Chapter 3~

IPOV continued

Stumbling and slipping, sending tiny rocks and debris scattering out from under me, I made my way back down the hill as quickly as I could. Once I hit the open beach, I broke out into a full run, not daring to look towards the water for fear of not being able to go any further.

"Jak! Jak!" I screamed as I came to skidding halt just outside of our little house that we had worked so hard on over the years. Trying to catch my breath, I rushed into the small space, climbing the ladder to the loft when I didn't see him in the main area.

I was just heading back outside when he came running up and we collided. "Where's the fire, Isa?" he panted as his large hands caught me, his head looking side to side frantically.

"Ship..." I gasped.

He looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. "In the bay, there's a ship anchored and smaller boats heading in. We've been found, Jak!"

"Are you sure, Isa? You've been mistaken by large waves in the past. Remember, once it was a whale, not a ship..."

I huffed loudly at him. "Yes, I'm sure, you knucklehead," I growled at him as I started pacing in the sand.

He came up behind me and hugged me, making my movements stop. "Sorry, sis. Show me..."

Together we went down to the beach, arriving just as the first boat was being hauled ashore. We hung back, under the cover of the thick palm trees, and watched as a second boat was hauled up as well.

Taking a quick headcount, there were about a dozen people between the two boats. As they shouted and worked in unity, dragging the boats up and securing them away from the tide, a feeling of uncertainty and anxiousness washed over me and I tucked into Jak's side.

I looked down at us and took note of the fact that we were barely dressed, our garments nothing more than rags that just covered our intimate areas. We'd only had the clothes on our backs when we'd crawled ashore all those years ago and while we'd done our best to make them last, time and the elements had worn them down. And, of course, we'd grown.

Jak was twice the size he'd been, which is why he just kept his groin covered, leaving the rest of his body to become a deep golden brown over the years. Nothing fit.

I'd gotten slightly taller, though not much, but was slimmer than I'd been. I was grateful that I'd been on the cusp of starting my moon cycles and that my mother, God rest her soul, had had a chance to explain such things to me so I hadn't been caught off guard when they did start. Surely, I would have thought I was dying otherwise. Her lessons had also prepared me for accepting the strange ways my body had changed its shape.

Though, I'll admit, I was jealous of Jak and his freedom to roam with practically nothing on. These mounds upon my chest were always in my way and only added to my discomfort during my moon time. Jak's laughing and poking at them as they'd grown didn't help either.

The first time he did it during a cycle, I'd burst into tears and run away, going to seek solace at the bathing hole. He'd come after me to offer his apologies and seen the blood in the water and thought I'd harmed myself, panicking as he'd yanked me roughly from the water.

The only way I'd been able to allay his fears was to share the secrets that Mother had shared with me. After that, all joking had stopped and he had stayed away from me. Instinctively, we both knew that we were no longer children with no cares and our relationship had shifted at that point.

We'd taken to sleeping on opposite sides of the loft, no longer sharing a pallet. We granted each other privacy for cleaning and relieving ourselves. Touches, such as hugs or a kiss to a forehead, were only shared briefly and only on rare occasions.

Such as this one.

The fact that he did not shy from my snuggling into his side, in fact, his placing his arm around me to hold me against him, let me know that he was as nervous about our new guests as I was.

It also told me, that no matter what, he was still my protector.

"Should we make ourselves known?" I whispered.

He shook his head. "Not yet. That is a lot of males and I do not know their intentions." He shifted his gaze out across the ocean, towards the ship, and his face contorted into one of abject horror.

"Pirates!" he hissed. I felt my blood turn cold. Our parents had told us tales of pirates as we'd begun our voyage, wanting to prepare us in the event that we encountered any in our journey to the New World. I followed his gaze and saw it, the black flag, marked with the skull and crossbones, flapping in the wind.

"Jak?" I whispered, my lip trembling. He said nothing, but continued to stare at the men on the beach, a hard look on his face. I tugged at his arm. "Come, Jak. Let's go to our hidden cave. Surely they've only come ashore to seek out some fresh water and then will be on their way. We just need to remain hidden for a couple of days and they'll be gone," I said with longing as I felt my heart die.

If we were discovered, if I was discovered, my innocence would be most likely be lost. Taken from me brutally and against my will. Most likely as Jak was forced to watch. I knew, deep down, that I would never see Edward again, but I had promised him. Had promised myself to him and him alone.

I could hide in a dark cave, even forgo food and water for a few days, if it meant that I kept myself pure for him. Even if it was only for his memory.

"Please, Jak," I begged in a harsh whisper, again pulling his arm roughly. He stumbled after me, keeping his eyes on them as long as he could before he finally faced forward, scooped me into his arms and started running towards the heart of the island.