Meanwhile, back on the ship, Captain Blackstone listened to his daughter's soft footsteps leaving the room where his prisoner was kept. Unknown to either girl or merprince, he had been listening to their exchange from the room below thanks to a gap in the floorboards. Taking a draw from his pipe, he smiled.
Sweet Eleanor had reacted exactly as he thought she would. After all, she had her mother's good heart, and such a heart would now ensure her future. An experienced pirate like Blackstone knew that rescuing a mer-person, especially a prince, from imminent danger meant great rewards for the rescuer. So, he had played his part well and made sure his daughter would have a good opportunity to make her move.
Still, even he could not have predicted how well things would work out.
Judging from Prince Colton's words to Eleanor, she could even end up his bride, becoming a queen someday and never having to live on some filthy pirate ship ever again. Really, this whole situation had been a real stroke of luck.
"You know this will very well mean our deaths, Cap'n," said his first mate sitting nearby. He was the only man he had trusted to tell his true plan. "By capturing the merprince, you've made the very sea our enemy. We won't last another day."
"Aye, true," Blackstone replied with a rueful grin. "But I tell ye, this be the one good thing I ever did as her father. Soon, she'll be rid of this bitter old man and his accursed ship." Glancing out the porthole, he eyed the horizon. "Look, there's no use dying with me. Take the lads and leave in the lifeboats. I'll stay here and face me fate."
The first mate stood up. "I'll send them off, but I be staying right here, Cap'n, and don't even try to convince me otherwise." Before the captain could answer, he marched out of the room.
Blackstone shook his head. That man's loyalty was frustrating, but he had to admit, he was thankful, too.
Suddenly, he heard another sound.