If I Can't Love Her
By: Night Music
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(Part Two)
"Jim, really, what is this all about?"
The young man grinned, attempting to look as innocent as possible as he led his mother up onto the deck of Silver's ship where it was settled at the dock right outside the Benbow Inn. "Mom, what did I tell you? You've just got to trust me. No more questions now. You wait right here and let me go see if everything is ready."
Sarah sighed, crossing her arms as her son grinned at her, a look she knew all too well, and then watched as he ran off to the stairs that led down below deck. Whatever could this big surprise be that had him so excited? She'd not seen him with this boyish enthusiasm in quite some time and it almost made her nervous with curiosity. Still, she had to admit that seeing him this way after so many years of anger and depression brought warmth to her heart.
There was a cool, steady breeze blowing about, causing the soft material of Sarah's skirt to dance about her legs as she moved over to stand at the railing and look out on the vast expansion of stars. It was a beautiful night. Clear and calm without a single cloud to hindrance the sight of those blazing gems that looked as though they had been tossed carelessly out across a large piece of black velvet. It was easy for her to see how one could become obsessed with such a vast, unknown expansion. There were quite a few times when she would look out on that sky and almost feel as though she understood why Leland had left her. What could she ever offer him in a small inn that could even begin to compare to the freedom and adventure he found out in space? She would reflect on this question and almost found herself able to forgive him completely for leaving her, thinking that she might almost do the same thing if she had such an opportunity. Just to leave all her worries and troubles behind and simply sail out in the vast space with no real direction in mind.
Closing her eyes, Sarah turned her face into the cool wind and breathed deeply of the clean air. She knew Leland was in love with his trade and that she could never replace that in hopes of keeping him anchored at home…but then what of Silver? Just the very thought of him made her heart skip a beat and a small, shy smile spread over her lips. He was everything that she could look for in a man. Strong and fierce when he needed to be, but able to turn about and be gentle and loving as well. He'd never raised his voice to her, even when they had entered into an argument. The very thought of striking her the way her husband had when angered had never even crossed his mind and he was actually hurt when he reached out to touch her right after such an argument and she pulled away in fear. His stories intrigued and entranced her and she could listen to him relate his adventures to her for hours, the lovely brogue of his voice sending pleasant chills down her spine. He always seemed to know when she was upset or having a bad day and it was on those days she would find small gifts hidden about the inn for her to find. He never wrote his name on the gifts or claimed having been the one to place them there, but she knew it was he. There were even times when she would approach him about the gifts, saying that she could not accept them but he would deny having anything to do with it, all the while smiling that wickedly cunning smile as he forced her to keep the items.
Yet he was a sailor and as such she knew he loved space just as much as Leland had. Would he leave her as well one day? The very thought of it pricked her heart and made it nearly unbearable. Oh, she couldn't ask him to stay. He had no ties to her and she knew he was only at the inn because he was hiding from the authorities for a time. So when he felt it safe to come out of hiding, off he would surely go again in hopes of new adventure.
Sarah sighed, opening her eyes sadly to glance back upward to the sky. Oh, cruel mistress that steals men from the arms of their lovers. How could a woman possibly ever hope to compete with you? She rubbed her hands along her bare arms, suddenly feeling a chill from the wind as she shook her head. Ah, well. That is the way it should be, I suppose. There are some men who simply do not belong tied down to one place…that deserve to be free. Who am I to argue such a right?
"Mom?"
Sarah looked up quickly at the sound of the voice that broke into her thoughts and turned to see her son standing at the top of the steps that led down into Silver's ship. He grinned that familiar grin once more that lit up his eyes and motioned a hand towards the opening in a very dramatic gesture.
"Your surprise awaits."
For a brief moment Sarah did not move, a bit uncertain of seeing what her son had waiting for her down below. Why had he requested that she dress for a 'night out' and why were they aboard Silver's ship without him knowing? He was very overprotective of his vessel and Jim knew that. But any curiosity Jim had in him came from his mother and finally she pursed her lips in determination, turning towards him to walk slowly to the stairs, one hand fiddling nervously with her necklace. Jim watched her move with the grace and posture of a noblewoman and couldn't help but smile, knowing that his mother could rival some of the most beautiful women of Montressor. She glanced up at him as she approached and he arched an eyebrow towards her, motioning once more for her to go down below. Sarah stopped at the top of the steps, gathering her skirts carefully into her grasp so that she wouldn't trip and then looked at Jim once more with an intrigued smile before carefully beginning her descent below to see what awaited her.
Upon arriving at the bottom of the stairs, Sarah glanced back up and realized that Jim did not follow. Her eyes shifted back to the area around her, a bit dark and eerie in that way that only ships can be as they softly creak and groan as the wind runs across them. She'd been aboard Silver's ship before, but never in the lower parts of it. Her heart began to beat a little faster, uncertain of where to turn or which way to go in the dark area as she reached out a hand to touch the railing of the stairs, steadying herself as her eyes began to focus.
Then she heard it. The sound of a very familiar, cheerful whistling.
Silver. So he's in on this big surprise too, is he?
Suddenly feeling her whole body relaxing with relief, she turned her head towards the direction in which the whistling came from and saw a hallway lit by a few candles. She smiled to herself, carefully stepping around a few barrels that blocked her path to move towards the light and the sound of his merry tune. She recognized it as one of the old sea chanties he had sung for her one night while they had sat outside on the porch together and she couldn't help but begin to quietly hum along with it as well. The uncertainty and nervousness completely left her mind as she was drawn like a small, trusting child to the familiar sound of that song and the man from which she knew it came.
Sarah stepped into the gentle glow of the candlelit hallway, and followed it down to the end where it cut a sharp corner. Pursing her lips together with an excited thrill, she turned the corner of the hallway and stepped right into a large room that made her stop short and gasp in surprise.
All around her were candles. Large, pillar-like candles that rose up from sconces. Small, tea candles that sat about on tables decorated with vases of an assortment of her favorite flowers. Different colored glass had been strung and hung in just the right way so that the room was filled with a glimmering array of colors like those of the Northern Lights as they spun and danced about on their strings. In the midst of all the elaborate decorations, there sat a table upon which was set the finest feast of food she had ever seen and just off to the side stood the silhouette outline of the old cyborg who had stopped what he was doing when he heard her gasp and turned to see her reaction.
For a moment she was completely speechless, her hands pressed to her open mouth in shock before she gave a soft laugh of surprise and shook in head in awe, eyes still taking in the sight. "Silver…what…what is all this?"
The pirate couldn't help but give a smile at her reaction and he stepped out of the shadows and into the gentle candlelight as he waved a large hand towards the room. "Why, tis ye're big surprise, lass."
Sarah shook her head again in disbelief, stepping a bit further into the room and turning about slowly so that she was able to take it all in carefully. "It's amazing." Her eyes fell upon one of the many vases of flowers and she gasped again, moving towards it to run her finger gently over one of the sapphire blue petals. "Monsitas? Those are my favorite flowers but…how ever did you get them? They don't bloom anywhere this time of year!"
"Aye, well, that would be tellin' my secret now wouldn't it, lass? Let's just say I worked a little bit of magic."
"Magic indeed," the woman murmured softly, leaning in to breathe in the fragrance of the flowers. "They're wonderful, Silver."
The cyborg crossed his arms over his chest and watched her admire the scene with a gentle smile as she reached up and tapped one of the hanging glass pieces, causing it to spin and reflect a thousand colors on the wall. Her eyes were wide with a kind of child-like wonder as she moved about the room slowly, entranced by this fairy-tale style chamber that he had designed with some help from Jim.
"Ye look beautiful tonight, Sarah," he finally murmured softly as she came full-circle about the room to stand a few feet away from him. The green gown that he had given to her several weeks back looked perfect on her – like it had been tailored exactly to fit her form. She had complained then of how much it must have cost him and insisted she would never be able to wear it out anywhere, but he simply shook his head and said he had nothing to do with it, refusing to take it back even though they both knew it had come from him. He had known then that it would be very pretty on her, but he had not expected his heart to practically ache with his love for her the moment she entered the room wearing that dress. She was always a very beautiful woman, but tonight, in the soft glow of the candles, she was simply stunning.
Again Sarah gave a slight blush at such a compliment, glancing down humbly before looking back up at him with a small, almost shy smile. "You look quite nice tonight as well." Oh, yes, how nice he looked. The captain-like uniform made him appear like he truly belonged out sailing the skies in firm command of a royal fleet. She almost giggled, thinking of how the whole scene sounded far too much like one of Catherine's romance novels she was always reading. An intriguing, cunning captain who had taken on a lady passenger and requested her presence at dinner in his private, candle lit chamber.
"Well then," Silver spoke again, prying her from her thoughts as he motioned a hand towards her. "Come, m'lady, and have a seat. Tis about time ye allowed someone else to serve ye rather than constantly waiting on other people."
The young woman smiled and took his offered hand, allowing him to escort her to the other side of the table where he pulled out her chair, ever the picture of a perfect gentleman, and allowed her to be seated. He then began the task of pouring her a glass of wine from a bottle that had been set off to the side in a bucket of ice to chill and serving her from the feast he had created of all her favorite foods made especially to her liking.
Sarah laughed a bit as he showed off a bit with his cyborg hand, slicing several pieces of meat in no time at all and catching a few purps easily behind his back before squeezing them out over a mangord to add a bit of flavoring to it. Had she been in such a setting with any other man, she knew she would have felt nervous and uneasy…but this was Silver and as such she felt completely calm and natural, talking with him as easily as they would have talked in the kitchen over the dirty dishes.
"This is a wonderful surprise, Silver," she murmured quietly as he went to take his seat opposite of hers. "Thank you."
The pirate gave her a loving smile that made her heart flutter as he carefully poured himself a glass of wine. "Aye, lass, but it is I that should be thankin' you for allowin' me the pleasure of ye're company." He chuckled a bit, a slight glimmer shining in his eye. "Besides, this isn't all of ye're surprise. There's still one last thing I have for ye before this evening is out."
Sarah sat forward in her seat a bit, intrigued. "Oh? And what might that be?"
The man gave a shrug of his broad shoulders as he settled back in his chair with a casual smile. "For that ye shall simply have to wait and see, lass. Patience, after all, is a virtue." He gave another soft laugh at the teasing pout she offered him in response to that and he lifted his wine glass towards her with a tip of his head. "To ye, love."
Sarah could not help but smile at his gentle use of the word 'love' and she lifted her glass in return to his own. "No…to us."
