A/N: My first fanfiction! I know it's not great, so reviews would help ;)

A/N (Update): Thanks so much to magdalena7 for the German help! I like to make my stories as authentic as possible :)

Alek knocked on the door of Volger's stateroom and entered at the weary "kommen Sie in".

Alek sat down lightly on an armchair and stared at the door, counting to twenty in his head before starting to talk. The officer guarding outside today was particularly fond of eavesdropping.

"How long will it be until we can escape?" he asked softly. "I don't mean to whine, but being a prisoner is awfully boring." It was, to tell the truth. Yesterday, he had stayed in bed all day after the guard outside his door had refused to let him leave the room. This morning's guard had been more kind.

"And good morning to you as well," the count replied sardonically. "Ah, well, it depends. My sources tell me that we may be touching down a little sooner than Asia," he said as he stared pensively at the borrowed newspaper he held.

"Is that so?" Alek replied, curious.

"Yes," said Volger in a bored tone of voice as he turned the page. "Really, have you not heard all the talk about Russia? You must become more perspicacious, I think."

"Perspicacious," Bovril informed them both, leaping from Alek's shoulder to the spindly fabricated-wood tea table and staring out the window, where farmland was passing beneath them.

"Yes," agreed Volger. "So I'm afraid we cannot afford to make any plans before knowing exactly where we can escape. We may never get the chance: I don't think they liked our midnight stint in Istanbul too much."

There was a silence as Volger continued reading and Alek stared at his face on the front page.

"Volger," he said suddenly, forgetting to whisper.

"Yes?" the man in question replied, not looking up from The New York World.

"That…" the prince paused, choosing his words carefully. "That reporter, the man with the recording frog…"

"Mr. Malone?"

"Yes, him. He – er – played a recording of a conversation to me after coming off the Leviathan."

Volger looked up, eyebrows raised. "Interesting. Did it, by any chance, involve me and your beloved friend Dylan?"

"Er-"

Volger sighed and folded up the newspaper. "Quite what I'd expect from such an – ah – untrustworthy character." He said slowly, lacing his fingers together and leaning back in the chair, staring intently at Alek. There was a silence, interrupted only by Alek cracking his knuckles.

"So," Volger spoke again, "your question is undoubtedly concerning certain things that I said to your friend."

"Ah, yes," said Alek. "He – he seemed quite frightened when you told him you knew…a secret of his, I believe?"

Volger smirked. "I'm very sorry, but I don't think it would be wise for me to reveal this secret to you. As I think you know, it works rather effectively in bringing your Mr. Sharp up to any task I may ever need of him."

"I see that you're no worse than that reporter at blackmail," replied Alek dryly. "Besides, I am his friend. I am sure he would want me to know."

"On the contrary," replied Volger calmly, turning to face the young prince. "The last person on earth your little friend would want knowing his secret is you. He would rather be thrown off the ship and be disgraced on front of the whole world from his secret than have you know. Even though you've told him every last little fact about yourself that you could," he added scathingly before continuing. "So, the most effective way that I could make him do what I want would be to threaten him with, well, you." He steepled his fingers and smiled, satisfied.

Alek looked away from the count to hide his confusion. That didn't sound right. Why would Dylan be "disgraced in front of the whole world" for having nightmares about his father? This was a different secret, he was sure of it now. But what was so bad about him knowing that scared Dylan so much?

Bovril leaped back onto his shoulder as the young Austrian stood.

"I'll take your leave now, I think," he said hastily to the count before walking out of the room, determined to find his friend.

So, should I continue? Y'all know what's gonna happen next, anyways :P

THANKS FOR READING! XOXO