The Princess's Bride (15 page)

"Oh I see. You are still upset with me for not writing you." Chelsey sat down on the edge of her bed and tapped her scarred cheek.

"You think the only reason I'm upset is because you never wrote me? Have you forgotten what you did to me last night?" Daisy held up a piece of her torn bodice for Chelsey to inspect.

"I can assure you if we fight about that, you will not win." Chelsey pressed her fingers into the sides of her head and cracked her neck.

Daisy's anger for her former lover was very strong, but as she watched Chelsey sit, looking tired and dejected, she wanted nothing more than to hold her close and spend the day in her arms and in bed.

She sat down in a chair and folded her hands on her lap. "Yes, I'm very upset. You promised you would write and… come back for me." Daisy's voice broke, but she cleared her throat and continued. "That first year you were gone was very hard for me. I stood by my bedroom window practically day and night, waiting for you to come walking down the path, to sneak into my bedroom and carry me away. But you never did. I waited and waited. And when papa died from a stroke, I still waited, thinking there was no one else who could stop us from being together. But days and then months went by and you never returned. I... decided you either had forgotten me or found another to lo-take pleasure in, or you were dead. Silly me. Here you are very much alive and whole, playing with your swords and guns as if you haven't a worry in the world."

Chelsey folded her arms over her knees and stared off in the distance, as if she was lost in a memory. "Daisy, my plan was to come back to you. And I meant to write, but everything happened so fast. The morning I left you, mother and I traveled all day to my uncle, where he took us straight away on his ship. We sailed away soon after. I was away at sea for almost three months, and during that time I found out a shocking thing about my Uncle Wallace. He was a pirate."

Daisy didn't respond but, when Chelsey glanced at her, she motioned for her to continue.

"He’d kept his lifestyle a secret from even my mum. We had no other options and joined him on his travels. I learned how to run a ship from top to bottom while mum cooked for the crew. I found the open sea was in my blood and thought it was a perfect way to make my fortune, even if by begotten means. The reason I became a pirate was for you, Daisy." Chelsey looked down at her lap and peeked through her eyelashes. Daisy sat there in silence, looking at her coldly. "I knew it wasn't right, but Uncle Wallace made sure no one was hurt from our pillaging. Most of the ships we captured were only filled with rich foods and silks and no passengers. Most of the time, we tied up the crew and left them without hurting a hair on their heads. But then the papers got hold of the story, and people started talking, spreading rumors and telling lies."

"I assume you will get to the point of why you have been targeting Lord Humphrey."

Chelsey stood and walked over to the desk. She sat on the edge. Daisy pushed the chair back, glancing at the closed door.

"Do you wish for me to finish with my story? If you think you can make it to the door and leave this room before I can catch you, go ahead. I can promise you, I will have my arms wrapped around you and you’ll be naked in my bed before you can blink. And there will be no talking, because our mouths will be otherwise engaged."

Daisy laid her hands on the arms of the chair. She nodded. "Very well Captain, continue."

Chelsey gave Daisy a small grin, but it went unreturned. Daisy sat more comfortably, crossing her arms.

"Where was I? Oh yes, about your Lord Humphrey. Things were fine and dandy, and I finally managed to save enough to leave my uncle's care." Chelsey lifted her palm up when Daisy opened her mouth. "I know I should have sent word, but time flew by and then it was almost three years later. I swear to you I was going to come back to Flaundia and take you with me. Uncle Wallace wanted me to join him on one last run. What he didn't know was that it was all a setup. He thought we would be attacking another ship carrying some expensive alcohol and exotic spices. As we were about to shoot upon the ship, it hit us with so many cannons, the likes of which I've never seen before. We were ambushed by Humphrey, who was still in the King's navy at the time. We couldn't compete with a ship that size, filled with such massive weapons.

We were fired upon and almost taken over. But then a sudden sea squall came out of nowhere and we made our escape. Uncle Wallace was able to take us to safety, to a secret place called Pirate's Cove that is only known among…"

"Pirates?" Daisy lifted an eyebrow.

Chelsey leered and winked. "I knew you were a smart one, princess."

Daisy was not amused by the reaction on her face. "Lord Humphrey attacked your ship, but you were able to get away. You are still holding a grudge after all this time? He was only doing what was good and right since you and your family were breaking the law."

"Daisy." Chelsey tapped her fingers on her knee. "I'm holding a grudge, not because Humphrey was keeping law and order, but because that man didn't just stop at attacking our ship.

You don't understand what he is capable of. He made sure we would pay for outwitting him. A month or so afterwards, while we repaired the ship, an assassin came on board in the middle of the night and slit my uncle's throat while he was resting in his cabin. The assassin didn't stop there, though. He went into the galley, where my mother was, and…" Chelsey coughed into her hand. "Instead of leaving her be, he ended up raping her and finished her off the same way he killed my uncle."

Daisy sat up straight in her chair. "Wilda? But why… what about the crew? Where were you?"

"I was asleep in my bed and awakened by a loud scream. It was my mum. I grabbed my sabre and rushed out of my room. I found the bastard on top of her. He had just… finished and was wiping his knife. I didn't stop to think and stabbed him in the back. A few of the crew came running in and found me trying to strangle the life out of him. They pulled me away so they could find out who sent him. It wasn't pretty, princess, but we kept him alive until morning and made him tell us what he knew. I will leave out those sordid details, but he told us Humphrey had sent him to finish the job, to kill my uncle. My mum was…" Chelsey broke off and walked over to one of the portholes, looking out at the vast ocean. "I can't bear to see the hate in your eyes if you knew what I did to that scum-sucking bastard's life. I-I ended up killing him. An eye for an eye."

She didn't turn around when Daisy rose up from the chair and walked across the floor to stand behind her. Daisy laid a palm on Chelsey's back.

Chelsey moved away and sat down on the bed, folding her hands on her lap. "Killing my uncle was one thing, but raping and killing my mother was something I couldn't allow to go unpunished. My uncle owned a bit of land, so we buried him and my mother there on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, as he had requested. He willed me two ships: the one where he and my mother had been murdered and the one we are on now,
The Lady Desire
. I burned the other ship… couldn't stand to be on it with all that death. I took another year to fix this ship up and brought my uncle's old crew on board. We sailed out, and I became the legend you know now, the scourge of the high seas, the only lady pirate in existence, Captain C.W. Dread. 'C' for Chelsey, 'W' in honor of my Uncle Wallace and my mother Wilda. From then on, my goal was to make Humphrey suffer and hit him where it hurts. I attacked only his ships, stealing his expensive stock, hoping he would lose everything like I did."

"But Chelsey, you haven't lost everything." Daisy walked over to her until she stood in front of her. "Yes, you lost your uncle and your mother in a horrid way, but don’t you see this revenge and hatred you have for Humphrey will destroy you? How have you lived with yourself for these past five years?"

"Princess, you don't understand. You never will." Chelsey stood up from the bed and cupped Daisy's cheek. Daisy titled her head into Chelsey's palm and didn't push her away.

"And what does my kidnapping have to do with your revenge?"

Chelsey swallowed and rubbed a thumb across Daisy's mouth. "I had no idea you were Humphrey's fiancée. I thought he was marrying some rich, privileged debutante. By stealing his woman and ransoming her off for a large amount of money he probably couldn’t pay, I would make him look like a fool and show all his fancy peers of the realm that he doesn't even have a pot to piss in."

Daisy cringed, backing away. "How much am I worth?"

"Ten million pounds."

"Oh. Well, it is nice to know that I'm worth that much. I should be honored." Daisy turned away, but Chelsey's grabbed hold of her arm.

"Princess—"

Daisy tore her arm out of Chelsey's grip. "Stop calling me that! I can't stand to hear that endearment coming from your deceitful mouth. What if you had known all along I was Humphrey's fiancée? Then what? Would you still have stolen me? Locked me in this room and forced my body to respond to your sexual expertise? Kept your identity a secret and left me guessing?"

Chelsey held up shaking fists. "You just don't understand."

"I see I have hit a sore spot. I recognize that look all too well, even without your mask on to disguise you. Go ahead!" Daisy did something very unlike her and pushed Chelsey, hard.

Chelsey stepped back and her mouth dropped in shock. "You think that if you kiss me into submission and throw me on your bed and have your wicked way with me, I'll lose all reason.

You are welcome to try, but it will be force and most definitely rape this time."

Chelsey lifted a hand to her brow. "Gads, my head feels like it's going to explode. I don't know what you want me to say, Daisy. I will not apologize for what I have become and what I plan to do. I wish things had turned out differently. If only your father—"

"If only my father, what? If he hadn’t found us that day in the barn?" Daisy walked right up to Chelsey and ran a finger down her scar. Chelsey closed her eyes for a moment, savoring Daisy's touch upon her cheek.

"Yes," Chelsey whispered and pressed her mouth to Daisy's.

Daisy stepped back, and when Chelsey opened her eyes, she swallowed hard. Daisy wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, giving her a disgusted look.

Chelsey dropped her

head down, her arms lying at her side. "We knew our time together, that summer long ago, was bound to end. There was no way for two women, one of privilege, the other of the servant class, to have any future. Fate was against it. And this certainly proves that it was never meant to be."

She ignored the burning in her eyes and refused to wipe them in front of Daisy. Taking in a deep breath, she lifted her head again, standing proud. "I see your point Prin-my lady." She sniffed, laced back up her chemise and refastened her shirt.

Daisy stood there, twisting her hands as she watched. "Please—" She held out a hand, but Chelsey batted it away.

"No. I think you have said enough. I have spent too much time down below humoring you when I should be up top giving out orders. You can rest assured I will not force my suit on you any longer." Chelsey straightened her shirt and walked over to the fainting couch where her back eye mask lay. She pulled it over her head and the top half of her face, tying it in a tight knot.

"I will have another tray sent to you that I hope you will partake from. You haven't eaten anything since we came aboard my ship."

"Chelsey, please don't be angry at me. You say you can't apologize for the way you are.

Well, you shouldn't be disappointed in what I have said or expect me to apologize for the way I think. You must understand." Daisy moved forward, but she was pushed aside as Chelsey walked over to her desk and grabbed the tray of uneaten bread, cheese and fruit.

Chelsey walked to the door and looked over her shoulder. "Whatever you desire. Now if you’ll excuse me, I will leave you to your solitude." She opened the door and walked out without another word. The door closed with a soft click

Daisy stood in the middle of the cabin, holding back tears. When she heard a muffled feminine yell in the hallway and the crash of dishes and a loud bang, she walked over to a porthole and watched the waves crash up against the side of the ship as her tears fell down her cheeks, unchecked.

Not once did she whisper Chelsey's name.

Daisy watched the sun dip below the horizon of the peaceful sea with a heavy heart.

Nothing would relieve her gloomy mood. Not even the small feast delivered by a young teenage boy, barely old enough to shave, gave her respite. Neither did the bucket of freshly scented mint water he also carried in and placed behind the bathing screen where she could sponge away the grime and sweat from her skin. Her full stomach and clean body did nothing to put her heart at ease.

She knew there was no reason for her to feel so miserable over the way Chelsey had left.

But this sense of loss, only equal to the time Chelsey had climbed down her bedroom window when she was seventeen and never returned, caused her to pace back and forth across the cabin.

The swaying of the ship should have soothed her tender nerves, but it caused her stomach to tighten instead.

"What to do… what to do?" Daisy mumbled and chewed on her thumbnail as she thought back to the argument she and Chelsey’d had together. She couldn't get past the sad and lonely look on Chelsey's face as she left her alone in the room.

Daisy walked over and grabbed the doorknob. The young pirate sailor had failed to lock it after he had left. She wasn't certain if it was intentional or not, but regardless, she turned the handle and pushed the door open. She poked her head out, glancing up and down the hallway.

No one stood guard. The wall across from her had a dark red stain covering it. An empty metal mug lay on its side on the floor. Its liquid had made a congealed puddle. A few slices of bread and chunks of fruit had also splattered on the ground.

She knew the mess had to be from her original untouched tray. The loud yelling and banging noise she had heard earlier must have come from Chelsey. Daisy walked out of the cabin and stood there for a moment, deciding which way to turn, when she glanced down at her chest and remembered that she was half naked for the whole world to see.