The Princess of Pirates

Chapter 6 - [The Mistake]

CaptainEdwardlooked out at the sea. He was more troubled than he needed to be. Plus, he was tired.

            “What’s up with you,Ed?” He heardRichard ask.

            Edward didn’t turn around. “Nothing.” He said. “Why do you ask?”

            Richard frowned. “Because I know you be hiding something from your crew. And that thing that you be hiding is weighing you down.”

            Edward didn’t respond.

            “Again, what’s wrong?”Richard asked. “One look at that girl and you run away. You scared?”

            This madeEdward look at his friend. “I’m not scared of women,Richard.”

            “Then what’s the problem?”

            “I don’t like women on my ship.”Edward said. It was a lie,Edward didn’t care if there was a woman on his ship. His father didn’t care, so why should he?

            Richard sighed, seeing right through his friends lie. “I know that’s not it. And I know, one day you’re gonna be forced to tell me, alright mate?”

            Edward nodded. “Alright.” He said, not knowing what else to say.

            Richard looked at him for a moment and then turned around and walked away.

            WhatRichard didn’t know was that there wasn’t just one problem, there were many. But at that moment, the most important problem thatEdward wanted to deal with first was this girl.

            He hated that every time he looked at her, his heart would jump. Not because he was attracted to her, but because she looked like Aina.

            He wanted to get her off this ship as soon as possible.

            “Tell me more about mermaids.” Nerina askedRichard as he walked her back to her room.

            “What d’ya want to know?”

            “Just… about them. I’m interested.”

            “Well, to be honest with you, I’ve never seen one in person before. But I’ll tell you what I do know… they usually come out at night.”

            “Why is that?”

            “Because the sun tends to dry them up. They can come out during the day but only for short amounts of time.”

            Nerina nodded.

            “And they can enchant men, like I said before.”

            “Are men enchanted when they are willing to… I don’t know… lick their toes… or fins?”

            Richard grinned. “Ai. Most of the time.”

            Nerina smiled. “So all the other times they do it themselves?”

            He nodded, with a laugh. “They are evil… that’s all I can say.”

            Nerina thought for a moment. It was odd to think that what she had believed about mermaids for so long was a lie.

            The two stopped in front of Nerina’s room. “Go this way to get to the deck if you need anything. There is usually someone up there.”Richard said.