I thought the people on board were humans until now. Raymond was pissed off with the captain's reply but when he noticed he was outnumbered and we have sailed far into the waters, he had to return back to his normal form. He was beaten severally before he was thrown into the room where they locked me up after the confrontation.
"Why did you just sit there and do nothing when I was about fighting for us?!" He unleashed his anger on me the moment he looked at me. At first I could not find a better word to explain myself, "I am only seventeen, Raymond. I will turn eighteen next month."
"Wait, what?! You have not transformed yet?!" He asked rashly with flush of surprise.
"I should not be here if I have. I was only learning how to use a sword to defend myself. I wasn't given the opportunity to train with a gun and I doubt if I will be capable of transforming at all." I hissed and he stared at me for a while with sadness in his eyes.
"You mean you can't even use a gun? And who said you aren't capable of transforming into a werewolf? You are a Harvey stupid!"
"I am not totally sure I am. According to my mom, I was taken from her when I was born but my father went in search of her lost child and when they found me, I was already a year old." I told my story briefly.
"Then what proof did they have that you are theirs?"
"According to my parents, the man who returned me to Whitewood from the South said I was sold to him at higher price because I was brought from Whitewood. He asserted with claims that he was afraid of raising a werewolf instead of an actual human child after he learned about my place of origin and the reason I was sold at such high rate."
"He must have been a rich man to have bought you without proper investigation." Raymond sounded interested in my story, I had to change the subject.
"Yeah. I wish I had learned how to fire a gun."
"You will. I'll teach you but first we need to escape once this ship docks. I will take my revenge on them for torturing me." He muttered and looked away.
The day the ship docked, I was able to see the clouds again and we both realized winter is fast approaching.
"Stay close to me. Once they start bidding, that's when we'll run." Raymond whispered on our way out of the ship and it happened that as the captain and a few others stood some meters away from us trying to come to finalize the actual trading amount with which we were to be exchanged for, Raymond broke loose and helped me do same. He was so swift that I could barely keep up if not for the fact that he held my left hand firmly to his grip. We were lucky that the city we ran into was crowded if not they would have started shooting at us. Nevertheless, they did not stop chasing us no matter where we went and because I could not count properly how many men were on our trail, I could not tell Raymond I was tired of running until I felt my legs cramp. And when I looked down, water was already dripping down my legs.
"We have to stop, Ray."
"Not now, Ariel, we have to keep moving. The crowded area is our only advantage to get away." He kept pulling me and forcing me to drag my feet but I was no longer comfortable and the pain was beginning to increase more than I could bear.
"No, not anymore, Raymond, please! My water just broke, I think the baby is about to come forth." I whimpered trying to make him let go of me.
"I'm a doctor, remember? Trust me, we have to find a safe place. Don't stop moving." He pleaded and when we ran a little further he had to carry me in his arms. I was no longer myself, tears pooled in my eyes as my head banged heavily. I cried aloud, my voice resounding under the coming dusk, around me was the howls of chaos, a perfect description of inflicted pain. I was relieved when he stopped running but the second he dropped me on the floor, the pain struck harder. This time, I yelled, pushing so hard with all the force of valour within me until I had no more strength and just then I heard the cry of a baby. "My baby!" I cried with a whispering voice as I reached out to take it into my bosom. The crying still echoing in my ears as my vision became blurry trying to understand why Raymond was transforming into a werewolf and beating the air but then I blanked out.
I can't tell what happened afterwards, but the next time I felt alive, I heard Raymond's familiar voice calling my name. "Ariel, Ariel, wake up, we have to leave," it began with whisperings and then audible words as I opened my eyes to see the rays of sunlight gleaming down on me. I heard him call my name the third time, I had to steady my gaze on him and noticed he was the only one beside me. He looked frightened but I could only think of the cries I heard last. "My baby," I whispered, "where is my baby?" I held his shirt by the collar as he helped me up.
"You don't have to worry about your baby. Your baby is fine and healthy. It's a boy." Raymond muttered with breaking voice but the piercing sadness in his eyes was telling me otherwise.
"Where then is my baby boy, Raymond? I can't find him in my arms." I questioned him with uninterrupted sobs. He soon looked at me with pity,
"Ariel, I am sorry but your baby is gone. I could not stop them from taking him but I ensured they left us alone. An unknown pack attacked us, there are werewolves in the South here." He announced. Every word he uttered shattered me into pieces, I had to let go of his shirt as I wrapped my arm around my knees. "My baby," I sobbed continuously. I never get the chance of examining him to see what he looks like, I have not given him a name, who in the world will nurse him? Tears escaped my eyes once more. Why is this happening to me? I thought. The pain I felt was so much I sensed I was going insane.