A/N: Hi, everyone. I apologize for not updating in such a long time, I had been busy with school work and such...I'm at my last year at secondary school, woo-hoo! I'm getting really nervous for high school, but for now, the work load doesn't seem too bad. Enjoy!
Chapter Nine: Finnick: Mary Ann Opens Up
I think I may be finally getting used to the ship's dirty, drunken ways. I've grown to trust my own instinct when the crew becomes tipsy along with the so-called captain, and I take flight to the farthest cabin I can find, so as not to get a bad influence by them, while warily checking the corridors for any sign of that dangerous woman by the name of Mary Ann. Most of the time it's clear, but in others, I barely escape from being severely molested.
I've practised fencing for a very long time now, but for some reason the thin sword gives almost no power from my strong thrusts and blows, so I've grown quite sick of always being narrowly beat by that tall man with the monstrous moustache, of which his name I either didn't bother to catch, or have simply forgotten. What I do remember, though, is his growing abundance of gold teeth, do to his habit of chipping teeth when he's jollily drunk. I wonder, what would his voice sound like after all of them have been replaced? Would he sound close to my younger brother's metal contraption Father bought him for Christmas last year, perhaps?
Standing at the ship's bow, the wind is salty, but full of life, its strong gusts making my wild bronze hair stream in all directions. It was difficult to keep my eyes open, so I fought to do so, all the while spreading my arms out, imagining I was embracing the sea. The wind was really crazy today, making my loose cotton shirt flap noisily, so I pretended that noise was the sound of fish's fins as they glided like birds in the water.
Now, I must tell you, I spent most of the day trying to avoid Mary Ann, but somehow, she always found me. It was like there was an invisible thread, like a line of spider's web connecting out wrists together and somehow she always used it to her advantage, while I had no idea it was actually there.
And now, there she was, waiting quietly on the left side of the ship's bow, humming a mysterious tune, while I quietly inched closer and closer to the right. I felt a bit distracted, now, because the more I thought about it, if she wasn't so lustful, I might actually be able to grow to like her. The wind that weaved through her long dark waves, reminded me of Annie's hair, and although her eyes weren't green like the darker depths of the sea, they were blue and pure like the skies above us.
She caught me looking and I'd thought she would wink and wave seductively with her finger tips, but she just turned to me slightly, giving me a curt nod and a tired smile. It seemed like she'd given up on making me love her, after the several times I refused in becoming intimate with her. It was still rather early in the morning though the skies were clear, and she yawned quietly, looking out into the horizon, like Annie had always done.
"Do you enjoy being on this ship, Fin?" She asked suddenly, turning to me, with a plain look on her face, revealing no true emotion other than some interest for my thoughts.
"Well, if I'm giving you my humble opinion, it's definitely not exactly what I imagined…" I chuckled, smiling at her politely.
"What is it that you imagined? A grand, lovely ship, full of jolly and non-drunk crew members with a respectable captain? A young lad's dreams are so far-fetched and hopeful. But still, I envy them. I never have such wonderful dreams…"
"Well, maybe not that grand, but I definitely hoped it would be more interesting than this. I just practise fencing, drink watery soup, with occasionally some fish bones or skin and the rest of the time I help around with keeping the ship from rotting and falling apart, all the while looking down to the sea below me…"
"Is it not what you wanted? Are you unhappy?"
"No, not exactly unhappy, I'm just a little disappointed. I thought that if I could spend my entire life with the sea, I would be happy, but I discovered I was wrong. The girl I mentioned to you when I was drunk, is the one I truly love and without her, no matter how many days I spend with the sea, it wouldn't compare with only one day spent with her,"
She gazed at me, maybe slightly with pity, but mostly just serious thoughts.
"Love is a fickle thing, Fin. When you're in love you believe that there is no such thing as unhappiness. When your heart gets broken you believe that there is no such thing as happiness. Your first love is the hardest to forget, but later you will realize there are others in the world. The "other" is clearly not I, considering how you even refuse to be my friend. I don't understand why I am always so unlovable; it's almost like a curse…"
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. Mary-Ann's beauty could attract many suitors, and certainly she was not stupid, so her looks weren't everything either. What could make her so difficult to love?
"I've fallen in and out of love several times in my life, Fin, and it's like a cycle, a circle that goes on forever. When I'm desperately in love, I feel on top of the world like nothing can go wrong, and when the man breaks my heart, I begin to regret ever loving him in the first place-
"Can't you stop this cycle, Mary-
She continued on, ignoring my question.
"-I'm a stupid woman, carelessly giving my heart out to anyone I fancy if they want it. You have actually been the kindest to me, Fin, by honestly and sincerely refusing, unlike the others who pretend to love me, to take advantage of me and then tear me to pieces,"
"What are you trying to tell me, Mary-Ann?"
She sighed and looked at me with grave eyes.
"Do you truly love Annie, Fin? Because if you don't, then stop blindly pursuing her and find someone else. But if you truly love her, don't break her heart by realizing one day you love someone else. Please. Don't let her end up like me,"
And after she uttered her last sentence, tears began to fall from her eyes and so she covered them with her hands, her long fingers trying hard to hide her crying face. Though she tried to sob as quietly as possible, I still heard the irregular breathing and went over to comfort her.
I protected her frail body in my arms, whispering soothing words in her ear, one hand gently stroking her long dark hair. She took her hands off her face and slid them around my back, and simply hugged me tightly, so I didn't tense at her touch, rather it felt nice to feel true sympathy for someone, who really needed it.
"I really did love him, Fin…I really did…" She whispered, her head leant gently on my shoulder, her salt tears soaking into my shirt.
"I know you did. Just as much as I love Annie," I whispered back.
The next morning, Mary-Ann stood in the same place, gazing out into the horizon again, but this time, her eyes seemed lighter, gentler, like an enormous weight had been lifted from her chest. She seemed to look out with fresh eyes and a clear mind.
She turned to me and smiled, just a joyous grin, her blue eyes twinkling in the sun's rays.
"I dreamed last night, Fin. I was so happy,"
Annie is finally going into the ship next chapter! And a bit later, we will all see what Hiberna Somnium is truly like. Bye!
