Prologue

A woman's intermittent screams of agony echoed through the stone chamber, the throes of labor wracking her delicate body with spasms of unending pain. One midwife watched over the blond with fretful tired eyes that knew too well that after two days of labor that the woman before her could not survive much longer.

"My Queen... Please try to push one more time..." Abigail coaxed, wiping the sweat from the Queen's pale brow. Several other servants gathered nearby, tending to their queen as best as they could.

"I'm so tired, Nanny... I'm not sure I can anymore.." Queen Nausicaa exhaled as the labor pains ebbed momentarily, her bright blue eyes were bloodshot and her normally well manicured hair fell about her heaving shoulders like a wild blond mane.

"I know, I know.. Just try once more for me.." Abigail whispered, knowing that if the baby was still alive it must be delivered before the queen died. Queen Nausicaa nodded weakly and then set her jaw and gave one last desperate push to try to deliver the unborn life trapped within her dying body. Something shifted just slightly within the Queen but it was enough to push the child free and Abigail cradled the baby, immediately cleaning off it's face to clear it's mouth of excess fluid.

"Sandra! Emily! Attend to the Queen!" Abigail called as she turned her full attention on the small life in her arms. With a bit of effort the child let out a wail as it took in it's first breath of air.

"A-abigail.... The Queen.." Sandra's voice was barely a whisper, but the tone made Abigail's blood freeze in her veins. Turning slowly she looked upon the face of Queen Nausicaa Gratien VIII which was still, sapphire eyes stared blankly at the ceiling and her lips were unmoving.

"Oh heavens no..." Abigail whispered as the baby in her arms wailed again, as though even the child knew that it's mother no longer breathed. The Queen had used her very last ounce of strength to give birth to the child.

"Nanny Abigail... What do we do?" Emily, who was one of the youngest among the servant girls whimpered. Abigail bit back the emotion that fought to come to the surface, steeling herself for it was her job to manage these sort of things.

"Cover her Highness' body and call his Highness. Let him know of what has occurred." Abigail discharged the orders and turned her attention to the infant once more, studying the child more closely. As she gazed at the infant something she had missed registered in her mind and she tensed as she studied the small body. She dare not say anything though until the King entered the chamber, and instead called for one of the castle wet nurses to tend for the child since the Queen could not.

"Nausicaa! Nausicaa, my love!" the cry could be heard seconds after the thundering race of footsteps. King Ambrosius threw open the chamber doors and raced to the limp figure collapsed in the bed and sinking down beside her as if in disbelief. Abigail watched quietly, waiting for the King to address her. Ambrosius' stared down into Nausicaa's face as tears started to stream from his eyes, his face contorted in suffering as he embraced the Queen's lifeless body. It was only after several moments that the King regained his composure and rose to face Abigail, his crimson eyes locking on the baby in her arms.

"The Princess lives?" King Ambrosius spoke barely above a whisper, his voice raw from sobbing over his beloved's death. A muscle tightened in Abigail's jaw, fear curling up her spine as she realized that she must tell the truth to the King.

"Your Highness, the child is alive... However the baby is a Prince.." Abigail hesitantly answered and offered the infant to Ambrosius for him to inspect. King Ambrosius raised an eyebrow as though the nursemaid might be playing a cruel joke on him, however as he took the child from her and inspected the baby's genitals his eyes narrowed. Shioria was a matriarchal nation and it therefor it was required that the Queens of the country were to produce a daughter as their heir to the throne. Abigail looked upon the King, fearing that in his grief he might do something to harm the child as a look of madness glowed in his crimson eyes, however he cradled the child gently and then met Abigail's gaze.

"You must be tired, Abigail. Anyone can see that this child is female. This child is our dear Princess Ophelia Gratien IX." King Ambrosius' words were spoken slowly however the intent behind them was clear. A daughter was expected of the royal family and he would take nothing less, even if it was a deception to the public.

"Take her now and see that she is properly fed and cared for. If anyone questions that she is the Princess then they and their entire family will be killed." The King's words were cold as ice as he handed the wailing infant back to Abigail and then strode from the room without a backward glance. The other maids looked to Abigail with a bewildered expression, fearful that their King had gone completely mad at the sight of his deceased wife.

"You heard his Highness! We are to see that the Princess is cared for." Abigail barked at the other maids who nodded and set to their tasks once more as though all were normal in the world. Abigail wrapped the squalling child in warm cloth and looked down on it's delicate face, her own expression etched in sympathy for the child.

Chapter One

Ophelia sat in the garden, reading quietly beneath one of the large cherry blossom trees that was scattering it's petals in the cool spring air. Crimson eyes like those of his father were set into a pale lean face with delicate full lips, high cheekbones, and manicured eyebrows. The face was framed by waves of long blond hair which was curled into a feminine style, trailing all the way down past the hips of it's owner. In this place in the garden Ophelia could temporarily forget about his duties as Princess to the house of Gratien, just enjoying the beauty of nature.

"Princess Ophelia! Princess!" Abigail called out and Ophelia sighed and folded the corner of the page he was reading. Closing the book he rose gracefully and scanned the garden, spotting Abigail at the far edge.

"Here Nanny! I'm here!" Ophelia called back, his voice was soft spoken and the dulcet notes were high enough to easily be mistaken for the voice of a female. Abigail's eyes trained on the approaching Princess and she smiled fondly. For seventeen years she'd closely raised Ophelia like she would have if he was her daughter, carefully training him in the ways that a Princess should behave.

"I am sorry for interrupting you, Princess... It is time for your daily medicine, and then you must start getting ready for the ball this evening." Abigail smiled and brushed a loose tendril of golden hair back from Ophelia's cheek.

"Don't apologize, Nanny. It's not your fault I have to get ready for this stuffy ball." Princess Ophelia replied and followed Abigail inside. As always a glass full of the herbal concoction that he had to drink every day since he could eat solid food was waiting for him in his chambers and he downed it's contents as quickly as possible, the stomach churning taste making him blanch slightly as he rinsed his mouth with water. It was not something that was discussed, but the "medicine" was an herbal solution to help hide the fact that Ophelia was born male. While it did not completely stunt his growth it kept his figure diminutive in comparison to other men, and his body was hairless, slender and androgynous in most aspects other than genitalia.

"These social gatherings really are such a bother... I had just gotten to a really good part of the story." the Princess murmured, looking over the dresses presented to him by his courtiers.

"I know, Princess. Here, why don't you wear this dress? It will show off your eyes." Abigail took one of the dresses and held it up to Ophelia's slender figure. The dress was a confection of silver silk and lace, with sleeves that draped almost to the floor.

"Very well, Nanny. If you really think it suits me," Ophelia spoke and then stood waiting patiently as the maids began to undress him.

"Yes, you'll look lovely." Abigail answered as she began to assist in undressing the Princess. As the layers of feminine clothing were removed and the Princess' body was bared it was clear that he was born male. As they began to dress him for the evening ball Abigail's brow creased in silent concern. Though it had not occurred to the King until recently, the nanny had always feared the day that Ophelia would be old enough to marry for that presented a problem that the King's solution had omitted. While they could hide the fact that Ophelia was male with herbs, training, and dresses, nothing would hide the fact that the Princess was born male should he be married and expected to consummate that marriage. It was also known among the courtiers that King Vladimir Lanval had taken a great interest in the Princess after a recent visit to the palace, and though King Ambrosius had turned down Vladimir's offer to marry the Princess, the foreign King had attended every royal ball since then.

"Hmmm.... I wonder if I'll ever find true love like the Princesses in all the stories I've read.." Ophelia sighed wistfully once he was dressed and examining himself in the mirror. Abigail felt her heart clench at those words, for while they were a natural thought for any Princess coming of age, they posed a much greater problem for Ophelia.

"I'm sure you will, sweet heart. Now, lets take care of your hair and make up." Abigail spoke soothingly and then guided Ophelia away from the mirror in order to finish preparing him for the evening.

Chapter Two

Ophelia watched the courtiers dance and sway across the ballroom below the thrones. King Ambrosius sat quietly, though his eyes which scanned the hall were alive and wary as they locked onto the figure of King Vladimir who was at that very moment making his way toward the thrones. Ophelia's turned to speak to his father but the look on the King's face gave him pause, and he followed the crimson eyed gaze all the way to Vladimir. At the sight of the other King revulsion began to well in the pit of Ophelia's stomach, unable to tear his eyes away from the approaching male. King Vladimir was tall and thickly built to the point that his tailored clothing bulged in all the wrong places, his short flame colored hair was slicked back against his skull and his hungry green eyes locked onto Ophelia like those of a wolf that had caught the scent of fresh meat.

"Your Highness Ambrosius, Princess Ophelia...." Vladimir greeted them properly and gave a slight bow of his head in recognition of their sovereignty before straightening. His eyes raked over Ophelia's body, sending a chill of disgust up the Princess' spine before they turned back to the King.

"It truly is a honor to be visiting here in your country, King Ambrosius." Vladimir spoke formally as he grinned at the King.

"It is likewise an honor to have you here." Ambrosius spoke shortly, uncomfortable with the other man's presence.

"I hate to interrupt your evening, Majesty.. But there is something of great import that I need to discuss with you in private that cannot wait." Vladimir's voice lowered to a conspiratorial tone and the King frowned as his hopes that the other noble would simply return to mingling among the other courtiers was crushed.

"Very well.." Ambrosius grumbled in annoyance and rose, gesturing for Vladimir to follow him to a private chamber adjoining the throne room. As Ophelia watched his father depart from the room a feeling of foreboding filled him though he could not place the reason why.

"King Ambrosius.. Some rather dreadful news has come to my attention thanks to some of my informants.." Vladimir spoke softly as he closed the door behind him and faced the blond man who was regarding him with a look of displeasure.

"Is that so? And this news is something that I need be made aware of with such dire urgency in the middle of a royal ball?" Ambrosius' voice was cold with annoyance as he stared down the other King. He did not appreciate having another King making such demands of him in his own palace.

"Unfortunately, yes. You see, it has come to my attention that you have been hiding a very important secret from the public." King Vladimir tip toed around what he intended to state, however the implications of Vladimir's words turned Ambrosius' face into a stony mask. When Ambrosius did not speak Vladimir saw fit to continue with the delivery of his recent revelation.

"One of my informants has alerted me to the fact that your Princess is not what she appears to be. Ophelia is truly a man..." Vladimir stopped there as he saw fear come to life in the depths of the other man's crimson eyed gaze.

"You.. How did you...?" King Ambrosius growled, knowing that there had to be some angle to Vladimir's intentions of revealing that he knew the truth.

"It doesn't matter how. The fact is I know the truth. However, I am willing to keep it a secret under several conditions." Vladimir almost purred the words, knowing that he had Ambrosius under his thumb.

"What conditions?" Ambrosius grated out through clenched teeth, his eyes narrowing as his dislike for the other King boiled over to the point of hatred.

"So you're willing to bargain with me.. Good. I will marry Ophelia, and you will give me half of Shioria.. In exchange it will remain a secret that Ophelia is a man. However, before you even ask, if you do not comply with my conditions I will make it known publicly that your daughter is really male. The citizens will be outraged and your rule will be usurped. You both will be killed for your deception." Vladimir chuckled darkly as he watched Ambrosius' hands ball into fists, barely managing to contain the King's outrage. Ambrosius could feel the fury welling up inside him, but restraint and fear kept him in place as Vladimir's words sank in.

"But why would you want to marry Ophelia, knowing the truth?" the King's voice shook with anger as he spoke, though he forced his expression back to the same stony composure he'd had before.

"For one, I do not care that Ophelia is male. He's beautiful and I want him as my Queen... And I suppose you could say I'm taking pity on your hopeless situation." Vladimir smirked, running a hand through his greased back hair. King Ambrosius ground his teeth together at the haughty statement, hardly able to believe that he was being forced into such a position.

"Fine. You can marry the Princess and take half of Shioria." Ambrosius conceded in a low voice, knowing that there was no argument he could make in response to this man's demands.

"Wonderful! I'm so happy we see eye to eye. Now, I want you to go out there and announce our engagement and that the wedding shall be three days from now." Vladimir clapped Ambrosius on the shoulder and it took everything the King had to keep from running the green eyed man through on the spot.

"Three days?! But that's unheard of! Wedding preparations normally take over two months!" Ambrosius protested as he regarded King Vladimir with a look of disbelief.

"Well then, you shall have to see to it that the preparations are made quickly then. Now, we should be getting back to the ball so that you can make the announcement." Vladimir turned his back on Ambrosius and moved to head back out into the adjoining ball room. For a moment the fleeting thought of stabbing the other King flickered through Ambrosius' mind, but the knowledge that he could not risk starting a war kept him from drawing his sword.

Ophelia looked over to the side chamber as King Vladimir and his father emerged, his golden brows furrowing in concern as he saw the look on King Ambrosius' face.

"Daddy?" Ophelia whispered, however the king raised a hand to staunch the Princess' questioning. Ambrosius' face was drawn and pale as he cast a glance at Vladimir and then stepped to the edge of the dais and clapped his hands together to get the attention of the court. The musicians fell silent and the lords and ladies turned to face the king, gazing up at him with curiosity.

"Lords and Ladies of Shioria! I am pleased to announce that three days from now Princess Ophelia Gratien XI will be wed to King Vladimir Lanval!" Ambroius spoke the words clearly, though his tone of voice was hollow and emotionless. As the crowd burst into excited cheers Ophelia's eyes widened in disbelief, a hand rising to his mouth as he gasped.

"Papa!" Ophelia began to protest but King Ambrosius turned and pinned him with a warning look that silenced the Princess on the spot. The King gave a nod for his courtiers to resume their dancing and then sank into his throne, his proud shoulders sagging with the weight of defeat. Ophelia was drawn from his shock as Vladimir knelt before him and took the Princess' hand, raising it to his lips which were uncomfortably cold.

"It will be a pleasure to be your husband, dear Ophelia.." Vladimir purred, his green eyes burning a trail down the Princess' body. Ophelia suppressed the shudder of disgust and slowly removed his hand from that of the foreign king, his own crimson eyes half lidded as he forced his face into a perfect mask.

"I appreciate your kind words, your Highness..." Ophelia's words were toneless and cold even as he affixed a pleasant smile on his lips.

"I shall join you for dinner tomorrow night, so that we might get to know each other better before our wedding." Vladimir asserted and then got to his feet with a smirk and rose to join the dancing figures below once more.

Chapter Three

"Daddy, I can't marry that man! I don't even love him!" Ophelia protested, grasping his father's arm and looking into the King's crimson eyes. Ambrosius set his jaw, knowing that whether or not he even wanted to marry Ophelia to Vladimir he had no choice but to obey the other King.

"It doesn't matter if you love him. He is a powerful man who can take care of you and the union of our two kingdoms is best for Shioria. You will marry King Vladimir three days from now." the king's words were firm and from the look in his eyes he was finished with the conversation, shaking Ophelia's hands free from his arm. Ophelia worked his jaw for several moments in silent fury before turning on one heel and storming off to his private chambers where Abigail was waiting for him with a concerned expression.

"Can you believe this!? This is outrageous!" Ophelia's voice raised to a shriek as he unclasped the diamond necklace that encircled his throat and threw it down on the dresser.

"Calm down, Ophelia... I know you're angry.." Abigail soothed and came to the Princess' side, setting a gentle hand on Ophelia's shoulder. He sighed and slumped in defeat into one of the silk upholstered chairs, curling his arms about his chest protectively as Abigail stroked his blond locks.

"Nanny, what am I supposed to do? I hate King Vladimir. That man is a filthy, disgusting, repulsive snake!" Ophelia looked up into Abigail's wise motherly eyes which were lit with a look of deep sorrow.

"I don't know, dear heart. We'll figure out something, I promise. However your father's words are final so you must behave yourself around King Vladimir." Nanny clutched Ophelia close to her bosom, tilting her face upward and praying to the goddess that there could be some other way to save Ophelia from this fate.

"I know, Nanny.. I know. I'll behave myself." Ophelia sighed in defeat, wrapping his arms around his adoptive nursemaid.

Chapter Four

"The mountain ranges in my country of Theron are rich with mineral deposits. With this wonderful new bond formed between our kingdoms perhaps in exchange for expanding our sea trade in your kingdom we could supply you with our plentiful mineral resources." King Vladimir spoke to Ambrosius with a casual smile and then raised his wine glass to his lips and cast a glance at Ophelia who had been seated next to him. Ophelia could feel Vladimir staring at him, keeping his eyes downcast at his plate to try to avoid having to make conversation with the savage brute.

"Indeed, that would be quite beneficial to both of us." King Ambrosius nodded in agreement as he meticulously cut apart the steak that was set before him. Vladimir grinned in response to Ambrosius' words, though his green eyes were still locked on the Princess.

"Princess, I was thinking that once we are wed I shall take you to see your new kingdom in Theron." Vladimir purred, one hand settling on Ophelia's thigh and squeezing. Ophelia felt his stomach churn violently and turned to look Vladimir in the eye, his smile more of a grimace as the Princess regarded his betrothed.

"Perhaps, though I would much prefer to remain here in Shioria. After all, this is my homeland." Ophelia's words were pleasant as he picked at what remained of his dinner.

"Well, if that is what my Queen to be wants then that is what she shall have." Vladimir responded with saccharine sweet words though Ophelia knew that they were nothing but insincere lies. The foreign king's smile turned to a smirk as his hand slid upwards slightly.

"Father... I think I need a bit of fresh air. May I be excused to take a walk in the garden?" Ophelia requested softly, using every ounce of will he had to keep from leaping from his chair to escape the foul man's roaming hand.

"Of course, dear." Ambrosius' eyes regarded Ophelia with sympathy, knowing that this was not the Princess' choice but that there was no way out of Vladimir's demands. Ophelia got to his feet, giving a polite curtsy to his father and then freezing as Vladimir rose from his chair.

"Would you mind if I join you, Princess?" Vladimir smirked down at Ophelia, offering his arm to the Princess. Ophelia held his ground, looking at the King's extended arm as though the man had just offered him a poisonous snake.

"That's quite all right, I just need to take a brief step outside. It really is not necessary for you to accompany me." Ophelia kept his arms at his sides, looking up into the green eyes of his betrothed challengingly.

"Oh but I must insist. Besides, it will be a chance for us to get to know each other a bit better before our marriage." Vladimir crooned, not so easily dissuaded by the Princess' dismissal. Ophelia was about to open his mouth in protest but a warning look from his father kept further arguments in check.

"Very well. Then you may join me." Ophelia's reply was clipped, refusing to take Vladimir's hand the Princess turned his back on him and strode briskly from the room. Vladimir gave a proper bow to the King and followed after the Princess with haste so that soon he was striding alongside the blond.

"I was wondering, Princess... What sort of things do you like?" Vladimir asked, reaching out and grasping Ophelia's arm despite the Princess' refusal to do so. Ophelia ground his teeth together at the wretched man's persistence.

"I enjoy the peace and quiet of sitting in the garden alone." Ophelia answered coldly, his lips forming a hard line. Crimson eyes were kept focused straight ahead so that at least he did not have to look at his repulsive suitor.

"Well, I have a very large garden in my own palace. You really should see it." Vladimir continued in a thick silky voice as he looked the Princess over. His initial desire to marry the Princess had been solely with the purpose of attaining dominance over Shioria, for he had no interest in women what so ever and instead kept a harem of young men at his disposal. However, when his informants found out that Ophelia was actually a male that sweetened the deal even more.

"Perhaps." Princess Ophelia responded flatly, his eyes half closing in annoyance. As they stepped into the garden Vladimir took the liberty of dragging them over to one of the marble benches and seating them there. Silence stretched between them for several minutes as Vladimir gazed at Ophelia and the Princess did his best not to look at the foreign king.

"Come now, you shouldn't be so cold with your husband to be. Look at me, Ophelia." Vladimir coaxed, his thick fingers squeezing the Princess' hand as he spoke. In a fury Ophelia turned and glared up at the tall king, wanting nothing more than to slap the smug grin right off of his thick face.

"Just so you know, I'm not marrying you by choice." Ophelia whispered, his voice edged with hatred for his betrothed. The grin on the man's ruddy lips grew broad at Ophelia's words as he looked down on the delicate Princess.

"Did you know your eyes are even more beautiful when your angry?" Vladimir purred and raised his other hand to the Princess' cheek, stroking the smooth skin. Ophelia jerked her head away at the touch.

"How rude..." Ophelia hissed, still glaring up at Vladimir. The king's eyes roamed lower over the young man's body and then back up to the face that regarded him with an indignant expression.

"When you look at me like that it makes me want you even more. Now, why don't we get to know each other a little better..." Vladimir's voice was a low whisper, his hands moving to grasp Ophelia's shoulders as he leaned over the slender male to attempt to kiss him. Ophelia's eyes widened in rage and he twisted his head to one side and tried to push the larger man off of him.

"Stop it, King Vladimir! Get off of me!" Ophelia protested, using every ounce of strength he had to try to shove Vladimir away. The king was stronger though and he held Ophelia in place, instead pressing his lips to Ophelia's throat since he would not relinquish his lips. Ophelia tensed as clammy lips roamed over his neck and a wet tongue left a slimy trail wherever it touched. Panic started to well up within the Princess and he began to beat against Vladimir's chest with greater urgency.

"Shhh... Quiet now, otherwise people might hear you.." Vladimir growled against Ophelia's neck and then bit down on the unblemished skin. Ophelia cried out in shock at the sudden pain and then shuddered as Vladimir sucked at the spot he had just bitten.

"I said no!" Ophelia yelped and twisted free from Vladimir's embrace, getting to his feet and taking several steps back. Vladimir only smirked at the challenge, rising in order to advance on the princess.

"It's very rude for a man to make such advances on his betrothed before their wedding night." Ophelia scolded, his heart throbbing against his ribcage like a trapped bird as he retreated from the taller man.

"Likewise it is just as impolite for a princess not to satisfy her husband." Vladimir returned the remark swiftly and then took several quick strides in order to catch Ophelia in his muscular arms once more.

"Let me go!" Ophelia yelled and beat his fists against Vladimir's chest again, earning a derisive laugh from the foreign king.

"You can't fight me." Vladimir chuckled and leaned down again in an attempt to capture Ophelia's mouth. The princess turned his head away and continued to struggle in the steel vice of Vladimir's grip, desperate for an escape. Though it was fun to toy with his bride to be, Vladimir was growing tired of Ophelia's futile struggling and brought one knee up hard between Ophelia's legs. Pain like none he'd ever felt before seared up Ophelia's spine and he crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath as his vision blurred. Vladimir fell upon the collapsed figure like a ravening wolf, pinning Ophelia to the ground with his body and grasping the Princess' jaw to force Ophelia to kiss him. Through the haze of agony Ophelia felt the weight of Vladimir's body forcing his own against the ground and then a mouth covering his own. His screams of protest were silenced by the other man's mouth as Vladimir's tongue was forced past delicate lips to roughly violate the Princess' mouth. Ophelia continued to struggle despite the hopelessness of his situation, unwilling to give into the King's savage brutality. Finally after several sickening minutes Vladimir broke the unwanted kiss and smirked down at Ophelia.

"Oh yes.. I'll have fun breaking you." He growled, biting Ophelia's lower lip and earning a soft shriek of protest.

"You'll do nothing of the sort! Now get off of me before I have the guards come and take you away for defiling me!" Ophelia threatened, his chin quivering in fear even as he did his best to face the larger man with bravery.

"The guards will do nothing of the sort, the King has assured me of that. Because I know your secret.." Vladimir smirked triumphantly and lowered one hand to hike up Ophelia's skirts and adeptly grasp the Princess' genitals. Ophelia froze in shock and horror as Vladimir's thick fingers squeezed his manhood hard enough to cause pain, tears welling at the edges of his crimson eyes.

"You see? I know what you really are. To hide that secret your dearest daddy has basically given me the free reign to do whatever I want." Vladimir chuckled darkly as he continued to grope Ophelia, and as the Princess opened his mouth to scream the King forcibly kissed him once more. Ophelia shook from the fear and shame, his body slumping in defeat at the realization that no one would save him from this man.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to spoil our wedding night so we'll leave it there for now. Oh, and don't even think it will help if you tell anyone about this. I have your father in my palm and if he does anything to stop me I'll reveal your secret to the public and you both will be killed." Vladimir finally spoke and then pulled himself to his feet and smirking down at Ophelia where the young man lay. In response to the words Ophelia curled into a ball, clutching his knees to his chest and sobbing as he gazed fearfully up at the red headed king.

"Good, then we have an understanding. By your leave, dear Princess." Vladimir smiled and bowed before turning to stride out of the garden. The princess watched until Vladimir had departed from the garden and then pulled himself to his feet shakily, the pain from the strike to his genitals leaving him weak and barely able to stand. It felt like an eternity before he reached the safety of his chamber, collapsing once he had closed the door behind him and beginning to sob harder. Immediately nanny Abigail was at his side, kneeling down and gathering the Princess into her arms.

"Ophelia, what's wrong darling? Please, tell nanny.." Abigail's eyes filling with maternal fury as she clutched the crying Princess to her and attempted to calm him.

"L-lord Vladimir.. H-he knows my s-secret. He t-tried to f-force himself on m-me!" Ophelia barely choked the words out, his face flushed with shame at the very thought of how that man had violated him.

"That filthy son of a bitch! Did you tell the guards?" Nanny exclaimed in rage and leaned back to look Ophelia in the eyes. In response to the question Ophelia shook his head violently, sobbing even louder.

"No... I c-can't. He said if I did.. t-that h-he'd tell the public about me... a-and d-daddy and I would be k-killed." Ophelia wailed looking into Abigail's eyes with a look of defeated horror. Abigail felt as though someone had cast an ice spell on her, coming to the same realization that Ophelia had several minutes earlier.

"Oh dear.. He's blackmailing the King.." Abigail whispered breathlessly, having to forcibly gather her focus as she faced Ophelia.

"Mmm-hmmm.. He said he's making daddy do whatever he wants." Ophelia's sobs started to become quieter from the comfort that nanny's presence invoked. Abigail seethed internally as it became clear exactly what Vladimir's motivation was.

"Here, let me see what that beast did to you.." Abigail whispered and Ophelia tilted his head to one side, revealing the livid bruise that appeared on his throat where Vladimir had bitten him. Abigail gasped softly at the sight and her brow creased in concern.

"He did that then and he kneed me between the legs and when he," Ophelia hesitated, averting his eyes as he continued, "When he had me on the ground he forced me to kiss him and he put his hand up under my dress and touched me down there..." As he finished Ophelia began to sob once more, feeling filthy and defiled by what Vladimir had done to him. At that moment Abigail would've liked nothing more than to see that some poison found its way into King Vladimir's tea for what he had done to her sweet Ophelia.

"Oh my dear.. I'm so sorry that foul beast did that to you.." Abigail nearly sobbed herself as she hugged Ophelia once more and reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"What am I going to do, Nanny? I have to marry him and he'll do that sort of thing to me again, and worse.." Ophelia whispered, his soft voice despairing as he wrapped his slender arms around Abigail and buried his face in her shoulder.

"I don't know sweetie, I don't know. I promise you though, I'll find a way to stop this.." Abigail's mind already began working over the possibilities of what she could do to save Ophelia from the dreadful fate of being married to King Vladimir. Gently she pulled Ophelia to his feet and led him to the bath, calling several other maids to assist her in caring for the Princess.

"Come on Ophelia. We'll get you cleaned off and then I'll bring you a glass of warm milk." Abigail coaxed as she guided the princess to the bath chamber. Ophelia nodded softly in response to Abigail's words, wondering if there really was anything his dear nanny could do to save him from Vladimir.

Chapter Five

The next two days passed by far too quickly for Ophelia's liking, though the Princess made sure not to allow King Vladimir to corner him alone a second time. However the day of the wedding had arrived and Ophelia felt that he was sure to be sick if he had to say the vows of devotion. The maids fluttered around Ophelia in a flurry of motion, making sure that his wedding dress and his hair was perfect. The princess' long blond hair was interwoven with pale pastel colored flowers and the dress glimmered in the sunlight like a silver snowflake.

"How long until the ceremony begins?" Ophelia asked numbly, his eyes downcast at the floor as the maids made the last adjustments to his dress.

"Thirty minutes... Ophelia, just be brave." Abigail whispered and tilted the Princess' head upwards so she could apply some make up to his unblemished face. Ophelia sighed and held still as rouge was applied to his lips and cheeks, restoring color to a face that was paled by the horrifying knowledge of what the day held for him. The minutes crept by in the way they did for a man waiting to be executed, far too slow and yet at the same time not slow enough.

"It's time... His highness awaits you outside." a servant poked her head into the room when the time was up and Ophelia set his jaw and held his head high. He may not want to do this, but as the princess of Shioria he would face any strife with his pride intact. He stepped swiftly through the doors to find his father waiting, the king regarded him with crimson eyes that gave the apology that he could not say.

"It's okay daddy.." Ophelia whispered as he placed his hand into that of his father and allowed the king to lead him to the head of the cathedral. Ophelia tilted her head back to meet King Vladimir's stare with a fearless gaze as he approached the man who was the symbol of his very doom. King Ambrosius reached the top of the stairs, giving Ophelia's hand a light squeeze before placing it into the hand of Vladimir who grasped it possessively. The priest of the goddess stepped forward and began to read the holy documents of the rights of matrimony and then turned to face King Vladimir after droning on for several minutes.

"King Vladimir Lanval of Theron, do you swear to make it your life's mission to love and bring happiness to her most honorable Highness Princess Ophelia Gratien XI?" the priest asked the required question, smiling over at the red headed King.

"Indeed I do." Vladimir answered without hesitation and then turned to face Ophelia once more, waiting on baited breath for him to give the same answer. The priest nodded and turned to Ophelia with the same pleasant smile.

"Princess Ophelia Gratien XI, do you swear to make it your life's mission to love and bring happiness to his most honorable Highness King Vladimir Lanval?" the priest repeated the question this time to Ophelia.

"I do." Ophelia answered, with less enthusiasm but just as quickly as Vladimir had made his own pledge, determined that he would not have his honor stained before the public. The priest nodded and then spread his hands and turned to look upwards at the immense statue of the goddess which loomed at the head of the cathedral.

"My children, please pray now to the goddess that she may grant you with all that you desire and then speak your vows to each other." the priest commanded, his back still turned to them as he gazed up at the fair and beautiful goddess. Vladimir and Ophelia turned, still holding hands as they faced the statue and silently prayed to the great goddess. One prayed for conquest and domination, the other praying for salvation from that fate that was put upon him. Finishing their prayers both turned to regard each other once more.

"My dearest Ophelia, it is with the greatest love an honor that I pledge myself to you. You shall be my most treasured jewel, the center of my world. Through our union I hope to bring honor to your country and my own." Vladimir vowed and raised Ophelia's hand to his lips placing a kiss to the princess' knuckles.

"My sweet Vladimir, it is with great honor and devotion that I pledge myself to you. Your kindness and beloved spirit bring me such great joy on this day of our union. I too hope that our matrimony brings great prosperity to both our kingdoms." Ophelia vowed in turn and raised Vladimir's hand to his lips and kissed it, then raised his crimson gaze at Vladimir's face. The priest turned to face them once more, bowing low before the two royals.

"May you both find true happiness under the watchful eye of the supreme goddess. By the power invested in me you are now man and wife." The priest nodded to each of them and made a sweeping gesture with his hands for them to come together and kiss. Ophelia stepped forward into Vladimir's waiting embrace without resistance, closing his eyes as the foreign king's lips fell upon his own and he was claimed as this man's queen. Vladimir attempted to turn the kiss passionate but while he did not resist, Ophelia also did not return the kiss. The gathered courtiers broke into a cheer as they parted and turned to face the crowd as King and Queen of Theron and Shioria respectively.

Chapter Six

Ophelia sat at the reception dinner, with all the regal grace that any queen should. His thoughts racing as the well wishes of the courtiers drifted through his consciousness with as much importance as a grain of sand in the desert. Vladimir spoke smugly, every so often grasping Ophelia to his side dominantly and grinning down at the new queen with a feral look in his green eyes. As the evening drew to a close Vladimir gestured one of the castle maids to his side, grinning rakishly as he gestured her close.

"Would you be so kind as to take my dear Queen here and prepare her for our wedding night?" Vladimir purred and gestured to Ophelia. With a nod to his king Ophelia rose and moved to follow the maid, whose face he knew well for he regarded her like an older sister. Emily guided Ophelia through the palace halls to a small chamber where new brides were to be purified within before they went to their marriage bed. Within nanny Abigail waited, however the things set out in the room were not the implements used in the purification ceremony.

"Ophelia, my dear child..." Nanny embraced Ophelia fondly and then stepped back from the young man and regarded him seriously.

"Nanny?" Ophelia whispered, glancing to Emily and then back to Abigail uncertainly. He could feel that something was going on and he looked at them expectantly.

"There is only one way that you can escape your fate, and only one chance you will have to do so." Nanny said as she and Emily began to remove Ophelia's wedding dress and the the flowers from his hair.

"Escape my fate?" Ophelia whispered, his brow furrowing in confusion as he stepped out of the silky dress and allowed the two maids to remove the corset from his torso.

"Yes my child. While King Vladimir will believe that you are being prepared for your marriage bed you will in actuality be fleeing the kingdom." Abigail spoke swiftly as she and Emily continued to disrobe the new queen with haste.

"What?!" Ophelia exclaimed but was quickly hushed by Emily who placed a hand over his mouth and made a shushing noise.

"I know this is something that is going to be a difficult task for you, but it is the only way out. If you do not flee now then that man will never let you go. You must dress as a man and flee the kingdom, head for one of the port cities to the north and take a ship to the continent of Elnath. A horse is waiting for you outside this room if you follow the passage through that door." Abigail continued, gesturing at the servants exit from the chamber and then beginning to dress him in the clothes of one of the palace lords which she had liberated from the dirty laundry for this purpose.

"But what about you, Nanny? Emily? If they find out you helped me escape you'll be killed." Ophelia lowered his voice as the two ladies in waiting dressed him in the male garments that they had taken. The feeling of wearing the closely fitted breeches and the loose tunic shirts irritated his senses which were used to tight corsets and billowing silk gowns.

"We already have that figured out as well. Now, take this pack." Abigail lifted a small leather pack and draped it over one of Ophelia's shoulders. Ophelia chewed at his lower lip, looking between his beloved nanny and the made who he considered to be like a sister to him. If their plan was calculated wrong he knew that this would be the last time he would see them alive, however if he did not do as they said all of their efforts would have gone to waste and he would be bound to the one man that he did not want to have to be married to.

"There's enough money in there to get you several nights in an inn, and passage on a carrier ship." Emily say, pointing at the pouch and then stepping back from Ophelia to examine their handiwork. Even dressed in male clothes, Ophelia still bore the feminine look of the way he was raised.

"Give me a hug before you go..." Emily added as Abeigail turned her back on them briefly to rifle through several other things that lay spread out on the table in the small chamber. With those words the gravity of what Ophelia was about to do hit him with the force of a stampeding bull and tears sprang to his eyes as he threw his arms around Emily and hugged her close.

"Oh Emily... What am I going to do without all of you at my side?" Ophelia whispered softly, burying his face in the maid's shoulder and giving a soft sob. Emily stroked his long golden hair, placing a gentle kiss against his cheek.

"You're going to get yourself out of here and get away from King Vladimir. Your going to go, board a ship, go to the country of Elnath and find your true prince." Emily replied and then pulled back, pressing a kiss to Ophelia's forehead and then retreating from his embrace. As she stepped back Abigail raised and iron skillet high in the air and struck Emily on the back of the head, knocking the maid unconscious and watching her drop to the floor.

"Nanny!?" Ophelia gasped quietly and looked from Abigail to Emily and then back again.

"This is the part of the plan that keeps us from getting in trouble, my dear child. This makes it look like you knocked us unconscious and escaped of your own accord." Abigail murmured and then wrapped her own arms around Ophelia and drew him close. Emotion battered at Ophelia once more as Abigail drew him into her embrace.

"Nanny... I'm going to miss you. Please be safe until I can figure out how to come back." Ophelia whispered, holding his adoptive caretaker close until they finally broke their embrace.

"I'll miss you too, my child. Now, you must knock me unconscious." Nanny said softly and offered the iron skillet to Ophelia who blanched at the mere thought of doing such a thing to his beloved caretaker.

"I.. I can't. I couldn't do something like that to you, Nanny!" Ophelia hissed, holding up his hands to ward off the offered skillet.

"You must, for both of our sakes. If you want me to live, you must do it." Nanny pleaded, grasping Ophelia's hand and placing the handle of the skillet into it. Ophelia chewed his lower lip as Abigail turned her back on him. He hesitated and then lifted the skillet high and brought it down against the back of Abigail's head, watching her crumple to the floor as Emily had.

"I'm sorry Nanny..." Ophelia whispered and dropped the skillet to the floor, casting one last glance around the room and at his beloved caretakers before heading toward the servants exit and sprinting through the passageway beyond the door. His heart pounding in his chest as he ran as fast as his legs would take him down the stone pathway which led to another door which exited outside the castle walls. He threw open the door and found that the horse that Abigail had spoken of was waiting outside for him, tied to a tree to keep it from roaming off.

"Hello there, Aurora." Ophelia smiled at the sight of the familiar chestnut colored mare, giving the horse a light pat on the neck and then untying the reins from the tree. Stepping back toward the saddle he carefully pulled himself up, sitting side saddle rather than straddling the horse because that was how a princess was taught to ride.

"If I follow the shore I should come to the next port city..." Ophelia murmured to himself, he didn't know the world outside the castle at all but his reasoning was quite sound. Grasping the reins he nudged the horse in the side gently with one foot and made a soft clucking noise, urging the mare to take off running.

Chapter Seven

"Now, tell me exactly what happened?" King Ambrosius addressed Abigail, while King Vladimir paced behind him. Vladimir's face was contorted with rage, his green eyes seemed to glow with a savage light.

"Well, you see your highness. Miss Emily and I were setting about preparing the new Queen for her wedding night. When our backs were turned the Queen took an iron skillet and struck Emily on the back of the head. I tried to stop her, but then she knocked me out too." Abigail explained, folding her hands on her lap.

"And just where in the world did Queen Ophelia get a skillet?" King Ambrosius raised an eyebrow, gazing down on the nursemaid as he interrogated her.

"I don't rightly know your majesty.. I suppose she snitched it from the kitchen that morning and secreted it on her person." Abigail blinked thoughtfully and reached back to rub the spot where she had been struck, wincing at the sensation.

"Her clothes were found discarded in the chamber. Are we to assume that Ophelia left the palace wearing nothing?" King Ambrosius folded his arms, obviously perplexed by the situation.

"I would certainly hope not! I ain't as smart as the Queen you see, but one of the other maids found the laundry baskets over turned. I suppose she stole some of the dirty clothes." Abigail shrugged and then sighed softly. King Ambrosius shook his head and turned his back on Abigail to face the foreign king who stopped pacing.

"Her story matches that of the other maid who was in the room, and the other servants found similar evidence regarding the stolen skillet and clothing. Given the facts, it appears that Queen Ophelia has run away." King Ambrosius sighed and then met Vladimir's gaze, a hint of fear in his own crimson eyes that Vladimir might reveal Ophelia's secret as punishment for allowing this to happen.

"Well then, we need to send soldiers out to retrieve my dear Queen. It is likely she was just uncertain about me, after all the wedding was short notice." King Vladimir's words were smooth but his smile was cruel with malicious intent. It was plainly obvious that when he did get Ophelia back that whatever retribution he had in mind boded ill for the new queen. Abigail silently prayed that Ophelia had enough of a head start to get him to a port city and out of the country before Vladimir's men were able to track him down.

Chapter Eight

Ophelia groaned, blinking awake to the sight of the rising sun and and the feel of the mare's footsteps as she carried him along. Sitting up in the saddle he ran a hand through his matted hair and looked around him to try to get his bearings through the fog of drowsiness. Faithfully the mare had continued to follow the shoreline throughout the night, however one thing was amiss.

"Th-the pack! Where is it?" Ophelia looked around himself but the small leather pouch was nowhere to be found. Twisting in the saddle he looked back in the direction he had come from.

"Oh curse it all! I must have let it slip when I fell asleep... I can't go back for it now!" Ophelia exclaimed and continued to curse silently for several more minutes as he rode along. Shaking his head finally he snapped the reins, coaxing the mare into a full canter once more as the creature had slowed its pace slightly when he'd fallen asleep. Ophelia rode for three days straight when finally a port city came to view in the distance, one he'd heard of when studying maps of his kingdom.

"Look Aurora, we've finally reached Azuron!" Ophelia nearly broke into a cheer and gave the tired mare one final nudge in the side, urging the creature into a full run toward the city. Reaching the gates to the city Ophelia reined the mare in and dismounted, continuing on foot as he guided the horse into the city.

"I suppose I should find you a kind owner, Aurora. They don't generally allow horses on passenger ships.." Ophelia murmured and then started to search for a stable where he could leave Aurora. It was little trouble to find one and he tied the mare to one of the posts outside of the stable when he was unable to find the owner, assuming that it was too early in the morning for the stable master to be up. With the mare's safety taken care of Ophelia ranged out into the city, realizing as he reached the merchants district that he was absolutely starving after not eating for three days.

"Hmm... Oh that looks really good..." Ophelia wandered over to a vendor selling fresh fruit. The vendor's sharp eyes locked on Ophelia as the young man looked over his goods with a thoughtful expression, picking up a ripe star fruit and raising it to his lips. Without a thought Ophelia bit into the fruit, closing his eyes and relishing the fresh thirst quenching taste before turning as though to wander off.

"Oi! Just where do ye think yer goin' without payin' fer that?" the vendor yelled, stepping out from behind the stall and grabbing Ophelia by the shoulder. Ophelia startled at the sudden contact, turning on his heel to meet the ashen faced man who regarded him sternly.

"A-are you addressing me, sir?" Ophelia asked, raising one eyebrow and canting his head to one side in confusion.

"I ain't talkin' to meself, lad! Now, ye must pay for that." the vendor indicated the star fruit in Ophelia's hands, still keeping a firm hold on the slender male's shoulder in case he might decide to run.

"Pay? But I haven't any money. You see, I lost it on my way here. However, I will have my father pay you back handsomely for your trouble." Ophelia smiled pleasantly as he realized that for the first time in his life he would have to pay, and came up with what seemed a reasonable solution to his predicament.

"Is that so? Well I'm afraid unless ye have payment up front I can't accept that excuse." the vendor glared and his grip on Ophelia's shoulder tightened.

"Really, sir. Surely we can come to some reasonable sort of agreement here. There's no need for such violence." Ophelia groused, frowning at the dark eyed vendor and attempting to step free from his grip.

"If ye think yer goin' ta get away from me ye have another thing coming. If ye can't pay then I shall have to take the cost out of yer hide!" the vendor growled and then grabbed Ophelia, hoisting the much smaller man over his shoulder.

"Hey! Unhand me you savage thug! When my father hears about this he'll see you hanged!" Ophelia yelled and beat the man's back with his fists. The vendor chuckled and rolled his eyes, marching back toward his stall.

"Oi! Bradford, can ye keep an eye on me stall? I've got to take this little thief down to the port district and get me payment since he has none." the burly vendor yelled to another man who smirked and nodded.

"Aye. Though I reckon the lad is worth a bit more than a star fruit, Markus." the fish vendor called back. Ophelia's eyes widened as he realized what they were implying.

"You're going to sell me?! I simply will not allow it! Now put me down this instant, you brute!" Ophelia screamed louder and continued to pummel Markus' back.

"Pipe down, ye fruit snitch! Yer lucky that I'm not handin' ye over to the guards who'd see that yer hands were smartly cut off fer theivin'." Markus snapped and at his words Ophelia grew silent with the threat of having his hands cut off. As the large vendor carried him away toward the port district Ophelia silently cursed how wrong his flight from the palace had gone.

"First my money and now this.. This just isn't fair." Ophelia whined quietly to himself, having given up on fighting the muscular vendor. With nothing better to do than be carried along, Ophelia applied himself to studying the city as he was carried through it. A myriad of people milled the streets, a mix of social castes mingling for the purpose of obtaining the necessities of their daily lives. People stared at the young feminine male as he was carried toward the port, some greeting his captor as though they were neighbors while others looked on and whispered amongst themselves. When Markus reached the port he made a beeline for a building that was painted in gaudy bright colors and stood out from some of the other structures. One of the guards at the doors of the building raised a hand to stop Markus in his tracks.

"What do we have here? Are you buying or selling?" the bald headed guard asked sternly, his charcoal gray eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Selling today, my good man." Markus answered crisply and jostled Ophelia slightly to indicate just what his merchandise was. The guard nodded and opened one of the carved doors to allow the merchant to enter. The inside of the building was draped with brightly colored silks and lit by an overhead chandelier that cast a flickering hazy light over the main room. The guard spoke with an attendant who hurried off to a side room while Markus stood waiting. Ophelia studied his surroundings fearfully, wishing to protest but knowing that it would do him no good.

"My my.... Master Markus. What have you brought me this time? Hopefully not another scrawny little dirt wench." A female voice sounded from the side room that the attendant had entered and a woman stepped from the shadows. Her brown eyes shown brightly with curiosity as she approached the merchant and his captive. The woman's skin was an exotic bronze color and her lips were full and rouged.

"No, not this time, Lady Shalimar. I caught an interesting little thief this day. Normally I would've just turned 'im in to the guards but I thought ye might want to take a look at this one." Markus said and the woman named Shalimar raised an eyebrow at his words.

"You know I usually only deal in the sale of the fairer sex." Shalimar murmured, however her interest seemed to be piqued as she gazed upon the slender figure draped over the merchant's shoulder.

"True, true.. But again, I thought ye might want to have a look at this one." Markus grinned and then suddenly Ophelia found himself on his feet once more as he was righted and turned to face Lady Shalimar. The exotic mistress looked Ophelia over curiously, taking a step closer to get a better look at the effeminate young man.

"Perhaps you can be more reasonable than this thug here my dear Lady. You see I lost what money I had on my way here and I just needed something to eat. However this man won't be reasonable even though I told him that I would see to it that-" Ophelia's explanation was interrupted as Shalimar put a finger to his lips to silence him.

"I don't want to hear your excuses dear, no matter how reasonable they are." Shalimar warned and then pried Ophelia's mouth open to examine his teeth before beginning to pace about him. Ophelia stood stunned into shocked silence as Lady Shalimar examined him, in complete disbelief that this was happening to him.

"So it is an interesting catch this time.. Very well, Master Markus. Though I normally don't trade this type of merchandise this one could bring a sale." Lady Shalimar grinned and then raised two fingers to her lips and gave a shrill whistle. In response two bodyguards came from one of the back rooms, each guard taking hold of one of Ophelia's arms and starting to drag him away.

"Wait! You can't do this! Please, just listen to me!" Ophelia yelled, flailing helplessly as he was dragged away into the back rooms of the slave trader's building. The delicate blond was locked into a solitary room with no windows and no escape other than the door through which he'd entered. Ophelia shakily pulled himself to his feet, beginning to pace the small room like a caged animal.

"Great! This is just great! I have to run away from everything I know, then I lose the money nanny gave me, get accused of theft and now this! Sold into human slavery! Don't these people have a single shred of decency in them?!" Ophelia ranted to himself, throwing up his hands and kicking one of the silk pillows scattered about the floor of the room as hard as he could. The kick turned into a flailing tantrum of thrown pillows and flailing fists as Ophelia lost his temper and screamed his frustration to the empty space. After several noisy minutes he collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath as he slumped on the fancy carpet.

"It's.... not....fair...." Ophelia wheezed and closed his eyes in exhaustion, drifting into unconsciousness.

That evening Ophelia was dragged out onto the pier along with a group of young women, all chained together by the ankles and supervised by several large bodyguards. Ophelia watched people pass by, some of whom passed the slaves with indifference while others came closer to get a better look at Lady Shalimar's selection. The eyes of the men who came closer for examination held the same beastly desire that Ophelia had seen in Vladimir's gaze, and he shuddered with revulsion at the thought that one such man might become his owner. Realizing the hopelessness of his situation if he did not play his cards right Ophelia began to examine all those who passed by, searching for someone who he could convince to buy him but who looked as though they'd be willing to listen to reason. Time passed by as the large silvered moon rose high above the horizon, but just when Ophelia was ready to give up hope a figure appeared in the midst of the crowd. A tall man with long pointed ears, his chocolate colored hair was a mane of dreadlocks interwoven with brightly colored beads. His bright crimson coat billowed behind him as he swaggered in thigh-high leather boots, and his linen shirt gaped open in the front to display a beautifully muscled and tattooed chest. The man's skin glowed an exotic caramel color and from his strong face gazed cerulean eyes which had a radiance like expensive sapphires.

"His eyes... His eyes look kind." Ophelia murmured to himself, and then decided to place his bet on this man with the warm azure eyes. Once the stranger was close enough that Ophelia was sure that he could get the man's attention he started to call out.

"Hey! Hey you! Look over here, sir! Sir!" Ophelia yelled and waved his hands above his head, earning a snort of laughter from the bodyguards.

"Look, the runt sees somethin' he likes. Ain't that cute?" one of the guards chuckled and nodded in Ophelia's direction, obviously amused by the young man's efforts to get the attention of the well dressed male passing by.

"Hey! You in the red coat with the pointy ears! Look over here! Come on!" Ophelia raised his voice and at the identifying remarks the caramel skinned man turned to face him, raising an eyebrow as Ophelia's eyes lit hopefully and the effeminate man 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 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 in what might have been a smile before he turned away to resume his own work. Ophelia stared after the first mate for a moment and then began to rub the salve into his skin, feeling it cooling his flesh with relief. Once he had finished scrubbing the decks Ikaika put him to work with the ship's Bosun, a man named Rawdon Carino, who led Ophelia about explaining how the rigging and sails were set up slowly so that the young man could understand. Once the explanation was finished Rawdon removed one of the lines from a belaying pin and then left Ophelia to put it back so that he could practice doing so.

Impressum

Texte: All photos taken from http://www.morguefile.com
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 05.12.2011

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