The feeling of the world swaying beneath her. And blackness.
That was what Sky woke up to the first time around. She could hardly keep her eyes open, struggling to stay conscious. She could hardly feel herself, just the movement of her body as it swayed with the world. She struggled to make a sound, her lips her so chapped and her face felt so numb. Her eyes drifted open fully, blinking in the darkness. She felt someone's hair tickle her face and a hand touch her forehead, and a strange creaking noise from above.
"She's-" a voice started to say, but Sky was yanked from the world again and sank through a plummet of dreams and despair, filled with screams she wanted to forget and faces she couldn't place. The only thing she knew was they were calling her name, over and over like a wave endlessly touching the shore.
"Sky!" a frantic voice screamed.
Sky blinked. She was standing on the shore of a burning town, chaos around her. Behind her was the nonstop clashing of swords hitting bodies. She heard someone scream her name again, their voice hoarse. As she turned, her body felt like it was on fire. A stinging pain pounded in her leg but she did her best to ignore it. That voice seemed so important, more important than anything.
"Sky!" a boy's voice called. She peered into the dark water, lit up by the light of the fire. She could hardly make out their faces, but there they were. Her mother and Crow, sailing away with a band of pirates.
"Not this again," Sky muttered weakly. She ran to them, every step feeling like she was walking on lava. Wrenching hot sparks burst from the ocean's edge, showering her. Not only was the town on fire, but so was the water, it seemed.
"Hold on!" Sky yelled across the burning flames, the heat only getting more intense with every second. She couldn't tell if they heard her or not.
She ran to the waters edge and jumped. Without warning, her two foot jump turned into a plunge from a high cliff to the treacherous water, flaming wreckage raining down with her. Despite the panic, she could see her mother and Crow's little boat from where she was falling. But of course, dreams never went how you expected. She heard an explosion, the sound of the town exploding in one big "boom!" Pieces of some things too gross to imagine blasted in every direction, a large chunk of something hitting Sky at full force. She was lifted from her free fall and was soon propelling across the ocean, out of control.
She couldn't see anything. She heard nothing but the roaring wind and horrific screams all around her. She heard her mother and Crow screaming in pain, the sound flooding her ears until it was all she heard. She spun in the air, got hit on the head with something hard, and hit the flame-filled water with a crash that should've fractured her skull.
The last thing she remembered was sinking in a burning sea, knowing her family was gone forever, and wishing she would just drown already.
"Look-I told you! She's starting to wake up!"
"What should I say? It has to sound like I'm intimidating."
"Act natural! Whatever. Hurry up."
"Okay, okay."
Sky struggled to open her eyes. They felt heavy and syrupy, but when they finally fluttered open, she was met with two blurred figures in her face. The blurriness soon sharpened, forming the face of an olive-skinned girl sitting cross-legged on Sky's cot. She looked nothing like the girls Sky had grown up with. If any civilized person had seen the girl, he or she most certainly would've let out a gasp of disapproval. Her clothes had a thin layer of dust on them, and her skin was flawed with cuts and scrapes. There was no tight-fitting dress of any kind on her. Instead, she sported a loose white blouse, trousers, and tall boots. Her dark hair wasn't brushed nor pulled into an elegant hair style. In fact, it looked like she hadn't taken it out of it's braid for weeks. Next to her...
Her eyes shot fully open, and the pain hit her like bullets as she did so. She grunted but could hardly speak through her chapped lips and dry mouth.
The very familiar-looking boy next to the girl shoved a mug of water in her face. He held it up to her lips. "Here. You want water?"
Sky had no idea what was going on. Millions of thoughts ran through her head, making it hard to remember anything. Why was he so familiar? Where was she? What was going on?
She tried to move her hands to get the water, but everything felt weak. She narrowed her eyes as the boy tilted the cup into her mouth without warning. Just as water passed her lips, a incredulous thought made its way into her tangled head. No...no way. Aaron! The boy was-
She sputtered, and the contents went flying at the boy. His expression turned to one of pure disgust as he wiped the spit and water off his face. "Whoa! What was THAT for?!"
The girl burst out laughing in such an unladylike manner that Sky jumped. She was shaking so hard she was afraid the girl was having a seizure. Her eyes darted from the girl to the boy. The boy who looked exactly like Aaron, except with...different features. No, it couldn't be Aaron. This boy had longer hair, tousled and unbrushed. His eyes held no secrets full of despair. His light skin was tanned by the sun, his hands and bare feet were darkened with dirt. The way he held himself wasn't stiff, but filled with a different kind of confidence. Lastly, although the sensible part in the back of her brain refused to admit it, he was undeniably attractive.
She looked from the girl to the boy, utterly lost, angry, and growing more terrified by the second. The questions shot out like wildfire. "Who are you? Why am I here? Are you pirates? Do you plan to kill me? Do you-"
"Hold up, princess," the boy interrupted, setting the cup on the floor next to the cot she was laying on. "Let's start with the introductions. Hi. I'm Alex, and this is Lani. Welcome to the Artime, the most unwanted ship and crew of the high seas."
Sky glared. So they were pirates.
She pushed herself up with her hands, her body shaking from the effort. Her head pounded, her skin itched and her leg burned. Oh, god. She didn't dare look at what she assumed was a nasty burn on her leg. That wasn't the biggest concern for now.
"Oh, come off it! I'm not a princess, Alex. Or should I say...Aaron."
Lani cast a significant look at Alex, who knew exactly what Sky was talking about, and whose face abruptly tightened. Alex sighed. "I knew you'd mention my evil twin brother. Quite convenient I picked you up, eh? Saved you from marrying that brat."
Sky's head swam. Alex was Aaron's twin brother? But hadn't Aaron said that he had a brother once who had passed away? Did he not know Alex was a pirate? Why on earth would Alex want to prevent Aaron from marrying her?
With a shiver, Sky was again painfully aware how alike Alex and Aaron looked. Nearly identical. "I demand you let me off this ship."
"No."
She forgot all proper manners as she fumed in disbelief. Though she tried to sound forceful and poised, her voice was quavering. "Excuse me? Was it you who ruined the party? I was nearly ready to be married! Was it you who launched fireballs on my island? You captured people-my mother-and Crow, my brother!"
When they said nothing, only exchanging a look with each other, Sky gritted her teeth. "What could you possibly want with me?"
Alex stood up, followed by Lani who walked out the door. "Look, I'll put it simple for you: I'm not the bad guy. I don't capture anyone."
"Except me?"
The boy stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes locked with hers. Sky shot daggers at him, her heart constricting in pain at the memory that her beloved family was suffering somewhere.
Slowly, he leaned forward and bent down, his hands on his knees. "Enjoy your trip, Warbler girl."
Her heart pounded out of her chest at the close proximity. She hated how attracted she was to him. Her insides screamed when his eyes bore into hers, like pools of brown she could stare into forever. She wondered how everything went down with him and Aaron. How had everything come to be?
"Sky," she said.
He blinked, his confident facade crumbling for a moment. "What?"
"My name is Sky," she said, feeling satisfaction at having caught him at guard.
Alex straightened and gave her a grin that she didn't return. "Well, Sky, I hope you like living in what us pirates call...the unwanted life."
He left her there, closing the cell door behind him. His footsteps echoed as he walked away. Sky's heart couldn't have been beating faster. Her face felt hot from embarrassment.
The girl crumbled, blinking back her sudden tears. She had millions of questions, none that she could answer. She looked down at herself. She had been stripped down to her undergarments, which proved a relief and slight embarrassment. On her leg was a bloodstained bandage. When she reached up, she felt her hair was out of its updo and flowing freely down her back, not something she minded. She stared blankly around the small, very dark room and sighed, curling up against the cold dungeon floor.
Sky listened to the waves below and was half amazed, half terrified how drastically her life had changed in a day. She couldn't believe the horrifying turn of events. How was she ever to get off this ship?
All she could do was think of home and wonder-if Alex and his crew hadn't captured her mother and Crow-then who?
Her mind drifted to Aaron. Maybe Alex had been doing her a favor after all. She never wanted to marry the stuck-up boy who bragged far too much about himself. Maybe this was a chance for her to decide things...for herself. Even if it meant being held prisoner on a pirate ship.
She didn't know how long she sat there thinking until light poured from an opening outside her cell. A person came down the ladder, this time a different girl. Her messy red hair flowed freely, tumbling past her shoulders. She wore a vest and blouse similar to what Lani was wearing, along with a pair of trousers and boots. She was holding a plate a food, and the contents looked awfully appealing.
"Hello. You must be the famous Sky," she said.
"That's me," Sky uttered, slightly taken aback at the girl's nicer attitude compared to Alex. She propped herself up as the girl walked in her cell and set the food down.
Sky took it, giving the girl a suspicious look. The girl must've caught her gaze, because she smiled. "I didn't do anything to it, if that's what you're worried about. We may be pirates, but we're not barbarians."
Sky was hungry and she couldn't deny it. Hesitantly, she grabbed the food and began to eat. It was only chunks of bread and vegetables, not the fancy gourmet cooking she was used to, but it'd have to do.
The girl stood there, not saying anything until she was done.
"I have many questions," Sky said, wiping her mouth. She already felt the energy returning to her body, making her feel a bit better. "Where are we going?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that."
She let out a pained sigh. "I need to know. I need to get out of here and find my family. They were kidnapped!"
The girl gave her a sympathetic look. "I heard from Alex, and I'm sorry. Who captured your mother and brother? My guess would be Captain Baldhead, practically the ruler of the seas. He has a dangerous reputation for a pirate."
That didn't make Sky feel any better. The name didn't ring a bell. "Is there a way to get them back?"
The girl spoke softly, never raising her voice above a normal-speaking tone. "I wish I could say I knew."
"But you're a pirate," Sky pressed. "Surely you could do something."
"Just because we're pirates doesn't mean we're invincible," the girl said, releasing a quiet breath she seemed to have been holding. "Now, get some sleep. It's been a full day since we brought you here, but your wounds look pretty bad."
"Thank you," Sky whispered in the dark. "What's your name?"
"Meghan," the girl replied with a yawn. She went to the ladder and began climbing up to the deck. Sky had a yearning feeling to follow her to the world above the dungeon. "Good night, Sky,"
"Good night," Sky replied.
A sheepish smile tugged at her lips, and Sky wondered if she'd made a friend in this desolated place. Maybe an acquaintance, if nothing else. The smile quickly faded, though, and her worries pressed her. She wondered if anyone knew or even cared she was missing. Even if they did, no one would knew where she was. An involuntary shudder wracked her body. Her body shook. Closing her bloodshot eyes, Sky laid back down on her cot. She let the rock of the ship comfort her, a reminiscent of the way her mother used to when she was little.
She fought the strong urge to weep right then and there. Curling her hands through her hair, she wished for better days to come. Her heart plummeted straight through the floor.
"Oh, mother. What I'd do to hear on of your lectures right about now..."
First it was a few hours, then a few days, then a week. For a week she sat in the tiny cell, mostly sleeping or sometimes talking to Meghan, as she was the only one who came down. The seventh morning of her stay brought new hopes and a cool, soft breeze streaming from the hatch where the ladder was thrown down every so often. Someone had left a fresh pair of clothes that looked suspiciously like Alex's, but the captive girl was quick to change into them. It beat wearing the unwashed undergarments she'd been wearing the whole time. She was never allowed to wear anything outside of a dress, so everything felt a bit weird and inappropriate wearing pants.
On the deck above, as Sky heard the bustling and stomping of feet, she once more wished to journey up to the world above. The dungeons were clean, but they were empty, and after the days of sitting helplessly, she was ready for some kind of entertainment. It was relieving (and irritating) when finally, before noon, the captain came downstairs with a plate of food.
"Sleep well?" he asked.
"What do you think?" Sky replied, gesturing to her cot made of straw and bits of cloth.
Alex only laughed, making her frown. He handed the plate to Sky, which she accepted apprehensively. "I get it. You're used to the rich life. Huge mansions, not a speck of dust on your carpets, and beds that feel like clouds."
Sky didn't know how to reply without agreeing. "W-well-"
He laughed again. "That's what I thought. Don't take everything for granted, you know?"
She thought of her mother and Crow. No, it wasn't her taking her old things for granted. It was her taking her family for granted, and that messed everything up. If her family was at least with her now, things wouldn't be half as bad. "Why did you want to keep me from marrying Aaron? He thinks that you're dead!"
Alex only shook his head, his hair swaying as he did so. The smile faded from his face and his eyebrows furrowed as he spoke. "You have no idea what kind of monster you were about to marry. My brother? I know that even a girl like you wouldn't want to marry him. Have you ever thought that maybe the reason he thinks I'm dead is because I made him think it?"
Silence seeped in, an obvious tension between the two. Sky stared at the cracks in the floorboards. "I am only here..."
She met his eyes and stared him down, wishing she could obliterate him where he stood. "Because you captured me. And even if it wasn't you, somebody captured my family too. Meghan said that if someone captured them, it would be Captain Baldhead. You know him?"
From the darkened look on the captains face, he did. "Names are dangerous, and you shouldn't mention his so freely."
"Answer my question!" Sky demanded in a sharp tone she would've been scolded severely for.
He blew out a breath. "I'm the captain. I don't need to answer a prisoner if I don't want!" He paused and let out another breath. "But yes, I know him. We aren't on the best of terms, let's just say that."
"So are you going to let me out?"
"I never said that."
"It's not all that bad here, is it?" Alex inquired. "Or would you rather sleep in the boiling room?"
She went silent and swallowed the lump down that was forming in her throat. "I don't believe this! If you were a good pirate, you'd let me escape to go save my family."
"Right," Alex said. "And then they'd arrange you right away to marry my idiot brother."
He opened and closed jail cell, locking it behind him. He climbed up the ladder and opened the hatch, rare sunlight shining down on the dimly-lit dungeon. Sky was in no hurry to try and escape. Standing up and walking around was not an option with her still-injured leg.
Before going up, he turned to her, a mischievous smile on his face that made Sky's heart pound all over again. "You're wrong. If I were a good pirate, I'd let you walk off the plank before sailing to Captain Baldhead's territory. It'd mean honor enough if you died that way."
"How dare-"
But her accusations were cut off by the hatch closing and the light disappearing. She sat in the dark, picking at her food. That boy made her feel so... the words wouldn't describe the rocketing somersaults she felt in her stomach. He had captured her, yet completely allured her, and she didn't want to know why. It scared her to no end. She'd never felt so...enlightened, and she'd only just met him a few days ago. What was wrong with her? How could she get out of this mess?
All she knew was Captain Baldhead had her mother and Crow, and she was going to save them.