Bomberty handed over to her what looked like a small red scroll ,rolled and tied with a silver thread.

Sam immediately knew what it was.

It was the Supreme captain's message.

That was his characteristic style.

Sam or none of the members of her pirate crew knew who he was.The supreme captain ,as they all called him was a mysterious figure who communicated with the help of his pet vulture who delivered the scrolls to her pirate ship wherever they were.

The only thing they knew of him was that he was a very famous pirate who was now in retirement and that he was funding their ship and their expeditions .

He also knew the Gregoshian seas ,which was her pirate troop's main area of action , like the palm of his hand. More than once, the messages brought by his vultures had saved their lives.

So what if he wanted to keep his location a secret ? They all respected and admired him.

Sam herself was a huge fan of this secret beneficiary of her's.Perhaps it was because she was a princess by birth and was used to being taken care of , she had taken his services for granted.

'An admirable retired pirate who was helping out the young ones brave the sea.'

That was the image she had of him.

She only attacked those pirate ships he ordered her to attack.This she saw as return service. Old man must want to settle some old scores! Thank goodness he did not ask them to attack any merchant ships.

She after all had to protect their image of being a decent pirate group !

Sam unrolled the scroll that Bomberty had brought and read it. It was addressed to her and was composed of one sentence.

/ 'Dear Sam, I shall take what is yours' /

Sam could only stare at it. She read it over and over but was unable to make out what it meant. The supreme captain had never before talked to her in riddles.

What exactly did he mean by this?

What did she have that he wanted?

Her pirate ship belonged to him,her crew was funded by him. He was not going to attack Hebelone or something was he? No way.

Hebelone did not belong to her.She belonged to Hebelone rather.

'The only thing that belongs to me'...Sam knew what it was.

Sam gulped and ....held her head . 'Yes my head!'

"What are your orders Captain? " Bomberty asked curiously.

"Just continue repairing the ship." Sam said keeping the scroll in her pocket.

**************

Nataliya was standing in the balcony of her chamber looking at the various hues of autumn on the trees of the palace orchard when her lady in waiting came up to her and greeted her.

"You sound like as if you heard something interesting Elizabeth" said Nataliya still looking at the trees.

"It must have already reached your highness's ears ....that his highness the Prince had a duel with the General"

"Yes. I also heard that the General was defeated"

"And it is the talk from the ministerial chambers that since the General is now injured he'll be sent back to recover and will soon be replaced"

"Yes his majesty my Father is not a blind man after all" Nataliya had seen it coming.But Edgar's intervention had made it happen sooner.

"Aren't you curious your highness,..... as to why the Prince took the trouble to challenge the General for a duel?"

Princess Nataliya turned and smiled at lady Elizabeth."If I were too curious , I wouldn't be able to carry out my duties"

"What do you mean princess?"

Nataliya laughed.

" Suppose if I were to be too curious about the world, I would have, just like Sam ,gone away from the palace to explore far away lands.Then who would remain in the palace as princess?

It is my duty as crown princess to keep myself alive and stay put in the palace even if it means living a life of extreme boredom.This is the kind of sacrifice I must make for the future of my country."

Nataliya returned to her admiring of the autumn leaves and concluded."Suppressing my curiosity is something I have done all my life."