Somewhere Weaknesses Are Strength

Hayley had yet to return by the time Sebastian finished eating the sandwich and salad. Though Sebastian had been starving, she didn’t eat the extra food on the tray. The food she did eat was devoured without the manners that had been instilled in her. Instead of eating like a princess, she ate like a hungry, wild tiger.

Now she needed to place the tray somewhere that wasn't the bed. She had never been allowed to eat in her bed at home and she was sure as hell never allowed to leave food trays on her bed in the event that she ate in her room. Sebastian didn't know if the rules were the same here but she would apply them.

Sebastian stood from the bed on unstable feet and stumbled towards Hayley's desk. The walk was short but Sebastian still had difficulty. Walking on ships wasn't something the princess was used to or ever planned on getting used to. Other rulers would have been trained to navigate ships; Sebastian never had.

Ships were too scary.

Sebastian placed the tray on the desk and grasped onto its edge to keep from toppling to the ground. Hayley stepped through the doorway she had disappeared into before Sebastian began eating. She tilted her head, looking in Sebastian's direction.

"Why are you standing?" Hayley asked.

Not that Hayley minded seeing the princess standing in only her panties. It was a beautiful sight for her to lay her eyes on. Especially after a rough day keeping Zac from messing with the ship controls.

"I was putting the tray on your desk," Sebastian answered.

"Why?"

"Am I supposed to leave the tray in bed when I'm finished?" Sebastian asked.

"Considering you can't walk on a moving ship, that would have been the best idea. I would have moved it," Hayley replied.

Sebastian risked falling and breaking her neck to put the food tray on Hayley's desk? Hayley wasn't sure if Sebastian was cracking or going insane.

It may have been a mix of the two.

Hayley walked to the desk where Sebastian was gripping the corner for dear life. She, of course, did not stumble as Sebastian had. The ship was Hayley's second home. The time she spent at sea rivaled the time she spent on land drastically. Lightly rocking waves did nothing to make her lose her balance anymore.

Sebastian felt a slight envy for Hayley's grace as she walked on the ship. It was the one area Sebastian would never excel in. Though she should have had the same grace as the pirate.

Hayley glanced over the tray, still filled with food.

"You don't want anymore?" Hayley asked.

"I don't eat that much."

Sebastian never could eat large meals like her brothers and father could. She just didn't have a big enough stomach for it. Or a fast enough metabolism to need to eat that much.

"What are you, a rabbit?" Hayley asked.

If Hayley had been stuck in a room crying all day without food, she would have eaten everything on the tray without hesitation.

"I don’t know any princess that eats that much food," Sebastian stated.

"Most princesses I've met are too weight conscious for their own good. Are you one of those princesses?" Hayley asked, tone patronizing.

"You've had other princesses in your hold?"

Hayley smirked, "Would it bother you if I did?"

"I'm just curious," Sebastian snapped, "Don't flatter yourself by thinking I would ever care about a pirate as perverse and vile as you."

"Where did that bite come from?" Hayley asked, obviously amused by the sudden outburst.

Sebastian hadn't realized she let the insult slip. The words were simply supposed to run across the expanse of Sebastian's mind, not meet the world of the hearing.

"It slipped," Sebastian's voice was calm.

"I should backhand you for that," Hayley stated, "but I won't."

Sebastian felt relief wash over her. The only time she had been hit was as punishment by her father if he caught her doing something she wasn't supposed to. Those were simply spankings; being hit by a pirate was far worse. Not because of physical damage that could be ensued but because of embarrassment.

"To answer your question, no, I've never kept another princess captive. I have had my way with a few before killing them. And I have met the princesses of my country on civil terms," Hayley said.

"Are you going to kill me too?"

A part of Sebastian was hoping Hayley would say "yes." As bad as it was for Sebastian to hope for death, it was more comforting than being held captive. Sebastian felt there was no point to being alive anymore. The desperation was not a feeling she was used to.

And a small part of Sebastian, deep down in the confines of her brain, told her that she could get out of the mess. That the real Sebastian would never give up on a challenge and could find a way—no matter how sly—to get out of anything.

The part of Sebastian that wanted to die was overpowering the one trying to pep her up.

"No," Hayley answered.

Sebastian's heart dropped. She should have been happy that she would continue living. But she was to live her life as a pirate's sex toy. That's not what she wanted.

"Why not?" Sebastian asked.

"That would be a crime to humanity. You're far too pretty to be killed off. Your bath is ready, come with me," Hayley ordered.

Hayley held out a hand for Sebastian to take. Sebastian wanted to completely ignore Hayley's kindness but she could barely walk on the ship. She didn't want to make a fool of herself. All good rulers could walk on a ship; Hayley would see her incompetence if she refused the hand and fell.

Sebastian took Hayley's outstretched hand and used her for support, letting go of her vice grip on the desk. Hayley led Sebastian through the door she left through to draw the bath. The door led to a relatively small room, made for bathing and other personal care activities. A tub filled with steaming water was at the far end, surprising Sebastian. There were no designs on the tub, unlike the one Sebastian had at the palace. But it was more than she was expecting to see in the room. A container of perfumes, bathing soaps, and shampoos sat next to the tub.

"You have your own room to bathe in?" Sebastian asked.

"Of course. I may be captain but I am still female and the crew is all male. You didn't think I would share a room with them, did you?"

"I just thought there would be one main bathing area that everyone used."

Hayley's eyebrows shot up. No ship she knew of had only one bathing area. She knew the makeup of the ships in Sebastian's country and none of them were like that. Shouldn't Sebastian have known that? She was going to rule. That also meant she should have been able to walk on the floors without stumbling, something Hayley hadn't noted. Something very important was lacking in the princess' training. Or Hayley's knowledge on training was outdated.

"Have you ever been on a ship before?" Hayley asked, again amusement in her tone.

It seemed like all of Sebastian's quirks brought entertainment to the captain. Sebastian knew she was by no means perfect but strived to be. She tried her damned hardest to gain approval from her father, a man hell-bent on having a perfect family.

"No I have not," Sebastian answered.

"Don't future rulers train in ship navigation?"

"They do."

That proved to Hayley that she had been right about training, just as she had been right about marriage. Sebastian just broke traditions in her country without care.

"And you never did because?" Hayley asked.

She was genuinely curious.

"I’m not answering that question," Sebastian replied.

"You better answer it or you won't be taking a bath," Hayley threatened.

Sebastian sighed. She had no choice; she had to tell Hayley. The bath was something much too valuable to waste at that point.

"I was too afraid to step foot on the ships," Sebastian answered.

It was a good thing Sebastian had been unconscious when they brought her onboard. She would have been bawling while they tried to get her onto the ship.

She did the same thing when her father tried to get her on one of their own ships to train. Sebastian and her brother were supposed to go away for a year on those ships. It was the last phase of their training. If Sebastian hadn't been too scared, she and her brother would have still been at sea.

"Is there a reason or is this an illogical fear?" Hayley asked.

Sebastian could detect a small amount of worry in Hayley's voice. She didn't understand; the pirate shouldn't have cared what Sebastian was afraid of.

"It's because of my oldest brother," Sebastian said.

"What did he do? Tell you horror stories about the sea? It's really not that bad."

"After he died, I was too afraid to go out on the water," Sebastian looked down, "I've been afraid since then. It’s the only part of my training that I refused to complete."

"There's nothing to be afraid of. Pirates killed your brother. You're on the most feared pirate ship of the English speaking world; if anyone sees our flag, they cower in terror."

"What if the ship sinks?"

"This ship is one of the safest built. You don't need to be afraid," Hayley soothed, "I'll protect you."

"You're being awfully nice to me," Sebastian remarked.

"I have an obligation to make you feel comfortable. You won't let me touch you if I don't."

"You didn't do that to the girls you raped."

"I wasn't planning on keeping them alive."

Sebastian didn't reply. She couldn't find it in her heart to trust Hayley. After all, she raped and killed innocent women. Pirates were monsters and Hayley was a pirate. Nothing could change that.

"You don't need to believe me if you don't want to. I just need to know if I can take you around with me on deck without you freaking out," Hayley said.

"I don't want to go on deck."

"That's fine. You don't have to if you don't want to."

Hayley tugged Sebastian's hand, leading her closer to the tub. Though their talk lasted longer than necessary, there was still steam coming from the top of the water. Hayley positioned Sebastian in front of her and gripped her hips.

"Now let's get undressed so we can bathe," Hayley said into Sebastian's ear.

"We?" Sebastian choked.

"You didn't think you were bathing on your own, did you? I doubt you've ever bathed yourself."

Hayley was right. Sebastian had a nursemaid and a servant to help her with that. She was never forced to bathe on her own.

"I haven't but my nursemaid remained clothed while bathing me," Sebastian responded.

"I don't want my clothing to get wet so we'll bathe together," Hayley stated.

"If I promise I won't get your clothing wet, will you stay out of the tub?"

Sebastian was bartering with her captor. She had stooped low enough to do so.

"You really don't want me naked near you," Hayley marveled, "Am I that unattractive?"

"No, it's not that. I'm just not comfortable with this."

"Do you think I'm attractive?" Hayley asked.

Sebastian nibbled on her lower lip. If she lied, she would be just as bad as Hayley. But if she told the truth, she would feed the captain's ego.

"Yes, I think you're attractive," Sebastian mumbled.

Telling the truth was always the best way to go, Sebastian's mother told her so.

"Then I'll keep my clothing on while I bathe you. See, I'm not that bad. I will honor your requests as long as they have legitimate purpose," Hayley said.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now let's take these off," Hayley took hold of Sebastian's panties and slid them off her bottom.

The undergarment fell to the ground. Sebastian stepped out of them, kicking them to side. Hayley's hands ran over Sebastian's bottom; Sebastian shivered.

"Why are you so perfect?" Hayley asked.

Standing there naked in front of the pirate, Sebastian knew she was anything but that.