[Current Balance: 1,494,706,244R]
---
"Marry me…"
"..."
"..."
"..."
Reuben's eyes were as wide as saucers, with his jaw dropping slightly. He stared at Flavia, utterly speechless, the basket of Marzipans nearly slipping from his grasp.
Even Alaric, lounging on the bed, looked momentarily stunned as his usual smirk was replaced by wide-eyed surprise. The air in the cabin thickened with stunned silence.
Flavia, despite her blush, held Reuben's gaze steadily for a few moments, patiently awaiting a reply that clearly wasn't coming.
Finally, she gave a small sigh and walked towards the door. Stopping just before she exited, she turned her head back towards the still-frozen Reuben. The blush returned with renewed intensity.
"If the wind favors us," she said, her voice regaining a touch of its earlier composure, "the galleon will arrive at Roma in a week's time." She paused, her gaze flicking briefly towards the floor before meeting his again.
"If not, then perhaps two weeks. I will give you time to accept by then."
And with that, she slipped out of the cabin, pulling the broken door closed as best she could behind her.
Reuben remained standing exactly where he was, with his mouth still agape, staring at the closed door.
Alaric was the only witness to the entire, bizarre exchange. The initial shock wore off Alaric first, replaced by a wave of uncontrollable amusement. He started to chuckle, then laugh outright.
"Hah... HAHAHAHAHA!"
The sound finally broke Reuben out of his stupor. He slowly turned his head, his expression still blank, towards the laughing Alaric. He couldn't seem to form a reaction.
"Well, Reuben," Alaric managed between laughs, wiping a tear from his eye. "It seems like all those books you read were rather useless after all. Forget finding a partner through etiquette; the universe just handed you a fierce woman on a silver platter... or maybe at dagger-point."
Reuben didn't reply. His mind felt like cotton.
He mechanically walked over to the small desk piled with his books and sank into the chair behind it. He stared blankly at the damaged spines for a long moment, then slowly turned his head back towards Alaric, who was still chuckling.
"Did she..." Reuben began, his voice barely a whisper. "...Did she just ask me to marry her?"
Alaric's laughter subsided into a wide grin. "Seems so," he confirmed, shaking his head.
"This," he muttered, mostly to himself, "is absolutely hilarious."
---
A week has passed as the galleon cut through the waves, the Mediterranean sea stretching out in all directions under a clear sky. The ship was well on its way towards Roma.
On the main deck, leaning against the railing near the forecastle, Alaric and Reuben stood with Captain Oldgate.
The salt spray occasionally misted their faces as the giant captain regaled them with tales, his booming voice easily carrying over the wind and the creak of the ship.
"Great white shark... that was my greatest catch! Bigger than this ship's mast, I tell you! GURARARARA!"
"Great white shark?" Alaric raised his eyebrows, a smirk playing on his lips. He leaned forward slightly, feigning immense interest. "That's a pretty big catch, Captain. Must have put up quite a fight."
Oldgate grinned, puffing out his chest. "Aye, it was big... bigger than the one that my old captain caught decades ago..."
It was Reuben's turn to raise his brows, momentarily distracted from his own recent... predicament.
"Old captain?" he asked, curiosity piqued. "Were you a pirate back then?"
Oldgate immediately scoffed, turning a disdainful look on Reuben. "Pirate? Do you think only pirates have captains and officers sailing these waters, boy? Where's your brain at?"
The deck fell silent for a moment, Reuben looking slightly chastised. Alaric just smirked, leaning closer to Oldgate. "Were you?"
Oldgate met Alaric's gaze, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes before he let out a short grunt.
"Aye... once upon a time." He then shot a smug smirk back at Reuben, who just sighed.
"So... a pirate transitioned to a businessman, huh?" Reuben muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
Oldgate scoffed again, his expression turning serious as he stared out at the horizon.
"I've had my fair share of enemies in this life," he said, his voice lower now. "My former captain was... notorious, to say the least."
"So… who was your captain?" The black-haired Englishman asked, his curiosity didn't only end in books, it was in everything. "He'd have to be some kind of a big shot if he was notorious."
As they were talking, Alaric suddenly raised a brow, his head tilting slightly as if listening to something only he could hear. Then... a slow smirk spread across his face.
"Very notorious… his name was Captain H-"
"Speaking of pirates, Captain..." Alaric cut off what Edward Oldgate was about to say, his tone was light but carried an undercurrent of warning. "You might want to get your men ready."
Captain Oldgate turned his head towards the blonde, frowning. "What do you mean, lad? What-"
"PIRATES!"
The shout echoed down from the crow's nest, sharp and urgent.
Oldgate's eyes widened. He spun around, his gaze sweeping the horizon.
There, closing fast on their port side under full sail, were not one, two, or three, but four ships, their dark hulls low in the water, unfamiliar flags snapping in the wind.
Two looked like frigates, larger and bristling with guns, flanked by two smaller, faster brigantines.
"Damn..." Oldgate muttered, the earlier joviality gone, replaced by the grim focus of a seasoned commander. But then a fierce grin split his face.
"I knew it's been too quiet!" He roared, his voice cutting through the sudden tension on deck. "MEN! TO ARMS! Battle stations! Gunners, load the cannons... grape shot for the first volley! Look alive, you sea dogs! We've got company!"
The deck erupted into organized chaos as sailors scrambled to their posts, shouting orders, hauling ropes, and preparing weapons. Amidst the flurry, Oldgate turned back to Alaric and Reuben, his eyes sharp.
"You two!" he barked. "You know how to handle yourselves in a fight?"
Alaric and Reuben exchanged a quick glance. A matching smirk appeared on both their faces as they turned back to the captain and gave a confident nod.
'Finally,' Alaric thought, a thrill running through him as he watched the approaching ships with his hands relaxing in his pockets. 'A naval battle.'
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