RULE (Completed)

Chapter 40

I cast my eyes down on the scruffy looking pirates. I tip the chin of the first one and cock my head to the side.

"Julius is tied up, looks he won't be going anywhere, anytime soon," says Darien sauntering up to me and dusting his hands off on his red pants. 

I nod and release the pirate in front of me. "Most of them are willing to follow us." 

"And the ones who aren't?"

My eyes harden. 

I have no room for unloyal weaklings.

I turn to Darien. "Throw them to the sharks."

Darien's eyes grow wide before he bows. "Princess, don't you think that is a bit-"

"A bit what, Darien? I have zero tolerance for weakness or unloyal soldiers."

"But-"

"Did I stutter?" 

"No, Princess." 

I turn back to the pirates, fear leaking into their eyes. 

"Get up and make yourselves useful."

They stand up and bow, rather clumsily. 

I release an exasperated sigh and move to the man behind the wheel.

"Move."

He clears his throat. 

"With all due respect to ya ma'am, but the captain says I'm not to be leaving this post unless he says so."

I cock my head to the side and fold my arms. 

I turn to his "captain" shouting words under his gag, no doubt cursing me. The man gulps as beads of sweat roll down his forehead. 

"You know, right about now, the sharks should be feeding on your pirate buddies for dinner, I'm sure the sharks wouldn't mind some dessert."

I take a step closer to him. "How would you like to be their dessert?"

My eyes grow wide as the man pulls out a pocket knife and attempts to stab me. I grab his wrist in the nick of time and twist it. 

The man releases the wheel, sending the ship rocking. I manage to grab onto the railing before I fall. 

I shoot the fallen man a glare before taking the wheel. Darien rushes up the steps, having finished off the last of the unwilling pirates. He reaches over me and places his hands over mine. 

His voice is low. "Steady, steady." 

His familiar scent washes over me. I shake my head to clear it as the ship steadies. Darien releases me and walks over to the man laying on the floor. He grabs the man's collar. 

"How dare you try to stab the princess?" he spits. 

"Permission to kill him princess?"

I sigh. "No, he's Julius' s right-hand man, we can't kill him."

Darien releases the man after checking him for any more weapons and walks up to me. 

He runs a hand through his ash-white hair. "Are you sure I can't kill him?"

"Yes, I'm sure." 

"What If I just break his arms?" 

 I spin around. "NO!" 

He puts his hands up. 

"Fine, princess. But don't blame me if he accidentally gets thrown overboard in the night."

"How are we coming with getting to land?"

"We should be there by Dawn." 

Darien plops himself down on the railing next to me. His baby blues stare at me intensely. 

"What?" I snap.

He shakes his head. "Nothing, just admiring how beautiful your face looks in the evening sun."

A slow blush creeps up my cheeks.

What are you doing? You are in the middle of trying to take back your throne and you're blushing over a PIRATE?

I shake my head to clear it and focus on the waves ahead. My kingdom beams in the sunlight ahead of us. 

I'm almost home.