6. Feeling of Sympathy from Him

His touch…It was gentle… My cheeks turned bright red and I had no way to hide them because Edward was holding my chin. He chuckled. "The sailors can come anytime now… You can get some rest"

He stepped backwards and smiled. "You might have a tough life here but I know you'll get used to it" Saying this, he left the room.

I'm so stupid

I flopped down on the bed and sighed heavily. This guy… Even if he seemed kind, I know he can be dangerous…I need to be careful… and try not to fall for him. I lied down on the bed and closed my eyes. Without noticing, I drifted away into sleep.

X

"FULL SAIL!"

"AYE CAPTAIN!"

I slowly opened my eyes because of the clamor. I remembered that I was on a ship, I was on Jackdaw! I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I got myself dressed and fixed my black luscious hair. I looked myself in the mirror… It had been a while since I saw myself with my hair open. I got out of the room but I became nervous when I saw all those sailors. All of their eyes were on me and most of them gave nasty looks.

I tried ignoring all of them and hurried to the upper deck. "INTRUDER!" a sailor shouted as he saw me.

"CALM DOWN MATE! SHE'S A PART OF THE CREW!" The familiar voice shouted back. I followed the direction of the voice and found Edward controlling the ship.

"WOMEN AS A PART OF CREW ARE A BAD LUCK, CAPTAIN!"

Edward handed the rudder to Adewale and came towards us. "Listen, we are already lacking crew members." He said coldly and the sailor trembled. "Aye captain"

"Good. Now return to your work." At Edward's order the sailor ran away.

"Thank you Edward"

"No problem. You look… good today" He complimented. "Hello there fellows" Blackbeard came and beside him was a man with blonde hair. He wore an orange bandana on his forehead. "Why do we have a courtesan on the ship?" The blonde guy gave me a dirty look.

"For God's sake…. All of you pirates think that an innocent lady who is trying to be nice is a courtesan?!" I angrily frowned "I'll say it again, I AM NOT A PROSTITUTE!"

Edward put a hand on his mouth and tried not to laugh, while the blonde guy looked at me in confusion.

"Then what are you?" He opened his mouth. "Jack! She's a crew member! Respect her or I'll cut your throat" Edward smirked.

"Alright, alright! My name is Calico Jack, how about you milady?"

"I'm Areesh" I folded my arms.

"Thatch, do we stop at Nassau?" Edward looked at Blackbeard. "Why yes, it is the safest place, ain't it?" Blackbeard answered.

The winds were strong and cold, but the scenery was just breath taking. The wondrous blue sky, the never-ending sea… It was just astounding. It seemed like heaven on Earth.

"I'd better go and check some papers. You can find me in my quarters. I will see you later Edward…and Areesh" Blackbeard grinned.

"See you later, Thatch!" Edward replied.

I looked around and the sailors were still looking at me with awkward looks. "I think I should be going to my room too." I said uncomfortably and hurried to my room.

I locked myself in my room and enjoyed the view which I could see out of the window. I never got bored of it. It was something that every person on the world should see. However I felt really cold… There was knock on the door and soon it opened. Edward came in. "Are you getting bored?" He asked, closing the door behind him.

"Not at all" I shook my head. I sat on the bed and Edward sat next to me. "So…Areesh…I want to know more about you… about your past" He fixed his eyes on me.

"Well…Umm…" I hesitated. "I don't… really know…about my past"

"Just tell me" Edward held my hand, making me startle.

"Well…there was a woman named Clara who had brought me up…She said she had found me in a crate kept near her cottage when I was only 2 years old." When I thought that my parents had abandoned I felt my heart breaking apart.

"We lived in Kingston but Clara was killed by the guards and I was held as a prisoner." I remembered the scars that I still had on my leg and arm because of those horrible guards. "I don't know how I escaped that hell…I don't know how I made it to Havana alive…" Tears were dropping from my eyes. "I was just a normal girl but they put dirt on me…What did I ever do to those guards..." I clung to Edward and without hesitating he put his arms around me.

"It's alright…" He gently stroked my hair. "I won't leave you until you have calmed down." His voice showed sympathy.

"Edward…" I mumbled.

His gentle embrace made me calm down little by little. After a few minutes, my tears had disappeared and I felt better.

Soon I pulled back.

"I'm sorry for crying like this… Usually I see small children holding their mother and father's hand…They love each other so much….Unlike my parents who had abandoned me when I was only a child…" I sighed with grief.

"Don't say that…Haven't you ever tried finding information about your parents? What if they are alive?" He caressed my hand lightly.

Maybe Edward was right… What if they were alive? I could at least ask them why they left me like this…

"But how? I don't even know my full name…"

"Trust me; I have been good at finding people since I was a young boy. I have my own ways and tricks. I will help you find them" He smirked.

"Alright" I nodded with a smile.

The rest of the afternoon we talked, laughed and joked around in my room. He made me feel so cheerful and I got to know him even more. He was a thoughtful man who cared for his crew and Jackdaw the most. I loved the incidents of Jackdaw that he had narrated me. Life at sea was really adventurous according to Edward.

"I wish we could talk more Areesh… but I have some work to do…" Edward stood up and straightened his clothes.

"You can find me on the upper deck or in my room…" He walked towards the door but stopped right in front of it. "Oh and by the way, you are an amazing lady" He grinned and left the room.

I couldn't believe my ears…He said I was an amazing lady…I felt weird because no one had ever said that to me.