A Mermaid's Tale

Chapter 2

I felt myself slowly beginning to wake up and tried to pull my mind into consciousness. When my eyes opened, I looked around and realized my surroundings were completely foreign, and definitely not the ocean. I sat up a little straighter, which caused the water around me to slosh a bit. Upon closer inspection, I realized I was in a tub.

Yes, a tub. I wasn't sure if it was more disconcerting to wake up in an unknown place or to wake up in a tub. It was one of those white porcelain tubs that had water up to my waist. I was actually very glad for the water because without it I wouldn't have lasted very long. Obviously, someone had known that and put me in here.

Suddenly, something made a soft thud, and someone cursed softly under their breath. A small, blonde head poked up over the edge of the tub, and two of the widest bluest eyes I had ever seen watched me carefully. I also noted that this boy had the biggest eyebrows I had ever seen as well.

"Are you really a mermaid?" the boy asked me.

"What do you think, little one?"

"I-I'm not sure. I haven't seen your tail yet..." He trailed off, but his eyes quickly flickered down to the water.

"You mean this?" I slowly lifted my blue green tail out of the water for him to see. It shimmered in the dim light, and I couldn't help but be a little proud of it.

"Wow!" His eyes become wider than I previously thought possible. "You really are a mermaid!"

"Of course I am," I said.

"Everything got really crazy when Uncle Arthur said you were a mermaid, so I didn't get to see you before."

"I see." An idea came to my mind, and I decided it was better to act now rather than later. "What is your name, little one?"

"I'm Pe-"

Right at that moment, the door slammed open, and I silently cursed. I was so close to learning the boy's name. Two men entered the room and observed the scene before them carefully. One of the men was tall and thick, but dressed very plainly. The other was obviously the one in charge. He had on a plumed hat, a bright jacket, tight pants, ruffles, rings, earrings, and thick boots that thudded with every step he took. His whole appearance shouted pirate.

"Peter, what are you doing down here? The group going ashore already left without you," the pirate said.

"S-sorry Uncle Arthur. I just wanted to see the mermaid."

So, the boy's name was Peter. Unfortunately, I needed his full name, so I was still without a full proof plan of escape. The pirate, which was apparently the boy's uncle, sighed and shook his head.

"Christov, take Peter outside. I would like to speak with our guess alone."

The other man nodded and followed the boy out of the room. I watched as the door closed with a soft click. The pirate moved closer to my tub, and I took the opportunity to size him up. I doubted I could beat him physically, but I knew I could beat him mentally. He was human after all, and humans are easily tricked.

"So, I take it you're the leader here," I said.

A smirk appeared on the pirate's face as he sat down on a stool next to my tub. "They don't call me Captain for nothing, love."

"That means I'm on a pirate ship then."

"That's correct. You're aboard the Queen Lady, one of the most feared pirate ships on the high seas," he replied with more than a healthy dose of pride in his voice.

"And that boy is your nephew? Seems odd to have such a young child aboard a pirate ship."

This didn't get a response right away. "He's not technically my nephew, but he still calls me uncle."

"But you are related."

"How can you tell?" He seemed curious to hear my logic.

"The Leviathan sized eyebrows," I said as I pointed to the Captain's oversized brows.

The smirk instantly disappeared from his face, and he turned a bright red color. Without warning, I was staring down at a sharp cutlass blade being pressed against my throat.

"You're a guest aboard my ship, see, and it wouldn't be very courteous to start any trouble. Do you understand?"

I carefully nodded. Eyebrows were apparently not to be brought up, ever. He pulled the blade away from my throat and put it back in its sheath.

"So, why am I onboard your ship, pirate?" I asked as if nothing happened.

"That's Captain to you," he said with a pointed look. "We were doing some...business further out in the Sea of Hess when we happened upon you. We didn't think it would be right to throw you back in your condition, so we put you here."

"Throw me back? What were you doing?"

"It's not nice to interrupt someone when they're talking, love. Now, where was I? Oh yes. We kept you here, and now we're docked in Wend unloading some cargo. As soon as we're done we'll be setting sail to drop off one last bit of cargo."

"What would that be?" I was afraid I already knew the answer.

"Well, that would be you, love." The Captain's smirk grew, and I decided I really disliked this man. "It's not everyday we come across a mermaid, and I know someone in Gaal that would pay a handsome price for you."

"That's disgusting." Anger coursed through me, and I swore to myself that I would make him pay.

"Is it, love?" He leaned in close and ran his fingers across my jawline. "A pirate has to do what a pirate has to do."

"Then let me go," I gasp. Having him so close made me short of breath. As much as he disgusted me, I also found him maddeningly attractive.

"Where's the fun in that? You don't earn the reputation as one of the most feared pirate captains on the seas by letting people go you know." He tilted my chin up with his fingers, which brought my face closer to his and made my heart race. "And I am one of the most feared pirate captains on the seas."

It was difficult trying to keep my head clear when every part of me was screaming to grab him and pull him into the tub with me. All I had to do was lean in just a little further and he would be mine. "Well, I've never heard of you."

"What?" He pulled back in outrage. "You've never heard of me? I'm THE Arthur Kirkland, Captain of the Queen Lady!"

I could barely hide my triumphant grin. I had caught him hook, line, and sinker. "I'm sorry, but I've never heard of you. My kind don't really keep up with petty human affairs."

That really seemed to tick him off. He was practically steaming from the ears. "Well, be that as it may, I'm still a pirate, and you're still my cargo. We'll be arriving at Gaal in three days."

"Whatever you say." I crossed my arms and rested them against the edge of the tub so I wasn't looking at the Captain anymore. "I'd like to be left alone now, pirate."

"Fine," he practically spat. I could have sworn he mumbled something along the lines of 'infuriating creature' before opening the door. "And that's Captain to you," he huffed and slammed the door behind him.

"I think you meant Arthur Kirkland," I said to myself once the door was closed. I could feel the magic coursing through my veins, and I knew that he was mine.

~000~

Captain Kirkland stood next to the closed door for a moment before turning to leave. He wasn't completely unaware of the strange tension between him and the mermaid, but he knew it would be better to not get involved. She was just cargo, infuriating cargo, but cargo nonetheless.

Just then, an odd shiver went down his spine, and he felt a strange sensation come over him. It was like having a rope tied around his chest that was being tugged. The sensation passed quickly, and he thought nothing more of it.

He walked down the dim hall to the stairs that led to the deck. At least the rest of the cargo was gone now and the gold would be coming in. Having a pile of fish starting to rot aboard his ship was not the Captain's idea of a good time. He climbed the stairs two at a time, and was glad to smell the salty sea air. It always made him feel better.

A few members of his crew sat on deck playing cards and took turns drinking from a cloudy bottle. He approached them and watched for a moment before addressing them.

"How long have the others been gone?"

"Couldn't be more then a few hours," one of the grungy men answered.

"Did Peter go with them?"

"Christov took 'im off the ship, Cap'n," another man replied. "'E was makin' them sad eyes like a 'alf starved pup, and we didn't 'ave the 'eart t' tell 'im no."

"I'll expect them to be back within the hour," the Captain said more to himself than the others. He bent down and picked up the bottle to take a swig. Nothing like rum to take the edge off. "We'll be setting sail as soon as they get back, boys." He looked out over the sea with longing and urgency in his green eyes. "The sooner the better."