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We stood in the brig, Edward with his arms crossed and smiling, and me, keeping close to the stairs.
"As you can see Ms. Swan, the brig is in need of a cleaning. As you are no longer busy, I will trust you to clean it for me. I'm short on crew hands and need as much help as I can get."
I looked around the dark room.
The room was damp, drops of water coming from places unknown. Moss grew on the planks and traveled up the walls. The floor was black with something unknown.
"How do you expect me to even clean all of this?" I asked bewildered.
Edward motioned to a mop and pail in the corner.
"Edward, I understand you want me to help. Laundry is one thing, but this, this would take days!"
"You might want to start today then," Edward said as he started for the stairs.
I shivered at the thought of being alone down here.
"Edward, wait!" Edward stopped and turned back to me.
"I understand your point, please just do not leave me down here alone. I promise I will try to contain myself from now on."
"Try?" He raised an eyebrow. I eagerly nodded. His right hand cupped his chin and he rubbed his index finger along his lower lip, thinking.
"I'll send someone down to check on you so you are not alone." He turned once more for the stairs.
"Why you no good pirate!" I yelled as he disappeared up the stairs.
I looked around the grimy room.
Absolutely not.
EPOV
A few hours had past and I had not seen or heard Isabel. I had not sent anyone down to check on her, but I had been keeping an eye on the hull entrance, making sure no one, especially Crowley, would enter it.
It was clear that Crowley could no longer be trusted. He needed to be off the ship as soon as possible. I had several options; I could put him in a gig and let him be on his way. I could maroon him on the first land we pass. Or, I could wait until we make port, which was still a good two weeks away. I had yet to decide, but I was leaning towards maroon.
I knew he was full of it when he said he was defending himself. I don't know what he said to Isabel, but it was enough to provoke her to attack him. I would never tell her this, but I was proud of her. She stood up for herself and was confident. It seemed her younger self was once again returning. She was crass and turbulent. I had a feeling that years of being alone had forced her to become the woman she never wanted to be.
I could tell the moment I saw her that she had conformed to the ways she always protested. She had an air of elegance that she never once had. I could tell she had been groomed over the years. Groomed to become the perfect wife. Quite and without an opinion.
As annoying as it was, I was glad to see her old self returning.
"How much longer until we reach Port Alegre?" I asked Jacob, who was currently at the helm.
"The wind has been good. If the winds keep up, and we encounter no storms, we should be arriving in a week and a half." I nodded, pleased with our course.
"But," Jacob spoke up. "I feel something coming. As great as the winds have been, they're strong. And the skies have been unusually clear. Not a good sign, Edward."
That was exactly was I was worried about.
We were in prime hurricane season. The warm waters of the southern Atlantic can form some of the deadliest hurricanes.
I turned away from the helm and took to the map at the desk behind.
There were a few small islands scattered nearby. Hopefully close enough to make anchor if we were to encounter a storm.
"Keep to the north. If we do find ourselves in a hurricane, we'll find shelter amongst the local islands." Jacob nodded and began to adjust our position.
I looked back to the hull entrance.
Without a word, I started down the helm stairs and across the deck. I ducked below the hull entrance and started down the stairs.
I heard a faint sound, a humming, coming from the brig. I took this as a good sign. She must be humming while working.
I continued down the stairs until I reached the brig.
I looked around the room. It was just as filthy as I left it.
I looked for the source of the humming. Isabel sat on a crate, her back resting against the wall, eyes closed. Of course she didn't clean.
"I can't imagine you're on a break, seeing as nothing has been cleaned." She jumped up and squeak, not expecting me to be here.
"I am not part of your crew. You cannot order me around. I did your laundry. That is all I am willing to do."
"And what would your fiancé think of your unwillingness to clean? Will that not be one of your duties as a wife?"
She stood from the crate, fists balled at her side and fire in her big, brown eyes.
"My life is none of your business, Edward." She spat. "Besides, there is a difference between being a wife and being a prisoner onboard a pirate ship. I will welcome the responsibilities that married life offers me."
I laughed. "Do you really think you are fooling me? Or have you fooled yourself into thinking that being married to some farmer is what you want?"
Her anger faltered for a moment. "It is none of your business, Edward."
I stepped closer to her. She took a step back.
"I think you gave in to what everyone wanted you to." We continued our dance. I took a step forward, she took one back.
"N-, no." She stuttered. Her back hit the wall. "I love Michael." I wonder if she could hear how unconvincing she sounded.
"Why do you love him?" She narrowed her eyes. "If you love him, as you state, you should be able to give me a reason as to why." I stopped walking. My body was brushing against hers. I put my arms against the wall, trapping her in.
She was silent for a moment, just glaring at me. "He is a good man, more then I can say for you."
I smirked. "There are a lot of good men out there, Isabel. You just stated a fact. That does not mean you love him. Give me a real reason."
I could see the fight fading from her eyes.
"He is not you," she whispered. I cocked my head to the side. She instantly dropped her gaze and looked at the floor.
A silence fell between us. Not a comfortable silence from our childhood, where we could be silent for hours and not have to say a word. This was a cutting silence. I dropped my arms.
"Well then," I spoke as quietly as her.
I turned away from her and went up the stairs. I did not look back.
I strode across the deck, heading straight for my cabin.
"Edward," Emmett shouted out across the deck. I waved him off.
I slammed closed my door and stood against it for a moment.
He is not you. It just kept repeating in my mind. I don't know why, but it hurt, more then it ever should.
She was Isabel Swan. Once upon a time she was my best friend, the awkward girl who always managed to get herself into trouble. She was the girl who I would sneak out to meet because no one else understood. She was the girl who was always a friend, nothing more. She was someone long forgotten over the years, a face that was just a memory. Until yesterday, she was nothing to me.
I turned and slammed my fist into the door. Why was this so frustrating?
I'll admit, over the years, she had become beautiful, the type of girl who would have instantly caught my eye in town. But never has a pretty woman caused me so much turmoil. I've handled my fair share of hell cats, but she was the worse of them all. Her beauty did little to help her attitude. Behind that beauty was a hell-fire woman who could not be stopped. And no amount of beauty was worth that.
I needed her off this ship, and soon. She had been here one day and things have become completely off balance. It was amazing the amount of trouble a small woman could cause. I looked at the golden statue and rolled my eyes. This girl is going to kill me.
I stayed in my cabin for a while longer, collecting myself so that Isabel would not see how much she had shaken me. It still had not made sense to me, how that one statement caused such a frenzy inside of me. I let it go and determined it was the stress that she caused.
When I came above deck, I briefly spotted Isabel talking with Emmett. Of course she came on deck.
I walked up to the helm.
"Take a break, Jacob." He nodded and I took the wheel from him.
I kept my gaze out to the ocean, ignoring Isabel and the men she was talking with.
Night had come. I had been avoiding Isabel all day; not an easy feat on a ship.
I ate with my crew in the gallery and sent William to bring Isabel her food.
"You've been more quiet then usual, what's wrong?" Emmett asked with a full mouth, causing his words to be muffled.
"Everything's fine, Emmett." Emmett knowing me better then most, didn't let it go.
"It's Bella, isn't it?" He spooned some more grub into his mouth.
"Bella?" I questioned dubiously.
"Yeah, that's what we call her," he stated as if simple fact. I knew for a fact she hated the name Bella. It had something to do with a girl in town who called herself Bella.
"And she let's you?" I asked again, confounded. Emmett nodded.
"So what's up with you two?" He continued the conversation.
"She's frustrating is all," I muttered. Emmett let out his signature booming laugh.
"She knows how to get under your skin. I like her."
I excused myself from dinner and made my way to my cabin. I nodded to Jenkins, the night helmsman, before disappearing below deck.
I stood at the cabin door, staring at the wood. I could no longer avoid her. I took a deep breath and entered.
The room was quiet, nothing seemed out of place or broken, which was a relief.
I looked around the room and spotted Isabel in her bed. She sat upwards, playing with the cuff of her shirt. Apparently it was very interesting because it held her attention while I moved around the room.
I settled at my desk to begin going through Silver's journal. I was so close to the lost city, I could feel it. I had an inkling where to start, the problem was, I wasn't positive, but I doubted I would ever be.
"So you go by Bella now?" I questioned without looking up. I continued skimming through Silver's journal, checking off points on the map that coincided with Silver's clues.
"Some of the men decided to call me that," she spoke quietly. I didn't look up, but I had a feeling she was still fiddling with her cuff. "Emmett started calling me that and I didn't have the heart to say no." I nodded my head, showing I was listening, but still gave my full attention to the journal.
"They are good men," she said after a long time. I put my quill down, closed the journal and looked up at her, shock written across my face.
"Is that so?" She nodded, and as I thought, was still focused on her shirt. "You do realize that they are pirates?" She nodded again. "Ruthless, murderous pirates." I continued.
She stopped playing with her cuff and looked up at me. "I understand your point, Edward. You can stop making it now."
I shrugged and turned back to my previous activity. "Just wanted to make sure you knew."
Another silence fell over us. I was just about finished when Isabel spoke again.
"I am sorry for what I said," she said so softly I almost missed it. I put my belongings away and stood up.
"Are you?" I asked skeptically. I made for my chest and pulled out my night clothes.
"Yes. You just pushed me to a point and I snapped. You have no idea how frustrating you are," she sounded exasperated.
"Oh, I think I may have an idea." I chuckled, removing my shirt.
She didn't respond, a very unlike Isabel characteristic.
I peered over my shoulder and saw her watching me, with wide eyes.
"I'm sure your lovely mother taught you not to stare, Isabel." I smirked at her. She shook her head slightly, as if clearing her thoughts. It took her a moment, but she quickly rebounded.
"Must you change in front of me? It is very improper." She huffed. This only caused me to laugh some more. I decided to fluster her the way she did me.
In a swift movement, I removed my trousers, leaving my backside bare. I did not look back this time. I knew she was looking, and that was all I needed to know. I reached into my chest and pulled out some sleeping trousers, slowly pulling them on.
I turned away from the chest and started around the room, beginning to blow out the candels. From the corner of my eye I could see Isabel's face; her jaw hung slightly and she looked as if someone had shot her.
I finished my round about the room and settled myself into bed.
"Goodnight, Isabel," I called out to her. She didn't respond. I blew out the last candle and settled into the darkness.
Days had passed and things began to settle into a regular routine.
I, as usual, spent my days on deck, discussing routes with Jacob and Jasper.
Isabel spent most of her days on the deck, quietly managing to stay out of my men's way; an impressive feat. Though her dress had dried, she continued to wear the shirt and trousers I had given her. I could imagine they were much easier to maneuver in then that pillowing dress. The problem with her ensemble was that it was very fitting, in a very concerning way, especially when the wind blew. Her breasts were much more noticeable when the wind was blowing her shirt against her, and I was not the only man on the ship looking. It had been a long time since we had made port, meaning the men have not been with a woman since then.
I had to watch my men more carefully then I ever needed to before.
As the days passed, the weather slowly declined. The winds started blowing harder, the waves were getting rougher and the skies grew darker. We were bound to meet a storm soon.
The men had diligently been preparing; Sails were ready to come down at a moment's notice and everything was tied down. The worse thing is being caught in a storm unexpected, because all the things that my men had already done, could take hours, and in a storm, you do not want anyone on deck.
"I'm thinking she'll hit tomorrow." Jacob was looking up at the grey clouds. "Maybe even tonight." I nodded.
"How far until the islands?" If we could get to a nearby island, we would be able to anchor in shallow waters. It would be a lot safer and no men would be needed on deck at all.
"I don't think we'll be reaching the islands til at least tomorrow morning." I took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose. That was not good news, especially if the storm hit tonight."
"Make haste, we need as much time as we can get."
"Aye, Captain."
I spotted Isabel sagging over a side-rail, a position I've seen many a men in. I made my way down to the main deck and stood next to her.
"Are you okay?" I put a hand on her shoulder.
She lifted her head to look at me. Her face was starkly pale and glistening with sweat. She shook her head.
"You're just seasick, it will pass soon." I called for William to come over. I instructed him to go to the gallery and get some soup, water and ginger and to bring it to my cabin.
"Can you walk?" She didn't say anything or make any gesture. Her body started to heave and she expelled her breakfast into the sea.
Once she was finished, I bent down and scooped her into my arms. She curled into me, hiding her head in my shirt. She clung to my shirt with muster.
I carefully walked her below deck and into my cabin. I placed her on my bed, knowing it is more comfortable then hers. Once she was out of my grasp, she curled herself around the pillow and sheets.
William appeared with a tray of my requests and placed it on the table, disappearing without a single word.
I walked over to the table and brought the tray to Isabel's bedside. I put the tray on the bedside table.
I reached behind Isabel and propped her pillows her. I then grabbed her and helped her into a sitting position.
"This will help," I promised. I held up a piece of ginger and instructed her to open her mouth. "You better not bite me." She smiled half-heartidly. I placed the ginger in her mouth and she slowly chewed it.
I helped her eat her soup and consume the rest of the ginger. The process was very long, for we had to go slow. If she ate anything to quickly, it could easily come back up. For good measure, I had a bucket next to the bed.
By the time she was finished, rain was pounding against the window and the sea had become even rougher.
"Stay in here, I'll be back as soon as I can." She wearily nodded and placed her head down on the pillow. Her eyes fluttered for a few moments before gently shutting.
As quickly and quietly as I could, I ran back to the deck.
Just about all Edward's POV so I hope you liked it!
And, if I do say so myself, some awesome E/B moments. Angst and fluff goodness.
Keep the reviews coming. I'm already writing the next chapter! It's going to be a fun one!
I'm hoping to have it up tomorrow or Thursday, but I start classes tomorrow and have to start preparing for rush (yes, I'm in a sorority), so I will be SUPER busy during the next two weeks but I promise I'll find time to write!
