Previously: The duke's daughter has been captured by pirates in her escape from the castle under siege. Allis, the peasant, now an orphan, has come with the duke's party to save Aria.
"My lord, the trouble is that we do not know where the pirates are at. They could be anywhere. The seas are great and we have only 2 ships. Sire."
The Duke d'Ashdom looked up from the maps spread across the table in his cabin. "I...understand your concerns, Christian. But you know Neo has my daughter. I left my kingdom in peril to save her. We will find her."
Sir Christian had noticed how weary his lord had become. "Not in peril, sire. Sir Luke would do anything he could to save the people."
"Yes," was all the good duke said. "A very good knight..."
After a pause, the duke said, "Set our course towards this point," he said, pointing sharply towards the spot on the map. "Neo has been spotted there many times."
"He will try to take us by surprise, sire."
"We must be ready at every hour for him. And lower our flags. We might just surprise Neo ourselves."
"My lord! My lord!!" "Sire!" "Sir Christian!" "My lord!" The entire ship was awakened late at night. "Pirates!"
"What's going on?" demanded the duke, on deck.
"We spotted a ship on the horizon, speeding away from us, sire."
"Turn and give chase!" Sir Christian yelled.
"Sire! I heard noises along the side. I believe the pirates ship came up next to ours in silence."
"What?!" thundered the duke. "Search the ship!" He turned and glared at Christian. "Surely they could not have boarded."
"These sailors are not soldier, sir." Sir Christian said. "And Neo's band of men are experienced in such trickery!"
Nothing appeared to be missing.
"All men accounted for, sir!" came the call.
"Wait! The servant girl, Allis. We can't find her," spoke up one soldier. "I think she might have been on deck earlier."
"What!" Sir Christian frowned, upset.
"The little servant maid..." murmured the duke, his face showing his regret. "Perhaps this is a good sign. Perhaps they wish her to serve my daughter."
"Yes sire." Christian hesitated. "I'm sure she is alive."
"You are to keep her happy and quiet or you will die! Is that understood?"
"Yes."
"Yes sir!"
"Yes sir."
Allis looked up at the man they called Neo. Although she was surrounded by an evil lot of pirates, Captain Neo stood out from them. His eyes were as dark as his ragged hair and burned with the delight of evil and it's schemes.
He was filth walking, from the earring in his earlobe to his torn sailor's pants. He smirked at her with rotting teeth. "What were you doing on that ship?"
"I was –going to safety. Sir."
"From Ashdom and Soja?" The pirate laughed heartily. "So the Duke came to meet me. Does he think he can rescue his dear bratty daughter with 2 unnamed sailor's ships?" He did not appear to want an answer. "Take her below."
Aria was angry. "Who are you? Never mind. Where is my father? Is he coming to save me from this dirty little ship?"
"The duke is doing everything he can to rescue you, my lady."
"He left me with two traitors! He–"
"Please, my lady, try to be calm. Your father is on his way. He left Ashdom to come find you."
"Well, did he bring an army? How many knights?"
"We only escaped with one knight, my lady. Sir Christian was kind to bring me as well."
"Sir Christian, hmm?" Aria turned and gazed out her tiny porthole. "Do they even know where to find us?"
"We appear to be in some kind of cove, my lady."
"I know that! Don't speak unless you're spoken to!" Aria snapped back harshly.
Allis stepped backwards and sat down. She was frightened by the pirates and confused by the Duke's daughter's attitude. Why did she not understand that her father would not leave her in the hands of the pirates? The duke would come. For both of them.
"They are no where to be found. The ship must be in a secret cove, my lord."
The duke paced the deck. "We will anchor here and wait until first light. We must find that ship!"
"Hello the boat!" Sir Christian called. It was dawn. A small boat was approaching from shore.
"Christian!" Inside the boat stood Vashi.
"Call the duke," Christian said to a nearby sailor. "Vashi. How did you find us?"
"It was certainly a difficulty! I discovered that the princess had been captured soon after you left and decided to come find you. I knew you would be headed this way to find Neo so I've had men watching for you from shore!" Vashi stepped aboard. "Haven't you found them yet?"
The duke hurried on deck. "You have news of the battle?"
"Yes, my lord. Soja refused our surrender. Sir Luke escaped and battles on."
The duke blinked, glared at Vashi. "Why did you leave him?"
"He asked me to bring you word," Vashi brushed off the questions. "Have you discovered the pirates yet?"
"Their ship is supposed to be somewhere in those bays and bayous on that peninsula there."
"But they could have gotten out on the other side! How long have you been waiting?"
"The night," Sir Christian stepped forward. "Do you know the coves?"
"Not well. If I were Neo I would not be waiting to be found in a hidden cove."
Sir Christian was suspicious. The duke d'Ashdom understood. "I want no stone unturned," he stated calmly. "Christian, search the island as you see fit. Vashi, I wish for you to remain on board with me. Come to my cabin. We have much to talk about."
By noon Christian had discovered the pirates cover. They moved in quickly, hoping to surprise them.
Although the duke outnumbered Neo in men, most of them were poorly trained. The duke did not care to annihilate the pirates; he simply wanted their prisoners.
Of course when the pirates saw them round the bend of their hidden dock they opened fire on the duke's ships.
"At last!"
"My lady. I knew they would come!" Allis gasped. "Oh–we must be ready!"
"Well, it isn't as if I have anything to pack," Aria said coldly. "Oh goodness I'm tired. They were so noisy last night!"
Allis nodded, carefully looking out the porthole. She somehow knew that the kings ships would not be able to fire back upon the pirates, knowing she and Aria were on board. They had to do something! The duke's ships appeared to be making headway despite everything –only Neo was now throwing burning coals as well and one of the duke's ships was on fire!
"Come on," Allis said suddenly, grabbing Aria's arm. "My lady!" She dragged her on deck, left her on the stairs, and ran across with no cover to the grate over the cannon deck and lowered herself down. The men working the cannon were too busy to notice her right then, and without another minute's thought she ran across the floor and kicked over the crate of hot coals, whirling then to run back to the top deck.
It was enough of a distraction for the duke's men to board. Allis ran back to Aria as Neo and his pirates began to fight the duke's sailors hand-to-hand. Some of Neo's men were already occupied with the fire.
"Aria! Find Aria!" Allis could hear the duke's shout, and suddenly Sir Vashi came charging across the deck, scooped Aria up, turned on his heel, and ran for his ship.
The duke's men began retreating. Christian was one of the last, and he turned and saw Allis, standing in the stairway. He flinched, then lept to the top of the deck's rail, making a big jump from there over Neo's men, to reach her. She grabbed his hand and ran with him to the side of the rail, where they jumped feet first into the murky water.
Neo ignored them and turned his ship in hot pursuit of the duke's one good ship and one burning ships as they ran from the small cove.
