A Treasured Love

The Prince, The Pub, and The Promise

Jaden hadn't come back for Nina in almost two weeks. Nina had found a small cabin outside of a beach village. She worked as a beer maiden at the local tavern. Her white hair made her excotic and lovely to the sailors who entered the tavern. Both pirates and merchants came to the tavern. The pirates respected her, because she knew how to handle pirates. The merchants were flustered by her beauty and hardly spoke more than their drink orders.

Nina had one sailor who would come in every night for polite conversation with a pirate she knew. She carried two beers over a table with two men seated there. "Two beers, gentlemen."

"Thank you, Nina." The sailor answered with a smile.

"You're very welcome, Nicholas." Nina chuckled. "And how are you today, Rayford?"

"I be much betta now, miss Nina." Rayford said while looking at the sailor Nicholas.

The two of them were constantly flirting with each other, but Jaden wouldn't tolerate his first man liking men. So he visited Nina to keep his secret. Nina couldn't tell who wore the pants in the relationship, because it changed each time they saw each other. Today it was Nicholas. Nicholas had one hand around Rayford and another with a beer in hand.

"Hows the ship, Rayford? And little Peter?"

"Both fine, miss Nina." He rest his head on Nicholas saying, "Cap'an ain't doin' so good though. He won't smile anymo' and we haven't pillaged since you be on board."

"Ray-ray was saying you used to belong on his crew, Nina?" Nicholas said to break the story up.

"Yes. I was engaged to be married to his captain." Nina explained sweetly remembering the found memories of her beloved Jaden. "But I was fit for the job."

Nina left the table as if she had another customer to tend to. In truth, she just didn't want to hear that Jaden was looking for someone new.

She tidy about the tavern, keeping herself on the move with busy work. As she was in the back room there was a loud ruckus from the drinking room. Her, and a few other workers, rushed to see Rayford and another fellow brawling in the center of the room. Nina took up each man by their shirts and roughly shouted,

"I won't be having brawling in my tavern! Ya hear?" And tossed the men to the floor. "If you can't drink like real men then get the hel-"

"Princess Nina?" The man Nina had just flung to the floor, stood and looked over the poor girl. "Is it really you?"

"Aye mate. What yer doin' calling miss Nina, Princess?" Rayford asked as he whipped blood from his bottom lip.

The man moved his hands to Nina's cheeks, ignoring Rayford, and gave a glad look. He didn't look happy, but rather glad. He ran some of his fingers through her hair saying, "Don't say you have forgotten me, Princess. It is I Gerald."

"G-Gerald?" Nina asked as her eyes widened.

How did he fine her? What was he doing here? Questions filled the Princess's head. Rayford stood confused and approached Nina saying, "Why is he callin' ya princess, Nina?"

Nina looked at Rayford with hurt in her eyes. "Because I am one, Rayford. Garrick brought me onto the ship as a gift for, Jaden. He took a liking to me and named me Nina Gemini, the gem of the ocean. I used you and the crew as a way for me to see the world with my own eyes. I truly did fall in love with each one of you." She sniffled and wipes some tears determined to leave her eyes. "But this man," backs up into Gerald, "Is the man I am promised to marry. I'm sorry."

"I'd already be knowing that, miss Nina." Rayford said with a frown on his face.

"I was jus' hopin' you wouldn' be leavin' so soon."

"Rayford, I-" Nina was cut off by Gerald forcibly pulling her from the tavern and onto a royal ship.

The ship could have swallowed the pirate's ship she had been staying on. But to Nina, it only felt like a moving palace. Another prison to keep her hidden away. Maids on the boat fitted Nina in a dress fit for a princess and fastened her hair like her maid, Moira, used to. She was all cleaned up and looked like her old self again. As she exited the cabin, Gerald extended a hand to her. she thought he looked happy, but his face only showed a serious expression for sure. Nina took his hand like a lady.

"I see those pirates haven't washed away your elegance, Nina." Gerald said as he kissed the back of her hand. When Nina didn't smile at him, Gerald's face grew to a more annoyed face. "You will do best not to run from home again, and you will greet me in the proper way engaged couples do. Am I clear, Nina?" Gerald scolded.

Little did Gerald know at the time, but Nina was somewhere else. She watched the sea rise and fall before feeling a tight pain on the midsection of her biccup. She looked to see where the pain was coming from to see Gerald gripping her tightly. She could tell he was upset and got worried for her safety as Gerald spoke against this teeth. "You seem tired, my love. perhaps you should rest in OUR CABIN."

Gerald angrily pulled Nina across the deck and threw her into a very elegant and spacious room. Nina fell to the ground and Gerald knelt down to grab her chin saying, "You be a good wife now. This cabin is soundproof and I'm not afraid to punish you."

"My father won't let you touch me." Nina spat.

"He has given me to you." Gerald grinned evilly and forced her chin to be only inches from his. "He said I was to bring you home to be married, and then I may do whatever I please with you." Gerald looked over Nina's body then said, "But why wait?"

He took hold of her waist and began unfastening her corset. She went to scream for him to stop, but was too late. Gerald had shoved a handkerchief in Nina's mouth to shut her up. He lifted her onto the bed and stripped her clean of any clothes.

Nina felt hot, but not in the same way Jaden made her feel. She couldn't help but let her tears fall as she was forced upon Gerald. He was rougher, angrier, and didn't care if Nina was alright or not. By the time he had finished Nina was numb with pain. Gerald stood from the bed pleased with his performance. He looked onto Nina, who was staring blankly up at the cabin ceiling, and said, "Get used to that, Nina. After we are married I will ravage you every night till you have my child."

Nina didn't respond, but instead stayed looking up as tears rolled down her cheeks.