"Scallywags, hoist 'em main sail and unfurl the jib! The wind be on our back aye, lets ride it smoothly!"
Felix's voice dominated the main deck, standing at the foot of the main mast. Each time, he checks the shipmates tasks that are mostly tending each sails and rigging. Thankfully the weather is unlike last night, the sun is shinning bright in the blue sky with soft and white clouds around it. The wind is not only filling the ship's large sails but also providing a refreshing breeze for the crew.
"Arrr, with the sun high overhead, the way ahead should be as clear as a calm sea on a summer's day!."
One crew member told Felix, as he too observes the skies.
" Aye, if this keep up we will arrive at Covet Island in not more than one week best." Felix answered, giving the older man a grin.
" Alright, keep a sharp eye on the compass and steer true to our course."
" Aye, sir!"
The man immediately ran to the stern, taking over the helm as he let a younger member take a rest. The shipmates run around the ships as Felix instructions continues.
" Keep the sails full and the rigging tight. Watch for any shifts in the wind and adjust our heading accordingly. We'll chart a course straight."
"Avast, navigator! What be our target speed for this voyage?" The man in the helm called.
"We'll maintain our course steady as she goes."
The day couldn't get any better. With the steady course, their destination doesn't seem so far. In their journey, the waves somehow strides with ease unlike what it has been for so long.
The voyage of The Mad Treasure rough as it always been, but with the perseverance of the captain and his men, it continued on despite the many turbulence. Today however, in the sight of the navigator is a new day for the first time. The sunny day depicted itself like a new hope for this journey to finally proceed. Felix feels delighted beyond words, after sailing the curse ship, light finally decided to help them.
" Are we finally reaching the real start of this journey?" He whispers against the wind.
" Do you have your doubts?"
Felix was busy looking at the men working around while his mind wander long that he did not even noticed Axel had approached him. Axel displays a telling smile against his mischievous lips. The smile that tells many plots.
The days quickly passed for the pirates, sailing the big sea as they wandered unto their next destination. Days seemed to pass at a quick pace while everyone is busy with their own duty. Everyone have forgotten the stowaway in the sickbay after days of no sign of getting up.
While the doctor rested for more days, Calev took the responsibility of taking care of her under the orders of the doctor himself and with the captain agreement even still being held back by his punishment. With Zeki's help, the stowaway's health had become steady. Calev in the other, while facing back two responsibilities back to back, he also received a good scolding from the quartermaster and by the self proclaimed vice captain of the ship.
The higher-ranking members of crew with the exception of the captain took turns visiting the patient within those days. Of course Calev told them to only pay a visit if he was around as he was in charge of the stowaway.
But not that they wanted to visit them anyways, Elijah made them do it. Unsurprisingly for everyone, despite hearing the final diagnosis from the ship doctor himself, Elijah deep trauma and anxiety that resulted to a serious problem of concerning paranoia, he just couldn't let his guard down about it.
For him, the stowaway could still possess some kind of tricks behind those suspicious sleeves. The only thing that keeps the stowaway from harming anyone in the ship is because the stowaway had been asleep for almost a week.
Elijah thought this is a good precaution.
So each of them was ordered by Elijah to take a closer look, which only disappointed Zeki more. He could not believe that Elijah, who was more than what he was, had the capability to threatened a patient, an unconscious one.
Felix, was the only one who entered the sickbay with no other motives other than actually asking Calev if he had taken a break. He didn't care about what Elijah had been talking or his constant paranoia of being ambushed by this weak sleeping patient.
All he could ever think was the combatant's tired expression whenever they see each other, coming out from the sickbay just to be a choreboy cleaning off ship's barnacles. Calev's looked pitiful in Felix's eyes.
When Felix asked him why he was so bent on taking care of this patient, Felix knew Calev wouldn't care for anything or anyone unless they are part of the crew so this sight was something he had been frowning in curiosity.
However, Calev only responded about how Zeki's orders must be followed, especially in the sickbay.
Calev had been making excuses to anyone and even himself just to justify his actions. It wasn't only Felix who had realized the ordinance of the combatant's sudden care. Everyone in the ship has been questioning it too. Every now and then for almost a week he had been guarding the stowaway like a knight or a predator watching is prey.
Either way, the combatant's actions confused everyone.
Calev truly has no idea what has come over him. He understood everyone's questions, he too had questioned himself already. Unexpectedly, he could not find any answers that would justify himself, but a complete blank paper that represents his actions.
Nothing was pushing him to act, but rather something unexplainable was pulling him. That pull takes him to act out of the ordinary, and with that comes the confusing feelings he could not recognize or even felt before in his life. Everything was new, everything was unexplainable, yet he did not find the strangeness of it strange at all, peculiarly it felt right.
This strangeness in Calev that he displayed for days, had caught the attention of the doctor. Ever since Zeki has recovered, finally able to walk properly he made it his responsibility to his best abilities to awaken the patient who has been asleep for a long time. Yet he found another issue that needs his abilities.
" Good you're here."
Zeki calmly said when he heard the door shut.
Calev enters the sickbay, already tired from the previous duty he priorly attended. His demeanor clearly drifting away, as if a cloud of unconsciousness is floating atop of his head. He stands close to the door, waiting for Felix's instruction.
Zeki finally looks at him.
He looks absolutely terribly unlike the few days. His eyes sunken deep as dark circles under it shadows the blackness of his pupils. Although his physique never changed, the muscular man looks more tense than ever. As if this predicament is something that is affecting not only him but what his subconsciousness.
" I have prepared his medicine for today. You can change the bandages in his leg and head later and apply that ointment I just made." He instructed, walking around the sickbay and arranging the necessity that Calev will need.
" Yes." Calev's stoic voice answered.
" I'll grind the medicine more so it will be easy for him to swallow. I don't want an unconscious patient choking on my medicine."
Zeki deep voice laced with softness around it made Calev at least lessen what's in his mind.
" Helps me here, will you?"
Calev helps Zeki with carrying the essentials, assisting him to organize the labeled medicine he prepared for Calev. All while telling him what he needs to do for his night shift.
" How are you lately?" Zeki suddenly asked.
Calev isn't expecting the doctor to ask him. While he is preoccupy with changing the bandages in the stowaway head, the doctor is busy with his the medicines.
Unknown to Calev, the doctor finds the strangeness of his actions as a new book to be read. A new knowledge to fill his curious mind, and learn something from it. Zeki is simply not just a doctor, who treats everyone's wounds with his knowledge of anatomy and medicine.
He is someone that bears magic in his veins, a sorcerer that is capable of anything. That capability is not only the reason for his gifted hands and mind in medicine and various things, but also he is capable of knowing something that most people don't know at first glance.
Right in the first encounter he had with the sleeping stowaway, he had already felt something different. Not only from her but also to the combatant who has been under scrutiny for his unexplainable actions.
Zeki can feel the synergy between them, as if something inside the combatant recognized something in the stowaway.
"How are you lately?" He repeated, curiously peeking at the combatant.
" Sane." He answered monotonously.
Zeki can't not help but snicker, finding his response funny. He turns around to look at the combatant, his broad shoulders and back is facing him as he continue to take care of the stowaway. His eyes objectively studied the actions in his assistant, as he tries to read whatever it is that is between them.
All he felt was the combatant's demon that was eager to act on his behalf.
" Sane, huh? Well, I feel your beast seeping out. Did someone fuel your rage again?"
There is concern in his question, in his words allowing the intonation of not only pure curiosity but genuine worry from a friend to a friend.
" No, I'm sane." He repeated his answers with firmness in his voice, not even daring to look at the doctor.
Zeki knows better, he might be feeling sane right now but the immense energy he feels from what he is trying so hard to fight back is seeping right out of him. He can feel that demon trying to surpass him like it had always done. And pitifully, the combatant tries his hardest not to let it out. Even at the calmest he can be, Zeki can see the fury dancing in his eyes.
" It might be better to have you resting than be here"
Zeki sighed when he realized that the combatant would only deny his clear hesitations and suffering.
" I can see that demon Calev, it's better to tame him first before we get in trouble."
"I'm staying." All he did was nod, as if considering Zeki's advice.
But in the doctor's observations it is clear that what laces in his tone is complete wrath. Something he has always heard from the demon that they are all trying to keep away from controlling him anymore.
" And why is that?"
Zeki pressed the issue more, the shift in his deep voice in a more serious tone did not help Calev—or what is trying to control him calm down.
Calev doesn't respond, his eyes remains glued to the stowaway. Although he is working on the bandages, occupied with it. He is indeed showing some signs. His eyes which darkens at the sight of the stowaway, as if reacting too heavily on the pitiful sight. Calev can feel it, he knows he should just follow Zeki's words but he can't stop it.
[ Why do I feel like I have to be close to you? ]
Calev can't understand no matter. There is no answers to any questions he asks himself.
" Tell me what's in your mind." Zeki interrupted his inner thoughts.
He feels Zeki's walking close to him, then his warm hands touching his shoulder. The touch feels light, the immense yet soft whispers of Zeki's fingertips glows with a a shimmering stream of golden streaks, with the overhue of natural green light. The magic flowed like tendrils of golden energy weaving into Calev's body.
The combatant feels the anger inside him disappears. A breathe he is able to take the moment everything got seeped in his body. Those warm light touching what is consider to be dark around him, calming every senses he has—Zeki's securely tames that beast.
" I told you, I can feel that demon of yours."
Zeki eyed him seriously, burning his green eyes into Calev's dark ones.
" I am staying."
This time, Calev said it softly although he understood what Zeki was implying with what he said.
Zeki takes his hand off him, surprise by his respond. There is no hint of what he feels from him before, not even the slightest of that beast within his aura.
A new book, Zeki's sees this as a new book to read. Calev's and this stowaway strange connection that perhaps it's just him that realizes is something worth to look into. At the same time, the curiosity for the identity of this person makes him eager to find out. For an unknown woman like her to have an affect with the man who is unaffectable ever since, it is concerning.
" Have it your way. But once you feel that anger again Calev, I am warning you. Look for me or Axel." Zeki said, his voice frim and resolute.
It is almost midnight, the moon looking closer to them, illuminating every crack and nook of the ship. Meanwhile, outside of the sickbay into the top of the forecastle Axel wanders around the places as his mind does the same.
In his mind still lies the thoughts of the curse that is keeping them in the vast oceans. The heaviness of what he is carrying is seen in the crease of his eyes as he frown away his problems that he can't find any solutions to.
The curse in which he endures for so long, the very thing that ties him to the madness that he himself knew. In which result the people who deeply trusted him, follow his footsteps regardless.
Axel knows the burden he is carrying, and the price he needs to pay. And he knew there is no way out of it, there is no way for the Mad Treasure to dock in the peace of where he wishes for.
There were too many things that has kept him wide awake. And in his trail of thoughts comes the curiosity he has for the stowaway.
Even at the peaceful night, where he stares right ahead of the dark sky illuminated with the beautiful moon that seems to have been staring at his pitiful figure. He couldn't help but let his mind wander further, through the deepest thoughts that he has been hiding for so long. Rendering him restless, in contrast to how calm the waves are, how careful the wind in his skin, it is the whispers of the sea that made his thoughts wild.
By the sea, he hears her.
The warnings that has always haunted him, in the sea he hears her. The voice that has always tormented him, the tone of unrecognizable sentiments. And all he can do is listen, nothing less and nothing more. Axel listens to her, letting the sea feeds him with the haunting lullabies that would never put him to sleep but rather keep him in a nomadic desperation. In her voice carries both hope and despair, as if Axel can't find the line that separates it.
{ " To the land of all."
"Off you go." }
However, just like as always Axel chose to ignore the whispers of the oceans. Like a daring pirate he has always been, he does not let any words get into him. However, no one can't erase the great effect of such haunted words that one disturb person can receive, and frankly Axel has always been disturbed.
And no matter how much he tries to hide it all, Zeki always knows better.
When he finds Zeki leaving the room upon his arrival in the sickbay, he knows questions are about to fall into those lips. Zeki eyes him curiously and with cautions, the captain smiles cheekily at the doctor as he put his hands up in surrender. Telling the doctor he came in peace and just wanted to check their "guest", making the doctor roll his eyes.
" I don't want to hear any reports of trying to scare the patient, captain."
Zeki retorted, referring to the reported events of the quartermaster's effort on leaving a psychological trauma to the patient.
" You and the quartermaster are quite the same fish in one pond, but you're crueler." he stated, implying the captain's fearsome reputation.
Amongst the wide stretch of ocean that is dominated by various pirates, Axel name rings fear to the soul of those who knows. He might be friendlier at times, but he is completely a different genre to be identified with.
" I came in peace."
Axel tried to make the mood shift, laughing along with his little response.
" You came to give peace to your wandering mind, Axel."
Zeki can't contain what he sees in those emerald eyes. Dark like the night sky, there is nothing he can hide from the doctor.
" Tsk, you always know too much." Axel laughed bitterly. "Always."
He can't look at the doctor's eyes anymore, despite his effort to hide everything and make a lighter mood, nothing went past the doctor's observations.
A big reason why Zeki is a scary individual, he can see through everyone. With that, Zeki can tell that something is bothering the captain. No matter how Zeki will try to ignore it, the hollow dark eyes of Axel tells a lot of story. However the captain is known for keeping everything for himself, as if there is a tall wall he has built a long time ago and no one can ever walk past it.
Just like always, even at the expense of his deep curiosity on wanting to understand the captain more, he has never forced his way towards someone's life. Zeki chose not to learn what could be under those emerald eyes that he found so strange.
" Calev is inside, the demon might be fixin' to come. Please do tame that fucking demon."
Zeki changed the topic, remembering that the combatant inside was seeping with rage.
" And..."
Zeki thought for a moment, contemplating his hesitations. In the end he chose to close his mouth and dismissed their conversation. He leaves that captain who entered the sickbay with an assurance that he is not harming his patient.
Calev was busy arranging the medicine Zeki had made prior to his entrance. The combatant averts his eyes to the captain, surprised with the sudden visit. Axel scans the look in those eyes, indeed he can see how Calev's eyes shifts. Although Zeki made him calm earlier, the sudden presence of the captain near the stowaway made him on guard.
As if there is something that is boggling the combatant, restless and uncertain but most of all he can't miss the confusion that is mix with anger in those eyes.
" Calev."
He called, in the heaviness of his pronunciation. The authority in his voice carries the magic that Zeki had laid in those commanding spells that comes out in the captain's lips whenever he calls his name.
Like an aggressive dog that needs to subdue, he recognizes his master's voice. The electrifying circuits run through his body, stopping him to move and submit to him.
" I fucking told you to fix those eyes of yours, you been looking at me like you want my head."
He dismisses the look of the combatant when he notices that slowly, his eyes started to become hesitant. Axel tells him to continue what he is doing, and takes a seat next to the patient.
The stowaway looks better in appearance, her body gaining weight and her injuries getting better. Axel analyzes every aspect of her, from how small her body in Calev's clothes to how pale her skin is.
The jet black hair is tied in a messy bunny, with the assistance of Zeki claiming it's annoying when he's treating the head injury, almost shaving it off but was quickly stopped by Calev.
"He looks far from bein' a lad,"
Axel said out of nowhere, realizing how the stowaway's physical look is far from being a boy. His eyes squints at the figure in front of him, wondering many thoughts coming like a train.
The softness of the stowaway's features, there is no way he could be a male. The long lashes that compliments the stowaway's eyes, the slender body that no one could refuse to look at despite the huge garments around the figure.
[ He isn't a lass, is he? ]
" Am I hitting the bullseye?" Axel chuckles.
Calev tenses on Axel's words but said nothing nonetheless. He continue his task and let the captain analyzes the patient like a creep. Axel finds it strange that he can see such familiarity in the face of the sleeping figure.
He remembers the empty eyes he saw in those hazel ones, the vague memories that playes whenever the stowaway's face flashes in his mind.
He can't point it out exactly but he feels a certainty coming from the harmless person. As if there is something that is recognizable in his point of view. Yet he can't understand what it is.
Although he feels bad that it's been more than three days already and the stowaway is in the terrible reality of waking up and being stuck in a cursed ship, he catches himself wanting to know more about her identity.
He knows that he is suppose to maroon the stowaway per planned, but the circumstances did not allow him to. The curse needs three days for him to send new people who stepped into the ship before the curse can get them. Yet he failed once again, and through his life in the ship where he tries his best to lessen the curse that each of his men can receive.
Taking all the burden by himself, he is uncertain if he can do it again. Axel doesn't know if he can still save the people who boarded his ship.
Calev reluctantly glance at the man, making sure he won't do anything to the stowaway. There is a silence followed by another silence, it isn't something to be mindful of. It is inevitable for the room to be quiet when you're with the combatant. He won't speak unless he has to.
Even at the statement of his captain that left a bothersome feeling inside him, he did not utter a word. He feels like he has to hide the fact the she is a woman, a feeling of trying to secure her so he remained quiet.
Like a duty that he must do, he confusedly let his instinct act for him. He knows as someone under his captain, he must tell him what he discovered. Yet the demon inside him came back, his eyes darkening again while he sees the captain look at her endlessly.
The demon sits inside with fury.
Yet he could not understand why.
As the silence is only getting louder, finally a noise is heard. A groan, mumbling and sniffled groans slowly and quietly from the bed.
Calev's eyes shots to the patient and immediately runs to the side while the captain stands up to give the combatant a space. Then Axel's eyes widens upon what he sees, realization hit him while Calev is completely unaware, more focused on the wounds, trying to look for the reason for the sudden cries.
Axel's eyes meets hers.