queen." Christopher continued to pace the room before stopping and casting his eyes towards the sea, smiling a bit to himself. The waves had always brought him comfort.


"If Lunaris has the key, we forget about the book entirely. They don't have you so they can't find the damn thing, right? No worries."
 
"Fair enough." She replied.


Adelaide was curious about the book, if it were up to her, she wouldn't mind trading herself over to figure out what it was. Supposedly it contained the entire history of the Everette line and then some. It dated back thousands of years to the times when Gods were considered to be real and tangible up until when they were supposedly sealed. Of all the books in the world she wanted to dive into, it was that one. But, he was right, wars weren't won without their Kings and Queens.


Moving away from the topic, she got up from her chair and walked towards the back of the room. There was something else she wanted to ask. "Christopher." She started, curious silver eyes trying to find his. "If you and I are still both alive when this is all over, if I could give you anything in the world, what would it be? Anything, name it." Whether or not he'd admit to it, she owed him a great deal.
 
Anything in the world? The question certainly caught him off-guard. Christopher gave a low chuckled and stopped his pacing only to look at her sidelong with a snarky expression.


"Please. You couldn't give me what I wanted, not now, not ever. Just run the world better than your father did and I'll consider that payment enough."
 
"I'm being serious." Adelaide frowned. Surely there was something she could do for him after this. "You're a bloody pirate, there's got to be something you're after, right?"


Pirates and treasure went together better than Kings in their castles. The timeless tale of pirates hunting down buried gold, lost to sea, were the kinds of stories parents told their children for as long as the girl could remember. When even she was a girl, she heard the same stories, read them in books.


"Please, Christopher." She sighed, tilting her head to the side and crossing her arms in defeat. "Anything?"
 
"Gold, then." The lie was believable enough. "Either that or diplomatic immunity." Christopher looked at her to see if she bought his lie, which he hoped she did considering how exceptional he was at such a thing, his eyes moving from hers and back out to the ocean again.


"That good enough for you?"
 
Adelaide sighed. She was only partially sure he was telling the truth, but she wasn't about to call him out on his lie. With her head cocked, she nodded. "That can be arranged then."


It was good enough. After what they would have to go through, it would certainly be fair enough. He'd have to carry her across oceans and help plan armies, attacks, and sieges. It was more than fair. Christopher could've asked for a whole goddamn city and she would've accepted. Still, she felt she was being mislead. There had to be something else he really wanted.
 
A thought came to his mind, and he chuckled.


"I want New Castle, too."


It was terribly ambitious for him to say so, but during his stay in the fortress he had grown rather fond of it. "Nice place, nice women, nice geography. That and maybe a lordship. But I'm still going to pirate, mark those words."
 
She thought for a second. It was all reasonable, but, she had to lay down some ground rules for him. If she declared a pirate immunity and gave him an entire castle, there were bound to be more than a few unhappy Lords and Ladies.


"Give me a moment." Adelaide mused over the thought and returned to the table where Christopher had been writing his proposed war declaration before he crumpled it up. She picked up his quill and a fresh roll of parchment to lay down her terms. In the best formalities she could, she allowed him a few things.


"I Queen Adelaide Everette..." She dictated as she wrote, in a general sense. "Will allow Cap-, Commodore Christopher Kenway to acquire New Castle when the war is over, whether or not I have survived. As well as the city, he will have diplomatic immunity but only in his lands and waters. His matters of piracy cannot be addressed in his city, and are of his own matters to take care of, blah, blah. Official words, but that's the point. I don't care what you do with the city, I don't care if you continue to be a pirate, those matters are your own."


With that, she signed the document in her neat handwriting and pressed her seal into the bottom. It was done now.
 
Christopher watched her write up the decree and give it an official wax seal, knowing that when all was said and done, a castle on the water couldn't replace the hole she left behind in his heart.


"Done then," he said with a small grin. "I'll probably rename New Castle too. Too formal. Too prude. Got a good pirate-y name I can give it?"





The commodore ran his fingers through his hair and stood behind her, eyeing the decree over her shoulder and reading every word.
 
Adelaide leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. She was still tired, still fighting nightmares. Killing her first man didn't help her dreams one bit. It was obvious in the bags under her eyes.


"Names?" Her brows knitted together even with her eyes shut. It was his first major victory, really, that city. He'd conquered places before, true enough, but the Lord and Lady had been kicked from power. Even if it was Adelaide who decreed the latter, he had to be proud of himself right?


She chuckled, an idea came to her. "Vittori." Although it wasn't so much 'pirate-y' it had some meaning in an older language she knew how to read. Simple enough, victory.
 
"Heh. Victory. Nice touch." He placed a hand on her shoulder and patted it in friendship. "I'll find something."


"You should get some rest. Don't think you want to be in my company all day, anyway." Christopher moved away from her and pulled a book from the shelf, opening it to a page where he had apparently left off, and grabbed a bottle of rum from his liquor cabinet.
 
"I don't sleep much these days." Adelaide grinned. Sure, they shared the same room, but he was the only one using it for sleep most of the time.


"Besides, the company isn't all bad, at least when he's behaved." She teased. Christopher was more bearable now that she knew his cause. They didn't argue, at least not as often as when she first arrived. He was alright most of the time.


Still, she knew he was right. Adelaide picked up her bottle of Nightshade. There was hardly any left. Perfect.
 
"Well, he can only behave for so long. Better sleep before he stops." Christopher gave a low chuckle and didn't spare her a glance, moving to his bed and laying down, crossing his ankles, reading intently. He seemed completely relaxed on such a large, soft bed, and he had no trouble in tuning out his queen with whatever she had to say.


Had had to admit, he missed feeling at peace like this.
 
Adelaide gave in to sleep. Instead of the usual three drops, she only allowed herself one. At the rate she'd been downing the stuff, she'd be out in just a few more days. She regretted not trying to secure more when they were in New Castle, but the thought hadn't come to her then.


Knowing she'd have some time to make it to the hammock, she gave herself her one drop and set the vial on the table. Then she made her way to her hammock, the exact one from the Siren, seeing as it was already comfortable to her.


"You still aren't so bad." She slurred. "Even misbehaved." And she was out like a light. 
The days passed with little to celebrate or talk about. Each day was like the last, open ocean as far as the eye could see, that is until the crew hit Caister. Adelaide was distraught to learn about how many inside the city had been slaughtered because of Lunaris' Holy Triumph soldiers, but, her guard pulled through. The city remained loyal to her family, and for that she was grateful.


Much of the castle had been ransacked, but the guards had done their best to keep it intact. There was no structural damage, but many rooms had been searched for anything valuable. To her relief, the hordes of gold remained untouched deep below the castle.


Her guards had tried to arrest Kenway's crew. The last time any of them had met, he'd kidnapped the heir. Word hadn't traveled into Caister about their helping each other. Still, it didn't sit well with the crew, or the guards, the air often tense between the groups.


It was decided she would be declared Queen as soon as possible. A small procession, really, seeing as it would be impossible to plan an event with other cities on such short notice. Only those within the range of Caister's capital would be in attendance.


Adelaide often walked with her Captain of the Guard, Wesley Reid. He was an old man with many scars. The two had a strong bond, like he was another father. In her younger days the man helped Addy sneak around with her slave friend.


"Wess." She finally asked, three days after their arrival, what she really wanted. "I need the key, to the page."


He handed it over without question. The man was loyal to a fault, and whatever she wanted to do with the mysterious page was her business. Though his curiosity was still there, he refrained from asking. Soon enough he'd know, or figure it out, as he always did.


"Tomorrow, I believe I have the pleasure of crowning you Queen." Wesley said, as if he were completely uninterested in the whole situation. A smile on his face revealed that he was pleased in some way.


"Aye." Adelaide grinned, then quickly corrected herself. "I mean, yes Sir."


"Being on a pirate ship has changed you, my lady." Wesley commented. "Not in a bad way, simply different."


At least now they had one of the two keys they needed. The other was hidden away, somewhere. Now they only had to find it.
 
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