Dancing on Water

Chapter 6

As suddenly as it appeared, my violent anger vanishes. I collapse onto the ground, sobs racking my body. Everything appears hopeless. My worthless life is ruined further. Everything I did, everything I tried to hide, will come to light and I shall surrely be killed by my own captain, my own pirate family, for deception, treason and merely living.

Even if the pirates don't kill me, the Prince or the royal guard will. I have slaughtered far too many soldiers to be without an execution. My eyes widen as I realize my own mother might see me publicly executed.

The Prince has hesistantly approached me and is keeling silently infront of me. I jerk my head up and pull him towards me until we are sitting so close our noses are touching

"Pri-um"  I hesistate "Gabe. You are to call me Annette. One slip up and I slit your throat. My true name is Amelia, but I-" My sentence cuts off as the Prince-Gabe-suddenly pulls me towards him in a crushing hug.

"You survived" he breathes out in astonishment. He thought I had died? I left him surrounded by pirates in a burning castle, yet he worried about my safety and my life for eight years? "I thought they had caught you. They vanished so suddenly, and everyone spoke of a strange girl leaving with them on their ship...I thought they had you for sure...I thought you were gone. I thought..." Gabe cuts off as he hugs me miraculously closer and breaks down into tears. The Prince is crying over me? Gabe is crying because he thought I had died. 

I pull away slowly to look at Gabe. "Your Highness, is my mother alive? What happened after that night?" 

Gabe strokes my hair and looks me in the eyes with a watery smile. "Your mother survived, but soon after lost her mind from dispair. My father had his top archer shoot her. She felt no pain in her death." A gasp escapes my mouth. My mother is dead! She-I always though my mother was strong and would always be at the castle waiting for my return. I grip Gabe's shirt in my filthy hands.

"After I saw you dance, I told my father I wanted to have you as my wife." Another gasp escapes my mouth and Gabe smiles sadly at me. "He refused me of course. 'I will not have my son-a prince-marrying a dancing gypsy!' he told me. As soon as the pirates attacked, I though of you before I thought of any other. I had a plan that we would escape and run away together. When they surrounded us, I was so glad that you got away. I fought them off and ran to find you. The townspeople told me of the girl that had been on the pirate ship as it sailed away, so immediately I found my father and told him I was going after you, that it was my responsibility, but he told me my responsibility was to the kingdom. Almost all of my brothers were killed in the raid, and one was greatly injured; we didn't know if he would make it. He survived, but I am the only prince able to take the throne. Finally, after 4 years of repair and training, I convinced my father to let me go after you." Gabe pulls me to him once more. "It has been eight years, but I finally have you in my arms."

I pull away, stumbling back and falling into the bars of the cell. "Ame-Annette, darling?" Gabe-the prince- asks, worry in his voice.

"Stay away!" I command him in a shaky voice.

I am a pirate and he is a prince.

I have killed his men while he has searched for me. 

I am to be hung and he is to rule.

The fantasies I have held dear of finding him, marrying him and ruling happily together flee my mind. Now that the possibility is there, it cannot happen. I cannot ket him ruin his life and his kingdom because of my choices. I choose to do the only thing I can possibly do. 

I draw my sword and lie.

"You are crazy princey. I am not the one you speak of. Stay away, or I will cut your throat." I wave my sword at his neck for emphasis. I cannot risk the truth. 

He holds his hands up, his face drawn together in pain. "You are! You are my Amelia. My Annette! Please! Please Annette..."

"No! I am not! You must clear your mind of these things!" I shout, holding back tears. 

Prince Gabriel, who had been walking shakily towards me, drops to his knees. "Please don't do this. I know you are my beloved. I know it! My dear beloved, please!" he sobs as he clasps his hands together and falls to the ground, shaking. 

I let out a shaky breath and open my mouth, fully prepared to deny Prince Gabriel once again. My heart aches for him, but I love him enough to let him go. It is the right thing to do. 

The door to the deck slams open and a sharp sword wizzes by my face, almost slicing my skin, and slams into the the wall on the other side of the cell. I snap my head to the door to catch sight of the one who threw the sword, and a slow smile spreads across my face.

Jasper's here.  

It's another short chapter, but at least it's something...right? 0_0 ;D