The young woman stayed near the captain for the rest of the day. She never said a word, but her large, expressive eyes told stories all their own. She didn't allow any of the other crewmen to touch her, even to catch her if an especially large wave caused the ship to pitch sideways and she lost her footing.
However, with the captain, her reaction was quite the opposite. She seemed to hang onto every small touch, leaning into him when her own legs failed her.
The captain patiently allowed her to grasp his arm for balance, and when she got tired, he called for a chair to be brought so she could sit.
At mealtime, she sat as far away from the other men as was possible, her chair pressed up against his. She didn't seem interested in the food offered, and though the captain knew his cook hadn't prepared gourmet fare by any means, he encouraged her to eat some.
She hadn't meant to worry him by not eating; she simply wasn't hungry. The sight of him sitting next to her... the slight brush of his leg against hers as he shifted slightly... it was enough to satisfy her.
She took a bite, just to ease the lines between his brows. She swallowed and a thrill went down her spine as she looked up to see him smiling at her, his eyes sparkling in a way that prompted her to finish off her plate of food despite the blandness of whatever it was that had been served to her.
As the sun began to set, the sailors who weren't on night watch gathered around on the deck, taking seats on barrels, boxes, and piles of rope. A barrel of strong drink was brought up, and the crewmen took turns filling their goblets with its contents. The woman shook her head when a cup was offered to her, but accepted the barrel seat the captain supplied and settled in to watch as the first mate brought out an instrument and began to play a joyous song. The music was harsh and only grew in intensity as the men continued to drink, but she rather enjoyed it.
The captain sat near her as he had at dinner, sipping fruity tea from a mug instead of taking part in the alcohol. With his crew getting more and more drunk, he was watchful of any who came near the woman. Most of his crew was honorable, he knew, but in their drunken state, he didn't trust them any more than the few who weren't.
She was grateful to have his presence nearby, especially as the night wore on and the men grew rowdier. She loved watching as they sang and danced, but having the captain so close made her feel safe and comfortable. Her eyelids grew heavy as the waves gently rocked her, and all at once, she started awake. She had fallen asleep against the captain's shoulder.
He smiled kindly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
He stretched, finally able to relieve the cramping in his back as she sat up. Most of the crew had stumbled below to sleep, so they were alone save for the men on night watch.
The captain stole a glance at her. Her eyes shimmered like the stars, and her golden hair now seemed to glow silver in the moonlight. He could hardly tear his eyes away, but knew that he should go and rest so he could be fresh in the morning. The captain rose to head below deck, having given up his quarters so the girl could sleep more comfortably, but she slipped her smooth hand into his calloused one and gave a small tug towards the bow. He gave a tired grin, but at her pleading look, relented and followed her across the deck. She leaned against the bow, letting the cool night breeze caress her cheeks as the ship forged through the waves.
He joined her, looking out to the horizon, then to her hand, which was still clasped within his. He loosed his grip on her fingers, but she caught his hand once more.
Her very presence seemed to intoxicate him as his fingers twitched hesitantly in her hold. He didn't know when she'd started singing, but he slowly became aware of her humming under her breath. The melody was lilting and sweet, and he found himself straining to catch every note, even as he relaxed and his rough fingers interlocked with her delicate ones, at last returning her gentle gesture of affection.
She smiled at him as she continued to hum the soft tune, but inside she felt like screaming. How was he resisting her? *Why* was he resisting her? Did he not love her the way she loved him?
After all she had done to get to him, she wasn't willing to let him go with so little in return. She grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him down for a kiss. His hands went to her shoulders, trying to push her away, but she was unrelenting and only pressed her lips more firmly to his. He seemed to weaken for a moment, but then pulled away, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste to create some distance between them.
"I'm terribly sorry but I feel there's been some misunderstanding." His cheeks flushed as his fingertips touched his lips. "We don't even know each other... this is extremely inappropriate." The captain turned away, the turned back to face her.
"I... I'll see you in the morning. Sleep well." He bowed briefly, then rushed away.
She wanted to follow him, but the sun was starting to light up the Eastern sky. Her time was up. She stood for a while, hoping against hope that he would change his mind and return, but he did not. With tears in her eyes, she quietly climbed the railing and slipped into the water, unnoticed.
I've rewritten this three times and I still feel like that kiss came out of nowhere? In my brain it makes sense but like I DON'T KNOWWW?!? BECAUSE THE READERS DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING I DO SO LIKE... UGH. PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS 😭 CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS WELCOME AND APPRECIATED.
YOU ARE READING
The Siren: Chasing Love
Fantasy"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 gott...
