Bondage (formerly Escape from the Obstinate Prince)

The gentle pitter-patter of raindrops hit the outside of Ami’s cabin, making her smile a bit as she sat up in her fluffy bed.

She yawned and hurried to get dressed.

I’m so glad I don’t have to wear those horrid hoops, she smiled at that, finding that there was actually much more to be in a pleasant mood about now that she had gotten a good night of sleep.

Knock knock knock

“Enter.” She let her crown stay sitting on her dressing table, opting to wear a ribbon instead. Her crown wouldn't do her much good on the ship and it wouldn't do any good if it happened to slip into the silver sea.

The door opened, revealing Lars. Ami raised her eyebrow at him. Was he her personal servant? She wasn’t going to complain if he was, but she did find it rather particular that he was always the one checking up on her and not one of the servants.

“The Captain, and the crew, would be honored us with your presence for breakfast.” Lars informed her, looking as if he expected her to decline.

Ami bit her lip. She wasn't exactly hungry. But she wasn't one to turn down Lar's- erm, the Captain's offer.

Lar's face lit up. “I’m sure you’ll love what we have cooked. We got a specialty cook for this voyage. All thanks to you.”

She blushed. Well, her parents wouldn't send her on a ship with hard tack and dried meat. "I'm glad to have helped out."

Lars chuckled.

Ami wondered if he was laughing at her.

“Now if you will kindly lead me to the Captain’s table.” She chose to ignore his inopportune laughter and followed him out the door.

They navigated through the ship's corridors, onto the main deck, and down towards the mess hall.

“Do you keep swords on the ship?” Ami decided to break the tense silence. “I should like to know how to use one, in case the opportunity arises."

“You trained with the sword?” Lars looked at her with surprise.

Ami paused and withheld a gleeful smirk. “But yes, I did practice the sword. Father thought that it was very necessary that I know how to defend myself at all times.”

“Could you take me on?” Lars glanced at Ami’s seemingly frail frame. She was probably not strong enough to even hold one of Rhone’s swords, much less a Svenlandian sword.

“I could try.” Ami smiled sweetly back at Lars.

“We’ll have to try it sometime.” Lars looked skeptically at Ami’s pale face, but he would humor her all the same.

They continued to walk towards the Captain’s table in silence. Lars opened the door for Ami, letting her pass him in the doorway into the room with a select few who also sat at the Captain’s table.

“Thank you for joining us, Your Highness” the Captain, or what Ami assumed to be the Captain, said as he(and all of the other officers) bowed, “we’re delighted with the Crown Princess’s company.”

“The pleasure is mine. Thank you for inviting me.” Ami acknowledged the men. “And please, we are not in court and titles are not important, I would prefer it if you all called me Ami.”

The Captain’s eyebrows shot up. “But Your Highness, it isn’t prop-”

“Now now, we are not somewhere where formality is necessary.” Ami smirked before adding. “I command you as Crown Princess to the Throne of Rhone, soon to be Carenthia-” she cringed at that, “-to call me Ami.”

The Captain let out a puff of air he had been holding in and bowed once again. “As you wish, Ami.”

Ami smiled at her small victory.

“Ami, your chair.” Lars pulled out a chair for her at the head of the table.

“Thank you.” Ami quickly sat down, not wanting to draw any more attention to herself.

Lars sat down and the Captain bowed his head, quickly recited a prayer before he and all of the other men started digging into the food that had been prepared for them.

Ami raised her eyebrow at the mindlessly quoted prayer but chose to say nothing, as she didn’t want to seem like a bratty Princess.

Breakfast passed quickly with small talk, mainly the Captain talking to Lars and the other officers, giving instructions on what all needed to be done that day.

“Will you need anything to entertain yourself with, Ami?” the Captain turned his attention to the quiet Princess.

“Well,” Ami looked hesitantly at him, wondering if she would be selfish in asking such a question, “I was wondering if you could spare Lars for the morning, or whenever, so he could help me with my sword practicing.”

The Captain’s eyebrows(for the second time that day) rose. He was clearly not expecting a request such as that. It was not every day that he had a Princess on his ship, and it was not every day that the Princess on his ship wanted to practice sword fighting with his first mate. But he certainly couldn’t refuse the Princess. “Of course I can spare him. Can’t we boys?”

The officers all nodded their heads enthusiastically.

“You, my boy,” he slapped Lars on the back, “are off for the rest of the day, and I put you in charge of making sure the Princess doesn’t get bored while I’m still Captain of this vessel.”

Lars tried to keep the beam on his face from permanently imprinting smile wrinkles on his face. “Yes Sir.”

The ship’s bell rang and the Captain wiped his mouth with his cloth napkin. “Thank you for the delightful morning Your High-” the Captain paused mentally correcting himself before he spoke, “Ami.”

“Thank you for the lovely time.” Ami said politely. The Captain bowed again before he and his other officers left the Captain’s table leaving Lars sitting at the table with Ami.

“I don’t have suitable fighting clothes.” Ami stated bluntly and frowned.

Lars let out a sigh.

“I don’t suppose I could borrow someone’s change of clothes?” Ami looked at Lars expectantly, waiting for him to gallantly offer to help her predicament.

“I could lend you a pair of trousers and a shirt, but I’m afraid that you, as a Princess, should not be seen in such lowly estate.” Lars shrugged.

Ami rolled her eyes. “Do I have to command you to do everything?”

A small smirk made its way onto his face. “Very well, Your Highness, you can borrow my clothing. But I warn you, they are not going to fit you very well if at all, and they probably stink and smell like fish.”

Ami smirked back. “That doesn’t matter. As long as it helps me beat you in a sword fight then it’ll suffice.”

Lars shook his head. He didn’t think that she could beat him in a sword fight in a million years. But he didn’t have to tend to his regular duties and got to spend time with the Crown Princess.

---

“Dumb thing.” Ami secured the rope around her waist to make sure that the trousers wouldn’t fall down during the fight. “There we go.” she mumbled and quickly tied her hair back with a ribbon before exiting her room and walking towards the main deck where Lars was waiting for her, leaning against the main mast.

“Ready?” he inspected her loose fitting outfit.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” she shrugged lightly as Lars handed her a sword.

He looked as if he expected her to crumble at the weight of the sword, yet she handled it expertly. He raised an eyebrow and grabbed his own sword.

“Don’t go easy on me just because I’m a girl.” Ami narrowed her eyes at Lars.

Lars let out a laugh. “I would be more likely to go easy on you because you were the Princess than the fact that you’re a girl. If I damaged the package I was supposed to deliver in pristine condition, I’m pretty sure that your parents, and the King and Queen of Carenthia, would have my head.”

Ami laughed and shook her head. “All the same, don’t try to go easy on me. Strength is important, but speed, balance, and agility are equally so. Don’t take me for a wimp.”

Lars shrugged. “As you wish, Ami.” as he was in the middle of his sentence he advanced diagonally, aiming his sword at her right side. “First thing you must learn. Don’t get distracted.”

Ami quickly parried and bounced back before she stood in the offence and let her sword whoosh through the air before she heard the clank of metal against metal. “Who’s getting distracted?”

The pattern was set and continued for a little while before she broke out of the pattern and struck a blow near his shoulder. He blocked it before it caused him harm. “I believe the Princess is tiring out.”

Lars was strong, she was very sure of that. Stronger than all of her other mentors, in fact. He effortlessly swung his sword towards her again and she grunted as the impact hit her. She looked at his arm muscles tensing, momentarily distracting her, and giving Lars an opportunity to try and disarm her.

She held on tightly to her sword, unwilling to let him win. “Never been better.”

He swung diagonally and she parried the same way, putting all the pressure she could against his sword.

They were inches apart, both breathing heavily, the swords separating their faces. “Truce?” Lars spoke softly for no reason at all.

Ami nodded, as if she had been momentarily incapable of speaking.

Lars let his sword fall and Ami followed his suit, although she was still slightly stunned from a moment ago. What was I thinking? Lars tossed her a slightly damp rag. He’s not the Prince. I can’t do this. I can’t feel this way. Not now. Not ever.

She glanced at Lars wondering if he felt the same sparks she had. He looked unaffected by it all. But then again, one could hide so much behind a fake facade. She took a deep breath and walked over to Lars. “So, Master Lars. How did I do?”

He looked up from his sword. “Not bad. I was expecting worse. But you have room for improvement. And I could help you develop your skills.”

“I might have to take you up on your offer.” Ami smiled. “You never know when I may getting in a heated argument with the Prince.”

Lars’ eyes widened. “You aren’t serious are you?”

Ami laughed at Lars’ expression. “Of course not. I will probably hate him, but I wouldn’t try to make fights and kill him.”

Lars shook his head at her and took her sword. “Surely he isn’t as bad as all that.”

Ami raised an eyebrow.

“But then again, I suppose he is a prince, and Prince’s generally feel entitled to anything and everything.” Lars appeased.

Ami grinned. “Mother and Father are convinced that he’s an angel. Well, they always thought he was even when he got mud on my dress.”

“He did that?” Lars said. He started to wipe her blade with a cloth and sat down on the deck, crossing his legs.

“Yes,” Ami sat down next to him, “and he never apologized.”

“Infuriating Prince.” Lars muttered.

“Quite.” Ami agreed. “And I have to marry him.”

Lars looked up from the swords. “I have a question for you.”

“Yes?” Ami looked up at his greenish, bluish, eyes, and wondered why her heartbeat picked up for no reason.

“Why don’t you have a lady-in-waiting?” he inquired. “Don’t people like you usually have those?”

Ami tried not to feel disappointed at the generic question. What’s wrong with you? It’s not like he was going to ask you to marry him, she almost sniggered, Not like he could anyway.

Lars looked expectantly at her, waiting for her answer.

“Oh, right. Um.” she thought for a minute before answering. “I never really had one. I mean, I had maids and all of that, but not really a lady-in-waiting. I never liked any of the people they picked out for me-they were always too snarky and rude to me-, so I simply chose to go without. Besides I’m perfectly capable of getting dressed and doing all of that on my own. Although I suppose that in Carenthia they’ll try to give me one. Though I really don’t want one at all.”

“Interesting.” Lars replied slowly, digesting what she had just said.

He stood up and Ami followed his suit. “Did you like living in Rhone?” he spoke once they were at the edge of the deck, looking out over the infinite ocean.

“I did. I had everything I ever needed. I couldn’t really have asked for more.” she shrugged before turning the attention to Lars. “Did you like living in Svenland?”

She saw his jaw visibly clench and he waited a moment before his voice sounded. “No. I didn’t.”

Ami bit her lip and regretted asking the question. He shelled up, undoing all of her hard work to make him open up to her.

He surprised her by continuing. “I used to, until I met Valeska.”