I wake up late the the next day to Frida shaking me and I sit up, confused until I remember the events of the previous night.
"Have we really been kidnapped?" I ask her
She nods solemnly and I turn around to Carlos and Maverick.
"When do we arrive in Alkarda?" I ask them
"Not for a while. We need to take a ship there," Maverick mutters
I turn to my left and try not to slink back in my seat as the view of a large ship enters my vision.
"We have to turn you over to the royal guard once we arrive," Carlos explains
I frown. "Aren't you guys part of the royal guard?"
Maverick grunts. "Princess, we aren't even from there,"
"You're from Valeria," I state.
"Obviously," Carlos mutters
"How could you betray your kingdom like that?" Frida exclaims
"It was quite easy actually," he tells her. "And the money was a nice bonus."
Maverick rolls his eyes. "It isn't about the money."
"Then what is it about?"
Maverick raises an eyebrow and turns around focusing on the road leading into the docks. I stare at Frida in shock, this didn't seem as simple as I had originally thought and a feeling of dread fills me as we approach an alleyway near the docks. The cart rolls to a shuddering stop and Maverick leaps out, tugging the hood of his cape down from where it has slid up to his forehead to obscure his face from view.
"You need to put these on," he says, handing us boots as well as two cloaks one in a deep red shape and another in a purple colour, so dark it could be black. I reach for it, curling the fabric around my shoulders and pulling the hood up over my hair. Frida takes the red and tightens the clasp before turning to Carlos who had come to stand beside her.
"Could you please release these?" She exclaims, raising her hand to display the cuffs.
He rolls his eyes and produces a key from his pocket. Swiftly the handcuffs drop into her lap and she grits her teeth.
"Thank you."
Maverick reaches over and removes the chains, but leaves the cuffs. "They block your magic," He reveals. "We can't have you getting away."
I sigh, biting my tongue before I say anything to get us in even more trouble. We jump down from the cart and Maverick grabs my arm, withdrawing a dagger and resting the tip of the blade against my back.
"If you try anything we'll stab you and your friend," he breathes in my ear. I look at Frida and see the glint of silver from beneath Carlos's cape. They take my silence as a yes and we begin navigating our way through the crowds. I keep my gaze locked on the ground, curving my body away from the sharp metal. We reach the ship and Maverick shoves me behind a box of crates.
"Get in."
"What?" Frida and I whisper-shout in unison
"This is a work ship. The only way we're getting on is if we stowaway."
I roll my eyes. "You're crazy, there is no way that'll work."
He pokes me with the dagger and pushes open the crate. "In," he demands
I grit my teeth, glancing around and clambering into the crate. It's short and narrow, but I sit down, pulling my knees up to my chest and burrowing my head into them. Seconds later Maverick jumps in as well closing the wooden lid and trapping us in.
"What are you doing?" I hiss
He shifts uncomfortably until he is positioned similarly to me, our feet millimetres away from each other. "I can't exactly leave you alone, although from what I gather you aren't likely to leave your servant."
"Watch it, you almost gave me a complement," I shoot back, "and she isn't a servant- she's a friend."
Maverick opens his mouth to reply, but the crate jolts and shudders and we are lifted into the air. The box swings from side to side and I try to keep still, pursing my lips together with the effort. Abruptly, the box is tipped forwards and I crash into Maverick, the cuffs making it impossible to stop myself. The footsteps fade and I wait for him to make a cutting remark about my inability to stay upright, but instead he just pushes me roughly upwards, knocking the crate back into it's original position. Beside us I hear the sound of another crate being dropped next to us and a small cry of indignation leaves it.
"Are you alright?"
The question isn't directed at me and Maverick rolls his eyes.
"We're fine, Carlos."
I push the lid up and scramble to my feet, leaping out of the box. I open the neighbouring crate and two flushed and exasperated faces blink up at me.
"That was rather interesting," I say dryly, offing my hand to help Frida up.
"Oh would you be quiet," snaps Maverick and I widen my eyes in mock-apology.
"So terribly sorry, your highness," I exclaim, sarcasm dripping from every word.
Maverick's nostrils flare and he grabs my arm roughly, pulling me close to him so our faces are inches apart. He opens his mouth and I prepare myself for an angry blow.
"Mav," Carlos's warning cuts through the air and the rage leaves Maverick. He loosens his grip and I pull my arm away, keeping my face indifferent despite the nervousness that churns inside me.
"What's the plan then?" Frida asks eventually, her calm voice slicing through the tension.
I stare expectantly at our two captors.
"We have to stay down here," Maverick tells us, gesturing around at the dark space.
I bite back my response and stroll over to the corner, perching on a crate. "How long until we reach Alkarda?"
"It'll take less than one day to reach land, but then we have to travel by wagon for a while," Carlos replies
"How long is a while?" I wonder
"Would you stop asking questions?" Maverick growls. "Seriously. You're like an annoying little insect that keeps buzzing around."
"That makes two of us then," I retort. "And, technically, that's your fault considering you kidnapped me."
He grits his teeth and stomps over to the other side of the room.
It feels like a victory.
"Look, we all need to keep quiet," Frida points out. "I don't think the captain would be happy to know that there are four stowaways on his ship, especially since one of them is the missing princess. We both know how your father would react," she says to me before turning to the boys, "and you two would be dead. So can we please try to not argue?"
It's a long speech, particularly for Frida, and I find myself nodding in agreement.
"Fine," Maverick says shortly before deliberately turning his back to me.
I roll my eyes and lean back against the boat, the gentle rocking motion oddly soothing. Frida comes to sit beside me and hands me a bread roll which I devour hungrily.
"Thank you. Where'd you get it?" I ask
"Carlos gave me some," She replies, popping the bread in her mouth much more gracefully than I did, before resting her head on my shoulder. I smile, despite all her boldness I know she absolutely despises conflict.
"Will your mum be worried?" I ask her softly
She shrugs. "I don't know, sometimes she seems interested in me, other times she completely forgets I'm alive. I haven't seen her since the holiday's and it isn't like she writes to me much."
I bite my lip, "I'm sorry, Frida. It's my fault you've been dragged into this."
"Of course it's not!" She cries, aghast. "Don't say that. I would rather be here with you than back home worrying about where you are."
There doesn't seem to be anything else to say so instead I just smile and rest my head on hers and, for a moment, I actually believe everything is going to be okay.
***
The boat shudders and jolts and I am tossed into the wooden sides, my head hitting it hard.
"Ouch," a voice mutters from beside me and I open my eyes to see Frida rubbing her side, a pained expression on her face. On the other side Carlos and Maverick are standing up and examining the hull.
"What is it?" I ask, trying to keep my voice calm.
Maverick glances over and for a moment I see a flash of worry in his eyes before it's replaced by cold indifference.
"There's a hole in the boat, we must have hit something pretty hard," Carlos answers
I walk over leaning down to see the hole, pumping a steady flow of water into the space. My soft shoes are already damp and a small puddle is forming around us.
"It should be easy enough to fix," Maverick says, "but the sailors will have to come down here."
"And then they'll see us," I finish
We all know what that means. It was different while we were on land, but out on the ocean the sailors are at liberty to just throw us overboard.
"This is not good," Maverick states
I raise an eyebrow. "Congratulations, Captain Obvious."
Frida nudges me and I fall silent.
"We need to get out of here," Carlos says
"Where? In case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of the ocean."
I bite back a grin at Frida's words and Carlos sighs. "Just follow us."
We slip out of the door and begin to creep up the wooden staircase.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I ask
But my words are interrupted by the loud hammering of footsteps from above us.
"This way."
Maverick leads us back though the storage area and out another door. We climb up another staircase and for a moment I trip over the long cloak, grazing my chin slightly as I hit the floor, unable to stop myself because of the cuffs.
Maverick grabs my arm and hauls me up the last step. Below a shout sounds and the footsteps come closer pounding along the deck and up the stairs. Maverick opens the door behind us and across the corridor Carlos pulls Frida into a room. We tumble inside the small space and I realise it must be some kind of storage closet. Maverick is still gripping my arm and I wriggle free as the footsteps pound past.
"Was that really necessary?" I hiss, rubbing it.
Maverick tugs the hood back down over his forehead and rolls his eyes. "I suppose you would have rather been chucked overboard?"
I raise an eyebrow, looking him up and down. "Yes."
Maverick swings open the door and it smacks me in the face. "Oops," he says purposely.
I stride through and stamp on his foot as I pass. "Oops."
Maverick heaves a sigh of annoyance. "Stop being so childish."
"You started it!" I accuse, indignation rising inside me.
"Oh, would both of you be quiet?" Carlos sneers. "We don't have much time."
"Before what?"
"Before the sailors finish fixing the hull. Then we can go back down there and hide for the rest of the trip."
"Trip? You make it sound like we're on a holiday," Frida mutters.
A smile flickers across my face and I stifle a giggle. "What do we do until then?"
"We can wait in here." Carlos tells me, pushing open the door behind him.
I peer into the room and see a sailors cabin. Two beds are mounted on the wall and a small porthole window allows watery sunlight filter in.
"What happens if someone comes back?" Maverick asks in a gruff tone.
"I don't think anyone's using this cabin at the moment," Frida responds. "No sheets on the beds, nothing on the table beside."
Maverick shrugs and we all go inside.
It's a tight fit. The cabin can only be a couple feet wide and long, but I hop onto one of the bunks and Frida does the same. Maverick leans against the other, tapping his foot irritably, while Carlos stretches out lazily on it.
"What time is it?" I ask Frida, softly.
She shrugs, "I don't know."
"It's midnight- so I recommend you go to sleep," Carlos mutters from the neighbouring bed.
I lie back against the wall and close my eyes. The others are settling down too, Carlos is already snoring slightly and beside me Frida is curled up her eyes squeezed shut, murmuring words in a different language I don't understand.
Maverick sits by the door, watching, a stern expression on his face, the hood still pulled over his hair. He glances up and catches me watching, the dark look in his eyes enough to send shivers down my spine.
Time drags on. Frida drifts off to sleep and even Maverick's head falls against the wall, his eyes closed. I'm not so lucky, my head buzzes with thoughts that refuse to land and every time I close my eyes they spring open again. I sit, half dreaming, wondering what will happen when we arrive in Alkarda. My stomach growls and I realise how long it's been since we had anything to eat. I run a hand through my unruly hair. It had been tied into thick plaits by Frida the night before we were kidnapped, but has now fallen out in a tangled mess. My fingers catch on something hard and metallic. The hairpin falls down and I pick it up, an idea forming in my brain. I examine the handcuffs, looking for a place to insert the pin. I know how to pick locks, father has trapped me inside enough times for me to get out without a key, but it was a lot harder this time. I keep working, twisting my wrists, navigating the small lock. The cuffs are peculiar, for a start they have the unfathomable ability of blocking my magic. I can still feel it coursing through my veins, dangerous, powerful, but when I try to use my magic it is as if I have met a brick wall. Despite all the trouble my magic causes I realise I miss it. Finally, I hear a click and the cuffs drop into my lap.
I'm free.