Chapter Ten: What is True?

A few quiet days passed by while Duke rested and recovered. The repairs didn't disrupt much as Trent kept an eye on them. Every so often Duke would wake up, talk with me a bit, and then fall back asleep. Trent told me he was past the critical stage and would make it through, but his wounds would need a bit more time to heal before he could move too much. While we were still at port I kept watch for the merchant that had sought out Duke, yet he had seemed to vanished just as he had emerged.

My original companions had long ago said their farewells to me before setting sail again. "How is he sis?" Nosedive asked while bringing me a plate of food.

"He needs another day at least," I mentioned as I watched Duke sleep still.

Then I turned to my older twin and asked for the tenth time at least, "Dive, why did you stay with us?"

"I told you sis, your adventure sounds more fun," he teased while rustling my hair, "Besides someone's gotta look out for you."

"Dive, you didn't have to do this," I insisted.

"It's too late now sis, we're here to stay," he assured with Grin looking in from the doorway to check in on us.

At this I gave a slight smile before looking back over our captain. He had been in and out while recovering. Due to lack of proper medicine to relieve the pain he had to rest through it.

"When did you sleep last?" Grin then asked me as I continued to sit vigilantly beside Duke.

I tried to remember, which didn't help.

"I'll be fine," I tried to insist.

"You need your rest too," Dive tried to remind me.

"I'll rest in a bit, but right now I'm fine," I said.

At that they gave in and left me there with Duke as they had the days before. When I was sure it was just us I looked over the drake before me.

"I miss you," I admitted as I thought of how he'd been the days leading up to fight.

By now I would have given anything to see him smile as he had before. I wanted to hear his good natured tone and smooth voice. I even wanted him to tease me as he had from time to time. Anything to show me he was okay again.

"Duke...please..." I said as I knelt beside the bed now and reached for his hand.

Holding onto it I wasn't sure what else to say or do. Fatigue was fighting me, making it hard to stay awake at this point. "...Heart...?"

I looked up to see his remaining eye opening as he tilted his head slightly.

Duke:

Looking over I smiled when I saw her close by.

"Hey sweetheart...ya alright?" I asked her when I saw fear in her eyes, "Ya look so tired...an' frightened?"

She was holding my hand so tightly.

"Heart...I promised ya I wouldn't give up...How could I break that promise to ya?" I asked her while trying to sit up a bit.

"I've missed you," she said softly while remaining rigidly kneeling beside me.

"Really? After all the grief I've put ya through? Nearly gettin' ya killed several times, pushin' ya away, an' havin' ta have my own life saved by ya...why-?" I half laughed in disbelief.

It was then that I noticed the tears in her eyes that brought my words to a pause. She was trying not to show them, trying to act like they weren't there. Her exhausted form about crumbled and I sat up to catch her as she lost her balance when she tried to regain her strength.

"Heart?!" I exclaimed as I supported her.

"When was the last time ya slept or ate?" I asked noticing the plate of food on the table untouched.

"Yesterday at some point I ate..." she answered trying to stable herself.

"Heart if ya don't get some rest now ya won't have strength when ya need it," I said to her.

Her frame felt so small and rigid against my own. With my good arm I positioned her carefully against the head of the bed. Then I pushed myself, standing shakily now for the first time in days. She looked like she was trying to follow me, but I rested a hand on her shoulder to try and encourage her to stay put, "Please, get some rest. I'm jus' goin' ta take a walk around the deck ta build my own strength some. I won't be able to if ya don't get some rest yourself."

She wasn't convinced. The fire she had in her fought against my grip until I took my other hand and carefully caressed her hair. She looked up at me with tired and defeated expression in her eyes.

"Heart, please. I'll be alright. You've done enough ta look after me for now. Jus' get some sleep at least, okay?" I requested quietly, "Thank you though sweetheart."

I smiled softly as she had little choice but to respond to this wish. Finally she closed her eyes and I carefully rested her form over the bed. After pulling a blanket up over her I stepped out onto the deck. I was careful to close the door quietly behind me, but not before risking one more glance at her as she dreamed.

Stepping out onto the deck I found two vaguely familiar young drakes outside. Though neither of them were of my crew. One I recognized as the gentle giant that had carried me back the other day. The second I remembered as Heart's adopted twin brother who was looking at me with concern in his blue eyes. He had given his dress tunic up for a teal and white striped version of the style of shirt I was wearing. His trousers remained teal. He had also pulled his long blonde hair back into a loose ponytail. On his left shoulder was a tattoo with a duck's skull and hockey sticks crossed like bones in a deep crimson shade.

"I don't recall takin' on two new crew members," I tried to chuckle.

Trent swiftly stepped up beside me clearing his throat, "I accepted their aid on your behalf captain. As I was needed to tend to jobs up here we needed a new cook, and his aid came with him."

The one I recalled as Grin nodded with his apron on as he handed me a plate of food, "You need your strength before you can guide us Captain."

"I'll eat in a bit, right now I need ta walk a bit before anythin' else," I said while stepping by them.

Trent walked with me as I made my way around the ship. My right leg resisted a bit at first, but I gritted my teeth and continued. While I did Trent showed me the repairs that were about finished.

"We should be able to set sail tonight," Trent informed me as we looked out over the harbor from the bow of the ship.

"Any sign of our merchant friend?" I asked.

Trent shook his head, "Not since he shot you Captain. It's as though he vanished from this small harbor."

"That's not too comfortin'," I mentioned with a soured expression while glancing at my shoulder's new scar.

I was currently wearing a short sleeved ebony sailor's tunic, allowing my wound to get some air. It was not comfortable in the least considering my usual attire. Though I was wearing a pair of dark trousers to conceal the wound on my leg. The latter of the two hadn't been as deep and was healing faster. My shoulder however still ached considerablly.

"Captain, you're lucky to be alive this time," Trent then sighed with frustration, "I do wish you would stop giving this old sailor a heart attack everytime you go to port."

I raised a brow at this, "Do ya think I intended for this ta happen?"

"Of course not, but I do think there are ways to prevent these things from happening," he said sternly.

"We didn't exactly choose a safe life ta begin with Trent," I reminded him.

"I am not referring to our treasure hunting and life in space Captain," he replied with annoyance creeping into his voice.

I realized he was no longer looking at the harbor and had turned his gaze towards my cabin on the ship. I looked the other way, finding the water below as it distracted me for a moment. Though it didn't work for very long.

"Everytime I pull away from her she comes right back," I said quietly.

"I wonder why that is," Trent commented before stepping away.

The rest of the day was spent getting things prepared for the launch. Though I didn't see Heart up and about during this time. I checked on her from time to time, as did her brother. Her pale skin had already regained a bit of it's color.

"She just needed some sleep," Dive affirmed with a sigh of relief.

"How long was she up like that anyway?" I asked.

"You were in and out for three days after the night you were shot. Heart would nodd off occasionally and such, but she rarely left this room," he told me as I checked her forehead.

"She doesn't have a fever or anythin'," I mentioned before stepping back.

"So what's the plan to get you free of this curse she told me about?"

"Once we set sail we'll head for the planet on the map, but we'll need ta watch for complications," I said.

"Complications? Like the other ship she mentioned?"

I nodded.

"She told me you saved her without a second thought from an old rival," he said.

I couldn't help but smile as I brushed her hair out of her face, "How could I not rescue her?"

"I don't know, how could you try and push her away?" He then asked with annoyance creeping up.

I turned to him a bit surprised by this as he continued, "She told you she was with you through this and you've pushed her away twice. As her brother I'd like to know why?"

"I was jus' tryin' ta protect her Dive. It wasn't ta hurt her," I tried to tell him only to meet a frustrated pair of blue eyes.

"You realize she could still hear the song even when you parted from her. She heard it the other night when you left her on the streets!"

"Dive," I tried to urge quietly, trying to calm him down, "You'll wake her up."

"I jus' wanted ta keep her safe," I said, "Believe me...I didn't want ta step away..."

Dive looked at me with surprise. Then his expression softened slightly, "Heart has never been one to go back on someone she cares for. On Puck World when we took her in as our sister others tried to tell her to go back to our own kind. Yet she never did."

"Didn't she ever wonder where she was from?"

"She mentioned it once when we first left our world on the original voyage, but I think it was just to give an answer of some kind. We all mentioned what brought us to space, but honestly I think she just wanted to stay with us as she always had."

"So why didn't she go back with ya then?"

"If you don't figure that out soon you may be in more trouble than you are with that starmaid," he shook his head before leaving, "I'm going to go watch the launch with Grinster."

I waited for him to shut the door harshly, but he never did. Instead he was quite careful. Leaving me to watch over Heart for a bit again.

Once alone I looked over at the desk she had worked at for hours not long ago. I thought of our adventures as I stood beside the bed. I held back a chuckle as I recalled how flustered she got and how she tried to push back my charm. In doing so she had seemed to use her own in return. Shaking my head I stepped away to check on the others as we prepared to leave port, ignoring these thoughts for now. Or so I attempted to.

Watching the launch without her beside me this time created a lonelieness I hadn't expected. Yet I didn't want to risk waking her. After a bit I checked on things below the ship with Trent for a while. Silver tended to the crow's nest and Dive and Diana kept things in shape on deck. Saffire in the meantime looked over the maps while Heart rested still.

Yet as it grew late I found myself returning above deck. As I did a melody caught my attention. Though this one did not fill me with dread as the song I had come to know by now. This one was hesitant in a way.

Come on now, try and understand

The way I feel under your command

Take my hand, as the sun descends

They can't hurt you now

They can't hurt you now

I looked up to follow where the words were drifting from. Upon the mainmast I found Heart holding onto it from where we had stargazed before. Her voice was shaking as she attempted to practice unheard. None the less I climbed my way up to her as she continued. She was so focused that she didn't seem to notice me.

Because the night belongs to lovers

Because the night belongs to us

Because the night belongs to lovers

Because the night belongs to -

She jumped as I climbed up beside her, for she had turned around just as I balanced myself against the mast. I reached out but she remained steady on her own.

"What was that about sweetheart?" I asked her.

We were well into space by now with countless stars surrounding us with planets in the distance. A stream of stardust flowed along with the ship.

Heart looked at me nervously, as though asking herself the same thing.

"I...I was reading about songs while you were in and out. I was trying to figure out a way to counter hers somehow if we couldn't get the necklace in time," she answered.

"Heart you were already takin' care of me, ya didn't need ta do that," I told her.

"I needed to do something," she said.

"You could have drawn? I gave ya that book for that exact purpose," I pointed out, "Heart why are ya doin' all of this?"

"Because I made you a promise Captain, remember?" She said with determination in her tone, "I'm going to keep my word and get you through this."

"Is that really it?" I asked her, "After everythin'-?"

Before I could finish we both grew more alert as a haunting melody broke us away from the conversation. Instinctively I reached for her hand as the words flowed around us.

A fig for his riches

His merchandise and gold

True love has grafted my heart

Give me my sailor bold

Looking to Heart we both seemed to wonder what she meant. Then we looked to see in the stardust as something gleaming caught our attention. In the silver waves of space we could see her swimming after us. Pulling Heart close we then watched from above as my original crew came out to find us. Had they heard this time?

Yet as we pondered this Silver made himself known above us. He snickered a laugh that was unlike his.

"She wants you right? A fair trade I'd say for some gold right Captain?" He asked.

In his eyes we could see nothing but greed as he grabbed for us.

"What are ya doin' Silver?!" I questioned as I remained balanced with Heart.

"Like I said, we're taking her up on her offer. She wants her sailor bold, and we want the gold!" He scoffed while lunging at us.

I slipped my arm around Heart's waist and took a leap. Grabbing the rope nearby I swung us over to the helm of the ship away from him and the others. Though I winced a bit as I did this, suddenly remembering my shoulder's injury.

"Duke!" Heart gasped when I released her and gripped my shoulder now.

As she reached for me we heard Silver and the others pursuing us. I quickly stepped forward at the head of the stairs to prevent them from coming up, even drawing my saber.

"Sorry fellas, but I'm not goin' ta her!" I assured as I pushed Diana back a bit.

"But Captain," Saffire taunted, "Haven't you always wanted this? Isn't it true love considering how she's chasing you!"

"You've been searching and searching, looking for girl after girl to charm, and now you have one that simply can't resist!" Diana mentioned with a sneer, "Aren't you lucky?"

Saffire lunged at me with her blade to try and disarm me. Stepping to the side I twisted hers out of her hand instead. It was knocked behind us at Heart's feet. She quickly picked it up and rushed over to fight beside me.

"What else did ya study?" I asked her.

"You had a book on sword play, it's not as good as you and them, but it's something," she said nervsouly.

"Anythin' else I need ta know about the three days I was out?" I teased her.

The slightly annoyed look she gave me nearly made me laugh as we fought. Together we managed to disarm and hold off my original crew. Heart then backed up against my back as we stood by the wheel of the ship.

"Well...remember how my brother and friend joined us?" She asked nervously.

Looking over my shoulder I found Grin looming over us with a cold sneer in his darkened eyes. Near the plank Dive whistled out to someone. For Grin was reaching for Heart, grasping the curved blade in her hands until it was pried away from her. Pulling her forward he then grabbed her wrist and held her up.

"Let her go friend!" I warned as Heart tried to slip free of his grip.

His hand tightened around her wrist, threatening to break it. He looked at me as though daring me to attack him. Heart continued her attempts as she looked to me.

"Either you go with the starmaid or this girl dies!" Silver snarled with a deep chuckle emerging at the end.

I froze in my steps as I looked to Heart. She was still fighting only for Grin to grab her other arm and wrench them together behind her back. He spun her around quickly, gripping both arms with one hand and then grasping her throat with the other. He didn't clamp his fingers around her neck just yet, but was giving me the warning that he soon would.

"Besides, why worry over this girl when you have quite the treasure chasing you? Didn't you ask for this affection?" Silver asked me.

Looking to my crew I found them each wielding a weapon after taking advantage of Grin's distraction. I backed up from them a bit.

True love has grafted my heart

Give me my sailor bold

The words echoed cruelly this time as I was backed up towards the plank. For if I fought back Heart would be the one to pay the price. Glancing at her I saw fear in her eyes and she seemed too afraid to even speak. Then glancing behind me I saw the starmaid waiting in the stardust past the plank.

"See Captain? You'll win in the end as well. We all win. We will get our treasure, and you'll get true love," Saffire said in a voice that wasn't hers, "Isn't that what you were seeking all this time anyway?"

With a low growl in my voice I said, "I didn't seek it out, an' this isn't love!"

Then I glanced at Heart and her panicked sapphire eyes. Yet there was something else gleaming in them too. Looking at her and how she gazed up at me there were no longer any questions in my head. Not when it came to her at least.

Lowering my saber I then said to myself, "But that doesn't mean I didn't find it."

I then sheathed my saber and stepped up onto the plank and said, "Let her go free an' safe, an' I'll-"

T-Take me now...darling...here as I am...

H-Hold me close...and try and...u-undertstand

Upon hearing this quivering voice I looked to Heart again in disbelief. Panic had faded from her expression as she had taken a breath and started this song. Yet she still looked to me and no one else.

"Heart?" I asked.

Grin was about to tighten his grip around her throat just as she continued desperately.

Desire is...hunger...is the fire...I breath

Love is a banquet on which we feed

The crew had frozen in their steps, each of them holding their heads at least with one hand as they had. Even Grin pulled his hand from Heart's throat, thus allowing her to sing further.

Come on now...tr-try and understand...

The way...the way I feel...under your command!

T-Take my hand, as the sun decends!

They can't hurt you now!

She was able to pull free from Grin and then run up to me as I hurried back to her from the plank. Behind me the starmaid's shriek was drowned out by Heart's voice as soft as it was. Upon reaching her I swept her up into my arms and pulled her close to me. In return I felt her wrap her arms around my lean waist, gripping the fabric of my shirt tightly. She had ceased her melody and was simply holding onto me in this moment, her frame shaking in my hands.

"I understand love," I breathed as I tightened my hold on her.

She choked out a soft laugh I could barely hear when I said this, "You're going to be impossible now!"

At this I swept her up in a spin before sweeping her feet under my arm and holding her up. My shoulder tried to resist, but I refused to let go of her. She in turn wrapped her arms around my neck.

"It's about time," Trent commented from behind us.

Looking around we saw that our crew had returned to their senses. Thus placing us in the center of them as they shared knowing expressions and teasing comments or laughs. Poor Heart froze in my arms at this.

Then from behind us as well we heard a snarling threat, "Mark my words my sailor bold, you will be mine and mine alone! Enjoy your time with this clever wench while you have the freedom to do so! But trust me, the longer you stay with her the worse her fate will be as well!"

I felt Heart take a deep breath before speaking in a strengthened voice, "We will break your curse! You will not steal his freedom from him! Say what you want, but we'll continue to fight you at every turn!"

"Bold words for a mere human girl!" The starmaid scoffed as she looked at Heart with contempt, "You've survived thus far with luck, but it won't save you forever! With every verse my song and magic grow stronger!"

With that she dove back into the stream of stars and space, fading from sight.

Only then did I dare set Heart down before me. However my hands remained grasping her shoulders as she looked up at me. Our companions had mercifully parted to give us some time alone, including her brother who had hesitated at first.

Once alone she pulled away from me and walked over to the rail. I watched her grip the wood of it as she took a deep breath. While she did this I remained standing where I was at first. Then I walked up beside her and closed a hand over hers. She looked up at me again without a sound between us.

"What's wrong sweetheart?" I finally asked her in a softened tone.

"I don't want to end up like others...I know better than this! I know and I still can't keep from crossing that line!" She said as she looked away.

Yet as she did her eyes betrayed her by revealing her frustration.

"Heart..." I whispered while gripping her hand and pulling her close to me.

"I know you want your freedom. I'm not like her!" She resisted.

"Of course you're not darlin'," I told her while slipping my free hand up along her back, "But you're also not like others."

I then gave a soft chuckle as I thought of how I had tried to break away from her and yet...yet here she was still.

"If anythin' you're far more persistant," I teased her.

When fear flashed in her eyes I followed these words with, "But not in the same way as her. She speaks of affection an' love without knowin' what I am...or who...You have known me as I am from day one an' yet...that's never turned ya away has it?"

She shook her head, "No matter how much I tell myself to step back."

"Because you're afraid?"

She didn't move or speak. Yet her eyes still told me everything. My hand holding hers slipped up to her cheek, caressing it gently.

"You weren't afraid when ya sang your song ta me...were ya?"

"I was, but...in the moment that fear didn't matter. What did was making sure you were still here with..."

"With you?"

"With us."

"Heart...why did it matter? Why did ya run ta me if that's all it was? Why keep fightin' this curse when you could be free of me an' this mess?"

"Because I promised you..."

"Then why am I allowed ta do this suddenly?" I asked while pulling her closer and slipping the hand against her cheek to beneath her chin.

"Because you keep crossing the line too," she said biting her lower lip slightly.

"Is that true sweetheart?" I asked her knowing what I had felt when she was in danger, and knowing how she had looked at me when I was. As we both had through most of our journey at this point, "Is that why we keep riskin' so much for the other? Honor or not...this...is..."

It was now I realized her hand had slipped to my upper arm, gripping the sleeve to pull me closer. At this I smiled, "Ya know love, I think it's time I stole your first true kiss?"

"Love?"

"I'm sorry Heart...it slipped..." I whispered as I tilted my head and leaned close to her. adoring the sight of her blushing as I did.

Her eyes gleamed with hope as though asking further. I smiled as I breathed, "Because I love ya."

"I love you too," she whispered just before I kissed her.

Hearing this my hand slipped swiftly from her chin to behind her head, pulling her as close as possible into me. She in turn reached her other hand around my back and clung to me, trusting me to hold her and not slip away.

When we did part slighltly I couldn't help but laugh softly, "So it seems I've charmed tht heart of yours after all?"

"It seems so captain," she blushed softly.

A slight pain tugged at my heart as I begged her quietly once more, "Heart, please use my name darlin'."

"I love you Duke."

"I love ya too Heart."