Cecilia was grateful for the closed double doors. The sound of Elena's surprise would have called the guards and ruined everything. The pirate had to hand it to the princess, she put up a fight. Perhaps it would be best they kept her tied up once on the ship. Cecilia stifled laughter as Ramsey grunted softly from an elbow in the gut. Despite her attempts to look away, Cecilia's eyes locked with Elena's. The sinking feeling in her gut desperately screamed to release her but her mind screamed to do the opposite. 

Ramsey placed a blindfold over her eyes, the sound of whimpering coming from her covered mouth. "Keep her silent!" she snapped. The sounds were echoing in her head, making the situation more difficult. Damn that duke! She thought to herself. At last, the struggling took the fight out of the princess and she fainted. "You didn't kill her, did you, Ramsey? We need her alive, you big lout," she said in a gruff tone. Ramsey shook his head as he picked the princess up into his arms. 

With the utmost stealth, they made their way back to the Aurora. The streets were quiet, most of the town was back at the ball either as guests or as servants. A trio of guards walked noisily down the road, headed in their direction. "Quickly! In here," she said in a harsh whisper. They ducked into an alley and waited for the guards to pass, laughing and jesting. Cecilia unwittingly placed a hand on her heart, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. They continued their long walk back to the ship without incident. Once on the Aurora, Cecilia stamped her foot on the deck three times, the signal for the crew that the princess was on board. Almost immediately, the ship came to life with the scuttling of crew commanding their posts. "We set sail immediately, due south! Ramsey, put the princess in my quarters. We must keep her comfortable and away from these scurvy perverts." She walked hastily, the sound of her silver heels clomping on the deck, towards her quarters. Ramsey laid the princess on Cecilia's bed with care. 

"Anything else, Cap'n?" he asked. 

"No, thank you Ramsey. Keep an eye on the crew for now, I need to change," she ordered. Ramsey tipped his head slightly and left, closing the door quietly behind him. As soon as the latch clicked, Cecilia rushed to her wardrobe. It was a small room aft of the ship, with mirrors in the back and two alcoves with bars for hanging clothes. She put on her favorite outfit, a white corset with golden floral embroidery and a full lace skirt, a crimson coat trimmed with golden buttons on the front and on the cuff of the sleeves and a pair of knee high boots. The ensemble was completed with her captain's hat, black with ostrich feathers on the right side. She wiped her face from the silver glitter of the party and rimmed her eyes with black charcoal giving them a sultry, smoky look. 

Cecilia looked out the grand windows of her quarters and could see that Mera was already a distant sliver of land behind them. I must remember to reward the men, she thought, her attention going back to the princess. She looked peaceful sleeping on Cecilia's grand four-poster bed. Elena's dress bunched up around her legs, looking very comical. The captain knelt beside the princess and removed the binds, gently stroking her cheek. "Princess," she said her tone barely above a whisper. "Wake up." She braced for whatever reaction Elena might have. Cecilia was sure it wouldn't be at all pleasant.