Lanie sauntered onto the deck, trying to appear like all the rest of the pirates. The deck was swarming with the crew and guards of The Princess's Gallows. Each of the pirates were at their stations, staring glumly out to sea. John's hands were tied to the helm, a soldier with a sword at his back. His sword was missing. Lanie noticed all the pirate's swords were. Reluctantly, she dropped her sword and kicked it behind a barrel. She hoped her husband would do something before they reached the inevitable destination.The former princess decided she would never reveal her true identity, and only she, the nurse, and her husband knew. In looks, she was tanner, her hair was lighter and blue-streaked, and she had put on height and weight when she had the twins.

The crew lived in constant fear of the soldiers for two months. Every morning, Lanie awoke at dawn. She leapt out of bed and rushed her dressing. Her blue streaks hung limply in an ocean of blonde. Worry traced her blue eyes, one just barely covered by a patch.

The deck was a ghost party, eerily silent for dawn. Lanie reached for her nonexistent sword. Every last soldier was gone, taking the pirate captain with them. The crew had been sleeping past dawn since the ship had been commandeered. Lanie shivered in her boots. To escape the creeping silence, she crept into the hold, where the crew slept.

"Jack!" she hissed "Jack!"

"Lanie. Why are you here?" he sleepily asked.

"Don't wake anyone, but I'm the new captain."

He jolted awake. "But you could die!"

"I'm prepared to do what I have to do."

"Lanie"

"Captain Lane" she corrected

"Captain Lane, It's not your punishment."

"If I die, I die a pirate."

"You didn't kill the princess."

"He didn't kill the princess."

"Than why is he being accused of killing the princess?"

"He married the princess."

"You? A princess?"

"Yes, and you'll keep it a secret from the crew for your Captain."

"Of course, Captain Lane." Jack reluctantly sighed.

Lanie took the secret passageway back up to the captain's quarters, stopping only to take her husband's extra coat and hat from the closet. She replaced the eyepatch with a black lace masquerade mask from one of her trunks. Finally, she tiptoed past her sleeping twins.

"Soon" she whispered. "Soon this will be done, one way or another."