Three days later, after her fast recovery, courtesy to now fine doctor she experienced the shift in of her status in the ship. From the suspicious stowaway to a welcomed guest of the ship. She got even invited in nightly gossip or even horror tales or the shipmate down the barracks. Of course she joined in and filled her curious mind with all the obvious lies they had been feeding her.
Asking them many questions about the certain man that had become a mystery to her, but still meeting the same ending of no answers. Her curiosity traversed at those times, inquiring about the tales of Mad Treasure and how it had become what it is today, and how Axel became the pirate king. In the exaggerations of their answers, she found herself in the middle ground of not understanding or not believing. However, she understood now that these pirates are quite different.
Of course with the exception of the quartermaster, everyone seems to be different from the concept of pirates. Everyone may seem hostile, but they are very welcoming when they find out you're a friend. Something that doesn't make sense for her as she is under the impression that pirates are bad people.
Elijah, the quartermaster however did not disappoint her assumptions. Ever since she recovered, all he ever shown her is hostility. She has to admit, everyone scares her here but no one does it better than the quartermaster himself. He treated her differently, far from how everyone has been treating her lately after she recovered. The captain never really crossed paths with her as she is always at the sickbay as per instruction of Zeki, and if not she is at the forecastle with Calev by her side. The other crew greeted her everytime and even counted her as one of their mates.
In a span of three, she's given permission to roam the ship on her own with the exception of never entering the higher ranks cabin and the office. With her best to follow every rule to not risk anything at all. Everything is going smoothly for her, the fear of pirates slowly subsides.
But except the fear of Elijah Vischer
He on the other hand has been giving her tons of heavy duty upon hearing the news that she had physically recover. This resulted with the huge disagreement from the shipmates she made friends with and had sent a petition to the quartermaster. Elijah however never breaks, he remains stern and still put the stowaway with heavy duty. Claiming that no one's here is a freeloader, he will never tolerate a free stay at the ship. She, with fear of Elijah, agreed anyways.
At first the duty that was harshly given to her was light. A few simple chores that made her run around the ship, in both sweats and exhaustion. The quartermaster had made it sure to embed his policy of cleanliness in the ship. Thus the stowaway worked hard on leaving no spots on the deck, to every nook and cranny, she cleaned without complaints.
However as the time passed by through that days, she found herself drowning in the uncountable tasks that the quartermaster personally had given her. Not just basic chores such as mopping and dusting, or even polishing the interior of the ship, and tending the sails despite her lack of experience—she is forever thankful enough that Felix had always help her with the sails. And it just got heavier when her errands started to take out of her capabilities. From loading the magazine in the burrows, to tending the maintenance of the canons. Everyone witnessed how the abuse she took without saying anything at all, and the evil rule of the quartermaster against her.
Most of the crew feels so bad that a frail and weak person like her is stuck in a job that she can't say no to. Obviously, the reason why she did not say anything against Elijah is because she has no right to. In between the crew's guilt and afflicted feelings because they can't do anything to help her, comes also the feeling of bewilderment when their expectations did not find it meeting.
A small body like hers, especially a person who just got out of the sickbay is presumed to be someone who can't have any manpower all alone. Even herself could not fathom if it is her real strength or brute force that allowed her to overwork and lift the heaviest duty the Elijah can find to torment her.
Or is it the power of Zeki's medicines?
If it is the latter, then the bitter taste of the green liquid that she always forces herself to take is quite impressive. But if she have someone to tell her honesty, the medicine tasted like death in her tongue.
" This will take out the fatigue in your body." Zeki smiled, he hands her the bowl of the green liquid she was always scared to intake.
She had just finished every job she was thrown into by the end of sunset and around the time of supper when she entered the sickbay wanting to take a rest.
" I better speak with that man about you. You are still my patient."
She remembers how terrifying this doctor can be when he is angry. That day where he effortlessly took away the mouths of Argus and Draco had never stop playing in her head whenever she sees his face. That is why no matter how many times she would want to just throw away the content of the bowl, she drinks it without any excess left. Zeki doesn't know this, but his lovely herbs really do have a strong impression that is not good at all.
She is supposed to take another medicine with the same color but different in texture. Although Zeki's ailments worked the best indeed, courtesy of being a natural healer, she just doesn't want to take it at all. Fortunately for her, Argus comes in that time and invites her to hang with him in his turf; the crowsnest.
She has grown to like Argus' company, although most of the time he flirts with her even if he is unaware that she is indeed a woman. She is creeped out to be honest, yet she seems to enjoy his great company. She is able to laugh and smile with him, he seems to be a happy man. Because of that she is able to rewind and forget everything that bothers her.
She stopped hoping, wishing and praying for her unrecalled memories. She just simply forgotten about it. She doesn't want to be disappointed if she ever finds out about her memories, fearing that she could be an enemy.
Still, that still lingers her mind from time to time. The fact that she can not remember anything does not put an assurance to her real identity is. That is why she understands the hostility of Elijah towards her. She understands the man who did nothing but observed her.
Elijah did nothing but observe her, waitng for the timing that he can prove her identity to be an enemy. Unlike the other crew, they had completely forgotten such a conspiracy. Especially Argus, who had been hanging out with her, even letting her stay at the crows nest if she wants to.
That is just an excuse for him to ditch his duty. Leaving the poor stowaway alone in the corwnest as Argus went to his cabin—pretending to do something else.
Alone and in solitude, with the cold wind and dark sky with her. She watches the stars twinkle on their own, listening to the sound of the waves as if it is talking to her.
"Tired?"
The sudden voice startled stowaway, almost jumping in fright. Her back hit the small wall of the cramped nest as she tries to calm her beating heart. Her hands tapping her chest repeatedly in an attempt to collect herself as she breathes loudly. In front of her is the combatant, peeking into the crownest. His rough hands holding into the ropes of the shrouds, intently looking at her shock expression.
Calev can't help but laugh lightly, apologizing in between his snickers while he climbs to the nest next to her. The stowaway moves to give away a small space next to her, in which the combatant doesn't hesitate to take and sits next to her.
" Sleepy." She answers with a yawn, absentmindedly stretching her limbs in the tight space, shoving Calev to the side.
When she heard a thud, she yelps in surprise when she sees the sight of the combatant pressed against the wall of the cramped crowsnest.
"Sorry." She wailed as she pulls the man to fix his positions. His mystery still lingers, when she expected that that would trigger him as what Draco had warned her but instead she met a different reaction.
Calev doesn't mind it at all, instead he composes himself and acts as if nothing happened. Surely, if anyone would have done that to him accidentally or not, he would inflict tremendous fear to their soul. However, he can't do that to her.
" Then you should rest, why are you here anyway?" He suggested, finding it unusual for her to be at this place when for all that he knows, Elijah has never given her this task. Argus is usually the lookout, especially at night, but he is nowhere in sight.
"Argus left and told me to stay here for a while before he comes back." She innocently answered his untold question.
The combatant can't help but sigh in annoyance. Of course Argus would ditch his job and this innocent stowaway is definitely an easy victim. He has seen Argus do this many times, and the whole crew has known better than to fall into his tricks. He should've seen it coming, and he should've expected the quartermaster to drown the pitiful stowaway with abundant chores that only fit the physique of a man. But her secret had given her these premonitions of tasks that he himself can't believe she can and will do with no complaint.
Calev wants to help her of course, after all she is still a patient regardless of how much recovery she had gone through. She is still under his supervision and surveillance. Unfortunately aside from being an assistant to the doctor, he has his other jobs at the ship—the choreboy he has been ever since he disobey his captain. Elijah has been making the most of it.
From the sickbay to the burrows and into the hulls, he deals with what is assigned to him. And because of the injuries that the ship had gotten due to the ambush they had encountered in that island, the boatswain demanded a number of hands to help maintain it.
Calev don't want to admit it, but he wanted to see her. As the days got busier for all of them, he has heard and seen the vast amount of torture that Elijah has given her in the facade of chores. From the armory to the gundeck, up to the sails and the neatness of the ship's floor.
She works under the rule of the grumpy and doubtful quartermaster. Calev doesn't want anything but to stop her from overworking but Elijah's orders are just like the captain's words. No one unless the captain can say something about it. Days has passed since he had properly seen her, and the only news he got about her is from the crew members report that he forced them to report for himself. So when the night fell and he had learned she is all alone in the crowsnest, hesitation is nothing in his mind but just to visit her just like how he always wanted, yet he can't admit that loudly.
" That small fuck." He muttered. " Let's get you some sleep, and I will take care of this." He announced, referring to the duty while pulling her by the wrist, forcing her to stand up with him.
" Im fine, and besides, I don't like the sickbay. It smells herb—y" She confessed, scrunching her nose as she remembered the strong aromas of Zeki's green herbs in the kettles, ready for her to drink. Calev squints his eyes at her, feeling a bit offended by the indirect insult to a profession he also possess.
" Those herbs saved you, you know." He shrugged yet his tone was serious.
" Still, they are disgusting to the palate." She remarked giving the same eyes but he could see the playfulness running in those hazels.
" Tsk!" Calev rolled his eyes, and upon seeing that the stowaway can't stop a chuckle coming out of her mouth. Probably the first time he had ever seen or heard her laugh, a new sight to behold.
" Getting comfortable with me, I see." He commented which to his dismay faded her light.
"I'm sorry. It's just, I had never seen you like that before and you're usually not talkative." She lowers her voice, not wanting to upset the man.
" So you are. Not talkative that much, but here we are." He raised his eyebrow at her, pointing out a fact.
" I'm sorry." She apologized for nothing.
Calev eyes furrows at her words trying to find the reason for the sudden apology when he doesn't mind her opening up to her.
" Don't be, I like it when you talk more." He confessed without realizing it.
Those words that feels foreign, yet without any realization made Calev crack a smile. Something that is hard to see from him, yet here they are. Standing in the crowsnest, under the dark and starry night sky, looking into each other eyes and having the uncanny premonition that they once met before, even if they can't remember or even realized. But something inside of him recognizes her, and that wrath burns in desperation to meet her.
But Calev comes with no awareness of it.
The stowaway feels the weight of his mystery got heavier. Seeing this man change in front of her, the memories of being tied up by him in the mast is long gone. The image of the stoic man slowly disappears as it replace by the dark eyes that reflects the stars above them. A smile that tells a mystery, a mystery that she will never be able to solve.
" I don't think I could do that to everyone though." She truthfully said, implying she finds it uneasy to talk more with other.
She finally tore her gaze from the man and looks ahead at the dark horizon. Her breathing echoes through the cold wind into his ears, the fog coming out her mouth as she exhales. Mesmerizing him even at the sight of darkness.
" Scared of them?" He doesn't stop looking at her.
" Yes." She heaves a sigh.
" Pirates are scary, everyone here is scary to me." She tells him with no hesitations, her voice lingers with truth and mellowness. With the sound of her sighs that tells the defeated breathe of acceptance.
" Even me?"
" Yes." The stowaway will not deny that the combatant does scare her.
Just like everybody in the ship she is scared of all of them, and Calev and his mysterious personality is not an exception. She has many reason to fear all of them, she has seen them from her first day at the ship. Yet, despite how scared she is for her life she is able to speak her mind at some point only at the vicinity of the combatant. The thing is, although he is as scary as everyone else, he feels safer than anyone else.
" But you're kinder."
Calev didn't expect that from her, but his heart almost leaps out of his chest because her words. He tries to question his unusual reaction, but something pulls him. He has no idea how those simple words had affected him but he can't complain. As if that pull that he always feels, finally got its satisfaction for once.
"How so?" His low toned voice eerily haunted the night, the emancipation of his questions gushed through the dark sky.
" You never threatened me, you saved me." She turns around to look at him and although she is surprised at the intensity of his eyes when it meets her she tries to collect herself.
Calev feels that pull, stronger and powerful than ever. As his hazel eyes softly locks with his dark ones, he feels something that almost pain him. Unexplainable as always, even if he will ask himself over and over again, he will never find an answer—for he is not the one who bears the answer.
Inside him is a raging fire, at the edge of his unknown wrath—the origin never disclosed. The sight of this woman, someone he never met shakes him up. Makes him act the most unusual actions he never thought he can do. And its all because something inside him is always acting up.
[ I have so many chances to ask Zeki and explain this, but why? Why does it feels so right to be feeling this way. Why can't I shake he off, why am I letting it all happen?
Why does it feel right? ]
" Let's get you some sleep." He said after the silence between them. Forcing himself to forget whatever that is going inside him. I
" I don't really like sickbay." She mutters, knowing exactly that she will have to stay again in that herb—y room, the thought almost makes her gag.
He thought for a moment, looking around the place as if trying to find something that might make her agree.
" Hey!"
Calev called down, almost half of his body hanging down the crownest, his torso against the lining of the wood. His voice almost heard by everyone who is still awake. The young crew who is walking in the deck jumps with fright with the thunderous voice of the combatant.
" Tyke! C'mere and man this nest!" He order, not even waiting for the response of the man he hoists the stowaway in his big arms.
Not allowing her to have the time to process what is happening or have a proper reaction but with the sound of her shrieks that she stopped with the back of her palm. He easily climbs down the shrouds with ease, as if her body weighs nothing around his arms. In the corner of her eyes, she sees the young man named Tyke, climbs to the top with no words, but it is clear that the man feared his life to be taken.
In a span of moments, she who is still in his arms barges into an unknown cabin inside the quarters. Her feet landing softly at the wooden floor oppositely sounding to the loud thud the door created when the combatant forces the door open.
Inside the room are two beds facing each other, a lamp hanging right in the middle of the room, and a purple ash haired man lying peacefully in one of the beds. He look at the direction of the door, pissed off and ready to fight the intruder who almost broke the hinges. His eyes however widens when he is greeted by the combatant who is intently judging him with his scary eyes and a stowaway awkwardly standing behind the huge man.
[ Oh, I am fucked. ]
Argus' mouth hugely ajar, knowing exactly what he did and who he had tricked into taking his duty. With a sheepish smile, he tentatively walk towards his mate. Surely he is not angry about it, at least that is what he is praying. But considering how much of an obsession this combatant has for this stowaway recently, he is probably wrong. He can feel it, and so he change his tactic in an attempt to save him.
" Out." Calev reverted to his usual demeanor, quiet, one word, brooding, and scary. The exact image of when he first met him.
" Huh???" Argus is dumbfounded. "This is my room, well our room."
"Out." He repeated, this time pushing him out the cabin, even almost knocking her out. Fortunately, at the same time that he pushes Argus out he drags her gently.
" Hey, that's discrimination. You knocked me out while you dragged him that delicately!" Argus whines, not believing what he saw.
"Shut up." Calev glares at him. " S----he's staying here."
"What about me?!" Argus yells, thrashing around, his feet stomping on the floor like a little kid.
" The stowaway doesn't like the smell of herbs, and s—he's is safe here. I can take care of his wounds much better." Calev said with no emotions.
" What about me?!" He repeated his exclamations.
"Deal with it." He nonchalantly said.
"I'm fine with with being at the sickbay!" She shouted suddenly, cutting the next person to exchange. Her voice trembles in her loud volume, regretting the fact that she raised her voice to a pirate.
"No, you're staying."
She feels like crying, she doesn't want to make an enemy out of Argus—especially a pirate. She rather had this smell of herbs than get into the bad side of any pirates on the ship. She doesn't understand why Calev would suddenly decide something like this, she never suggest anything like this in the first place. And she wants to clear that out to the person who is soon to be homeless in the ship, she doesn't want him thinking she is taking advantage of this. And besides, Argus has become a friend to her regardless of how annoyingly cheeky he is, she doesn't want to ruin that just over a small bed.
" Calev, I ca—" She desperately called, yet she is cut off.
"No. You said you don't like it there, so this place is much better." Calev looks at her, and she knows right away he is serious and nothing can stop him.
[ But why are you doing this? ]
Argus also realized this, and even though he wants to press this issue more and get his rightful ownership of the cabin. The sight and the fact that this man suddenly acting like this entertains him more. If he can see unusual things like this by taking him out of his safe and comfort place, he would gladly trade it. Besides this is the frist time he had ever seen the combtant like this, so why not have fun?
" Aye mate, seems like I can't stop you with your desire to be with this lad." He winks at his mate, his arms reaching out to tap the combatant's shoulder. " I'm proud of you."
Argus would likely want to fight for his right in his own bed and room, he likes that mattress so much. The quietness and seldom atmosphere that the combatant has to offer, fit for his rest and sleep. Definitely he is willing to fight anyone just to get that room again. Yet he didn't, the smirk on his lips says that he sees something worth talking about.
And so that is where the rumors sparked.