The Starboard Side

Chapter 7: A Very Unromantic Evening

The next day, Nadia, much to her surprise, decided to return to the surface. Earlier, she had made the stubborn decision to stay in her quarters until the ship arrived in Libertalia, but the lack of fresh air was killing her. During the years she had spent in the mansion, she was forbidden to go outside unless she had scheduled a game of croquet. Because of this, every time she trapped herself in a room, she couldn't bear to stay for long. She had spent enough time as a prisoner.

She sat up in her bed and stood slowly, hearing the berth creak as her weight was lifted off of it. She cringed. She was hoping to make it to the deck of the ship without attracting unnecessary attention.

She crept over to the door and carefully turned the handle, making the least amount of noise as possible. The door screeched in protest as she pushed it open, and she stopped and slid through the narrow opening that she had managed to create between the wall and the door. When she managed to make it through the gap, she didn't shut the door. She knew that the noise would attract more attention.

It was eerily quiet in the narrow hallway. She couldn't hear the sound of footsteps above, nor could she hear the grunting and shouting of pirates as they went about their work. The only thing she could hear was the sound of waves beating against the ship and the timber groaning underfoot. Nadia tiptoed to the set of stairs nearby and quickly ascended to the deck.

It was dark, and the full moon cast a bright pale light across the ship and the water surrounding it. Nadia peered up into the sky. There were no clouds in sight, and the stars were clearly visible, winking down at her.

She looked around the ship, searching for any pirates that might have noticed her. None were visible at the moment. The helm was unmanned, and it maintained a central course on its own. There were no men lugging cargo across the ship or tying knots. She could've sworn she had seen a man dozing in the crow's nest, but she wasn't sure.

Her eyes rested on the captains quarters. There was a yellow light shining through the cracks in the door. Nadia stepped towards it and put an ear to the wood, but she could hear nothing. The only thing that she could make out was a low squeaking noise. She grabbed the handle and was about to open it, but then she stopped. This could all be a trap. Maybe Hayze wanted her to purposely invade on his privacy. Seemed like a thing a pirate would want.

After standing still for a few minutes, she couldn't stand the curiosity anymore, and she shoved the door open.

Inside, there were at least eight lanterns placed evenly throughout the room, providing an unnecessary amount of light. The captain's desk had been cleaned off, the charts removed from its surface, and two silver plates, loaded with a ridiculous amount of food, including fresh steak with a side of vegetables, along with a large helping of cheese, were placed on top of it. And, of course, two bottles of rum had been placed nearby.

The captain, anxiously eating the food on his plate, looked up as she entered, juice dripping down his chiseled, stubble-covered chin. He smiled. "I figured you'd be here soon. I'd bet you're hungry. Come. I saved you some food." He gestured to the other plate.

Nadia looked daggers at him. She had become accustomed to being angry at him by now. "I think I'd rather starve," she said. She hastily exited the cabin, slamming the door behind her.

She stomped over to the taffrail and leaned on it, sighing. What could possibly make this trip worse? The captain was pathetically trying to win her over, and she was doomed to live in a secret pirate port for the rest of her miserable life. She stared out into the sea once more, watching the waves move. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she jumped. It would save her all of this flattery, and it would speed things up. After all, it was the only option she had left.

She pulled a cargo crate over to the taffrail with enormous effort, stepped onto it, then placed one foot on the rail, staring into the depths of the sea. It would all be over soon. Whatever afterlife she would receive, it would definitely be better than this one. She tensed and readied herself, but as soon as she started to jump, she heard a voice from behind her.

"Don't do that!" It was Hayze. AGAIN. "At least eat something first."

He stepped up to the taffrail and handed Nadia a hard, stale biscuit. She snatched it from him and ate vigorously. The captain placed his elbows on the taffrail and watched as the waves slammed into the ship. "If you do this, you'll regret it. That is, the second before you drown."

Nadia glared at him. "Don't you dare. I have nothing to live for anymore. You don't know what that's like."

The captain looked up at her, the classic grin ever-present on his face slowly fading into a depressing frown. This was the first time Naida had ever seen him this way. "Actually, I do."

Nadia, for the first time, looked to him in interest. "Oh, really? I'm all ears."

Hayze sighed. "I know how you feel. Period. There is nothing more to discuss. Now, get down from there before you hurt yourself."

"Oh, I'm planning on doing more than hurting myself," she replied.

That moment, the ship jerked unexpectedly, and Nadia was caught off balance. She fell backward, and before she hit the hard timber of the deck, Hayze managed to catch her. She gracefully landed in his arms.

They both stared at each other for a long, intense moment, until Nadia realized what was actually happening, and she fought her way out of the pirate's grasp. There was an air of awkwardness between them for a moment or two, and they both pretended to forget what had just happened.

Nadia looked back to where she stood moments ago and shook her head. It was an irrational decision, and she didn't plan on dying any time soon. She still had time to escape. "Good night, Captain Hayze," she said, beginning to walk back to the stairs leading below deck.

"Right. Night," the pirate replied, staring blankly at the deck, his brows furrowed.

He relived the recent moments in his head several times. He had experienced something he hadn't in a long time, and it scared him. He was just hoping to ruffle this woman's feathers and possibly derive some self-pleasure from her presence, but this was something completely different. He quickly returned to his quarters, placing the charts on his desk once more and attending to the ever-lasting task he had created for himself.

What a night, he thought.