A Pirated Heart: Magic Unbound

Her Turmoil and His Pride

Silence filled the space again as Ashik watched Arabella's hands tremble in front of her. He feigned shock when her emerald eyes pooled with tears. He knew this was coming: a breakdown. The tears gushed down the young woman's cheeks and her trembling fingers clenched into white knuckled fists. Ashik felt her magic swarm around them like a cyclone. The force whipped their hair around their faces and forced the other tables and benches to the outer walls of the galley. Even though the tables and benches splintered and split into pieces, Ashik knew it wasn't an attack. Her magic was trying to surround and protect her, almost like a cocoon. He gingerly reached out and covered her hands with his much larger ones. She tensed beneath his touch, but she didn't recoil.

"What happened to you, sweet Arabella, was not your fault. Their deaths were not your doing. You were a child whose innocence was stolen." Ashik whispered softly as he leaned forward. He fought back the grimace when his legs accidentally touched the rough wood of the table.

"If anyone should feel guilt, it is those who have wronged you. Maera, your parents, Circe, and all of those people who have abandoned you. Do you hear me, little one?" He finished when he noticed her eyes were clenched shut. She shook beneath his grip, but she didn't move. She didn't say a single word. She didn't open her eyes. The two stayed like this for several moments before the storm of magic that had swirled around them died away. Slowly Arabella's blinked and pinned her eyes on Ashik's face.

"Everyone will abandon me." She spoke softly as her voice cracked.

"I will never abandon you, little one. You have earned that." Ashik swore.

***

Kaden attempted to keep the gods entertained while Arabella and Damien were repairing their damaged relationship. At least that was he had been hoping would be happening before Damien stormed from beneath the deck and stomped up to the ship's wheel where Jarrus was currently standing. Kaden inwardly groaned. He expected Arabella to quickly follow after her younger brother looking just as furious, but that didn't happen. In fact, not even Ashik appeared after the Cartridge man.

"Something is bothering you." The friendliest god, Aegir, remarked and managed to regain Kaden's attention. Kaden slipped on a wary smile before shaking his head.

"No, it is nothing." He lied easily. The two gods smiled at him knowingly. They would never tell the rather large pirate that they knew exactly what was bothering him. His love for the woman was causing worry and discontent in his heart; he tried to foolishly hide it with his face, but the heart never lies.

"The woman, the villieldr*.... She could've killed us." Aegir mentioned off-handedly. Almost instinctually, Kaden froze and let his smile fall.

"Her name is Arabella." He growled in defense of his first mate.

"You misunderstand my words. Villieldr means flame. I am merely commenting on her rather fiery nature." Aegir instantly explained. He knew what Kaden's response meant; the pirate captain was used to coming to the defense of the woman.

"Why did she not kill us?" Mizuchi questioned, keeping the pirate captain on topic.

"I asked her not to. She is cautious when it comes to strangers, even more so when it comes to strangers like you. She believes it is better to kill and then ask questions later. It has saved us on occasion, I must admit." Kaden answered honestly as he glanced at the door to the forecastle. He wondered briefly what Arabella was feeling after having her brother storm out on her. All of her emotions were still relatively new and disconcerting for her. Mizuchi and Aegir looked thoughtful as they watched Kaden's eyes slide from the door of the forecastle to the helm where two men stood talking in hushed voices. One of them the gods recognized as Damien, the demon's brother. The other was an older man with a distinctive scar on his eye. There was something...odd about him. He looked human but they could see magic swirling around his body. It was almost like a mist.