Chapter 7

Man, his head was killing him again. He walked into sick bay and called out, "Hey Rui, you got any of that head pain stuff left?"

He froze when he realized three things all at once. None of which helped the pain in his head one bit.

The first being, instead of Rui the stowaway brat was standing in front of him. And the stowaway was topless, which would not have been an issue if he wasn't staring at the naked breasts of a woman.

There was this second of silence where Tsukasa could swear it was all an illusion until the stowaway opened his—her—mouth and started to scream bloody murder. He went from frozen in place to dodging books and cups being thrown at him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed as he barely dodged a leather bond novel. "Cut it out damn it! You'll destroy our inventory!"

"Get out!" she screamed at him, hugging a shirt to her chest.

Rui barged in the door with a look of annoyance and at the same time Soujiro and Akira came in the entrance Tsukasa had taken.

"What happened?" Akira asked frantically.

Rui leaned against the door frame. "What happened is I'll have to make my own tea now."

Soujiro elbowed Akira and they both gawked at the stowaway. "I knew it!" Soujiro exclaimed.

Tsukasa snapped his neck and narrowed his eyes at him. "What?"

"Hold own Tsukasa we weren't sure just yet," Akira started.

"We?" His temper was getting worse with every word.

From the corner of his eye he could see Rui trying to slip out the door. "Oh no you don't bastard!" He grabbed Rui by the collar. "Did you know too?"

Rui looked off to the side.

Tsukasa pulled back his fist, "I'm gonna give you something to make an expression about, damn you!"

Akira and Soujiro both held back his arm. "Just calm down Tsukasa!"

"Get out! All of you!" a shrill voice yelled and with a heavy push they went tumbling out the door which shut behind them.

Tsukasa slammed his fist on the deck. "That's it! Meeting room. NOW."

Now Tsukushi really felt like crying. Why? Why did that brute have to walk in and be the first person to see her naked like that? Not to mention the doctor came back and the other two idiots.

On top of that they knew she was a girl and dragged her into this meeting room. It was a rectangular table with Tsukasa at the head, the two idiots next to each other on one side and her and the doctor on the other. The doctor was so cruel to make her sit right next to this devil of a man instead of being on the end.

"Well what do we do now?" Akira inquired.

"Nothing has changed. We're still on schedule to give the princess over. In the meantime, the cross dresser can continue to work until we hit land in the next few days and toss her over."

"What?!" she exclaimed.

"That seems cruel for young girl like her. She's not the best looking but they'll still eat her alive," Soujiro commented.

"She's just another mouth to feed, anyone can take over her chores just like before," Tsukasa replied seemingly wanting this to end soon.

There was no argument there from anyone at the table.

She had to think quickly before she began a new job in some brothel. "I'm the princess's hand maiden, I'm supposed to take care of her. They'll be expecting me to be returned with her."

"Ha," the captain scoffed. "By the way you act your family has no real money to offer for your trade. Her parents will pay for her return with or without you."

"I do much more than swab decks," Tsukushi boasted. "I can sew, cook, I've been assisting the doctor—"

"What?" Tsukasa interrupted getting another headache from yet another secret on his ship.

"—laundry, reading and writing, I'm great with numbers, shopping. I can complete any challenge you give me," she stated with confidence making eye contact with him.

Silence was brought on and all eyes were on her. Even the doctor became suddenly interested in the conversation.

"Alright," Tsukasa agreed.

"Alright?" Akira asked in surprise.

He held up a hand to silence them and kept his dark eyes centered on her. "I accept your challenge."

She held her chin high waiting for task she was to be given.

"When we hit land, you will go and buy our inventory list."

That didn't sound so bad—

He reached behind him in a desk to pull out the list of supplies that spanned out many pages.

Ok well I can still do this—

"All by yourself with no assistance what so ever from the crew."

Oh crap.

"I give you the money and if you spend more than what was paid last port you stay in Singapore. If you take the money and run we kill you. If you win, you stay on my ship with the princess until we trade you both."

"Fine," she answered.

"Fine?" Soujiro echoed, dumbfounded someone would accept a ridiculous task.

"But I want my sword back and a guarantee of safety on your ship," she added, refusing to look away.

He smirked. "Deal."

He held out a hand that was much larger than hers but she took it anyway and shook on it. Although, it felt like she was signing her soul over.

"Go let our uninvited guest stay with the princess. Lucky for you, you've just been upgraded from the brigg," Tsukasa snickered.

He could laugh all he wanted. She would end up on top when this was all over and done with. There was no way she was leaving this ship without Tess.

Akira escorted her out and below deck to a cabin. When it opened Tess was sitting on the floor with her knees pulled to her chest. Tess looked up and her eyes lit up at the sight of Tsukushi, who immediately ran to her in an open embrace.

"I'm so relieved you're alive. Every day I didn't see you I thought you were gone for good," Tess cried into her shoulder.

"I'm here, I'm not going anywhere," Tsukushi assured her.

"Promise?" Tess pulled back and wiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks. She held out her pinky finger.

"Promise." They hooked them together.

In a hushed tone, she whispered in Tess's ear. "Don't let them know who we really are. Keep playing princess until then ok?"

Tess nodded.

They wouldn't be able to talk much in ways of planning or escape with a guard at the door but being here with her would make her sleep easier.