Ethana waited impatiently at Indira for a response from the royal family.  She wanted desperately to know what Duke Saben had told the princess about what had occurred the night before Anne’s disappearance.  Ethana could still feel the heat of anger she felt when she arrived at the palace Tuesday afternoon and found Saben there.  To her great dismay, the duke and Oren were having tea with Princess Orianna-Loni.  As the princess was pressed for time, and her parents were unavailable, Ethan was forced to make her plea before the two piranhas.  The princess had been kind enough to hush their horrid comments while she spoke, but throughout her speech she still felt less than confident.  Then, on top of it all, the princess said she would have her answer the next morning. 

Well, it was now two in the afternoon, and still no word.  The post was late, and Ethana couldn’t stop pacing at the front door.  Deep in thought, she started when there was finally a knock at the door.  Unceremoniously grasping the handle, she threw the door back only to find a lady in a beautiful jade cloak standing before her.  The woman’s face was hidden by her hood, so all Ethana could see were her hands and the scroll she held in them.  “May I help you?”

The lady glided past Ethana to enter the manor.  “Shut the door,” she murmured.  Once Ethana had done as she was told, the lady threw off her hood to reveal herself.

“Princess,” Ethana immediately dropped into a low curtsy.  “Your Highness,” she remained in her stooped position, “to what do I owe this honor?”

“You owe it to my brother, the prince.  Now, stand.”  The princess was dressed in a magnificent ivory gown with a decorative rope of the same color but entwined with gold, wrapped about her waist, knotted in the front with the strands left hanging.  The cloak she wore was lined with a golden fabric and was held together about her throat with a single golden gardenia clasp.  She looked like a fairy goddess with the hair at her temples braided back with ribbon and with her large dark curls caressing her shoulders.

“Your brother, highness,” Ethana asked a bit confused.  “I heard the prince was away; perhaps in the North Country.” 

The Princess looked at Ethana like she were an imbecile, “Where did you get such a foolish idea?”

Feeling a bit dim-witted, Ethana chose her words carefully, “During Sunday’s dinner, Duke Saben was telling us how the prince was involved in secret intelligence work in the north.  When my sister openly disagreed, she was punished for it.  The incident is the reason she left.”  Ethana felt as though she were close to tears but knew if Anne were in her situation she wouldn’t dare, so neither would she.

“Well, it would appear your sister and my brother have something in common, then,” the princess looked about annoyed that she had not yet been asked to sit someplace.

Noticing her royal visitor’s dismay, Ethana invited her into the drawing room where they could sit and speak in peace.  Once they reached the heavily portraited room, Ethana asked the maid who had been cleaning the room to leave and notify Verna they had a guest; she would like to have some tea sent.  Her duties fulfilled for the moment, she sat on the velvet chair next to the sofa where the Princess sat and gave the older woman her full attention.

“Ethana, it saddens me to tell you I am not sure how much help the royal family can provide as we are unsure which direction your sister may have gone or if she is still in the country.”

Ethana’s heart sank into her empty stomach.  She hadn’t been able to eat since the day before and was beginning to feel she may never eat again.  All she wanted to do was go to her room and weep the way her parents had done two days before.

Princess Orianna-Loni looked at Ethana with sorrow in her eyes, “Ethana, please do not despair.  I admit when you first came to me, I had no intention of helping you.  I feel this whole situation is sad, yes, but I don’t believe we will be able to find her.  However, it appears your family is acquainted with someone of great importance to my family and the court. This gentleman has persuaded me to take an interest.  It is on his behalf that I have sent eight men, two in each direction, out in search of your sister.”

Ethana looked at the princess and began to blink rapidly in an attempt to hold back her tears.  Then, she swallowed down the lump in her throat before speaking, “Thank you, Your Highness.  This means a great deal to me.  Is there any way I can thank this gentleman, personally, for being so kind to my family?” 

The Princess’s lovely face immediately changed from straight forward business to something a bit darker and perhaps displayed a bit of annoyance.  She quickly stood.  “I’m afraid not.  The gentleman has not been at court for some time, as he is avoiding his duties. And, much to my dismay, he will be absent for quite a bit longer.” Orianna stood.

Since it appeared the princess was prepared to depart, Ethana slowly stood to show her guest out.  As she and Princess Orianna-Loni drew closer to the front of the manor, Ethana could hear her father speaking with someone.  Curious as to whom it might be, and anxiously hoping it might be Anne, Ethana began to move more swiftly.  When they arrived in the foyer; however, much to Ethana’s dismay, Anne was not there.  Thaniel, her father, was standing in front of the door speaking to a rather young blonde and a girl who was sitting on the chair which was in the foyer for mere decorative purposes. 

When Thaniel noticed the three of them were no longer alone, he turned to see who had joined them.  Upon seeing the princess, Ethana’s father quickly, yet gracefully, bowed before her.  “Your Highness,” he stammered a bit, “I was unaware of your visit.  To what, may I ask, do we owe the pleasure of your appearance in our humble home?”

“I have come to speak with your daughter, baron.  Yesterday, she brought to my attention the disappearance of your eldest, and I merely came by to inform her of the palace’s stance on the issue,” the princess nodded before flickering a glance toward the other ladies in the room.

The glance did not get passed Thaniel, but he wasn’t sure how to explain who his guests were.  He spoke cautiously as he motioned to the other girls, “Ethana, Your Highness, I would like you to meet Laveda and her younger sister, Sophie.  I met them through Dermot and promised to help them in any way I could manage.” 

“That is quite noble of you, baron.  I must say not enough of the fortunate help those who are less so,” Orianna-Loni spoke as she began to pull up her hood.

Staring at a blank spot on the wall Thaniel murmured, “I only hope someone is out there helping Anne as I help these two.”

Anne’s day was going rather smoothly.  She supposed being seen with Laveda was the reason since almost every single man and, she hated to think on it, a few of the married ones, had asked her for tips on how to woo lovely ladies.  Their newly found respect for her supposed prowess, meant they no longer impeded her work and, warming up to her, gave her a nickname Guppy… small, pretty, and loved by the ladies.   Anne was surprised by her instant popularity and amazed at how quickly she could work when she was happy.  It seemed the time was just flying by, and she began to find the basics of sailing rather easy and actually pretty fun.  In fact, she completed her work so quickly, that she had a half hour of free time before she had to be in the galley helping Bêrk with dinner. 

With all her morning and afternoon duties completed, as well as a bit of nautical vocabulary words studied, Anne decided to look out over the dock and drink in her last few moments of peace.  She watched as the people ran back and forth from town to the ships and vice versa.  She sadly darted her eyes over the easy ladies of the port and then wondered what she would have done had the captain not given her a chance.  Would she have returned home?  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Are you going to miss this place,” Captain Doran’s voice was very close.

Anne immediately froze.  Her hands began to sweat as she held the side of the ship, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to open her eyes.  She did not say a word.

“I hope you’re not sleeping standing up,” the captain teased.

Anne finally found the courage to look at Doran.  “No, captain.  I was just savoring the last few quiet moments of the day.”

Doran smiled and looked along the port just as Anne had been doing a few moments prior to his arrival.  She watched him quietly and began to wonder what he was truly like.  Where he was from?  What were his family and friends like?  How did he get into this sort of business?  And finally, just how well did he know her family?

“You’re staring again,” Doran smiled but kept his eyes on the boardwalk.

Flushing furiously, Anne looked away.  “I apologize, Captain.  I tend to blanket myself in my thoughts, and do not realize I am staring at all.”  Anne tried to concentrate on the dock, but found herself more often than not, glancing sideways at her captain.  She had to admit he was very attractive.  There were many men onboard with dark features, but many of them also carried a sort of inner darkness to go with those features.  The captain; however, seemed warm and lighthearted.  He could always be seen joking with members of the crew, and on more than one occasion he had even teased her.  She was finding it a bit difficult to believe he was a ship’s captain, or at least how she imagined a captain to be, straight speaking and no nonsense. 

She looked down at her hands.  Her knuckles were a bit raw, and her fingernails were all broken and jagged, nothing like the delicate hands she once knew.  She then took a careful glance at the captain’s hands.  They were much larger than her own.  His fingers were long and slender; their nails clean and well cared for.  Noticing the captain’s sudden movement, Anne quickly looked back to her own hands.

“Well, Andrew, it should be just about time for you head down to the galley.  I’m sure the men would like their supper on time.”

Anne looked up and noticed him smiling at her.  He had a beautiful smile, and her eyes lingered there for a while before she gave herself a mental shake and abruptly headed off to the galley.  Shaking her head as she lumbered down the deck, she silently scolded herself for her odd behavior.  Why on earth was she so nervous around the captain?  There was truly no reason for it.  None at all.