The Princess and the Pirate, Part 3: A Storm on the Deep Blue Sea

At first, being on the ship was fun and full of adventure. Princess Fioretta was not satisfied to just sit in her room. She had to explore the entire ship. Once they were safely out of Harbor Town Harbor, the captain took her on the grand tour. He showed her the massive ropes that moored the ship safely to the docks. He took her to the bow of the ship where the spray of the sea teased her face and made her breathe easy. Down below, she could see dolphins swimming alongside as if the ship was their mother. He took her along the narrow walkway by the cabins to the back of the ship where she watched the water churn behind them. Long waves spread out like a giant fan behind them. Below deck, she found the cabins of the crewmen and at the very bottom of the ship, "the Hold," was some boxes of cargo and ammunition and some jail cells. The princess was shocked to see these and asked as many questions as she could think about them.

She slept comfortably on the bed in the captain’s quarters. The maids had put on her own bedding that she and her mother had made. The gentle rocking of the ship helped her sleep as did the salty air. In the evenings, she made a habit of watching the dolphins play catch with the ship.
After four days, she grew weary of the sameness of everything. There was no craggy landscape to shake up the monotony of the expansive blue sea and sky. Time began dragging at her skirts like a small, wailing child. She had no peers to play games with in order to amuse herself, and she would not even consider the idea of asking one of the crew or her maids or one of the knights who accompanied her everywhere to play a game with her. She would never let such a breech of manners occur under any circumstance. Yet she looked on with envy in her heart (which she immediately prayed for God to banish from her mind) when she saw the men from her guard in their off-duty hours playing games to pass the time. Being a princess was so unfair, especially when she could not even show her disappointment and her desire.

On the fifth day, they stopped at their first of three ports of call where the ship picked up some letters and dropped off others. The men refreshed the water supply and got fresh eggs and meat. She wasn’t even allowed to get off the ship, because they left within a few hours of their arrival. Eight hours later, though, everyone wished they had stayed longer when a bad storm came up and blew them well off course. The giant ship became as minuscule as a cork bobbing in a pond while little boys jumped in to stir things up. The three women stayed in the princess’ cabin through the night and through the next day while the storm raged. They prayed together for hours on end, trying not to wretch.

When the storm abated, the princess remained in her room for two full days to regain her composure. She gave thanks when word came to her that no souls on board had been lost. She took the news that they had been blown terribly off course with grace. When she finally came out of her cabin, she continued her pre-storm routine as if nothing had happened.
Late that afternoon, as the ship was passing some islands, she heard the lookout call down something indistinguishable. She really couldn’t understand sailor’s lingo, nor was it expected of her. Yet his message meant something very important to the other sailors. The countenance of every man aboard changed instantly as the message flashed through the ship. They changed from snappy efficiency to grim and rigid rapidity. The princess pondered this as she stood at her favorite spot on the ship.

"Princess?" The captain’s voice made her jump right out of her skin.
Once she recomposed herself, she said, "Yes, Captain," with an endearing smile.
"I need to beg you and your maids to go to your cabin and remain there until I give you the `all clear’ sign. We fear pirates are approaching, and we don’t want them to even suspect you are aboard."
"Of course, captain." She allowed him to lead her back to the cabin where the maids were trembling yet standing ready for duty.
The captain walked into the cabin which was most improper. Yet somehow, the princess knew it was important that he do so. He looked at the maids. "Hide the luggage as best you can under things that in this room and in yours. If you hear gunfire or canon fire, help the princess into the secret room and then hide yourselves in the closet." As the women nodded, he walked over to the far wall. He showed them a particular knot, then he pressed it. A panel slid open, revealing a tiny hiding place tall enough for one person to stand or sit in. It contained only a little three-legged stool. He showed the princess how to open the panel from the inside. She marveled at its ingenuity.

The captain then left quickly to give the orders of his command. While the maids rigidly stood waiting, the princess began drafting a letter detailing all that was happening. When she was done, she swiftly rolled up the letter and corked the bottle. She handed the bottle to Mirabelle, a pretty maid with wide, blue eyes and a winning smile, and told her to throw it into the sea without fully leaving the room. Mirabelle solemnly took the bottle and did as she was bidden, sneaking a peak toward the back of the ship when she was done. She slammed the door shut and locked it. Then, in a shaky voice, she declared, "Oh mistress, I caught sight of the ship!"

As the last word tumbled from her mouth, a canon ball slammed into the ship causing all three of them to lose their balance and causing all-out terror to fill their minds. At first, being on the ship was fun and full of adventure. Princess Fioretta was not satisfied to just sit in her room. She had to explore the entire ship. Once they were safely out of Harbor Town Harbor, the captain took her on the grand tour. He showed her the massive ropes that moored the ship safely to the docks. He took her to the bow of the ship where the spray of the sea teased her face and made her breathe easy. Down below, she could see dolphins swimming alongside as if the ship was their mother. He took her along the narrow walkway by the cabins to the back of the ship where she watched the water churn behind them. Long waves spread out like a giant fan behind them. Below deck, she found the cabins of the crewmen and at the very bottom of the ship, "the Hold," was some boxes of cargo and ammunition and some jail cells. The princess was shocked to see these and asked as many questions as she could think about them.

She slept comfortably on the bed in the captain’s quarters. The maids had put on her own bedding that she and her mother had made. The gentle rocking of the ship helped her sleep as did the salty air. In the evenings, she made a habit of watching the dolphins play catch with the ship.
After four days, she grew weary of the sameness of everything. There was no craggy landscape to shake up the monotony of the expansive blue sea and sky. Time began dragging at her skirts like a small, wailing child. She had no peers to play games with in order to amuse herself, and she would not even consider the idea of asking one of the crew or her maids or one of the knights who accompanied her everywhere to play a game with her. She would never let such a breech of manners occur under any circumstance. Yet she looked on with envy in her heart (which she immediately prayed for God to banish from her mind) when she saw the men from her guard in their off-duty hours playing games to pass the time. Being a princess was so unfair, especially when she could not even show her disappointment and her desire.

On the fifth day, they stopped at their first of three ports of call where the ship picked up some letters and dropped off others. The men refreshed the water supply and got fresh eggs and meat. She wasn’t even allowed to get off the ship, because they left within a few hours of their arrival. Eight hours later, though, everyone wished they had stayed longer when a bad storm came up and blew them well off course. The giant ship became as minuscule as a cork bobbing in a pond while little boys jumped in to stir things up. The three women stayed in the princess’ cabin through the night and through the next day while the storm raged. They prayed together for hours on end, trying not to wretch.

When the storm abated, the princess remained in her room for two full days to regain her composure. She gave thanks when word came to her that no souls on board had been lost. She took the news that they had been blown terribly off course with grace. When she finally came out of her cabin, she continued her pre-storm routine as if nothing had happened.
Late that afternoon, as the ship was passing some islands, she heard the lookout call down something indistinguishable. She really couldn’t understand sailor’s lingo, nor was it expected of her. Yet his message meant something very important to the other sailors. The countenance of every man aboard changed instantly as the message flashed through the ship. They changed from snappy efficiency to grim and rigid rapidity. The princess pondered this as she stood at her favorite spot on the ship.

"Princess?" The captain’s voice made her jump right out of her skin.
Once she recomposed herself, she said, "Yes, Captain," with an endearing smile.
"I need to beg you and your maids to go to your cabin and remain there until I give you the `all clear’ sign. We fear pirates are approaching, and we don’t want them to even suspect you are aboard."
"Of course, captain." She allowed him to lead her back to the cabin where the maids were trembling yet standing ready for duty.

The captain walked into the cabin which was most improper. Yet somehow, the princess knew it was important that he do so. He looked at the maids. "Hide the luggage as best you can under things that in this room and in yours. If you hear gunfire or canon fire, help the princess into the secret room and then hide yourselves in the closet." As the women nodded, he walked over to the far wall. He showed them a particular knot, then he pressed it. A panel slid open, revealing a tiny hiding place tall enough for one person to stand or sit in. It contained only a little three-legged stool. He showed the princess how to open the panel from the inside. She marveled at its ingenuity.

The captain then left quickly to give the orders of his command. While the maids rigidly stood waiting, the princess began drafting a letter detailing all that was happening. When she was done, she swiftly rolled up the letter and corked the bottle. She handed the bottle to Mirabelle, a pretty maid with wide, blue eyes and a winning smile, and told her to throw it into the sea without fully leaving the room. Mirabelle solemnly took the bottle and did as she was bidden, sneaking a peak toward the back of the ship when she was done. She slammed the door shut and locked it. Then, in a shaky voice, she declared, "Oh mistress, I caught sight of the ship!"
As the last word tumbled from her mouth, a canon ball slammed into the ship causing all three of them to lose their balance and causing all-out terror to fill their minds.