Love on Open Waters: Chapter 1: The Capture
Prologue
Word Count: 1,419
Five Years Later
Patton smiled at Roman. âAlright, kiddo, time for bed.â
Roman looked up at him from his position on the bed. âDo you think Virgil will come back soon?â
Patton patted his head, dipping down to place a brief kiss on his forehead. âI donât know, young prince. Maybe one day.â He walked to the door, leaving it open just a crack but turning the light out as he went.
Patton walked down the corridor, checking to make sure the other castle residents didnât need anything. He went up a floor and did the same thing there, checking in on the king in his study and informing him of the time. He was thanked and sent on his way. He stepped through the main spaces, checking the other studies and the main living areas to make sure that everything was in place and that the maids had done their jobs to the best of their ability.
When that was done, he made his way over to the servantsâ quarters and checked in on everyone. He sped up when he got to the maidsâ quarters, not wanting to be caught in conversation with a certain person. He walked at a slightly faster pace, exhausted and wanting to get to bed before much else happened that night. His mind ran through all the projects he still had to do, the mending he wanted to do on his favorite suit jacket but also the new skirt he was planning on making.
His distracted thoughts had him slowing down until he almost ran into the one person he was trying to avoid. She stepped back but blocked his path in the narrow corridor. âWhere are you off to, Patton?â Gaelleâs voice was higher than it was when talking to anyone else as she tried to put on an accent she thought he liked. Gaelle was someone that was under the impression that Patton was anything but exclusively gay. She seemed to have some sort of obsessive crush on him despite him wanting nothing to do with her.
Patton sighed. âGaelle, Iâm tired. I just wanna go to bed. Maybe do a bit of sewing first.â
She frowned and he knew heâd said something to displease her. âYou know, sewing isnât a very manly thing to do.â
Patton closed his eyes and nodded. âYou tell me this every time you see me. And every time, I could not possibly care less about your opinion. I must, once again, inform you that I am not romantically inclined toward you. If I am to be blunt, Iâm not even platonically inclined to like you. So, if you donât stop harassing me every night and let me pass, you wonât have a job in the morning.â His voice had changed from tired to a honey smooth tone that meant he was extremely upset but wouldnât show it.
She scoffed, not hearing the danger in his voice. âYou canât do that.â
He dropped the âcustomer serviceâ smile heâd been maintaining and gave her a look that was deadly. âNot only do I have the ear of the king, Iâm still your boss. Either leave me alone, or pack your bags.â
She scoffed again but moved to the side. Patton gave her a tight lipped smile and passed, going on to his room. He stretched when he finally closed the door behind him, reveling in the feeling of dropping his mental burdens at the door.Â
He moved away from his bedroom door and toward the small balcony that overlooked the ocean a few miles away. He leaned against the railing, trying to get lost in thought as he stared at the shifting water. Just as he was relaxing, an arm wrapped around his waist, a hand coming up to cover his mouth with a cloth. He tried to shout but made the mistake of breathing in. His vision faded as he clawed at his attacker, who simply held him until he passed out.
âââ
Patton woke with a headache. The ground shifted under him, constantly in a rocking motion. He raised a hand to his temple only to find that he wasn't bound. He stood and looked around the small room. There was a bed that heâd woken up on that was tucked into a nook of the wall, a desk that was attached to the wall with a chair which was attached to that by leather straps for arms, and an empty shelf above the desk. Looking around the small wall, Patton found a trunk sitting at the base and a hook for a coat on the wall.
He took a few steps forward, the cabin wasnât very wide, and tried the door, only to find it locked. Sitting on the bed, he wondered what was happening to him.
He didnât have long to wait before the sound of a key in the lock reached his ears and a man entered. The first thing Patton noticed about him was how tall he was, barely fitting through the door. He had on a long dark green coat that went down to his knees, a grey shirt that was open to halfway down his chest and revealed his chest hair, and loose fitting black pants with a sword on his hip. When he came into the light, Patton noticed that he wasnât as tall as heâd thought, having a large and dirty green hat with a feather in it on. His boots were simple work boots, the kind that Patton had often seen on the hired help that came to the castle for a quick paycheck.
When the man came into the room and shut the door behind him, it took Patton a minute for his vision to adjust again as the green-clad man took a seat in the desk chair, taking off the hat as he did so. Patton noticed his hair was a bleached brown, his skin tan from the sun, he wore a mustache darker than the rest of his hair, and his right iris was almost white compared to his dark green left eye.
âCan you guess why youâre here?â The manâs gruff voice brought Pattonâs attention back to the situation at hand.
Patton sighed. âSir, I donât even know where here is, let alone what Iâve done to deserve this.â He tried to put his usual authority into his voice to hide how badly it was shaking.
The man nodded. âYouâre being held for ransom. Youâve harbored a person I have interest in for too long and I intend to have them back. Thus, you are going to write home and tell them that until they hand over the mer or a sum of money to his equivalent to make up for the loss of revenue, you are staying with me.â
Patton furrowed his brow. âThe mer?â He thought for a moment but soon realized there was only one new addition to the household recently that would constitute such actions from someone. âVirgil,â he said under his breath.
âSo you do know who Iâm talking about,â the man said, a note of triumph in his voice.
Patton nodded. âUnfortunately, I donât know where he is.â
The man narrowed his eyes. âExplain.â
Patton shrugged, not breaking eye contact. âVirgil did indeed stay with us for four months. However, he disappeared a day or so before my capture and, as far as I know, has yet to return. I canât give up a location I donât know.â
The man nodded and slapped his thighs before standing and putting his hat back on. âIn that case, Iâll be back with food in a few minutes.â
Patton reached out a hand but didnât touch him. âWait! Am I at least allowed to know the name of the man keeping me prisoner?â
The man didnât turn around but did speak. âRemus Cadoc, Captain Remus Cadoc.â He left without waiting for a response.
Patton sat in the locked room for what felt like a half hour before the door opened again. This time, it was someone else bearing a tray of food. Unlike Captain Cadoc, this sailor didnât seem to have any weapons on his person. The man put the tray on the desk and doffed an imaginary hat at Patton. âCapân got caught up in work and couldnât bring this to ya but told me to do it.â
Patton thanked him and stood. âMay I know your name?â
He smiled. âThe nameâs Apollo Aiman. Whatâs yours?â
âPatton Hope.â
Chapter 2
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