Chapter Eight: Land Ahoy!

Crystal

It had been four days since I had become a captive on this pirate ship. Four days since I had last seen my family. Four days that I had been working non-stop. I was now scrubbing the floors near Captain Bayou’s cabin. Oh, that pirate, after he showed off by asking everyone his name and telling me that I just came into hell, he stopped talking to me. He would just tell Max what I should do, and that’s all. I would only see him twice a day, once in the mornings and the other during dinner.

I looked up at the blue sky, only to wince. My eyes suddenly dimmed out once again, causing me to gasp in pain.

“Ah,” I moaned, placing my hand on my eyes and rubbing them hard.

It’s starting to hurt me.

“Here.” I felt a cold substance press against my cold skin, causing me to jump up in surprise.

Lowering my hand, my vision returned to normal, and Max was bent on his knees gazing at me with a straight look.

“Thanks.” I smiled gently at him grasping the mug, and made my hair cover my face so that I could sip from it. My throat screamed with joy when the cold water rushed down.

“Are you okay?” he asked. I nodded at him. He has been the only person that has treated me well. He would always check on me. Even at night, when I slept in his cabin. He told me that he would sleep outside, and it wasn’t a bother.

“Why are you so nice to me? Do you like me?” I asked in a timid voice. If he did, then it would not have been good. He somehow reminded me of my father.

“I do like you, but for a reason, I can only see you as a daughter, you’re too young for me, plus you’re not my taste. Aren’t you, nineteen?” he guessed. I shook my head.

“No Twenty-four.” Max went quiet for a second.

“You look really young. Bayou is only three years older than you.”

That caught my attention, I lifted my gaze.

“He’s twenty-seven,” I asked, now my voice was turning softer. Max nodded, crossing his arms and looking up to the blue sky.

“Aye, he is.” I bit my lower lip.

“What are you to him? You call him by his real name, not like the others.” I finally asked since I had been here, I had never heard Max, call Captain Bayou, well, Captain.

He suddenly chuckled.

“I’m his father,” he said. I blinked, surprised by his words. I glanced at his eyes.

“You’re too young to be his father.” Max waved his hand.

“It’s a long story, one day I shall tell you.” Somehow his brown eyes became so sad and painful, as though old memories were coming into his mind.

“Okay. How about you? Don’t you have a lady friend?” His eyes turned sadder.

“I had a wife. She died twelve years ago.” That caused me to feel even sadder for him.

“Sorry, must be hard.”

“It is, even now I miss her. We were childhood friends and one day I ended up loving her. You remind me of her, just a little.” I blinked, surprised by his sudden words.

“Do I?” Max nodded, as he turned toward the cabin and a smirk passed his lips.

“Yes, but you’re more outspoken.” He stood up, wiping his pants.

“LAND AHOY, LAND AHOY!” I heard someone scream, I stood up and dusted my pants. The last few days, I had been using Captain Bayou clothes and bathing in his cabin with Max as my lookout. I was grateful for that.

“Finally, we are running out of food.” I heard Max grunt, while I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Shawn toothlessly smiling at me. I blinked at him, then lowered my head, making my hair cover my face.

“Y... yes?”

“Can you make us some beef stew with rice? We have been dying to eat that for a long time, and you are the first to have amazing co’oking skills my La’dy,” his voice cracked. I nodded.

“Okay,” he jumped with joy.

“Oi, boys, tonight we feast like kings!” he shouted, causing the whole lot of crew members to cheer. I lifted my gaze.

They aren’t as bad as I thought. I turned around to change the bucket of water since it had already become dirty, in doing so I accidentally bumped into someone’s chest.

“Ouch!” I grunted rubbing my forehead, then stepped back.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” I bowed in embarrassment, but I heard a chuckle.

“So you do have manners,” that voice that I hadn’t heard since yesterday made me feel uncomfortable. I lifted my gaze,

“Oh, it’s you, I take it back,” I grunted at him. He stared at me for a brief second, but then he walked around me and headed up the stairs,

“Come with me,” he ordered. Without saying anything to his command, I placed the bucket down and followed, reaching the second floor and faced the steering wheel.

“Yes Master?” my voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Oh, you’re being an obedient dog, I should give you a treat.”

“Careful, sometimes dogs bite their owners.”

I clamped my teeth together, causing him to laugh.

“If it means that I did something unforgivable to the dog. I can’t wait. Now back to business, look over there.” His tone felt heavy when he mentions that. I follow his pointed finger, which is facing a strange island.

Weird, his tone felt off.

“Oh look, is an island,” I moved closer and squinted my eyes. The island was large, filled with green scenery, but what caught my attention was the gray scary sky that hovers over it. I don’t know why, it causes me to shiver and not in a good way. Which is strange, I never felt like this with any storm I encounter in my lifetime.

Strange, it’s sunny over here.

“Are you going to meet the disgusting king there?” I asked while I started to rub my hands together. Oddly enough the thought caused my heart to pound harder. I didn’t want to see him again.

“No, not yet, we have three more days. We are going to meet someone there.”

I lifted my gaze, but then looked away fast, noticing how close he had gotten to me.

“Who?” I asked him. A smirk passed over his lips.

“You’ll see.”

I didn’t like his tone at all, so I step away from him, and look back at the island.

“Mysteries then, how charming,” I told him. He shrugs, turning back to steer the wheel once again.

“I like to keep my ladies in suspense, is a charm of mine.” he said with a musing tone. I sigh, turning around to head back down.

“Sure, keep telling yourself that Pirate, because right now, the only suspense you have me, is rather you will keep your promise or not.” I told him, not catching the sad look he gave me at the mention.

I stop in my tracks, and look up at him, he’s looking at the direction of the island he showed me. He looks sad somehow, that causes my heart thump strongly.

I do trust you to keep your word, so far you haven’t done anything to me, so please don’t prove me wrong.