Man Down

Chp 10: Jason Grace

Prisoners

As Thalia led him across the deck, Jason kept his head held high. If these pirates had to see him taken away in chains, he was going to hold himself with dignity. All those lessons on how to be a "proper" royal had payed off. He did pay attention when there was nothing better to do.

The steps down to the hold were old and creaked under their combined weight, but held, much to Jason's relief.

The first layer below the deck was rather crowded. At one end, there was a kitchen sort of arrangement, with pots and utensils hanging from ropes, swaying as the ship rocked on the swell. The cannons were also on this "floor" of the ship, and Jason took a moment to analyse them. They were standard military commission, nothing too fancy about them. But it was always good to check.

The other end of the first floor was taken up by three beds (wooden planks with off-white sheets) and a cupboard which the prince could only assume contained medication or bandages.

The second layer of the inner ship was a wide space filled with hammocks, the left side of him separated from the main area by a hanging sheet of questionable quality. He thought it might have originally been white, but age and the sea had turned it a yellowish colour with green flecks of mould. The women's sleeping quarters, Jason decided, but was led down more stairs before he got a good look at the men's sleeping arrangements.

The third and last layer was obviously storage. There were crates of food strapped down against the ocean's relentless swaying, and barrels barely secured, with what he could only assume was rum or some other horrible pirate beverage. He shuddered slightly when he saw a rat, but tried to make sure Thalia didn't feel or notice it.

She led him to a cell, it's iron bars green with rust. Inside was a single bench along the wall of the ship, but it was certainly big enough to hold several inmates. Sitting on this bench, arms rested on his legs and head in his hands, left leg bouncing with nerves, was Frank. Leo was leaned against the ship against the bars of the cell, a ball - Jason took a moment to wonder where in all of Tempus he had gotten that - being thrown into the air and caught in the manner of someone who is bored out of their mind. It wasn't hard to image that Leo was, in fact, bored out of his mind, seeing as the man could never sit still.

Both heads snapped in their direction when they heard footsteps. Leaping to their feet, the two ex-servants ran to the edge of the cell, hands gripping the bars.

"Princess Thalia!" They gasped, faces hopeful when they saw her emerge from the shadows. But after taking in her garb, and Jason's bound hands, their faces fell and they stepped back.

Thalia didn't look at any of their faces, only reaching forward with a set of keys she had taken from a loop at her belt and unlocking the cell. Leo and Frank stayed sitting, as they knew there was no way they would be able to get off this ship, even if they made it past the runaway princess. She gestured Jason in, and he obeyed, seeing nothing better to do. As he was about to turn, however, his sister caught his hand and pulled him back to the bars, their crackling blue eyes meeting for the last time in - how long? Jason didn't know.

"I know you hate me for running away and joining him, Jason, but I went for the same reasons you did. This pains me, you have to know that. I never wanted you to be locked up here, or with dad at the palace. I find no pleasure from doing this, but you harbour a hatred of pirates that makes you a threat. Until I can trust you, I follow my captain's orders. But let me promise you Jason, the second I can trust you I will do everything within my power to get you free" her hand wrapped around his and gave it a squeeze. "I promise" she repeated, and then she was gone.

Leo and Frank watched in silence for a moment before bursting into conversation at once. Jason couldn't understand them, so gestured for them to calm down. They sat back down and quietened, but their looks conveyed their thoughts clearly enough.

Tell us

With a sign, Jason sat next to his two friends, resting his head on the wooden hull of the ship. "I'll tell you everything. But help me out of these first" he said, gesturing at the ropes that bound him. After a moment of no movement apart from the rocking of the ship, Frank stood and began to work on the clever knots that kept Jason's hands tied. Leo folded his arms across his chest and waited.

As soon as he was free, the ropes fell to the floor and Jason rubbed his raw wrists. After a few seconds, he sat forward and rubbed his face. "To be honest, I'm not so sure about anything either. Thalia is with them. And this is Perseus's ship. The Black Pearl" his comment made Leo and Frank curse. They were captives of the Pirate King. There was no way they would get out unless he wanted them to. "And he wants to know why I was at that bar. But I didn't tell him. Then Thalia came and now I'm here" he explained. Frank and Leo sat back, unsure of what to say.

"So we're stuck?" Leo asked eventually, throwing the ball in the air and catching it. Jason nodded and turned to look at the staircase where Thalia had left.

"We're prisoners"