The Pirate Queen

Chapter 29

Hehehe I think y'all are going to love this chapter *smirk's mischievously*

They sailed for a week before reaching the supply island. They made mad time, never trimming the sails or attempting to slow down, even through another thunderstorm. It was milder than the first one they'd gone through, but Eric had treated it just the same.

He never took a break, Ariel called him a selfless idiot, and he laughed and continued swinging from the ropes. They didn't talk about what they'd said to each other on the island, or how close they'd gotten to each other. But Ariel did ask him to eat dinner with her every night, and Eric started to learn just how much a book and art nerd she really was. Maybe even more than he was.

In her cabin, just the two of them, she laughed more. She was relaxed, loose, and open. She rambled openly about Shakespeare, her love for the simplicity and catchiness of bar songs, and that impressionism was the superior form of painting.

"I didn't know you painted," Eric wondered, watching her walk over to a small painting of a vase of red roses hanging on the wall. She traced the simple wooden frame with her fingertips, a soft smile on her face.

"Not so much anymore, but Edward humored my every whim. I wanted to know how after a trip to Romee, so he bought me some art supplies."

"My little capital inspired you to paint?" Eric teased, leaning on his hand as she walked back over to him.

She bopped him on the back of the head as she passed. "Your artists did."

Eric was leaning on the railing after dinner, thinking about what room in the castle would have the best lighting for painting, when an island appeared on the horizon in front of him. It was almost sunset when the shout ran out to be prepared to go ashore.

"That's it?" Eric wondered aloud as the island became clearer. It was smaller than he'd expected, not quite as impressive as the Pirate King's. There were a few hills, but it was all relatively flat and dense with foliage. If he'd been sailing past the island, he wouldn't give it a second glance. Probably what made it such a good place for pirates to hide.

A hand landed on his shoulder and Eric jumped, turning to look at Flounder next to him. "Simple, but proficient. You'll be going with Ariel to the cabin, she needs some things of Edward's."

Eric looked back at the island. "Cabin? Isn't it dangerous to keep personal items in a place you can't protect?"

Flounder laughed. "You'd think, wouldn't you? Instead, Edward spread a bunch of rumors about how bobby trapped the island was and that only he and Ariel knew how to safely travel across its land. Utter BS, but only the crew on the Dauntless know how to reach the cabin, or that there even is one. Not even the rest of the fleet knows."

"Interesting..." Eric watched the island get closer as the sun dropped lower. He shouldered on the leather jacket Ariel had given him, and when he came back out she, Flounder, and Jora were all waiting. Seb would be staying on the ship to ensure they actually got everything they needed to continue their journey. Jora was going to make sure it all got sent with Flounder as backup.

Ariel pulled her own jacket around her as Eric approached. She seemed... Twitcher than usual. She'd been distant all day and quiet during dinner, picking at her food and letting him carry most of the conversation. He didn't mind, she paid attention to his stories about camping in the Darmken mountains, but she wasn't as animated as usual. Her eyes weren't as bright. "You alright?" he asked, stopping at her side.

She gave him a quick look and a curt nod. "Yep."

He watched her, waiting a second to see if anything on her face changed. Unsurprisngly, it didn't. "Alright then. Show me your mysterious island then, Captain."