The Pirate Queen

Chapter 15

There were two months of open sea between the Dauntless and the island Ariel had set Eric to lead them towards. One month down, two months to get there, and two months to get back. That left Eric with one month, exactly thirty days, to convince the entire world not to go to war with each other over whose land belonged to who. 

Thoughts of war kept him up most nights and occupied most of his thoughts when he wasn't too busy prepping and cooking in the kitchen with Jora or keeping the Dauntless on track. The only time his thoughts seemed to wander away from his impending doom was at night. After all his chores were done and the crewmen were gathered on the deck for their nightly camaraderie, Eric would perch on the bow of the ship in solitude and look up at the stars. 

It was Christian, not Cordelia, who had taught Eric how to read the heavens. He'd studied astronomy heavily in university and, as Cordelia had lovingly told young Eric, used his knowledge to fool her into falling in love with him. Christian, who had never sailed his own ship or done much sailing at all, began Eric's education in using the stars to guide him where he wanted to go on land. Specifically the roof of the tower Eric now used as a bedroom. 

"So I have to stay up all night?" Eric asked impatiently, pushing as his father's telescope. 

Christian had laughed and picked Eric up, settling him on his lap so the young prince could see the star map on his father's desk. It was painted in midnight blue and all the stars and constellations had been inked in gold. It was now framed in Eric's room at home. 

"Become friends with the stars, Eric. Whisper to them your secrets and desires and one day they might guide you to them." 

Now Eric sat with his feet dangling into the open air, mapping out constellations and whispering their greek names under his breath. It was an old habit he'd had since his mother's death, huddling on the roof or by the window and pointing out constant things. Things that couldn't leave him and would never change, like the stars.  

"Scorpius, Cygnus, Andromeda, Perseus-" 

"Eric." 

He turned at his name and smirked. "I'm not in the heavens yet darling, no need to call me a star." 

Ariel rolled her eyes and paused halfway down the deck, arms crossed over her chest to ward against the cool breeze. They hadn't played their game of truth in the week since leaving Schilbad. In fact, they hadn't said much of anything to each other. Eric still brought her dinner but Ariel was usually too distracted reading or talking with Flounder and Sebastian to give him a spare moment of her time. He didn't mind this silence as much as he did before because he knew it came from a different place. A place not of hurt and suspicion but of genuine business and trust. She didn't need to watch over him so closely anymore. 

"What do you do out here every night?" she asked, leaning her hip on the railing. 

He shrugged and turned his eyes back to the sky. Cassiopeia. "Find solitude. How'd you know I was out here?" 

"I know everything everyone does on this ship, it's not very large."

"Hence my quest for solitude." He drew one leg up and settled his chin on his knee, still looking up. Draco, Aquarius. Ariel, Ariel, Ariel. 

"Would you like me to go then?" 

He turned his head slightly to look at her. She was in her usual white cotton blouse and leather pants but no jacket and no weapons that he could see. Her hair hung half-down down her back, pulled back just to keep the strays from her eyes. It was the first time he'd ever seen it not in a braid but loose, wavy curls. He thought she looked lovely.