Saudade (Published under Indie Pop)

Chapter 24: The Pirate City

Chapter 24: The Pirate City

That night, Roger found me and stayed by my side. He seemed to fully understand what happened and knew that I risked my life saving him. However, the silent war between the cat and the Skull intensified because of the incident. The Skull believed that everything that happened was completely Roger's fault. He said that Roger shouldn't sneak into someone's room at night and just stay in his little place on the ship. But the cat ignored him and licked its paws like he just stepped on something filthy.

And that night, too, he told me about the Pirate City and why the Obsidian needed to go back to that place. The Pirate City was where they were from when they got me from the pirates who kidnapped me. He said that he received good news while we were in the Forsaken Land – that what he had been looking for was probably in the Pirate City.

"The Pirate City? I've never heard of that in the mainland," I said, amused.

"It's the safest place for the pirates, and the most dangerous, too. Whenever we run out of supplies during our sail, we stop over in that place and trade something for what we need," he said.

"Just like in the mainland – whenever we travel to other places, we can get assistance from the ruling families of each land." However, unlike the Pirate City, it didn't seem to be that dangerous in the mainland.

He became silent for a while, and again, I was lost wondering about the things he was probably thinking at the moment. Maybe, I shouldn't talk about the mainland very often. I blinked when he suddenly looked at me in my eyes and I knew at that instant that I was just caught staring at him.

"Primrose, you must know that the Pirate City is a dangerous place for someone like you. It would be better if you just stay inside the Obsidian," he said in a serious tone.

I didn't know how dangerous the Pirate City would be for me but I could already feel the gravity of the situation. I was also curious about what a city in the middle of the ocean would be like. I nodded and promised that I would listen to what he had said. But he sighed and looked at me intensely again, and I knew that the conversation about the Pirate City was not over yet.

"There's another thing that I have to tell you," he started.

I braced myself for what he was about to say. The intensity of his grey eyes staring intently at me was tugging on my chest. My heart began to beat faster and I knew only his words would make me feel that way.

"When we were in the Forsaken Land, a pirate who came home from the Pirate City told me that what I had been looking for is actually in that place. He said that I could see her in the Pirate City."

At that moment, I forgot how to breathe – I forgot that my heart needed to beat. I suddenly felt suffocated and my lungs were desperate for air. In just a few seconds, things seemed to slow down and in silence, I heard clearly the loud shattering of my heart. I wondered if he could hear it, too.

"Oh, the woman you've been talking about," I said after letting out a deep breathe. I said I would listen to him, but right now I wished I didn't hear a thing. I said I would stay with him wherever he would go, but every step he took towards her was leaving my heart in sorrow. I said I would be brave in this pirate world, but a pirate city was enough to sink me deep into the sea. I loved him – but why was it so painful to stay in love with him?