[Vereena]
Regret…
An utter sense of regret filled me to the brim as soon as my feet touched the soil at Morinfail Port. It wasn't as nice as I imagined it would be. The smell reminds me of the wet, dirty market I happened to stumble upon when I insisted Mrs. Charlotte take me to acquire fresh meat. I am glad that Captain Steele gave me these boots to wear and the dress to keep me warm with this frigid temperature. It seems this place rains all year round, and not a ray of sunshine is bestowed upon them.
The place reeked of fish scraps that had gone bad and been left for the flies to feast on like a side. While the one-eyed pirate who was pulling me nonchalantly went along the muddy road as if none of the things fazed him, it took a great deal of fortitude on my part to hold my breath and refrain from throwing up at every step we took.
The crew was busy filling the supplies into the ship while the captain and I navigated through the throng of bustling people. I do not know where or what business he had to attend to have me dragged into this horrible place.
However, there is something I noticed as we threaded the muddy path. Curious gazes cast on us. Some were murmuring to one another as soon as they saw Captain Steele dragging me behind and several of them immediately began whispering to one another and scurried out of the way in fright, with their heads hung low as we passed by.
Another thing that caught my attention was the children covered in filth, with their hands up to anyone who passed by asking for money. I couldn't even begin to count how many of them there were. The look on their faces, eyes wide, so innocent to be brought into this world unwanted and thrown into the sidewalk like some puppies. No wonder Morinfail hates highborn people. They lived a hardscrabble life, one scratch, one peck in a day.
My heart instantly aches for them. Even though I don't have a mother, I was born into a family of very high nobility, so I guess that makes up for it. If I were not, I would certainly be like them.
The port was bustling without sparing them a glance, save for myself. If only I had money to give them, I would have, but I am as helpless as them regarding my situation.
Or, I could ask Captain Steele to give them something they could eat.
"Wait…" I tugged the captain's hand, which immediately put him to a grinding halt. He muttered something incoherent under his breath before he turned around and awarded me a stern glare.
"What now, caileag?"
"The children," I whispered, waving my gaze around them on the side. "Is there something you can do for them? Give them food at least."
Captain Steele followed my gaze and then back to my face, blatantly denying my request with finality.
"No."
He yanked my hand once more, dragging me again, but I resisted, anchoring the heels on my boots deeper into the mud and unmoving as I stood my ground. I will continue to pester him until he'll says yes.
Captain Steele abruptly turns around, yanking me hard enough that I almost stumble on my feet.
"I don't think you understand very well your situation here, caileag. I said no!" He roared the last word loudly, making everyone around us freeze in terror by his voice. Even I felt the same way as I stared at the bulging veins in his temple and his gaze blazing with exasperation.
For a moment, all I saw was a ruthless beast I had seen once when he killed two of his crewmen in cold-blooded murder, and I swear my heart stopped for a minute in fear that his patience snapped and disposed of me all at once.
"You do not make demands." He added with his teeth clenched, letting go of my hand at the same time and looking at the people around us. Almost immediately, they averted their gazes and went on with their own businesses, pretending they had seen nothing.
Captain Steele awarded me with absolute disregard and promptly turned, leaving me standing in the middle of the muddy path sticking like a sore thumb after that little spectacle. At that exact moment, as I stared at his back, he slowly faded out from my sight. I was rendered unwatched, and the thought of escaping crossed my mind. This would be a perfect time to execute it. The moment I have been waiting for. I could flee from here. To run as far as I could, hid somewhere the captain would never see me again and waited for my father's rescue.
However, as I take a gander over the faces of these miserable children, the hopes in their eyes that someone would be kind enough to give them something to survive the day.
My heart crushes. Both weigh heavily inside my chest, and I don't know which one I would adhere to.
I looked back at the throng of the crowd, and I caught a glimpse of the captain's back as his huge demeanor stood out from the rest of them. I was torn, but then a day of kindness would forever be etched into these young minds even though I know they would most likely forget my face in the long run.
A decision had been made. Throwing my opportunity to escape into the gutter was more worth it than seeing these children starve.
I pulled up my skirt, wiggled my boots to liberate them from the mud's grip, and then forced them to run. Going after the beastly pirated that doomed all of my future in his hands. The boots pounded into the squelching mud, spoiling my dress with dirt, but I didn't pay heed to it and continued running until I caught up with his long strides.
I captured his arm and yanked him with such strength I could muster to stop him on his track.
"Please," I panted, catching my breath as I stared at him with hopes. "They were just children. They do not choose to live like this. I am sure there is something we can do."
"We, caileag?" He groused, his eyes narrowed on me contemptuously. "This does not include me."
"No," I shook my head, gingerly letting his arm go, and inhaled sharply, taking up all the courage inside me, knowing that I had buried half of my body into the grave. "But if you do what I ask. I'll be willing to do anything as you please."
I could see the contemplation flashes across Captain Steele's, and I held on to that as my silver lining. Then, that moment of contemplation turns into amusement as he suddenly laughs like a mad man as if what I ask from him was nothing but a jest.
"You're not going to accept defeat, no?" I shake my head adamantly in response to his chortling inquiry. "Good then, I will need that kind of spirit."
"You will help me then?"
The captain's amusement faded on his face, then subtly nodded his head, looking over my shoulders and taking in the number of stray children on the side. "There are too many of them to feed in one day."
What he said is true, there were far too many of them, but I already have an idea in mind of how I will handle it.
"I'll find a way if you just let me," I said, swallowing my perturbation as I continued. "And I'll need your money."
At first, I thought he would incline another disapproval with my request, but he only sighed out in resignation and nodded his head.
"After I'm done with my business here."
"Thank you." A heavy lid suddenly lifted off my chest as I fought a smile from stretching out on my face, following meekly behind him.
"Do not thank me yet, caileag. I could still change my mind."
We continued to lance through the busy path, steering through the crowd as they parted their way soon as they saw Captain Steele marching on his way.
Now that I have to think about it, maybe I was right not to run away. It's quite obvious that this one-eyed captain had a heavy influence in this place, and if I did escape, he would undoubtedly find me before dusk.
Captain Steele suddenly halted in his tracks, almost sending me flat on his back if I hadn't been so alert.
We halted in front of a huge tent. The flaps were already open, but a huge fabric covered the entryway as a door.
"Stay close behind me, caileag," he warily mumbled, immediately driving me to step close to him. I don't know why but the grave tone in his voice somehow alerted me that I must do whatever he told me to.
"What are we doing here?"
"The purpose why I tagged you along with me."
My heartbeat quickened instantly, remembering what the captain had told me back when we were still on the ship. My life would depend on how I would behave. So far, all I have been persistent about is feeding the children. That wouldn't send me to my early grave, right?
Though, there is one suspicion that crossed my mind. If Captain Steele easily agreed to my request, then there must be something he wasn't telling me entirely, or perhaps…
"You're not going to sell me as a slave, right?" I stammered. The words themselves robbed my knees of the strength to support my entire weight. Fortunately, a wooden pole was stuck on the ground nearby, connected with a rope supporting the tent, and I held on to it to keep me upright.
Captain Steele turns his head towards me, amusement once again dancing across his face. He grinned, brushing his from my head to toe. "Surely, you'll generate a generous amount of money, caileag," he said. "But, no."
That somehow eased a bit of dread out of my chest, but that doesn't take out most of it, knowing there is something else.
"What will be the use of me, then?"
"I need a highborn blood."