Chapter Eleven: Wonderful Idea
~~ I jolted awake and sat up, glancing around the room. I was still in the Captain's plush bed, the cotton covers resting limply on my legs and my hair sticking to my face from sweat; I had begun to have a nightmare, thank god I woke from it! As I sat up I breathed heavily and glanced around the room to see a large, black mass laying upon the couch; a few moments later and I heard snoring, deep, low snoring. I blinked a few times and rubbed my eyes to find the black mass shape into a person, the person's feet hung off of the side of the couch and one of the person's arms hung off of the couch whilst the other rested on the person's chest. I squinted to see the Captain's hat covering the person's face and I gave a slight smile, it was the Captain, I should've known!
The snoring had gone silent but the Captain never moved a muscle. "Go back to sleep, Anna" he groaned, now tilting up his hat, revealing his yellow eyes which burnt like two miniature suns.
"I had a nightmare" I said quietly; the Captain sighed and sat up, rubbing his face.
"What of?" He asked, finishing rubbing his face and looking up to me. I paused, what was my nightmare again?
"I-I...can't remember" I said, attempting to think back upon it; the Captain grinned and laid back down, pulling his hat back over his eyes.
"Then, go back to sleep." He said, placing his hands behind his head.
"Well...what if it comes back?" I asked, picking at the cotton sheet.
"I didn't give you a sword and gun for nothing" Said he in a calm tone; I nodded and laid back down, attempting not to move either of my ankles, for, I forgot which one was bitten! I closed my eyes but I couldn't force myself back asleep! I tossed and turned, I counted sheep and thought peaceful thoughts, but, I couldn't sleep again! "What's wrong?" The Captain asked with a sigh.
"I can't sleep" I answered with a yawn; he stood and growled a few curses under his breath, walking over to the bed and stopping at the footboard.
"What do you need to help you sleep?" He asked, I shrugged. I never had sleeping problems before; he shook his head and lit a few candles, holding up his index finger and walking out of the room. He returned moments later bearing the boat chef, he was smiling; in his hand he held a half a glass of warm milk.
"It's all we had, my dear" said the cook.
"Oh, well, then take it ba-"
"No, you will drink it" the Captain interrupted, leaning on the doorframe. I sighed and took up the glass, drinking as the chef spoke to me.
"You know, when I was young my mother used to sing my brothers and I songs when we couldn't sleep; out of all those years of my mother singing to me, the Swedish songs worked the best. Now, I can't sing at all, you would want to tear your ears from your skull if I did so" the chef said, pausing and allowing me to laugh. "But, I hear the Captain has quite the voice" the chef said, turning and smiling to the Captain who sighed in frustration and ground his teeth.
"That's completely-"
"Correct" The chef interrupted the Captain with another grin. "Don't even pretend that it's not, I've heard you all by your lonesome in here, singing. Several of the other crew members have too; go on, sing to her." The Chef said, I smiled and finished the milk, placing the glass on the table beside me and snuggling down into his bed.
"I don't know any Swedish lullabies" the Captain hissed through gritted teeth.
"Sure you do! You sang 'Jag Vat En Dejlig Rosa' one day, may I add that it was beautiful." The Chef said and the Captain's cheeks pinked! They actually turned the colour pink! The Chef hurried to the Captain's side and pulled him in the room, standing him before the bed and closing the door; the Captain turned to the Chef and glared at him.
"Privacy" the Captain hissed, the Chef nodded and bowed to me, wishing me a good night and closing the door after him. I smiled and waited for him to begin; he didn't start until a few moments later. "I'm not as good as he says I am" the Captain said quickly, before singing; I smiled and nodded, he sat down upon the bed, turned away from me at first. I would write down the words for you, dear reader, if I knew them! The words flowed so cleverly and without hitches, his voice was so smooth and soft; the song was perfect for him to sing!
His voice most definitely lulled me, so much so that I closed my eyes and practically felt my body fall limp; at the end of the song he sighed and I grasped his hand before he could stand. "Could you sing it again, please?" I asked quietly, half opening my eyelids; he gave a small smile which disappeared within seconds and nodded. I smiled and closed my eyes again, my hand falling limp upon his own; oh-so hesitantly, his fingers moved between my own and sat upon my hand. I smiled and as the song was close to ending he leaned forwards and quietly kissed my forehead, and in a hushed tone, finishing the song.
I was in a strange, zone-like state when I felt his warm, velvety hand leave my own and he stood quietly from the bed; making the trek back over to the couch and laying back down with a sigh.
~~ Apparently, I fell into a deep sleep, for; I didn't wake until I heard the whistle of a tea kettle. I sat up and gasped, glancing frantically about the room to see the Captain sitting in his ring of satin pillows, a book in hand. It was a black book that he was writing in, I guessed it was his journal; his eyes lazily tore from the page and floated over to me. "Sleep well?" He asked, standing from his ring of satin pillows and moving to the kettle of tea, taking it off and pouring two cups, one of me and one for himself.
I sighed and nodded. "T-The kettle just scared me" I explained and he nodded, handing me a cup and sitting on the side of my bed. He took a sip from his cup and sighed.
"You tell no one of my singing ability" he hissed, staring hard at me; I giggled and nodded, taking a gulp of the tea, sighing happily as it warmed my throat.
"It'll be our little secret" said I; the Captain smiled and gave a chuckle a few moments afterwards. "What?" I asked as he stood and placed his cup of tea on the inn table beside the bed and walking to the door.
"Oh, it's just something that makes me a perverted twelve year old" he replied, walking out of the room. I shook my head and glanced down to the floor to see his journal; I grinned and pulled myself forwards, using the bedpost and my arms, and let my body fall to the floor, inching forwards until I firmly held his journal in my grasp. I glanced around like a criminal about to steal a diamond and opened it to the date in which he took me prisoner. It read:
'Today was monumentally boorish, save, when we came across another boat; the union jack flew high and I spotted dignitaries striding about the deck. Not to mention a pretty little prize waltzing around in a nightgown. She was sunning herself, reading a book, when she spotted The Black Pearl she became shaken, but I got a good look at her face; she was a china doll, indeed! She called a woman up to her and they spoke until the doll stood and hurried below deck; she didn't come up again until the fighting ensued. I ordered the men to capture her, and to anyone who hurt her, I would personally slit their throat; besides, who would have the heart to hurt such a frailly beautiful thing as she?
At one point of the men cornered her with his sword to her throat and we stared at each other; she was scared, terrified, no doubt, she was the daughter of a wealthy family she hadn't experienced anything like this before. But, as we stared, visually, she relaxed; she was awe-struck. I started moving down the stairs and she broke our eye contact and rushed to the Captain's Quarters where my men broke down the door and dragged her down; transferring her to the Black Pearl. I didn't want to force her to watch her parents die, but, she turned and witnessed them being thrown off of the boat she once traveled upon; I had to lock her in the prison deck, I'm not ready to speak with her yet, besides, I must get a room made up for her.'
I paused after reading. 'China doll', 'pretty little prize', 'frailly beautiful'? He had watched me quite a long time! I sighed and flipped a few pages, eager to see his reasoning behind throwing me off of the boat.
'That arrogant little privateer dared to show his face again, my god, this man needs to learn what a 'hint' is and how to take it when ten pirates are pummeling you in a bar! He thought he could take me on? Me? The pirate all pirates fear? Ha!
What a joke, an eunuch, a fop, a poseur! His insolence stuns me, how many times must I beat him? Never mind him, sweet Anna came running out of my quarters today, since I gave her my grandfather's sword and my own revolver and she hugged me! She buried her head into my chest and threw her arms around me; I couldn't believe it for a few moments, it seemed so surreal. We held each other for quite some time before she realized the fop stood on the boat opposite to us; my little china doll attempted to break my grasp but I wouldn't let her go, he needed to know she was mine.
The privateer asked her to come to his boat, and she attempted to break from my arms and leave, she wanted to leave me! So, I...I locked her in my quarters...what else could I have done? I defended her, I fought the stupid boy off and when I went to speak with her she yelled at me; my little china doll yelled at me. Then, I knew I had a heart, for it was heavy and weighed down my feet as I made my trek to the door; I told her to get out, I yelled at her now, she was scared. I daresay she was terrified, I didn't know what I was doing, I still don't know what I'm doing, I wanted to scream and rip my body in half; I wanted to stab my heart for ever betraying me like that.
Allowing me into be wrapped around someone's pinkie finger, I think not! I was so kind to her, too kind to her! Damn my heart and damn my mind! How could I allow myself to be carried away like that? I should've killed her, I should've killed her along with her family; now...I guess...I guess I did.
I kicked her off of the boat and left her floating in the water; my god, a sword through the heart would've been paradise compared to watching her head bob up and down in the water; her eyes red with salt agitation and a storm approaching. I turned the boat around five times to go fetch her again, but every time I did we were blown off course by the wind and when I reached the spot I left her, she was nowhere to be found. We've been searching for two days now and there's no sight of her; why must I have a heart?'
My eyes stung with tears; he cared for me! Five times he turned 'round for me, five times! I set down his journal where he left it and clambered back into bed; attempting to calm myself. He keeps a façade up of perversion and demand when others are near (and when we first met) but, in reading his thoughts, he was actually a quite emotional man; an emotional, lovesick man. I smiled and batted away tears before he entered the room again, sighing and wiping his forehead. "How's your ankle?" He asked, not even glancing up to me as he gulped down the cold tea.
"Fine" I said in a sob logged throat. He instantly paused and turned to me, he blinked and sat down on the bed.
"What's wrong?" He asked, concern glittered in his eyes; I grinned and touched his cheek, sniffling.
"Nothing, I just...I came to a few realizations, that's all" I explained; he pulled away from my hand and nodded, clearing his throat and walking over to his journal; hurriedly stuffing it back into the bookshelf and allowing his fingernails to run over the spines of his books. He walked back over to me and lifted up the bottom of the cotton blanket, revealing my ankle which was now back down to normal size and colour; he helped me out of bed and it took a little time, but, I was walking on it again! He grinned and placed his hands on my waist, dancing me about the room and finally dipping me down; I laughed and giggled until my cheeks burnt red. "I didn't know you danced!" I cried with another giggle; he twirled me and held my back to his chest.
"There's quite a lot you don't know of me" he whispered into my ear; I closed my eyes and smiled, a warm, tingling sensation filling my chest.
"Oh? What more didn't I know about you?" I asked, opening my eyes again to see him staring at me.
"Well, as I said before, quite a lot." Said he, I rolled my eyes playfully.
"There's a lot you don't know about me too!" I said, he chuckled.
"You're not wrong, say, what if we had a night where we strictly asked each other questions about the other person...possibly over food?" He asked; I nodded quickly.
"Wonderful idea" said I, he nodded.
"So it shall be; tonight, perhaps?" He asked; I nodded again and he hugged me tight. "I'll schedule it for eight o'clock, I'll send someone for you at seven fifty tonight. Now, I must go, a vessel cannot navigate itself." He said, unraveling his hands from my waist and retrieving his journal, I turned to get my tea cup and instead was smacked on the behind.
I jumped and gasped only to turn to see a flash of his trench coat as he left. A few moments after he left I stopped what I was doing, our conversation had just fully processed.
He asked me to a date, and I said yes...
We were...we were courting!
