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Don't forget me, sweetheart, he had said. He said it with a glint in his eye, so she wasn't sure if he was teasing or not.
I'll keep your heart with mine, she wanted to say, but you don't say those sort of things to pirates. Instead, she said, We'll see. Trying to be nonchalant, not wanting to sound like some sort of lovesick girl. He probably saw right through it, even if his face gave nothing away.
She still stood on the beach, long after the sails had disappeared from view, chiding herself. Princesses are supposed to wait for knights to return from battle, not pirates to return from the sea.
She tried to forget, so that she didn't have to unsuccessfully lie when (or if) he came back, but it was useless. He was in her dreams, dreams that were once full of fire were now full of him, dreams she couldn't control.
Nor could she control the sea being so close. Knowing it was too soon for him to return, she still sat and watched the horizon, imagining what it would be like when a ship finally appeared. The long day sped by unbelievably fast with her thoughts.
She imagined what her reaction would be. She did not want to give a pirate satisfaction that she actually was happy to see him nor relieved that he was alright. However, she feared, it would be written all over her face.
Staying sitting there on the sand until the sunset and the water looked like wine, she made her way inside, wondering if he was on some distant shore thinking of her. Was it dark there? Was he as lonely as she was, even surrounded by his crew?
Did he dream of her, as well? Or do pirates not dream of princesses?