As everyone crossed the treeline, leaving the golden sands behind us, we headed into the tropical forests. Everywhere you looked, shiny gold broke through the earth. The air was warm and humid, the scent of fresh blossoms filling our noses. Colorful whistling birds sang to us from the treetops and butterflies of impossible beauty fluttered around.
I felt as though I had died and gone to heaven-that is until I glanced at the dirty pirates around me, all in desperate need of a bath. Valentine was perched on Louis' shoulder, her head twisting around to take it all in. She was eagerly squawking at all of the native birds.
We all trekked through the forest in awe. I might have been the most amazed out of the whole lot, as I had never left the small port town I was from. I had never even set foot in the countryside, being a slave to masters who never let me stray far from home. This island was the most beautiful place I had ever seen, more stunning than anything I could have imagined.
I had to stop to smell every new flower we passed-flowers that seemed to glow from within. As I stopped once more admiring a shimmering pink bud, a hand settled around my wrist, tugging me away.
"You're slowing us down, lassie." Louis said as he pulled me to walk faster with him.
"What's the rush? We don't have a deadline. I've never seen so much beauty and I want to take it all in." I said, hoping he would let everyone enjoy themselves rather than simply focusing on digging up gold.
"Aye, it is beautiful. But I don't want to spend anymore time here than we need to." He replied tiredly.
"Look at everyone. They're worn out. We've been sailing for weeks and walking for hours. Can't we stop to rest?" I suggested, noticing he still held my wrist.
Louis paused and glanced back at his crew. His eyes wandered around the forest, untrusting of the seemingly peaceful atmosphere. There didn't seem to be any dangers near.
"Oi! We'll be setting up camp here for the night. Do not wander far and no one is to go off alone. You here me? We don't know what darkness lies under the pretty face of this island." Louis announced, dropping his sack on the ground.
"Hey, I think I hear running water! Who's up for a swim?" Niall called, heading off into the trees.
Most of the pirates followed after him, eager to wash off all of the dirt from weeks at sea. A dip in some cool water sounded wonderful at the moment. Liam tied Harry to a tree and the mermaid to another. She had a gag in her mouth so she couldn't sing. A few others began setting up camp. I noticed Louis sit down on a fallen log, staring off into the forest.
Making my way over to him, I sat down next to him. "What are you thinking?"
He sighed. "Nothing important."
"Then you shouldn't mind telling me." I coaxed gently, searching for whatever he was so fascinated by. The towering mountain could be seen in a break in the trees, gold slithering its way down the sides. From this distance you could fully admire its magnificence.
"I was only thinking about my future...if perhaps this is it for me. This might be the end of the line." He said quietly. He seemed troubled, his brow furrowed and his hands fiddling with a blade of grass.
"You can always turn back. It's not too late. There's no moon above us and you haven't dug anything up yet." I tried to lighten his mood, but he seemed to only grow more troubled.
"I can't turn back now. I'm so close." He murmured.
"Is obtaining the gold worth more than your life?" I questioned.
"It's not just the gold. It's..." He glanced at me, not finishing his sentence.
"What could be so important that you'd risk your life?" I tilted my head. "Why would a pirate like you care for something more than treasure?"
"I wasn't always a pirate." He mumbled, standing to his feet and heading in the direction the others had gone to swim.
I was entirely curious about what he meant. Who was he before all this? And what did he want to do with the gold that was worth the possibility of dying? If I was to find out, I needed to try harder. As I was about to follow him, Harry called my name from his place tied to the tree. Glancing his way, I simply gave him a cool glare and continued on.
"Wait! Indira, come here." He tried again, unaware that I knew his secret.
Feeling anger toward him consume me all over again, I marched over to stand in front of him. "You lied to me."
"W-what?" He squinted in confusion.
"You said you were a part of Louis' crew, but I just learned that you aren't. You're Jane the Red's first mate. You lying băstard! And I called you my friend." I hissed angrily, turning away.
"So now you know." His tone changed. "But you should know I never lied to you. I just left out the part about Jane."
"The most important part. Now I can never trust you." I said.
"Yes, you can. I value your friendship. You're the only friend I have here." Harry tried to win me back.
"You and I can never be friends." I shook my head and left him as he kept calling for me to come back.
But I had no tolerance for liars or betrayals. I headed into the trees where Louis had gone. The one person whom I had befriended and put my trust in turned out to be liar. Now I felt that Louis was the closest person to a "friend" that I had-and he was a notorious good-for-nothing pirate captain who had kidnapped me.
I hiked through the shrubs toward the sound of running water and shouts of laughter. Maybe a swim in this magical place would help me feel better. As I broke through the plant life and found myself at the edge of a narrow river, I surveyed the area.
A gasp escaped my throat at the sight that met my horrified eyes. Most of the pirates were buck naked, swimming and jumping in off a high rock. I'd never seen so much bare skin in all my life. My gasp was so loud that several turned and spotted me.
"Aye little wench! Come 'n join us!" One hollered suggestively.
"The water feels great!" Another whistled.
Laughter rang out among the crew at my expense. One naked pirate with a good sized rear-end who had his back to me, turned his head to see who they were talking to. Louis' eyes met mine.
Utterly horrified and scandalized beyond all reason, I whipped around and ran back the way I came. I felt that my eyes could never be purified again...not after seeing so many naked men...and Louis himself. I was appalled. I was not going anywhere near that river ever again.
I made it back to the campsite and held onto a tree for support as I caught my breath. My fingers pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to think of something else, but failing.
"Are ye alright lassie?" A pirate who held an armful of kindling asked me.
"Yes, I'm perfectly alright. I'm...I'm just going to sit down for a spell." I murmured out of breath and sat on the far side of the area away from Harry.
I was never going to get that image of Louis out of my head. Happening to lock eyes with the mermaid, she stared at me knowingly as if she knew what was on my mind. I briefly wondered if she had the ability to play with minds even without singing her deadly song. Unlikely, but the thought was there anyway, because no matter how hard I tried to think of something else, Louis in his current state was the only thing I could think about.
•••
Later that night, everyone sat around a fire. A few were casually singing songs and twanging on stringed instruments that looked like ukuleles. The mood was peaceful and I was rested against the fallen tree. I had avoided every pirate I had seen naked earlier, keeping to myself. I had distracted myself by creating a crown out of flowers. Now that it was dark, it was obvious that the flowers were indeed glowing. Luminescent flowers.
Once I had entwined the last tiny vine around to keep everything secure, I carefully placed it on my head. And then I swiftly began making a necklace with the flowers as well. But just then I noticed Louis stepping through the strewn about crew toward me. Quickly standing to my feet, I stumbled over the log and headed away from the fire.
His hand shot out and stopped me.
Swallowing nervously, I faced him, but looked at the ground.
"Where do you think you're going?" Louis wanted to know.
"I...I need to relieve myself." I said truthfully.
"Well...don't go too far. Call for me if something happens. I'll wait right here." He told me.
Wonderful. I internally groaned in mortification. How was I supposed to look him in the eye ever again? Scurrying into the protection of the trees, I found a private spot and did my business. When I was finished, I didn't want to go back. He would certainly make me feel embarrassed even if he didn't bring it up. So I took it upon myself to admire the glowing flowers and the little fireflies that were blinking about.
But soon after, I heard a rustling in the bushes. I wasn't sure if I was glad it was only Louis and not a hungry animal. My face was surely a pink color as he walked up to me, but hopefully he wouldn't notice in the dark.
"You took too long. I had to make sure you were alright." He said.
"Well, as you can see I'm fine. So you can return to your crew now." I kept my gaze on a purple flower and cupped it in my hands.
"Are you still embarrassed?" Louis inquired, his tone giving away his amusement.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I mumbled. My eyes betrayed me as I glanced at his body, recalling how he had looked without any clothes.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about." He was surely laughing at me.
"Please Louis... Don't talk about it." I begged, covering my face with my hands.
He laughed lightly, coming nearer to me. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"
"Extremely." I admitted, moving away as he followed.
"At least tell me this; were you impressed?" He teased.
"Louis please!" I gasped, trying not to remember his rounded backside. Thankfully I hadn't seen his front...although I found myself slightly curious.
He chuckled some more at my discomfort and finally ceased his taunting. "Alright I'll stop."
"Thank you..." I breathed a sigh of relief, but still felt entirely embarrassed in his presence.
A short silence fell between us as we listened to the happy crickets and the wind rustling the trees overhead.
"That crown you've made yourself." Louis reached out and touched it gently. "It makes you look like a princess."
For the first time since the horrid river episode, I made eye contact with him. His amusement had turned into something else and I no longer felt that he wanted to make me uncomfortable. I tried to relax.
"Wouldn't that be something, if I were a princess." I mused.
His eyes moved from the flowers in my hair down to my face. "I'm sure things would be entirely different. Perhaps none of this would have happened."
"Then it's a good thing I'm not a princess." I said before I could think over my thoughts.
"What?" He said, confused.
"I...I just mean..." Unsure, I stumbled over my words. "I don't know really..."
"Are you glad all this happened?" He asked curiously.
"No...but what kind of life would I have had if I had successfully run away back home? I would probably have been living on the streets, struggling to survive. I've always dreamt of adventure...of seeing the world. I just never thought it would find me in the form of kidnapping and quests for treasure." I confessed hesitantly.
"So you're grateful I kidnapped you?" He asked.
"No...you could have recruited me with a proposition and maybe I would have joined you if you were convincing enough. I had nothing to lose. Kidnapping was unnecessary." I told him seriously.
"Interesting." He scratched his chin. "When we're done with our quest, if we both survive unscathed, what will you do?"
"I thought that was up to you. It depends on whatever you want to do with me once you're finished with me and I'm no longer useful. Isn't that right?" I shrugged, twirling a strand of my long hair around my finger.
"No...it depends on what you want to do." He said.
"You would...let me go?" I murmured.
"You're not exactly a captive anymore the way I see it. You're basically part of the crew." He said, glancing back as if to make sure no one was listening.
"Honestly?" I was skeptical.
"Why would I lie about that." He responded.
"The crew has a different opinion though, isn't that right?" I asked.
"They...don't exactly agree with my thoughts on the matter." He admits.
"Then what happens when-"
"Too many questions. That's enough for now. Come back to the fire." He seemed unwilling to speak about what would happen to me after they were done with me.
He took my hand and started to pull me back the way we came, but stopped abruptly. I stumbled into him. He turned around, staring at the forest behind us. I studied the plant life, searching for whatever he was looking at, but saw nothing. His body was still, like a deer who had just heard a twig snap.
"Louis?" I murmured curiously.
He placed a finger on my mouth, silencing me. Then he whispered ever so quietly, "I don't think we're alone on this island."
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Sorry again for neglecting this story! I will only write it when I'm inspired or super excited to because I want my writing to reflect that. What are your thoughts on this chapter?