Pirates!

The night was calm, everything was quiet. I couldn't exactly sleep tonight, I don't know why; I just couldn't. My father would usually get one of the knights to make sure I was sleeping, but tonight I guess he didn't find it necessary to do so. So here I was, sitting alone in the darkness that will haunt me forever. I was blind, and I accepted that a long time ago, but my father just couldn't. He had fortune tellers, everyone he possibly could to help me get my sight back. It never worked. I was never allowed outside, always stuck inside no matter what. It was all just boring.

Tonight, I wanted that to be different. If the knights weren't on guard, maybe I could try to sneak out. It was one of my best plans ever, but I knew if I was found out, there would be horrible consequences to my actions and I knew I wasn't going to be happy about that. Tonight was going to be one long night.

I smiled to myself and slowly slipped out of the bed. I stretched my arms out and got onto my knees to feel around for the slippers I wore every day. I touched something soft, and I started to make out if it was just the cat, or it was really my slipper. I let out a soft sigh and shifted, so I no longer sat on my knees and sat on my butt so I could put my slippers onto my feet. I got up from the ground and smoothed out my night gown that reached just above my knees.

The front door wasn't a far walk if I went the right way. It was just two halls down because my bedroom was made on the first floor since I was blind and couldn't really walk down stairs. It was quite convenient for nights like these where I couldn't sleep.

I slowly got up, and felt around for the door. When I felt my finger tips brush against the oak door my father provided for me. My fingers glided over the perfectly carved wood and touched the door knob. I twisted it and took one step out of the room, I didn't move any further front because I depended on the walls to lead the way to the front door. I slowly made my way across the first hall, determined to find my way to the second one. I stopped short hearing foot steps behind me. I looked over my shoulder and sighed.

"Have I been caught?" I wondered out loud.

"Miss, what are you doing outside at such a time?" A young male voice asked me.

"Well sir, I could not sleep. Who, may I ask, are you?" I questioned quietly.

"I'm a young knight of this castle, my names Christian. Princess, do you need any help getting to where you want to go? To the kitchen maybe?" He asked me.

I shook my head and shot a smile in the direction I heard his voice in, "No, Christian. The place I seek is much further from the kitchen. I want to see the sea, the sea my father tells me about beyond our lands. Do you think you could help me?" I softly murmured.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and the man gave me a small grunt and he took my hand and brought it up to his face. I smiled at his thoughtful gesture to let me make out his facial features. He had a nice, strong jaw line, and a weirdly formed nose. He had silky brown hair, it was short and just under his chin he had stubble. Feeling his face really told me that he was young, a bit older then me, and I was turning seventeen in a couple months.

"I might be able to help you. But what will you do if your father finds out you left the castle?" He asked me.

"That is my problem to figure out. I won't let you get involved into this. I've never been outside. My father should understand that I have dreams of not being kept captive in this castle any longer. I'm turning seventeen years old, he can not keep me here forever you know" I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

Christian laughed, and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards what I guessed was the entrance. He stopped us once cold air hit my body, causing me to shiver. He told me to stay put and he was going to get one of the horses to make the trip there and back quicker. I just nodded and felt around, frowning feeling steps. I felt around for a railing and gripped it tight as I made my way down the stairs.

A squeek left my mouth as I almost tripped on the first step. I caught myself quickly and continued to make it down the stairs. I was good until I reached the last step that seemed to be higher off the ground then I expected. I felt the wind hit my body hard again and I shivered, then took the step. I fell forward, but two strong arms caught me.

"I told you to stay put" Christians laughter filled my ears.

I stuck my tongue out at him. He lifted me up bridal style and put me on something. I felt around for it, sure enough I realized it was a horse. I smiled and Christian got up on the horse in one jump. He grabbed something over my head and muttered a few words, before the horse started to move.

It took us a little over thirty minutes to get to the edge of the town, and to what Christian claimed was the sea. He got me down off the horse and took my hand once more after doing something the the horse, he pulled me somewhere and I felt the ground beneath me get squishy and I gasped, moving closer to Christian, who chuckled.

"It's just sand, here, take off your slippers, and feel it with your feet. It feels really good" Christian told me.

I nodded and just kicked off my slippers, digging my feet into soft ground.

"Your right! It does feel good!" I gasped.

"I told you" He said, pulling me closer to something else. "You said you wanted to see the sea. Since you cant see it, I guess your going to have to feel it right?".

I nodded to him and then he quickly pulled me over to something. I felt his body go down, and I did the same motion as him, crouching down on the balls of my feet. Something cold splashed onto my face, and I pulled my hand from his to wipe it off. He laughed at me, for probably the fifth time.

"What was that?!" I asked him, scrunching my nose up as the cold liquid hit my face again.

"That was the sea water my princess." He said softly.

"Water? Is that all this sea is?" I questioned him.

He didn't say anything for a couple of minutes before he grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet.

"We have to get out of here Princess" He said quickly, rushing me over to the horse.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"There are very bad people on this beach, and if they catch you, your father would have my head" Christian lifted me up back onto the horse then got on himself.

Panic rushed through me and I clutched the horses mane. He yelled this noise and the horse broke into a furious run. I knew we would be home in a matter of minutes at the speed this horse went at.

What felt like a minute, Christian had lifted me off the horse, but he kept me in his arms as he ran quickly up stairs, and I knew we were back at the castle. He went inside, yelling things I could not process at this time. I heard more foot steps and yelling, I closed my eyes tightly, feel the tears prick at my eyes.

"My princess!" My fathers voice filled my ears and I was pulled from Christians arms and pulled into warmer, more built arms.

"Daddy, what's going on?" I cried.

"Sweet heart, there are some bad men here in the kingdom. I'm going to put you into your room, and you will not come out until I come and get you alright?" He told me.

"Alright" I whispered, rubbing the tears away from my eyes.

"Christian, take her to her room and lock the door. Make sure she's hiding. They are bound to invade the castle" My father said, he put me down to my feet and then I heard his foot steps walking away from me.

Christian did as told, and he hid me in my closet I was guessing. What was going on? Bad men? What did they want at this castle?...