Ingrid rose fluidly from her curtsy at Pavel's behest.<br/><br/>When Alexei spoke, her eyes flew up to meet his, and her solemn expression wavered ever so slightly at his own uncertain smile. Before lowering her eyes again, she had caught a glimpse of something in his eyes, something wild, untamed, almost feral, and it frightened her. It was like being face to face with a wild beast, held back only by the thinnest leash of civility. It took every ounce of her training not to take a step back from him.<br/><br/>"Thank you, my lord," she managed to say back to him, keeping her voice almost to a whisper so it wouldn't shake.<br/><br/>After Pavel gave the instructions for their return, she bowed her head to him again. This was it, she would leave this ship, the last vestige of her home. Already, her trunks were being lowered down the side of the ship by the deck hands.<br/><br/>Suddenly, there was a scuffle, and she quite distinctly heard that little cabin boy cry out. She turned just in time to see one of the deck hands strike him and send him sprawling to the ground.<br/><br/>She drew a sharp breath in, and angry flush rising in her cheeks. How dare they? And in front of royalty? What kind of impression would this make on her future in-laws? How they would scorn her now!<br/><br/>Without a word to the Czar or the others - after all, what could she say? - she stormed over to the men, just on the edge of the physical fight.<br/><br/>"Stop it!" she ordered, her voice now strong and regal, giving her commands in Swedish. "I order you to stop this right now! How dare you? You shall be punished severely! Stop, I say!"<br/><br/>The deck hands were so intent on their scuffle with the cabin boy, they barely paid any heed to anyone else. When an annoying voice told them to stop, one of them simply lashed out and struck a strong blow to the base of Ingrid's neck, right on her shoulder, sending her staggering back and falling to her knees.<br/><br/>She dizzily got to her feet, trying to ignore the pain throbbing through her head, neck and chest. She tried to grab one of the ruffians around the arm and pull him off the boy, only to be brutally shaken off again.