I followed Hector until we came to an empty part of a hallway where he stopped and went to an akimbo stance, looking more serious than I have ever known him to be. He seemed to be thinking something over before saying, "You must be wondering why I have asked to speak to you in private."
I didn't have the heart to tell him that I didn't care - about this conversation or him, so I played dumb and said I was.
"I'm afraid I must express my concern about your...employer, was it? The fellow that's son to Diane?" I asked what his concern was about Christopher. "You see, my dear...I don't trust the man. Something about him feels..wrong."
I asked him to explain further in which Hector took his time about before coming up with, "Has he tried to harm you in any way? Perhaps overworked you?" I told him no, that Christopher has not hurt me or overworked me, and that I have, in fact, enjoyed the work I was given.
"What was it that he makes you do exactly?"
"Domestic chores, mostly. I do help with the ship now and then, but only if the crew needs help or I'm assigned to do it."
"Ahh, so a maid."
Gee, thanks for putting it that way.
"Yes, I suppose so."
"Well, I have only concern for you, my dear. A woman such as yourself can not be trusted around men like him, a pirate nonetheless. Why, they steal and take and are such greedy creatures. Is he holding something over your head? Perhaps I can help. You can work for me or about the castle. We are always looking for good help." To this, Hector flashed a small smile.
I assumed he wanted me to answer with a blush or some flirty gesture that made me seem so grateful that he was offering me a job in an extravagant caste, working for royalty itself, and that it was the crown prince himself offering me the position. However, that wasn't me. I wasn't interested in a job here, nor was I thrilled to be offered one by royalty.
I smiled sweetly. "That's alright, your Royal Highness. I am perfectly satisfied with my job upon Christopher Taylor's ship. I am grateful, though, for your kind offering. However, I am curious as to what Christopher's career choice has anything to do with his character."
Hector gave a small curt laugh and crossed his arms as if he knew the answer to every question. "He's a pirate, as you and I both know. You know what they do, as do I. I'm sure working on his ship long enough, you know his...tendencies. His sly nature, his appalling greed, his lust to take from others." He made Christopher sound like a villain in a storybook. "I mean, it must be torture trying to deal with being in the same room with that man. I understand why you left the library now."
I fisted my hands. How could you judge anyone off of something such as their career? I don't know. It angered me, but I had to remind myself that that was the way I felt about Christopher too. I accused him of being something that he wasn't. Christopher wasn't a murderer, something to fear; he was a man that had a ship and wanted to go places with it.
I unclenched my hands and let out a silent sigh to calm myself. I looked up at Hector with honest eyes, ones that I hoped he could believe, and said, "Christopher Taylor is a man that I have come to respect. Though I do not always see the things he sees or understand him sometimes, I know that he's good at heart. He only steals what he needs and gives back to the people in need." I smiled to myself, realizing that in some way, Christopher was Robin Hood.
"Pirates are liars, my dear. How can you be sure that that's what he wants you to see?"
I felt myself shiver. I had already come face to face with the problem of could-be-lying Christopher more times than I would like to. I didn't need another person reminding me, telling me that I didn't know this man, but I did. I learned my lesson.
"I trust him with my life."
Hector stood frozen for a moment, looking back at me with an unsure stare before finally answering, "Ahh, so innocent. It really is cute. Sticking up for your employer being the only woman on a ship, so touching. Remember, though, Anne, you do have a job here in case you change your mind."
I nodded my head. "Thank you, but I-"
"Excuse me."
I turned my head around only to find Christopher walking up to us and stopping just beside me. He turned to me, grabbing my arm. "Anne, dinner."
I rose my brow. "We don't have-"
"Not for us. For him." Christopher and I both looked at Hector who only answered with a smile.
"Ah, yes, dinner. Silly me. How could I forget?" Hector said and turned to go. "Pleasent talking to you, Anne. I hope we can endure many more delightful conversations." And then he just left, not even looking at Christopher.
It wasn't until Hector turned a corner when Christopher tugged my arm again. "What was that about?" I pulled back my arm, causing Christopher to let go, and rubbed my arm, an 'ow' following it.
"Well?"
"Well, what?"
"What was that about?"
"Like you'd want to know."
"I would in fact. That is why I asked, and I'm still waiting for an answer."
Christopher's eyes looked mad. It must be those damn cigars. "He just said he doesn't trust you and that I should take a job here."
Christopher straightened up, only then realizing how close he was to me. He tucked his hands in his pockets casually. "And what did you say?"
I felt something bubble in my stomach. "I said that I'd think about it." He was silent for a moment.
"And about trusting me?"
That bubbling feeling grew. "I said with my life."
I thought I was hallucinating, but maybe I did see him smile a bit. Maybe he was just a bit glad that I had said that, and maybe I was too, but that could-be-smile didn't last long.
"We need to seek out Jack. Do you know where he is by chance?"
"Why do we need Jack?"
"Something is not right about that prince."
***
We found Jack and Tristian in the same hall that I left them, Diane along with them, crouched down, petting Gata. Neither of them had enough time to stand before Christopher said what he came there to say.
"Is the Prince a suspect?"
Jack stood abruptly, hearing this. "No, of course not. Why? What has happened?" Christopher told about me and Hector's discussion, me filling in most of the details of what was said. When we were finished, Jack face palmed himself. "You blundering foolz! What did I say about being around the royal family? I said not to go near them, especially the crown prince! Anne, that meant that you visited the princess, didn't you?"
I didn't say anything, in which Jack's face turned red. Tristan stood up, putting a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Calm down, Jacky. So they forgot? So what?"
"So what?" Jack said, louder than even he expected. "They have to be even more watched now that they've been around the family. Somehow, you remember they have dinner before us, but you can't seem to remember that you can't be around them. Excellent, just excellent."
Diane looked back between Jack and Christopher anxiously. "Well, can't we just let this slide? I mean, His Highness asked to speak with Anne, surely, that can't be punished for."
Jack shook his head. "I can't disobey His Majesty, besides, servants saw Anne with the princess, and even if they forget that Anne ezn't supposed to be around, if they get asked, they'll say yes and it'll come back to me who didn't attend to thez." Jack sighed. "Stay away from them, understand? Next time ez an arrest."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, but shouldn't the royal family be the first suspect to this?" Christopher asked. "Shouldn't you be looking into the family as well?"
There was a little vein that popped in Jack's forehead that all of us saw except for Christopher, who kept instigating with his theories and questions. "Well?"
"No, of course not, and even if there was, the family has no motive, nothing to gain from this."
"Something is off about that prince."
"His Highness is not one of my favorite people, but he ez the son of His Majesty and I can't ignore that."
"But-"
"Christopher, dear, don't let this all go to your head," Diane added, taking a step toward her son, "Just because you don't like what he said to you doesn't mean that that's who you are, dear."
Christopher thinned his lips before saying, "Mother, this isn't about me. Something is wrong with him. I don't like the way he was talking to Anne or how he came up to her, looking for her, only to tell her that he needed to speak to her about me? Don't you think that's strange?"
Jack pondered this for a little while as we all awaited his answer. At last, he answered with, "I'm sorry, Christopher, but I can't. I have to report everything that I investigate to His Majesty, and I can't investigate the family without it costing my job."
"Can't you do this without anyone knowing?" Christopher exclaimed, angrily.
Jack sighed. "No. If any of thez gets out-"
"What it doesn't?"
"I'm not willing to take that chance."
There was a moment of complete silence between us as we watched Christopher ball up his fists and look between his mother and Jack. I'm sure right then he wanted to shout, to scream the anger that twisted in his stomach and traveled to his mouth, but he bit his tongue and instead, turned to me.
"Come with me," he said, and turned to leave, wanting me to follow.
I was frozen in the wake of not knowing what to do. I was scared to follow him, but if I didn't, I'd lose my job and get a yelling, so I looked at everyone apologetically and followed suit after him, my boss.