A Pirated Heart

His Rage and Her Fall

Arabella was calm as she made her way out of the cavern. The once tumultuous sea was just as calm as she was. Kaden envied it. He was limping as his muscles cramped and his wounds started to throb. Every inch of him hurt, but watching Arabella’s unbound curls sway and bounce with every step she took made it worth the pain. Calypso’s Fall bobbed gently on the calm waters a league or so away from the cave. Even from this distance he could see the entirety of his crew waiting and watching from the sides of the ship. No doubt Damien and Jarrus were standing amongst them, holding their breath and waiting for the fate of their beloved girl.

“What of the Leviathan?” Kaden questioned when he noticed neither Ashik nor Maera were outside of the cave.

“Let him have his revenge. He has waited a long time for it. Far longer than I have.” Arabella answered gently as she glanced at her captain over her shoulder. Kaden smirked as he nodded his head.

“If you say so, Bella.” He replied with a shrug. A frown tugged on the corners of Arabella’s lips as she took in his appearance in the clear light of the day.

“You are injured.” She pointed out bluntly before turning to face him completely. Kaden chuckled, but cut the laugh short when his ribs started to burn and throb.

“I’ll be fine. Let’s just get you home.” He replied as he nodded toward the bobbing ship in the distance. Arabella folded her arms across her chest and grew defiant.

“You’re injured.” She repeated stubbornly as she motioned to the jagged tears in his flesh and the dark bruises appearing across his skin.

“No more so than you.” Kaden pointed out as he pointed to an oozing cut on her arm. Arabella glanced down at it and her eyes widened a bit as if just noticing she was in fact bleeding or injured at all. A scoff escaped her lips.

“Fine, but do not complain halfway to Calypso that you are in pain.” She quipped.

“You wouldn’t listen anyways.” Kaden retorted easily. The two pirates smirked at one another before Arabella turned back to face the sea.

“I hope you brought a boat.”

***

Kaden was the last to climb over the edge of Calypso Fall's railing and he frowned when someone grabbed his shoulders and shoved him to the ground before climbing on top of him. He struggled against his sudden captivity and looked up just as someone's boot landed in front of his face.

"I despise pirates," a familiar voice growled as the boot moved from in front of Kaden's nose to the back of his head. Kaden felt his nose snap from the pressure and he bit back a groan of pain.

"Let him go! Please! Let him go!" Arabella screamed as Kaden heard her struggling a few feet away.

"You've made a fool of me, Arabella. You and your brother need to be punished."

"I will take whatever punishment you want to give, but just let them go!" Arabella pleaded. Muffled shouts echoed from somewhere on deck, but with his face shoved against the wooden planks, Kaden couldn't be sure where the sound really originated from.

"Just let Damien and Kaden and the others go, Father. Take me. But just...let them go."

"I do not bargain with pirates." Admiral Cartridge snarled before a gun shot rang out across the deck. Kaden felt his heart stop the moment he heard a body drop to the ground.

Not Arabella. Please not Arabella. He begged silently, pleading with the universe. 

"BELLA!" Damien's anguished cry echoed in the air as Kaden felt the air rush from his lungs. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He just laid there in stunned silence.