Eight:

                                    

                                          
Harry woke up the next morning, hoping the events of the night before were all just a dream. 
                          
His hopes were soon crushed when he looked around to see he was still in a dark cell. 
                          
He felt his hands still bound tightly behind his back. 
                          
His face still ached from being punched. 
                          
Harry let out a large sigh of defeat. 
                          
This definitely wasn't a dream. 
                          
It was a nightmare. 
                          
Suddenly the door creaked open. 
                          
Harry clenched his eyes shut as daylight filled the dark room. 
                          
"Good morning, your majesty." A voice said, approaching him closer. "How did you sleep? You do look rather cozy." 
                          
Harry looked up to see the Pirate King standing outside the cell. 
                          
He was holding water and a loaf of bread. 
                          
"Is that for me?" Harry coughed.
                          
"Nah. It's for me." Louis snorted, taking a sip of the water. "But I may be willing to share.. If you say please, of course."
                          
"Please, Sir." The Prince replied, hoarsely. "I'm so thirsty."
                          
"Alright.." The Pirate unlocked the cell door, walking in. 
                          
He walked over to the Prince, tilting the glass over his mouth. "Open."
                          
Harry did so, allowing him to pour the water into his mouth. 
                          
"Thank you." He replied, letting out a sigh of relief as his thirst was quenched. 
                          
"Don't mistake my kindness for weakness." Louis rolled his eyes. "It's only because I can't have you dying. We haven't even got to the fun part yet."
                          
"The fun part?" Harry asked with a confused look on his face. 
                          
"You do know why you're here, don't you?" 
                          
"Not really." The Prince shrugged. 
                          
"Wow you really are stupid, aren't you?" The Pirate scoffed. "No wonder your father sent you to study abroad." 
                          
"How did you know about that?" The Prince raised a brow. 
                          
"I read the letter from your father.." He chuckled under his breath. "Very invigorating, I must add."
                          
"Why are you doing this to me?" Harry hopelessly shook his head. "What have I ever done to you?" 
                          
"It's not what you have done, Harry." Louis paused. "It's what you will do." 
                          
"What do you mea-"
                          
"You're going to become just like your father.. Killing innocent people just because they're different." The Pirate interrupted. "Letting the poor go hungry just so he can stuff more food into his big fat mouth!"
                          
"My father is a good king! He would never do that!" The Prince shouted.
                          
"Pfft.." Louis scoffed. "Then you know nothing about the kind of King your father really is."
                          
"You're wrong.." Harry looked down at the ground, swallowing his tears. 
                          
"Anyway.." The Pirate shrugged. "One thing I do know about your father is he will pay a pretty penny to get his precious son back." 
                          
The Prince looked up at him, eyes glazed over. "Please don't hurt my family."
                          
"Who said anything about hurting your family?" Louis ripped a piece of bread off and put it into his mouth.  "As long as your father pays up.. Nobody has to get hurt." 
                          
"And if he doesn't?" Harry asked with wide eyes.
                          
"Well.. You can jump to your own conclusions on that, pretty boy." Louis said, chewing his food. 
                          
Harry's heart dropped as he said it. 
                          
"Don't look so scared, Princess.." The Pirate snickered. "Just hope your father cares enough about you to cough up his millions." 
                          
Harry looked down at the floor with a defeated expression. 
                          
"Oh.. How rude of me." Louis lifted the loaf of bread up in the air. "Would you like some?"
                          
Harry looked up at the bread in front of him. 
                          
He was starving. 
                          
"Yes, Sir." 
                          
Louis ripped off a piece, kneeling down to him. "What do you say, your highness?"
                          
Harry huffed. He hated groveling, but he had no choice. 
                          
"Please." He mumbled.
                          
"Well since you said please.." The Pirate taunted, placing the bread up to his mouth and watching him chew it. 
                          
Louis couldn't help but admire the handsome Prince in front of him as he chewed his food.
                          
His long curly hair, bright green eyes and chiseled jawline. 
                          
He was almost taken aback by his striking beauty. 
                          
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Harry questioned, cocking his head to the side.
                          
"No reason." Louis muttered under his breath. "I guess I just never knew the Prince of England was so good looking.. You must get a lot of women, right?"
                          
The Prince swallowed his food. "No.. I'm not like that."
                          
"Like what?" 
                          
"I'm not a womanizer like everyone makes me out to be.." Harry shook his head. "I'm more of a hopeless romantic."
                          
"Oh please.." The Pirate scoffed. 
                          
"I'm serious.." 
                          
Louis stood up, shaking his head. 
                          
Why did this boy have to be so charming?
                          
"You're doing it again.." Louis looked away. 
                          
"Doing what?"
                          
"That stupid Prince Charming thing.." The Pirate huffed. "Cut it out." 
                          
"I'm sorry." Harry apologized.
                          
"Right.." Louis paused before making his way out of the prison-cell. "I'll be back later." 
                          
"Wait!" The Prince shouted. 
                          
The Pirate furrowed his brows. "What?" 
                          
"Please take these ropes off, Sir. They hurt so bad. I-I can't even feel my hands anymore."
                          
The Pirate pondered for a moment. "I don't think so."
                          
"Please.." Harry begged. "I promise I won't run away. Where would I go anyway?" 
                          
Louis looked down at the pained Prince below him.
                          
"Please." The Prince said again in a softened tone. 
                          
Why did he feel bad?
                          
"Fine." Louis sighed, walking over to him. "Stand up." 
                          
The Prince carefully stood up, awaiting further instruction. 
                          
"Turn around.." Louis demanded.
                          
Harry did so, waiting for the Pirate to loosen his ties. 
                          
Louis unraveled the rope from his wrists, causing Harry to let out a sigh of relief. 
                          
"There."
                          
Harry turned back around, rubbing his raw wrists. He met Louis' gaze. "Thank you, Sir." 
                          
"Stop thanking me." Louis muttered. "I'm the most ruthless Pirate in all the seven seas.. and don't you forget that!"
                          
"Yessir." The Prince nodded, sitting back down on the floor. 
                          
"Good.." He made his way out the door, locking the metal bars behind him. 
                          
"Don't make me regret doing this." Louis lifted the rope up.
                          
Harry nodded, watching the Pirate leave the room.