Princess Problems

A drink slid across the table. An older trader's voice spoke quietly. "You're Captain Barone, aren't you?"

The dark haired man looked up slowly, his right hand drifting to his belt, fingers lightly brushing against his elegant dagger. When he finally spoke, his thick accent dripped with distrust. "Who asks?"

The trader nervously looked to either side of the tavern, before gingerly sitting down across from the pirate. "I've got a problem that I could use your help to solve."

Barone tilted his head. He hadn't touched the drink the man offered him. "Why would I do that?"

The trader's tongue darted across his lips to moisten them. "Well, erm, you see, it's a very beautiful problem."

The swarthy man leaned back in his chair. He pulled his dagger out and made a motion with it to tell the trader to keep talking.

"I'm from East Haven," the trader paused to look for a sign of recognition. Barone nodded. "And we have a noblewoman who's been causing problems."

The pirate stroked his short beard. "Ah, I think I understand your problem. And you are hoping that I might take her away from you?"

The trader looked ashamed. "Yes."

Barone finally smiled and picked up the drink, taking a deep draft. "Well, that's a common enough problem. My crew and I would be happy enough to help you out. What is your name, friend?"

"Mattias."

"And the noblewoman?" Barone's smile was hawkish.

"Elizabeth."

'Well, Mattias, would you say Elizabeth would sell well?"

Even though Mattias had a decent idea of the consequences of his actions, the question still caught him off guard. His face flushed red. "Erm, I mean..."

Barone's eyes focused on Mattias' face. "Go on, spit it out, man."

Mattias tried to compose himself. "Yes."

"That's what I like to hear. What do you think would catch a buyer's eye?"

The trader struggled to think. "Her... chest."

Barone's face was more animated now. He crudely gestured with his hands. "Big?"

Mattias nodded weakly.

"A curvy woman, then?"

"Yes."

"You're right, I think she would sell well." Barone stood up to leave the dimly lit tavern. "Then I don't think I'll need a fee from you... unless of course, you lie," he added matter of factly.

He offered Mattias a handshake. "Pleasure to do business," he smiled again, although there was no kindness - just one of a predator that finally saw an opening to strike. Before he turned to leave, he asked one final question: "Where might I find this... Elizabeth?"

"She has a nice home outside the town square, but she's usually causing trouble in our pub."

--

"Play for me!" Elizabeth grinned at the minstrel sitting in the center of the room. The slight man obliged - it was best practice to appease the nobles.

As he played, Elizabeth tried her best to sing along. And in her defense, she was not half bad. But the pub was a spot for the common man, not this noble pretending she was a 'woman of the people'. Her antics had been charming at first, but they'd long grown tired of it. Unfortunately, no one was brave enough to do anything about it.

Elizabeth didn't notice when the door to the pub swung open, and an unfamiliar face walked in. A few men did turn to notice, but most were still watching the lady sing and dance. In their defense, many didn't get to see women move like that frequently.

Barone quickly took in the sight. Even without Mattias' description, he immediately would've been able to pick out the problem. He pursed his lips in a tight smile and headed towards the bar. When Elizabeth finally finished her song, Barone stood up and clapped. Even if the rest of the pub had given a better reception, she would have noticed him.

He stood a few inches taller than almost anyone else in the pub, and his clothes were distinctly richer looking than the commoners' clothes. Elizabeth had already had a drink or two that night, so she giggled as she met Barone's eyes.

She stepped towards him, crossing her arms under her bust just to emphasize that a little more - not that she needed to.

"Well, hello there." She offered him her hand to kiss.

Barone figured he'd play along. He bent over her hand and brushed his lips. "My lady."

"Polite, aren't you! And foreign!" She noticed the accent. "Why don't you buy me a drink?"

"I would be honored to," he motioned over his shoulder to the bartender. When the drink came, he reached inside his sleeve, surreptitiously pouring a small dose of a powder into the goblet. It dissolved quickly, and when he handed the drink to Elizabeth, all signs of the powder were gone.

"So tell me about yourself!" Her brown eyes were bright and looked at the pirate with interest.

"Oh, me? I am Barone. I am just a trader."

Elizabeth reached out gently and touched the fabric of his tunic. "Just a trader? This is a good tunic."

Barone did his best to look bashful. "You got me - I am a successful trader."

The noblewoman grinned. "I knew it! You seemed to appreciate my talents more than a commoner."

A response came to mind - but he kept his mouth shut. He didn't want to blow his cover. He nodded and smiled back.

"I will sing again. Would you like to join me?"

Barone shook his head ruefully. "I'm sorry, my lady. I am not much of a singer. But I will be happy to listen to your enchanting voice again." He almost cringed at his own words - this sort of flattery was not usually in his vocabulary.

Elizabeth shrugged like it was of no matter to her. She took the goblet of wine and quickly drank the rest. She raised the cup slightly. "To calm the nerves, of course."

"Of course," he bowed his head slightly.

Barone did his best to look interested in Elizabeth's next song. Something about the meadows and small home she grew up in. The pirate doubted any of the subject matter was too. He noticed a few patrons of the pub leaving out of the corner of his eye.

He wasn't sure how long it had been, but the song finally ended. There was some weary applause from the remaining patrons. He almost forgot to feign interest in the lady's song, but he quickly recovered and stood up, shaking his head and clapping his hands. "Bravo, bravo."

Elizabeth grinned and stepped down from the front of the room to join Barone at the bar. She offered him his hand again. The busty brunette gratefully sat down on the stool and stifled a yawn. "Singing is harder work than it seems," she said knowingly.

"Of course. Best to take it easy for a bit."

She smiled slightly. "You're right. It must be late!" She just seemed to notice the thinning crowd in the room.

"You're right, it is. Would you do me the honor of escorting you home?" Barone asked.

Elizabeth giggled. "Ooh, yes! Such a gentleman."

Barone didn't see any need to contradict her. He stood up and offered her his arm, and the pair walked out of the pub. Barone looked up and down the road. "Which way, my lady?"

Elizabeth took a second to respond. She pointed to the right. "That way!"

With the brunette's hand through his arm, Barone started to lead her up the road. In his mind, he quickly tried to judge just how far they could make it before the drug he slipped her took hold. She seemed to be showing some signs of the drug, but was mostly fine. But then, her personality could just be naturally a little giddy.

He was brought out of his thoughts by Elizabeth tapping on his arm quickly. "Wait, the docks are just down there! You should show me your ship!"

Barone was almost startled, but kept his composure. "Oh, are you sure?"

Elizabeth was insistent. "Yes! You must have an impressive ship."

"The

Notturno

is a thing of beauty," Barone admitted.

"Show me!"

"If you say so," the pirate grinned. He shocked his head at just how easy this was turning out to be. He kept an eye on the lady as she walked alongside him. After a few minutes, her steps seemed to grow heavier. Occasionally, she gripped his arm a little tighter to steady herself.

"Are you ok, my lady?"

Elizabeth dismissed his concern. "Oh, no, I'm fir- I'm fine!"

Barone wasn't fooled. But, they were almost to the pier where his ship was docked. Just as they reached the planks that made up the pier, he felt Elizabeth stumble next to him. She gasped slightly. "Oh!"

Barone stopped. "Lady Elizabeth?"

The curvy brunette giggled. "I might have had more to, erm, drink than I thought."

"An honest mistake, one we've all made."

Elizabeth nodded. "You're right. I can do this."

She took another step forward. Barone let her go on her own. Without his help, her steps became uneven. At one point she held her arms out for balance. She just seemed to notice that Barone was no longer next to her. "Where -" she started to ask.

She didn't get another word out. Her wobbly knees couldn't move forward anymore, and they gave out. "Oh!" She gasped as she stumbled to the planks. She didn't land gracefully, and she hit her head on the wind-hardened wood. Another giggle. "Oopsie," she muttered.

Barone frowned. She was still a hundred feet away from the

Notturno

. He could carry her on his own, but it would be less effort to have one of his crew do it. But he needed it done quickly. Unpopular as she may have been, someone still could be guilt tripped into raising the alarm. He quickly shed his nice tunic - he still had a plain undershirt on - and draped it over Elizabeth's body to make the shape of her less apparent.

He lightly jogged down the pier. He vaulted onto his ship and grabbed the first two oarsmen he found. "Come." He didn't need to say what for. They were his crew and would follow his orders without question.

The two large men followed their captain to the start of the pier. He retrieved his tunic. "This is her. Bring her to the ship."

The oarsmen easily lifted her up. One took her arms and one grabbed her legs.

Elizabeth still had some wits about her. "Hee hee! I'm flying!"

The burly sailors looked confused at Barone, walking alongside them. "What's with her?" One asked.

He shook his head dismissively. "Just a little tired."

They reached the ship quickly enough. Elizabeth had been muttering nonsensical little phrases under her breath and laughing. The two oarsmen hoisted her mostly limp body up over the bulwarks, where two more sailors received her, lowering her to the deck.

There was a slight thud and a soft "oh!" The two sailors on the ship looked back at their captain with an embarrassed look on her face.

Barone vaulted back on the

Notturno

, joined by the two oarsmen. He looked at Elizabeth, lying at his feet. There was a goofy smile stuck on her lips, but her eyes were now shut. Her chest rose and fell slowly. One of her breasts had popped out of her blouse. Barone raised his eyebrows.

"We didn't mean to drop her, sir," one of the crewmen said.

Their captain shrugged. It really was of no matter. She would be knocked out and stripped anyway for their journey, so this was not much of a problem. He knelt down next to his new merchandise. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

"You had this coming, my lady," this time, it was not a term of respect, but one of possession.

Elizabeth, naturally, was silent this time. The unconscious woman slept on, peacefully, instead of her previously boisterous personality. Barone sighed. It was good to have some quiet. "Bring her to my quarters, then get ready to disembark. I'd like to be on our way to the markets in Veronda."

He directed this second comment to his first mate, who nodded. He made the preparations to get the ship underway, while the crewman carried Elizabeth's body to Barone's quarters at the stern of the ship. They brought her inside, depositing her on the small cot against the wall, opposite of Barone's more substantial bed.

The pirate captain nodded his thanks to his crewmen. "I will make sure she is ready for the markets." He felt the ship lurch underneath him, then start to move steadily out into the harbor. He sighed contentedly.

"I never feel safe at harbor with treasure onboard," Barone had closed the door to his quarters and plucked a fruit from his private stores, methodically cutting chunks out and popping them in his mouth.

"I don't expect you to understand, of course," he laughed. He enjoyed talking at his prizes as they slept. It was much quieter that way.

Barone relaxed in his cabin for the next hour or so. His crew was experienced and accustomed to setting sail at night when needed. He popped out occasionally to check on everything, he wouldn't be much of a captain if he didn't have that controlling impulse. But for the most part, he was content to relax. After all, he was the one that had put in the work to capture Elizabeth while the rest of the crew had the evening off.

He hadn't realized he had started to doze off after a little while until he noticed Elizabeth start to stir. He sat up quickly, lightly dashing over to the noblewoman groggily sitting up.

"Where..." she held a hand to the back of her head and winced.

"Do you remember me?" Barone inquired.

Slowly, Elizabeth looked up at him. "Barone?" Her still-tired mouth tongue slurred the pronunciation of his name.

The captain didn't correct her. That wasn't important. "Good. You're not that concussed."

"Why -" whatever Elizabeth was going to ask was interrupted. She closed her eyes again and swayed slightly. "Ugh..."

"That would be the little drug I slipped in your drink. It gives a nasty headache when you wake."

"Drug..." Elizabeth's big brown eyes looked at him, betrayed. "But..."

Barone frowned. "Oh please, you didn't actually believe I was a trader. I am a pirate. And you are my 'booty,'" one of his crew had taught him that slang, and the captain found it hilarious.

Elizabeth didn't seem to share the joke. Barone was about to explain it but thought better of it. Elizabeth simply needed to learn her role. She heard the word pirate, and her expression turned slightly fearful.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you," Barone scrunched up his face and amended his statement. "Too much. You will be sold at the markets in Veronda. I imagine you will fetch quite the prize. Noblewomen are always in demand there. Besides, you are easy on the eyes." This time, there was no idle flattery from Barone.

The compliment seemed to be what got furthest into Elizabeth's head. She giggled. "Oh, thank you."

Barone raised an eyebrow. "Did you hear the rest of what I said?"

Elizabeth shook her head slightly. "Too many words. Only the last part."

Maybe the drug had done a number on her brain. Barone repeated himself. "You're going to be sold. Someone will buy you. Understood?"

The brunette's smile faded. She looked up at Barone's sharp features. There was no sign he was joking. She couldn't help but nod obediently at his authority.

"I also have a rule on my ship. If you are to be sold, you do not wear clothes."

Elizabeth clutched at her blouse. "What?"

He swiftly pulled down her top, exposing her substantial bust. "You have no need for this here."

Her mouth opened in shock. Her hands were a little delayed, but quickly shot up to cover herself. She tried to scoot away from Barone on the cot, but his hand remained firmly on her shoulder.

The pirate spoke calmly. "You can do this yourself, or I will do it myself. It does not make much difference."

The noblewoman was feeling less confident now. Not because of herself, but because she was not used to being at such a loss of control. Wherever she had gone in her life, people gave her respect, at least to her face. She had heard rumors that people in town were tired of her, but she never believed them.

Barone leaned back against the wall of his quarters and gestured at Elizabeth. "Stand up. It's up to you."

She stood up. She averted her eyes and continued to pull the blouse down, slipping her arms out of her sleeves. She undid the small cord belt around her waist, letting the skirt and blouse fall to the ground. Elizabeth kept her arms clasped in front of her.

"I don't believe you followed my instruction," Barone said airily. He gestured at her undergarments.

"But..." her protest died on her lips as Barone's expression hardened and he made a motion towards hers.

Quickly, she reached for her underwear and sent it the way of her blouse and skirt. She noticed Barone's eyes flick up and down her body. "Good, good. Hands on your head."

There was no point in resisting him now. She did as she was told. Barone walked around her, carefully inspecting her. He was silent. Barone took in the curves, swells, and lines of her body. He already knew her breasts were impressive, and her skin looked soft - it was quite obvious that she had never done a day of hard work in her life. Even in the low candlelight of the captain's quarters, her skin was pale, as if she were made of porcelain. Her hips flared smoothly into her butt. Barone reached out firmly and smacked the woman on the butt. She gasped slightly, but didn't protest any further. Barone continued his inspection, allowing his finger to run over her skin.

He got around to the front of her again. His brow was furrowed, making intense mental notes of how he would market her - not that it would be very difficult, but it helped to have a plan in order to squeeze every last bit of gold from a bidder.

The pirate captain gestured to the door. "Very good. You may go."

Elizabeth's face was a twisted mix of emotions - confusion, disappointment, fear. "What? Where?"

She was met with an indifferent shrug. "I've finished my inspection. You're free to walk the ship."

"But I'm -"

Barone rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, I know. But you are not the first woman my men have seen like this. Like I said, no clothes for merchandise is a strict rule. And I'm sure you've guessed I do my job with reasonable success." He made a shooing motion with his hand. "Now go."

Elizabeth tentatively took a step towards the small door in the cabin. She turned with her hand on the doorknob. "Did I pass your inspection?" Her eyes got wide, as if she were pleading with him for approval.

The captain sighed, running his hands through his hair. "Of course."

The noblewoman's face perked up. He wasn't sure why. Rarely had he had a captive seem quite this unbothered about the prospect of being sold - but perhaps that was just how her vanity worked.

Elizabeth took a deep breath to steady herself and opened the door to walk back onto the deck. She took a few steps out, quickly getting the attention of most of the crew. There were a few cheers and whistles as they took in her naked form. A few even stopped their rhythmic rowing. She picked a bad time to distract the men. The ship started to climb a larger wave, and the now uncoordinated rowing was unable to steady the vessel. The wave hit the

Notturno

awkwardly, and it lurched.

The crew were seasoned sailors and braced themselves against the wave easily. Elizabeth was not. The lurch threw her off balance, and she lost her balance, her head thudding heavily against the deck. A few of the crew winced, but Elizabeth never had the chance to see that sympathy.

Her vision rapidly grew fuzzy and dark. The world seemed to spiral into darkness for her, and she groaned weakly. She briefly tried to sit back up, but was only able to lift her head slightly before she dropped back down to the smooth wooden planks limply. Her body twitched for a few seconds before she lay still - undoubtedly unconscious.

The crew quickly focused to steady the ship, but hearing the commotion, Barone came out of his quarters. He looked over the crew first, everyone - man and ship - seemed to be fine. His eyes scanned up the boat before resting on Elizabeth, laying nude in a heap just 10 feet in front of his door. Barone rolled his eyes and looked up at the heavens. "None of them can be easy, can they," He muttered to no one in particular.