Eleanor immediately relaxed against Lorelei and hugged her tightly. "When my father forced you away, I thought I lost you," she whispered. "I knew you promised to come back, but I wasn't sure." She began to tremble slightly as she spoke.
"My darling, you would not believe the amount of suitors my father forced me to see. As if any one of them could replace you. And just before you arrived, my mother told me she didn't care what I felt for the prince arriving today, I was to marry him. That's why I was going to kill myself… I couldn't imagine being with a soul other than you.
Lorelei let out a soft trembling breath at those words and held her love a little closer. “I felt like your father ripped out my heart when he made me leave you. It took me a week to stop crying and decide that in order to keep my promise, I would have to fight everything the world threw at me.” she said with a watery smile. “When I arrived today, I heard that some snotty prince was coming to see you… I just went blank. I was angry, yes, but I couldn't think until Jax talked some sense back into me.” she chuckled softly.
“My love, I can't bear the thought of being with any one other than you either but I would never want you to kill yourself.” Lori told her as she pulled back to meet her eyes. “Gods know what I would have done if I had found you and you were…” she shook her head when she couldn't force the words past a lump that formed in her throat.
Eleanor winced. "Please, don't… I can't bear it to talk about it anymore. Let's talk about something else. Anything else. Who is Jax? Tell me about your friends. I'd like to know everything. Nothing ever changes in those stone walls. It's the most elegant prison in the country."
“Alright.” she nodded, grateful for the change of topic. “Here take a seat.” Lori suggested, gesturing to her table which was still covered with maps, candles, and some tools. “Well, Jax is my first mate. He was actually the first person I met when I became a sailor. His ship had been destroyed by a storm and he was the only survivor. So I hauled him aboard and he taught me everything I know about sailing.” she told Eleanor as a soft smile started growing.
Eleanor approached the table, tracing her fingers over the maps Lorelei had spread out. "You've accomplished so much… learned so much…" She looked at the map a moment more before turning to look at Lorelei again. "You've made a whole new life for yourself. I'd like to do the same."
Suddenly, from outside the cabin, a distant horn blew, and Eleanor froze. "I think they've realized I'm gone, my darling," she breathed, crossing the room to Lorelei again. "We need to leave as soon as possible."
“And you can. We’ll teach you everything you need to know to handle being on a ship.” Lorelei encouraged.
She chuckled, nodding at the assumption. “Don’t worry, love. Listen.” she said softly as she moved to stand beside her.
Just on the other side of the cabin door, Jax was already issuing orders for the crew cast off. It wasn't much longer before the familiar rattle of the anchor chain soon joined the cacophony.
Eleanor's heart was racing, and it refused to stop. The "what ifs…" raced through her mind non-stop. What if my father and mother catch me? What if something happens to Lorelei? What if I'm forced into a marriage? The thoughts caused her to tremble, and she clung desperately to Lori's arm. "Darling…" she whispered faintly.
Lorelei raised a brow slightly at the grip but when she felt Eleanor shivering, she just wrapped her free arm around her. “I’m right here.” she assured, whispering in her ear. “They won't get you. You're safe. I’m not going to let you go.” she continued. The captain gently rubbed soothing circles against the princess's back and kept whispering comforting words to her as the ship gave a jolt to signal that it was free of the port and making its way to the open seas.
Eleanor melted easily against Lorelei. Their bodies fit together like the final two pieces of a puzzle. She was tense until the ship was well into the water, and as she looked out the window and saw her home shrinking into the distance, she finally relaxed. "I can't believe I've actually run away," she murmured. "I've talked about it, thought about it, for so long. I've even dreamt of it! And now it's really happened…" She turned to face Lori and grinned wildly. "I've finally run away with you!"
Lorelei had to admit that she missed how much she relished holding her love like this. It made her feel more complete than she had in years. Like she was a whole person again.
“Yes, you did. And you're free now. Free as the sea.” she smiled. “I’ve thought about stealing you away from that kingdom a few times… but I wasn't sure how it would go off.” she chuckled, kissing her forehead.
Eleanor pulled away from the embrace – only a bit, of course – and her mouth dropped open. "Why didn't you?" she asked incredulously. "I was prepared to run away with you the day after I met you, don't you remember?" She laughed a bit at the memory and shook her head. "We were so young… it seems like ages ago! You're so strong now." When she was this close, she could smell the salt and fresh air in Lorelei's dark hair. "But you're even more beautiful."
“I remember.” Lori laughed gently. “We thought we could do anything together as long as we kept our secret.” she smiled before answering the question. “I… I was worried. That I wouldn't be strong enough or I would put you in danger. And my crew…” she admitted, casting a glance towards the door, “I needed to know that I could trust them and that they would trust me enough to stay with me even after I “kidnapped” you.” she explained.
Eleanor laughed quietly. "Too many uncontrollable odds. I understand. But it doesn't matter anymore. We're together now, and I can't wait to spend every day for the rest of my life with you, my darling…" She directed Lorelei's chin so she was looking her in the eye, and the princess grinned as she closed the gap between their lips for a soft reunion kiss.
Lorelei closed her eyes and let Eleanor pull her into the kiss, meeting it eagerly but just as softly. “And we will be, love. I’m not going to lose you again.” she promised. Once they had spent more time together, with each other and the crew, and whenever Eleanor would want it Lori planned to ask Jax to marry them. On land it may not be so acceptable, but on the seas… things that mattered on land didn't matter as much. They could do it. All she wanted was for Eleanor to be happy and to be with her.
"And I'm not going to lose you either," Eleanor murmured. She gazed longingly at Lorelei's face. "I couldn't bear it the first time. I can't even begin to fathom what it would be like to feel those emotions again. I adore you, my darling Lorelei." She kissed her again, peppering the captain's face with kisses, but she pulled back after a few moments. "Do you think it's safe to go outside now?"
Lorelei chuckled softly as her face was kissed. “And I you. Always.” she whispered with a smile as she pressed a few kisses of her own against Eleanor’s face. “It might be. But I don't mind waiting a bit longer to be sure.” she smirked.
Eleanor giggled at Lorelei's kisses, and a blush spread rapidly across her cheeks when the girl smirked. "Oh?" she whispered. "Well, I might get bored in here if we stay too long with nothing to do… did you have some ideas for how we can keep ourselves occupied?" she asked innocently, tilting her head.
Lorelei chuckled at the pretense. “Maybe… After all I did promise to remove something.” she smirked. “Could you remind me what that was?” she teased, placing her hands on Eleanor’s sides and giving her a playful squeeze.
Eleanor squeaked at Lorelei's touch. Her sides were sensitive, and her partner knew it. "Yes, you did," she whispered back, sighing at the refreshing feeling of Lorelei's hands on her. "And I-I think you know, my darling." The princess's blush deepened as she stammered slightly.
Lorelei’s smirk grew at the sight of Eleanor’s blush. “Perhaps I do after all.” she admitted with a purr. “And trust me, you’ll breathe much easier and be able to run faster.” she told her. “Now… I may need your help.”
Eleanor brushed her hair away from her face and leaned close so that her hot exhales fell directly on Lorelei's lips. "Oh, will I?" she teased, giggling quietly. "Of course I'll help you, my daring. Just tell me what you need me to do."
Lori stiffened slightly at the teasing, but didn't stop smirking. “Well, for starters… you can help me take off that pretty dress of yours since it is the nicest thing you own right now.” she pointed out, bringing her face closer to Eleanor’s. “Don’t want anything to happen to it, do we?”
Eleanor's breath hitched. "Yes," she whispered, her lips brushing Lorelei's as she said the word. She pulled away reluctantly, but she turned her back to Lori and lifted her hair to expose the backing of her dress. Buttons lined down her spine. She could pin them together, but they were impossible for her to get apart on her own. "Do you mind?" she asked softly.
“Not at all, love.” Lorelei whispered, her hands lingering on Eleanor’s waist as she turned. She let out an admittedly shaky breath before she carefully started undoing the long line of buttons from the top down. As more and more buttons slid open between her fingers, she could only imagine the relief the other woman was feeling. She smirked mischievously, leaned forward, and pressed a long kiss to her exposed neck as she reached the seam of the dress that separated the bodice from the skirt. “Are you ready?” she asked, lacing her fingers with the restricting strings.
Eleanor closed her eyes, sighing softly with each button Lorelei undid. It was like the weight of her duties was slowly slipping off of her shoulders– "Oh!" the princess moaned when her lover pressed a lingering kiss to her neck. She swallowed heavily to force the sound away. "Yes," she answered quickly. Her breaths were already picking up with anticipation. "Yes, Lori, please."
