The meal Silver finished preparing for you proved to be delicious, but not as delicious as you were going to make it. You gave Silver and grateful smile when he handed you a serving, and he grinned back, usual, you, Stygian, and Jim sat alone in the kitchen counters away from all the commotion in the dining tables. You could also talk freely to each other without interruption. Jim spoke about funny stories from his past and make funny remarks about the crew members. He'd ask you questions--small simple ones, like favorite color, favorite memories while sailing with Stygian--and you admired his sympathy in not asking complex questions.
After supper, there was enough free time for everyone to enjoy themselves with a hot beverage prepared by Silver himself. You sat at the bottom of the stairs with Jim as he leaned against the wall. In the table near you, there was a small gathering of crewmembers as Silver told tales about the sea. He animated his stories by using his automail to create the sea monsters and everybody loved them. He told stories about heroes killing krakens, discovering merpeople, fighting off deadly pirates, and some of infamous pirates.
You listened intently as you waited for your hot chocolate too cool. When you brought your mug close to take a cautious sip, you heard Silver begin a new story.
"...she was a big part of Captain Flint's crew and devised the most astonishing creations. She was skilled in many ways. They say that she even helped in discovering Treasure Planet. She was the only true person Flint trusted..."
You choked on the scaldingly hot beverage and set your mug down quickly. Jim turned his head to look at you. "You okay?" He grinned humorously.
You cleared your throat. "Um, yeah. I just drank too fast. Burned my tongue."
Jim returned his attention to Silver's story, as did you. You frowned because the story he told was nothing like the one you hallucinated. This story was exaggerated and portrayed the main character as a heroine who allegedly defeated sea monsters and stole treasure for Flint. Not once did he mention an Edward Kenway, except she had a lover, and you realized his name was lost in history and legends. He told a tale about her discovering a cave on a jungle planet with intricate pathways that led to a priceless item which she left alone, for it was immobile. Its location is unknown, but the planet where she discovered it is.
As you listened to these stories, you lost your appetite to drink your beverage and left it beside you for Stygian to take. When Silver was finished telling his tales, he bid everyone good night, and as they all stood to leave, you and Jim stood to clean up after them and later wash dishes.
Jim sat on an upturned bucket and cleaned the dishes and placed them in a pile, and you sat on the other side of the pile and rinsed them. When it almost seemed like you were finished with your task, Silver came out of nowhere and dumped a motherlode of dishes and pots possibly collected from previous days. Jim looked at Silver defiantly as he picked up a pot and scrubbed angrily. You weren't too upset, at least it gave you a distraction from your thoughts.
You couldn't bear the sound of constant scrubbing and splashing of water, so you paused your work and looked over at Jim. "Hey, Jim. When we find the planet, what will you do with the treasure--if there's treasure?"
Jim looked up and thought for a second. "I don't know. I guess I could buy a large ship, you know? And travel the universe." He waved his hand over him. "That'd be cool. Of course, I'd rebuild the Inn first." He looked up with a grin on his face as he daydreamed the things he could do with an infinite amount of gold.
You nodded once at his reply and rinsed off several dishes without adding your own answer. There was just too much to do and, besides, you wouldn't know what to do except repair Sarah's inn. Instead, you said, "Careful what you wish for, Jim. You might never know the consequences of achieving a dream like that."
"What do you mean?"
"What I meant was...you'll be all alone out there."
"You can come with me. Help me navigate and such. Wouldn't you want to travel the universe again?"
"I'm sorry to say that I don't. I've had enough of ships and space. I just..." You sighed and snatched a pan and scrubbed. "Plus, what about your mom? She's your only family. Will you forget her in your quest to travel the universe? She'll be all alone with worry.
Jim frowned. "I could always write letters. I won't travel my whole life, just to some planets."
You snatched some more plates and bowls and dumped them in your large wooden bucket. You scowled at a rough spot in a pan and scrubbed furiously and said bitterly, "Well, that's what you think until you realize you never want to go back home to your parents who you loved dearly and never saw of them again because you were too curious about the world that you disappeared from their lives, and you from theirs, and next thing you know, you're fighting alongside pirates!" For each word you spoke, you scrubbed harder and faster that your knuckles, on one hand, became red and bloodied from the hard bristles of the brush. You dropped the pan and it landed in the water with a splash.
Jim rushed over and knelt in front of you and took your hands in his. After briefly examining them, he looked at with a frown. "What are you on about? Come on, let's get this cleaned."
You snatched your hand back. "No. I think it can heal by itself."
Jim stared at you in surprise. "Your gunshot wound..."
You nodded. "Yeah. I remember it healed fast. Maybe this will heal any second." You looked at your hand after several seconds of silence and, sure enough, your skin looked clean and delicate like you never scraped them in the first place. There was, however, specks of blood on your knuckles.
Jim stared at it before looking into your eyes. "Let's take a small break."
He pulled you to your feet and led you into the kitchen and poured clean water onto your hands. As he searched for a clean cloth to dry them with, you decided to speak, "I'm sorry about everything I said, Jim. I've just been feeling a little depressed and I couldn't bring it up to you because there was never a right time. I-I had another dream..." your voice failed you as you remembered the realistic feeling of your mother's and father's embrace and the familiar smells that you would sometimes smell in the present that would remind you of that unfateful day.
Jim found a cloth and walked back to you. "Come on, Read. We tell each other everything. You can trust me, remember?" He took your hand and pressed it gently to dry them.
"I know, I know. I just...I keep forgetting." You placed a gentle hand over his and looked at him with a pained expression. "I know what happened to my parents."
Jim's head lifted slightly and stared at you, almost stunned. "You saw what happened to them?"
You fought back tears as you tried to concentrate on what to say. "No...more like, what happened to me."
Jim frowned and you explained.
You were seven. You loved ships so much you decided to board one just to see what it's like inside and ended up becoming a stowaway on a pirate ship. You don't know for how long you were in the cargo room, maybe a few days--you managed to survive on wine and dried biscuits--and found yourself in a new planet with sandy beaches and crystal clear seas. Anything new you dreamt about was just you working as a child in some inn, serving and making food. In your free time, you were sword fighting with a young Edward and being an engineer's apprentice at age eight.
When you were done telling your story, you broke down sobbing and crying. Jim let go of your hand and wrapped his arms around you and whispered small words of comfort in your ear. After a few more moments of silent crying, you straightened and wiped at your eyes using your shirtsleeves. Jim produced another cloth for you and you thanked him.
You sniffled. "Alright. Sorry for taking up so much time. I know Silver doesn't give us many breaks."
"Don't be sorry about telling your problems to me anymore, okay?" Jim placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder and kissed your cheek. "Remember I said I would always support you no matter what." He grinned and rubbed his thumb in small circles on your cheek.
You smiled gratefully at him. "Of course."
What did I do to deserve him?
There was a commotion heard from above on the deck and you remembered the dishes. You jumped off the counter and landed with a thump.
"We should get back to work and finish before it gets too late," You said and started walking.
"What about your hand? Is it still fine?"
You scoffed and sat on your stool. You stared at the tub hesitantly before dipping your hurt hand in the soapwater without feeling any stinging. Without looking at Jim, you declared, "I've had my wounds rubbed with salt before, and I'm still standing. A little bit of soap won't hurt me anymore "
* * * *
The night was a calm one, and the sky has darkened to a lovely cerulean color. After supper, some of the crew had retired to their hammocks to rest while others who were nocturnal stayed on deck doing their duty or just conversing.
Silver had just finished reiterating his plan to his impatient crew and then excused himself and hobbled across the long deck toward the kitchen to see how his cabin boy and girl were doing. He had given them a mountain load of dishes earlier so they couldn't go on the deck to hear him talking about a mutiny. Those two were certainly inseparable, and together, they seemed like an unstoppable duo. Which is why he tried his best to keep them from conversing suspicions about him and the crew.
Silver's heart ached as he suddenly remembered telling the girl the story of his Love. She was small and delicate--beautiful, like a rose--and preferred a quiet normal life. When Silver told her about his new job, she warned him about the consequences like the wise woman she was. She was kind and patient enough that she was willing to wait a few years for Silver to procure a wedding ring for her. Then he ruined their marriage by disappearing for months at a time because he was captured and arrested.
When he came home, she said she couldn't handle Silver being in danger all the time and left. It was only after years of drinking and stealing that Silver realized she left him, not just because he was always in danger, but because she was a danger to him. She knew she was a threat to him and left for his protection because she knew it was for the best. Silver couldn't believe he had been a fool. He went over to her parent's house, where she was residing, to beg for forgiveness only to learn she had died of an illness.
Silver stopped abruptly and took in a deep breath to recompose himself. Even after all this time, tears still threatened to pool out of his only good eye whenever he remembered her.
Morph float by his head and chirped softly, sensing his sorrow. Silver opened his eyes and grinned briefly. "It's alright, Morphy. I jest had a little flashback, is all. It's all in the past. Should 'ave forgotten it by now."
He adjusted his hat before descending the stairs to the kitchen. When he arrived at the last step, he noticed how dark and silence it was and then the two still figures in the center. Both children sat on their stools with their shoulders leaning against each other and slept soundly. The girl's friend, Stygian, lay beside her on the floor, and was also asleep.
Silver looked behind them and noticed the neat piles of clean pots and dishes aligned across the whole counter. Silver grinned at the sight before him and felt a pang guilt for giving them so much work to do. He glanced at Morph who grinned at the pleasant sight before him. Silver then slipped off his coat and draped it over their shoulders gently. The girl stirred and began to mutter something incoherent. Silver froze until she became still and turned to go back to the deck.
"Edward-!"
Silver froze and turned around slowly. The girl had a scowl on her face as she continued sleeping. She is just dreaming, Silver thought and gestured at Morph to follow him up silently. He froze again when he heard her speak again.
"Please...Flint's gone..."
Silver widened his eyes and whipped around in surprise. What did she say? Did she say 'Flint'?
Silver was far away enough that he could have misinterpreted what she said; she was slurring and all. Yet, he couldn't help wanting to rush over and examine a particular something of her's to convince him she wasn't who he thought she was. He hoped it wasn't, for her had been too kind to her this entire voyage and wished no harm to her or Jim. Silver's heart beat rapidly as he remembered a girl who resembled her in some faraway planet not to long ago. She shared the same snarky and ardent personality; maybe their age, as well. Did they have the same name? There was only one way of finding out without making verbal contact with her.
Silver's gaze flickered to her concealed arms.
He quickly shook his head and decided not to dwell on it, for it in fear it would ruin the cordial relationship with Jim and her; he has already has opened up to her about a dark secret of his past. Maybe she was just dreaming about the stories he told earlier. They were quite animated....but who was Edward? Silver frowned, remember never mentioning an Edward in his stories. It must be some friend of hers on that planet Montressor.
Silver shook his head and turned around and walked out the kitchen with a trepidatious chuckle.
* * * *
Your eyes were slits when you opened them. A tall and dark figure approached you as you slept with Jim in the kitchen. You had just finished washing all the dirty dishes and were overcome by fatigue that you two had fallen asleep on each other.
The figure stopped several feet from you and you noticed they had a big hat and dark clothes over a well-built body. A sword hung from his belt and, though you could not see his face clearly, you saw he had a scornful look on a youthful face. He had a big hooked nose and a gold earring reflected off moonlight on one ear. He wasn't a part of the crew, was he? No one had swords with them.
Your eyes grew heavy and the figure was swallowed by darkness. You didn't reopen your eyes until you heard heavy footsteps retreating from your spot. You saw a whole different person going back up the stairs. Silver's big heavy body descended the stairs and was followed only by a pink blob and not another figure. You frowned, but you didn't react anymore for you fell into a deep sleep.
* * * *
ooooooooooooooh my god. What does this all mean?!?!?!?? I know you're wondering yourself, but soon, the whole story will make sense, I promise.
In other news, i dont think ill be able to publish every a week because of school and im going to be writing chapters so i can publish a bunch at once. I was really struggling in school two weeks ago, and i found solace in my writing.
Im glad to have provided good material for readers out there.