Felix moved to correct the ship's course, then grabbed some paper and a pen, getting to work on a ransom note. He wanted it to be perfect, even though that was probably impossible. He sighed faintly, running his hands through his hair.
His mind began to wander, 'What if. . .what if I just jumped down into the waves? And let them swallow me up, I don't think anyone would care, except Felix, but that would only be because he is losing out on money.' Elias sighed shaking his head, 'No, they'd try to stop me, and then I'd be back in the brig, with those rats, and in the dar, and wet, and cold. . . Okay, so I'm not going to jump, but I just don't want to be here anymore. It seems like whatever happens, I'll still be trapped, and under someone else's thumb. If father pays, it'll be back to living under him, if he doesn't I'll be sold and belong to someone else, and if I jump, well I'll be dead. . .' He shook his head, trying to bring himself to reality, 'Father won't be around for much longer, and from then, you can do what you would like to do. And be the person you are, not the son he wants you to be.'
Felix hummed for a moment, pulling out a knife and testing the edge. "Elias." He said, turning to look at the captive. "You'll need to hold very still while I cut some strands of your hair. I do not want to slit your skin by mistake." He stood, coming closer with the knife still in hand. "I mean you no harm; the hair is only to prove to your father that I do, in fact, have you aboard." He was going to ask Elias to handwrite a message for his father as well, as added proof that Felix and his crew had captured the richer boy.
Elias nodded silently, "I. . , uhm, alright." He stammered, trying to look away from the knife, those things terrified him. But, he couldn't let that show, after all, that would make him look foolish and weak, "Do whatever you feel is necessary, and will get me off of this ship sooner."
Felix nodded a little bit. He reached out and took a few strands of Elias's hair, pulling them taut, and swiped through them with a knife. Pulling out a small ribbon, he tied it neatly around the small bundle of hair he had cut off, and slipped the hair into the envelope for the letter. "Done."
Elias shuddered a bit feeling the knife close to him, once it was done he exhaled loudly with relief, "Alright, do you need to cut off an ear too? Or are you good with that?"
Felix blinked, sheathing the knife. "Of course I do not need an ear. I am not a barbarian, whatever you may think." he sat back down, checking to see if the ink was dry on the letter yet. "I only need you to write a short note to your father, in order to prove that it is indeed you that we have."
"I. . .I was just trying to poke fun at this, not trying to be rude, I am very sorry." Elias muttered, walking over to the letter, "So all I need to do is write that I am alive and that you have not harmed me, but it would be wise to do as this man says?" He began to come up with ideas, hoping that at least one would be decent, "Well, would you suggest?"
Felix looked at him for a moment, then let out a breath. "Yes, that is fine. So long as it proves it is you, I don't really care what you write." he replied, running his fingers through his hair for a moment, eyes studying Elias carefully.
Elias rolled his eyes, "I don't think you should have said that, but alright." He stooped over the desk quickly writing out a short note at the bottom of the letter, "Alright, this is what I wrote. Dear Father, I hope that this letter finds you well. Currently, I am being held captive on ship full of pirates, although I am sure you understood that from the letter above. Please, do as the man says, and set me free as soon as possible. Your loving son, Elias. " He looked up with a small smile on his face, "Well, what do you think?"
Felix scanned the letter. "That works fine." He replied calmly, taking the letter and sealing it inside the envelope with the lock of hair. "Now to drop this off at a harbor." He tucked the envelope carefully into an inner pocket to help keep it safe and protected. "You may go back to reading."
"Gee, thanks." Elias muttered as he walked back over to the spot on the deck where he had been standing. 'How much longer can I take this? Take being treated, well, the same way as I am at home.' Then he remembered his ideas, 'When they get to the port, make yourself scarce, then make a run for it.'
Felix sighed faintly, rubbing a hand over his face. "Cheer up, you'll be home soon, provided all goes well." He said calmly to Elias.
"And if not?" Elias muttered, half to himself, "My life will be worse off than what's it's been, or what it is now. Do you know what it's like to have wishes and wants, but are being forced to do something or be someone completely different than who you really are." He groaned, "Being forced to marry someone you hate, or at least knowing of your father's plans, and then knowing you won't be happy with that person at all." He sighed softly, "But sure, once I'm off this boat, which is honestly no better than home, things will be better."
He laughed bitterly. "I know, Elias. You think I don't?" He shook his head, looking out to sea. "But you won't get what you want by moping around and complaining. You've gotta grab life by the balls." He shrugged, mouth twitching in a faint smirk.
"I've tried that, and my father nearly killed me." Elias muttered, "He hates the real me, the person that I truly am, and has made a point of hiding it as much as possible, which means that as long as he lives I have to keep up the act of being his perfect son. And if you still think that I just let my father boss me around, well think again, I've fought back, but he has people who put me back into line" He grumbled crossing his arms, "Honestly, I think the brig is better than the room back at home."
Felix shrugged. "Look, I don't know how to help you then." he replied. "I can't offer you a position in my crew; the others would revolt or worse, mutiny, and I can't exactly have that." he shook his head, sighing faintly.
"HHm, just drop me off at one of the nearest ports than, I can take care of myself, trust me, I've run away from home so many times that I'm used to being a strange new city, full of strange new people. All I need to do is find someone and then I'll be fine." Elias said shrugging, "Or whatever you want to d, I really don't care at this point. As long as it doesn't involve rats, I'm fine."
Felix frowned a little, thinking. "I don't know if I can. The crew won't be happy if I take you and then we don't get a payment for it." He rubbed his face with a hand, shaking his head.
"HHm, then do whatever you need to do, wait, are you saying that you might need to sell me?" Elias said cautiously, "Or will do whatever? Again, I don't care. Do what you must do."
Felix shrugged. "I would rather not sell you, that was a threat to get you to behave." he replied, shaking his head slightly and letting out a breath.
Elias was getting slightly annoyed, "Well, I guess it worked then," he muttered shaking his head, ""Look, as I have said quite a few times at this point, I don't care about what you have to do. I guess it's all fair, I mean you have a life too, and you have people you have to take care of, other than you annoying prisoner, so send the letter to my father, all right, I'll be fine."
Felix nodded a little bit. "I am working on a plan, Elias. Calm down." he replied, standing and stretching, eyes flashing around the ship and then returning to Elias.
"Hmmph." Was all Elias replied with, "Take your time, it's all right." He said sarcastically, "I already told you that you can easily just do whatever you want, whatever is best for your crew? Does that not matter?" This was annoying him immensely, he felt sort of confused, had it been any other person who had kidnapped him, wouldn't he be get in trouble for talking or behaving like this?
Felix raised an eyebrow. "I suggest you shut your mouth before I have to shut it for you, for one thing." he replied, stalking closer to Elias. "And for the other, I am trying to make you happy as well, though I don't have to and can easily just plop you back into your miserable, normal life."