Chapter 33: Sea Ghost
The Pirate City's mood seemed to change ever since we returned and the strange pirate ship released its ropes to connect with the other ships. The newcomer tied the ropes loosely though, as if saying that they wouldn't stay for too long. The pirate ship that had the name 'Sea Ghost' scribbled on its body was a mess floating on the sea. It certainly looked like it just survived a great battle. My curiosity wanted me to linger on the deck and observe but the Skull made it clear to me that I would stay inside my cabin. With a loud groan, I nodded and waited for him to leave my room.
When he finally left, I decided to wait for a few minutes before I got out of my cabin and walked the hallway to the entrance of the ship. And from there, I watched as the crews, in blood and wounds, walked through the platform and then to the canoe that would bring them to the grand vessel. My forehead creased as I realized that there were only few of them getting out of the ship. What had happened must be terrible enough for them to lose a lot of people. I craned my neck for a better view when a bare, well-toned chest blocked my sight. I looked up frowning and saw Owain staring down at me with irritation visible in his eyes.
"Didn't you just cause enough scene last night that you want to see if you can make another one this time?" he asked sarcastically.
I glared at him and tried pushing him to the side but he remained a concrete wall standing in front of me. I couldn't even make him move. Sighing, I crossed my arms and faced him.
"Who are those people?" I asked, ignoring his comments about last night.
But instead of answering, he grabbed my shoulders, gently this time, and started turning me around like I was just a piece of a weightless doll going to the wrong direction. I tried to free myself from his clutch but he was too strong to escape from. Sighing in defeat, I let him usher me back to my cabin.
"Look! I know something is going on. Don't you think that I deserve to know whatever it is at least? It's not like I can inflict any harm to the pirates!" I tried to reason out when he opened the door and pushed me in.
"I don't know the whole thing yet but whatever happened, I'm pretty sure that it doesn't concern a little thing like you. Just like what you said, what kind of harm can you do against pirates?" he answered in his usual arrogant tone.
I couldn't help but took offense on his words. He always had his way to slap me with the truth. Pouting, I left the door and resigned inside my cabin. I let him closed it as I sat on my bed wondering what was happening outside.
I didn't see the Skull during lunch. I joined the pirates on the dining area and they seemed to be suspiciously silent around me. They didn't even mention the ship that just arrived outside. Sometimes, I caught them looking at my direction and they would suddenly avert their gaze anywhere but me. This only intensified my curiosity and tonight, I would make sure that someone would confess about it to me.
After dinner, I tried searching the ship to look for the Skull. It seemed that he was still in the grand vessel with Captain Drakon. Jealousy started creeping in my chest when I think of Janeia and the Skull in the same room - talking and close with each other. No. I shouldn't be thinking of these terrible things. I knew that I mean something to the Skull by the way he kissed me that morning. It was more than kissing an old friend - it was more than kissing the Jonah of the Obsidian. I knew that what we shared with each other was not just a shallow feeling that would fade anytime. I knew there was more to this. But then, even though he made sure that I was aware of my importance to him, our relationship, if there's any, seemed to be still unclear to me. I needed words to validate it. I couldn't just assume things.
The night started to get deeper and the pirates were either resting or going to their posts but the Skull and Captain Drakon were not yet back to the Obsidian. This increased my suspicion that something troubling happened and it worried me that the Skull might be in danger because of this. It was a pirate world where everything you hold could be the sharp blades that would kill you. I walked across the hallway silently and took a turn toward the quarters of the captain and the Skull. I could still remember the night where he first kissed me and this time, I would never get lost finding the way to where it happened. Holding my breath, I pushed it and was surprised to know that it wasn't locked at all. I guessed he never lock his doors. Well, who would dare to enter the Skull's lair - except me? I immediately got inside and closed the door gently behind me. I could almost hear my heart beating loudly against my chest. What a bold move, Primrose!
I looked around the dark room and waited for my eyes to get used to the dim light that was passing through the window of his cabin from the outside. That was how brilliant the Pirate City was - like a sun in the middle of the sea at night. I sat at the edge of his bed and looked around his room taking in the image of weapons hanging on his walls. He was a warrior who was always ready to fight. I bet he had been waiting for a day like that. I decided to light up the single lamp on his room before going back to his bed. He might attack me if he sensed that someone was in his room. I could be dead in this darkness.
It was almost close to midnight when I felt my eyes drooping low. The bed started to feel more comfortable and warmer. I knew I should have gone back to my cabin because the Skull would probably spend the night at the grand vessel. But why would he sleep there and with whom was he going to sleep with? I frowned at the irritating thought and tried pushing it out of my mind. If he decided to stay in the grand vessel then I had to make sure that I would take over this room. It was more immense and cozier than mine. With a sigh, I closed my eyes and let sleep to overcome me.
At some point at that night, I felt the blanket warmth my body and a hand caressed my cheeks. I opened my eyes and squinted to look through the dim room and saw the Skull sitting at the edge of the bed and staring at me. I immediately sat up and combed my hair with my fingers. Now that I was caught sleeping on his bed, the confidence I brought when I entered here finally left me.
"I - uh," I didn't know how to start explaining myself. My brain had probably stopped working for I momentarily forgot my purpose of being here.
"Oh, you're already here!" I tried again.
I thought I saw his cold, grey eyes lighted up for a moment as he took in my awkwardness. The smirk painted on his lips made me remember why I was here. Maybe some part of me still refused to be humiliated.
"I know that you have an idea of what happened the first time you got in this room. And seeing that you aren't drunk this time, I might not be able to hold back," he said, teasing me.
I grabbed the blanket to my chest and glared at him. It wasn't my intention to give him any ideas. That was not the reason why I came to his room.
"For sure you had your share of women's body in the Pirate City that's why you came back late," I rebuked.
Amusement danced in his eyes as he continued staring at me. He remained like that until the air felt uncomfortable and I was forced to avert my eyes on different direction. Was he playing games at me? I gasped when I felt his fingers touched my chin and moved my head gently so that I was facing him. This mere touch caused my heart to scream chaos inside my chest. He was like a fire and I was a sheet of ice melting under his gaze.
"I didn't lay a finger on any woman in the Pirate City if that's what you're thinking," he answered.
If it's possible, my heart started beating wilder and louder, and I was afraid that it might leap out of my chest at any moment. If this man was only playing, he sure knew his game.
I eyed him skeptically thinking if I should believe him or not. But if he was lying and he rather slept with a woman, or in this case - with Janeia, what could have I done about it? Our relationship, despite of it giving me butterflies in my stomach, was still unclear for me. I could not just confirm it with kisses and the sensation it was giving me whenever we were so close to each other. I needed to hear it from him.
"Then why did you come back late? I was waiting for you the rest of the day. You can't just make me feel something and then leave me confused of what just happened," I said, a little bit frustrated.
His forehead creased, suddenly becoming serious, thinking of things I knew he preferred not to tell me. But I swore to get some answers tonight so pushing all this feelings aside; I looked directly into his eyes and waited for his answers.
"Come on, I'll walk you to your room," instead he said and was about to stand from the edge of the bed where he was sitting. I immediately grabbed his hand and to my astonishment, he stopped and stared back at me. Well, I knew I didn't have the capacity to halt the Skull and I didn't even give too much force when I grabbed him, but he did and somehow, it added to my confidence standing up to him.
"If you don't want to tell me about our relationship, then it's alright - I understand. We're at a place where violence is being used to rule and this feeling we're having toward each other will probably have a hard time to grow. There's no flower that can bloom in a garden of uncertainty, yes? But please, let me know what's happening in the pirate's playground. Don't you think that I must be aware if the ship is already sinking?"
An emotion crossed his eyes before it faded in the cold storm of his orbs. He sat down again and this time, he made sure that I was only inches away from him. This tiny gap between us caused my treacherous heart to be unleashed from my control. My hand rose in instinct and landed on his cheek where he leaned against it inhaling the smell of my skin.
"Tell me," I encouraged.
The Skull sighed heavily in front of me and kept my hand in his. "The Sea Ghost returned from a battle and lost its crews," he finally said.
I gasped at the confirmation of my thoughts. I could imagine a battle where dead people fell to the sea sinking to its depth. I could see the water painted red because of blood just like what happened to the ship that kidnapped me. I stared at the Skull horrified.
"But why do pirates attack each other? Aren't you supposed to be helping each other because you share the same title as rebels?" I asked, slightly panicking.
"There are pirates who violate the law of the sea and there are those who are trying to compete with us. Some captains are trying to be at the top of the food chain. Some pirates want Captain Rowaen's head to take his place - or even mine so they could brag that they killed the fearful Skull to their sons," he answered.
My brows furrowed at the information. So there were different categories of rebels within the rebels?
"You guys mock life by living like that. You are continuously waging war with death," I said.
"Death is the shadow of the pirate world and it is a part of this world that I would not let you cross."
I could feel warmth enveloped my heart thinking that he cared for me that much. However, the idea of the Skull being in danger caused me to look at him with worry in my eyes. What if they would come after the Obsidian?
"Captain Rowaen must stop them. It would not be safe for us to sail across the sea," I said.
"If you're worried about the rebels against the rebels, you shouldn't. The Obsidian is powerful enough to crush them into tiny pieces of wood floating on the sea," he answered.
I frowned in deeper confusion. If this was not a case of rebels against the rebels, then any ships from the Pirate City could come to it and beat them on their game. But the air was heavy throughout the day and I could smell that something more dangerous was going on.
"What is it, the Skull? It wasn't the pirates that attacked the Sea Ghost. What is it?" I voiced out my confusion through a question.
The Skull didn't answer right away. He just stared at me probably assessing the situation in his mind. But I encouraged him to tell me by tightening my hold on his hand. If he thought that the situation would scare or bother me, then he shouldn't. There was more to me than being just the Jonah of the Obsidian.
"It was a huge and powerful fleet from the West Land and those who survived claimed that it was looking for the young lady of the Crimson family of the East Land. It hasn't found the Pirate City yet but it would only take a few days for them reach this place," he announced gravely.
I slumped back to the headboard feeling weak of what I had just learned. I should be excited and joyful for my people were looking for me and they would bring me home soon. But months had passed and I had experienced things I never thought I would experience when I was in the mainland. The pirate world taught me ideas that seemed to be strange and crazy if I remained the Lady of the Crimson family instead of the Jonah of the Obsidian. This world, no matter how dark and violent it was, opened my eyes to new perception - an epiphany. And more importantly, it brought me to the man I had been looking for in a long time. It was like having a surreal dream and just when I was enjoying it, I had to be woken up. I didn't want to wake up - not yet.
If the fleet found the Pirate City, a clash would happen and people would die inevitably. And what about the Skull? Would he fight for me to stay with him or would he just let me go? I didn't like the idea of being apart from him again. But my people were looking for me and they sailed the sea for this search. I couldn't be selfish and let this bloody battle form in front of my eyes. Oh, what kind of harm could I really do to the pirates?