Sleeping Shaina (A Fairy Tale Retold)

Princess Shaina knows that she is cursed. If she falls in love before she's sixteen, she'll fall into an everlasting sleep that will last until her body decays -- because curses always come exactly true. Because of this, Shaina is never allowed near any boys, and they are taught to keep their respectful distance. That is, until a peasant boy begins seeing her, and her parents find out.

When her parents lock her up away from the boy, Shaina decides to leave home, and books passage on the only ship leaving Ancare. It is a month after sailing that she finds out the roguish captain and interesting crew are not merchants at all, but corsairs who plan to sell her for gold in a slave-trading land.

Shaina is surprised when she finds out when the captain and a few of the mates are Catholic, when they live such a life. Confused that these physically violent men are tame-minded, she begins to look into what it is they believe - and gets to know their captain because of it. Though he has cocky wisdom, performs stupendous feats, and has an unbeatable humor, Shaina finds herself growing to care for him as time passes. Though terrified she will fall asleep because of love, Shaina can't shake the feeling that this is something different, something that is worth risking her life for.

All of that disappears when she reaches Balfizzar, and the Great Pirate Robber sells her into the King of Zulle's harem. With no wedding ceremony, she still isn't allowed to leave, but Shaina's spirits rally. Hiding the truth that she's a princess, Shaina attempts to escape many times. But she finds out there is more than just the curse standing between her and freedom.

This curse has done more than make her scared of the future, but also of every day in between. But though she may fight it, love may still find her, and True Love...

Is inescapable. :)