The Tale of a Princess Kidnapped by Pirates

Chapter Five

*Trigger warning, someone attacks Ro but she is saved*

Ro could not believe they only had a couple more days until they would reach Yemini. She could not remember the last time she had been on land and free to explore to her hearts content. However, she was also quite nervous about her change in lifestyle. She had been on a boat for as long as she could remember - although granted it was not that long, and she thought it would be strange to be on flat ground with an abundance of strangers and endless green fields and buildings. Her life was expanding from eighty feet to the whole wide world. Ro was most excited to see creatures such as the elegant horse and yapping dog, which Theo (he instructed her to use his nickname, which made her heart glow) and Hattie had told her about.

She often felt quite sad that she could not remember much, and had such a quiet lonely life. She was sure she would miss the fresh sea breeze racing through her hair and the gentle rocking of the boat, which calmed her on anxious nights. However, she knew she had to move on and experience a proper life that so far only reached her dreams.

That night sleep had refused to take her, so she quietly tiptoed out, not wanting to awake Hattie, and made her way to the top deck. She passed some of the soldiers on patrol, but it was such a cold, silent night no one was paying much attention really. Ro shivered and wrapped her shawl tighter around her as a particularly icy blast howled through the ship.

Upon reaching the top deck and satisfied that there was no one around, she slid down to the almost-frozen wooden floor and cast her eyes upon the unsurmountable heavens, which glittered with stars. Counting them was impossible; there was an incalculable amount. Ro had always been fascinated by the perfect midnight velvet sky and whenever she could take a moment she would raise her eyes heaven bound to the spectacular image. They inspired otherworldly dreams. Ro wondered if the stars would shine as brightly on land or would be dulled because of man's pollution.

A pair of heavy boots lazily thudding towards her interrupted Ro's admiration of the sky. Ro stiffened and rose to her elbows, panic rising when she saw Carson heading towards at her. He was one of the soldiers who always leered at her and said dishonourable things, making her feel quite uncomfortable around him. He whistled a low, unsettling tune as Ro stumbled to her feet and anxiously looked around for any of her friends.

However, they were all alone, and she did not like the way Carson was looking at her like a slab of meat.

"Hello pretty little thang, what'cha doing out here all alone?" Carson questioned as Ro backed away from him to the edge of the boat.

He grabbed her arms to stop her from running from him and pushed her harshly against the edge of the ship. Built like a weightlifter and almost as tall as Theodosius he was certainly very intimidating.

"Please! Let go of me... I need to go back to bed!" Ro exclaimed feeling terrified as Carson scanned her appearance.

She struggled against him but he just held her tighter making her whimper.

"Nonsense, we're only gettin' started girly. You're just so beautiful you know, and so innocent..." Carson whispered as he stroked her left cheek with the back of his calloused hand and started to trail it downwards.

"Please leave me alone! I don't want to be touched with by you!" Ro panicked, squirming more in his hold with the wood of the boat digging into her poor back.

"Hush up or I will do it myself, ok? We're just gonna have a lil bit a fun, and I'll make sure you enjoy it girly." Carson growled as he shook Ro, triggering flashbacks of the same rotten treatment that she had endured under the hands of the pirates; he was no different.

"Now let's get this shawl off, yeah?" He asked with his eyes that looked black in the dead of the night wide in excitement, and Ro's eyes dilated in horror.

She did not quite understand what he wanted, but she knew she did not want him touching her and he was ignoring her wishes.

"Let me go! Help!" Ro screamed at the top of her lungs, but Carson silenced her by plastering a hand over her mouth and pushing his body against hers.

Tears dripped from Ro's eyes as she struggled to breathe, and started thrashing around as hard as she could acting out of sheer terror. As he started to pull her shawl off, Ro felt like she was going to be sick, when he was ripped off her and she collapsed to the floor shaking and crying. She looked up through her blurry eyes and noticed a fuzzy figure punching Carson to the floor. She whimpered and curled up into a tighter ball. A few moments later gentle hands moved her hair from her face and helped her sit up, pulling her into warm, safe arms.

"It is ok Ro, don't worry, you are safe." He soothed her as he lifted her up.

"T-Theo..." She choked out, glad to be in his arms.

"I'm sorry ye highness..." Carson groaned from the floor. "But we were just having a bit of fun, I promise!" He gasped out through laboured breaths.

"Silence. Nothing about what you did was 'fun'. You disrespected and scared a woman who was clearly asking you to stop. For this disgraceful, dishonourable act, you will be stripped of your titles and be sent to the dungeons once we arrive in Yemini." Theo declared with barely concealed anger.

"No! Please..." Carson cried out but Theo did not listen.

"Guards! Guards!" He called out in a loud voice, and sure enough, a stampede of feet was soon upon them.

"Take this pathetic excuse of a man and lock him up. He shall be taken to the dungeons as soon as we port in Yemini." Theo announces, and Carson weakly struggled against the guards but they easily overpowered him and took him to his lonely fate.

Ro had calmed a little by then, and she was eternally grateful that Theo had been there to save her. He was so brave and handsome, and just like the prince in shining armour Hattie had read to her about, in an effort to see if she could still read. Her knowledge was sparse and she felt incredibly uneducated and stupid, hardly able to string a sentence together. Hattie was kind though and in her spare time made an effort to teach her.

"What were you doing up here all alone Ro?" Theo asked quietly as he began to walk her back to her bedroom presumably.

"I-I was watching the stars." She revealed with a sniffle.

Theo remained quiet as they passed through a couple of guards who were now wide-awake, eyes cast down in shame. The news was bound to spread like wildfire.

"I see... I used to watch the stars when I was a child with my friend." He revealed sadly, as they plodded up the steps to his quarters.

Ro could not help but think how ethereal he looked in the silver moonlight. She had not a clue that at that moment he was thinking the same about her.

"I am so sorry Ro. I cannot believe that Carson did that, but you have my solemn promise that he will be dealt with efficiently and effectively, and will never have the chance to harm anyone again." Theo vowed as he placed Ro down on her feet and opened the door to his room. "If I had been asleep and not heard you scream... I hate to think what could have happened." Theo chocked out looking crestfallen.

"Hey... it is ok Theo... it was my fault really. I should not have been out on my own in the dark." Ro hushed his fears sweetly whilst nervously tucking a golden lock behind her ear.

"No, it is most definitely not your fault Ro. You did not ask him to attack you; this is on him and no one else." Theo fiercely rebuked her sad words. "However, I feel like now I cannot let you out of my sight, so you will be sleeping in my bed from now on until we reach Yemini." Theo announced in a no-nonsense tone.

Ro blushed fiercely at the thought of sleeping with Theo.

"B-but... where will y-you sleep?" She squeaked out, ringing her hands nervously.

"I will sleep in my chair. You have no reason to be scared Ro, I will protect you." Theo promised making her heart flutter uncontrollably.

Theo kept his word of looking over her for the night and the remainder of their journey, tenderly making sure she was comfortable before settling into his chair, watching over her and valiantly waiting to extinguish any threats.

Edited