Visions Of Burning Skies

a few months later, word had spread around that Eldoria had a new king. his name was James, and from the talk about him, he was terrible. the kingdom was in ruins apparently.

jake, being jake, decided that we should go check it out.

i watched off of the side of the ship as we came up to the island. it was grey and dark, and it seemed so lost. i took a deep breath, smelling the smoke from the air. it was thick and burned your lungs on inhale.

"drop anchor!" jake yelled.

"aye!" one of the crewmates yelled. two of them lifted the anchor from the deck and threw it off of the side.

"my star, welcome home." jake said as he approached me.

"its not home anymore." i replied with a small smile as he held my hand in his.

"youre my home." i added as i looked up at him. he smiled and released my hand, only to wrap his arm around my waist. i laid my head on his shoulder as the crew lowered the net.

he led me to the net, helping me down along with him. i took a look around the kingdom. it looked to be in shambles as people crowded the streets, begging for food or money.

there was a mother sitting on a dirty, torn up blanket, in raggedy clothing. she hadnt bathed for weeks, and you could tell. i came up to her, kneeling down to her level and i took her hand in mine, slipping her a handful of gold coins.

"how many children do you have?" i asked.

"4." she replied. i gave her a bunch of coins and she thanked me endlessly. jake did the same, passing out coins to the people in need. we met at the end of the cobblestone road, at the entrance to the massive castle.

"ma'am, step away." one of the guards said as he stood tall, guarding the gate.

"alden, its me." i said as i tipped my hat up a little so he could see my face.

"your highness, my apologies. right this way." he said, opening the gate for me. i stepped in, and jake tried to follow behind, but he was stopped.

"alden, allow him in, please." i said. he hesitated for a moment, before opening the gate just enough to let jake slip in. he gave him a nod and tipped his hat in thanks and we watched as he locked the gate again.

we walked to the huge doors that were guarded by 4 men. they allowed us in, giving us a dirty look as we passed. i led jake to the throne room, and there he sat, picking at a grape, deciding if it was good enough for him to eat.

"i am not accepting visitors at this time." he announced.

"youll be accepting me, your highness." i replied as i took my hat off.

"ahhh." he said as he set the grape back down.

"tsk tsk tsk. look who finally came along. your kingdom is in shambles because you made the poor decision to leave." he added.

"i think you mean, your kingdom." i replied as i crossed my arms.

"whosever kingdom it is, you still left." he said nonchalantly.

"i was kidnapped!" i retorted. jake hated when i used that word, but it was the only one fitting.

"i was taken from my kingdom, thrown on a ship and taken away." i added as i nervously ran my hand through my hair.

"fair enough, but it doesnt matter. i am king now." he said as he picked the grape back up.

"unless," he said as he inspected it.

"there is an arranged marriage. then you will be queen and have your kingdom back." he said as he held the small, deep red berry in his hand.

"to whom?" i asked.

"to me." he snickered as he let the berry drop to the floor. i watched as it rolled along, until one of the maids quickly picked it up and mumbled her apologies for being in the way.

"allow me to think about it." i responded as i turned to jake.

"may we go to one of the quarters to talk?" i announced as we stared at eachother. a look of hurt and anger washed over his face as he looked away from me and up at the king. he waved his hand, shooing jake and i away.

we went to my old quarters, and i looked around the room. it looked like nothing had changed. i ran my hand over the wall, taking in all of the memories.

"this is my room." i said softly as i looked around. there were still dresses laid out from the day i was taken.

"so, marriage, huh?" jake said as he sat on my bed, looking at the small stuffed bear that sat on my bed. i turned around to face him, admiring his soft features. he looked so heart broken.

"jake." i said as i lifted his face to face me. his eyes closed as he savored my touch. i tucked his hair behind his ears and held his jawline in the palms of my hands.

"my heart will always belong to you." i added as i kissed his head before i pressed our foreheads together. he wrapped his arms around my waist, lazily letting them hang off.

"the only person i want to be married to, is you. think about it, we could have children and we could even live here. you wouldnt have your life threatened anymore. you could be unstoppable." i cooed. i could feel a warm tear seep into the gap between his jaw and my hand. leaning back a little bit, i wiped his tear away and admired him.

"my star," he started.

"i dont think we will work in the end. were two, opposite people and i dont know if we can make it this time. you might get married to a different man, and i have my duties on the ship." he sighed as he finally opened his eyes.

"dont say that, please? we can work. we can work things out, and live how we want to!" i nearly begged. his hands trailed up my spine and back down as he was lost deep in thought.

"your kingdom needs you, just as the sea needs me." he said as he pressed a kiss to my head. he gently moved me away from himself and stood up, straightening himself up before reaching for the door handle.

"we will meet again, my star." he said as he finally opened it and just as fast as he opened it, he was gone. i chased him out into the hall, but he wasnt there. it was like he had disappeared into thin air.

my heart shattered at my feet as i looked back at the door. tears welled up in my eyes as i came back into the room, holding myself in my arms. this was the inevitable end, i would likely never see him again.

a month later, it was the night of the king and i's wedding. we walked down the long hall, and into his bedroom, he had made it very clear that he didnt want a woman sleeping in his bed.

"go to your quarters, i can walk myself to my own." he said. i nodded and held my own hand as i quickly made my way to my quarters.

my hands ran over the gold corset that lined my waist, just like the first one. the ruby necklace that i had refused to take off no matter what, still lined my neck. i held onto one of the jewels as i looked at myself in the mirror.

my eyes had never looked so dull and sad. sometimes i had envisioned seeing jake in the room, yet it was just my imagination. i had missed him so much. his touch, his hold, everything. it was all so miserable without him. i closed my eyes and held myself for a moment, trying to remember his touch.

that was when a pair of arms wrapped around me.

"i thought you were supposed to be in your quarters?" i said, not bothering to open my eyes.

"my quarters are about 2 miles away, my star." he replied. my eyes immediately darted open and my arms flew around him.

"i missed you so much. please take me with you." i mumbled. he pressed a soft kiss against my lips and held me there for as long as he could stand holding his breath.

"ill try my best, sweetheart." he replied.

"what about the king?" i quickly said.

"hes being taken care of." jake smirked as he held my waist.

"i have to hide, the guards are coming." he said as he let go of me and went back out of the window he must have come in. i watched as he disappeared and the guards came in.

"were taking you to a safe place. an emergency has happened." alden explained as he gently took me by the arm. they led me out to a carriage and it took me about 20 minutes away.

when we arrived at a small cottage, they made sure to lock all of the doors and keep everyone on guard. a woman came into the room, offering everyone tea. before i took a sip, alden had to test it to make sure it wasnt poisoned. i took a polite sip off of it before closing my eyes to relax.

"what happened?" i questioned. alden shook his head no, letting me know that now wasnt the time to talk about it.

in the morning, i was back at my castle, listening to the guards quietly tell the story of my husbands "untimely death". fake tears had covered my under eyes all morning, to the point where my face was rubbed raw from wiping them away so often.

"who will the queen marry?" one of the guards asked quietly to the other.

"maybe me?" he boasted as he puffed his chest out. i gave him a glare and his chest immediately sunk back in. i watched the door as it opened, bringing in a person and 3 guards.

"your majesty." alden announced as he brought the person closer.

"my star." jake smiled.

"hello!" i smiled as he came closer.

"not too close." one of the other guards warned.

"its fine. i trust him." i replied as jake was allowed closer with a little hesitation from the guards.

"may i talk to you in the gardens?" i smiled as he looked at the guards.

"not without protection, your majesty." alden said as he stood tall.

"aye." jake replied as he helped me off of my throne. i held his hand in mine as we walked down the large corridor, and into the gardens. the beautiful hydrangeas that lined the garden made the green of the grass proudly stand out.

"my love, i miss you so much." i said softly.

"me as well, lassie." he replied, taking both of my hands in his.

"you look so beautiful." he said softly as he reached down into one of his pockets. the guards immediately pointed their bayonets at him and he gently pushed one of them away from his face. thats when he pulled a small box from his pocket and sunk down onto his knee.

"my love, will you marry me?" he asked as he looked up at me. i happily nodded and he stood up, pulling me into a tight hug. he kissed my cheek and the guards put the bayonets down, allowing him to kiss me. he gently pulled away and slipped the ruby and diamond engagement ring onto my finger. it stood so proudly against my skin, and it was just as striking as him. i hugged him again and smiled.

i couldnt keep my eyes off of the ring for the next few weeks as the wedding was prepared. it was his ships colors, but nobody had to know that. it was beautiful.

i stood at the door as they draped the long, thick, crimson parliament robe over my shoulders and clipped it around my neck. i had on a long, flowing white dress along with a bouquet of crimson hydrangeas in my hands. they placed a diamond tiara on my head and made final touches to my dress.

"alright sweets, youre ready." my aunt said as she smoothed over my shoulders and moved to her place beside me. the guards opened the door, revealing the alter and everyone in the grand church.

there he stood, proud. he had a wide-brimmed crimson hat on, along with a black suit and a black cloak that had crimson embroidered details on it. his hair cascaded around his shoulders, framing him perfectly. his smile stood out against the darkness of his outfit, and it made him shine like no other in the room.

joshua and samuel stood next to him on the steps, watching the room. their outfits matched jakes, but didnt stand out from his. i carefully made my way down the aisle as jake watched closely. the crew from the ship sat in the pews on jakes side as my family and friends sat on the other.

when i reached the altar, jake took both of my hands in his, both of us unable to contain our smiles. the priest made his long speech, before he finally paused for a second.

"i do." jake said softly.

"do you, her majesty, take jacob thomas kiszka, as your lawfully wedded husband?" the priest asked me.

"i do." i smiled.

"you may now kiss the bride." he said. before i could even comprehend it, jake had grabbed me by my waist and kissed me. i wrapped my arms around his neck and we both smiled before he let me go. the room was filled with shouts and clapping as we turned to the crowd.

jake took my hand as he led me down the aisle. his eyes never once daring to leave me.

that night, we feasted like royalty, because we officially were. jakes coronation as king was to happen first thing in the morning.

years passed, and the heir to the crown had finally come. she was the most charming little girl ever. she had her fathers eyes and features, along with his long, soft, brown curls.

jake had become fleet admiral along with his title of king. he was so proud to have an entire fleet of navy soldiers under him. he was also proud to have become a king, a father, and a husband. he took the best care of everyone.

the kingdom had finally started to glow like never before. the people were happier than ever, wealthy, and healthy. the kingdom was cleaner, and more taken care of than it had ever been.

i walked in the garden, looking at the tall trees that lined the outside of it.

"mama, when can i get a kitty?" ailea, my daughter, asked. she was named after the sun, she glowed like no other.

"thats up to your father, honey." i smiled. she immediately looked up at jake and asked the same question.

"ill think about it honey. maybe for your birthday." he replied.

"im about to turn 6, daddy." she announced.

"i know honey! youre getting so big." he smiled as he scooped her up and kissed her cheek. i was never more happy than i am now.

the sun felt warm against his skin as he held her in his arms. the moon had never glowed brighter than without his sun and star.

tags:

jake and i's argument with eachother had been fueled for the past few days as we set sail to go back to where the brothers had been raised in search of their parents and sister.

i sat, watching the crew do their work as jake yelled at me.

"dont even act like i havent saved your life, multiple times! i have taken a bullet for you, and i have been held with guns to my neck. just for you." he argued.

"you kidnapped me!" i argued back.

"maybe, youre both in the wrong." joshua intervened. the captain just scoffed and rolled his eyes.

i continued to leave him alone, giving us both time to think. i watched over the side of the ship as we approached land. samuel sat in the crows nest, hollering directions at jake as he steered, it had begun to get dark so it was helpful.

we docked after a bit, and jake made sure to keep my hat low, to cover my face. we walked through the small, humble town before they found the house they grew up in. i crossed my arms over my chest as i watched the twins silently discuss who would knock. jake eventually knocked and after a moment, a short woman answered. she inspected the 4 of us, before realizing that 3 of them were her kids.

she took them into hugs before she interrogated the boys about who i was.

"its best we go inside before we explain." jake said as he led me inside. i stayed silent as he held my hand in his.

"mother, this is the queen of Eldoria." he said as he sat down, taking a swig from his flask.

"you kidnapped the queen?" she said as she looked between us. jake took my hat off, revealing my face.

"it was more of borrowing, we may give her back. so she can be thrown in jail for treason." he mumbled in response.

"jacob, you know, thats quite a horrendous thing to do." she replied as she gave him a look of disappointment.

"she doesnt know how to be grateful." he countered.

"you kidnapped me, and took me from the only place i have ever known." i said as venom dripped off of my words.

"i have nearly had my life taken because of you, and for you." he replied, pouring himself another drink.

"not this again." joshua mumbled.

"jacob, you did kidnap her, its been talk of the town for quite some time. it was quite cruel." his dad interjected. he came down the stairs and looked at everyone in the room.

"kelly." he introduced himself to me. i nodded and shook his hand.

"father, this is the queen of Eldoria, as you know she has no name that has been publicized. we call her north star. north, and or star for short." jake said before taking a swig off of the rum.

"we hope to make our home, yours. i apologize for the unfortunate way we met, but i hope to give you some sort of comfort." he said softly. their home smelled like warm cinnamon and pine, and the warm lighting from the candles enchanted it that much more. it really did feel like a home.

"thank you, sir." i responded with a small smile.

we ended up talking for hours. i told them stories about my life before being kidnapped and after. after awhile, i was getting drowsy and i laid my head on jakes shoulder. he was drunk and far more forgiving than he usually was.

i started to doze off on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around me, holding me close to himself as we listened to stories from kelly, talking about his life as a deckhand on a ship himself.

when i woke up, i was in jakes arms as he carried me back to the dock.

"go back to sleep, my star." he whispered before he kissed my head.

"i can walk." i mumbled.

"its okay lass, go back to sleep." he said as he lifted me closer to his chest. i nodded and watched as he took me back into the ship and into the captains quarters. he laid me in bed and just as he was about to pull away from me, i pulled him closer.

"stay?" i asked as i looked up at him through my squinted eyes.

"of course." he replied as he stood up to take his coat and his hat off. he took my corset off and threw it on the floor before pressing a soft kiss to my lips.

"i missed this jake." i mumbled. he held my face softly in his hands as he pulled away. he sat next to me, as if he had just been hit with the strongest wave. he sat in thought and guilt as he stared at the ground.

"im sorry for everything, my star. i feel so full of regret and shame." he said as he broke his staring contest with the floor to look up at me.

"i know i shouldnt be grateful for it, but im glad you did it. i wasnt ready to be the queen, i couldnt have done it. if you hadnt taken me, i wouldnt have met you or your brothers, and started a new life." i replied as i took his hand in mine.

"i love you, my star." he slurred. thats when i really realized that he was drunk and he probably didnt mean it, he likely didnt mean anything he had just told me.

"i love yo-" i was cut off by yelling coming from the room next to us.

"traitor!" joshua yelled. jake immediately stood up and grabbed his flintlock and cutlass from off of the table. i followed closely behind, grabbing my weapons as well.

jake burst into the room, seeing the horrific sight before us. joshua was on top of daniel with a dagger held to his jugular.

"fucking sick bastard." he said, pressing the metal deeper into his skin.

"what happened." jake growled as he pulled joshua off of daniel and pulled the taller man to his feet. daniel quickly pulled his flintlock off of his hip and pressed it to jakes head.

"any quick movements from any of you, and hes dead." daniel warned as he held the captain against his chest, making it so he couldnt escape.

"shut the door, lass. quietly." he ordered. i quietly shut the door, as to not draw any more attention.

jakes eyes were desperate and scared, unlike how they usually were. fear diminished the fire in his eyes as they started to get glossier.

"give me the ship and the men or else." he commanded. the twins looked at eachother, silently debating. daniel pressed the gun closer, causing jake to flinch.

"you can have them daniel. you can have the ship, the men, and the shares. anything you want, its yours." joshua tried to deescalate the situation. he pushed jake into his brothers arms before pointing the gun at me.

"youre coming with me." he said as he quickly scooped me up and held the gun to my head. he left the room, holding me to his body. the twins watched as he took me off the ship and into the city. he holstered his flintlock as i cried, pulling me along.

"please daniel. i didnt do anything." i bawled.

"quiet." he growled. he led me to the other side of the island, and onto another ship.

"welcome to your new home, the archer." he said as he nearly threw me aboard. i fell to my knees as he tied my wrists and gagged me. he dragged me to what seemed to be the captains quarters, tying me up.

the thoughts of the first time i met jake flooded my memory as i watched people come into the room.

"what did danny bring us this time?" the captain said as he took a good look at me. he held his cutlass to my chin, causing me to raise my head up.

"youre disgusting daniel." i hissed as i spit at his feet.

"thats not very lady like, is it poppet?" he said as he pressed the cutlass closer to my throat.

"when jake finds you, hell is coming with him." i growled.

"im glad you think jake will find you." daniel sneered into my face. he took my jaw into his hand, making me look directly at him before smiling.

"you look so pretty like this, lass." he snickered before he pressed a kiss to my lips and he let my face go.

"youre fucking disgusting." i mumbled.

i slept on the floor that night, in that same place, tied to the wall. they fed me from there, made me sleep there, and only let me out occasionally. when i was out, i was always keeping a watch out for the crimson serpent and its crew.

i watched as the sea passed beneath the ship, its dark green sails contrasting against the pale grey sky. it had been raining a bit recently, and that was the only thing soothing me. daniel held my wrists in his hand, bringing me back to the captains quarters and tying me back up. there was no use in fighting, so i just tried my best to relax.

"pretty poppet. you messed up, didnt you? letting me take you like that, so i wouldnt kill your beloved jacob." he sneered as he traced his fingers against my jawline.

"you belong at the bottom of the ocean, rotting." i replied.

"you have quite the mouth, dont you lassie?" he laughed in response.

"let me tell you something, pirates are monsters. your jake doesnt really love you. he uses you like no other. he only wants you for something to fuck. that poor man cant get any women, so he has to take them." he snickered to himself.

"hell! even i used you! why do you think i cleaned you so much?" he said as he took a rag and wiped it along the blade of his cutlass.

"youre revolting." i replied as i closed my eyes, trying to mentally escape the hellhole i was in. he only laughed in response. i rested my head against the wall behind me, listening to the patter of footsteps around the ship.

suddenly, there was a loud crash that happened and daniel raced out to where the sound came from.

"cannon fire!" someone shouted. cannonballs ripped through the ship for minutes on end before the door was thrown open and a familiar face appeared.

"come on." he said as he untied me and helped me stand up.

"daniel, no." i replied as he tried to drag me with him.

"fine, you can stay here and drown along with the ship." he said as he sat me back down and tied me extra tight to the wall. he locked the door before leaving.

i watched as items around the room swayed and shook as the cannonballs ripped through the thick walls of the ship. a lit lantern fell over, quickly lighting the room ablaze. i watched as the fire hissed and crackled as it spread. i stayed tucked as far away from the fire as possible, huddling into the corner.

i watched as it trailed closer to me, as someone pounded on the door. it was eventually broken down before jake burst into the room.

he quickly cut the rope that left me bound to the wall before scooping me into his arms and bringing me to the deck. he quickly crossed ships and put me in the captains quarters. he placed a quick kiss to my lips before leaving the room and charging out, cutlass in hand.

i tried my best to process everything that was happening as jake yelled commands to the others around him. i listened closely as he commanded for the ship to leave.

eventually, everything died down and jake came back into the room as the crew made repairs to the ship.

he carefully wiped my tears away and hugged me close.

"what did he do to you, my star? ill kill him right now." he said as he held my face in his hands. it was the only touch i had ever craved while i was away. he planted kisses on my forehead.

"he kissed me- i thought he was gonna kill me. i really did. he wanted me dead." i bawled as i held onto him.

"shhh, honey, its okay. youre safe now. ill kill that fucker." he comforted me as he held me to his chest. he let me cry into his shoulder for what seemed like hours, he sat there, patiently listening and comforting me.

"youre safe now, my love." he whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. my eyes were growing heavy with exhaustion as i started to drift to sleep, occasional sniffles shocking me awake. my face was red and irritated from crying so hard, but he didnt mind.

he blew the candles out that were in the room and held me in his lap. he gently swayed with the boat as he hummed songs that he had learned over the many years. his hand ran through my hair as he watched me drift off to sleep.

"can i ask you something, my north star?" he asked as he traced shapes against my hot cheeks. i nodded in reply and rested my hand on his chest.

"will you be mine? i will take you around the world with me, and protect you with every molecule of my very being." he swore. i immediently perked up and looked at him, searching his eyes for any hint of lies.

"really?" i asked, just to confirm.

"really." he replied as he held my body closer to his.

"of course i will." i smiled before he pressed a soft kiss against my lips. it was more passionate than i had ever felt, or could have imagined. they were soft and plush against my skin as he locked them to his own. my hands threaded into his hair as he wrapped his arms around me.

"you shine brighter than any star i have ever seen." he whispered against my skin.

tags:

later that day, jake was up and about on the ship, doing his duties. i was surprised at his abilities to withstand the pain, but as i talked to daniel, he made me realize he wasnt going to quit and rest.

"hes been like this ever since you left." he said as we watched him run around, somewhat yelling duties out.

"he felt like since you left, he needed to get everything in order before we rescued you." he added. i nodded as my eyes followed him as he walked around. a small black cat darted across the deck, chasing a mouse that was on board. i had seen a few cats on board, and they were helpful for keeping the mice off, but because they were all feral, we could never really get close to them.

the sky got darker as we passed into a different part of the sea.

"were off the map!" sam yelled as both the sky and the water grew into a dark, muddy green. he watched as we passed by an island, the tall, dark trees that guarded the island itself were strong and bold against the sky.

"siren territory, lass." jake said as he stood next to me, making me jump.

"whats a siren?" i asked innocently. the word had been thrown around a few times, but i had never known what it meant.

"theyre beautiful women, some of the most youll ever lay eyes on. they have beautiful, alluring voices that could tempt even the strongest of men. theyll persuade you to go with them, and just as you arent expecting it, theyll take you underwater and to davy jones locker." he said as he rested his hand on my back. i nodded and watched off the side of the ship as faint glimmers of scales caught the ever so faint light from the moon.

"there lass, see?" he said as he pointed to one. she had long hair that went past her back and onto the beginning of her tail. it trailed along behind her as she swam along the side of the ship. there were soft voices coming from the other side of the ship, singing a soft, yet beautiful melody. her long, white tail under the water made it look green. we had anchored down on a small cove, deciding that was the safest out of all the places near us.

because we were off the map, we couldnt really tell what was around us, besides what we could see. as i got ready for bed, i heard jake approaching the door.

"dont let the sirens bite!" he shouted, making everyone laugh. he came into the room, shutting the door behind himself.

"hello, lovely." he smiled as he took my hat off of the desk.

"hello, captain." i replied as i watched him hang them up, in their now designated spots. the long nightgown and thin, silk robe that i had on, trailed behind me, just like the sirens tail.

"my siren, how beautiful you are. the most beautiful of them all." he said as he bowed in front of me, making me smile. as he came back up, i gently grabbed his hands in mine and smiled.

"i have something for you. a trinket, of sorts." he said as he reached into his back pocket. he pulled out a small music box, it had the words 'STARDUST CHORDS' engraved in the top of the silver lid. i carefully took it from his hands, opening the top and spinning the handle.

the melody filled the air as he held my waist in his hands.

"i saw the name of it, and immediately thought of you, my star." he beamed. i looked up at him as the fire in his eyes captivated me. i had never seen them burn so bright. the dark umber eyes felt like they could finally give my soul a place to call home.

"my star, may i ask you something?" he said as he ran the tips of his fingers through the ends of my hair.

"of course, jake." i replied as he smiled.

"lets go look at the stars, shall we?" he asked as he trailed his hand down my shoulder, arm, and eventually to my hand, encapsulating it. i nodded and he led me out of the room, and up the steps. the deck was stained a deep red, but you couldnt tell because of the naturally dark wood itself.

"see how beautiful they are?" he asked as he looked up to the sky. i had never seen anything like it. they surrounded us, making it feel like you were swimming in them. they reflected off of the water, making them seem infinite.

"you look just like them, especially this one." he said as he pointed to the north star.

"i call you that because you give me a sense of direction, and youll always be my home. ive been to a million places, but youre my home." he muttered, trying to be smooth, but i could tell there was something on his mind.

"whats on your mind, captain?" i wondered as he wrapped me around him. a small gust of wind blew past us, making me shiver.

"let me grab my jacket, love. youre freezing." he said as he began to let go of me.

"i can get it captain." i replied. i was already a step ahead of him, so he stood behind me, allowing me to get it.

i went into the quarters, searching for where he put it. it wasnt on the rack, it wasnt in his closet, it wasnt in his trunk.

"where could it be?" i mumbled to myself. i searched around the room, looking for where it could be, yet to no avail. i looked on the bed, and there it sat as i cursed myself for not looking there first. i put it on, buttoning a few buttons with a small amount of struggle. when i got it buttoned, i smoothed it over before going back out.

"i looked everywhere for it, and it was on the b- jake?" i said as i stepped up the steps that led to the upper portion, just above the captains quarters. he wasnt where i had left him, making me panic.

"jake?" i asked into the air. no reply. i immediately rushed down the steps and across the ship, into the quartermasters quarters. joshua was fast asleep, light snores coming from him.

"joshua, hurry." i said as i shook him awake.

"whats wrong?" he said as he rolled over to look at me. his eyes adjusted to the faint light, seeing the panic on my face.

"i cant find j- the captain. i cant find the captain." i corrected myself as he sat up.

"we went outside to go look at the stars, and i went to go grab his jacket, and he wasnt there when i came back." i trembled. he stood up, getting his boots on and pulling a jacket on. i followed him outside, and he scanned the area.

"stay here lass, he got off the boat. dirty sirens." he said as he looked off the edge, seeing that the net was off the side of the ship. panic filled my veins more than i thought was possible.

i watched as he got off the side of the boat, landing in the mud as it covered his feet, flintlock in hand. i waited until he was a few paces ahead before getting off myself. i quietly followed joshua as he whistled for his brother. i watched as he slowly disappeared into the small opening of a cavern, before i followed along.

i watched as he stopped at an opening in the rocks, looking through it. i quietly came up next to him, also looking through.

"i thought i told you to stay on the ship, lass." he warned.

"i want to help find him, quartermaster, my apologies." i whispered. he nodded and looked through the opening again, finally spotting him. he sat on the edge of a cenote.

"youre back later than expected, captain." she purred as she held her chest in his face.

"my apologies, celio." he replied as he held her face in his hands.

"your twin, where is he? dont want to worry about him." she smirked as she looked up at him.

"hes back on the ship, dont worry." he replied as he pressed a kiss upon her lips, just as he did mine. my heart sank and my stomach dropped more than it ever had. i felt as if i was going to be sick.

"he told me he loved me." i mumbled to myself as i watched him.

"he does, its the siren, they take over his mind." joshua replied. i nodded and continued watching.

"come with me, ill show you more than youve ever seen." she beseeched as she grabbed onto his hands. he nodded, and just as joshua was lining up his shot, they sank into the water.

we ran after them and joshua shed his shoes and jacket along with all of his gear before jumping in after them. a minute later, he came back up, gasping for air as he rubbed the painful sting from the water out of his eyes.

"theyre too deep. im gonna try again." he said before taking a deep breath and diving back under. i watched as a small amount of red came up to the top, making me panic. i watched as clouds of red came out of a smaller cave under the water, praying that they were okay. he eventually reemerged with jakes body in his hands before gasping and setting him on the ground.

"i killed her." he said as he shook the water off of his face and out of his hair. just a second later, jake nearly sprung back to life, coughing and throwing up whatever water he inhaled.

"fuckin hell." he mumbled through the coughs as he held his chest. he rubbed the water off of his face as joshua came up and sat on the ground next to him.

"siren. dirty, dirty siren." he announced as he looked down at jake. tears filled my eyes as the scene replayed in my head.

the way he held onto her face, and the way he ever so slightly touched her. the hands that once held me, were on another woman, a monster.

"what happened?" he asked as he sat up.

"siren." joshua replied. i sat silent, trying to fight off the scene in my head. i knew it wasnt his fault, but part of me wanted nothing more than to scream at him for it.

"fuckin monsters." he mumbled as he looked up at me.

"anything she did to me, she did without me knowing. its like she took over my body, my mind even." he said as he held my face in the palm of his hand, just as he did her. the look on my face stayed blank, as if i was looking straight through him.

"my star, look at me." he pleaded. i ignored him and looked down at my now muddy feet. i quickly stood up, going back on the ship after washing my feet off. i quickly got re-dressed, as everything was covered in a thin coating of mud and sand. i went to joshuas room, deciding to spend the night there. i slept in a hammock that joshua had hung for me and covered me in a blanket.

i slept until about noon, and the ship had moved far away, jakes doing. i got dressed and folded the hammock and blankets up, laying them on his table.

i left his quarters and was met with samuel.

"samuel, wheres the captain?" i asked.

"hes on the upper deck." he replied. i nodded and went to find him. when i did, he looked at me without saying a word before continuing to steer the ship.

"jake, we need to talk." i said as i stood next to him.

"about what?" he said as he acted if nothing had ever happened. i gave him a small glare and sighed.

"you know exactly what we need to talk about." i replied, crossing my arms.

"what? because something happened that wasnt my fault and now youre in a pissy mood because of it." he yelled. i stood there, in shock and in fear, he had certainly never talked to me like that and it made me scared, rightfully so.

"if i do recall, i have every right to be 'in a pissy mood', i was kidnapped and taken from the only place i have ever called home, and now the only person i really trust and have grown to love, stabbed me in the back right before my eyes. think about that next time you want to say something to me." i said as i started to walk away.

"thats not the way you talk to your captain, is it?" he growled as he grabbed my arm.

"you are not my captain, im your captive." i said, venom dripping off of my words. he was taken aback as he dropped my arm to my waist, and i walked away, deciding to go busy myself.

i found myself on the upper part of the deck, on the opposite side, with a kitten in my arms. he was playful and looked just like one of the other cats aboard.

his thick, jet black coat glistened in the sun as i sat there and played with him. he chased after my hand, pouncing on it.

"youre a sweetheart, arent you?" i said as i picked him up and held him in my arms. he purred away as he chewed on my finger.

after a bit, i set him down and decided to go find someone to talk to so that i wasnt bored out of my mind. samuel sat in the crows nest, navigating as usual. i climbed up there, looking down on the ship as i sat next to him.

"what happened? i saw the entire thing." he said as he watched his compass.

"your brother got taken by a siren and joshua and i ended up finding him. he kissed her and it broke my heart and now hes claming that im in a 'pissy mood'. i have every right to be; i was taken from the only place i have ever called home, and now im starting to love him and that happened. ive just felt lost. last night, we were sitting on the upper deck, talking and he told me that i was his home. i felt like the only thing that could tie his heart down that wasnt the sea, and then it happened and i watched it all. i didnt want to, but i couldnt tear my eyes away." i explained.

"i agree with you. he shouldnt have yelled at you." he replied as he closed the lid to his compass. it read: TO A BRAVE NEW WORLD. it was a beautiful compass with lots of engraved roses and vines.

"after we hit this clearing, wanna do something fun?" he asked. i nodded before he shouted directions down to jake. we got to the clearing and he grabbed my hand, pulling me close to his body as he threaded a rope around his foot. he grabbed onto it and pulled me to his chest, letting me hold the rope as tight as i could.

"three.."

"two!" he jumped, causing me to shriek and eventually laugh as we caught sight of the ship and the water below. he slid down the rope and onto the deck, taking me down with him.

we laughed together as he set me down on the floor and jumped down, himself. i could feel jakes eyes boring into the back of my skull, and samuel could sense it as well. thanks to it being around lunch time, he ran down into the bilge to grab a bottle of rum before coming back up.

we all sat together at the table as conversation filled the air. jake sat to the left of me while samuel sat to the right. we talked over our food and rum before the tension between jake and i had gotten too strong, and he excused himself for 'captain duties'. i watched as he left the room, slamming the door behind him. i looked over to samuel and he rolled his eyes.

"itll blow over, give him time." he said before he took a bite of his apple. i nodded and took a sip of my rum.

"he gets dramatic sometimes." he added.

i watched as they tied ropes around the dead mens necks before securing them to the posts on the ship. two men lifted each body up before throwing it off the side. i looked down, seeing them hang. their feet hung about an inch into the water.

"very well, lads." jake called as he watched their bodies hang.

"congratulations, my star. welcome to the pirates life." he said as he wrapped a faint arm around my waist. he let it lazily hang, as to not draw much attention to it.

"20 minutes till dock!" samuel called from the crows nest. I watched as joshua scurried about, making sure everything was going to plan.

eventually, we docked and jake helped me off the ship.

"where to lassie?" he asked as he led me along the path that led deeper into the city.

"anywhere, captain." i replied. there was a storm coming in, so it was likely that we were going to harbor here until it had passed.

he took my hand, leading me into a small tavern. he ordered us some whiskey and we sat at a table before some of the crew came in along with us.

"cards, william?" he said as he leaned back into his chair.

"aye captain." william replied as he pulled out a deck of cards that were held in an aluminum container.

"poker?" he asked. jake nodded and lit a cigar that hung out of his mouth. he took a puff off of it before offering it to me. i took a small drag off of it, the smoke filling my lungs. i held back a cough, trying to play it cool before exhaling. i watched as the small cloud of smoke billowed in front of me.

"atta girl, lassie." one of the crewmates said, patting me on the back. what i didnt see, was the captain shooting daggers with his eyes at the man. jake took a long drag off of the cigar before letting it hang out of his mouth as he exhaled.

"ever played lass?" jake asked, the cigar making his voice mumbled. i shook my head 'no' as i watched him deal the cards. poker was a mans game, at least in my kingdom. i had watched it be played very few times as knights gathered around a table, trying to get their share of the game. he gave me my cards before explaining the rules, and each hand.

they played for a bit as i tried my best to follow along. there were drinks passed around and big bottles of whiskey and wine that sat on the table, everybodys cup was always filled.

"look lassie, its you." he said as he showed me one of his cards, the queen of hearts. i smiled as we continued our game, and he tucked the card into his pocket.

i had eventually lost, and jake had won the game.

"captains luck." the man next to me sighed.

"not luck, john. skill." jake corrected as he turned in his cards, to be put away. william shuffled the cards before putting them back into the case and into a pocket.

"whaddya say lass, we go explore?" jake said as he stood up, offering his hand, just the same way he did when he introduced me to everyone. i happily took it as i stood up.

we looked around town, going into a few shoppes and such. i stood next to him as he admired a ruby necklace and ring. the crimson jewels sat in his hand as he compared silver to gold. he held the necklace up to my neck, deciding on silver.

he bought both the ring and the necklace, negotiating with the jeweler. he got them for a total of 5 coins, which they were originally worth 15. we stood outside of the jeweler as jake had stopped me.

"aye, lass. hold steady." he said as he attached the necklace to my neck. he then slipped the ring onto my ring finger, with a kiss to my hand. the ruby stood proudly on my finger, glowing in the moonlight.

"my pretty star. you look beautiful this evening, such as always." he whispered as he held me close to his body.

"thank you, jake." i said as i looked up at him. the glint of silver behind him caught my eye. i quickly pulled the flintlock off of my chest and pointed it at the small amount of silver. the captain immediately turned, unholstering his own flintlock. there was a shot that rang out, the bullet missing us and landing in the mud.

"dirty, knave! fight like a man, at sword." jake announced. the man came out of the thick foliage, revealing himself. it was none other, than john.

"hand over the woman. she deserves more of a man than you, jacob. heartless swab." he cursed as he held his gun, pointed at jake. they stood, barrels pointed directly at each other.

"fight like a man, john. whoever wins, gets the lady." he said as he looked directly down the sight. john holstered his flintlock, causing jake to do the same. they both pulled out their cutlasses, as they circled one another. a whistle rung out, causing all of us to look in the direction of the sharp sound.

"john, what are you doing?" joshua said as he pulled me away from the danger.

"the lady doesnt deserve someone as heartless and cold, such as the captain." he replied as his words dripped with venom.

"if your fighting is anything like your aim, i would have easily won." jake mumbled. joshua persuaded them to put their weapons down, and come to terms with each other, knowing that johns actions were easily punishable to death.

we got back on the ship, after the small storm had passed. we set sail and left, finding a spot deep in the ocean. john sat, bound and blindfolded in cloth and chains. the captain held his cutlass to johns back before kicking his knee, making them buckle and causing him to fall off of the ship; and into the cold ocean below.

"saint john lives again, in davy jones locker." jake said as he watched the man sink and gurgle water. i stood next to him, watching along.

"he deserved it, my star." he whispered in my ear, as if he could read my mind. he sheathed his cutlass, and took my hand as everyone carried on with their business.

he led me to his quarters, shutting the door behind us. he hung his hat on the rack, taking mine off and hanging it along with his. he took my waist in his hands, carefully turning me around as he placed kisses on my revealed shoulder. his hands found my corset, carefully unlacing it and taking it off.

"stay here lass, ill be back." he whispered. i nodded and sat as i waited for him to come back. when he did, daniel was along with him.

"may i clean your wound?" he asked softly. i nodded with a small smile. jake watched closely behind as i was undressed and the bandage was taken off of me.

"its healing fantastically, mrs." he said as he looked at the stitches.

"may i clean it?" jake asked as he watched over daniels shoulder.

"of course, captain." he replied as he doused the rag in rum before handing it to jake.

the hands that were once so rough, and had people begging for mercy before he made terms with them, were gentle against my skin. they took their time, carefully cleaning the wound that covered my torso. he gently cleaned around and over the stitches, assuring that everything was clean.

the hands that held guns and swords in their hands, were now against my skin, tender and humane.

the hands that stole and caused chaos, were causing restoration and peace.

he took care of my wound, carefully wrapping the bandage around my torso as daniel watched over, making sure he did everything correctly.

the next day, we were on a voyage for any island that came in our direction. we stopped on a feeble, small cove. we looked around the cove and decided to rest there for some time. it was a peaceful place, but as soon as we got into the city, the fact that is: realization, struck me.

"jake, my father is allies with Howlers cove. we cant go in, they know me." i said as i held onto his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

"my north star, everything will be just fine. i will make sure of it." he said as he moved my hand to his heart. it was a form of an oath, for protection. he kissed the ring that sat clad upon my finger and smiled. he tipped my hat slightly, casting a shadow upon my face.

as we entered the city, there were soldiers on horseback that eyed us carefully.

"a woman pirate?!" one of the children gasped as he pointed at me. his mother, quickly shooed him away, fear deep in her eyes.

"aye." jake replied as he held his hand on my waist. we continued walking as soldiers passed us on the street.

"get out before you get shot." one of them heckled as he pointed his rifle at jake.

"move before you do." he replied, hand on his flintlock. the other two pulled the rifles off of their backs, their bayonets reaching just in front of our faces. one of the bayonets tipped my hat up before the look on their face dropped.

"the queen!" the soldier shouted, causing the other guards to circle us. their bayonets lined perfectly in a circle, allowing any fast move from us to be punished.

"youll take my life, before you take her." he said as he thought thoroughly of his next move. panic struck my eyes as they shoved their bayonets closer to him. one of them grabbed my arm, ripping me to his side.

but just as he ripped me to his side, he pulled the trigger.

"jake!" i screamed as he fell to the ground, gasping.

"back away!" i ordered as tears started to fall down my cheeks, yet they didnt listen.

"listen to your queen! back away!" i ordered for a second time. they took into consideration what i was saying and backed away.

"jake, please." i sobbed as i held his face in my hands.

"please. im begging, stay with me." i whimpered as i held his face in my hands, begging for him as his eyes grew more and more shallow. he reached up, holding the wound to his chest.

"please, please, please." i sobbed as he wiped my tears away, leaving a swipe of blood across my cheek.

"dirty pirate." one of the guards said as he spit on jake. hands reached around my arms, pulling me away from him as he laid there, dying. i fought against their strength, but it was too much. their grip was sure to leave marks as i struggled against them.

"please, let me go." i begged. they let me go, allowing me to fall to the cold ground. i scrambled up to jake as he struggled to breathe.

"jacob, please, i love you." i sobbed as hot tears ran down my cheek. i held his body in my lap as he struggled. he held the wound, applying pressure to it as his breathing became labored. i whistled as loud as i could, over and over, to try and get the attention of anyone from the crew.

samuel heard my desperate whistles. he hurried over and the soldiers had their guns pointed at him as well.

"leave him!" i commanded, their guns dropped and samuel took his brothers body from me. i held onto him as long as i could before samuel had carried him out of reach.

the guards took me by my arms, leading me away as i sobbed. nothing but our hats and blood were left on the road. i was taken into a cold cell inside the chamber of prisoners.

they locked the cell door behind me as i laid on the floor sobbing. the guards spit on the floor in front of me before mumbling something to each other.

"youre being tried of treason, and piracy." the guard said before they left.

i sat upon the cold cell floor as images of jake laying there on the ground, covered in blood flashed through my head. his most recent touch was still felt on my cheek as i tried my best to remember everything about him.

thoughts of him being dead haunted me. i never got to see the time he took his last, ragged breath.

i looked around my cell for any way to escape. i grabbed at the brick, to hoist myself up enough to see out of the small window that sat has high as it could. it showed the dock, yet no ship.

they had left me here.

they had stripped everything of me, my weapons, most of my clothes, my dignity, everything. what little i had, was gone. the feeling of weight and dread in my stomach never left, even as days passed.

i laid on the bench in the cell and closed my eyes, hoping for some sort of rest before i would be hung.

the guards came from the corridor, keys in their hand. they unlocked my cell, grabbing me by my arms and leading me outdoors and into the public, where i would be hung. they placed a blindfold over my eyes as they tied my ankles and wrists. the rope burned my skin as it rubbed against it. they stood me on a small podium before wrapping the noose around my neck. there was a small choke before screams were heard. the clashing of metal was heard around me and a shot overfilled the air as people evaded.

in the back of my mind, i hoped it was who i thought it was.

someone untied the tear soaked blindfold from my eyes before it fell to the ground. they hacked away at the ropes that bound me as my eyes adjusted to the sudden light.

i finally got a glimpse of who they were.

it was samuel and joshua.

"wheres jake?" i asked as sam threw me on his shoulder and made his escape. they didnt respond, so i assumed the worst had happened. he died.

i watched the ground behind them as they took me back on the ship. joshua was screaming commands as they made it to the main deck. the ship immediately started moving as soldiers had chased it, firing their rifles at us. sam carefully set me down and i immediately rushed to the captains quarters.

there he laid, on the bed, weak and tired.

"my love." i mumbled as i rushed to him, and gently holding his body in my hands.

"my star." he croaked as he held me close, taking a deep breath of my hair.

"i thought you were gone." i sniffled as tears filled my eyes.

"did you mean what you said?" he asked as he laid back down, his hand on his bandaged torso.

"i have never meant it more." i said as i pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"show me." he replied as he held my face in his hands.

i pressed my lips to his, locking them together as he held me close. i threaded my hand in his long, chestnut hair as he pulled me closer. the purest love ran through our veins as we kissed. we had become infatuated with each other, and i could never want anything else. he smiled as i pulled back, and he admired me.

jake and i had been tasked to babysit his identical twins daughter. though we had talked of kids, infertility had been a big problem in our own little world. though we tried over and over, i couldnt get pregnant. no matter what. we had tried anything and everything.

i sat on the couch, awaiting joshs arrival with his daughter. she was only about 2 months old, and she was the cutest little thing ever. she was always a very happy baby, and that was heavily appreciated.

the instruments that littered the room were cleaned up, and the house was deep cleaned. it felt nice to not have to worry about jakes bandmates things that had somehow found their way here. i watched as he plopped down on the couch next to me, taking my body in his arms.

we had been so in love for so long that any sort of touch had become second nature. dating for 4 years, engaged for 3 months, we had done almost everything we could think of together.

their band, Thunder Rolling, had become exceptionally popular, and i was lucky to be engaged to their guitarist. girls always threw themselves at him, but that was part of the gig.

"how did knoxs drumstick get in the couch?" jake said as he rolled his eyes. a small smile found its way on my face at his frustration. knox was their drummer, he was rambunctious and had a lot of energy, definitely adhd. shane was their bassist, quiet, but when you got to know him he was cool. taylor was their lead singer, was alright, definitely not my favorite. he was always an asshole towards me, but jake never let it stand for too long.

cutting me away from my thoughts, there was a knock on the door. before josh invited himself in, just as he was welcome to. he was always welcome here, no matter what time of day.

"hi!" i said softly, taking josh into a hug. he gently took me into an awkward side hug before setting the carrier down.

"i am exhausted, thank you two so much." he replied, the dark circles under his eyes made that well prevalent. he rubbed his eyes, trying to stay awake.

"wheres the mrs?" jake inquired.

"shes at home, finally getting some sleep. between work, filming, and her," he said as he pointed to the baby "its been insane. she has so much energy." he sighed softly. he looked like he was on the verge of passing out.

"josh, let me drive you home. youre far too tired to be driving." i said as i stood up. before he could deny. i already had my shoes on and was heading for the door, keys in hand.

"you should, josh." jake said softly as he gently took dahlia out of her carrier. he nodded as his eyes grew heavier by the second. after a short goodbye, we went out to my car and josh got in the passenger seat. he barely got buckled up before his eyes were barely open. as i drove him home, he mumbled replies to me for my questions about the baby. he eventually passed out to the soft music in the background as i drove.

i tried my best to make the ride as smooth as possible as i pulled into his driveway. i got as close to the door as i could before carefully waking him up. i led him inside and got him situated before quietly leaving.

as i walked through the door of our home, my eyes caught on jake. the record that played in the back made me immediately smile. Jackie And Wilson, one of jakes songs that he dedicated to me. he held the baby in his arms as her bright eyes shined up at him.

"look! whos that Dahli? is that auntie?" he cooed at the baby, making my heart immediately swell with warmth. i smiled and gently shut the door behind myself before coming up to admire the sight before myself.

"youre gonna make such a good mama." he smiled before kissing me.

"i hope." i replied with a big smile at his choice of words: gonna. going to. the words gave me a sort of hope, but not without a little bit of weight. the fault was on my part, and infertility had caused many, many breakups; but with jake, it was different. he didnt mind it much, though he saw how much it affected me and empathized. he always cared for my problems and was patient with them, seeing the better in the situation. i admired that ability of his.

i listened as he cooed to the baby, telling her stories of the tours he had been on, and how him and i met.

"your daddy is a lucky fellow for meeting your auntie first. it took a little bit of bribing, but i got her first and won her over." he told her, as if she could understand. a small laugh came out of my chest as i listened along.

"i hope you know that your mama, daddy, uncles, and auntie will always be here to protect you. youre always gonna be everyones dahlia." he explained softly. he took the needle off of the record after the song was done playing, and sat down with dahlia.

i sat next to him and he gently handed her to me. i gladly took her and held her in my arms.

"how was josh?" jake asked.

"he fell asleep in the car." i started. "he was so exhausted. im glad he didnt drive home." i added.

"do you know if they fed her?" he said as he admired me.

"josh said they fed her a little before they left, but she wasnt very hungry." i responded as i looked up at him.

"i cant wait until i marry you, and we have babies of our own. id do anything for that." he smiled. my heart swelled for a second time, just at the thought of the future.

"we'll take them around the world with us, show them real music, and we'll take the best care of them." he said as he let his imagination wander. i watched as he closed his eyes for a moment, getting lost in thought.

after a few hours, jake picked josh up from his house and took him back to ours.

it was that night that we decided to try for a baby, one more time. we had hoped for that beautiful answer on that test.

i sat on the bathroom floor with jake, weeks later, waiting for the 3 tests to complete. i ran my hands through my hair as the test sat between us, anxiety filling our veins.

"im so scared." i whispered. he wrapped his arm around me and held me close as we watched the test.

they finally flashed the answer.

pregnant!

jake immediately took me in his arms and held me close.

"we did it." i whispered as he kissed my cheek. tears flowed down both of our cheeks, as we held each other. i held the test in my hands, admiring the 8 letter word. he kissed my forehead before finally kissing me. i wrapped my arms around his neck.

about 6 weeks later, we sat in the doctors office, doing an ultrasound. the doctor pointed to the baby on the screen as we admired them.

"oooh!" she said as a big smile found her face.

"what?" i said as worry filled me.

"theres two!" she said as she pointed to another little 'blob' on the screen. my eyes immediately found jake, in shock.

"twins?" he asked.

"yes sir!" she smiled. tears ran down my cheek as a big grin found its way upon my face. jake held my hand as joy filled the both of us. we had tried for one, luck brought us two. we were so, so, so excited.

after we left, i held the pictures of our babies in my hand.

"we need to tell your mom. should we mail them pictures of the twins and make it a surprise?" i said as i held my small bump.

"thats a good idea, honestly. she will be so excited." he smiled. we stopped at a store to get a bunch of cards and copies of the pictures.

"Y/n and Jake, summer of 2023!" i read the card, making sure everything was right. there was a picture of the twins on the other side of the card, pointing to the twins.

we gathered a bunch of envelopes and put the cards in, writing everybodys address on them and signing their names. we dropped them off at the post office, with an extra spring in our step.

about 3 days later, we were being bombarded with texts and calls from family and friends. finally jakes mom called us.

"hi mama!" he smiled as he answered the facetime.

"jacob thomas, you better be joking." she said as tears filled her eyes.

"is she actually pregnant?" she smiled.

"she is! look at her bump!" he said as he showed her my bump as i cooked dinner. i waved and smiled as she waved back.

"i cant believe it. i knew either you or your brother would have twins." she smiled as she wiped her tears away.

"you guys need to come up here soon. i need to see you guys." she said as she looked at the card.

"we will, mama!" i replied.

"you better or youre gonna be in big trouble." she said before she talked to jake about the pregnancy.

"and twins, jake! im so excited." she marveled. "did you tell your sister?" she asked.

"i mailed her the card, i dont know if shes seen it yet." he replied.

"shes here at home with us, thats why." she smiled before she yelled for veronica.

"ronnie! get your dad and come up here!" she hollered. there was a rush of footsteps that came up the stairs before she smiled. jake sat the phone down on the counter right next to me as he watched their reactions. karen held up the card to kelly and veronica.

"y/n is pregnant?" kelly asked.

"yep." jake replied. kelly took the phone and smiled as he watched us.

"i knew it." he whispered into the phone, making us laugh. ronnie took the phone from him with a big smile.

"its weird to think about what you fuckers did, literally fuckers, but congratulations." she laughed, making me laugh.

"ronnie, i dont know how babies are made, what are you talking about." jake joked.

"i honestly dont know either, your brother has cooties." i replied as i finished cooking dinner. she laughed before karen took the phone out of her hand and rolled her eyes.

"i cant believe my baby is all grown up. i remember finding out i was pregnant with twins. it was the craziest feeling in the world." she said softly.

"it is." i chimed.

"alright mama, were gonna eat and then go to bed." jake told them. they all said their goodbyes and hung up.

(moonlight serenade)

the peaceful morning air filled the room of my quarters as the sun began its ascent on the kingdom. i had been up for quite some time as my assistants aided me in the preparation of my coronation. my father, the king of Eldoria, had passed the week prior. i was being crowned as queen.

Eldoria, an island filled to the brim with precious jewels and gold, was always an infamous place, known for the pirates attempts of trying to cause destruction, in hopes for a taste of gold. none had ever laid their eyes on the precious gold, but they certainly tried, leading to their death or imprisonment. the island itself was constantly guarded with a fleet of navy soldiers, and if you got through that, the foot soldiers that covered the kingdom would take care of you.

they tied my corset as tight as it could allow, making it hard to breathe. the gold corset complemented my white dress, along with all the layers. they covered me head to toe in jewelry. pendants with ancient heirlooms were draped around my neck and hung on my chest. they spent nearly all day preparing me.

finally, as the sun descended, it was time for the coronation. i was led into the hall of the castle, knights surrounding me. i took cautious steps toward the door before it was opened. the room sat in silence as all eyes were turned to me. i had not married, nor been engaged, so it was just me that would be taking the throne.

i kept my eyes on the red carpet that lined the pathway, so as to not become more nervous. as i approached the priest, i raised my head up and he bowed to me.

the ceremony began, and i took my place in front of the priest, kneeling and keeping my head bowed. my nerves had taken over so i tried my best to calm down. the orchestra played softly in the background as i tried to listen to the priest. as he held the crown in his hands, getting ready to place it upon my head, there was a sudden burst through the door.

"drop it all! place all the weapons, jewelry, everything, in the bag!" a voice shouted. screams filled the air as chaos took over. i stood up as the soldiers and knights surrounded me.

"escort the citizens out please. give them everything." i said to the knights. they looked back at me as if i was losing my mind, but i gave them a look of authority.

"we mean you no harm, take all you like." i announced to the thieves. as the knights moved, i finally got a look at them, they werent just thieves, but pirates.

"let the citizens leave, and i will allow you to have anything you would like." i said as the knights led the citizens out of the room. the soldiers stood guard around me, watching closely for any fast movement from the pirates.

(on stranger tides)

almost everyone left the room and along with my soldiers, we led them to the vault room, where we kept a portion of the gold and other valuables. as i led them there, soldiers behind me, they were picked off silently without me noticing; leaving just the pirates and i.

the sudden coolness of a sharp blade was placed onto my neck and carefully pressed in.

"youre coming with us." one of them snarled into my ear. i was left speechless, but at their mercy and command. a thick, red piece of fabric was wrapped around my eyes, blindfolding me. i was gagged and thrown upon someones shoulder.

i listened attentively as they took me around the castle, and eventually outside. the walk outside was quite long, and it was starting to get cold, but they eventually took me to their ship.

i was put into a room and tied to a post. the door shut and i rested my head against the post behind me as my sharp, pure gold corset dug into my skin, sure to leave marks. i tried my best to catch my breath before my surely imminent end. the door opened again, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin.

"what did you arsworms do to her? shes bleeding everywhere. youre lucky all of you cunts dont get marooned!" he yelled. he gently kneeled down next to me as he assessed my apparent wounds. his hands were calloused and rough, but gentle upon my skin. he carefully lifted my blindfold.

"my, my, my, arent you a gem?" he said as he inspected my face. i looked down at my stomach, that was now covered in blood due to my corset boring its way into me.

"its my corset." i choked out as i looked up at him.

"somebody get the doctor in here, now!" he shouted. he carefully untied my hands and took off the corset, before gently picking me up and laying me flat on a table, but not before he swiped off all of the contents. he was beautiful. his long hair flowed around his shoulders and his keen eyes looked like they could kill a man just with a glance. a taller man with curly hair came into the room to assess my wounds.

he told the shorter man to leave the room to allow him to get his work done on me. i allowed him to take off every piece of clothing that he would need off and out of the way. he took a rag, dousing it in rum.

i winced as he rubbed the cloth around the fresh wound.

"sorry doll." he said softly as he started pulling out his tools. after a minute, he started stitching me up and he wrapped a large bandage around my torso.

"i told you, i wanted her uninjured and alive! you understand me? youre lucky you are all not hanging off the side of my ship right now!" the voice from earlier yelled.

"thats our captain, dont worry about him. he wont hurt you. we run a very tight ship around here, and if someone doesnt listen to his commands that happens." the tall man explained. he had dark, ethnic features, and kind eyes. he didnt look like he belonged in a place like this. i nodded as i tried to fight through the lingering pain. i took a deep breath and tried to sit up, but he stopped me.

"calm down lass, you need to stay laying." he said, guiding my shoulders back to lay down. i took a deep breath and tried to calm myself as he dressed me again. eventually the doctor left, and the captain came in again.

(calypso)

"apologies for the rough start. my men are imbeciles." he said as he laid me in a bed.

"what is happening?" i mumbled.

"well, just what you think." he replied.

"why did you take me? just to kill me?" i asked as i looked up at him.

"oh lass. no, we arent going to kill you, yet, at least. we just wanted you as our jewel. our prized possession. to show that if we can break into Eldoria and steal its soon to be queen, we can do anything." he said as his hand traced shapes onto my cheek.

"what about my people?" i asked as i tried to sit up again, but the pain from my stitches stopped me.

"so worried about her people." he laughed.

"welcome aboard the crimson serpent, lassie. im captain jake. and your name is? " he added as his hand resumed its position on my face. i stayed silent. my father had always kept my name a secret, only allowing people to address me as 'princess' or 'her majesty'. i had heard rumors about the crimson serpent, and they were quite scary to say the least.

"hmm. quiet now, are we?" he said as he stared intently across my features. all i could do was swallow and hope for the best.

"im gonna call you north star, you shine just like 'er." he said softly. a small blush found its way across my cheeks at the complement. i knew it was all a facade of his, but deep down i wanted it to be a real complement.

"whatever you do, dont hurt me please. i havent done anything to any of you. ive wanted nothing but peace." i said as tears welled up in my eyes.

"sweet star, im not going to hurt you. just know that peace isnt going to cut it. ill get ya toughened up." he said as a small smirk found his face.

"just be good, and i wont kill ya." he laughed. i nodded and he wiped away the small tear that had fallen down my cheek. he kissed my forehead and made his way out the door with a wink. i laid in bed and watched from the small window as the waves moved. eventually, i fell asleep.

the sound of the door opening woke me up. jake had dresses folded over his arm, but he hadnt noticed that i was awake. i watched him as he quietly whistled a tune and set the clothes out. there was a crimson petticoat, a black dress, a black corset, and a white blouse. he laid out a few belts and then left the room.

"daniel! clean 'er up please." he shouted. i immediately closed my eyes and acted as if i was asleep the entire time. there was a soft knock on the door before he opened it. he quietly came in and brought in what he would need to clean me up. he set them on the table and carefully "woke" me up.

(skip to: one last shot)

"im just here to help clean you up, youre looking quite disheveled, and rightfully so." he said as he sat next to me on the bed. i nodded and he helped me sit up, before i swung my legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. he helped support me and took my dress off for me.

"how many times have you undressed a woman?" i quietly joked, trying to find the best in the situation.

"i wish i could say this was the first time." he jokingly replied. a small smile found its way on my face. he gently took a cloth and dipped it in a bucket of warm water before wiping my thighs and stomach down. he dipped it again, wiping my shoulders and neck off.

"may i?" he asked as he motioned towards my chest. i nodded and closed my eyes as he wiped me down. after a bit, he finally finished and got me dressed.

"not too tight please." i said as he tied my new corset.

"of course lassie." he softly replied. he smiled as he tied it off and looked at me.

"now, your new hat and belts, then we better get you some food." he said as he grabbed them off of the table. i nodded and he put my hair in loose braids, tying the two off with a thin, black piece of rope.

"may i ask you something?" i said softly.

"anything lassie." he smiled.

"how did you learn to take care of a woman?" i asked. he just laughed.

"pirates arent monsters, we have or had families. i was married at one point. she was my sun, my light, my life. we worked on the same ship, and during a battle one day, our ship caught fire and it killed her. it killed a part of me along with it." he reminisced.

"my deepest apologies." i said softly.

"its okay lass. if it werent for that, i wouldnt be a doctor." he said softly. i nodded. he fastened my belts and plopped the deep crimson hat on my head.

"thank you for taking care of me-" i said softly, wondering his name, though i already knew it.

"daniel." he said with a smile.

"thank you daniel." i replied.

"lets go get you some food, youre likely starving." he said softly. i nodded and he lead me out of the room. he lead me across the ship and into another room, it had a big table, likely big enough to seat the entire crew and then some. chatter filled the room before i caught everyones eyes.

"lads, this is our good friend, north star, the queen of Eldoria. treat her kindly or else." captain jake announced. everyone cheered.

"star, this is my twin brother, quartermaster joshua. this is my other brother, samuel, the finest navigator of them all." he said, pointing to each one of them. joshua had short, curly hair, and kind eyes. samuel looked a lot like jake, but lankier.

we all sat down and i had a little bit of food, trying not to disturb my body. there was a little bit of wine in my goblet that i would sip off of every now and then. jake sat next to me, chatting with the others as my eyes wandered around the room.

"how are you feeling, star?" daniel checked in.

"tired, and my wound aches." i said softly as i held the goblet in my hands. he nodded and continued eating.

"ill escort you to the bedroom." jake said as he stood up, reaching out for me to take his hand. i took his hand and he helped me up to my feet.

"careful lass." he said softly. i nodded and tried to take everything carefully, though it was hard with the sway of the boat. he steadied me on my feet and helped me to the bedroom.

"how far are we from my kingdom?" i asked.

"about 5 hours away." he said softly. i nodded as he opened the door to the bedroom. he took my hand and lead me in, shutting the door behind us.

"may i ask you something, captain?" i said as i smoothed over my new dress.

"depends on what youre asking." he replied as he helped me undress.

"do you have a family? a wife or kids?" i questioned.

"wouldnt you like to know?" he said as he untied my corset.

"i do not. i only have my brothers and my crew as family." he explained softer than i had ever heard his gruff voice speak. i nodded and let him undress me until he had reached my undergarments.

"i think thats enough for sleep, correct?" he said softly.

"yes, captain." i replied as i smoothed over my covered bandages.

"aye, lassie. if you only knew how pretty that sounds when you say it." he said softly as he took my body into his hands. it wasnt forceful or anything i couldnt get out of, it was just enough to hold me. a deep blush covered my cheeks, as i avoided eye contact.

"she likes that, doesnt she? pretty star." he teased at the color of my cheeks. by now, they had to be as crimson as the sails. my ears burned in embarrassment. he was right. though i had been called beautiful all my life, it struck a different chord when it came off of his lips. he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, looking deep into my eyes. his eyes were sharp, like the sword he carried along with him, but there was some sense of comfort in them. like a raging fire, it could easily cause destruction and chaos, yet there was a comfortable warmth in it.

i gently laid my hands on his chest as he admired my features. without warning, his soft lips connected with mine. i naturally wrapped my arms around his neck and his hands wandered further across my body. his hands grasped at my thighs, pulling me closer to himself. the kiss gently broke and i looked up at him. he smiled and gently picked me up before laying me down on the bed. he kissed my head and made sure i was comfortable before leaving the room.

i watched out of the window as the waves crashed into the boat.

"anchor down!" joshua yelled to the crew. they put the anchor down and everyone got ready for bed. i had fallen back to sleep before the door had opened one more time. a soft presence blew out the candles and took off all of their gear before joining me in bed.

"why are you in bed with me?" i mumbled, barely awake.

"this is captains quarters, my sweet star." jake said softly as he held my body close. i subconsciously nuzzled into the warmth of him as he happily took my body into his arms. he smelled of whiskey and citrus, along with his natural musk. he pointed towards the window, at a star.

"there you are, pretty girl." he said softly. i opened my eyes just a tad to see what he was pointing at. his finger pointed directly to the north star, and that was the moment when i had realized that the name had a meaning.

(i see dead people in boats)

when i awoke in the morning, my stitches were sore and my body felt weak as it realized it wasnt at home anymore. it was on a ship, being taken away from where it had grown, and not knowing what happened to the people it once saw and loved. i was home sick. tears filled my eyes as memories of the day prior flooded in.

i was now alone in the room, the quiet air filling with sniffles and commands from outside. there was a soft knock on the door before it opened.

"lassie, i made medicines for you last night." daniel said softly. i nodded and tried my best to sit up, but he had to help a little. he handed me a small pill capsule.

"how do i know this isnt going to kill me?" i sniffled as i looked at his face and back down at the pill.

"i could never live with taking the lives of one of my crewmates, let alone a woman." he said softly as he wiped my tears away. i nodded, deciding to trust him. i took the pill and he gave me some water to take it with. i swallowed and closed my eyes, hoping it would make relief come faster.

"why were you crying, doll?" he asked.

"im just scared." i said softly.

"i understand. just know, we mean you no harm, and i will make sure of that. so will the captain. theres something about you that captivates him, i see it. i have never seen him care so much for someone." he said as he wiped a small tear from my face.

"ill leave ya to your own, lassie." he said as he lit a candle for me, adding a small amount of light to the dim room.

i got dressed and braided my hair before putting my hat on.

"captain? will you tie my corset?" i asked as i found him at the front of the ship. he gave me a small nod and i turned around.

"not too tight please." i said softly.

"aye, lass." he said as he tied it, making sure it wasnt too tight, yet it cinched my waist perfectly.

"you look beautiful, as ever." he smiled.

"thank you captain." i replied with a small smile.

"were arriving at a dock soon, mind joining me? give you a taste of the pirates life." he insisted.

"i will, captain."

the dock was about an hour away, on a small island known as Gardens Gate. it was bursting with activity and people. hard working people covered the town, making it a beautiful one.

(skip to: the devils triangle)

soon, we ran into trouble though. they happened to be an opposing fleet of pirates who were starting to rob the town of its little value. captain jake quickly handed me a flintlock, as we hid in the foliage.

"aim your sight right on him. cmon lassie, you got this." he whispered as he helped me point the gun.

"i cant captain, i cant. i cant kill someone." i said as i took my hand off of the gun. he held it in his hand, and i turned away as he shot. he quickly holstered the pistol and with his ring clad hand, he took mine. he led me to a different part of the bushes as he watched his surroundings.

he watched as another pirate gathered around the now dead man, a bullet wound to the chest. it was a clean kill. my breath was caught in my chest as anxiety filled me to my bones. i was never exposed to this kind of chaos, and though i knew i would have to experience it more, it still ached my mind.

he reached up to my braids, unsheathing his dagger. he started swiping the knife across my hair, causing it to cut and split away. he cut it at the base of my neck, causing me to panic.

"easy now, lass; dont want anyone recognizing you." he whispered. i gave him a small nod and allowed him to cut the rest of my hair off. he threw it on the ground and sheathed his dagger. he took his flintlock out again, firing and hitting the other man; who was searching for whoever killed the other. he immediately fell to the ground, coughing and choking before he went silent.

i turned to jake in shock as he holstered the pistol and silently snuck up to the body, looting it. he took his sword, dagger, pistol, and whatever small amount of gold he had. he quickly came back, throwing a belt that harnessed two flintlocks, over one of my shoulders and across my chest. he fastened another belt to me that held the sheath for a sword and dagger.

"you may have to use these, but i will try my best to protect you, my northern star." he quietly announced.

"my apologies captain, but i cannot simply kill someone. ive lived my entire life in peace in prosperity, i cannot kill another being." i trembled.

"you live a new life now, lass. you cannot let the past deter you from the present. its either their life or yours, and i simply cannot have you ripped away from myself like that." he admitted. i was taken aback at his ability to be so upfront, and i found that i quite liked it. though we were in an unfortunate circumstance, he made sure that i was his first priority.

he took my hand again, leading me out into the open. he checked the surroundings before looting the other body.

"my, my, look here lass. we caught the captain of the thread." he said as he searched through the mans pockets. the rest of the crimson serpents crew forced the threads crew to now become ours. there werent many of them, but their quality was significant over their quantity.

after a bit more looting, we came back to the ship and left. the crew now had over 50 members, including myself and the new recruits. jake took me to the bilge of the ship, tying off the new crewmates. he tied their hands and ankles to posts, assuring that they would stay.

"how long must they stay here?" i asked.

"until they accept it." he replied as he cut the excess off of a piece of rope. i nodded and watched as he lit a small candle and set it upon a table. i watched as the men tested their strength against the rope, but it was no avail.

"ill kill you when i get out of this damned rope." one of the men threatened.

"remember, youre on my ship. i could take your life at any moment." jake laughed at the mans attempt at being tough. he unsheathed his cutlass and pressing the tip to the mans adams apple. he gulped and nodded, immediately surrendering to jake.

(pause because i couldnt find a song to fit lol)

jake took all of their weapons and handed them to me. eventually, we went back up to the main deck and into the captains quarters. i looked into the mirror at my now, short, blunt hair. i ran my hands over the ends of what used to be about the middle.

"im sorry for cutting your hair, my star. you still look just as beautiful." he said softly as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"it grows back. im not worried." i replied. he nodded and carefully spun me around, holding my body close to his.

"may i, lassie?" he asked as he glanced at my lips. a smirk found its way on my lips as i nodded. he pulled me closer to himself and pressed a deep kiss upon them. i threaded my hands into his long hair as he held onto my hips. he took my hat off and slowly traced his hands down my spine and to my corset, where he untied it. i grabbed at his loose fitting shirt, quickly making work of unbuttoning the few buttons.

"mmm pretty girl." he mumbled against my lips. he slipped my loose dress off of my shoulders and onto the floor, following along with the rest of my clothes. before i got the chance to undress him, he picked me up and put me on the bed.

his arms wrapped around my thighs and pressed them up just enough to have access to me.

"may i?" he questioned.

"please, captain." i said softly, aching for his touch. he smiled and kissed down my calves and thighs. his hands wandered around my body, finding their spot just below my bust. he kissed down my stomach, before finally slipping one of his fingers into me. i gasped at the sensation, gripping onto the blankets. of course, i had pleasured myself before, but never with another person.

"captain." i said softly. he hummed against the fat of my thigh as he glanced up at me.

"first time- its my first time." i stammered.

"ill be gentle." he replied as he curled his fingers up, making me gasp. i threaded my hands into his hair naturally; and as he continued, pleasure overtook my mind. he grasped at my breasts with his other hand, sending a whirlwind of pleasure throughout my mind.

"please, need more." i mumbled. he smiled and slipped his finger out of me. he hoisted my hips up so that my thighs sat on his shoulders. he kissed my clit before licking a stripe up my slit. i gasped at the sensation and he smirked at the response with a small laugh. he continued his work, making me feel dizzy with satisfaction.

"so sweet, star." he hummed against my clit. he held my hips down, making sure that i wasnt going anywhere or that i could wiggle out. my eyes wandered down at the sight before me, and just as i thought he couldnt get anymore gorgeous, he did. he looked so much better between my thighs. i grasped at the roots of his hair, and threw my head back as my back arched. he smirked and pressed down on my hips, holding me in place.

"holy fuck- jake." i gasped as he hit just the perfect spot.

"s'pretty." he muttered against my skin. my eyebrows knitted together as he continued his beautiful torture on me. jake continued his work for a mere minute longer before i started to feel the familiar, calm burn in my stomach. my endless moans filled the air.

"jake! im gonna- oh my god." i begged as he still worked on me, keeping the same pace and motion with his mouth. his endless assault on my clit eventually threw me off the edge and into the pleasureful lake of euphoria.

my vision blacked out as my orgasm took over my body, making my head spin. a few seconds later, i came to, and tried to catch my breath as he slowed down on my near overstimulated clit.

"mmm my good girl." he proclaimed softly as he watched the scene before him intently. he had never seen something so enticing and exciting, such as this. all jake wanted to do was to worship me, and he would do anything for that.

he snaked up my body, his eyes traveling along with him. he placed gentle kisses upon my chest and breasts. i ran my hands through his long hair, as my eyes struggled to stay open.

"ready, my love?" he asked. i nodded and he sat back to take the rest of his clothes off. i watched as he untucked his shirt and slipped it off. next was his belt, then his pants. he was taking his time, and it was painfully slow. i ran my hands over his lightly scarred chest and arms. he took my hand and wrapped it around his thick cock.

"i dunno if i can take that, captain." i whispered.

"you can lass, i promise." he said softly as i gripped onto it, moving my hand up and down his length. he closed his eyes, relaxing as i worked on him.

"cmere." he said as he laid down next to me. he grabbed my hips, guiding them onto his. i gently placed my hands onto his chest for support.

"take your time lassie, youll be just fine." he smiled as he admired my body. he carefully lined himself up with me before slowly pressing only the tip in. i gasped at the sudden stretch and closed my eyes.

"all you now." he said as he paid attention to my reactions. i slowly sat down, my moans filled the otherwise near-quiet air. i had finally reached the hilt and he let out a quiet whimper. he grabbed onto my ass and slowly pulled me up, allowing me to feel everything. i sat down quicker this time, and he moaned along with me.

i continued to ride him, my pace getting quicker. the quicker i got, the better it felt. i leaned down, connecting his lips with mine as he guided my hips.

"s'good my star." he mumbled against my lips. my brows furrowed and knitted at the slight amount of pain, but it quickly dissipated into pure pleasure. he grasped at my skin as he placed kisses against my shoulder.

"fuck, captain. you feel so good." i whimpered as he easily filled me. my pace sped up as i held onto him for support. his hand found my clit, making soft yet fast circles that matched our pace. my orgasm started to build up as my endless whimpers did too. he held onto me tight with one hand as the other made its work on me. my eyes rolled back as he started to thrust his hips up into me.

he flipped us over, his pace quickening as he sucked marks on my shoulders and chest.

"gonna cum- fuck." i whimpered. he smiled as my body tensed under him, my chest feeling tight. he continued his assault on my clit as i orgasmed and tensed around him. the sounds that came out of him were the prettiest of them all. his gasps and moans only added to my pleasure. he held onto my shoulder, pressing me deeper into him as he thrusted faster.

he carefully pulled out and sat up, wrapping my hand around his cock. i moved my hand fast and wrapped my lips around the tip of his cock, sucking on it. he threaded his hands in my now short hair as thick ropes of salty cum covered the inside of my mouth. a blush covered my cheeks as i looked up at him and swallowed all of it.

"s'hot lassie." he said softly as he held my jaw in his hand. his face was red, sweaty, and he looked exhausted.

"now, you cannot tell anyone about this." he added. i nodded and smiled.

(guilty of being innocent of being jack sparrow)

after calming down, we got dressed and ready to go back out.

"how ya feelin, lass?" daniel asked.

"better, i havent checked on the wound, but i better clean it soon." i said softly. he nodded and told me to meet him in his quarters and he would clean them for me.

i entered his quarters, and looked around the room. various medical books lined the secured shelves, and everything was neatly tidied and made. i read a small piece of paper that was on his table. it was instructions for making the medicine i took. i smiled as i read along, he really wasnt going to kill me.

he came into the room with a bottle of rum and a rag, just as the first time. i took off my corset and my blouse, revealing the bandages along with the fresh marks jake had left on my body.

"what happened to you?" daniel asked as he looked at my hickeys.

"ask the captain." i said with a small laugh.

"that surprises me, honestly. hes very strict about women on board, and especially about any form of intimacy, hes breaking his own rules!" he joked. i smiled and laughed along, but a hint of nervousness washed over me. i didnt want to be punished for intimacy. because the quartermaster was the one who enforced punishments, and i hadnt talked to joshua much, i couldnt really get out of the situation unless jake was on my side. that is, if joshua found out.

i watched as he inspected the gash to my stomach, and gently wiped away any blood off of the supple skin. he wrapped it with a fresh bandage, and made sure to give me a few more capsules of medicine.

"that should take care of you for the next few days." he said before giving me instructions on how to take them, when to, and what dosage. i got dressed again before heading back out. i looked up at the crows nest, spotting jake and samuel talking about which directions to go. after a minute, both of them climbed down, and met me on the deck.

"did daniel clean your wound yet?" jake asked. i nodded and smiled.

"did you cut your hair? i couldve sworn it was long yesterday." samuel observed.

"captain cut it, in fear that i would be recognized while we were in the gardens gate." i replied softly. jake adjusted my hat a little and smiled.

"you look beautiful, lass." samuel said as he kissed my hand.

"now, samuel, you know the rules." jake announced, jealousy lacing his tone. he let go of my hand, allowing it to drop to my side and i nervously cleared my throat. i watched as joshua came out of his quarters, talking to another crewmate. they laughed together and nervousness filled my body.

(you look good jack)

"hurry on." jake commanded samuel. he nodded and went to his quarters without a word. joshua came up to us with a smile.

"i dont think ive formally introduced myself. im joshua, jacobs twin." he said as he shook my hand.

"im north, as the captain calls me." i replied, shaking his hand back.

"i think that name describes you perfectly. you have a glow to you, just like the star." he stated softly.

"thank you, quartermaster." i spoke. jake wrapped his arm around my shoulder with a smile.

"she sure is a gem." he beamed.

"were lucky to have you aboard. now, i dont know if jacob has told you the rules, but because you are the only woman on board, no intimacy is allowed, and you shall be punished if its found that you did so. same goes for all of us." joshua explained.

"he hasnt, but i will make sure of that." i acknowledged.

"the other rules are: treason can and will be punished, any form of violence onboard that is upon crewmates can and will be punished, quarrels will be finished on shore at sword and pistol, captain and quartermaster are to receive two shares of a prize; the master, boatswain, and gunner, one share and a half, and other officers one and quarter, and finally, candles are to be put out at 9 o'clock." he added. i listened along, taking a mental note.

we talked for a little longer before we went down to the bilge to check on the newest recruits. they had been untied and were missing. jake immediately unsheathed his flintlock and searched the room.

(skip to: swords crossed, 1:25)

"they arent here. they couldnt have gone too far." he said to himself as he searched. the cool metal of a cutlass was wrapped around my throat as panic covered me. jake had his back turned to me as he searched the room.

"quiet, pretty girl." he sneered in my ear. i nodded and swallowed, making the sharp end of the sword stab into my skin. jake turned back to me, seeing the sight in front of him. they all were surrounding me at this point.

"surrender your ship and your men, or she dies." the man growled to jake. tears raced down my cheeks as my eyes begged for my life.

"aye, you can have them." jake replied.

"surrender your weapons." the man demanded. jake handed over his flintlock, dagger, and cutlass. jake led them up to the main deck while the sword was still pressed to my throat. i glanced around for any sign of anyone as sobs flooded out of me.

"its your life or theirs"

jakes words resonated in my mind as i slowly grabbed the dagger from my waistband. i pushed his arm away from my throat and stabbed him right in the torso. he immediately collapsed before i stabbed him one final time. i threw jake my flintlock and he started shooting at the 7 men behind me. in one swift movement, i grabbed the cutlass that was on my hip and slit one of the mens throat. adrenaline ran mercilessly throughout my veins. i stabbed another man that ran up to me, sword in hand. the commotion caught everyones attention. joshua immediately ran up the steps to the upper portion of the deck as i sat out of breath.

(skip to: dead men tell no tales)

"i just killed 3 men." i panted as i looked at the scene before me. there was blood that covered the deck, surely to stain.

"how many bodies are there?" i asked as i closed my eyes, not wanting to see it anymore.

"10. we got them all." jake replied. he pulled me into a hug, offering a small amount of comfort within the chaos, just like the fire in his eyes. i laid my head on his shoulder and breathed in his scent.

"youre one badass." he said softly. he let me go, spitting on one of their bodies.

the peaceful morning air filled the room of my quarters as the sun began its ascent on the kingdom. i had been up for quite some time as my assistants aided me in the preparation of my coronation. my father, the king of Eldoria, had passed the week prior. i was being crowned as queen.

Eldoria, an island filled to the brim with precious jewels and gold, was always an infamous place, known for the pirates attempts of trying to cause destruction, in hopes for a taste of gold. none had ever laid their eyes on the precious gold, but they certainly tried, leading to their death or imprisonment. the island itself was constantly guarded with a fleet of navy soldiers, and if you got through that, the foot soldiers that covered the kingdom would take care of you.

they tied my corset as tight as it could allow, making it hard to breathe. the gold corset complemented my white dress, along with all the layers. they covered me head to toe in jewelry. pendants with ancient heirlooms were draped around my neck and hung on my chest. they spent nearly all day preparing me.

finally, as the sun descended, it was time for the coronation. i was led into the hall of the castle, knights surrounding me. i took cautious steps toward the door before it was opened. the room sat in silence as all eyes were turned to me. i had not married, nor been engaged, so it was just me that would be taking the throne.

i kept my eyes on the red carpet that lined the pathway, so as to not become more nervous. as i approached the priest, i raised my head up and he bowed to me.

the ceremony began, and i took my place in front of the priest, kneeling and keeping my head bowed. the orchestra played softly in the background as i tried to listen to the priest. as he held the crown in his hands, getting ready to place it upon my head, there was a sudden burst through the door.

⛤ . ⛤ . ⛤ . ⛤

let me know what you think, because this ones gonna be like 5k+ words at least. i really hope you guys like it when it comes out! it should be out sometime this week, but let me know what you think or if you have anything you would like to see in it, put it in my ask me!