Dearest of Desires

Chapter 8: Siren Song

‧̍̊˙· 𓆝.° ｡˚𓆛˚｡ °.𓆞 ·˙‧̍̊

Hector had been cantankerous for weeks and had taken it out on his crew and especially himself.  He had promised to wait for Kila that day at the port, and god knows how much he wanted to wait for her; but it was too dangerous for her.  Hector would never be able to forgive himself if she had gotten hurt, or killed.

He had never came close to what he felt with Kila, with any other woman.  He had spent his whole life paying prostitutes in Tortuga to relieve him, meaning he wasn't used to the tender embrace of a woman; and he'd never admit it but, Hector liked being needed even wanted.  When Kila asked him to wait for her he had already decided to let her go; if his crew found out about their relations they'd kill her and overtake him. 

"YE GALLEY SLAVE" Hector shouted as he tipped over the ink well, spilling it over the map he had been charting. Frustrated, he dragged his hand along the top of his desk sending all the papers, candles, and bottles that had been set on the desk, flying clear across his cabin.

"Get outta me head!" He cursed to himself beginning to pace around his desk.  Kila never left his thoughts, she haunted them, she haunted him.  She probably hated him, wanted to kill him, like she was taught to. He had probably made her feel betrayed and unloved; which is the exact opposite of what he wanted.  He needed to go back, try to find her, explain himself, and make things right.  Hector Barbossa never thought he'd see it, but he was chasing after a woman; a mermaid at that.

Hector rushed to the helm and turned his ship, headed back for Tortuga.  He was going to get Kila back, come hell or high water. He loved her, and he wanted her to know.

—//—

Kila laid on her bed of Kelp looking up at the small ball of sun as it reflected into the ocean. She hadn't left that spot in a couple of weeks, aside from her nightly swim to the port in Tortuga. She was angry, felt betrayed, but what she hated most is the feeling of emptiness. Kila felt lonely without Hector, she couldn't feel his warmth or curl up under his arm and sleep safely. She wanted him back, and was pissed off at the fact that she couldn't fully hate him. 

Luckily, other mermaids had seen her taken away in a net by Hectors crew men, so they suspected nothing when she told them she escaped in the night. Unfortunately her sister Emphera was killed when she was captured, which saddened Kila greatly.  Emphera was the only one Kila trusted and without her, she could tell no one about how she was feeling or why, for she would be banned from her pod and sent into dangerous waters alone.

—//-

"Capem, where we be headed" Questioned Hectors best mate Gibbs. Hector stared out into the open ocean, thinking of how he will greet Kila when he sees her again.

"Tortuga" Hector answered snapping out of his thoughts. Gibbs had always kept Hector on the right track, they had practically grown up together on ships. Hector always saw him as more of a brother than anything, they had certainly been through a lot together. 

"Why be tha'?" Gibbs questioned. Hector focused back out on the water, considering telling Gibbs about his predicament. Little did Hector know Gibbs knew exactly why he was going back.  

The night when Hector took Kila from the brig he had still been awake watching the stars and drinking rum up in the crows nest; he saw Kila go into Hector's cabin and never saw her leave. He had also noticed how cheery Hector had been while they were sailing into Tortuga.

"I've got business there" Hector lied. Gibbs shook his head and patted Hector on the back taking a swig of rum. He offered Hector the bottle, which he accepted.

"Love be a mysterious thing Hector.." Gibbs slurred as he snatched the bottle back and stumbled away. Hector furrowed his brow and sighed, he could never hide anything from Gibbs; he just hopes no one else on his crew knows.

He was right though, Hector never thought he'd be chasing after a woman yet there he was; unable to get her off his mind. He thought leaving her would be the best for both of them, but he had come to realize he couldn't handle it.
—//—

As dusk neared Kila slowly pulled herself away from her kelp bed headed up into open water; she was headed for her daily swim to Tortuga. She had no idea what she'd do if she saw Hector, she truthfully wanted to run into his arms and feel safe again; but another side of her still fumed with feelings of hate.

She swam fast, faster than any night before; she needed an outlet for her anger.  As she surfaced a few kilometres away from the port she wasn't surprised when she saw no sign of Hectors ship.  She had stopped getting her hopes up after 3 consecutive weeks of being disappointed. She stayed surfaced for 20 minutes shifting her gaze between the port and the horizon; hoping to see his ship sailing towards it. 

After yet another night of lost hope, Kila decided she wanted to switch up her regular routine. She wanted some time to herself to relax and think so, she headed for the secret lagoon where she first met Hector.

As Kila surfaced in the warm lagoon she flipped over to float on her back, gazing up at the stars. With no one around Kila parted her lips and started to sing her favourite mermaid hymn; the octaves flowed easily from her lips and it felt nice.

-//-

As Hector stared up at the night sky his ears starting to ring, but an enjoyable ring.  As the ship raged on, wind strong in her sails, the ringing began to turn into a musical hum.  Hector was intrigued and becoming enchanted by the ethereal music he was hearing.  Subconsciously he had changed the course of the ship; unbeknownst to him, he was headed straight for Kila.

As he neared closer to the Lagoon Hector knew exactly what was going on, and why he was hearing music.  He had heard rumours of other pirates who had shared pleasure with mermaids; mermaids mate for life, and it is said that when pirates mated with them, their song was meant to bring them home. Hector ordered the men to anchor and rest for the remainder of the evening, for they'd be headed for Tortuga in the morning.