Princess Prince by Elizabeth A. Freeman (a court of thorns and roses ebook free TXT) 📕

gestured the stranger closer.

"Do I know you?" the foreign male strutted over and took a close look at Ophelia, placing his hands on his hips.

"No, we haven't met before. Would you buy me?" Ophelia asked, his wide crimson eyes gazing up into the man's face pleadingly.

"I didn't think we had. I'm afraid my lad, that I don't buy people. I prefer they come to me of their own accord." the elven eared male grinned and started to turn away, however Ophelia was not so keen on letting his one chance escape. He reached out and grabbed the man's arm, holding onto him for dear life.

"No, you have to listen to me! I need you to buy me, otherwise one of these repulsive thugs might purchase me and do gods knows what with me. I'll be used as a sex slave and tortured in the worst way possible! Please, I beg you!" Ophelia dragged the male back to him, gazing up into the kind cerulean eyes that had drawn him to this man.

"Look, I truly have sympathy for your plight dear lad. I truly do. But I'm just a might busy at the moment. Can we discuss this at a later date in sometime in the eventual future under the circumstances that you and I might cross paths?" the man sought to pry Ophelia's hands from his arm and as he did so Ophelia's eyes welled with tears.

"Please... I don't have anyone else. Don't do this! Please don't go!" Ophelia continued to protest, doing his best to attempt to hold onto the stranger. The caramel skinned man's brow furrowed and he glanced around, realizing that the racket was drawing far more attention than he would've liked.

"Shhh! Shh! Quiet, silence, stop!" the man placed a hand over Ophelia's mouth and gazed around, seeing a pair of guards observing the situation suspiciously. Ophelia blinked in surprise, shocked that his pleading had worked just when he thought that the stranger would abandon him.

"How much is this one then? Hmm?" the cerulean eyed one spoke quickly and Lady Shalimar stepped forward when she realized she had a potential buyer.

"What does he look worth to you?" Shalimar smirked and batted her eyes at the man who was considering her merchandise. Azure eyes flickered from Lady Shalimar to Ophelia as he looked the effeminate young man over and then met the mistress' gaze once more.

"Surely no more than ten gold. After all, he's far too scrawny for real labor." the man replied and Shalimar chuckled at the offer.

"Mmm, I think not. My slaves aren't labor slaves, they are sold for pleasure which this pretty young thing is suited perfectly to. I cannot take less than fifty gold pieces for a jewel like him." Lady Shalimar argued and raised one hand to stroke Ophelia's unblemished cheek to emphasize her point. The stranger gritted his teeth and looked into the beseeching crimson eyes once more before sighing.

"Fine, fine.. Though I say to you that your prices are completely unreasonable, unacceptable, and atrocious." the bronzed male groused and extracted the payment from within the billowing crimson coat and placed it in Lady Shalimar's outstretched palm.

"So good to do business with you as well, dear sir. Guards, unlock the merchandise." Lady Shalimar grinned despite the stranger's insults and stepped back to allow the guards to unlock Ophelia's ankles from the shackles. Ophelia was about to throw his arms around his savior, however the tan skinned man grasped him by the collar and dragged him away at a rapid clip.

"Do you have even the slightest idea of what you have done lad?" the bronzed man whispered as he pulled Ophelia along.

"T-thank you.. You saved me." Ophelia murmured, unsure what else to say in response to his rescuer's annoyance. The strong face turned to look at Ophelia with a look of disbelief and then the man continued to pull Ophelia along.

"You have cost me time, you have cost me money, and most importantly you have caused me to garner unwanted attention from every man, woman, child, and beast within the area of these docks with all of your yelling." the man ranted, though he still managed to swagger despite his irritation.

"I'm really sorry.. I am. But I had no other choice." Ophelia averted his gaze, wondering if he made the wrong decision in begging this man to purchase him from Lady Shalimar.

"Well that's all jolly good but I'm still fifty gold lighter than I was five minutes ago and I've already attracted too much attention. Now you owe me, for buying you and wasting what time I have here in port. You're going to have to work for me and make up your debt after what I've done for you, savvy?" the man paused and looked Ophelia in the eyes to make sure that the young man understood him.

"All right then.. I do owe you. What kind of job to you work, Mr... well, I never got your name." Ophelia prayed that the work was not the kind of work that Shalimar had intended to sell him for in the first place. The exotic man's brows furrowed as he continued on his path toward the far edge of the pier.

"I am the captain of a ship. Captain Alexander Shaw." the elven eared man introduced himself. At the words Ophelia's heart jumped with excitement.

"He's a ship's captain? Well, this wasn't the way I intended to board a passenger ship but it looks like it all worked out anyway!" Ophelia thought to himself, smiling quietly as he trailed closely behind the captain.

"Just for the hell of it, what on earth were you doing getting sold as a slave. You look like you ought to be going to some fancy-schmancy gathering of nobles or some thing of the like." Alexander asked, curious about his new crew mate despite his annoyance.

"It wasn't by choice. I was accused of theft and this merchant sold me to that wicked witch of a woman." Ophelia sighed, though he couldn't help but grin at the Captain's remarks about his looks, the other man not realizing exactly how close he was to the truth.

"Well, let me tell you one thing about getting into trouble. The best way to keep from getting into trouble is not to avoid getting in trouble since it generally follows anyone it fancies but to make sure that you just don't get caught in the midst of trouble when it strikes. Or if you do get caught you have to have a plan to get out of getting caught." Captain Shaw rambled on, gesturing with his hands as he spoke since he no longer felt the need to forcibly drag Ophelia along behind him. Before Ophelia could respond to Alexander's commentary regarding trouble the Captain came to an abrupt halt beside one of the docks and looked to a large brigantine which was moored there.

"There she is, the Vela de Sangre. Now step lively, lad! We haven't the time to be wasting!" Alexander shooed Ophelia ahead of him toward the gangplank. Ophelia gazed up at the deck of the ship in surprise, noting the muzzles of cannons protruding from the deck and broadside of the ship.

"I guess these days you need all the protection you can get at sea..." Ophelia muttered to himself, though he'd never heard of such a heavily armed passenger ship. Ophelia made his way up the gangplank, stepping onto the deck and surveying the crew who were working at a relaxed pace in their captain's absence.

"Oi! Listen up now! See to it that the mooring line is untied and then get us out of port smartly men! We've need to be away from Azuron in great haste!" Alexander called out and the crew sprang to life, each man going to his task with the trained speed and efficiency that any sailor should. Ophelia studied the men, assuming quietly that the deck hands were out of uniform because they were off duty.

"Captain, might I ask what we're leaving in such a hurry for?" a deep voice spoke to Ophelia's left and the queen nearly jumped out of his skin as a large figure moved from the shadows, advancing on Alexander. The speaker was a man with the face of a panther, his entire body covered in a layer of fine black fur and his gold eyes were reflective in the dim evening light.

"Ah yes, about the reason for our need to leave the harbor in such haste. It's standing right there in front of you, Ikaika." Alexander smiled and gestured to Ophelia who froze on the spot when the panther man's eyes locked on him. The man named Ikaika stared down Ophelia for several minutes, one rounded feline ear twitching before he looked back to the captain.

"Care to explain further Captain?" Ikaika tilted his head slightly, waiting for a better explanation for his captain's insistent retreat from harbor.

"The fact of the matter is that this lad here has cost me time, money, and gained us attention that we could not afford in such a heavily guarded city. So, we must be away before the guards get curious and come sniffing around. As for this lad, he's now a member of the crew to make up for the debts he owes me. First mate Ikaika, meet... What's your name lad?" Alexander paused and pivoted to face Ophelia.

"My name is Ophelia Gr-graestone." Ophelia answered, hesitating when he nearly let his true last name slip. For the sake of remaining incognito until he reached Elnath, Ophelia made up a false last name since he could not afford to be captured by Vladimir's men.

"What? Who in the ruddy hell gave you the name Ophelia, lad? Was your mother nutters?" Alexander couldn't help but grin with incredulous humor at the name of his newest crew mate. At the teasing Ophelia flushed a dark shade of scarlet and put his hands on his hips, drawing himself up to his full height which was still several inches shorter than Captain Shaw.

"How dare you insult my mother!" Ophelia huffed, glaring up at Alexander who continued to grin. Ikaika watched the exchange in silence, his feline face alert with curiosity as he continued to study the blond male who stood fuming at the captain.

"Hey now! No need to be getting all touchy-like. It was simply an innocent, and I think valid question. After all, it's not often that one comes across a fellow with a