She crosses the hatches near the aftercastle, seeing everyone is busy with every work to be done.
The quartermaster's voice dominates the whole deck, as he orders everyone around. She watches them, excitement over their faces that she hasn't seen ever since. For the first time, she sees something else in their rugged appearance.
As if the joy in their eyes and the push of their enthusiasm speaks to the anticipation they will meet at the island that they are speedily approaching.
The stowaway tries to think of the reasons why these people are now showing the exciting part of the adventure that she herself doesn't know of. Aside from finding out the different personalities of the supposed stoic and manly pirates, she has no idea what is the purpose of the pirate king and his sailing.
She had never got a real answer that would foretell everything, all she can remember is the small memory of her overhearing a certain mission in the days she has stayed over. Proven on how each of them works with the passion, and expedition that is yet to be recorded.
And in the middle of the noise and grounded work of the people that maneuver their motions over the waves that will take them to the first land she will set on. She sees him, in the middle of the many people, standing as the bigger man with the authority that he is given.
Just like everyday, ordering people with his dominant voice, strict actions, but he is different for the first time. Her eyes squinting in confusion as the quartermaster himself shows excitement, voice still loud but a smile plastered in his face.
He looks different.
Beautiful.
He looks beautiful, far from his exuding aura of a dictator, a grumpy man, with murderous eyes. He looks so much like an angel with a smile, his eyes smiling with it.
With the anticipation of their journey coming to his senses drives him to the feeling of overwhelming cased emotions. Visually reflecting through his blue eyes and the smile widely displaying for everyone to see. The stowaway takes a moment to memorize how he look, far from what he has always given her.
She wishes he will look at her like that, so at least the fear she has for him would lessen. But she knows she could never receive such a look from the man.
Before he could notice her, she quickly paces to the forecastle expertly avoiding everyone who is busy running around and too busy to care who they would bump into.
She manages to cross the busy deck, arriving at the forecastle unscathed with anything. She approaches the beakhead, wanting to be further from all the noise and busy people. She looks ahead, the first island she will land on ever since being in the ship.
The island is small of course, but it is a busy one as it is use a lot by sailors, merchants and pirates. Every pirate docks in the land with peace, as the town mayor, a former pirate lord, addresses a code not wanting to have a ruined business.
With the payment of taxes, the mayor gain the peaceful treaty that no marine shall do their duty and no pirate shall cause unlawful crimes. This island is certainly welcomes pirates, but doesn't tolerate their heinous crimes.
Unlike any other island that is dominated by the organization of the regime of piracy, in every corner of the place are the heinous illegal trades that is normal for the life of criminals. With their devious acts, completely tarnishing the beauty of the geography.
This beautiful island of luscious greens of palm trees, the rich mountainous forests, and the big and unreachable cliffs that were kissed by the strong waves. Behind the beauty of nature, humans flocked like a band of animals, no moral compass-however guided by the principle of wealth and business.
"Oi. You want to explore? We only have a day."
A pitchy voice, filled with playful tone suddenly someone sneaks up behind her, his hands grabbing her by the waist as she almost stumbles and falls to the water in surprise.
She gasps as she watches the strong current, that can easily swallow her. Goosebumps runs through her body, thanking God for allowing her to live for more. Turning around, she gasps louder when their noses collide.
He chuckles in amusement by seeing such a reaction, his smile never ceasing even teasing her by getting his face closer to hers. Immediately, she pushes him back which earns a more rich laughter. She scoffs as she adjust herself and her clothes hoping the man did not see or felt anything different in her body.
"My bad, I forgot you are Calev's."
Argus jokes, pretending to look around searching for the combatant.
If Calev was around Argus would have found himself across the forecastle and broken bones. Which to his surprise, is a very huge shift in the combatant's nature. He cant fathom what kind of changes had happened to his best friend.
The series of being thrown across any room by Calev, and him being chased is no foreign to him. It's an everyday routine as a payment for his teasing. These days however, ever since the stowaway had entered their ship, his mate has completely changed.
It might not be drastically because he is still the Calev they all know, but in a way he has changed his ways. He has reasons now, a reason to act like the way he does.
Her.
Everyone recognizes his actions; an act of protection.
They have no understanding why, for he has always remained quiet when being asked. He avoided the question or did not respond at all. All they could ever do is watch him follow the stowaway like a protective guardian, and when he is not around he makes sure someone is watching over her and reports directly to him.
At this point all Argus can think is whether he is marking his next target; trying to torment the stowaway before killing her.
But it doesn't feel like that.
[ Or maybe Calev is just really into pretty boys. ]
He laughed at the thought.
"Am I allowed to?" She asks, pertaining to Argus' statement. She wants to go, but she needs permission first.
"Of course, I'll put a good word to the small captain." He giggles before running off. She smiles at the funny nickname when he himself is regarded as a small by his tall crewmates.
Excitement fills her, there are many things traveling in her mind. From the various things she is anticipating to see on the island. Her mind that had lost most of the memories of the world, she knows basically nothing. The calling of learning made her curiosity run wild, like a little kid wanting the adventure.
"Ahoy!" The navigator announced when they finally reached the port.
The Mad Treasure stood taller and bigger than any of the pirate ships and vessels that are amongst them. The people who witnesses the massive ship dropping their anchor gasps in either awe, fascination taking over, or they watches with nothing in horror as the realization hit them.
The red and black hue around the body of the ship, the figurehead of the goddess Tyche covered in the crimson color of blood, along with the black sails that drive the huge vessel.
They recognizes who just docked with them, the pirate king had just arrived.
The horrors in everyone's eyes however are not seen by the stowaway.
Like a person who is deprive of human and land connection, she watches the people in the island like it is her first time seeing many people all at once. Lively, all she can ever think of when she sees the people in the land.
Everyone is doing their own things, laughter, voices everywhere, new faces as she surveys the place. Her excitement is almost overbearing, wanting nothing more than to set her feet to the steady land.
The crew starts to disperse, hearing from everybody their plans for today. Talks about liquor, food, agenda of purchasing some personal things they want as they greedily converse at the weather deck.
Waiting for their captain's words before they can go on their own. Elijah is already at out of the board, managing the fees for docking. Having a whole conversation with the man who is in charge of the organizations of the port.
In the corner of her vision, she sees a huge ship docked meters away from where they were. It is massive yet not as much as the Mad Treasure, but the standing of its figure and colors that is hoisted in the jolly roger that shows the red skulls and bones.
She sees familiarity in it, in the corner of her mind that nothing remembers-the ship looks like something she knows of.
She wonders.
"Everyone! I will give you the time to enjoy yourselves at this land but be back at more than noon and less than supper for we shall be ready to weigh anchor. So be sure to get everything you needs"
Axel declares at the top of the quarterdeck, yet smiling at everyone despite his serious tone.
"Aye, aye captain." They all shouted in unison.
Everyone starts to leave in subgroups, reminders are being heard from Elijah telling everyone to not miss what they come here for. Hakim starts to collect his weapons and hoisted them on his hips, as if getting ready for a battle. The captain telling him something before he set his foot and left all alone.
As well as everyone, Calev is nowhere to be found. Ever since that morning, he is one. Being out of the cabin when she woke up. And just like him, Argus also left her—when she expects him to come back. After all he told her that he will seek the permission of her well awaited step on her first island.
Yet he did not come back, unsure of her status whether she should stay or not. The ship is now empty with the captain and the navigator and her. The doctor and the boatswain preparing to leave together with a long list of purchases they must do. They are running out of stock, both food and especially medicines.
A sudden stowaway deemed as the main reason why. Her recovery needed half of the herbs and other medicine Zeki has been keeping for everyone.
A tug of guilt she then feels in her stomach as she watches Zeki walk toward the town, not being aware that the boatswain thought the latter.
Instead of seeing the stowaway as a reason for the needed purchases of a now runout stocks, Draco knows that Zeki sees this as an opportunity to fend of his addiction of obtaining countless of herbs both new or not, basically overspending his doubloons and the ship's official budget for medicines.
"C--captain"
She force herself to gain some courage. Calling Axel with her trembling voice when she did not see any sight of Argus in the ship, making the two men who are in a serious conversation look at her.
"Can I go too, perhaps."
She ask, biting her inner cheeks hoping for the worse. Her hands shaking while she clenches it with all of her energy.
The captain's eyes shortly soften, a smile given to her.
[ Did he smile at me? ]
" Ah, Argus said you wanted to go yet he left you."
He muses, looking around the ship to find the cheeky man. Felix laugh along while she absentmindedly sighs upon realizing Argus left her.
"Elijah, take the stowaway with you!"
Axel suddenly called, making the man who was just about to leave the port protested. Her eyes widens when his attention was called, the stowaway almost cried for the captain's decisions.
"Fuck what?" He counters, glaring at her form.
The smile and glint of excitement she saw in him earlier is no longer present.
She shifts on her feet uncomfortably, she doesn't want to be with him all alone. She doesn't even want his attention on her. It scares her too much. Opening her mouth to take back her desire to leave the ship, wanting nothing but the wrath of the quartermaster.
"You're going to the market anyways, take him with you and adjust the budget for his clothing. Calev's clothes are too big, aye! That's an order."
Axel cuts of the chase, Elijah wanted to protest more but closed his mouth.
Rolling his eyes at the sight of the stowaway, he groan in hiss response. Motioning her to move out, and she hesitantly she walks, trying her best not to annoy the man any more.
While she slowly lowers herself through the jacob's ladder, along with the assistance of a more willing navigator. She prepares herself to be at her best behavior, sensing the annoyance of the quartermaster who walk away without waiting for her. She follows, basically running to match his fast footsteps.
The stowaway eyes wanders in everything that she sees along the way. Her eyes shining in awe and surprise, the caution in each of her actions as many people dare to approach her.
Merchant from left and right tries to sell her many things, while she is just trying her best not to lose sight of Elijah and continue following him. And while they enter the market place, she watches him expertly does his bargain as if he is the best at it.
They way he speaks at every merchant, trying to get into the right side of these vendors while he gives them what she can recognizes as pretentious statements. Easily manipulating the distribution of the ship's budget while taking more of the bargain.
Just like Axel, Elijah has a way with his words that can convince even the toughest meat vendor at the island. Gaining at least thirty percent discount while taking more out of what he should have.
[ This is normal as a pirate. ]
She keep on reminding herself, not wanting to judge Elijah and his ways. While she continue on watching him, she just can't help but have a lot of things to think about what she is witnessing.
[ Come to think about it, they are pirates. Isn't it more normal to loot this place than pay for it? ]
She wonders, frowning at the sight of Elijah handling the doubloons to the butcher. However it doesn't matter anyways—as what she concluded. After all, from what Elijah is doing, he is basically ripping off these prices from the original price.
[ This is normal, but I am sure this is not morally normal. ]
The stowaway closes her eyes and sighs, seeing Elijah continue on this dishonest work. But she has nothing in her to judge the man, after all she knows she benefits from it—they feed her for God's sake.
[ Let's just turn a blind eye. I'm so sorry for the victims of our quartermaster. I can't stop him even if I want to—he can easily kill me here if he wants to. ]
The realization hits her.
In this island, where she is alone with him. He can possibly be thinking of getting rid of her. She doesn't know if her mind is just applying many scenarios that makes her anxiety worse or she has a great intuition, but anything could happen.
" Hey!"
[ He won't kill me, right? ]
" Hey!"
[ The quartermaster probably won't leave me here to die. They have their mission so I guess I will survive here— ]
" HEY!"
[ Is the mission—about me? To kill me? ]
" I swear to the man in the locker, if you—"
" Please don't kill me."
She begs, her eyes tightly close while falling into her knees begging the quartermaster.
Elijah stops midway his words, baffled at how the stowaway reacted.
He has been calling her attention when she stop in the middle of the street with her eye close as if she was in her deep thoughts. He tried calling her many times, but she just didn't bother to response and just stood there like an idiot.
He, of course is in the middle of trying to restrain himself. Wanting to be calm while in the market place—being agitated while on a business will result to a disaster—according to Elijah Vischer.
However the stowaway was just testing his patient, in the end he shouted at her. What he didn't think of is she is going to be like this.
" Please, please, please."
She desperately begs, while on her knees in the hard ground both of her hand clasps together, praying.
This is probably the loudest he has ever heard the stowaway speaks. The words coming out of her mouth, fast and clear as if her life depends on it.
" What the in bloody hell are you doing?"
He frustratingly asks, looking at the sight with pissed look.
" Get up!"
He demanded, his anger slowly leaving but instead getting flustered over the fact that this scene created an amount of audience.
[ Huh? ]
The stowaway peeks, slowly opening her eyes to see the quartermaster looking away from her and everyone else. She realizes the crowd she just garnered. Feeling the embarrassment crippling in, she quickly picks herself up.
" You're not killing me?"
She hesitantly asks, glancing at Elijah who is still looking away trying to hide his face.
" Why would I fucking kill you?"
With that question, Elijah snaps and averts his glaring eye to her. Jumping at the sight of it and the sound of his voice, she almost begs again.
" You..." Elijah tries to slow down in order to calm himself.
[ Where the fuck did she even get that idea? ]
Elijah sighs.
" Just... Just take this goddamn potatoes."
He breathes out, sounding so pissed but gently handed her the sack of newly purchased sack of potatoes.
The questioning crowd starts to leave as the scene immediately ceases. Both of cheeks red in different emotions. One with huge embarrassment and the other one with bottled frustrations.
They walk to the market side by side, aiding Elijah with his duty. Carrying the heavy bags of potatoes in her back, while accepting another bag of tomatoes. What just happened is finally long gone in the back of their heads, the busy market and tiring duty of the quartermaster helps.
Elijah has no problem dropping all the labor to her, thanking Axel silently for getting him a choreboy. He gives her more and more baggage, and although her figure could no longer hold much more yet the quartermaster did not mind, it's not like he is empty handed anyways. His hands are also full of bags; this is fair as he thought.
" Don't complain."
He reminded her, the words sounding like a warning to her.
The tomatoes almost stumbled through the street as the sack falls out of her hands. Fear creeps into her veins not wanting to anger the man, she immediately crawls to get all the tomatoes even almost crying at the sight of it.
A sigh is heard from above her, mixed with frustration, tiredness and pity. Elijah is looking at her poor attempt of picking the tomatoes. She look so pitiful, yes he pities her.
He is not a monster just a man who had a hard time trusting new people. Strangers are people he can't be fond of unless they show great reasons. He has trust issues, and he is very serious when it comes to people who can harm the crew, no one escapes his radar.
That is why he have a hard time letting her in, he has no ill feelings with her. In fact he doesn't really see her as a threat anymore. With her fragility and somehow being a pain in the ass, for her innocence and ignorance of most things; especially the lack of talent in every household chores.
No threat could ever be possessed by her.
"You have to speak if it is too heavy."
He said, helping her pick the tomatoes and taking the heavy bags from her.
She stands awkwardly next to him, telling him that it is not heavy. She is even surprised that she can carry such weight.
The quartermaster however ignores her and look around the busy market hoping to spot someone familiar.
"Argus!"
He calls when he sees the man walking out of a pub with a red cheek.
[ Let me guess, someone slapped him again. ]
Elijah sighs.
Another woman adds to list of Argus miserable attempt to woo them. Elijah sighs, already tired of the day when it just started. Elijah facepalms at the state of the idiot.
"Aye, what?"
He approaches them, while smiling at the stowaway which she returns with a mental scoff remembering how this man is the reason why she has to be next the man she fears the most.
Slightly upset that Argus ditched her, when he clearly has nothing else to do.
"Take these!"
Elijah hands him the bags which almost made him stumble. He whines like a brat almost throwing the bags back but a glare from Elijah is given in his way.
"Oi, what about you!"
He suggests, motioning to the stowaway. She reaches out for the couple of bags on the ground but Elijah reaches for it first. Taking everything and leaving her with nothing to carry.
"He is weak as a leaf." He insulted which offends her.
[ I swear it wasn't that heavy. ]
She thought, but didn't say anything.
Instead she walks , following the footsteps of both men with the sound of Argus telling her to workout or asking Calev to train her to have a better build.
She just hums in response, not taking any of his words anyways as her eyes roams the street looking at everything that sparked her interest.
It is true that the island is full of pirates, by Argus' words when she addresses her worries for a sudden fight. Different pirate crews roam the island yet no one dares to start a fight, even if some crews has bad blood. Courtesy of the mayor himself who put out a strong code for the island he had anchored on. It is surprising for her to know that even at the act of piracy, they follow certain rules.
Her eyes travels to the women of the island. They are wearing the most exposing dresses she has seen or even remembered. They have red patches in their cheeks and paints their lips red. They try to latch themselves to any men they see hoping for a dime in exchange for a certain service.
[ What are they doing? ]
No idea of anything that these women are up to, she just continued to admire their dresses feeling a bit insecure of her clothing. Having to remind herself she can't dress that way for as long as she doesn't know, for they will discover something from her. However she can't help but think otherwise.
[ If I am given a permission to be who I am, will I be treated differently. Will the pirates still see me as one of them, will Elijah treat me any better? Or will I finally walk the plank? ]
It is a matter of taking a risk of finding out to know the reality of the consequences of her secrets that she is not willing to take in any other day, she must continue to hide away and act like one of them—even that means looking away from the longing and adoration she bears while she admires all the pretty dresses of the women that they are all allowed to be.
[ What I shall desire, should be something I must endure—for it is worth my life. ]
The stowaway smiles weakly to herself. Feeling bad about the predicament of her life and erasing those longing feeling of being herself.
They are all beautiful, even at the differences of their appearance. Some dresses too lightly, some dresses too strong. The pigment on their faces, demonstrates their level of confidence and the allure they all display.
[ But I wonder, what kind of lady am I? Who I am, if I ever wear the clothing that identifies me. ]
The stowaway thinks of her life, trying to figure out which kind of woman she is, the light one who keeps herself together through the busy street of a town, or the woman who comes with sultry eyes and strong aura that drags the attention of everyone. But she can't remember.
[ Out of all these women here, which of these resembles the real me? ]
Her weak smile turns into a frown.
" Let's go."
Their walk halted in front of a decent clothing shop.
" Get yourself some clothes, the one that fits you but don't exceed from the budget."
Elijah told her to enter and which she remembers the captain orders from earlier.
She looks at the infrastructure, and the clothing of gentlemen is organized well at the opening. They are decent at least but her eyes travels back to those dresses having no interest to the sight of the store.
Elijah and Argus starts to talk about their opinion on the garments that will suit her best. The quartermaster being practical while the latter calling the essence of fashion.
Unaware of the three, a certain combatant who had just come out from somewhere after finishing the task given by his captain.
He catches glimpse the three people standing like a fool in front of a garment shop, exclusively for male. The two men in a heated discussion over something he can't hear, but he clearly sees the desire in the stowaways eyes.
Following her gaze, he got to see how her face looks up with a smile as she scanned the beautiful dresses. Yet, the smile she has looks sad.
Calev sighs; wondering why all this time she has never revealed she is a woman. When he had assure her that it meant nothing on the ship. Yet, ironically he is also relieve when she didn't, he just feels like she is safer from all the men in the ship if she put on a facade of being a man.
However, seeing her longing eyes, he can't help himself. He walks towards them, not announcing his presence and he grabs her by her arms.
She yelps, gaining the attention of two men, having a sense of alert as they searches for a possible enemy only to sigh in relief when they see the combatant.
" You piece of shit, announce yourself when first you fuck!"
Elijah almost lunges at the combatant, while Argus laughs his heart out.
" What are you fucks doing?"
All the while the self proclaimed vice captain appears all of a sudden prior to their surprise, and the repeated reaction is made.
" Why do you have that ugly faces?"
Hakim laughs at their reactions.
" Don't ever come behind my back like a fucking maniac!"
Elijah scolded him for sneaking around like a maniac.
"I'm taking the stowaway."
Calev announces in the middle of it. She is glad that he appeared but also confused by his sudden words.
"He fancies pretty lad."
Argus whispers to Hakim, which earned a series of laughter from both of them, even the quartermaster muttered a laugh in a short manner.
"He's supposed to fetch new garments."
Elijah composes himself, not minding the two laughing idiots.
"I'll take him."
He shortly said before grabbing her, ready to leave.
" I saw Tyke along the casino and have him fetch these we can wait for them. Are there things you still need to buy?"
Hakim turns to Elijah, trying to get the quartermaster's annoyance lessen.
"Alright, meet us here then we'll be venturing for more supplies. Take this!"
Elijah demanded before throwing a bag of coins to their way.
She picks it up right away not wanting any thief to come and take it, dusting off any dirt before giving it to Calev.
"Hakim, carry this; the stowaway was too weak!"
Elijah's voice disappears in the midst of the crowd.
Silence is always expected when she's with him, but she has been used to it. Although they do at least converse from time to time when they are at his cabin, but those are just one in a million moment where Calev acts like that. Nonetheless she got used to it, she would honestly want the quietness of the combatant than get the cold ice glare from the quartermaster.
They walk; in silence. His hands are still gripping her arms yet no pain was ever inflicted. It is hard to imagine that such a man, called as the demon by his crew, the stories of his killings, is capable of holding her like she is glass.
[ Ironic.
Everything I have seen in that ship is ironic. ]
Unlike this island, what she was expecting turns to be right. The island is noisy, that's what she has concluded.
Everywhere she hears merchants calling people's attention. Drunkards in the middle of the early afternoon slips and falls around the ground. The amount of people in one place makes her feel dizzy, feeling all their eyes around her as if watching her every moves.
What she doesn't know is, in the same island, around the busy port where the Mad Treasure is, without her knowing someone has spotted her figure along the figure of the massive ship, and the men she is with.
The eyes of the spy, standing from the hidden nowhere but close enough to see her walking with the infamous rogue that Axel has tamed.
He watches her like she is a part of that crew, under the disguise of the garments that attempted to hide her away.
He recognizes her.
The jet black hair that even at the messiest bun that it was crumpled on, he knows who he is looking at exactly. His eyes can't dare believe what he sees, his heart pounding crazy when he got the hit of reality. The more shocking part of his discovery, she is with the pirate king.
" I 'ave got yer wench. Captain."