Deceive not my love-The prince and his maid II

Parrot bay

10 days later

*Mirabella*

“Pirates bay ? Isn’t that like… full of..”. I look at Ben, as we get nearer the harbour.

“Pirates ?” He grins. “And they prefer Parrots bay these days, trying to rebrand themself and such”.

I look at the city, nestles in a cove, surrounded by mountains and dense forest on three sides. “I was going to say, scoundrels, criminals and … loose women”.

“Those too… in abundance”. He calls out some instructions to his men. “Just stick with me and you will be perfectly safe”.

“I never really doubted that”. I know he would never bring me here if it was dangerous.

To be honest I am quite curious, I have heard both Ben and uncle Finn tell stories about this place, and auntie Isolde has also told about docking here once or twice. So I have some ideas about the illusive pirate city.

So far the trip has been pretty much uneventful. And I have spent my time Reading, writing and trying to help around the ship, just to do something and keep my mind from slipping to Will, and the way he had looked at me on the dock.

And I realised something, I don’t mind manual labour. I know of course that me having a choice to do it when I feel like it and stopping if I want can’t be compared to the life of those having to live their life in servitude or hard labour, I am not too spoiled to realise that. But working, using my body, doing something really helps me work through my feelings.

“Excited ?” Ben asks, looking at me as the ship docks.

I know I am possibly bouncing on my feet. Already it is so different. More colorful, more vibrant and the scents on the air is exotic. Granted I haven’t spent much time on the docks at home, but I am sure they are nothing like this.

“A bit”. I admit. “I mean, it’s not that my parents have been bad or locked me in a golden cage or anything.. but my life has been kinda sheltered up till now”.

“You know Isolde was exactly like that when we arrived here”. Ben grins. “Until the ladies started greeting Finn a bit too lovingly for her liking”.

I gawk at him. “Are you saying that uncle Finn, our King, used to be a charlatan ? A … w***e ?”

“Sweetheart, he used to be a pirate”. He chuckles. “You do the math”.

Seems Will takes after his father not only in looks. No, that isn't really fair. Being with one woman isn’t really being a rake. Will was just unlucky that his sidestep had consequences.

I can’t help wondering how I would have felt if it hadn’t. If he had returned to me still unmarried, and I had known he had been with her. I am pretty sure he wouldn’t have told me, but still; Would I have accepted it ?

It’s hard to say. I mean I am aware that most men don't wait for marriage, and they are not really expected to, opposite women. My mother hasn’t actually been that strict, she has never told me that I have to wait at all cost. She told me to be mindful of who I give myself too, as it can’t be taken back. And she has explained that most men will expect me to be pure on my wedding night, unless they are the one who are the reason I am not. I have a feeling her and dad didn’t wait till they were married.

“Welcome to pirates bay my lady”. Ben says, as the boarding plank is lowered to the dock.

“Thanks”. I grin and step out on the plank, then I turn to look at Ben. “Could you please not call me ‘my lady’ or ‘your highness’ while we are here ?”

He raises one eyebrow looking at me. “And what should I call you then ?”

“Bella..”. I say after a moment. “Bella will work just fine”.

“Bella it is, my.. Uh Bella”. He grins. “I will try to remember”.

Back home

*Will*

“You miss her, don’t you ?” Perla suddenly asks. We are sitting in the common room, she is doing embroidery and I am looking at a book that I am not really reading.

I look up. “What ? I am missing, who ?”

“You know who I mean… that princess.. your cousin”. She looks thoughtful for a moment. “Mirabella”.

“She isn’t my cousin, not really”. I mumble, not sure why it bothers me. “Our fathers are cousins”.

She gives me a kind of indifferent shrug. “You are still pining away for her”.

“I am not… doing that”. I look down at the pages of my book. “She is my friend, I am worried for her… she hasn’t been away from her family before and…”.

“Will, you don’t need to lie to me”. She says softly. “I know you didn’t want to marry me… I saw how you looked at her. You love her”.

I sigh. “It doesn’t matter now. You are my wife and I… I am gonna keep my vows. How is the.. baby doing ?”

“I don’t know. I am not feeling anything..yet”. She places a hand on her stomach. “But my stomach has grown a little bit, so everything seems okay for this time of the pregnancy”.

I nod, honestly I know next to nothing about pregnancies and such, but it sounds about right I guess. “I am glad to hear”.

She just gives me a nod and a small smile. Then she is back to doing her needle work.

Sighing I try to imagine how it will be to become a father. I guess I always knew I wanted kids, not just because I kinda need an heir, but I kinda like the idea and I always loved spending time with my younger siblings. But it is still like I can’t really get excited about it.

And part of me knows why. She is not the one I want to have kids with. Perla was right of course, I miss Bella and every fiber of me longs for her, but nothing good will come of pining for what I can never have. I need to move on.

I swallow, I need to come to terms with this, before the baby is born. I don’t want to risk taking this out on my son or daughter. The baby has not asked to be born and I will love it no matter what.