The Pirate Queen

Chapter 17

Flounder and Seb did as Ariel said without arguing. They took him on a lap around the ship but opened up doors for him that had been previously locked, literally. He got to see all the storerooms of ammo, the closets full of supplies, the empty crates they had to transfer the tea in. 

They walked past a small bedroom directly below the Captain's Quarters, two twin beds shoved in so close together they were basically one like it had been added as an afterthought. While they were keeping a brisk pace, Eric still managed to note the sheer amount of weapons laying on the floor and strapped onto shelves. It was a small armory in there but he didn't get to ask about it when they descended further into the belly of the ship and stood rooted in front of the iron cells. 

"This was where I wanted to put you," Seb said, gesturing forward. 

Eric looked at the thick metal bars, a bit rusted but not enough to let a prisoner breakthrough. There was nothing in the cells. Not a bucket, a pallet, or a blanket. It was as hopeless as any prisoner's chance would be of making the situation out alive. 

"You know, I think I liked being tied to the post," he joked, crossing his arms. "I appreciate you not throwing me down here." 

Flounder snorted and rapped on the bars with his knuckles. "Sometimes I still want to throw you down here, just to see what you'd do." 

"Take a nap probably." 

Seb snorted out a laugh, unable to keep his lips from turning up in a smile. Flounder barked out a laugh loudly, clapping Eric between the shoulder blades and making the prince stumble forward. Eric let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. He hadn't really realized it until this moment, but he wanted to be friends with Flounder and Sebastian almost as much as he wanted to be friends with Ariel. Besides them being her left and right hand and the sheer influence they held on the ship, they genuinely seemed like people he could get along with. Joke about and share a drink. Play a tricky dice game. 

"Hey Seb, do you still have those dice I saw you with in Romee?" Eric asked as they turned to leave the cells behind. 

The quartermaster glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "I might, why?" 

"Care for a little wager?" 

Flounder shook his head. "Captain doesn't let us gamble on the ship. Too many men stabbed over loose pennies." 

Eric winced at the thought of dying over some spare change but kept his thoughts to himself as he waved a hand. Discussing the activities of murderous pirates was not where he wanted this conversation to go. "Not for money, for chores. Favors. And besides, what else have we to do as we sail?" 

They stepped out onto the main deck, back into the sunshine. Eric squinted against the bright light but waited, watching Seb's face as he thought it over. There wasn't really anything on the ship Eric wanted now, but that didn't mean he couldn't cash in his favor later. Maybe in the event he pissed Ariel off again and got assigned latrine duty, he could make Seb do it instead. 

"Alright princeling, I'll see if I can pull it out," Seb answered at last. His eyes flicked over Eric's shoulder to the helm where no doubt Alastair had just emerged to assume his role. "In the meantime, get back to your duties serving breakfast while I go talk to Alastair about changing the coordinates." 

Eric tapped two fingers to his temple in a mock salute. "Extra fluffy biscuits, coming right up."

When he got back to the kitchen Jora was up and preparing the trays to bring out to the crew. He looked up when Eric came in, a frown on his face. "You know it's pretty rude to leave right before breakfast."