THE PRINCESS & THE PIRATE

Chapter 4: I am coming for you...

" So, what did you manage to find out? " Captain Morgan asked his most trusted men gathered as Jamie poured him followed by the rest of the men gathered a drink.

" That there's lot's of very comely wenches in Avlington..." Gerard said making Morgan's expression darken.

" If you have spent the whole day drooling over wenches like a pair of idiots... I will maroon you both on the next island..." Morgan warned as he glared at Gerard and Jamie with his legendary fearsome stare. A stare so fierce, that it would turn any man into a blubbering mess in their terror...well any man apart from the three who were currently in his cabin with him- since they were all like brothers.  " We are on a time-sensitive mission and we don't have time for distractions of the feminine kind..." Morgan barked making Charlie snort with amusement, as he recalled witnessing Morgan himself being distracted by his encounter with that red-haired woman who left his Captain gaping like an i***t at her beauty.

" Aye Captain, we know and we focused on our mission...no matter how tempting the wenches were..." Gerard vowed.

" He speaks the truth Captian, we did ask asked and we think you'll be pleased with the intelligence we gathered..." Jamie said as he winked.

" So pleased perhaps you'll allow us to return for a few of the comely wenches..." Gerard added hopefully.

Morgan downed the last of his drink and took a deep breath before he replied, " I will consider it, now tell me what you have learned..." Morgan sat in counsel with his most trusted crew members as they informed him about everything they had learned about the Kingdom of Avlington and it's the current ruling family and Captain Morgan listened unprepared for the shock he was about to receive.

Reanna rounded the corner and quickened her pace as she heard screams.

As she came out the end of the alleyway and entered the square she was not prepared for the sight that greeted her. The citizens of Avlington that were gathered had been herded like sheep into a frightened group and were being controlled by armed Meccador soldiers who acted like savage thugs, beating anyone who dared to break the controlled formation.

" Nooo...please !! " A woman wailed as she was being held by a Meccador soldier, " Please!" as she tried in vain to reach the stage where a man dressed as a Captain was dragging a struggling child.

Reanna scanned her surroundings and seeing that the soldiers were either busy controlling the crowd or holding the struggling woman Reanna paused to think what her next course fo action should be. The smartest move would be to retreat to fetch her loyal men and return with them in her disguise of the hood. She didn't know why her people were been gathered or why the Meccador Captain was dragging a frightened child onto the stage, but she knew that it meant trouble. However, as Reanna took a step backward to follow that plan she heard the soldier who was holding a frightened child make a cruel jibe, making his intentions clear and the boy's mother's wails became louder, which prompted Reanna to do you what she always did - to follow her heart, not her head.

Reanna ran across the square and pushed her way past the guards near the stage, and just as the Captian- now holding a whip flicked his wrist and was preparing to bring the whip down on the child's back Reanna threw her self on top of the child to protect him. " AHH !" 

Everyone gathered in the square quietened in shock- even the previously wailing child's mother as they stared at Reanna in shock.

" YOU STUPID PEASANT! HOW DARE YOU INTERRUPT A REPRESENTATIVE OF MECCADOR DELIVERING JUSTICE!" The Captain screamed as he tried to intimidate Reanna into moving but instead Reanna straightened her bleeding back as best as she could and turned to face the bully. 

" This is Avlington land if I am not mistaken? What business does a representative have of Meccador have dispensing justice on land which is not theirs?" Reanna asked glaring at the Captain with such hatred that he briefly shivered at cold stare before he replied. 

" DOYOU KNOW WHO I AM GIRL?! I AM THE CAPTAIN OF THE MECCADOR ROYAL GUARDS! HOW DARE YOU...A PEASANT NO LESS, SPEAK TO ME SO ... AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF MECCADOR I AM A GUEST OF THE ROYAL FAMILY OF AVLINGTON! I ACT WITH THEIR BLESSING AND AUTHORITY! NOT THAT I NEED TO EXPLAIN MYSELF TO A PEASANT..." The Captain replied angrily as he looked Reanna up and down and decided how to deal with her. 

" YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY HERE AND YOU ARE CERTAINLY NOT ACTING WITH AVLINGTON'S ROYAL FAMILIES BLESSING!!" Reanna, unable to hold her tongue any longer growled.

The Captain sized Reanna up before he burst into a mocking laugh, " oh... and a peasant like you knows all about Avlington's Royal Family's wishes do you? WATCH HOW YOU SPEAK TO ME GIRL OR I WILL TEACH YOU THE SAME LESSON I AM ABOUT TO TEACH THAT BOY HIDING BEHIND YOUR SKIRTS...HOW TO SPEAK TO YOUR BETTERS." The Captain snarled taking a threatening step towards Reanna, who reacted on instinct and grabbed the sword of the Meccador soldier next to her and pointed it threateningly at the Captain in a warning.

" STAY BACK, I WILL NOT LET YOU HARM THE CHILD! "

The Captain began to shake with anger and reached for his own sword intending to teach the peasant girl in front of him a lesson, but he never got the chance. As he drew his sword and prepared to s***h at Reanna with lethal intent, Reanna moved with natural skill and grace and quickly disarmed him.

" BUT ...HOW? HOW DOES A PEASANT GIRL KNOW HOW TO HANDLE A SWORD? " The Captin asked in shock.

Reanna saw that the Meccador soldiers had withdrawn their own swords and were making their way to the stage glaring at her with menace- she may be a skilled fighter but thirty to one were impossible odds, even for her.  " ORDER YOUR MEN TO STAND DOWN! " Reanna demanded as she took advantage of the Captain's shock and maneuvered with deadly speed to place her sword at his throat.

The Captain signaled to his men to stand down before he asked in anger, "  who are you?" Reanna realizing she was out of options pulled back her cloak with to free her vivid red hair, " allow me to introduce myself Captain, I am Princess Reanna of Avlington...and you Sir and on MY LAND and are certainly not acting with my authority or blessing.

The Captain and his men gazed at Reanna in awe as her vivid red hair whipped in the wind and the citizens of Avlington smiled at their Princess with pride. " Princess....Reanna?" The Captain repeated. " I ...whipped you !! " The Captain gasped in horror- as he knew that to lay hands on a Royal in Meccador meant certain death and he imagined the same rules applied in Avlington.

" Yes you did... but I will not take it personally as I have a forgiving nature. What I do take personally however and cannot forgive is ...THE FACT YOU WERE ABUSING MY PEOPLE AND A CHILD NO LESS WAS YOUR INTENDED TARGET OF THE WHIP !" Reanna roared in outrage making the Captain and his men who had lowered their weapons shudder.

" Forgive me ...your highness. I only meant to teach the peasants to respect their betters...the boy attacked one of my soldiers and I thought it best to make an example of him ...to make sure he and the rest remembered their place."  

" There are no peasants here as you so vulgarly put it only citizens of Avlington! And as for who's the better of whom ...well I know my people would never harm a child as they have something you Meccador's seem to lack...a soul. So I would say they are your betters, would you not agree?" Reanna asked sweetly as she pressed the tip of her sword into the Captain's exposed throat with just enough pressure to pierce the skin.

The Captain felt a sharp sting and pale as a trickle of blood ran down his neck, " YES YOUR HIGHNESS. AS YOU SAY I COMPLETELY AGREE!" The Captain screamed in panic.

" I am glad you have realized your ignorance so quickly Captain. Now listen closely as to my next instructions and I may decide to show you mercy. You and your men will apologize to my people- with sincerity and then you will disrobe completely, leaving your fine clothing and heavy coin purses here as an apology for my people, you may keep your belts and swords as you now know the citizens of Avlingtion have no need of weapons since they are under my protection. Once you have generously given your gifts you will mount your horses and ride back to Meccador with due haste and you will not return unless specifically invited. Do I make myself clear?"

" YOU WISH FOR ME AND MY MEN TO RIDE BACK TO MECCADOR NAKED?!" The Captain asked outraged but his outrage quickly turned to fear at Reanna's reply.

" Naked but alive- but if the humiliation is too much I can simply slit your and your men's throats now and send your naked corpses back instead? Personally I prefer that option..." Reanna replied as she gave the Captain such a terrifying look that he nearly wet himself with fright.

" NO... your highness. I thank you for your mercy!! " The Captain groveled.

" Very well...I suggest you go quickly before I change my mind and decide to just go with my preferred option and send your corpses back instead..." Reanna said removing the sword from The Captain's throat.

The Captain wasted no time he scrambled to his feet and began to disrobe in a frenzy and his men soon followed his lead. Within a few moments, the arrogant Captain and his band of vicious soldiers were running to their horses - naked as the day they were born, minus their sword belts and swords, leaving the citizens of Avlington to laugh at their hasty departure.

" Are you alright?" Reanna asked as she ignored the spectacle the Meccador Captain and his soldiers presented in favor of checking on the child welfare.

" Yes, your Highness... are you?" The boy replied shyly as the color began to appear back in his cheeks.

" I am glad to hear it. You may go to your Mother then, she will no doubt wish to have you back safe in her arms..." Reanna replied as she began to sway slightly.

" Are you sure you're alright your Highness...?" The boy asked again as he reached out to steady Reanna but before Reanna could reply she fainted and fell into a heap causing her people to run to her aid as she did.

" So Captain ...did our intelligence please you enough to allow us to return to retrieve some of Avlington's comely wenches?"  Gerard asked hopefully but before Morgan could respond Charlie burst out laughing.

" What's so funny?" Jamie asked as he and Gerard looked at Charlie with confusion.

Morgan still in shock poured himself another drink.

" well, you boys weren't the only ones to get distracted by pretty wenches...our Captain here ran into one of his own. She had porcelain smooth skin, Sapphire blue eyes, and ....the most vivid red hair you have ever seen." Charlie said waiting for them to understand what he was saying.

" Vivid red you say? Red is a rare color in these parts and the only person I heard of having red hair here was the Princess...." Jamie replied as Gerard caught onto Charlie's meaning and gasped.

" You mean...you literally bumped into the Princess and you ...let her go?"     Gerard asked as Morgan downed the last of his drink and glared at his men.

" I didn't know she was the Princess or I obviously would have taken her for ransom...and she was dressed in peasant clothing," Morgan said defensively.

" Although it does explain her confidence...she showed no fear when she bumped into the Captain, indeed she even had the cheek to talk back to him defiantly!" Charlie said amused and impressed.

Silence filled the cabin as Gerard and Jamie imagined a woman who was foolish or brave enough to talk back to their Captain, Charlie relived the memory of his Captain meeting the Princess in his thoughts amused and Morgan thought about what his next step was.  

" Gentleman, it looks like we will be returning to Avlington, after all, to retrieve comely wenches...one in particular...." Morgan said as he reached into his pocket and rubbed the silky strand of Reanna's hair between his fingers. " First we will need supplies..." Morgan gave each of them orders to carry out and once they had received their orders and had left his cabin to carry them out, Morgan turned to gaze out his cabin window at Avlington that he could still see far in the distance. " I am coming for you wench as promised..." Morgan said as he enjoyed another drink thinking about the passionate kiss he shared with Reanna as he did so and fantasizing about kissing her again.