The Queen of Blood

Chapter 27

  Day and night, Tris walked up and down her cell. 

  Since the captain didn't let her explore the ship, not even at night (she had asked), she read all of the dusty books and stained letters. The novels were about the conflicts between the Upper and Lower Lands throughout the centuries while the correspondences mentioned secret affairs, stolen products and complaints on bad quality rum barrels. She memorized all of those words.

  Beatrice had always loved books; back in the Royal Dwelling she was the most avid reader of the Noble Library. She was glad for having something to distract her; from the windows she could only see the ocean and the sky, both blue and infinite.

  "Where are we?" she questioned Hermenion on the fourth morning. He came three times per day to bring her food and water, never saying a word or staying more than necessary. Regarding her physiological needs, he blindfolded her with a dirty piece of cloth and held her hand tight, taking her to the toilet of his own cabin, only removing the bandage when she found herself in the stinky cubicle of swollen wooden boards. Hermenion made sure to let the princess see nothing of the interior of the ship.

  He gave her a warning glance as he leaned and placed the silver tray on the table. He straightened up and headed to the door.

  "Hey!" she called. He didn't bother stopping, leaving as if nothing had happened.

  In an act of rebellion, she left the two apples and cheese collecting dust on the tray. Later when he brought lunch, he stopped at the sight of the wasted food. He frowned and spit the words.

  "Gonna waste my food, yeah? Not good enough for the princess?"

  She got up from the couch.

  "I demand you to tell me where we are. It's been almost five days and I don't know if I'm about to be dropped off or not, I need to be warned first in order to..."

  "In order to what? Steal from me? Set up a trap? Come up with a plan to turn me in?" he interrupted her.

  Set up? Turn in?

  It was her turn to question the captain's identity. How could a pirate, even a captain, know those words? In all her years visiting the port, she had never heard a corsair use verbs of such level.

  "Were you a servant or something?" she shot the words. 

  The question caught him off guard. He flexed his shoulders and bitterly smiled.

  "Ya never saw me, princess, but yeah, I had an established life. I worked in ya castle, if my past interests Ya Highness."

  "What?! You were there? For how long?" she was shocked. How come she had never met him?

  He found her awe funny. As usual, he crossed his arms over his chest.

  "Ya, I worked in the kitchen. I made many of the meals my sister took ya in the middle of the day, those snacks ya liked. Looks like Rohesia wasn't the only May lucky enough to be adored by the princess." 

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Hermenion May. Bet you didn't see that coming, huh?