Siren

VIII. stranger

The admiral laid his foot on the familiar pirate ship, releasing a breath. It had not taken him long to find the ship, for he had payed that ship so many visits with the men of the navy. He had memorised how she looked like, where she was usually anchored, when she was usually anchored and which of the crew of pirates had shifts at the time of his visits. He even recognised her smell - no ship in the four corners of the world smelled like oak and burning wood as that ship did.

"Well, Admiral, I have to admit... I did not think you would come." The captain greeted the prince as soon as he stepped off the deck of the ship.

"Well, Captain, I have to admit... I thought this was an ambush." The general mimicked, tilting his head to the side a bit as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"You wound me, Admiral. After all, all that a pirate has is his word." Hector Faucon stated, grinning. Eric simply looked at him unimpressed. Oh, the prince knew how the pirates kept their words. And he had the scars to prove that. Trusting a pirate again would be over his dead body at that point. The captain looked behind him at the three men who boarded the ship after him. "I see, you came without your men."

"Pardon me?" Commander Grimsby, being one of the three men, scoffed.

"No offence to you, of course, beauty." The captain smirked widely at the old man, making him freeze up.

"We are here with our admiral!" The young man, who accompanied the other two men and the prince, spoke in confidence as the commander stammered.

Faucon's eyes gleamed as he walked closer to the young man, menacingly. "With your admiral, ay? And tell me, boy... Can your admiral protect you from my crew when me and him are talking privately?" The boy paled at his words, his confidence dying as he stood face to face with the pirate. However, he was saved by the fourth man in the small company of sailors aboard the pirate ship.

"Yer men, ye say? Oi, we're no' scared of filthy, slimy, arrogant, little scoundre-" Mr. Harris started after he had pushed Hamish's son behind him protectively.

"Mister Harris!" Commander Grimsby interrupted, wide eyed. They were at the mercy of those pirates. Who was to say they wouldn't rip them and their prince apart? "I believe Captain Faucon would not let his crew harm us, for after all... We trusted his honour and agreed to meet him on his ship. Therefore, we are under his protection."

"Oh, you flatter me, darling." Faucon smirked at the man again.

Eric immediately intervened as he saw Grimsby's jaw tighten in anger, "We are here to discuss business."

Faucon pursed his lips before he nodded, "I believe we should do that in my cabin."

The admiral followed the captain closely. The admiral frowned as the captain paused at the man standing at the door of the cabin - the first officer.

"Make them feel at home." Hector's eyes gleamed in mischief as he whispered to the intimidating man, making him smirk. If Grimsby did not have a reason to kill me, he does now,Eric cringed mentally as the door was closed after him and the captain had entered.

"You're a cruel man, Mister Faucon." Eric cleared his throat.

"Aw, it's all good fun." Hector pouted playfully. "Now, shall we begin?"