Juliet of Dundee

The Bitter Cold

Juliet of Dundee Chpt. 18

Pater

Cold. So very cold.

A good three days had passed since the captain had warned us of the coming cold. Wherever this realm was it was nowhere short of freezing. A thin sheet had been handed to us that morning, and Juliet and I had silently agreed to share.

My teeth chattered as the space between Juliet and I seemed to grow. She was right next to me yet felt so incredibly far away. And even though we had the sheet it was still freezing cold.

"Juliet?" I whispered into her ear.

"Mmm?"

It took me a while to gather the strength to call her out.

"Y-you c-c-cold?"

Juliet cast a weak glance back at me and tried to scoot closer. I met her half way. As soon as the warmth of her body settled against mine I felt my body warm a bit. I felt each of Juliet's quivers and felt something inside me stir.

"B-blue eyes?" Juliet called back to me.

"Hmm?"

"I'm s-s-still c-cold."

I lifted my head to look at her, catching a glimpse of her pale face and discolored lips in the dim light. She cast a weak look up at me once more as I sat up and tried to coax her to turn around. But she'd beat me to it and had already started. After a short struggle she finally managed to turn over completely.

A second of laying there awkwardly passed and Juliet looked away as she snuggled up into a little ball and moved closer to me. I hesitated for a moment before wrapping my arms around her and pulling her close.

Juliet stiffened for a moment before complying and moving in closer. Both of us were too weak to say anything, so we each just sat there holding each other so very close.

"Sh-she p-pirate?" I whispered.

Juliet lifted her head only to bring her nose to mine. I froze (more than I already was) and brushed a few strands of hair from her eyes. Her eyes widened and once again her gold flecks flashed at me.

My face burned a bright red and I nearly pulled away to give her her space, but she took hold of the hem of my shirt and pulled me back towards her.

"W-w-what?" I asked.

"What-t were ya gonna s-say?"

I couldn't move, I was so captivated by her.

"Nothing," the corner of my probably blue lips turned up. "I just... I j-just wa-wanted to l-l-look at you."

Juliet cracked a grin as she reached up and brushed a few locks of hair out of my eyes. She gave a half giggle as she clasped her hands together and tucked them against her chest to keep them warm (at least that was what I guessed).

Juliet closed her eyes and I began to think about all that we'd gone through. I laughed and Juliet asked what for without moving.

"I-it's nothing..." I laughed again. "I'm just remembering that one night that we found the b-barrel in the s-sea."

"Oh, that," Juliet laughed too.

"A-aye. And then when we drank and drank until we-" I froze.

"U-until w-we what?" Juliet looked up at me, her nose against mine again.

"U-u-uhhh..."

"Oh, d-do tell B-blue eyes," she shot a mischevious smirk my way.

"I, um... Oh, you don't re-remember... Right-t."

"What don't I remember-r? Oh - you m-mean when I drank for the first t-time ever and we um..." she flashed me another cheeky grin.

"Bloody h-hell!" I cried as I sat up. "You knew the wh-whole time?!"

Juliet fiddled with her fingers.

"A-aye..." she whispered as she averted her gaze. "I remember everythin'. Mainly because I wasn't drunk..."

"Are you saying that you know exactly what happened?"

She seemed deep in thought as she had grown completely silent.

"Mind telling me?" I smiled, curious beyond all means.

"Well," Juliet breathed. "Once w-we got drunk we shared a f-few words - and by t-the way did ya know that when yer d-drunk you talk in a deeper t-t-tone and say all sorts of interestin' thin's?"

I flushed a scarlet shade and shoved the comment aside. I cleared my throat.

"Please, just get to t-the point."

Juliet laughed at my responce as she carried on.

"Well, after you said some fancy words you may have wowed Miss Monroe and coaxed her to-"

I eagerly awaited her reply. Well, nervously more rather.

"You may've kissed-"

She stopped and looked me in the eyes. An eternity passed by as we just looked at each other, everything suddenly seeming to make complete sense. There was no avoiding it anymore.

I was going to tell her.

"C-can I just be completely honest with you?" Juliet breathed.

I froze. What was she-?

"E-Ever since I first met your g-g-gaze in that tavern I've been b-blown away by you."

"Julie-"

"Somethin' a-about that fire that ya h-h-had, and the b-battle of wills - somethin' about it was s-s-so incredibly... I-I don't know... I-I c-can't describe it! And without even realizin' i-it I'd fallen under yer spell, P-P-Pater, even though I w-was tryin' to cast mine on y-you  so that I-I might come out on top."

She cast a cautioned glance up at me. Her trembling grew stronger.

"A-A-And in some w-ways I f-f-feel like i-if it-t-t weren't f-for this whole m-m-mess we wouldn't-t-t have e-ever f-f-found each o-other and I..."

All her words came tumbling out in a complete mess and I couldn't help but give a breathy chuckle.

"I... I-I'm sor-r-ry about Emmie, t-too..."

I stopped her there and placed a finger on her cold lips.

I don't mind if Emmie was the person on the surface. I thought I'd fallen for Emmie in the beginning but - I really fell for what I saw in her. The person inside;

"J-Juliet... I didn't f-fall for your shell..."

The flecks in her eyes flashed and began to glow brighter and brighter as she lifted her hands to my neck and toyed with my hair in between her fingers. Her touch felt like it was setting me on fire, and not just because of warm she was compared to the air. She held my gaze as she neared me more than ever before. If I'd even thought to move, our lips would've met.

My lips parted as I watched her, my soul surrendering to what I'd denied for so long. A haze covered the surrounding hell and enveloped us, seeming to force away the chill of the air as well.

Siren.

My breathing became jagged as her eyes glazed over into a dreamy state and she tugged at the collar of my shirt.

I found the courage in me to reach up and tangle my fingers in her hair. Her eyes fluttered shut and something told me she was waiting for something more. I freed one of my hands to trace circular patters on her back. She stiffened for a moment only to relax when her breath fanned over my face.

This was it. I needed to say it.

But Juliet found her voice first.

"I lo-"