Chapter Ten:
Clarity
Even if Morgan didn't confirm it, I knew I was right on the money with my accusations. Your father is like a book, each page telling a new story of his life. Each hiding a secret deep within the lines. Although my feelings for him were growing, even that moment when I felt lost, he continued to fill my mind. He was the piece I wished with all of my heart that I didn't need.
But, like always, Fate had always ruled my life and continues to rule it even now. From the moment of my conception, to my birth, my mother leaving Iciuis and raising me in Yamato, that fateful day at the bar, getting aboard the Sirius…my life has never been my own to control. My feelings, however, were the only things I knew I had control over.
My words shook him, making him closing himself off of me more than usual. It broke my heart and that lost feeling one gets when they don't know what to do filled me. But…I couldn't dwell on them. I wasn't given that luxury.
No, the seas were at war with the navy killing and hunting down pirates left and right. The Pirate King's duty was to keep peace and balance between them. I was about to see it unfold before my eyes….
oOo
The Sirius was able to sail away from the port of Orca without sustaining any damage and continued its journey. Reyna was lost and confused but didn't show it to the other crew members. She didn't want them to worry and fuss over her.
"We're almost done mopping this area," Thomas informed her as Reyna bended some water onto the deck as Thomas mopped before throwing the dirty water into the ocean.
Reyna nodded. "Then I'll go mop over there," she pointed further down the deck as Russell cleaned his swords.
"Boy, you certainly get caught and sprung out often," Russell commented, looking at Reyna with teasing eyes.
"It's not like I want to," she sighed, bending water from a bucket and throwing it further down the deck. "I wonder if I just bad luck…"
"No, I'd say you have pretty good luck. There aren't that many that get captures by the navy twice and come back without injury both times. You're amazing."
Reyna rubbed her wrists at the memory, still slightly bruised. The first time they allowed me to leave and the second time was because Captain saved me…
After their conversation in the streets of Orca the captain had been distant with Reyna. Whether he was mauling over her words or was suddenly annoyed at her, she didn't know. What she did know was that it felt like her heart has been ripped into pieces and the distance and silence from him was breaking her apart on the inside. Since that day, Reyna didn't know how to talk to him.
"Everyone, are you around?" Christopher called, arriving on deck and drawing the attention of the younger members of the crew. "Captain's holding a meeting. Please come to the nautical room."
"A meeting? How unusual…" Russell frowned.
"Did something happen?" Thomas asked as Reyna looked at them with a confused look on her face.
"Do you have meetings often?" she asked as Thomas placed the mop close to the bucket.
"No, not unless something urgent comes up," Russell answered as they began heading to the cabin.
"This ship usually moves under Captain's discretion," Thomas explained and Reyna nodded in understanding. Together, the four of them headed to the nautical room. When they entered, Reyna sat down on a crate, one leg up with the other draped onto the floor.
"Looks like everyone's here," Captain Morgan said and Reyna ignored the calm feeling whenever she was in the same room as him. She was pissed and beyond furious with him. For pretending she no longer existed, lying to her face…treating her like a child…
"What's going on? Why are we suddenly having a meeting?" Russell asked the captain, pulling Reyna out of her thoughts as she looked down at the ground.
"You all remember the naval ships anchored at the port of Orca, right?" he asked them.
"Yes," Thomas nodded. "Is the navy up to something?"
"Exactly. Eduardo and Nathan got detailed information at Orca."
Eduardo stepped up. "The Imperial Navy is planning to annihilate all pirates and is out to subject the pirates of the world," he informed them, looking at each one of them in the eye before turning back to the captain.
"The same thing was in the homing seagull's note from out informant. A couple of pirates have already been caught and executed," Nathan added to the information and Reyna covered her mouth slightly in shock.
"No…" she whispered to herself, clenching her other hand.
"If the situation gets worse, there may be an all-out conflict between the navy and pirates over the existence of pirates," Captain Morgan told them and the air grew tense.
"If that's the case…" Russell hit his fist into his hand, a challenging look on his face. "Let's get in on it!"
Nathan nodded in agreement. "It's not our style to go down without a fight."
"Hmph. It's the perfect opportunity to put that pompous Imperial Navy in their place," Eduardo commented.
Christopher rubbed the back of his neck, a thoughtful look on his face. "I don't condone an all-out war but I can't forgive their unjust methods."
War with the Imperial Navy….would my step-father get involved? Reyna wondered with as her stomach knotted at the idea.
"Then, when the time comes, we'll risk our lives and fight the navy. Does everyone agree?" Captain Morgan asked the crew and they all except Reyna responded enthusiastically. "Okay, then prepare so we will be ready to battle at any time."
"Aye, aye Captain!"
"That's it for the meeting," he informed them and everyone started to leave to get back to their posts. When Reyna stood up to go finish mopping the deck with Thomas, Captain Morgan stopped her. "Reyna, I have to talk to you. Stay."
Reyna paused in her tracks and remained silent, wondering if her was finally going to yell at her for the other night. As soon as they were alone, she got her answer as he began to speak.
"Starting today, you'll be staying in a different room," he informed her and she looked at him, confused and hurt. "I need some time to plan our strategy against the navy. I can't have you here while I do that."
"Whatever," she muttered, looking away. I guess he hates me now because of the other night. Not surprised…most people come to hate me in the end…
"You can choose any room you want. I'm sure Christopher would take you in," he continued.
"I'll sleep on the deck," she said quietly, turning to leave when Nathan appeared in the doorway. She stepped back in surprise and wondered how long was he listening in for.
"If that's the case, I'll take her," Nathan offered as Reyna turned back to Captain Morgan, noticing him looking between them. She looked at him pleadingly but he must have not seen it or ignored it.
"There you go, Nathan will take care of you," he said and Reyna's chest tightened as she looked at Nathan, a weak smile on her face.
"Thank you, Nathan," she said softly, leaving the room.
oOo
Compared to the captain's room, Nathan had fewer items, cleaner and had a spicy scent in the room. Reyna finished putting the few items she had in a corner as Nathan entered the room.
"Is something the matter?" Nathan asked as she continued to sit on her knees, staring at the floor.
"Nothing's wrong," she lied and Nathan didn't believe her for one second.
"Don't try to hide it. It's written all over your face," he pointed out and Reyna sighed, giving up and looking at him.
"I think he hates me now."
"Are you sure?"
Reyna nodded. "Lately he hasn't been teasing me like he did before and he doesn't talk to me much. It's my fault, I said things that may have driven him away…"
I won't ask him to love me, Reyna decided, clenching her fists slightly on her knees at the idea. But I want things to go back to normal…
"It's true that Captain has been weird lately. I've never seen him attached to one woman like that before," Nathan agreed and she looked at him, taking in the information. "You're the only woman Captain has saved by breaking into the navy brig. I don't know what happened, but don't get too depressed."
Reyna only nodded and he smiled at her.
"It's hard to believe he would do all that for someone he hates," he said as the smile disappeared slowly. "I told you before that you're special to Captain. Remember?"
"Yeah…"
"So stop being negative. It's not like you to be down," he added and Reyna nodded. "And I'm sure there are things only you can do."
Reyna stood up, giving Nathan a small smile. "Nathan…thanks….I'm just gonna go get some fresh air, practice on a new form," she told him, walking past to the door.
"Sure. It gets chilly at night, so don't catch a cold," he warned her and Reyna scoffed.
"I'm a water bender, we're made for this type of weather," she joked and he chuckled as she left his room.
oOo
Reyna should be proud of herself. She managed to skate on the water that she pulled onto the deck before throwing it out back into the ocean. Now, hopefully in theory, she should be able to do that in the ocean itself.
Done with her practice, she was near the bow, sitting down and hugging her knees close as she looked out at the black sea.
I don't know what to do anymore, Reyna thought, swallowing the lump in her throat as the breeze kissed her cheeks. "(High dive into frozen waves where the past comes back to life. Fight fear for the selfish pain, it was worth it every time. Hold still right before we crash because we both know how this ends. A clock ticks 'til it breaks your glass and I drown in you again…)"
It sounded sad and beautiful at the same time in the old language. For some reason as well, it didn't drain her. She'd have to ask her mother about that one day…if she ever goes back to Yamato.
Images of Captain Morgan came to her mind, along with a few tears.
"(Because you are a piece of me I wish I didn't need. Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why…)"
"(If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy? If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?)" Reyna broke off, looking out and wiping away the tears with her sleeves. She felt a little better now, like a small weight had been lifted off of her chest.
It's been a while since the sky has been clear, she noted, looking up at the star filled night sky. "So that's Ursa Minor," she looked over and found another constellation. "And that's Cygnus…so that means Yamato is that way."
"No, the opposite."
Reyna looked over, finding Captain Morgan standing directly behind her. Immediately, she stood up and found he didn't smell of alcohol….so he was sober….
"Don't be out here so late. You better go back to Nathan's rooms," he told her and Reyna glared at him, looking away and back out to the night sky.
"I'll return when I want to. Thank you for worrying about me," she replied coolly, her back to him.
Captain Morgan sighed. "It sounds like you're in a bad mood."
"I wonder who put me in it…"
He stood next to her and looked up at the sky along with Reyna. "That song…sounded so sad," he looked at her with pity eyes. "You know…it's not too late. You should return to Yamato."
"You're the one who said we don't have time," she reminded him softly. "Because you have to look for Skull Island."
"The circumstances are different now. We have to worry about an attack from the navy. Finding Skull Island is on hold," he explained and Reyna looked at him in disbelief.
"And because of that you're suddenly telling me to leave?" she asked, hurt in her eyes and he saw that. "That's selfish!"
"You knew from the beginning that I'm a selfish guy," he pointed out and she shook her head.
"But this is different. You accepted me….as a person…as a member of the Sirius."
"I did but…"
Tears were filling her eyes but she held them back. "And I was really happy about it. Even if I can't see my family, I wanted to stay with everyone…"
"Reyna…" he said softly and she ignored it, turning away from the ocean and looking at him straight in the eye, a few tears running down her face.
"But now you tell me to go back to Yamato? A woman can't be a pirate after all?"
Captain Morgan's eyes held a flicker of sadness and conflicted emotions in them. "It's not about that," he told her and she swallowed.
"Then….is it because you're annoyed with me?" she asked him, hoping it wasn't true.
Captain Morgan's face softened and he looked awkward. "Don't make that face," he pulled her closed and held Reyna to his chest. "It's not like that."
"Then what is it?" she asked, her face in his chest and she could smell his cologne. It brought some comfort to her, calming her down slightly.
"This thing with the navy…it could become serious," he warned her and she nodded.
"I'm prepared for it," she told him, pulling her face out of his chest and looking at him.
He smirked. "Well, you're feisty as ever," his smirked turned into a wryly smile. "It's not like I want to do this. But I don't want to put you in danger. I don't know how long I can stay by your side."
Reyna frowned. What does that mean?
"For now, go to sleep. Think about returning to Yamato," he pulled away and walked away, returning to his quarters.
What is he thinking? Reyna thought, touching her choker as anxiety of the sudden turn of events hit her.
I personally believe that is one song the best describes the early feeling development between the MC and Morgan to be honest. Anyway, song: Clarity by Zedd.
