What has she gotten herself into now? So typical, she gets into trouble and it’s my job to get her out of it. AJ was considering what to do. Was this what his father told him to do or Eli’s solo plan? AJ thought it would be the first option, and was afraid that he did not stand much chance in that case. He was strong, but not enough to face a whole army. I don’t think I can use any help, either.

Although they had decided to wait, Eli, who knew the truth, confronted AJ once more. He did not like the pirate, it was only natural – but it appeared that it was important for Dongho to have AJ on his side. Moreover, he did not want one certain naïve pirate girl’s feelings to be crushed this way.

“What are you doing here again?”

“Just thought I would give you one last chance. If you change your mind, come to this place,” he took out a piece of paper and slapped it on AJ’s chest, using it as an excuse to “hit” him. Before AJ had a chance to react, he had left.

Namjung was starting to panic. It was obvious what the filthy pirate wanted, but the question was what exactly he wanted to do with her. Use her as a hostage and blackmail her grandfather? Oh, she hoped it was this and not forcing her to marry him or anything like this. She would rather marry prince Sanghyun! She shrugged and looked around the dark room she was locked in. It seemed she was right inside their ship, judging from the smell and the regular motion of the whole room.

She could only calm herself with the thought of Soohyun – and the others – saving her. She really wanted to be back in their house. She felt safe there. Either way, she guessed her happy-end-like-wedding plans were over. Even if she got saved, the time was running. I didn’t really have a chance before this, she said to herself, as if it would calm her down.

Eli came back to his room to find Hyona enjoying all kind of delicious food.

“And here I was worried they would treat you badly!” he exclaimed, dumbfounded.

“The advantage of knowing an obedient servant, oh, ex-servant,” she said. “Wait, did you just say you were worried?”

“I… you… you were all teary and begging me to help you and- and they treat you better than me! I never got so much food from them!”

“Yah! Are you mocking me? You would be scared too!”

“I wouldn’t, I’m a big bad pirate.”

“Me too!”

“Oh, don’t make me laugh. First of all, you’re small. And-”

“Do you wanna fight?!”

“Stop it, you know you stand no chance against me. Anyway, give me something to eat. I’m hungry.”

“No, it’s mine!”

“Oh come on, you have much more food here than you can eat! I’m working hard here, taking care of you, protecting you, and you won’t even  give me a slice of bread?”

Hyona stopped bickering and got serious. “Sorry...” she took some of the food and raised it to offer it to him. “Thank you.”

AJ was running out of ideas. Eli was seriously starting to get on his nerves now. But he needed him, otherwise he would not go back to him to give him a second chance. Still, AJ was hesitating what to do. He did not want the crazy girl who had been crushing on him to get hurt, no matter how annoying she could be. He still did see her as a friend.  An annoying friend who he shoos away. But still somehow a friend.

He was torn from his thoughts by some servants telling him his father wanted to see him. Oh, great. Just what he needed to make his day even more splendid. He followed the servant, wondering why they were leading him all the way downstairs, where no one ever went. He was left in a dark corridor, smelling of salt water more than the rest of the ship, and waited.

“My dear son,” Captain Mordney’s voice could be heard after a while, colored with a pinch of evilness. AJ did not say a word.

“All these years of bringing you up… it kind of makes me emotional to think back.”

“Why this speech?” AJ asked lazily.

“Straight to the point, huh? Fine with me. You know what my goal has always been.” The throne of Neverland and to rule all the seas, AJ thought. “And I need you to help me out.”

“How could I help you anyway?”

Good question, Captain Mordney asked. “You’ll see eventually. Well, for now, I think it’s time you started taking initiative in some actually useful tasks. You can start with watching over our new guest.”

AJ furrowed eyebrows. He did not like it, even though he was not entirely sure why. And what did he mean by a “guest”? As AJ knew his father, by something of that sort he would actually mean a hostage. But… who? How? Why? Ah, what the hell.

“Which would be…”

“Why don’t you see for yourself?”

AJ suddenly realized where they were standing. A dark hallway leading to the cells where they usually kept prisoners and captives. As much as AJ did not care for his father’s plans, he was curious. So he peeked.

Inside the gloomy room, he saw a young woman. Obviously weary and dirty, but elegant looking, wearing nice clothes.

“Hey... is that who I think…”
 

“I believe so," his father replied. “The princess of Neverland.”

Dammit, AJ needed to go aside and think about what this meant. Father probably wants to use her to get the throne of Neveland. What does he want me to do then? That aside… does this have anything to do with Eli? The timing… what does he want, to get the princess and bring her to his father so that they could be the ones using her to get the throne? Oh God, is he serious about this blackmailing stuff? Whatever, I won’t let that stupid pirate boss me around.