Mason

Prince Mason shot up out of bed with a loud string of curses. Luckily, he was wearing a pair of breeches. He looked around with wide, bloodshot eyes. His expression was a mixture of anger and fear as his gaze landed on Ilona still holding the cup in her hand.

His chest was heaving and his eyes snapped to hers.

"Who the hell are you?" he shouted, "What are you doing in my bedroom?"

Ilona found she couldn't move. Her mouth couldn't form words to reply to his question. Never in her life had she seen a man that looked like this. His eyes were a deep blue like the ocean she loved. His chin was rough and needing a shave but it somehow only added to his appearance. Ilona felt sure she wouldn't have believed he was real if she wasn't seeing him for herself. He looked like someone she would see in a painting.

She couldn't manage to make herself speak so she pointed one finger towards the others.

The handsome Prince's ice blue eyes turned and landed first on Ian before dropping down to Delaney's face. He frowned and shook his head in confusion, clearly still dealing with the effects of a night of drinking.

"Delaney w-what are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the ocean house. Where's Vince?"

"We came back early Mace," Delaney answered with a nervous smile, "Vincent is talking with Daniel now."

"Does he know you're here in my bedroom? It won't be good for you to be seen here."

"It's alright, he knows. We were careful but even if we were spotted it is all three of us coming here together not just me."

Prince Mason frowned, blinking as he tried to process this in his alcohol-soaked mind before he nodded. He turned his gaze back to Ilona and jerked a thumb in her direction.

"Who is this and why is she dumping water on me while I'm sleeping?"

"I'm sorry about that your majesty," Ian answered quickly, looking embarrassed, "This is my sister Ilona and she can be...tactless."

Mason studied her and Ilona felt like she might melt beneath his gaze, "You're one of Luke's daughters?"

The mentioning of her father jerked her abruptly back towards reality. She had forgotten that this man knew the Pirate King well. It wouldn't be good for her if the Prince told him how she'd woken him up. Of course, her father would be angrier that she'd been in a man's bedroom at all.

"I'm his oldest daughter," she answered, crossing her arms and forcing her distracted mind to string words together, "Captain Ilona Black of the Black Tide."

"Captain?" he questioned, raising a brow, "You are the Captain of a pirate ship?"

And just like that, the dreaminess of the handsome prince was washed away. She felt as if a glass of cold water had been dumped on herself.

"Yes," Ilona answered in annoyance, used to having to defend herself, "What is it? Did you think I couldn't be the Captain because I'm a woman?"

"Not at all," his face relaxed, "But you are not dressed as any pirate Captain I've ever met... and there have been many."

Ilona froze, surprised by his answer. She studied him with a frown, trying to see if he was making fun of her. She had already learned from the stories that she shouldn't trust this man.

"They made me wear it," she said, nodding towards Delaney and Ian, "I don't normally wear dresses."

"Well, then," Mason sighed before rubbing his eyes, "You should know you're quite stunning in that one."

Ilona felt her heart jerk to a stop in her chest. What was he talking about? No man had ever said anything like that to her. She remembered then that this man was a known rake whose reputation was so bad, even Delaney couldn't be seen going into his room alone.

Still though... he hadn't seemed like he was saying it in a teasing way.

Ian cleared his throat and frowned at the scene. Mason looked up at him and smirked. As soon as he did, Ilona's heart sank again. Of course, he had just said it to get under her brother's skin. She should have guessed.

"You're not looking much like a pirate captain today either my friend," he chuckled, "What would the pirate King think?"

"Mace we need to talk to you," Delaney interrupted him, "Are you... Are you sober enough for a serious talk?"

The Prince gave her a mischievous grin, "I am sober currently but I plan to remedy that momentarily."

Ilona rolled her eyes. This man was clearly far from sober. She could smell the alcohol on him.

"Please don't do that," Delaney sighed, "I promised Vincent I would talk to you."

"Yes, good ole Vince. He's off talking to my brother you said? What is that about?"

"We can talk about it another time," Delaney shook her head, "But we need to talk about you now."

The Prince's smile slipped away.

"Me? What's wrong with me?"

Delaney pursed her lips, "It's obvious something is wrong with you since you're doing all this drinking. We were just in the throne room and met a particularly nasty woman I'm assuming is the cause?"

Ilona had to bite her lip to keep from giggling at the Duchess's words.

"Ah, so you met Anna then," Mason flopped back onto his bed, sitting with his back resting against the headboard. His expression slowly shifted into one of hopelessness as he stared down at his hands in his lap.

"We did," Delaney answered and sat lightly on the side of the bed to face him, "She was... she was awful Mace."

"That she is," he sighed and picked at a hole in the thigh of his breeches, "I told you, remember? That day you were at court the last time."

"I do remember," the Duchess nodded quickly, "That is why I don't understand why on earth you would agree to marry her."

The man's blue eyes shot up to hers, "Who told you that?"

"Well, she and Sophia did... and Daniel..."

Prince Mason turned away and Ilona watched as the anger returned to his handsome face. "Yes, I always knew my older brother and I weren't close... but I didn't think he hated me so much as to wish to punish me like this. They aren't supposed to tell anyone yet either."

"You... You think it's a punishment?" Delaney looked shocked.

As Ilona thought of Anna, she imagined he must have done something terrible to deserve such a punishment.

"How could it not be?" the Prince demanded, "You met the woman Delaney. She's beautiful but why do you think I broke our marriage contract in the first place?"

"So why marry her now then?" Ilona heard herself ask before she could stop herself, "If you hated her when you were supposed to marry her and still do now, then why should you marry her?"

"Because Anna still wants to marry me so she can remain here with Sophia," Mason answered, his bloodshot gaze meeting hers, "My brother may be King but his wife is smart and manipulative. The two of them convinced him to force me to uphold my contract now because I've never found another wife."

"Daniel told you you had to marry her?" Delaney asked in surprise, "He's really going to force you?"

"Of course," Mason looked back at her, "He commanded it. He said as heir to the throne it is my duty to marry and continue our family line in case he can't. So now he wants to make me marry her in a few weeks."

"What are you going to do about it?" Ilona could've slapped herself for speaking again. Had she hit her head at some point? "Surely you won't actually marry that woman?"

Prince Mason's gaze dropped to his lap again, "I have to do as the King commands."

"I don't think Daniel is happy about it," Delaney said gently, "Vincent was pretty cold with him about it and your brother would hardly look at him. I think he might feel guilty."

"I suppose he might but that doesn't help me," the Prince sighed and rubbed his temples.

"You didn't tell me what brought you here early," he said to Delaney after a moment, "I'm also curious to hear how you have ended up with yet another pirate at your side. Especially one so lovely."

Ilona frowned hard at that comment, knowing he must still be trying to provoke her brother. Glaring at him, she rolled her eyes when he looked her way.

Delaney looked to Ian for permission to tell the story. Ilona mentally pleaded for her not to but Ian only shrugged.

"Well, we met Ilona when she had just arrived back from a trip to the Red Lands," Delaney answered and Ilona was relieved she left out exactly how they met, "The next day she came to Vincent and I to ask for help and of course, Vincent agreed."

Ilona inwardly cringed then as the Duchess began to retell the story of how she had come to lose her brother and sister. The Prince listened intently, arms crossed over his bare chest. Ilona had to admit it felt nice to not have to go over her mistakes again although she still didn't like hearing them discussed.

Delaney finished by saying they had come to seek Daniel's help but didn't mention that he had already said no. To Ilona's surprise, the Prince now looked angry.

"I've met your brother Isaac," Mason said, "I'm terribly sorry to hear this has happened to him. He is a good man."

"Thank you," the siblings replied in unison.

"Have you spoken to your father yet?" he asked, "What did he say about this nightmare?"

"We haven't been able to locate him yet," Ilona answered, "But my men are out searching for him and will let us know the minute they find him."

That might not be exactly true but she didn't want to admit she was hiding it from her father that she had made such a terrible mistake. Besides, she could always send her men out after they left here.

She glanced over and found Ian frowning at her but thankfully he didn't say anything.

"Good," Mason nodded then, "And what did my brother say? Did he agree to the terms?"

Delaney, Ian, and Ilona were quiet then.

"He said no," Ilona answered softly, as tears immediately filled her eyes, "He said the terms were impossible."

"He said they were impossible?" Mason questioned in surprise, "What were the terms?"

"He wouldn't say," Ian answered, "He said he wouldn't discuss it with us."

Mason laughed harshly as he suddenly pushed himself back out of the bed and launched across the room towards his wardrobe.

"Well this will be simple enough," he said, "I will make sure he has to discuss it with me. Then I can tell all of you and we can deal with whatever comes."

"Wait," Ilona asked in surprise as she watched him pull a shirt on over his muscular chest, "Are you saying you're going to help us?"

Prince Mason grinned and pulled on his boots.

"I'm certainly going to try."