Bondage (formerly Escape from the Obstinate Prince)

Ami watched the footmen take her trunks out of her room that would soon belong to her yet-to-be-born sibling.

Gloria stood next to Ami, a hand on her shoulder. “I hear Carenthia is a beautiful place. Full of good food, good people, and good entertainment.”

Ami turned at Gloria, the stress and lack of sleep showing through her dark under eye circles. “I have good food here, good people, and good entertainment. I don’t need anything else. I never asked to be shipped to Carenthia. I’ve never been discontent with where I was born and placed, have I?”

Gloria sighed and tied a silk shawl over Ami’s head, and a fur coat around her shoulders. “At least you won’t have to wear your hoops.”

Ami sighed. That would be a very nice subtraction to her wardrobe. Hoops made it nearly impossible to go through doorways slimmer than five feet.

“Be a good girl and try not to show your disgust of the Prince too much.” Gloria patted her cheek.

“Goodbye, Gloria.” Ami nodded and gave Gloria a brief hug before she followed the footmen out.

As she passed the maids and other servants, they curtsied - some bowed - and wished her a safe journey and a happy marriage.

Ami tried her best to smile for the servants and common folk, but it took all her willpower to keep the smile in place. She walked down the half spiral staircase and out the front of the castle. A carriage sat waiting to take her to the ship that would sail her to Carenthia.

A footman offered his hand and helped her into the carriage, placing a fur blanket over her before closing the door to the dreary carriage.

The coachman crack the whip and they took off towards the shipyard.

Her parent’s coach followed close behind hers.

Her mother hadn’t slept well the night before, and spent hours next to the chamber pot emptying the contents of her stomach into it.

Ami wished her little sibling didn’t cause so much morning sickness. Was I that troublesome? Probably.

Someday she would have to have them and be as sick as her mother. Children. Her stomach churned. Children with a man I don’t even love.

She shook her head of such horrendous thoughts and focused on the shipyard that came into view.

Ami knew that their ships were the best of the best. They had taken the working aspects of Svenlandian’s ships, grafted the highlights from their ships, and created an improved, hybrid fleet. They were fast, sturdy, and years ahead of any other country’s ship designs.

Nothing that Ami had been told about the ships could compare to actually seeing them. They were much bigger than the models that she had seen back at the castle and definitely much more intimidating.

She was sure her mouth was gaping as she looked out the window.

The carriage halted and the footman unlatched her door and extended his hand out to her, helping her out.

“Thank you.” Ami stepped out of the carriage and watched her parents emerge from the other.

“Ami!” The Queen opened her arms and put them around Amélia and held her close. “Be safe, my Darling. Try not to me too prejudice against the poor boy. He may have changed drastically. Write to us often. And also, please, please try to make this work.”

“I will, Mother.” Ami nodded. She would try her best to try to make it work.

“Goodbye, Ami.” Her father wrapped his arms around both mother and daughter. “I hope this works out. The Lord knows we need to do something about those Svenlandians and their raidings.”

Ami nodded, yet again. “I know, Father. I’ll try my best to make things work out.”

“Good girl.” The King patted her back one last time before she walked up the gangplank and onto the ship.

As she walked towards the gunwale a young man, surely no more than twenty-one, with sandy colored hair tied back into a ponytail, stubble growing on his chin, and sea colored eyes caught her eye.

He winked.

Ami blushed and quickly averted her eyes, ashamed of being caught. She looked down at her mother and father from the side of the ship and waved. Now if only she could jump over the side and never see that young sailor again.

The Captain of the ship started yelling out orders. The sails dropped, the gangplank came up, and the men scurried around, getting ready to sail.. Ami felt the ship start to move and she gripped the gunwale tightly. She wasn’t ready to leave. She didn’t want to leave her homeland, perhaps forever. She didn’t want to say goodbye to her father and pregnant mother. She didn’t want to go.

“Goodbye!” Ami waved as tears blurred her vision. She was trapped on the ship, unable to abort her mission.

The shoreline soon vanished from sight and Ami took a shakey breath. She would have to make the best of it.

“Your Highness,” a voice from behind her called, “the Captain advises that you get to your room as soon as you’re ready. He sees a storm coming.”

She turned around and saw the sandy hair sailor looking at her. Her heart stopped for a minute. Could her day get any worse? She was about to die from mortification.

“Very well.” She started walking away, eager to be free from the presence of the all-too-knowing sailor. Then she paused and looked back, feeling her blush grow deeper. “I don’t know where my room is.”

The sailor’s knowing grin grew bigger. “Allow me.” He bowed with all sincerity and led the way to her personal cabin. Silence filled the air as he opened the door to her cabin. “So you are the famous Andromeda Aurora Amélia the Third.”

“You are not to talk to me unless I talk to you first.” Ami answered primly. She would have a little fun at the sailor’s expense. His confused and frightened expression was worth it.

She smirked, trying to keep herself from laughing. “But yes. I am. I give you permission to call me Ami though. Andromeda Aurora Amélia the Third is quite a mouthful, even for me .”

“Thank you...Ami.” His smile reappeared.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“Lars. Lars Vernon.” He let her walk in to her room first and followed behind her.

“Isn’t that a Svenlandian name?” She turned to study his features. She had never actually seen a Raider - or Svenlandian for a nicer term - but she had heard of their oversized shoulders, large heads, burly arms, and hairy chests.

He was definitely too handsome for that.

“I am,” he answered shortly.

“How did you end up here?” She study him all the harder. What was a potential enemy doing on an ally ship?

More servants brought in her numerous trunks, setting them on the floor before exiting.

He paused for a minute, not saying anything. “The Captain is expecting me. I should be going.”

Ami sensed that his past was something he did not want to share.

He bowed again, almost as if retracting into his shell. “Good day, Your Highness.” He left her cabin, closing the door behind him.

“Interesting character,” she murmured before laying down on her bed.

“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty!” Madison’s voice cut through Jack’s unpleasant dreams.

Jack threw a pillow in Madison’s direction, too groggy to aim accurately. “Could you learn to not shout when I’m trying to sleep?”

“Of course not. I would have thought you would have learned that by now.” He grinned mischievously. “But I brought you, Freya as a peace offering.”

Jack peaked through his one open eye and smiled at his little sister. She did work as a peace offering.

Jack sat up and resumed scowling at Madison. “I’m going to have you locked up in a spiral tower if you continue to wake me in such an unearthly manner.”

“You can’t. Your parents wouldn’t allow it.” Mad smiled smugly.

“I hate you.” Jack rubbed his head.

“No.” Freya shook her head and wiggled in Madison’s grasp. “No hate. No no no.”

“Oh no you don’t. you love me as if I were your own brother. Even Freya does.” He grinned.

Freya giggled at Madison’s tickling and wiggled down onto the floor.

“Hardly.” Jack snorted and threw his covers to the side, hopping out of his King sized bed. “I only love sleep, riding, and fencing.”

Mad shook his head and picked Freya back up. “You love us. Doesn’t he Freya?” he said in a babyish voice, “Yes, he wuvs us vewy vewy much.”

“Madison, you are making a fool out of yourself.” Jack started to get dressed. “And I have no room in my hard heart for love.”

“Oh yes you do.” Madison’s normal baritone voice returned and he whacked Jack on the back of the head.“We’re going riding in an hour, right?”

“Right.” Jack threw his shirt on. “I’ll be there.”

“Come on, Freya.” Madison picked Freya up and they waltzed out the door. “I know you’ll be there because I am going to follow you down to breakfast.”

“Fair enough.” Jack finished getting dressed and followed them out the door.

“Freya! Freya!” A nursemaid scurried down the halls. “Madison have you seen- Mad! You know she isn’t supposed to be with you. She was supposed to be eating her breakfast!”

Mad grinned sheepishly and began to hand Freya over to her nursemaid. “I’m sorry, but she was just wandering in the halls, so I had to take her before someone else snatched her up.”

The nursemaid looked as if she was trying very hard to control her anger. “She was in her room, I looked away for one minute to put away her nightgown, and then poof, she’s gone! Simply gone!”

Mad practically shoved Freya in the nursemaids arms. “I’m sorry, Nan! But she was looking at me with her big brown eyes, begging me to take her to see her older brother.”

“I highly doubt that.” Nan clucked, taking hold of Freya. “Now if you two rowdy boys will find a more useful way to spend your time, besides terrifying nursemaids.”

Mad shook his head at her and smiled at Freya. “Goodbye Freya!”

“Bye bye bye!” Freya echoed and waved her hand up and down as Nan carried her off.

“Why didn’t I get an adorable little sister like her?” Mad asked Jack as they hopped down the steps, two at a time.

“Because you aren’t special.” Jack grinned.

“When you have babies, I demand to be their godfather.” Mad stepped into the hall.

Jack scowled. “I am not going to have babies, and you are definitely not going to be their godfather.”

“You will. You have to.” Mad shrugged as he walked down the hallway. “And if you refuse to fulfill my wish, then I will just go to your parents and beg them. You know how they love me.”

“Sadly.” Jack said dully. “And there is nothing they can do to force me to have children.”

Two servants opened the door to the dining hall for Jack and Mad.

Mad rolled his eyes. “Oh really? You’re still required to.”

“He’s required to what?” The Queen’s gaze swept over them as they entered the dining room.

“Have tons of little Jacks and Andromeda Aurora Amélia the Third’s.” Mad smiled broadly.

“Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, that you must have an heir to the throne. But I assumed you knew that.” The Queen’s smile wrinkled her nose.

Jack’s scowl grew as he took a seat at the table. “I won’t!”

“You will!” His mother sang as she walked past him and to her seat.

“He won’t what?” The King entered the room and sat in his chair

“Have our adorable grandchildren.” The Queen placed her hand over the King’s.

The King raised an eyebrow. “You will, Jack, you will.”

Jack’s cheeks heated and found his only consolation in scowling.

The ships swayed back and forth, up and down. Ami did not appreciate aggressive waves.

Perhaps God is punishing me for my resentment towards the Prince, Ami looked at the ceiling. Although, surely I am not expected to love him the moment I see him. Yes, I will give him a chance, but if he does not live up to it, I will write Mother and Father.

A knock sounded at her cabin door.

She sat up and quickly ran her hands through her golden hair, making sure she was presentable. “Come in!”

Lars stood in the doorway of her cabin with wet hair and soaked clothes. “The Captain wanted to make sure that you were alright.”

“I am perfectly fine, thank you.” Ami couldn’t help but notice how much better he looked when he was exhausted from battling a storm. His water-logged shirt gave away his obvious muscles, his perfectly messed up hair-

She blushed at her own thoughts.

“Well if you don’t need anything.” Lars stood there awkwardly. “I suppose I’ll be going back to my station.”

“I don’t need anything, thank you.” Ami smiled. “Stay...well.”

He nodded once more before heading back into the storm.

“Stay well? What on earth is that supposed to mean? It doesn’t even make sense.” She shook her head at her wonderful speaking skills. She lay back down on her bed and continued to stare at seasoned boards on the ceiling.

If only I didn’t have to marry the Prince, she rolled over on her bed and buried her head in the pillow. If only I were just another peasant girl, waiting to find love. If I were on my own and didn't have to marry a rude, ugly Prince.

“Stop it, Ami," she told herself. "You are supposed to think nice thoughts. Happy thoughts. He might be kinder now. Maybe he’s changed.”

She cringed. “Fat chance. Even if he is nice, he’ll still be as ugly as a toad.”

That was harsh. She gently slapped her face. It wouldn't do her, or the Prince any good to be thinking like that.

She took a few deep, calming, breaths. If only he looked like Lars. Had his muscular body, his captivating eyes, his handsome face-

Ami found herself smiling at the description.

“Ami! You’re betrothed to another man, and yet, here you are, behaving like a little girl with a crush."

Maybe because I am a little girl with a crush on another boy that I can never have. Why does my life have to be so horrible? She wanted to cry in her mother's arms. I’m a Princess, I’m supposed to be happy. Other girls dream of becoming a princess, finding the true love of her life in the woods, living happily ever after. But I am forced to go away from my native land, forced to marry a man I don’t love, and live a life I’d rather not live!

She let out a frustrated scream, knowing that no one could hear her above the raging storm.

Why God? Why?