Julian stood there, ready, the trapdoor under his feet, the noose around his neck. He could see Victoria being dragged towards him, forced to sit no doubt and watch him die while her fiancé looked, emotionlessly.

"For breaking the law against piracy, Julian has been sentenced to hang by the neck until dead. You shall be watched by your guilty and joined by your father, the pirate king himself, Sullivan. May the lord have mercy on your souls as you plunge into darkness, may your spirit live on despite your merciless crimes, amen"

"What are you doing here, father?!"

"Don't worry, son, it'll be ok. Just have faith, it'll be ok"

"You'll live and I'll go?"

"No. Not this time, son, not this time, just be prepared, death isn't the nicest"

"What are you talking about?!"

"Be quiet" the executioner ordered as he pushed the lever. Both fell through it, Julian's neck snapped instantly as he watched his world surround with light, bearing her face, Victoria's face. He could see nothing but the sun and the beauty, the stars and all their magic even as the sun was as bright as it usually seemed.

He was gone, he knew that but suddenly that world... it vanished into thin air. Mist surrounded the real world, the world of cannon fire... so it seemed. They were cheering for the fallen pirate king and his son, cheering for what they had done but Julian did not feel dead nor did he feel alive. He was somewhere in between the worlds, reaching in no doubt as he touched the real grass surrounding him.

It felt wet, fine and smooth to the touch. He could not help but gasp as his lungs began to inflate and his neck fixed instantly. He got up slowly, feeling more and more of the grass as he wondered where he was... how he got there.

"Your father was the same as you, scared at first then relieved to be alive. The price that has been bargained has been paid... you shall not ask the price your father paid, only know he is gone where you survived"

"Who are you?"

"That is not important but what you do need to know that no matter where you go or what you do, I will be watching you, boy. If you are anything like your father you shall need my help"

"Am I alive?"

"Yes you are alive. You are alive back on earth and I dug you out your little pit of a grave. Six feet is a joke, your grave was barely four but again, not important. You must go and claim your father's crown, just watch out for the sunlight, do not let it find you, boy"

Victoria screamed in tears as she shouted "HE WILL FIND YOU AND MAY HE SMITE YOU! MAY HE TAKE HIS REVENGE, REVENGE THAT IS JUST DESERVED!"

"Do not dare! HE IS GONE, YOU ARE FREE FROM HIM! MAY YOU UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF FREEDOM!" Antony screamed.

"No, I am not. I feel him even if he is gone. We are over; we never were together though, were we? You will be the shame of the country, the laughing stock because your fiancée dumped you for a pirate, not only that, a DEAD pirate!" she shouted as she ran off. She threw his ring onto the ground and ran towards the sea. She dived in and swam towards the large ship as it sailed away.

The captain shouted "WOMAN OVERBOARD!" and she watched them throw a rope down. She gripped it with an iron fist, forcing herself to hold on as they pulled her up. She shivered as she was laid down on the ground, the young man said "looks like we've got a live one, inform Captain Julian immediately or he'll have your tongues!"

"Yes, sir" a man replied.

"You're not Captain?" Victoria whispered drowsily. He turned her over and helped her cough out any water as she struggled to breath. He loosened her dress a little and whispered "breathe, don't you die on us, do you hear me?"

"Who is it?" a familiar voice asked.

"Don't know, sir, some girl jumped in" the man replied. She turned over as he whispered "Victoria". He lifted her up, helping her, getting water out her lungs as he stroked her cheek and whispered "you're ok, just calm down"

"I knew you were alive!" she whispered as she clung to his arm.

He stroked her cheek and whispered "there is no life... not in my body but my heart still loves you. Understand this, my love. I love you but my life now... might be dangerous, I don't want you getting hurt"

"We are together now. The only person who can hurt me is you because if you tell me to leave you now, I will but that will kill me because I love you, I do not why or how but I do. I am in love with a pirate and I am not ashamed of that. I will always love you and all I ask of you is that you love me too. I know you cannot always protect me but whatever you can do... I am ok with, just please... let me be with you... for good"

"My life from now on shall be dangerous; Victoria but I want you in it. Sometimes you will love me, other times you will hate me but know this, I will always love you, look after you and be your husband if you'll have me but I can't be normal, human"

She shrugged her shoulders and said "I am fine with that. Get a bit of rum down my neck and I might talk like a pirate too"

"Captain, you must be crowned" a man stated.

Julian nodded and said "I understand. I will be soon enough, that is our next stop, from there onwards, we shall sort out this mess, I shall rule like my father, in his name and with his honour"

The End.