The morning was unexpectedly pleasant. Waking slumped over his desk was less painful when he hadn’t been sleeping with his prosthetic, and seeing Elias sitting in bed with a book in hand instead of terrified on the floor in an attempt to steal a key from his pocket was a relief. Samson stretched letting out a soft sigh as he clasped his hands above his head. Elias’s head turned and the book closed.

“We’ve docked. Your first mate came to tell you about an hour ago,” Elias said.

“You should have woken me.” It was odd that Samson hadn’t heard the knock at the door. He was normally such a light sleeper.

Elias shook his head. “You fought twice yesterday. You needed rest.” He sat the book to the side, rising. “May I get breakfast while you get ready?” The key to the cabin was already in his hands. If they were docked, it wasn’t the smartest idea for him to be out on the deck in sight of others. Word shouldn’t have traveled from yesterday–the only person who seemed to know that he was aboard the ship was now dead. It would be best to keep the number of people aware to a minimum. Still, King’s Sentinel was filled to the brim with a crew that, if needed, could protect him, and it was difficult to tell the man no.

Samson nodded, grabbing his crutches. All he would need to do was get changed. He could dress quickly enough even without the use of his prosthetic, and it wasn’t as if Elias would get too far in that time.

Elias didn’t say anything before turning the key in its slot and disappearing.

Samson took a breath as he opened the wardrobe. How many times had he actually been alone in the last two days? If not at Elias’s side, he had been with Natalia or the crew. To be on his own in the cabin, something he was so used to, suddenly felt out of place and wrong. The covers on his bed were messed up, but not from his own sleeping. A ribbon that was not his own rested on the chair. A book he had not read was lying on his bed. This place looked more lived-in than it ever had before, but it was not by his own doing.

Samson dressed quickly.

It had been ages since he had needed to go below deck without the use of his prosthetic. The stairs seemed much more narrow than they had ever been before, and each step felt like a risk. He moved slowly, watching as his boot touched the ground, careful to ensure he had a solid stance before he moved forward. The sooner they had this fixed, the better.

Samson had never been so grateful to have arrived at the bottom of a flight of stairs.  Maybe someday they would be able to afford a renovation. The ship had been a gift given before he’d lost his leg, and when he’d been in recovery, he had been on land. It had rarely been an issue. It would help if they could just widen these stairs a bit. After all, there was no telling if he’d be left like this again.

Samson’s mind didn’t linger too long on the idea.

Across the room, Elias sat at a table, hands folded upon its surface. His face was neutral, and his posture relaxed, but across from him sat Cheng, their head resting in their hand and a grin on their lips.

Samson didn’t run. The crutches wouldn’t allow for that, and besides, that would only serve to worsen whatever situation was occurring. He approached slowly.

“Well, your dear Captain would never approve. He’s quite prickly with me after the other day. Apologies again, Your Highness.” Cheng’s eyes crawled upward, gazing over Elias, and then looking past him.

“We can consider it forgiven. I apologize for my behavior yesterday morning as well.”

Hearing an apology from his lips made something in Samson’s stomach drop. Elias had done nothing wrong. If he was afraid, that was not his fault. Cheng had disobeyed orders. They had put Elias in a worse situation than he needed to be.

“Apology accepted, Your Highness. I understand being a bit upset at being kidnapped. It is surprising to hear you change your tune so quickly. Is it just seeing the Captain injured that made you take pity?”

Samson gripped his hold on his crutches tighter.

“No. I understand the situation now. I know that Samson isn’t a threat to me.” Elias turned, his eyes landing on Samson as though he had known he was there all along. Perhaps he had. “Cheng would like to accompany us on land.”

Samson narrowed his brow, but waited until he found a seat to set his crutches aside and attempt to speak. “Are you comfortable with that?”

“Are you comfortable having no one else as protection?” Elias asked in return.

Anyone else could have offered. Rhea. Natalia. Any member of the crew. If anyone else had offered, Samson wouldn’t hesitate. Elias needed to be protected when they were off the ship and Samson would be of little use when he was on crutches and unable to fully access his sword. But the idea of Cheng, who had deliberately disobeyed orders to make this entire situation worse for Elias, being helpful was difficult for him to wrap his mind around.

“I’d like to make up for the other day. To His Highness and to you.”

There was nothing about their voice that said this would be a lie. However, everything in Samson told him it was. Cheng had never been worthy of his trust. There were times when he thought even Karim didn’t believe a word they said and that they had been dumped on King’s Sentinel as an attempt to get them away from Karim’s own ship. Still, it was difficult to find the balance between his distrust and the necessity of treating them well while stationed aboard his ship. If anything were to happen to them, it was difficult to say what would happen to Karim’s dealings with Samson.

“I do not mind so long as His Highness approves.” He could arm Elias as well before they left. The man might not be trained in fighting, but it would be better than him having nothing with which to defend himself. Samson glanced between the two of them, finding himself uncomfortable.

“Are you hungry?” Elias asked, breaking the quiet. “You.. haven’t eaten much since I arrived.”

“I don’t need to eat often,” he said. He liked the taste that came with food, but it was better if he left his meals to the crew. He wouldn’t feel the hunger as much.

Elias furrowed his brow and then shot a short glance toward Cheng. Samson nodded.

“They know. Yes. It’s because of that.”

“Ah. The dying thing,” Cheng said.

There was something about it going unnamed that always made Samson feel as if they spoke too seriously about this. He had been unable to die for years now. It was, in most ways, not too important day to day. It wasn’t as though people often made attempts on his life. Even with this unconventional lifestyle, he hadn’t run into too many fights in the last few years.

“Is there anything else I should know about you?” Elias asked.

Cheng laughed.

Samson shot them a look before shaking his head. “Nothing of importance, Your Highness.” In all honesty, the less that Elias knew now, the better. Even if it was a bit painful to know that his prince didn’t remember anything about him, it was for the best. There had been a part of Samson, some foolish part, that had almost hoped that the man would lay eyes on him and remember everything, immediately connect the dots despite everything and all would be just as it was. Despite any disappointment he may have felt upon realizing that wasn’t going to be the case, this was better. He couldn’t know. Not yet.

“Our lovely captain is very boring if you take away how skilled he is in the art of being alive.” Cheng picked at their food, a smile still on their lips. Samson didn’t like the look in their eyes. There was something off putting about it. He had never seen them smile when something good was going through their head.

“I doubt that,” Elias said. “I’m sure anyone who chooses piracy has quite a story to tell. Yours, too, must be interesting?” 

Samson leaned back in his seat. It would be better if the topic changed to something aside from him. Even if he hadn’t agreed years ago to exit Elias’s life and to ensure that he wouldn’t find out his identity until he was already married, he wasn’t sure if he could really stomach him finding out regardless. Reality was not the same as his fantasies. In Samson’s mind, he could pretend that it might end with Elias’s outstretched arms embracing his presence without hesitation. But that fantasy had been tied to the hope that Elias might have some spark of recognition. He hadn’t. And if he were to disregard his orders and tell him now, it wouldn’t go as that piece of him hoped. Even if Samson ached for immediate acceptance, it was much more likely he’d be angry. Angry he’d left, angry he’d kept this all quiet. Samson could handle being forgotten, but he wasn’t sure he could handle Elias’s anger. Or his hurt.

“It’s not that interesting,” Cheng said. “I’m from Xiang. When the war was getting too overwhelming to deal with, I joined Eye’s Revenge. Karim asked me to keep an eye on your captain when he began dealing with him. And now I’m here.”

Something in Elias’s demeanor changed. It was subtle, nothing that he did. It was just as though the air around him had shifted. Samson wondered if Cheng could sense it, or if it was a shift only Samson himself would really be capable of noticing.

“We ought to head out soon,” Cheng said, standing. “I’m sure the captain will want you back before nightfall and who knows how long this is going to take.” They collected their plate and then reached for Elias’s. Something about the gesture made Samson’s stomach churn. It wasn’t like Cheng to clean up after themself, let alone after others. That Elias was royalty wouldn’t faze them.

Elias rose, facing Samson.

“Keep your guard up,” Samson warned before grabbing his crutches.

Elias nodded, not saying anything more as they made their way back to the cabin.

Once securely inside, Elias spoke. “I don’t like them.”

Samson nodded leaning against his desk for support as he raised his hands. “They don’t have to come.”

“I’d rather not like them and offer a gesture of goodwill so that they like me than risk offending,” Elias said. “If I’m on edge, it’s my own fault.”

Samson narrowed his brow at that. “I am the one at fault for this entire situation.”

“No. I understand why you had to go to extremes. You have a crew to protect. If I were in your position, I would use every pawn at my disposal. That I’m one of them this time is unfortunate, but I won’t fault you for it. Besides, It’s not this–” he gestured vaguely to the cabin around them, “--that upsets me.”

It wouldn’t be long until Cheng was ready and demanding that they leave. “Do you want to talk about it, Your Highness?”

Elias opened his mouth, and then closed it quite suddenly. That same look from before came back– the one Samson had seen when he stared out at the sunset or had been inspecting his prosthetic too long. That quick and absolute halt and the reforming of his walls. The realization of his surroundings when he had begun to relax. “No. This is none of your concern. I won’t burden you with my personal problems.”

“You will never be a burden.”

Elias had already turned away, taking Samson’s prosthetic in his hands. “I can carry this.” Arguing wouldn’t do too much. Elias wasn’t looking at him. It wasn’t as though Samson would be able to carry it anyway. Just managing uneven ground on crutches would be a feat in itself. Samson moved to his armoire, finding his belt and sheath with sword inside. It would be of little use while he was still like this, but the walk back would be different. He’d have his leg.

When Elias turned back toward him, his eyes were on the ground. Samson raised his hands, watching as they followed. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

He knew that wasn’t completely true. Mentioning Xiang had always been a sore spot, but to have to think about it immediately following what had happened in the temple… “I won’t ask you to talk about it if you don’t want to. But you’re allowed to be upset.”

Elias let out a dry laugh that sounded a bit more like a scoff. “I’ll bear that in mind.”

It wasn’t worth trying to pry. To Elias, he was nothing but a stranger who seemed both overly invested in his well being and uninterested enough in it to kidnap him. He sighed, picking up a knife from his desk and holding it out, still in its cover, to Elias.

“I already have one,” he said, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the knife Samson had used to untie him that first day. “If it’s not enough to fend off an attacker, I’ll use your sword. You’re always close enough that I could take it.”

At that, Samson just nodded. If that was what Elias wanted, he could stay near enough to be easily accessible. And, if worse came to worst, being close to him would be optimal anyway. Samson moved to the door, positioning himself carefully to hold it open as Elias made his way out. Cheng leaned against the railing of the deck, long and bored, observing their nails as if the black polish was the most interesting thing they could conceive of. 

At the sound of footsteps on the deck, Cheng looked up, a smile on their lips.