Sea Of Seagulls: A Pirate and Fae Tale

Chapter 23

"Your... You're my mother?" Noelle questioned, her voice sounding hurt.

"Noelle?"

"B-But how," Noelle said, unsure if she was speaking to Ansel or herself.

"There was an af," Ansel started but was cut off by Noelle.

"No. I don't want to hear your excuses for leaving me. Y-You left me alone. You let me be raised by a town. Alone," Noelle cried out.

Theodosia scanned everyone in the room. She caught Jack ready to pounce. Theodosia gave him a glare saying no but he ignored it.

Jack stood and shoved Ansel to the floor. Ansel elbowed him in the face, hard. Jack rolled over onto his back groaning as he covered his eye.

Jack was still injured from the night in the alley yet he still tried taking Ansel down. What was he thinking? Ansel raised a sword and pointed it at Jack.

"You do that again, you will die a pathetic death like your brother," Ansel assured him.

Theodosia could hear Noelle crying quietly. She wasn't sobbing. Tears slowly dripped down her face. Theodosia knew she was in unbearable pain. Theodosia saw Shaye looking at her. Theodosia knew what they had to do. They couldn't stay here forever.

Theodosia and Shaye rose to their feet. Shaye unsheathed her sword she fashioned out of ice. Theodosia didn't look as she caught the sword Shaye threw at her. Theodosia had no idea where her sword was but she knew she would get it back eventually. She would not lose. Not to Ansel.

Ansel took a step back. She grabbed Jack from off the floor. Ansel pressed the blade along his throat. Theodosia was sick of people getting their necks sliced. Weren't there more creative ways to kill people?

"Just give me a chance," Ansel pleaded this time to Noelle.

Noelle just sat there, frozen in place unable to move. Shaye watched carefully at Jack. She waited for Noelle to answer.

Everyone went silent when Noelle stood up from her seat. She turned her head up to look her mother in the eyes. Noelle's mouth shuttered trying to speak. A small word came out of her mouth too quiet to hear. She repeated it louder this time so everyone could hear.

"No," Noelle had answered.

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"You were the one who left me. You were the one who ran away leaving me to strangers. You never came back. You are not my mother and you do not get to try to make up excuses now."

Noelle was furious. Shaye never saw her talk like that. She understood it though. After Noelle finished, Ansel dropped her blade. Shaye was unsure why but she grabbed Jack. Hopefully, his wounds had not opened yet again.

Noelle seemed to be done talking. She started making her way out of the room. Ansel looked as if she was going to let Noelle go but instead, she yelled something instead. Shaye just wished the day would be over already and they could look for the wyrdkey.

"I did come back for you," Ansel tried explaining.

"Now does not count," Noelle assured, turning around for one second.

"No, I did, 18 years ago."

Noelle prepared an arrow to go straight through Ansel. She held the string taut.

"Hurry up before I let go of this," Noelle commanded, none of her usual kindness in her voice.

"I never meant to leave you. I was taken captive for a year far from you. I tried returning but no one knew where you were. I had looked for years in the village. I thought you died."

"Why did you have to kill Kai? You ended his life without even thinking," Noelle yelled tears streamed down her face. Shaye wanted to pull Noelle away. She wanted to leave the room. She never expected that this is how Noelle would meet her mother.

"You never should have left in the first place," Noelle shouted, still holding the arrow from being fired.

"I had no choice. I had no money or help. I needed to go. I was held against my will. I tried fighting it, I tried so hard to make my way back to you."

Noelle was still processing all the information. Shaye could see the disbelief, hurt, and betrayal in Noelle's eyes. Noelle pulled back the bow further. She wanted so hard to not believe that Ansel was right. Noelle kept her eyes locked with her mother.

Theodosia looked at Noelle, trying to tell her to stop. Ansel wasn't worth the kill. Noelle dropped her bow.

"Just let me explain," Ansel said, reaching her hand out to Noelle.

Noelle did not respond. She merely propped herself in one of the chairs and waited. Shaye hoped that knowing more would not hurt Noelle. Theodosia and Shaye watched closely as Ansel spoke.

"I-I was young, around 21 I think. I had you then. I stayed with your father but I left because he was not a good man. I left for the Western Wastes with you. I only left because I became pregnant right as I left. I had nothing. No money, definitely not enough to support you and another child. I did not leave because I did not want you. I left because I was willing to do anything to keep you. When I sent a message to the father, he held me captive during the pregnancy. I had another child. He took the child and banished me. I tried running back to the Western Wastes. I tried running back to you but you were gone," Ansel explained.

Shaye and Theodosia thought about the details represented in the story. It made some sense but still felt too unrealistic. Noelle looked down. She couldn't believe that. Could she?

Shaye looked at Theodosia with nervous eyes, asking what should we do? Theodosia's eyes shared that she had no idea. Noelle was now in a vulnerable state. They could all be in danger if Ansel stays around. Noelle stopped crying and looked around the room. Jack still waited by Shaye. A look of hate still burning in his eyes.

"I'm giving you one chance. You screw up, I shoot you," were Noelle's final words, signaling that the conversation had ended.