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

name like Ophelia." The captain raised up his hands as though to ward off the anger radiating from the crimson eyed male.

"Fine, whatever.. So, when am I going to get my uniform?" Ophelia asked, shifting the subject to distract himself from the captain's question. As Ophelia spoke the ship quivered slightly as it was backed away from the pier and out into the open waters beyond.

"Uniform?" Ikaika intoned, glancing at Alexander with an expression that was nothing short of accusing.

"Of course, I'm going to need a uniform if I'm working on this ship. You don't want me to look like some ragged loaf in front of the passengers." Ophelia answered sincerely, looking between the two men and then seeing their expressions caused the young man to frown. Barely a beat passed by before Alexander broke into raucous laughter, his own voice accompanied by a soft chuckle from the panther man.

"My dear boy... You think this is a passenger vessel?" the caramel skinned elf gasped for breath, grasping his sides as he tried to get control of his laughter.

"It's not? Well then, what manner of vessel is this then?" Ophelia blinked, folding his arms over his chest and waiting for an answer.

"We are practitioners of the sweet trade, lad." Ikaika spoke up, only succeeding in earning a confused expression from the crimson eyed young man. Seeing the blank look that Ophelia gave the first mate Alexander sighed and tapped the blond on the shoulder to get his attention once more.

"The Vela de Sangre and it's crew has one purpose. We are sweet traders, freebooters, buccaneers, swashbucklers, scurvy dogs, or if none of those terms ring a bell let me use the most common one. We are pirates, my lad." Alexander grinned as he saw Ophelia's eyes widen in recognition as he recited a few of the various names for pirates.

"Y-you're pirates?" Ophelia gasped, raising a hand to his mouth and taking a step backwards only to bump into Ikaika. The queen's mind reeled at the thought, his only relief being that he didn't slip up and reveal his true identity to these men, otherwise they'd surely sell him back to King Vladimir without a thought.

"As are you from this night on. Now, mister Graestone. What are your abilities?" Captain Alexander continued on pleasantly as though he had not just announced that he was a criminal. Ophelia drew a calming breath to regain his composure, since there was no way out of his predicament.

"Well.. I know how to read, I can speak eloquently, I can sew, sing, dance, recite poetry, and other such finer talents." Ophelia responded proudly, listing off but a few of the talents he learned in his training as a princess. Alexander however remained unimpressed, his expression nonplussed as he canted his head to one side.

"So basically what you're saying is that you can't do anything. Ikaika, put our dear mister Graestone to task and get him some new clothes." Alexander shook his head and then turned as though to leave Ikaika with his new trainee. Ophelia took a step after the captain to protest but a large furred hand grasped his shoulder, keeping him from following Alexander.

"The captain has given his orders. You're under my command now, Ophelia." Ikaika spoke firmly, however his deep voice was warm with sympathy as he regarded the effeminate male. Ophelia stared at Alexander's retreating back for several seconds before turning to the panther man who towered over him.

"So, what do you want me to do?" Ophelia asked softly in defeat, his shoulders sagging as he spoke.

"Lets see to getting you some proper clothes. Long clothes will only get you in trouble working on board the ship because they can easily get snagged in the rigging." Ikaika explained and started to guide Ophelia below decks to find suitable clothes. Ophelia allowed himself to be led down into the hold where Ikaika rifled through some of the claimed supplies and extracted fitted knee-length breeches from a pile of liberated clothing and handed it to Ophelia.

"That's it? Don't I need boots and a shirt and well.. more than just breeches?" Ophelia groused in disbelief, holding up the breeches to his waist.

"I'm sorry Ophelia, unfortunately most of the clothing would not fit your small stature. As for boots, you should only wear them during a raid because if the deck gets wet it is too easy to slip." Ikaika responded solemnly, his feline face stern as he watched over Ophelia. The slender blond nodded in assent and then looked up at Ikaika expectantly.

"Turn around please..." Ophelia murmured, and the panther man's brow creased for a moment before he turned his back on the young man. With the panther man's back to him Ophelia stripped out of the noble's clothes that he had worn since his flight from the palace and pulled on the breeches, wrapping his arms about his bared chest once he had finished.

"I have a question, Ophelia." Ikaika spoke, though he kept his back to the young man. At the words Ophelia raised his head and stepped into Ikaika's vision once more.

"What is it?" Ophelia replied quietly, looking up into the golden eyes of the first mate.

"Why were you given a female name?" Ikaika's words were gentle and curious rather than accusing, his ears swiveling on his feline head as they picked up the various noises of the ship. At the question the young man's crimson eyes averted to study the planks beneath his bare feet.

"My mother wanted a daughter desperately. But I was born, and so she raised me as a girl instead." Ophelia whispered the answer, telling only a half truth since telling the full truth was out of the question.

"I asked because in my tribe there are Shanti. The Shanti are men who are raised from birth as women. I wondered if the case might be similar, but the Shanti perceive themselves as female while I do not know how you perceive yourself." Ikaika responded, his furred brow creasing in thought as he studied Ophelia. The young man wrapped his arms a bit tighter about his bare torso, feeling uncomfortable beneath the towering first mate's gaze.

"It's hard to explain... I know that I'm a man, but I still identify with the way I was raised somewhat. I guess I'm not really sure how I should feel.." Ophelia murmured and then after a few silent moments lowered his arms to his sides.

"Though it was not your choice, perhaps this twist of fate will help you find your true self. Though you might want to consider trying a masculine name to help you decide which path you choose to follow. It grows late and the captain will expect to see you hard at work in the morning so I shall take you to the quarters to get a bit of sleep before you are put to work." Ikaika ruffled Ophelia's hair and then headed into another part of the ship's lower deck where the crew slept. Though his appearance was slightly frightening, Ophelia felt as though he could trust the first mate and followed after him into the crews quarters. Ikaika allowed Ophelia to borrow his hammock and left him to get a few precious hours of sleep before he had to begin his life as a pirate.

Chapter Nine

Alexander strode onto the deck, searching the men on deck until his cerulean eyes locked onto the figure he was looking for. Ophelia stood meticulously scrubbing the deck with a mop, his bared torso pale as ivory in comparison to the bronzed skin of the other pirates. Smiling he sauntered his way over to the young man, leaning against the gunwall.

"That's much better, mister Graestone. You'll find that it will be much easier to perform your duties without all that fluffy clothing you came aboard wearing." Alexander remarked, running a hand through his dreadlocks.

"Yes captain." Ophelia replied crisply as Ikaika had taught him early that morning when he had been nudged awake and set to scrubbing the deck before the sun had even risen. Chocolate colored brows raised in surprise at Ophelia's reaction to his commentary. Alexander gave a nod, but as he started to turn away the young man cleared his throat and looked up at the elven man.

"Captain Shaw? I meant to ask before but I forgot... Where is the privy?" Ophelia lowered his voice as he regarded the captain.

"No worries, just relieve yourself over the side." Alexander explained nonchalantly and then strode away, but not without smirking as Ophelia blanched at the very thought.

"O-over the side? But how am I supposed to? Surely he can't want me to do such a thing in front of the entire crew." Ophelia muttered and started to scrub the deck harder with indignation. Having been raised as the princess the idea of urinating standing up in front of other men seemed ridiculous, however the young man's physical needs could not be put off forever. Eventually Ophelia gave in and relieved himself over the side of the ship, occasionally checking over his shoulder nervously to be sure that he wasn't being stared at.

Ophelia turned back to his work, picking up the mop and beginning to scrub the deck once more. His thoughts an active blur as he went over everything that happened up to this point again and again. As the sun rose high in the sky Ophelia groaned, his pale skin starting to sting from being exposed to the harsh light.

"Ophelia." the first mate's deep voice startled him from his reverie and Ophelia turned to look up at the panther faced man.

"What is it, Ikaika?" Ophelia looked up into the feline eyes, leaning against the mop as he regarded the first mate.

"You should coat your skin with this. You are not used to the sun and will burn badly if you don't protect your skin." Ikaika's voice was deep with concern as he offered a vial filled with a thick gray fluid. Ophelia reached out and took the vial, leaning the mop against the gunwall and then smiling at the first mate.

"Thank you, Ikaika. I'll admit I never assumed that a pirate could be so kind." Ophelia had to repress the urge to sink into a curtsy of gratitude and instead uncorked the vial and poured some of the fluid into one palm.

"We take care of our own." the corners of Ikaika's eyes crinkled