The Siren: Chasing Love

Chapter 1

"Captain, to port! There's something in the water!" various sailors rushed to the port side, pointing at something in the water just off the bow. The ship's captain, a young, well-built man, stepped quickly in that direction, wondering what had gotten his men so riled up.

All air seemed to leave his lungs in a rush as he spotted the feminine figure floating lifelessly in the gentle waves. Her once white dress was now green with the tint of the sea grasses that clung to her legs, and her pale golden hair billowed out in a halo around her head. Her skin was nearly as pale as the dress, though a light flush on her cheeks gave hope that she might, somehow, still have signs of life within her.

The captain shouts out orders without hearing his own words, his gaze fixed on the woman as though she might disappear from existence if he were to look away for even a moment. When at last his men had brought her aboard, he was beside her in an instant, checking for any hint that she may still be alive. He jerked back in shock the moment his fingers first grazed her pale wrist. Her body wasn't cold, as someone would expect of the dead, but was in fact just as warm as his own flesh. Her eyes opened slowly, and she lay for a moment, silent, as though recovering from a great exertion. She attempted to sit, and the captain instinctively put a hand to her back, helping to steady her. She trembled with effort, as though the effects of gravity were too much for her to take. He shifted, supporting more of her weight in his arms as she took in shaky, uneven breaths.

"Are you alright?" One of the crewmen asks.

"How did you end up way out here?"

"Did you fall overboard? But there aren't any ships in sight!"

Suddenly questions were being thrown at her from every side. The woman looked around from one crewman to the next as their voices carried on asking questions. Her head spun, their voices were so loud. The sun glared down at her, harsh and unforgiving as the light burned her eyes. She dragged herself further back, away from the light and the voices, until her shoulder connected with something solid and warm. The captain's eyes met hers as she turned and pressed herself more firmly against his chest.

"Boys, that's enough questions. Everything will be realized in its own time; now go back to your duties." His voice was firm and commanding, but the next moment it was as soft and reassuring as his touch on her back, "You look exhausted. Let's go below, you can change into some dry clothes and rest."

The shirt and pants the captain dug out of an old wooden chest were dusty and rough against her skin as she pulled them on. They hung limply off her petite frame when she stood, but they were clean and smelled of the same pleasant things as the captain did. Salt wind and sunshine, and the faintest sharp hints of the strong drink she'd seen sailors consume in unreasonable quantities. The captain didn't seem the type to enjoy the foul stuff, though the smell still hung around him, just strong enough to be noticeable.

She draped her dress over a chair to dry and took a slow, cautious step towards the door the captain had disappeared behind. She wobbled slightly at the strange sensation of the rocking boat, but didn't fall. One more wary step, and she reached the door, twisting the knob to reveal the captain standing on the other side, waiting for her to emerge. He reached out, grasping her elbow, and led her back up on deck, supporting her whenever her weak legs threatened to buckle beneath her weight.

You have reached the end of Chapter 1! This is my favourite project I've ever worked on. I'm actually ridiculously proud of it which is saying something because I hate almost all my other works bahahahaha I hope you all enjoy it too!