The Pirate Expedition

Part 1

The room Emma was put in had no windows at all. There was no way to tell the time, and it was driving her crazy. What she did know was that she hadn't slept since she awoke here. Something about the place was unsettling, and kept her from even attempting to drift off to sleep. It wasn't only that she'd been kidnapped, although that on its own would have kept her restless, but something else was off. It felt uneasy, like the world wasn't stable below her.

The more time she spent in the isolated bunker, the more she understood the effects of complete isolation on the prisoners at the castle. It was no wonder why so many men were put to death after they'd spent time in the isolation chamber. Losing your mind seems all too easy in there.

Time was an illusion to her since there was no way to tell it. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness now, and she could see the rope around her ankle much clearer now. She tried, once again, to get the knots undone, but nothing changed. They were masterfully tied, with very complex knots.

She started hearing footsteps above her again, many this time. Though she attempted, she couldn't keep track of how many people she heard walking. She wondered if they all knew she was there, if they were all part of her kidnapping. She had the urge to call out for help again, but remembered the words her captor had said the night before, "I'm not hesitant to make you quiet". By the tone of his voice, she'd assumed that he was telling the truth. He had also told her that someone would come by in the morning, and she was just hoping that would be soon.

A few minutes later she heard a pair footsteps coming close. She heard the chain above rattling, and soon enough the hatch was open once again. Someone jumped down with a tray of food in their hands. Emma was startled at first, but then took a defensive stance.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" Emma demanded. She had ample time to think of her plan throughout the night, and decided that confronting her takers would be the most effective. The hatch let in only minimal light, but enough for Emma to see the visitor. A short stout man with a red weathered hat. Emma might not have been able to see the man's face from the night before, but she knew for certain that this wasn't him. His silhouette was nowhere near the same.

"Your food princess," he told her, and placed the plate on the floor beside her. He also lacked the accent that the other man had. Emma had thought about that man's accent for a large part of the night. She had been forced to take mandatory classes on accents and languages since she was 13. If he was from the Enchanted Forest she would have been able to identify where he was from, and probably even identify the village where he had grown up. His accent wasn't one she'd heard often. She figured he must not be from the Enchanted Forest at all.

"You didn't answer my questions," Emma grunted.

"You're not wearing a dress," the man noticed. Emma looked down at her clothes. She was wearing one of her riding outfits.

Did these people take me while I was riding?

"I'm not. Just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I only wear dresses. Why can't I remember anything of my abduction?" she asked forcefully.

"I'm not to speak to you any more than that," he declared, and started to walk away, climbing up to the hatch.

"Get me the man from last night, the man with the accent," Emma commanded. She could already tell that he was much more important that this man was.

"He will be by princess, you don't have to fret about that," the man said, and left the way he came. Soon enough, the chamber was dark again, but this time there was faint light coming from the grates of the hatch above. He had left the light on for her.