Annabeth Chase

Annabeth pulled on her high boots and then tied her sword belt with her saber around her waist. After checking her reflection in the mirror she sighed. While she loved her long hair she didn't want to stick out as much on a ship with more than eight hundred men. That and it could cause her all sorts of trouble on board. She would have to cut it short. She had spent most of the night being briefed on the new world. Everything from known pirate hotspots to which nations controlled which colonies and finally a large number of the native tribes that live in the new world. Anything that could be useful in the new world. Anything that could help her serve England. Most importantly anything that could help her cause Spain and France trouble.

She pulled on her boots and then left the small hotel she had spent the night in and leisurely walked down in the direction of the harbor. It was still dark outside and while they would be leaving at noon Anna thought it would be better to get to work early. When she reached the docks she saw that the Dauntless was glowing as the repairs were being completed. At the same time, dozens of more men were carrying crates, barrels, and other stores on board, even a few goat.

She stepped onto the large warship and headed to her stateroom and stowed away her things before taking a long walk through Portsmouth. By the time she returned to the Dauntless it was dawn and the ship finally lay in silence. The dock workers had completed their work on the ship and only a few men were still bringing stores onboard. Also, the first crew members were returning from their pubs, brothels, or families. She waited until she spotted Mr. Beckendorf approaching the ship in his uniform and headed over to him when he reached the Quarterdeck. "Good morning Commander," she greeted him,

"Ms. Chase," the bulky man greeted her in return and bowed slightly.

"Just out of curiosity, when will we bringing out guests on board?"

"When the Captain commands it," Mr. Beckendorf replied. "I'm doing inventory, want to come along," he asked.

Over the next few hours, the last preparations were made. As they approached noon the crew started filling in, sailors and soldiers alike. Finally, she spotted the Captain himself standing at the dock with a middle-aged, brown-haired woman. The two embraced before Perseus boarded the ship and joined them on the ship. "Your mother?" she asked him.

"Yes," he confirmed. "She isn't happy about this reassignment but will also take a ship to Port Royal in one month. According to her, I need someone to keep me out of trouble."

"She sounds like a good mother," Annabeth said, asking herself why she and her own mother had the coldest mother-child relationship she had ever encountered.

Perseus smiled. "You have no idea. Ms. Chase, would you be so kind as to fetch our princess from the fortress and escort her back down to the bring. I am sure we can find accommodation that is more befitting her title once we are safely at sea," he suggested and waved down at his mother from the ship.

"Yes, sir," she said and hurried off the quarter-deck, through the ship, and towards the gangway.

"Hey, you two!" she ordered two of the new marines. One was a large Asian guy from the far east who had somehow ended up a red coat and the other was a Scotish looking lad. Both couldn't be older than twenty.

"Come with me, you are helping me with a prisoner transfer," she announced.

"Yes Ma'am," they said in unison and grabbed their rifles. She hurried down the gangway, followed by the two redcoats.

"What is your name?" she asked the Asian.

"Frank Zang, Ma'am. Before you asked I was born in Britain. My mother is from China, father was in his majesties army. It's a long story," he announced with an Oxford dialect.

"You'll have to tell me another time, ever seen a princess?" she asked as she led them through the fortresses gates.

"No Ma'am, I haven't," he admitted and the Scottish guy sniggered.

Annabeth only smiled and led the two men down into the dungeons. The princess sat in the corner of her cell with her knees pulled up against her chest. "Mr. Zang, this is your first princess," she announced and then turned to face the girl. "Bonjour princess. J'espère que tu as bien dormi," she greeted the princess.

"I did. Are you here to execute me?" Silena replied in her native tongue.

"No, you are returning to the comfort of your brig," Annabeth announced. "Unlock this cell," she then ordered one of the guards.

The prison guard unlocked the door and the two marines entered and grabbed the princess's arms and pulled her to her feet. The princess would have stumbled over the gown she was wearing but the two men stopped her from falling. "I can walk on my own!" she growled in English.

"Well, follow me, your majesty," Annabeth announced.

"What are you English hoping to achieve by kidnapping me?"

"You can ask whatever questions you want later. For now, you are going back to the brig!" Annabeth announced and led the princess back to her cell on board the ship.

At daybreak, the Dauntless set sail on a westbound heading with sails flying in the wind. The Union Jack flew with the wind as they started their journey towards the horizon.

"Ms. Chase, would you care to release our guest from her cell? She can share quarters with you unless you have any objections," the Captain announced.

"Of course not," Annabeth said and headed down to the brig where she let the princess out of her cage and led her back to the Captain.

Selina glared at the captain. "My Lord. I demand to be released at once."

"You are free to go your my lady. Feel free to leave anytime," Perseus offered in fluid French. Beckendorf grinned as well and apparently just than Selina noticed that she was standing in her underdress because she blushed deeply.

"Ms. Chase, would you be ever so kind as to share your quarters with our beloved French guest? Give her something to wear while you are at it!" Lord Jackson ordered. "She is after all of Royalty and deserves some curtacy."

Selina's features softened slightly and she bowed her head slightly. "In that case, I am inclined to accept your offer," Selina said in her native language and bowed.

"Ms, Chase?" the princess asked.

"Ahm yes? Oh yeah. Follow me?" she announced and lead Selina off the quarterdeck.

"The Captain, he is very handsome for an English man..." Selina said smirking and twisted a strand of her long black hair around her finger. "I might actually seek out his quarters tonight."

Annabeth stared at her openmouthed for a moment. "French!" she muttered dismissively. "You are a princess," she reminded Selina.

"Oh come on. This is just like in the stories. The noblewoman being abducted by a dashing Pirate Captain who then has his way with her. Granted, he might not be a pirate but it'll have to do. That and I can rub it in my fiancee's face when I'm back at home," she explained.

"Well, do whatever you must! Just spare me the details," Annabeth muttered and entered her cabin but realized that for one reason it wasn't sitting right for her. "So, this is the room us ladies will stay in. We'll have privacy here, the captain will Keelhaul anyone who comes here with less than noble intentions," she assured the princess.

"Coming from the person who abducted me from my Cabin this isn't very reassuring," Selina reminded her.

"Yeah well. I will never apologize for helping mess with you French. You folks had this coming for trying to snatch Gibraltar last year," Annabeth replied lightly.

"Fair enough," Selina conceeded and sat down one of the four cannons that lined the Port and Starboard wall in front of their closed gunports.

"So, we are heading to the new world?" Selina asked thoughtfully.

"Well, to Port Royal at first but we do intend to sail to the mainland in due course. Once the Governor has Dauntless at his disposal he will want to use her to flex his military muscles and close to the mainland is where you would do such a thing. With us around the French, Spanish, and Dutch will have to reevaluate their strategy."

"Oh great, so now you are explaining to me how you intend to harass my country?" Selina asked.

"Yes, I need someone to bounce ideas of that isn't the captain," she explained.

"I am honored to help you harass my kingdom," Selina announced dryly.

"Put on something more decent and let's get back out on top deck!"

Winter Wolf over and out.