Pirate Prince

Part 7

Posted: April 2003
Author: Estella Greenleaf

*****

It had been almost an hour since the doctor started treating Orli's wounds. The man had yet to emerge from the first-mate's chamber. Viggo paced in the confines of the young pirate's small study, scowling in frustration and worry every few minutes, while Karl sat in a chair with Dave hovering protectively over him. The captain envied the dark-haired officer for he too wished to move to ease the passage of time as they waited to hear on his protégé's condition. But because of his concussion, Karl could barely stand without feeling nauseated. Pacing was out of the question.

The doctor exited Orli's bedroom and was immediately grabbed by an extremely agitated Viggo who demanded, "Is he all right?"

Calmly, the man freed himself from the Naval Officer's death grip before replying, "Yes, but he is lucky to be. One inch lower, he would be dead."

"Is he awake?" asked Karl as he tried to stand, only to be held down by his lover.

"No. He became semi-conscious and started to ramble. I gave him some anesthetics. His body is still in shock from the trauma; he needs to rest," answered the doctor as he moved to examine his captain's head injury. There was a nasty bump on the back of Karl's head, but the man would survive. If the bullet had hit the larger man, it would have punctured his lungs and killed him. His captain was fortunate to have a loyal first-mate who was willing to die for him.

"What did he say?" inquired Dave quietly, knowing it was not in Orli's character to be delirious. Whatever the first-mate wished to disclose must be important.

"Something about the Kurenans. Probably bad memories of his being shot," replied the doctor dismissively. He was the medical expert on the ship and had seen a fair share of gunshot victims. Orli's ramblings were nothing out of the ordinary given his condition.

"Did you find anything unusual on him? Anything that Orlando does not normally carry?" pressed the tactician. After their encounter with the warships, Dave was certain that Kurena wished to make war against Erasia. It was possible that the first-mate was able to gain some privy information during his visit to the commander ship.

The doctor frowned as he recalled the book in Orli's breast pocket. It was a strange thing to carry around in a battle. "Well, there is this book…."

"Can you show me?" asked Dave immediately. The urgency in the tactical officer's voice sounded warning bells in Viggo's mind. The confrontation with the three warships was just the beginning; the worse was still to come.

"I will get it. But I don't know if you can read it since it's soaked in blood now," replied the man as he strode into the bedroom to retrieve the book.

*****

"Oh god," whispered Dave as he skimmed through the bloodstained pages to stop at one with a chart of the Straits of Salamis.

"What's wrong?" asked Viggo, walking up to read the map behind his friend. The doctor had sent Karl to bed, threatening to use sleeping powder on the captain if he did not comply. After the events of the night, the crew no longer felt it proper to lock their ‘prisoners' away. They had allowed the two Naval Officers to stay in Karl's study to go through the logbook Orli brought back.

"A trap," answered the tactician. The writing on many of the pages was smeared and unreadable, but Dave was certain the Kurenans would lure the Erasian Navy into the narrow Straits and ambushed them. "We need to warn our Fleet at once."

"We cannot do anything until Karl or Orlando awake. It is best that we get some rest now. There will be tough times ahead," sighed Viggo in resignation as he exited the captain's study, leaving his friend to spend the night in his rightful place, beside Karl on the pirate's bed.

*****

Viggo was concerned for the safety of his men, but he needed to keep his worries under control if he were to be of use to the Fleet as their commander. He knew he should rest, but unconsciously, his steps led him to Orlando's door. When the officer realized he might not have the chance to speak with his beloved outlaw again, he laid aside all his guilt and sense of propriety to steal into the dark-haired beauty's rooms without permission. He needed to see Orlando alone one last time before they parted; he needed to confession his feelings.

By the light of the moon, Viggo could see the young man was having troubled dreams. Brows wrinkled, angelic face contorted in a mask of fear, Orlando struggled to wake, fighting unseen hands that held him within the lands of dreams. Instinctively, the officer glided to the side of the bed, settling beside his former lover to lay a soothing hand on the pirate's forehead. His action, however, elicited a frightful whimper from the outlaw as he shivered in his sleep, "No… please don't."

Remembering what the first-mate had said to his captain earlier in the night, it took every ounce of Viggo's self control to refrain from marching to Karl's room and demanding who was responsible for the young man's nightmares. At the moment, the officer wanted nothing more than to hunt down the beast that violated Orlando. Viggo's tension seemed to have bled into the wounded pirate's dream as the young man began to fight his imaginary captor anew, shivering and sobbing like a small child.

Seeing his beloved's vulnerability, all anger vanished to be replaced with an urge to shield the young beauty from future harm. Without thought, Viggo shifted to lie beside his lover to hold him in a loose, yet protective embrace. "I am here now. I won't let anyone hurt you again."

To his surprise, Orlando did not struggle against his touch. Instead, the young man turned, attempting to burrow deeper into the safety of the older man's warmth. Not wanting to aggravate his lover's injuries, the officer moved to guide Orlando onto his back again, before pulling the younger man gently on top of him. Fiery lust shot through his body at the feel of the dark-haired beauty's hip brushing against his groin. But Viggo was determined to ignore it. He would not take advantage of Orlando, especially not when the young one was plagued by memories of being violated.

The young pirate's breathing calmed as Viggo placed a chaste kiss on Orlando's unruly curls. When the dark-haired beauty moved his hand to touch the officer's, the older man knew it was time to speak the words he came for. "You probably can't hear me, but I have to say this now, in case I never get another chance to see you again. I love you, Orlando. I should have stayed with you that morning, but I was afraid of my own feelings. You are a pirate and we've known each other for less than a day. I knew I shouldn't be in love, but I was. I've never lost control over my heart like that before and it scared me. I was confused and didn't know what to do, so I ran and tried to deny the truth, choosing to hurt you instead of risk being hurt. You trusted me and I betrayed you; nothing I say now can change that. I am not even hoping you will forgive me; I know I don't deserve it. But I needed to say this to set the records straight; I can never live with myself if I don't."

Viggo wanted to stay with his beloved pirate, but he knew he had lost the right to do so when he broke Orlando's heart. He began to gently disentangle himself from the slumbering angel when the young man's words froze him. "Please don't leave me."

When the officer saw the slight frown marring Orlando's perfect features, he knew he would do as his lover asked. He understood the young one was merely talking in his sleep, the words no more than an outlet of his current dreams; but they melted Viggo's heart all the same. Tonight, he would allow himself to pretend that he had said the words he should have said the morning after he made love to Orlando; that there was still hope of being with his beloved pirate. Closing his eyes against the onslaught of tears, the Naval Officer tightened his embrace around his beloved and laid another kiss on top of the young one's head, whispering, "I will be here for as long as you want me, love."

*****

Karl opened his eyes to find his lover in peaceful slumber beside him. Not wanting to disturb the sleeping officer but eager to resume his duties, the pirate gently rolled off the bed before dressing quietly. However, he was interrupted by a soft, sleep-filled voice, "You are not planning on leaving me here alone again, are you?"

Seeing the hurt on David's face, the captain quickly slipped back into bed to encircle the smaller man in a firm embrace. "You look so beautiful in your sleep, I just don't have the heart to wake you," smiled Karl as he kissed his lover gently on the lips.

When Dave opened his mouth to give the prince better access, the pirate knew he was forgiven. In a slow, lazy rhythm, Karl mated his tongue with the officer's, as his hands moved to find their way inside Dave's shirt. Teasing the officer's nipple with one hand and stroking his back with the other, the captain rolled onto his lover, grinding his rapidly growing arousal against the smaller man. Thoughts of checking on his crew grew hazy as Dave moved his hips in small circles under him, arching up rhythmically to bring jolts of pleasure through his body.

Dave vaguely remembered needing to talk to his lover about something important when Karl broke the kiss to remove his shirt. Then the pirate's lips latched onto his peaked nipple and all thoughts were scorched to cinders by the heat of the contact. The officer moaned, cradling his lover's head to his chest, "Karl….please."

The encouragement spurned Karl on; he wanted Dave to only remember his touch. With nimble fingers, the pirate undid the ties on his lover's breeches. The officer sighed in pleasure as his arousal sprung free from its confines. The sigh turned into soft cries as Karl began to caress the organ lovingly, teasing the tip with his thumb. Gently, the pirate grazed Dave's nipple with his teeth before lapping at the peak in time with the stroke of his fingers. It did not take long before the officer was reduced to a writhing heap, hips thrusting wildly against Karl's hands, trying to maximize the delicious friction that was driving him insane with lust. "God…Karl….yes….please…"

Their intimate foreplay, however, was interrupted by a loud knock. The captain considered ignoring the visitor for a minute before relinquishing his position on top of his lover to get the door. With Orli wounded, he knew he was the only one the crew could rely on. Karl was not the type who would ignore the needs of his men so he could pursue his own pleasures. It took longer for David to recover; but by the time Sean entered the room, the officer had regained enough of his senses to wrap some sheets around his naked form.

*****

"How are you feeling?" asked Sean, who was given the run of the ship for the night.

"Better. How are the men doing?" inquired the captain who motioned for the sandy-blond man to take a seat on the sofa across the bed.

"Worried, and a bit shocked. First time seeing Orli bleed and all," sighed Sean, shaking his head at the ‘inflated opinion' the crew had of their first-mate. True that Orli was an amazing person, but the young man was still human. He could be hurt, both physically as well as emotionally, and it annoyed Sean that people tended to forget that.

"Right. How many casualties?"

"Six, plus five wounded, including Orli. Doc's not happy; that's for sure. But it's not too bad if you ask me," replied the pirate with a shrug. It was no small feat to bring down three of Kurena's best warships. Sean was certain no other ship could have done what the Revenge did last night.

"Even one is too many, Sean," sighed Karl sadly and was instantly comforted by his lover's gentle hand on his shoulder. The simple touch warmed the pirate's heart; Karl was glad he was no longer alone.

"What course do you want us to set, Karl?"

At this time, the tactician had regained complete control over his brain. There was no better time to make his request. "The Kurenans are planning a trap for my Fleet near the Straits of Salamis. We have to warn them."

"I will send word to my allies; whoever is closest can warn the Navy," replied Karl as he wound his arm around Dave.

"Those soldiers are my friends. I want to go help them, so does Viggo," said the tactician, holding the pirate's eyes in an impassioned gaze.

"It's too dangerous. If you get there late, you will be stuck in the trap too," argued the pirate. He would not allow Dave to risk his life needlessly now that they actually had a chance of having a future together.

"It is my duty to take a stand with my fellow soldiers. I cannot hide here and abandon them to fate when I know I can help," pleaded Dave, though the thought of leaving his beloved pirate prince was breaking his heart. Quietly, the Naval Officer added, "Please let me do this Karl. I know it is dangerous, but I promise I will come back. I love you too much not to."

The captain knew he could not deny his lover's request, no matter how much he wanted to protect the officer. Karl understood how David felt; the pirate would not hesitate to risk his own life if his crew's lives were at stake. Though he preferred his lover to be safely away from the battlefield, he could not help but admire the young officer's courage and dedication. "Very well, we set course for Port Luis."

"I am sure the crew will be glad to hear that," smiled Sean before leaving the couple alone to resume their earlier activities.

*****

When they were alone again, the tactician frowned and asked, "Port Luis has the strongest defenses of all the docks in the area. Isn't it risky to sail there?"

"Don't worry, love. I know the governor. I have no doubt he will let you and Viggo take his fastest ship to your fleet. It should be no more than three days of sailing from there," replied Karl calmly, not wishing to disclose the details of his relationship with the governor. He loved David and trusted him, but this was not his secret to tell. The governor of Port Luis was none other than Karl's foster father, the previous ‘Dread Pirate Roberts'. In fact, the harbor was the base of operations for all of the pirate prince's allies. There was not a safer place for the Revenge to hide.

When the tactician continued to frown as he assimilated the information, Karl decided they had spoken enough on serious matters for the day. The pirate much preferred Dave the way he was before Sean interrupted, lustful and wild. It was time to continue where they left off. Without warning, Karl pushed his lover onto the bed and proceeded to kiss the breath out of him. He would ensure that he and Dave spent as much time in each other's company as possible for the next few days. He wanted to give his lover ample reasons to come back to him alive.

*****

Orlando had been in a coma for three days now. The doctor had assured the captain and Viggo that there was no cause to worry as long as they monitored and fed the wounded pirate. Karl volunteered to watch over his first-mate while he was off-duty, but Viggo pleaded with the man, begging him to leave the young beauty in his care. He was surprised when the blond man agreed, saying Orlando would be glad to wake in Viggo's arms. How the dark-haired Erasian wished that was true; that he could see his beloved smiled at him tenderly one more time before he had to leave for war.

But some wishes were not to be granted. The Revenge sailed into Port Luis, but the first-mate still showed no signs of waking. Reluctantly, the General left Orlando's side to make arrangements with the governor for his journey to the Straits of Salamis. The brown-haired official was kind enough to give Viggo and Dave the fastest patrol ship in the harbor. They would sail tomorrow at first light. As the dark-haired officer returned to Orlando, who had been moved to a friend's house on the shore, Viggo could not help feeing this would be the last time he would ever see his beloved pirate again.

Gathering the unconscious young man gently in his arms, Viggo whispered sadly, "No matter what happens, I will always love you." When Orlando sighed, shifting to press into the warm cocoon of the larger man's body, the General could no longer hold his tears at bay. That night, Viggo cried himself to sleep beside his sleeping beauty, mourning what could have been.

*****

Perfection…finally his in this fantasy world. More than once, voices and other sensations intruded, trying to tear Orlando away from his blissful sanctuary, but the young man paid them no heed. He did not know how he got here; all he knew was that he wanted to stay forever in this land where Viggo loved and protected him from the world. If this were just a dream, he would be content to never wake again. He had no wish of returning to the harsh realm where the one he loved with his whole heart hated him.

Viggo was here again, holding him, whispering words of undying love. Strange though, that the Naval Officer sounded melancholic. Dream Viggo was never sad; he always had a smile for Orlando that could melt the young man's heart in a flash. Grief and heartbreak had no place in this perfect dream – something must be wrong. Straining his senses, the pirate could feel the soft kiss upon his lips as his beloved officer sobbed, "Goodbye, love. I will never forget you."

"NO!" cried Orlando; but he knew his words had not reached their target – Viggo was gone. Fighting the fog that suddenly enveloped him, the pirate vowed he would find his beloved officer again. Orli Bloom of the Revenge would not give up his heart's only desire without a fight.

*****

The first thing Orlando noticed when he opened his eyes was how bright it was. He tried to sit up, but was immediately stunned by the sharp pain radiating from the left side of his chest. Cursing softly, the pirate ceased all movements, forcing himself to relax. Though his thoughts were muddled, the intelligent first-mate realized two things – he had been shot when he tried to save Karl and he was not in his own cabin. Before he could ponder his situation further, his musing was interrupted. "Thank god you are awake! I will get Karl!"

That voice seemed familiar, but the young man was having trouble figuring out exactly who was keeping vigil over him. The first-mate was certain he recognized all of the Revenge's crew by their voices. Orlando wondered if something was wrong with his head. But he was shot in the chest judging from the pain, so his mind should not be affected. But he did recognize Karl when the said man rushed into the room. "Oh Orli, Doc assured us you are going to be okay, but you've been out so long. I was really getting worried."

"How long have I slept? And where are we?" asked the first-mate with a frown. It did not seem that long ago that they encountered the Kurenan ships. He remembered having a wonderful dream involving Viggo, but that ended all too soon for Orlando's liking.

"You've been unconscious for four days, little one. We are in Port Luis, Billy's house to be exact. Didn't think it was appropriate to stay with Hugo since Viggo and Dave were with us," replied Karl as he settled beside Orli and checked his wounded protégé's bandages. With his first-mate awake again, there was one less concern on the captain's mind. He only had his lover to worry about now.

"Oh God! The Kurenans are setting a trap for Viggo's fleet. I have to warn him!" exclaimed the young man as he tried to sit up despite the burning ache of his injuries.

"Don't worry, Orli. They knew. Dave and Viggo are on their way to help the North Sea Fleet now," explained Karl, trying to calm his first-mate, as he gently pushed Orlando back onto the bed.

"You let them go?" asked the young pirate softly. He knew the Naval Officers were risking their lives in returning to their Fleet. He was surprised that Karl would allow his lover endanger himself. His captain was extremely protective with the people he cared for.

"I have to, little one. Dave will never forgive me if I don't," sighed Karl in defeat. He did not regret his decision to let the officers go, but he knew he would not be sleeping much until his lover's safe return.

Shifting to join hands with his captain, the wounded pirate smiled in encouragement, "Don't worry. David is a great tactician; I have no doubt he will guide the Fleet through this and come back."

"Right," smiled the blond pirate as he kissed his protégé's hand gently.

*****

This was the moment Karl waited for, time to give the speech he had practiced over the past few days. Yet, looking at his smiling friend, the words he prepared seemed so inadequate. Even now, after all that had happened, Orli still held the same affections for him as before. Closing his eyes, the older pirate silently thanked the fates for bringing the young man to him ten years ago. He vowed to never again take for granted the gift of friendship and devotion Orli' had given him.

Holding his first-mate's eyes with his shimmering blue orbs, Karl opened his heart for Orli to see and allowed the words to flow, "I never had the chance to finish my apology that night. You did everything out of love for me, and I failed you where it counted. I can never apologize enough for that. But I need you to know it doesn't mean I don't trust you or care about you. I love you like my own brother, always have, always will. It's just that I've never been in love with anyone the way I am with Dave; and when I saw you pretending to hurt him, I just stopped thinking and started acting. I was stupid; and I really should know better. I am so sorry, Orli; I will do anything to make it up to you. Please forgive me."

"I can never be mad at you, Karl," said Orli weakly, tearing his eyes away from his captain's. It still hurt too much to remember what happened that night. Perhaps he would never heal, but as long as his savior wanted him around, he would be there. For Orlando, it was as simple as that.

"I will never hurt you again, I promise," vowed Karl as he forced the young man to look at him and see the truth in his eyes. "Please believe me."

To the captain's relief, his protégé offered him a small smile. "I don't know if things can go back to the way they were. But I do trust you, Karl."

"That's enough for me, little one," replied the blond pirate as he laid a gentle kiss on the wounded man's lips. When he pulled back, he was overjoyed to see that his action was rewarded with one of Orli's full smile, the type that could light up a room with its brilliance.

"Hmmm, that's nice. You think Dave will be jealous when I tell him?" teased Orli, feeling more like his old mischievous self. With Karl being so openly affectionate, maybe there was hope in picking up the pieces of his shattered heart after all.

"This must remain our secret, little one! Viggo will kill me if he finds out," replied Karl in mock horror as he pressed a finger against his first-mate's lips.

However, the mention of the dark-haired Naval Officer took the playful mood out of the wounded pirate. "No, he won't. He tried to kill me, remember?"

"Yes, but he is sorry for what he did. He has spent every moment he could by your side for the past few days," answered the captain seriously, holding Orli's hand.

"He has?" asked the pirate in surprise. He remembered his dreams – Viggo holding him, professing his love; he wondered if it was possible that they were mirrors of reality, the officer's words and actions in real life that filtered into his unconscious world.

"He actually begged me to let him stay with you. That really was quite a surprise. Viggo is a very proud man, you know," answered Karl as he sensed the defenses around his protégé's heart lowering. He knew his apologies were only the first step in making the little one happy again. Until Orlando and Viggo were together again, the young man could never truly be happy.

Orlando was beginning to hope again when the cynic in him stomped the spark down. It was one thing to open his heart to Karl again. He knew and trusted his captain – Karl would never break a promise. Besides, despite what happened, the young man still believed his best friend would never knowingly hurt him. Orli was behaving very out of character that night, not to mention Karl was extremely agitated, the first-mate could understand why his captain had failed to see through the act.

Viggo was an entirely different matter. The Naval Officer had asked for Orlando's trust; and when the young pirate gave it despite the warnings of his brain, the other man threw his love away as if it were common trash. The young man could not give Viggo the chance to tear his heart out again. He was certain he would die from grief this second time. It was much better to be alone. "Let's not talk about that. So where is Dave headed?"

"The Straits of Salamis," replied Karl with a frown at the sudden change in topic. He would like to steer the conversation back to Viggo, but he did not wish to push the young man. After all, Orli had just forgiven him; he did not want to give his protégé any reason to feel uncomfortable around him. Playing matchmaker would have to wait.

Orli frowned at this new information. Granted that Salamis, with its narrow inlets and fast currents, was a perfect place for an ambush, it was too far east to fall under the North Sea Fleet's jurisdiction. Besides, if Kurena had declared war on Erasia, the mainland would keep its strongest forces close, ready to defend the country at a moment's notice. The majority of the North Sea Fleet would be stationed near Port Royale. Even if the Kurenans claimed to have Viggo and Dave, it was unlikely that the Erasian government would send their best ships to rescue two officers with the looming threat of war. Something was not right.

"What are you thinking?" asked the captain, who was now even more worried for his lover's safety. While he thought Dave was intelligent, he knew none could compare to his little Orli in strategies and intrigues. Karl was beginning to have a bad feeling that the Naval tactician had made a miscalculation that would endanger his life.

"I don't think the trap is at Salamis. At least, not the one for the North Sea Fleet," answered Orli quietly. He had matched wits with the tactician enough times to trust the other man's judgment. There was an ambush at Salamis; the question was whether it was the one Simon referred to. If there was a second trap, what could it be? He was certain there was nothing more of use in the logbook; David would have noticed it otherwise.

"If only I have more information! The only thing I know for sure is that the Kurenans had captured some of our pursuit party!" cried Orli in frustration.

It was up to the first-mate to save Viggo's fleet. Despite what had happened between them, Orlando still wanted to help the Navy General. Even if he refused to give the other man a chance, he could not deny that he still loved Viggo. Besides, this would be the perfect opportunity to help Karl find a new life, or more appropriately, to resume the life that was rightfully his. If they succeeded in saving Erasia from the invaders, Orli was certain they could negotiate to have Karl's birthright restored, allowing the pirate prince to ascend to the throne of Ascensia.

"Don't overexert yourself, Orli. You need to rest," said Karl, shaking his head at the restless young man.

"But I have been asleep for the past four days!" protested Orli, who would have said more if Billy had not walked in wearing a navy uniform.

"Dom told me Orli is finally awake. Perhaps that meant Karl will stop pacing around all night and disturbing our sleep," smiled the owner of the house.

"Didn't know you join the Navy, Billy," commented the captain casually, noticing the uniform. The fair-haired young man served under Karl once, before deciding he was not cut out for a life at sea. Billy had been working under the governor as an aide ever since he left the Revenge four years ago. It was strange to see the man in a sailor's outfit.

"I didn't. It's my costume for the coming masque. Do you think it looks good? Borrowed it from……."

Billy's statement was interrupted when Orli cried out, "I got it! Get me Hugo, I need to talk to him." When his two companions merely frowned at him without moving, the first-mate tried to sit up and exclaimed, "Right NOW!"

"All right, just calm down. Billy, go ask my foster father to come, will you?" asked Karl politely as he gently held Orli down. He was glad his first-mate was not injury prone; the young man made a very demanding patient.

*****

Fifteen minutes later, an out-of-breath Billy returned with an equally out-of-breath Hugo in tow. "This had better be good, Orli. I was in a meeting with my head of security."

"The Kurenans are going to attack Port Royale," said the young pirate solemnly. Orli had cajoled his best friend into helping him sit up since he felt strange carrying out a serious conversation lying down in bed.

"You must be joking. The entire North Sea Fleet is called back to Headquarters. Any attack on Port Royale is suicide," replied Hugo, frowning and shaking his head at the young man's wild, unsupported hypothesis. Perhaps Orli had hit his head too, along with being shot.

"Not if they are on Erasian Navy ships with crews wearing Erasian uniforms," argued Orli as he turned to look at Karl, who sat beside him.

On cue, the captain supplied the words, "Our pursuit party. Port Royale must be expecting their return after hearing the summons."

"Exactly. But we know the Kurenans have captured some, if not all, of them. It makes perfect sense to use those vessels for a surprise attack, doesn't it?" finished the young man was a smug smile. Though Orlando was not an arrogant man, he could not help being a bit proud of himself for figuring this all out.

"I don't know, Orli. But just to be safe, we will warn Naval Headquarters immediately," replied Hugo, still frowning. This time the pirate-turned-governor was actually worried for the safety of those in Port Royale. Though he retired before Orli came on board the Revenge, he knew the young first-mate had a brilliant mind. The dark-haired pirate's reasoning was logical; there was a real possibility that he was right. If the Kurenans were able to infiltrate Port Royale, the results would be disastrous. It would be wise to take all necessary precautions.

"Please do remember to mention that this warning comes courtesy of Karl Urban, the last Prince of Ascensia," added the young first-mate, eyes fixed on his captain.

"Just warn them, Hugo. Orli is the one who deserves the credit, if this is true, which I am sure it is," argued Karl, knowing this was the chance for the young man to start a new life with a clean slate. He was certain the Erasian government would grant Orli a full pardon for the warning.

"Karl, you want to retire and be with Dave, don't you? You know I don't care about riches or power. I just want you to be happy. Just accept this as a ‘wedding' gift," pleaded Orli as he took Karl's hand and gave it a small squeeze. When his captain frowned and tried to speak again, the first-mate added, "Besides, if you are King, you can offer all of our crew and allies positions in Ascensia's Navy. It will be best for everyone concerned."

When Karl nodded his assent hesitantly, the governor smiled, "I don't know if Erasia will be too keen on giving up a colony, but we'll see. After all, if what Orli said turns out to be true, Karl will have the support of the Navy; and we can always pull some strings to garner public support. With the help of all our allies, I daresay the chances of our pirate prince becoming king are quite good."

*****

The two North Sea Fleet officers came just in time to save their comrades from falling into their enemies' trap. The East Ocean Fleet was in hot pursuit of two dozens Kurenan vessels that had wreaked havoc in the cities around Salamis. The warships were about to enter the Straits when they noticed the patrol ship carrying Dave and Viggo. The officers were surprised to find the East Ocean Fleet there instead of their own armada. The tactician now realized there must be another trap set awaiting the strongest of Erasia's ships, but it was too late to turn back.

The officers would stay with the smaller armada, helping them turn Kurena's ambush against their enemies. After a thorough discussion with the commanding officers of the East Ocean Fleet, it was agreed that they would follow David's advice. Instead of sailing into the Straits full force, only half of the ships would continue their pursuit of the ‘bait vessels'. The other half would be split into small groups, cruising the area around the western inlet on a search-and-destroy mission of the any Kurenan vessels in ambush.

As the commander of the smaller fleet was unused to major battles, he had allowed the experienced General to take command of the battleships that would sail into the Straits. Though the tactician would prefer to stay with his best friend, he knew his expertise would be best used in guiding the smaller teams in finding concealed enemies. As much as he loathed it, Dave would have to let Viggo go into a direct conflict with the Kurenans ‘alone'.

*****

Not realizing their plans had been foiled, the twenty Kurenan ships stopped their ‘escape' when they reached the eastern inlet. They began charging the pursuit party, expecting their hidden allies to arrive and close the trap from the west. A fierce battle ensued; the sky was tinted gray with the smoke from the cannons and the sounds of the cannons mingled with cries of drowning soldiers to create a chilling symphony of carnage. Soon, the air too became saturated with the smell of blood as the war for survival raged on.

In the end, the Erasians emerged the victors. Since Dave and his team of ships were successful at preventing the Kurenans from closing the western inlet, Viggo's group had enough maneuvering space to avoid being rammed by the steel-plated enemy warships. While the two sides traded cannon-fire, boarding parties swung onto enemy battleships, killing and setting fires on board in attempts to destroy the vessels from within. As the Erasian vessels were larger with a bigger crew, they had the advantage in numbers in these close range battles. Compounded with the battle-savvy General's guidance, the team was able to destroy all enemy vessels with an acceptably small number of casualties.

Though able to detain their enemies from attacking the main forces, Dave and his group suffered more significant losses than Viggo's team. For increased maneuverability and stealth, the smaller convoys had to sacrifice their advantage in numbers, making their fight when they encountered their enemies more dangerous and difficult. Having received word that Viggo's forces had triumphed over the Kurenans in the Straits, the tactician called off their hunt to regroup with the others.

Surveying the damages, the officers agreed that though they were victorious, their victory had come at a high price - almost a fifth of the East Ocean Fleet were lost. Their task now was to hunt down the remaining enemy vessels that escaped Dave's group. Though their number had dwindled, the Kurenans were cunning. The Erasian officers were certain they would suffer more losses as they pursuit their enemies. To further dampen the soldiers' spirit was the knowledge that the Kurenans had planned a similar trap for the North Sea Fleet. Without warning and their top officers' guidance, it was likely that the strongest of Erasia's Naval defenses were obliterated.

Viggo and Dave had decided to stay with the smaller armada. They could see that their experience and advice were sorely needed. Though they preferred to see their lovers again as soon as possible, their sense of duty would not allow them to abandon their fellow soldiers in this time of need. Besides, there was naught they could do for their own fleet now – it was already too late to save them. Helping the East Ocean Fleet hunt down the Kurenans who had pillaged and burned their country's shores would be the beginning of their penance for failing to warn their friends of danger. After sending word to the pirates at Port Luis of their decision, the two officers braced themselves for the coming weeks of military life at sea, without their loved ones by their sides.

*****

It was a month later that Dave and Viggo finally returned to Port Luis. The officers were shocked when they saw the crowd in the affluent harbor. Thirty ships from their own fleet guarded the official Erasian government flagship at the pier. The Adriana Gale, a cruise ship that carried only the richest and most powerful of Erasian society was in the adjacent dock. Even if the country were not at war, it was still extremely rare for so many of Erasia's most influential to gather in an outlying fort like Port Luis.

"What do you think they are doing here?" asked the General wearily. He had not slept much for the past few weeks and was definitely not up to socializing with high-powered politicians.

"I don't know. But at least, the North Sea Fleet is safe," sighed Dave with relief. He was relatively certain he had Orli to thank for that. It would seem that, once again, the first-mate of the Revenge had succeeded where he failed.

"Right," agreed Viggo as he smiled at the sight of his crews saluting the patrol ship that carried Dave and him.

Suddenly, a frightening implication of why so many government officials were here crossed his mind. "Do you think they are here because the ‘Dread Pirate Roberts' is captured?" asked the general quietly. He knew Orli would die defending Karl if need be. Though the young man's injury would prevent him from fighting, the thought of his beloved pirate taken captive and thrown in prison distressed Viggo greatly.

"No. My guess is Orli saved the North Sea Fleet," answered the tactician reassuringly. But that still did not explain why all these people were here. The government would most likely issue the pirates a full pardon, but all this commotion?

"Karl is one lucky man," announced David chuckling as he shook his head, finally realizing what the young first-mate had accomplished – Karl was going to assume his rightful place as the new King of Ascensia. All the politicians were here as witness to the coronation.

"Of course, he has you," answered the general as he glanced at his friend. Few men out there were as smart, handsome and loyal as David.

"Well, there is that too. But I am referring to Orli in this case," smiled the tactician, still in disbelief of this near-impossible feat the young man had accomplished. He knew Orli was brilliant, but as an outlaw, he did not have the necessary political connections to convince the Erasian government to recognize Karl's birthright, even if the pirate prince had the Navy's support. Not to mention, the first-mate was injured and bedridden - how the young man had engineered this whole deal behind the scenes was simply unfathomable.

At the mention of his lover's name, sadness crept into Viggo's eyes as he answered, "Yes, Orlando is very special."

"Vig, looking glum is not going to help you get him back. You have to be brave, take control, tell him how you feel," counseled the younger officer as he patted his friend encouraging on the back.

"He will never forgive me, Dave," sighed the dark-haired man as he gazed towards the shore. From this distance, he could see their welcoming party. His father was there, as was the Chancellor of Erasia, the governor of Port Luis and Karl. His beloved Orlando was missing – the young man was avoiding him.

Noticing the dark-haired beauty's absence, Dave knew it would not be easy bringing Viggo and Orlando back together. Advices were falling to deaf ears. It was time for more drastic measures. With a secretive smile, the tactician believed he had found a way to return the favor to Orli for bringing him and Karl together. David and his prince would talk to Admiral Mortensen and Chancellor Lee tonight.

*****

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