| abstract | - Reaver sat again at the royal breakfast table, across from his son. Logan was having a poached egg, while Reaver took his time with his tea. The two men ate their breakfast in elegant silence followed by bouts of intelligent conversation. Inside, he was pondering how to tell his son about Victoria and about Connie. It was going to be a lot to take in. The fact that Victoria was in danger did nothing to lighten the load. While whatever faint spark of parental instinct that Reaver possessed had told him not to let her go, he had. Because she was a grown woman and she wanted to. And while he was pretty sure that Gustavan and his men were good, they were still pirates. There were many shades of grey in the piracy trade, but deep down no pirate was ever 100% trustworthy. Reaver knew that. "Maybe its a good thing that she didn't grow up with me around, I would have spoiled her rotten." He thought to himself. The thought of little Victoria getting whatever she wanted whenever she wanted it simply by staring up at him with those great big sad puppy-dog eyes made him smile. "What are you smiling about father?" Logan asked him. Reaver snapped back to the present and took a sip of tea. "Oh nothing, I was just thinking of when you were a boy, how much fun we had." He lied. "Yes, remember when you gave me my first toy gun to shoot at Lance and Troublesome with?" Logan reminisced. Reaver just sipped his tea and smiled again. "Those were the good days." He replied. Logan looked down at his half-eaten egg. He had a look of hopelessness in his eyes. "I have some news that might lighten the load my dear boy." Reaver offered. The king looked up from his plate. "What news? Is it about Victoria?" He asked eagerly. "First, ask me how things are going in Industrial." Reaver grinned whilst reaching for a particularly juicy looking mango. Logan looked mildly impatient, but knowing his father, he was no doubt setting up the conversation for a clever and witty remark of some sort. He decided to play along. "Alright. So, how are things in Industrial father?" "Well, I wouldn't know, you see, I had a rather unexpected guest come by a little over a week ago, and I had since took time off from my usual overseer position." Reaver replied after swallowing a bite of ripe mango. "Unexpected guest?" Logan looked confused. "It was Victoria. She came and stayed with me a quick while, and believe me, we had quite a visit." Reaver casually wiped his lips with a embroided napkin. Logan stood and raised his right hand. "You saw her and did not inform me?! She's missing and you didn't bring her back?!" The king cried out angrily. Reaver just grinned. "I hardly thought that was any way to treat my prodigal daughter. I hadn't seen the girl in 20 years, the last thing that I was thinking to do was drag her kicking and screaming back to the very place that she does not wish to be." He replied. "I have been searching night and day for over a week trying to find my sister! I even hired a bounty hunter to track her down, and now your telling me that she's been at your manor this whole time?! Why do you delight in mocking me you pompous lackey?" Logan spoke sharply. Reaver stood and glared at his son. "Watch your tongue boy! You may be the king but I am still your father. Firstly, she is no longer living with me. I granted her passage aboard my ship "The Rose Maiden". The girl is entitled to her freedom. Princess or not you need to at least grant her that much. Secondly, this bounty hunter that you speak of also dropped by after Victoria had left and tried to slit my throat. I of course would never allow that to happen to me, so I pulled one of my old hero moves on her, and your never going to belive this but-" Reaver was cut short by a small army of guards that Logan had summoned while Reaver was caught up in explaining the situation. The two nearest him grabbed his arms and immobilized him. "I warned you, and yet you still did not abide by my wishes." The king spoke. "Wishes? I saw her, I talked to her, I bonded to her, and more. What did I fail to do in "his majesties" eyes?" Reaver replied sourly. "You allowed her, no assisted her in escaping from me. You knew that I was looking for her and yet you aided her getaway." Logan answered him. "You act like she's a wanted criminal. Why will you not allow her to enjoy her life?" "It would seem that I have given you too much power and leeway Reaver. I do believe that the time has come to deflate that massive ego of yours." The king threatened, ignoring his father's question. "I'm afraid that is impossible. Likewise my son, it would appear that I have made the same mistake as you." Reaver replied. The king glared at him. "What do you mean by that?" He asked. "You're a smart boy, figure it out." He nearest guard promptly punched him in his stomach. Reaver winced. "If you are assuming that you would make a better king than I, you will soon be eating those words. Take him away!" Logan commanded. "By the way, that bounty hunter that you hired turned out to be your mother. Turns out she's not dead after all." Reaver spoke as he was being led away. Logan glared down at his father. "What do you mean she's still alive?! I hired a bounty hunter named the Maiden of Dread, not Connie!" The annoyed king roared. "Quite, quite. But it's her given name, she's under some sort of spell by that warlock Xaiver, the one that I told you about when you were a lad, remember? Turns out that he's still alive too. I have your mother tied up to my bed upstairs if you care to go and see for yourself." Reaver explained. Logan cocked and eyebrow. "It would seem that you've also gone mad, yet another reason to strip you of your power." Logan remarked. "Is that so? I was under the impression that insanity was considered a fashion statement among the upper class elite. It certainly looks good on you." Reaver said with a laugh. A swift blow from the other guard silenced him "I have heard enough if your foolery. Take him away, and send in my top elite guards, I need to send a ship out to find "The Rose Maiden" and retrieve Victoria." Logan commanded. The guards then led Reaver away, and the door slammed shut behind them. The king looked again out the window. He pondered his fathers words. "Perhaps I should go and check this matter out. At the very least I can free some poor woman that father is holding hostage." Ben and Victoria wandered the empty streets of Bowerstone Market together. It had been a week since he and the lovely princess had began to date, and the two were enjoying every bit of it. He tried to remember the last woman that he had harbored such strong feelings for. It didn't surprise him when an image of his ex-girlfriend Page leapt to mind. Ah, Page! You'll never know how much you meant to me. Not that you would probably even care... Ben snorted as they continued to walk down the bridge. The leader of the Bowerstone Resistance had always been too busy for him. It was late and the surface of the water looked almost black below them. Victoria looked out at the ocean, and as another Reaver Industries ship pulled free of the harbor, her heart ached, remembering him. She missed him and although it would be risky, she wanted to see her long lost father again. "Tch, the privileged snob sure has his hands full." He scoffed. Victoria winced at his words. She still hadn't told him that Reaver was her father. It hurt her to hear the man she loved talking so badly about him. "I heard that Reaver's not as bad as he seems." Victoria blurted. "Yeah, if your a high class party girl with a nice rack." Ben replied coldly. He continued to walk down the grime covered steps that led to the docks, and Victoria followed him. Ben was greatly looking forward to manning Victoria's ship for her in the morning. While he had spent a good portion of his life on land, Ben was a decent mariner and a strong swimmer when the going got rough. As the couple walked along the harbor, Ben noticed a woman dressed in a factory worker uniform unloading crates from the ship. He had mentioned before to Victoria that going to the docks in Bowerstone might be a good place to hire a crew for their upcoming voyage. Ben put on his most charismatic smile and walked up to her. "Excuse me miss, but do you know if there are any sailors available for hire?" The gruff woman groaned as she set down the heavy crate. "No one is hiring in, or out, far as I know. Unless you wanna be the new tycoon ruler of Reaver Industries." Victoria piped up. "Um, did you just say new tycoon ruler? What happened to Reaver?" She asked, worried about her father. Being around Page had taught Ben a very valuable lesson, that Reaver was a terrible man that took advantage of people to no end, mainly the very poor. Coming from a poor family himself, Ben had almost an instant hatred of the man. The couples opinions had never been as completely different as they were at this moment. "Yup, King Logan just sacked him this mornin'. Said he's got him locked up in the royal dungeon, an that he's lookin' fer a good replacement." Victoria's eyes flew open. "Somehow I just don't think that Ben Industries would have the same ring." Ben chuckled. The woman shrugged. "Anyone would be better than that rich monster thats fer sure. Why last year alone he spent our raise money on a giant ship, The Rose Maiden. What a dumb name, I can't even afford me rent and that overpaid cad is buying giant ships to take trips on." The woman spat into the harbor. "Excuse me, but have you ever even met Reaver? Who gave you the right to pass judgement on the man so harshly." Victoria snapped. Ben and the factory worker both stared at the angered princess, almost out of breath with shock. "Um, sorry to chat and run, but my wife has been feeling a bit moody lately. See, she's pregnant and all, you know how it is." Ben talked fast as he pulled Victoria away from the confused woman. "Wife?!" Victoria pulled her arm free and glared at Ben. "We've only been together a week!" The princess yelled as she broke away from her overprotective boyfriend. "What got into you back there? You realize that being a Reaver fan in this neighborhood is suicide?!" Ben whispered aggressively to Victoria. "Thank you very much, you've been very helpful! Newsflash Ben, I can take care of myself!" She snapped. "Listen, seriously, what is your deal? Don't you realize that Reaver is by far the worst man that ever lived?" Victoria glared at him with her amber eyes. "No, I guess I just don't see him that way." With that, the princess headed back towards Castle Fairfax, with Ben chasing after her. Reaver made a face at the stale bread questionable beverage than had been served to him within the hour. He sat with his back against the cell wall. He had long ago pulled his hands free of the shackles that the guards had placed him in, but escaping the castle dungeon was going to be another matter entirely. He kept thinking about what a crazy couple of weeks it had been, and in his wild life that was quite a statement indeed. He sighed as he thought about his rebellious daughter, his power corrupted son, and his animalistic brainwashed wife. He looked up at the moon through the bars of the dank cell. "What a family..." He said aloud. He tried to get some rest but found that sleep was impossible. "Reaver?" A familiar voice from the window startled him. Reaver looked towards the window again and saw his daughter smiling in at him. "Victoria?! What are you doing here? I told you to take my ship and leave town." "I've heard Logan locked you up, and I came to rescue you." Victoria answered. "What happened anyway?" "Never allow your child to have more political power than yourself, lets put it that way." Reaver replied dryly. Ben, who was listening the entire time came forward and reached his hand down into the cell. "The names Ben Finn by the way, in case your interested." Reaver scoffed and turned away. Ben withdrew his outstretched hand. "Alright, you're clearly not in the mood for company. Hey, can you two do me a little favor?" "Do I look like I am in any mood to grant a complete stranger a favor?" Reaver glared dangerously at Ben. "I'd pick my next words very carefully if I were you." Ben took a deep breath before answering. "Its nothing really. Just, can someone please tell me what the heck is going on here?" Ben looked from Victoria to Reaver. "Victoria? Dear, will you please tell me why we came here at great risk of you being found?" "Why does that concern you?" Reaver perked up. "Well, seeing as she's my girlfriend, I would say that it concerns me a good bit actually." Ben retorted. "I see." Reaver grinned evilly. "And are you aware of the fact that the pretty little thing that you call yours, is indeed MY daughter?" Ben jumped back, surprised by the news, but also a little intimidated by the dark look in Reaver's eyes. Ben turned away and gave Victoria an understanding look. "So that's why you defended him like that down at the docks." He looked back at Reaver. "I had no idea...However I assure you sir, that I have only the most honorable of intentions for your daughter." "Oh, don't call me sir! I'm not old or anything after all." Reaver huffed. "But father, you told me that you were over 300 years old." "Yes, but I certainly don't look it now do I?" Reaver replied. Ben crooked an eyebrow at the industrialists words. I guess insanity does run in blue blood. He smirked. "I'm sorry, I just was trying to be respectful." Ben replied. "Oh, come, come! I know your type very well Mr. Finn, and I can assure you that you are anything but respectful." "For your daughter, I would be." Ben stated seriously. This only prompted sour laugher from Reaver. "Oh! Now that is rich!" Ben had had quite enough of this. He turned and started to walk away pat Victoria and the sound of Reaver's taunting chortles. "Mr. Finn, I must apologize. It's just been such a long time since I had heard such trivial fooleries. But I dare say that I am in the mood to be serious again." "What do I care?" Victoria shot her boyfriend a sharp glare before bringing out her cutlass. Slowly, and carefully, she sawed at the iron bars of the cell. At long last, they fell free. Reaver clambered out and embraced his little girl. "Well, its certainly nice to be out of that dirty little abode. How are you my dear?" He asked, "I'm good. I'm just glad your alright." Victoria hugged even tighter. Reaver stared at Ben. "Likewise." Ben couldn't help but notice the dark glare in Reaver's eyes had never dissipated.
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