[center [i Day eight... Where exactly are we going, anyway?]]


[center Eleanor couldn't help but wonder where the ship would stop next. It wasn't exactly like she had intended to be aboard, but here she was, hiding behind some barrels, and constantly praying to a God that probably wasn't even there to not be found. So far so good, but her luck couldn't possibly last too much longer. The ship was bound to be at sea for a few months, and she wouldn't be able to hold out for that amount of time. Someone would catch her sooner or later, and they would either throw her overboard or sell her into slavery.]


[center She shuddered. She really screwed up.]


[center [b "Could be worse,"] she muttered to herself as she lay down on the wooden floor, staring at the space above her. She could have family that was looking for her, a husband who missed her, or even a sibling who gave a shit. Unfortunately, she'd never gotten any of that. An orphan for as long as she could remember, she survived mostly out on the streets once she was old enough to get away.]


[center Sure, at sixteen she'd found a decent job as a barmaid, but that had been temporary and had sucked for most of the time that she had been there. The owner had never been bad, but the patrons... ugh. They had been the worst, especially once they'd had enough to drink. Once she'd saved enough, she'd left, though it had taken far too long.]


[center So how had she ended up here, stuck on a merchant ship and hiding from the sailors above? She'd been accused of stealing just because she'd picked up an item to take a look at it. The shop owner had notified a guard outside and Eleanor had dropped the stupid necklace and run. [b "It had been so pretty, too..."] A sigh escaped her lips before she sat up, tugging at her hair. It was unruly. She really needed a bath.]


[center Moving over to the wall, she leaned against it and pulled her knees to her chest. She could go up on deck, let whoever was there know she was on board, and just see what happened, but part of her was too scared to. The sea had different rules. Nothing but herself would protect her out here.]


[center She rested her head on her arms and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the waves and the creaking of the ship. She was going to go crazy like this...how much could one person take?]


[center It was long before voices reached her ears, loud and frantic. She looked up, wondering what could be causing the running footsteps above when something crashed into the side of the ship. She bit back a scream as everything shifted, sliding towards her. She barely scrambled away in time to avoid being crushed by a barrel. [b "What in the stars...?"] She stood, glancing around before she hurried over to a window to see what was going on.]


[center Her heart dropped.]


[center The pirate ship before her was huge compared to the ship she currently resided on, and by the sudden screams and clashing of swords, it was fairly obvious that they intended to take whatever they could from the ship. Why else would they attack them?]


[center The worst possible scenarios began to enter her mind as the smell of gunpowder filled her nose. Another crash rocked the ship, causing her to fall onto her back with a thud. She had to hide...that much she knew, but what would happen once the fighting was over? Would she drown with the ship? Or would she be killed?]


[center Hurrying back to her hiding spot, she curled up against the wall, placing her hands over her ears and closing her eyes. Not that it helped, any. She could still hear the fighting and feel the ship as it moved. It felt like an eternity before it finally died down. She didn't move, though. Not right away. She had to be sure that it was completely over with.]


[center After a few minutes of silence, she finally uncovered her ears, looking around before she moved to peak over the barrels that still stood. She couldn't even hear any footsteps above her anymore. Had the attackers left? Was the ship sinking now? She began to move away, wanting to go look outside of the window again, when the door across the room opened. Gasping, she ducked back down, placing a hand over her mouth and praying once more that she wasn't found.]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 A small sigh passed through the woman's lips as she looked towards the ship that was getting closer by the second. Her crew were ready to put up a fight, and hopefully they would be able to take the ship over all together. She reached up and touched the pendent around her neck. [#cc6699 "Soon daddy, everything will be mine"] she whispered lightly. She was walking in her father's footsteps, and this was the one and [i only] ship she wanted, and needed to get back. When she had been younger, was when her whole world had changed.]]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 The Bandit ship was in her family for ages, and when it was stolen by the worst pirate on the seven seas, was when Isadora knew that her luck had finally run out. The battle to protect her home was quickly lost. The crew of the Bandit had turned against their captain and killed him. Isadora had been in her chambers when it happened. She was finally getting the ship back, and she had a whole new crew beside her. [b "Isa, the Bandit is getting closer. Are you ready for this?"] came the voice of her friend.]]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 She was taken out of her thought's and looked towards him. [#cc6699 "I am. I was just thinking about the night daddy was killed, and the ship was stolen. I didn't think I would ever have that ship back. The memories, the pain, fear, everything that ship holds will forever be mine again. It's because of you, and the rest of the crew that's making it better for me"] she said softly. Andrew smiled and pulled the hat off his head, and started playing with it. [b "I'm glad we can help"] he said softly.]]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 There was something more, and she knew it. It would have to wait though, because [i her] ship was just meters away now. [#cc6699 "Get the crew ready, it's time"] she said. Andrew nodded and placed his hat back onto his head, and turned back around, and gave the signal. Soon gunpowder filled the air, screams, the sound of swords clanging together. Everything was happening the way it needed too. Soon Isadora was in the fight along side her crew. That would make her look terrible if she didn't fight along with them. The fight was long, and soon it was over.]]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 The last of the other crew was thrown off the ship, and Isadora had free reign to the Bandit. She looked towards Andrew and smiled. [#cc6699 "It's time"] she breathed out. The male nodded and helped Isadora onto the other ship. The moment her boots hit the deck, the memories came rushing back. Was this a good idea after all? Did she really want this right now? She chewed her lip, and touched the pendent again. Of course. She had to do this. She needed to do this for her father. It was his dream after all.]]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 [#cc6699 "You check up here to make sure it's clear, and I'm going to go down below to make sure none of the bombs did damage to the bottom of the ship. We've done so much to lose this now"] she breathed out. [b "Will do Isa. Be careful"] he said softly. The woman nodded as she made her way to the door. She opened the door, and moved down the stairs. Her eyes had to adjust to the dark. She made her way down the stairs slowly, holding her breath the whole time.]]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 When her feet hit the last step she froze, when she heard a noise. Her eyes narrowed slightly, as she moved towards the sound. That's when she spotted a woman not much younger than herself crouched there. [#cc6699 "Who the hell are you?"] she snapped. She put her hand onto the top of her sword, and prepared herself for another fight, just in case. She bit the inside of her cheek, as she waited for the woman to speak up.]]

[center When Eleanor was a child, she'd snuck into the office of the woman who ran the orphanage, intending to find a secret stash of candy or maybe some coin so she could go out and actually [i do] something that she deemed fun. Of course, she hadn't realized at the time that the woman would have a stash hidden far better than in an open room, especially one with all of the sticky fingers like hers. She'd been inside the room for about five minutes, opening drawers of the desks and snooping in a small closet, when she'd heard the woman's voice getting closer.]


[center She'd been speaking to someone, though Eleanor could never remember who. She did remember the feeling, though, of possibly getting caught. That shot of fear had turned her body cold. It was enough to almost paralyze her and keep her in place. If she had allowed that to happen, she would've been caught and punished for sure.]


[center Without much thought, she'd ducked into the closet, closing the door as gently as she could and crouching down in the corner, trying to make herself as small as possible. She'd thought for the longest time that had been the most intense moment of her life. That nothing would ever compare to the fear she felt. To the pounding of her heart in her chest. It had felt like it was going to burst.]


[center The dread and the sound of the blood rushing through her ears was exactly what she was experiencing now as she hit behind the barrels, her mind racing on everything that was going to go wrong if she were caught.]


[center Then the woman spoke out and Eleanor thought she was going to faint.]


[center Taking a deep breath, she slowly stood up, holding her hands in the air. [b "Nobody...just a stowaway."] There was no point in trying to lie to get out of the situation. She was very doubtful she would believe her, anyway. [b "Honest. I'm not supposed to be here."] Perhaps she could make the stranger empathize with her? Would that be possible?]


[center Hard to say when her hand was on her sword.]


[center A lump formed in her throat and she had to swallow it to keep from choking.]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 Watching as the woman came out of her hiding spot, and saying she was a stowaway, made Isadora pause for a moment. She watched as the woman stepped into the light looking like a scared, little mouse. She tilted her head to the side. [#cc6699 "You sure as hell aren't supposed to be here"] she snapped. She dropped her hand from her sword, and stepped aside and nodded towards the stairs. [#cc6699 "Let's get you up on deck, and you can explain more of why you are here. I'm not going to take no for an answer either"]]]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 [#cc6699 "Also, don't think about running, because you will be caught, and things might not go as you planned. So if I were you, I would just follow my orders, and no harm will come to you. You have my word on that"] the woman said. She wasn't in the mood to talk below deck. She wanted the rest of her crew around, and she wanted them to keep a close eye on this woman as well. She turned and mounted the stairs, and made her way up onto the deck. [b "Everything okay Capitan?"] the male asked.]]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 [#cc6699 "I'm hoping it will be. I did find a stowaway below deck. I don't have her name yet, but I want you and the other's to keep a close eye on her as well. When she does come up, send her to my office, and I'll speak to her. If she tries to run, kill her"] she ordered. [b "Of course I will"] the male said, and bowed his head. Isadora wasn't about to play around with this. She was going to get the answers, one way or another from the woman. She walked to a door and opened it.]]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 The memories of running around on deck, and running into her father's arms in this same room came rushing back. It was different, and she knew she would need to set it up the way it used to be. She wasn't about to let anyone else take this ship again. Would she had to deal with another pirate? Or was that woman really just a stowaway? There was so many things running around in her mind, that she couldn't think straight at all. She sighed lightly, as she walked around the desk.]]

[google-font http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Noto+Sans][noto+sans [size12 She pulled the high backed chair out and sat down. She rested her elbows on the desk top, and looked around the room. This was all her's. There was so much she needed to do, but her first job was the woman she had found. She then leaned back in the chair, put her hands on her stomach, laced her fingers together, as she waited for the woman to be brought into the room. The sound of the waves hitting the side of the ship was enough to calm one's nerves, and it was helping her calm her own.]]

[center [b [i "You sure as hell aren't supposed to be here."]]]


[center Yep. Eleanor knew that much. Had it not been for the fact that she'd been on the run she wouldn't have been there in the first. She would have tried to explain but fear kept her biting her tongue. It was a bit of relief that she hadn't drawn her sword which gave her some hope that she wouldn't be killed. Not at that moment at least. [b "Understood, ma'am,"] was all she could bring herself to say after a moment or so. She had no reason to doubt that she'd be thrown overboard or cut down without any hesitation. Not to mention, where would she go? The young woman knew she wouldn't be able to swim very far even if she tried.]


[center She had to trust for the time being that the woman was telling the truth about her being safe so long as she listened. Though she'd never been a good listener, she figured she could learn really quickly if it meant staying alive. She followed behind her but hesitated once she got close to the top of the stairs. She wasn't really sure who or what she would come face to face with when she got up on deck and she wasn't positive she wanted to know. She could hear the woman talking to someone, though she could only make out a few words here and there.]


[center Taking a deep breath, she willed her shaky legs forward, finally emerging from down below. So many eyes fell on her that it took all she had not faint right then and there from her nerves. [i Dear God, I'm going to die out here.] Even with the woman's promise, she couldn't help but think that was the case. She was realizing very quickly that she'd made a much bigger mistake than she had initially thought.]


[center Stories of pirates out in the ocean were not new to her. Eleanor had heard plenty growing up, mostly told as horror stories to keep children and young adults from looking for such a life. There were apparently better ways to seek adventures and such without falling into a life of piracy. Oh, how well she had listened.]


[center She was quickly led to the office by a man that she assumed was the one the captain had been speaking to not long before. She didn't try to fight against him, knowing full well how this could end for her. Upon entering the room, she would watch the woman, her throat constricting just a little as she waited for her to speak. The silence was making her stomach knot up and her head spin. It took all she had just to keep herself standing.]