Promise

Chapter 9

I found myself slowly opening my eyes to a dark room. But I still had the comfort of the bed I had must have fallen asleep on and the warmth of the blanket tangled around me. I didn't remember wrapping myself up to take a nap, but apparently I had.

How long had I been asleep? Evidently for quite some time, judging by the fact it was now almost pitch dark outside.

Outside sounds of the sea and creaking of the ship were all I could hear. No men, no footsteps... no Plume.

I didn't know where Plume slept. I knew where his "Private Room" was for important meetings and such, but I somehow had absolutely no clue where he rested. And something in me just had a dying curiosity to find out. I wasn't tired anymore anyway. I had been asleep for hours. Probably 5 or 6 at the most.

I sat up from where I was resting, pulled off the sheets and stood from the old, creaky bed, beginning to then creep across the also creaky wood floor to the door.

I quietly opened the door, peeking out in the hall to make sure there wasn't anyone there. I couldn't see very well, but a few candles which were surprisingly lit in the hall helped a little bit.

I saw no one and decided to venture out to find Plume. I didn't necessarily want to wake him, I was just simply curious.

I wanted to smack myself in the face.

Yeah right you're "just curious," Promise. You want more than to find where he sleeps, I thought to myself.

Not even bothering to shut the bedroom door behind me, I crept through the hallway, looking at all the doors. So many doors. How was I supposed to know which ones were empty, and which ones had random men in it, and which specific one Plume slept in? I didn't know. So I crept around out of boredom feeling defeated.

I wanted to go out on deck and just watch the ocean. Maybe figure out how to cope with what Plume has made me realize about my father earlier. But part of me wanted to ignore that theory and still believe my father was still alive. Not to mention I had a burning desire to find my mother now... a mermaid.

Creeping all the way through the hallways and stairs of the inside of the ship, I climbed to the main deck, where the tides rocked the ship, but not too violently. The night sky was perfectly clear, revealing millions of beautiful stars and a full moon glowing bright. It was truly breathtaking.

Walking slowly (while admiring the sky and the glowing ocean), I walked to the railing of the ship, resting my arms on it, looking down at the waves and then looking back up at the stars. Over and over again in an amazed pattern.

18 years I had been alive, sailing most of my life, and I had never once stopped to fully realize the true beauty of the night sky.

I took my time enjoying the pure silence and serenity, deep in thought.

That's when I thought I heard light footsteps, but ignored it and thought it was just my imagination. Until I felt something lightly brush up on the left side of me, and I felt a familiar presence.

"Want to know a fact about stars?" He said suddenly.

I jumped, sighing deep.

"Plume, you scared me! At least say something before just snuggling up to someone and then saying something random!"

He cracked a smile at me, as if that was his apology, and continued looking back up at the stars.

"Every star you see in the sky isn't actually there as you see it."

"What do you mean?"

"Stars are so far away that by the time light reaches them, they're not in that same place anymore. It's like you're seeing their past... but you don't know where they'll be in the future."