Savage Melodies

Chapter One: Visions of the Sea

Hello! So I am new to wattpad, and though I've been writing fanfics and things for years, I haven't actually been on here yet... Anyways, this was originally a fanfic (AU) but I decided to post this version, so the characters are not mine (except Lily) and I do not own the rights to stuff... Anyways, I hope you enjoy this! Rant over, read on!
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Chapter One: Visions of the Sea

The ropes were rubbing Nerissa's skin raw.

Honestly, that should have been the very least of her concerns, but if she moved even in the slightest, something burned against her. The fresh, salty sea air didn't help by stinging her as the net lifted her from the ocean. The morning sundared to shine down on her misfortune, and though she was still wet, she could sense herself drying as soon as she was completely beyond the waves. The very air felt like it was singeing her.

The net was slowly lifting, spitting seawater. The fish trapped within its bounds squirmed, eager and desperate to find a way back to the water. Nerissa felt this frantic need as well, but she had no such chance for escape. She knew without a doubt that she had been caught by pirates. She was trapped and very exposed; somewhere in the confusion of getting captured, the wrap covering her upper body had slipped off, leaving her completely naked. She tried to cover herself as best as she could, anxiously wondering how in all the seas she was supposed to get out, when voice shot out like cannons overhead. The net's incline halted abruptly, jarring her. She hung in the air, heart racing. A rope dropped down beside her.

Startlingly fast, a man slid down the rope. Nerissa worried for a fraction of a moment that he would slip right off, into the hungry ocean, but he stopped just in the nick of time. He turned his attention to the catch, pulling away a good amount of rope and staring. He started with the realization that they had caught a human girl who had been drifting somewhere in the treacherous waves and got in the way of the fishing net-why were pirates fishing anyways? Lack of ships to pillage? Competition?

The man before her looked enough like a pirate. He was built lean and muscular, with tousled raven hair, but he was still rather young. He seemed to be a seafaring man, as he was so at ease with the deadly waters directly below him. Though he was not filthy, his clothes were ragged. He wore a jacket-for even though the weather was warming, the air out at sea was always chiller-that even looked as if it had been slashed in the coattails. The pirate was gawking at her just as much; their shocked expressions were like mirrors.

A shout from above rained down. "Everything alright down there?"

"We may have a few problems," the man called up. He glanced back and forth from the deck high above to Nerissa in the net. Hesitantly, he told her, "Stay here," and began climbing back up the rope, slower this time.

Nerissa had plenty of time to register what was going on, yet no way to react. She was absolutely stuck.

After a few minutes of hearing bickering voices on the deck, a rope ladder unfurled and rolled down the side of the ship. The raven-haired pirate returned, clambering down easily, lithe as a feline. Not wasting any time, the man drew a dagger from his belt. Any coherent thoughts Nerissa had been having were consumed by the alarming fact that the pirate was armed.

He reached out and, with one hand, slashed the net open. Fish spilled out, but Nerissa was secure as ever. She yearned to dive back into the ocean with them. Unfortunately for her, the pirate was between her and the sweet, shimmering salvation of the sea.

The pirate was swift and completely sure of himself. Without a word, he sheathed his weapon, tugged off his coat, gave her the garment through the gap in the net, and averted his eyes. All of this while making sure he was still clinging to the rope ladder.