They have taken the princess! – Casper

He had not expected the attack. They had been out for a stroll, a day like any other, when they had been ambushed. Four pirates had jumped them, and skillful they had been. He had fought to save the princess, he had been stabbed and disarmed… and then he had been tied and taken to their ship, helplessly watching as the brute pirate captain took the princess to his cabin, before Ambrose was tied up in the cargo hold…

Now he sat here, hurt and unarmed… waiting… for what? Why they had not killed him he did not know. Perhaps they thought they could get some information out of him? They would live to regret it. He would find a way out and save Erica. Letting him live would be their last mistake!

Casper had been send below deck to watch the prisoner, and assess the damage. If he was seriously injured, they need to have the medic look at him. Casper was often asked to deal with the highborne prisoners, he knew their language, and could be a calming presence.

Han kom ned i last rummet med en tændt lanterne, der var altid mørkt under dæk. Som han bevægede sig mod fangen, faldt lanternens lys på et velkendt ansigt. Han stoppede overraskede et par meter fra ham og blinkede ... was it really ..?

Lyden af fodtrin... de var her. Måske han ikke ville få mere tid. Han så hurtigt imod den fremmede da lyset fyldte rummet og...

Han blinkede med øjnene. Et øjeblik overvejede han om han hallucinationerende... måske han havde mistet mere blod end han havde troet? For det kunne da ikke være...

"...Casper?"

... it was. Casper blinkede igen. "Ambrose" han rømmede sig lidt og rettede sig op. "Well .. what a suprise". Han rømmede sig lidt forlegent. "Long time, no see"

"Long time no.. I thought you were dead!" udbrød han forvirret og så op på den smukke mand, badet i lygtens lys... was he real? "How are you here?"

Casper rynkede brynene og kløede sig i nakken. "Oh .." han rømmede sig. "Right, hadn't thought of that. Uhm .. well, I'm not!"

"Hadn't thought of that? What do you mean?" forlangte en meget overvældet og chokeret Ambrose! He had been out trying to avenge this man for years!

Casper rømmede sig. "Well .. hrm" han tøvede lidt. "Just .. didn't think you'd think I was dead"

"What did you think I would think?" spurgte han forvirret "I heard you died in battle with pirates! How are you still alive?"

Casper tøvede og rynkede brynene lidt. "Well .. right. I didn't die" rettede han. "I was wounded, but Barth patched me up .. but I suppose that didn't really get around"

"Barth?" spurgte Ambrose skeptisk da han ikke genkendte navnet "who is that?"

Casper kunne godt lidt fornemme at den her samtale ikke var på vej det bedste sted hen .. "Well, the ship doctor. He'll be down shortly, I'm sure"

".... the pirate ship doctor?" spurgte Ambrose

"Right, I suppose there's no way about that. Yep" svarede Casper med et svagt suk

"Why would he... and then what? He helped you and what? Why are you still here? Do they hold you captive?" spurgte Ambrose, men Casper gik jo rundt uden lænker........

Casper havde godt set samtalen var på vej her hen. "Not as such" sagde han, lidt undvigende ...

"Then how?" forlangte Ambrose der blev mindre og mindre chokeret og mere og mere vred!

Casper tøvede og sukkede. "Now, listen Ambrose ... there's no need to be upset"

"No need to be upset?" udbrød Ambrose "I've been fighting for years to avange your name!"

"Oh" Casper prøvede med et smil. "Well, now you don't have to any longer"

Ambrose knyttede næverne "of course I won't! What are you still doing here?"

Casper sukkede svagt. "Deep breaths" rådede han. "I'm navigating"

"Your navigating?!" udbrød Ambrose forfærdet "for the pirates?"

Casper sukkede lidt. "Yeah, the pirates ..."

Ambrose så vredt på ham "I don't believe my ears... you would betray your country like this?"