Pirate Princess

Prolouge

It was windy and cold as Carson walked along the edge of the beach. His bones ached and all he wanted to do was collapse into the sand but he knew he couldn't do that so he kept walking. It had been only two days since he escaped from the Mystic Grove and his legs were ready to give out now. He couldn't keep walking when he'd been running for so long already. He slowly sunk down to his knees in the sand as a figure appeared on the beach. He was done fighting and watched as the figured approached him and crouched down in front of him.

"Hello boy," the figure turned out to be a young man with sharp features and eyes as black as obsidian. Carson merely stared at him. Carson was certain the man was a pirate by the way he was dreased. With his tall brown boots, rigged sleeves and black and golden jacket. The man lifted Carson's bruised chin. Carson was certain this was the end. No pirate could ever think such a broken sprite was worth anything. He would either be sold back to the grove or thrown into the ocean for his lungs to fill with water.

"Tell me your name," the pirate said to his surprise, releasing his chin. Carson looked at him nervousness taking over.

"Carson," he mumbled. The pirate nodded and stood moving to behind Carson. Carson flinched as the man ran his hands over Carson's torn wings. He was barely even a sprite anymore.

"Would you like to be a pirate Carson?" The man said moving to crouch in front of the nervous sprite.

"Sprites can't be pirates," Carson whispered. The man took his hand and turned it over so he could see Carson's blistered palm.

"Sprites could be pirates. I plan to build the greatest crew that this world has ever seen. And I think you would make the perfect first member," the man said his eyes dark but somehow welcoming.

"Really?" Carson questioned his eyes shining. The pirate nodded reaching forward and trailing his index finger across Carson's collarbone.

"There's only one condition," the pirate whispered into Carson's ear with his hand on the Sprite's chest.

"Whats the condition?" Carson asked softly but he knew what the pirate wanted. It was the same as what any person wanted from him.

"You do anything and everything I tell you to until the end of time. Promise me," he said. Carson blinked. A promise was binding for a Sprite. The Pirate glared at him and missed his palm. Carson watched as his blisters healed. Pirates were supposed to be human and yet the man had just healed his hand.

"Promise me Carson," he repeated. Carson nodded slowly. "I promise." The pirate smiled and lifted the Sprite up before placing him on his back in the sand. Carson shifted a little and suddenly refusing to look at the young pirate. He hoped the pirate didn't plan to use him but he couldn't be sure of his intentions at this point.

"You'll adress me as Captain Hugo from now on. Okay love?" He said gently. Carson only glanced at him.

"Dont be scared of me, I won't hurt you like the scavengers did," he breathed, now hovering over Carson. Carson focoused on the beach. Hugo sighed and kissed the young Sprites injures away. Kiss after kiss Carson's pain faded until nothing ached anymore other than his wings. Hugo gently touched Carson's face with the back of his hand but the boy flinched at his touch. Hugo slowly backed away.

"Can you stand? I healed almost all of your injuries," he explained. Carson wouldn't move. What if this was a trick and the pirate would slam his face into  a near by rock the second he moved. He closed his eyes. He did not trust humans anymore after what the scavengers had done to him but then again was Hugo even human? He didn't get a choice to stay there though because Hugo lifted him into his arms and carried him back to his ship where Carson was gently set down in a soft pile of blankets.

"You'll be less scared soon and then we can start training you and finding others to recruit," Hugo said, sitting on the edge of the bed. Carson curled up into a little ball and Hugo gently brushed some of Carson's curly blond hair away from his eyes. He flinched back the slightest bit and Hugo stood.

"Eventually you will return to normal and I can treat you as a Sprite should be treated but for now, sleep well Carson," Hugo whispered before exiting the room. And so Carson became Captain Hugo's first mate.