Previously, on Pirates in Love...
Morgan - "Or is it that you want me to undress you?"
He reached for the buttons on my blouse. My face felt very hot and I was getting very nervous. I'd never had a man so close to me, and never in this position! I don't want this! What am I going to do?
Alex - "C-Captain!"
Morgan - "If you don't want me to, just say so." He whispered in my ear.
I could feel his hand unbuttoning my blouse. What am I doing? Why aren't I stopping him? In the olden days I'd have kicked him the crotch by now. Why can't I move? I shut my eyes tight. C'mon Alex, get a hold of yourself! He ran a hand up my side to move the blouse off my shoulders. He was so warm, and even though I didn't want him to he was undressing me so gently. My breathing quickened and I could feel my heart pounding.
Morgan - "Do you want me t-?"
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Eduardo - "Captain! Preparations are complete."
Alex - Preparations? Geez, they take their drinking seriously…
Morgan - *sigh* "I'll be right there!"
Morgan got off of me and gave me back the dress.
Morgan - "You can change yourself, this time." He grinned. "There should be some clean undergarments in that drawer there."
He walked out and closed the door behind him. Oh God, he was gonna strip me naked! If Eduardo hadn't knocked… Not that he saved me on purpose. I quickly got changed and gathered my old clothes to bring them back to Thomas's room. I can't believe Morgan could make me feel that way… What is wrong with me? Am I seasick again? I looked at myself in a large mirror against the wall. I spun around to get a good view of the dress. It wasn't so fancy like the ones that the girls would wear in the city, but it was still pretty. It fit me pretty well, too. I felt a little rosy inside, thinking about what it'd be like to be a lady in waiting. Then I remembered where I was and shook my head. I gotta keep it together! I opened the door and closed it behind me. I was about to turn down the hallway when…
Eduardo - "Making the Captain wait, huh?"
Surprised, I turned around to see Eduardo leaning against the wall, one leg propped up and arms crossed. He was smiling at me. Was he waiting for me?
Alex - "It's not like that! I don't want the Captain."
I turned around ready to stomp away from him.
Eduardo - "Wait." He grabbed my waist and pulled me back. "You missed a button."
I felt his hand on my neck as he moved my hair aside. I waited for him to finish fastening the button, then moved away quickly.
Alex - "Um. Thank you."
Eduardo - "... Don't mention it."
He walked up the stairs to the deck. That was odd. If anything I'd expect him to unfasten my buttons, like Morgan did… I shook my head. Once again, there was just too much happening in one day. I stowed my clothes away in Thomas's room. I guess I'll wash these tomorrow.
By the time I got back onto the deck, the party was already in full swing.
Thomas - "I'll haf anuver cup *hic*."
Russell - "Such a lightweight, ya can't take anotha cup!"
Thomas - "Oh yeh, watchf me!" He downed a mug of booze.
Alex - Do they even have limits?
Morgan - "Alex! Join us. Do you drink?"
Alex - "I-I've never drank…"
Morgan - "Never? Blasphemy!" He slammed a fist down. "Pour the lady a drink!"
Alex - "Um, I really don't want to!"
Eduardo - "Nonsense." He poured me a cup.
I took a sniff of the devil's brew. It smelled a little like bread. Maybe I'll like it… I took a sip… and immediately spat it out.
Alex - "That's horrible!"
The men laughed.
Nathan - "You'll get used ta the taste."
Alex - "I don't know… I always thought booze was for adults…"
Christopher - "Hm? How old are you Alex?"
Alex - "Ah, um, I just turned 18."
Russell spat out his booze. "Yer just a kid!"
Alex - "I-I am not!"
Russell - "Neva drunk booze, n' yer so puny. Yer a kid!"
Eduardo was staring at me intently.
Eduardo - "... Alex, are you a virgin?"
Alex - "Of course I am!"
They all went silent.
Morgan - "Damn…" Morgan looked at me very seriously. "Is it true?"
Alex - "Of course it is. The marriage ceremony doesn't happen until you turn 18…"
Christopher - "Marriage ceremony?"
Alex - "Uh, yeah."
I explained about the village's tradition of marrying off girls when they turn 18. It was much more enforced in the villages surrounding Yamato than in the city itself. The age of the men didn't really matter, but most of the time they were around the same age. The men just needed to be 18 or older. The girls and boys who turned 18 get to choose their suitors. And up until then, the girls were supposed to remain virgins. The marriage ceremony was going to take place in a couple months time.
Alex - "I'm going to miss it…"
Nathan - "... You wanna get married?"
Alex - "No! Well, yes, someday. I don't know…"
Morgan - "Hm. So you've got a man waiting for you at home, huh?"
Alex - "Er, no. Not exactly." I hesitated. Except for Thomas who was getting quite drowsy, everyone was listening. "I-I worked too much to hang out with the other kids… And when I did see them they weren't very nice to me… I was working too much to really make friends. And I wasn't even born in the village, so I was already an outsider. I don't think any of the boys there would want to marry me."
There was a short silence.
Russell - "Pfft. Tha's a load o' crap. Who in da world wants ta be married."
Eduardo - "Being tied to one woman would be a bore."
Morgan grinned. "Life's no fun unless you can get your fill of women, am I right boys?"
All - "Here here!"
The party was brought back to life and the men continued to poke fun at my village's tradition. Before coming aboard the ship, it had been all I had known. It was all I ever really wanted, but I was so afraid of ending up alone. I was a poor woman in that village, one who worked too hard and wasn't graceful or fair like the other girls. But it was my goal. After hearing the men talk about how such a life would be unthinkable for them, it made me feel better about myself possibly never achieving that. There are people who are okay with leading a different life… Maybe I don't have to lead that life. Maybe I can lead this one? I was relieved. It wouldn't be the end of the world if I wasn't married off at 18.
I snuck away from the party and headed to the bow. Other than time sleeping, I hadn't had a moment to myself since I got on the ship. It was another nice night. There was more of the sky that I could see than ever before. More stars than I'd ever seen in my life. It seemed like a dream, almost better than home. Home… I kind of miss it. Well, the pirate life wasn't so bad, if you took out the pirates. I giggled to myself. A pirate life without pirates. What would be the point of that?
Russell - "What ya laughin at?"
Alex - "Oh! Russell, you scared me."
Russell - "Whatchya doin here by yerself anyway?"
He leaned his elbows on the railing beside me and took a swig from his mug.
Alex - "Ah, it's just… it's all so overwhelming. I've never been on a ship, and now I'm drinking, and wearing a pretty dress. It's a lot!"
Russell - "Heh, ya think that's a pretty dress?"
Alex - "... Oh, you don't think so?"
Russell - "I di'nt say that, why ya twistin ma words?"
Alex - "Sorry! I just didn't know what you meant…"
Russell - "Ugh, god yer dumb."
I couldn't take it anymore. I started crying.
Russell - "Ah, geez, are ya a cryin drunk?"
Alex - "Drunk… Am I?"
Russell - "Probly. I went overboard ma first time."
Alex - "You drank too much?"
Russell - "Ha, no. I meant I went overboard." He pointed out at the ocean. "When I wuz a greenhorn on anotha ship."
Even though I was still crying, he made me laugh.
Alex - "Haha!... Ugh, ha."
Russell - "Laughin and cryin, yer a real piece o' work aren'tchya?"
Alex - "Sorry…"
Russell - "Just stop cryin. Huh, n ya think ya ain't a kid."
Alex - "How would you know? You don't know me, you don't know what I've done!"
Russell - "What ya've done? What ya yellin bout now?"
Alex - "I fancy myself pretty grown up for 18!"
Russell - "Really? How's that?"
I clammed up. It was a part of my past I wasn't particularly proud of. And it was the kind of thing that I probably shouldn't say to pirates. But I really hated how they treated me like a child who didn't know the first thing about men. There were just some things a girl had to do when times got rough…
Russell - "Hey, answa me!"
Alex - "Ah!"
Russell - "I asked ya a question, di'nt I?"
Alex - "You don't have to yell at me!"
I ran back to the party.
Nathan - "... Yer cryin."
Alex - "No I ain't! I'm going to bed."
Christopher - "Alex, if you're going, take Thomas with you. I think he's had enough."
Thomas - "Chrisophr, yer so good ter meeee."
Alex - "Fine."
I wrapped Thomas's arm around my shoulder and helped him walk to his room. I set him down on his cot, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me over him.
Thomas - "Miss Alex, yer so prettyyyy."
Alex - "Ah, Thomas… um. Oh!"
He grabbed my waist and swung me onto the bed so that he was on top now. Instead of being in a drunken stupor, he suddenly looked very serious.
Thomas - "I would marry you Miss Alex."
Alex - "What? Thomas, you're drunk."
Thomas - "I mean it. Yer so… yer so… amazing…"
His eyes closed and he passed out on top of me. Oh great. Am I gonna be the babysitter of drunken pirates now? I struggled for a bit trying to get off of him while he mumbled out nonsense. "I wanna marry you." "Yer so purdy. And you smell nice." I didn't know when Thomas had a chance to smell me, but it was cute that even in this drunken state the most he could do was say that he wanted to marry me. He's a sweet kid.
Alex - "Sleep tight, Thomas."
I threw a blanket over him and put myself to bed as well.
Since I was feeling much better, I managed to get up bright and early the next day. Everyone else was still asleep, except for Nathan who was preparing breakfast. I decided a bath was long overdue and brought my clothes as well to get them washed. I snuck around the cabin to get to the bath. At some point during my sleep, Morgan took back the dress which I had left at the foot of my bed. I guess it wasn't mine to keep. I only had my undergarments on, but I made it to the bath without running into anyone.
While I was bathing I hummed a tune that girls liked to sing back in Yamato. It was a sort of lullaby for your loved one. I would be singing all the time whenever I baked, and it had been awhile since I had done that. It was nice to do something familiar to me. I took my clothes and washed them in the bath with me. After I hung them up in the room, I realized that I'd only have wet clothes to wear. Shit, way to think ahead Alex. Maybe Russell's right, maybe I am dumb. I grabbed the towel I had dried off with and wrapped it around me. Maybe I can borrow some of Thomas's clothes, just until my clothes dry.
No one was up yet when I left the bath. I snuck back down to Thomas's room. He was still asleep, with one leg hanging off the bed. I stifled a giggle. I gently touched his shoulder to wake him.
Alex - "Thoooomaaaas."
Thomas - "Ung… Miss Alex… Miss Alex? Where are your clothes?"
Alex - "I was hoping you could help me with that."
Thomas - "Did one of the other guys steal em?"
Alex - "What? No. I took a bath and washed them. Well, Captain took back the dress, but that I don't mind."
Thomas - "Oh… Okay."
Thomas was averting his gaze from my shoddily clad body. His face was beat red.
Alex - "Er, so, I was wondering if you had any clothes I could wear? Just until mine dry."
Thomas - "O-of course, Miss Alex…"
He rummaged in his drawers and drew out a pair of trousers and a button down shirt. I put them on. They were quite baggy on me. I tucked in the shirt and rolled up the sleeves past my elbows.
Alex - "Hmmm. Does this look better?"
Thomas - "Er, a little…"
Alex - "Do I look like a pirate?" I asked playfully. I stuck one leg on the cot and saluted with my other hand on my hip. "Arrrr, matey!"
Thomas laughed. "Not at all! Pirates don't say that."
Alex - "Oh, really?"
Thomas smiled. "Come on, let's eat breakfast."
Thomas and I entered the mess hall together. Everyone was already seated and eating. Wow they assemble fast for food.
Nathan - "... Is there a reason you're wearing Thomas's clothes?"
Alex - "Hm? What do you mean?" I thought it was pretty obvious why.
Eduardo - "Oh, avoiding the question are we?"
Alex - "Huh?" I looked at Thomas who was red in the face again. Instead of answering, he just sat down and started eating.
Morgan pouted. "I can't believe you'd lay with him before me. Thomas, no more booze for you!"
Thomas looked bewildered.
Alex - "What? I'm just wearing his clothes cuz mine are drying! I took a bath this morning and washed them…"
Morgan - "Oh… Hahaha, what a good prank!" He beamed.
Before any more teasing could ensue, there was huge commotion outside.
BOOM. KRAK. BOOM.
Russell ran outside first.
Russell - "PIRATES."
Everyone got up and ran outside. I decided to stay in the mess hall, it seemed safe, but then a cannon ball shot through the window.
"AAAAHHH!"
Eduardo - "What are you doing just standing there? Come on!"
He grabbed my wrist and brought me out onto the deck. The Sirius crew was in fierce battle with the rival pirates who had boarded our ship.
Eduardo - "... You can't fight can you?"
Alex - "No."
Eduardo - "Tch. Just as well. Stay behind me."
Eduardo took out his guns and shot at the pirates. He had perfect aim.
AAARGH!
A pirate ran at him from the side. He used his gun to disarm the pirate and shot him in the face. Blood splattered everywhere. Oh god, how horrible! I wanted to look away from the carnage, but I couldn't. The deck was quickly being coated with blood.
Russell - "Tha hell is she doin out here?!"
Russell came up beside Eduardo and started fighting alongside him.
Eduardo - "Good, you're here. Protect her."
Eduardo ran off into the scuffle.
Russell - "Dammit, Eduardo!" He turned to look at me. "You, don't move!"
I nodded, unable to say a word.
Russell wasn't fazed by the pirates that kept charging at him. He sliced them down with ease and wouldn't even flinch when he got a wound here and there. I looked at the ship across the way that was attacking us. There were a few archers set up on the rails. They were taking aim in our direction. They're gonna shoot Russell!
Alex - "Russell!"
I shoved him to the ground right after he stabbed a man through the chest. The first two arrows missed by a hair, but the third one was a hit.
Russell - "Ah, what the hell ya doin woman?!"
Alex - "Aaaah… it hurts."
The arrow went through the side of my thigh.
Russell - "Shit, yer hurt!"
Most of the fighting was at the edges of the ship now. The enemy pirates were being forced back. It wasn't long before they called back their forces and escaped.
Russell - "Yo, Doc!" Russell waved to get his attention, but he was concentrating on Nathan who was lying face down on the deck in a pool of blood. "Dammit, Nathan's hurt bad."
The pain was agonizing. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. No! No crying. Russell will just yell more. I needed to prove that I wasn't some helpless little kid. I gritted my teeth together. I can do this, I can take care of myself!