Kid could not believe his ears, it seemed like the ramblings of a madman. But the Captain knew that, even if it sounded impossible, it had to be true. A sigh left his lips as he glanced at the sea one last time, as to promise that he would soon sail again. He then set out into the jungle, ignoring the cries and complaints of his comrades. He would have gotten to the bottom of this story and no one would have ever been able to convince him otherwise.
Killer followed his friend with his eyes until he saw him disappear into the thick vegetation. "That's enough," he barked at his crewmates, "or do you doubt your Captain?"
Upon hearing those words, the men fell silent. In their hearts, everyone knew that when Kid set his mind on something, he didn't waver. And their Captain wasn't the kind of man who would abandon his crew at the mercy of a witch.
✵✵✵✵
"Damn it," Kid cursed, cutting off yet another plant that had had the misfortune of being on his path. The heart of the island resembled a tropical rainforest, it was warm and humid, with dense and lush vegetation. If the Captain was already irked before, his mood worsened with every step.
Kid was not sure how long had passed since he had entered the jungle, when he found himself in a small clearing. In the centre, sitting in front of a small bonfire, there was an old man, who as soon as he saw him invited him to sit by his side.
"Who are you and what do you want from me, old man?" the Captain inquired.
"Who I am is not of great importance, but heed my advice, young one," he replied calmly. "About the Witch you're so eager to defy."
Kid was surprised to hear those words, the Witch must have had a reputation for the old man to be able to guess so easily that he had a feud with her so easily.
"Then speak, old man. I'm listening."
"I was once a lost soul, much like yourself," the elder said, his gaze lost in the flames as memories flooded his mind. "Not many moons ago, I was working on an old merchant ship when we were approached by a vessel with black sails. They must have been in quite a hurry, they annihilated us quickly, without caring about taking prisoners or seizing the cargo. Then fate took me to this island. I was at the gates of death, I never thought I would survive the night." The old man sighed, the pain and terror of that day had left an ugly scar on his soul. "But it was not my time to die just yet. I thought I saw an angel, a wonderful creature come to take me to the afterlife. Only a few days later I discovered that I had no such vision, but that it was a girl who found me dying on the beach and nursed me back to health. A young woman so beautiful that the goddesses had to curse her to protect her."
"Curse her?"
"She was born with such beauty, grace and purity of heart that she was bound to become prey to the greed of men. She would have never found anyone who appreciated the beauty of her soul, no one worthy of her trust or her love. Any man would have only seen her blond braids and her emerald eyes, and that would have been enough to want her for themselves. So the goddesses cursed her. Now any man who looks at her with lustful eyes, any man who has impure thoughts about her, is bound to turn into an animal. And if my instincts do not deceive me, this was the fate that befell your companions, and the reason why your heart now craves revenge so ardently."
The old man's words were so deep that they managed to touch even the most untouchable of hearts. Upon hearing them, the Captain could only turn his anger towards himself: for the second time, he had underestimated his opponent, blindly letting himself be guided by pride. The woman he had taken very little time to judge as a cruel enemy was not so different from him. A pirate relies heavily on his reputation, his appearance and how much terror his name can arouse in the hearts of those who hear it. Kid was too used to not being seen for who he was but for who he appeared to be.
With a sigh, the Captain stood up and resumed his journey, stopping only for a moment to murmur a "thank you" to the old man, who had not moved from his position.
✵✵✵✵
The Captain soon reached the house Killer had been talking about. The shining of its stones in the moonlight gave it an almost mystical aspect, as if entering it meant passing the veil between reality and dream. Kid stopped at the threshold. He took a deep breath, then pushed the wooden door, inviting himself inside. Before his eyes, there was a scene so wonderful that the man had to pinch himself to be sure it was real. The woman was as beautiful as Killer had described her. Her snow-white skin, her long golden hair that fell softly along her arms, her beautiful emerald eyes focused on the frame in front of her, her graceful hands intent on weaving the threads. The Captain needed all the discipline and self-control he could muster not to imagine her in a context that would have certainly caused him to turn into a pig.
He cleared his voice, catching her attention. He spoke before he could think about what he was going to say. "I'm here to apologise," he said.
She gave him a surprised look, taken aback by his words. "What for?" she asked.
"The behaviour of my men."
"The actions and thoughts of those you speak of are not in your control, do not take their blame just because they sail with you," she replied, giving him a sincere smile.
"I am the Captain, the behaviour of my crew is my responsibility," he continued seriously. "So I ask that you please accept this apology."
"Very well then, apology accepted."
Kid finally released the breath he hadn't even noticed he was holding. The woman stood up and motioned for him to sit with her at a table already set. He nodded, following her.
"I must admit, this is an unexpected visit, Captain."
"Kid. My name is Kid. May I be so bold to ask yours?"
"Eliana," she replied simply, her eyes locking with his. She was looking for any sign that could tell her what kind of person she had in front of her, a hidden desire, a dark motive, a reason to be alert. Much to her surprise, however, she found none. His eyes were sincere.
It was at that moment that she finally realised that the man had not yet turned into a pig. The curse did not affect him, could it be possible that that pirate was the answer to her prayers? The one she had been waiting for, the man who would have seen her for who she was, without dwelling solely on her appearance. Eliana smiled instinctively at that possibility, earning a questioning look from her guest, who of course couldn't know what was going on in her mind.
"Is everything all right?" Kid asked, not knowing how to interpret her silence.
Before the woman could answer him, however, their attention was captured by numerous voices coming from the backyard. The Captain sprang up and rushed outside, without bothering to ask for her permission, but somehow relieved to hear her following him. Once they reached the fences in the back garden, the two were shocked to notice that there were no animals inside, but men in flesh and bone.
The curse has been lifted, Eliana thought. She could not herself say why it had happened, but was glad to no longer be the cause of the suffering of others nonetheless.
The Captain took note of her behaviour, he saw the surprise painted on her face and saw her eyes shine brightly, as if a great burden had just left her heart. She was never cruel, he told himself, it is this world that is cruel.
THE PIRATE AND THE WITCH
Start from the beginning
