My dreams consisted of mother yet again. She seemed to come up a lot now lately…
I lay my head back to the wooden floor, counting to one thousand, than starting over. I was wide awake, despite the darkness that still managed to creep through the cracks of my 'bedroom'. I tried closing my eyes, seeing if I could go back into that state, alas, I could not.
I turned my head, going back from side to side until I managed to find a decently comfortable spot. Nothing seemed to quite work out the way I wanted it to.
I eventually just got up, lifting my mysteriously aching head from the wood. I felt nauseous… my body was in horrible pain, and I was hot… burning up, yet shivering.
A cough came some rooms away from me, startling me slightly, but no one was yet awake. It couldn't have been very early, probably at lease two in the morning. I yawned loudly, almost hoping that I would wake someone up.
I had enough waiting… I picked my shaking hot body off the ground and made my way up the creaky stairs to the deck. The night air cooled my body, if only for seconds… I went to the edge of the deck, the one that was low enough for me to see past, that I almost fell off.
My body shook and my legs locked, knocking me to the ground, I lifted myself and clutched my stomach. Vomiting over the side, nothing came out other than water and saliva, the thick greasy trail slid down my shirt vest, the rest, into the ocean.
I vomited once again, missing my cloths this time. Hot tears ran down my cheek sides as my jaw shook from the pain I felt in my chest and stomach. I was seriously ill… I flopped to the ground, now unable to pick myself back up, my eyes closed slowly, staying closed…
I awoke not again until the sun rose in the distance, father was hugging me as I rested in his arms, and a wet cold cloth lay across my throbbing forehead.
"Good, you're awake." He said, not putting me down. "You have a fever, and a high one at that."
Breathing had become difficult for me… I was suddenly exhausted when only hours ago I was wide awake. My eyes closed again, and I was in a deep sleep.
The sound of cannons shooting off in the distance awoke me. I tore my head up, noticing that I was now back in the room that I slept in, my 'bedroom' if you will.
Still in agonizing pain, but now able to move easier, I got up, making my way to the top of the deck. I hid my head as thrashing swords made there ways hitting one another. I was caught in the middle of a battle. Cannons shot the sides of the ship as deadly splinters where thrown in all directions, a piercing force shot into my side, causing me to cry out.
Blood leaked through my cloths; I looked down at the thick long stick of wood from the ship gashed its way into my side. Making me stumble, my head hit the stairway and then the ground, causing the wound to gash itself, blood started to warm my body. Making me cough.
Will's figure approached me, lifting me off the ground as I yelled in pain.
"What did you think you where doing going up there?" He said, carefully moving the splinter back and forth as to get it out of my side. The pain was unbearable as I howled loudly. Tears coming down my cheeks. "Shush, Will said getting the remainder of the wooden piece out. Blood started flowing quickly.
Will patched me up and lay me back on the floor.
"You realize that if anything happens to you, your father will for some reason find it to be my fault and blame me? Please be careful?" He said. I gave a thin nod and coughed again. The guns and cannons continued, harming my ears with there long loud shots.
I heard screams and saw lines of fire out of the thin strips of light in the room I sat in. We had won apparently… I thought to myself eyeing the large ship go under the water.
The beating of my heart grew louder, faster… the thought of everyone dieing right in front of my own two eyes… I shook in fear… not understanding what was happening. I ducked my head to the ground, clutching my stomach in pain as the ship started moving again. I was thrown backwards, landing hard on my chest. The thud of the ship hitting the waves was rough…
I could hear someone coming down the steps, probably to get me. My mouth and nose where full of blood, along with the gashed part of my side. On my forehead and arms there where bruises from the crashes and falls.
My father stood over me, picking my aching body up.
I tried hard not to cry as I was carried out to the deck of the ship. Personally, it was now a mess up there… splinters sat across the ground in all directions. Not to mention the trails of blood that was overlooked by wandering eyes. It was a call for death almost… the looks of pain and disgust only seemed to be on my face though…
Father set me down on a wooden block, eyeing my wounds carefully and re-patching the gash.
"You think you'll be alright, love?" He asked, using canteen water to wipe some blood away.
All I could do was nod. Yes, I was in pain… but I couldn't say that I didn't think I'd be fine. All wounds heal, and all illnesses get better. You just have to give them some time.
My stomach was in the clutch of my right hand, still in nauseous pain. There was near nothing that I could do about it…
Father gave me some water, told me that I'd be okay by tomorrow.
That thought made me feel good, I couldn't stand the pain that I was in… couldn't at all stand it…
I let my head lay back on the ground, even though it was hard and hurt slightly, it was better than the amount of weight that I felt when walking. I'm not even sure why… I had never felt the weight before. I shuttered, closing my eyes but making sure that I was still awake.
The day seemed slow, all that I felt the ability to do was lay there; lay on the wet, uncomfortable ground.
Elizabeth made her way up to me by mid-day; she put a hand on my forehead and dipped the damp cloth I wore in fresh cold water. It helped slightly…
"How are you feeling?" She asked. Listening to me caught loudly as my face turned pale every second.
I shrugged in response. Not knowing what else I could do. She picked me up off the ground.
"It can't be comfortable over hear…" She said taking me right back to my pile of cloth. I only liked sleeping there… I did not at all like to be there during the day. I wanted what everyone else on this ship did, I wanted to go on adventures, and I wanted happiness.
I rested my head down, turning over to find that one stop that didn't cause me to ache after I awoke. It was difficult, but in time I grew used to it… the days went by slowly… but they where still the days…
It wasn't a lie when I was told I'd feel better by morning. My stomach pains had settled slightly and I was actually managing to feel healthier. Not throwing up as often. Even though I was not fully healed, I was at least close. My eyes rested themselves as I gave a mild sigh… letting light shine onto my pale face.
"Vivian, you've been asleep all day, about time to get up now love." Father said taking me carefully in his arms. "It'll help you heal if you get some fresh air."
I liked father carrying me, but I wanted to walk, I told myself struggling slightly to free myself from fathers grasp. He sighed, placing me on the ground and then walking off. I stepped through the deck, in search for Will and Elizabeth. Not that they where too difficult for me to find… after all, they always seemed to be in the same place.
"Good morning Will, Elizabeth." I said smiling at them. "Have you figured anything out as of now, you know, about the baby?" Will hushed me.
"Not yet…" He said. It'll take a few days to know for sure. A month tops…
"Will…" Elizabeth said putting a hand to his shoulder. "Don't you understand my love? There's no way I can't be…"
Will's eyes came down to the deck of the ship. He looked at nothing… My mind got the better of me as I started to think… Is there a chance that he does not want her to have a baby? I thought, but soon shook it out of my mind. Will was better than that… He was a good man, not to mention, loved Elizabeth very much.
"So it's for sure?" I asked with a large grin. Elizabeth nodded, rubbing her not-yet-so-big stomach.
"Yes…" She said. "It's for sure…" I clapped my hands, giggling happily.
"Do you know what to name it yet?" I asked.
"William if it's a boy." My smile grew toothy.
"I was named after a parent to, after my mother actually." I said. It was true. Vivian was also my mothers' name. Although I never knew why I was named after her… it didn't bother me.
"That's a very nice name…" Elizabeth said, putting a hand on my shoulder. The ship hit a bump, making me take hold of Elizabeth's arm, though I fell anyway…
This time, I only giggled at myself for hitting the deck. I was getting used to it. For it was no longer too big a deal for me. Falling when you're on a pirate ship is just something that you have to get used to as you travel the sea more often, right?
"Do you want to see a picture of Mum?" I asked, taking the small locket out of the inside of my shirt.
"Sure, I'd like that." Elizabeth answered. She kneeled down next to me, as to get a better view of the locket picture. I opened it, revealing a small black and white photo of my mother. She had a beautiful smile, and round cheek bones. Her brown hair was in a messy ponytail, showing easily that she was somewhat of a tomboy. Elizabeth smiled.
"She looks like you." She said. I put the locket back in my shirt.
"Not really…" I said honestly. "Everyone says that I look more like my father than mother. But they tell me I have her smile."
"I agree…" Elizabeth giggled. I gave a quick nod of the head and made my way around the ship, skipping randomly for no real reason. People where by now, sure to avoid me. They where well aware that if they didn't get out of my way, I would run into them.
I looked over the small edge of the boat, known to me as: The only part that was low enough for me to see over. The ocean was quite wavy in this area. I was aware that meant we where probably close to a piece of land.
The only question was: what happened when we got there?