The World of Rhune

Hannah caught her breath on the outer edge of the amidships, she was grinning with the sight of it all. It was late and it was dark, well at least around them, the five ships were lit up like a firework. They were having a party on the account of one of the first mates birthday, though Hannah believed it was just a chance to have fun. The deck beneath her shook as sailors stomped on it, keeping rhythm with the music, which was being supplied by a couple of sailors who happened to know how to play. Hannah would guess her ship was the most wild, compared to Amir's who was probably one of the more subdued, given that he wouldn't let any of the sailors under him to drink more than two mugs of beer. Hannah allowed her sailors to be a little less restrained, though she had picked ten sailors to not drink, and watch that the ship was alright with an offer of three gold coins each upon her return.

Hannah looked out over the rail to the black waves below. They crashed against the side of the boat, spraying her with the freezing water. "It's pretty, isn't it?" Hannah sighed, she was quickly becoming used to Jasiri's voice in the last two days. "It is. The Ocean is always beautiful, nothing compares," she replied quietly, which was hard since of the roar of the party behind her. "Well I could think of a few," Jasiri said with a voice matching hers. "Like what?" Hannah turned towards him as he leaned on the rail beside her. "Well one's right beside me," He trailed off. Hannah punched him lightly, Oh, shut up. You're only making fun." Jasiri rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, because 'the Jewel of Cancri' couldn't be considered beautiful enough to compete with the Ocean. I'm telling you, it's getting hard to control these sailors, especially with you dancing with all the young ones."

Hannah smiled a little, the dancing wasn't totally innocent. She knew very well what she had been doing; it was always fun to tease some boys. She stuck her tongue out at Jasiri in retaliation; he was one boy she hadn't tempted. He seemed too..too nice and innocent, Hannah thought to herself. He wasn't like the other guys she knew. Probably more fun to tease. "Well we wouldn't want to keep them waiting, let's go," Hannah said, sounding exasperated. She took his hand and tried to pull back into the mush-pot of the deck. "Fine, but no ale or whisky for you, the Princess has to be on her toes for tomorrow," He said grudgingly. "We're not going to get in until tomorrow night, if that. Besides," Hannah continued jokingly, "Ale is not real my thing, I'm more of a high class, wine kind of girl." Jasiri mumbled something that sounded like, "Tell that to the lads in line to get you drunk," but said in a louder voice, "What about the whisky?" "That's for my wilder night," Hannah winked and turned away from his face, hiding her smirk.

She pulled him into the crowd, how forty sailors could seem like a hundred, she had no idea but it did. Hannah went immediately into the dancing, dancing with five lads her own age that seemed to just appear at her side. It was mostly only the younger sailors dancing anyways, with the lack of women, though there were a few on the boats, but most much older or very young. The younger lads were trying to show each other up or dance with her. She knew it probably wasn't lady like but, hey, it was fun. She had even changed into her white cotton dress for it. She was glad Amir wasn't on her boat or she'd probably be below decks with a guard outside her door at the moment. It wouldn't be the first time she'd been referred to as "the wild child." Another thing to be glad for that he wasn't there; it wasn't exactly..ballroom dancing to say the least. Nothing that would be approved for a Princess, that sometimes bugged the crap of Hannah but she took it quietly. She enjoyed the few nights of escape like this.

Still she kept her distance from Jasiri, and it probably looked a little mean but he was too brotherly to do that with. One of the other boys, she had noticed, that he actually could dance, and she had the most fun with him. He was probably her age, taller than her. He had blonde hair, which had more of a brown tint than Amir's, and hazel eyes Instead of her regular dancing at the moment, she let him spin her and lift her up by her waist. It was amazingly fun; at least this was halfway decent, no unsavory closeness that her parent's would probably chain her to the wall for. She just couldn't help it; it was everything she'd never been allowed, not to say she hadn't participated before. She smirked to herself a little as she thought of how could she'd become at escaping the palace unseen. She smiled widely as the boy lifted her up into the air and spun her. Before he set her back on the ground though, he pulled her close to him and kissed her straight on the lips, for quite awhile. Hannah didn't fight it, instead she pressed her lips against his, but finally pulled away after a few seconds. He set her down and made a gracious, almost mocking bow. Following his lead, she curtsied to him and then broke out in another grin.

I'll be able to tell my mates that a pulled a move on the Princess," He teased her slightly. This was what Hannah liked so much about it, the atmosphere made people friendly and teasing. "Yep, you can even tell them she wasn't drunk," Hannah said back. "By the way, I'm Will." Hannah replied back, still joking, "Hmm, you know, Will, I think we're going about this all wrong." "And how's that?" He responded, his voice mirroring the joking tone. "Well aren't you supposed to know each other's name before you kiss them?" Will pretended to ponder this for a moment, with mock concentration on his face, "Well you see, Hannah, I did know your name, so I think we're okay!" Hannah made her own pretend concentration face, "I think you're right, Will." "See, I knew one day someone would realize it." Will looked at her for a moment, and then he grabbed her hand, "C'mon, I want to show you something." Hannah followed willingly, just now noticing that most the other boys she'd been dancing with had melted away into trying to out-show each other. She did notice their glances towards the two of them as Will pulled her along. She saw Jasiri on the outskirts of the large group, his eyes following Will, so he didn't seem to notice her watching.

"Do you know how to climb up," Will's voice brought Hannah back to him and she noticed they stood at the bottom of the rigging. "Of course, are you a rigger?" She asked. "Yep, sure am, it's where I like to be, up high." "I'll race you," Hannah edged. "You're on, I have to warn you, I'm the fastest climber on the ship," Will's face lit up with a smirk. "We'll see about that," Hannah set her hands against the rope and pulled herself up so she was on the outward side, that left her open to the sea. Will swung up next to her, "Ready, set, go!"

Hannah scaled the ropes in good time, but Will was always at her side when she looked. When she looked again, his head was slightly above her. Both had tremendous speed, making it up to the crow's nest in seconds, but Will hopped in first. When Hannah reached him a few seconds later he extended his hand to her and helped lift her in, though she really didn't need the help. "I win," he said with a grin. "Fine," Hannah grumbled, but it was obvious she was only kidding about be mad. "This is what I wanted to show you," Will said in a lower voice, indicating something behind her.

Hannah turned around it the scene was absolutely breathtaking. The moon was huge and seemed to have taken the sun's place, tucked behind the horizon. The sky was lit up with millions of twinkling stars. The most beautiful aspect was the shooting stars that crossed the sky, heading for the moon it seemed. She hadn't noticed before with the bright lights of the party, but up here it was stunning. "It's amazing," Hannah breathed. Will only nodded, not wanting to break the peace. The stood there for who knows how long, Hannah couldn't guess At some point Will had taken Hannah's hand in his own and she leaned her head in the crook of his shoulder, where it seemed to fit perfectly.

It had been awhile, Hannah guessed, though it seemed to be short as she had listened to the Ocean and Will's breathing, but eventually he said to her, "I think we should get you back to your cabin before you fall asleep up here. Do you think you can make it down the ropes?" "Yeah I can do it," But Hannah didn't think she sounded very convincing when a huge yawn followed that statement. Will looked at her with raised eyebrows but she shook her head, "I'm sure." They quickly made it to the deck and Hannah had to lean on Will's shoulder so as not to go to sleep on the ground right there. He put his arm under both of hers and scooped her legs out from under her. "I'll just carry you," He said. Hannah tried to mumble a protest but he just rolled his eyes at her, "And you haven't even had anything to drink."

Hannah noticed someone come to Will's side and realized it was Jasiri when she heard his voice, "I can take her down." It seemed kind of rude and rough to her but she figured she might not be thinking clearly, with sleep deprivation. "I've got her, I know where her room is," that was Will's voice and it had a kind of snarl beneath it. Hannah could do nothing but wonder vaguely why they were acting so strange. "Fine but I'm coming down with you," Jasiri growled. "Whatever," that was Will again and suddenly Hannah could feel them moving to Will's easy stride. She figured they were going below deck when everything got dimmer and the feeling of claustrophobia started. Soon Will was setting Hannah down in her bed, Jasiri standing in the doorway. Will pulled up and blanket and covered Hannah with it and said a quick, "Goodnight." "Let's go," came Jasiri's growl, though it seemed fading now. She heard the click of the door and the sound of feet shuffling down the hallway but anything else was caught off as she plunged into the darkness of sleep.