Chéri

Ch.4.5: Mermaid in Heaven

Jean-Luc stood at the edge of the ship's railing, hands twitching as he stared off into the angry roil. Black clouds swallowed the sky. Lightning struck down in sudden displays of light. Rain and saltwater poured steadily onto the deck as the endless sea crashed into itself, its depths as dark as onyx.

Jean-Luc spoke in a meek, almost inaudible voice, "s'il vous plait, Captaine... will you come back to get me?"

The Captain stood with her arms crossed not far away, unmoved by the fierce gales of the storm. "I don't know, Jean-Luc, you've been misbehaving a lot recently. I might just leave you there."

"Please," he whispered, not able to turn away from the ocean, "I want to see her."

Leigh tsked. "Alright, but you tell her to stop putting storms in my way. It's getting quite inconvenient."

"She does not listen to me," said Jean-Luc, "She is a selfish lover, but I do love her."

The Captain rolled her eyes. "If you want to do this, it's on you not to die before we get back. Your death would be bad to my bottom line."

"I will not die," said Jean-Luc, slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

Jean-Luc tossed the shirt behind him before dropping his pants to his ankles. He was apparently unconcerned by the crowd of crewmates assembled behind him, all of them shivering in the rain. He kicked off his boots one at a time and then stepped out of his linen trousers. Jean-Luc stood there, completely nude except for his gold earrings, his fit body lit up by close flashes of lightning. Without a word, he stepped onto the railing and dove headfirst into the rolling ocean.

"Excuse me, but what just happened?" asked an incredulous Jackson.

"Jean-Luc's off to see his mistress," replied Amelia.

"Does she live in the ocean??" Jackson asked.

"Kind of. She lives on an island nearby."

Kingsley then stumbled up from the lower decks, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and struggling to stay standing in the wind.

"What's happened? Why did no one notify me something was happening?"

Amelia yelled over the wind, "Ah, it's nothing! Jean-Luc's just gone to shag his girlfriend."

Kingsley stumbled over to the mast that Amelia and Jackson were hanging onto and grabbed one of the downhauls to steady himself.

"I'm sorry but am I the only one who still thinks that this is weird?" asked Jackson, teeth chattering as more water set down upon the boat, "I mean, his girlfriend just lives on some island in the middle of the ocean?"

"Well, she is a mermaid," said Kingsley rather matter-of-factly.

Jackson narrowed his eyes, "Oh come on. I'm not that gullible-"

"No it's true," Amelia interjected, "Her name's Cyrene. Nice lady, not big on tops, has a penchant for creating fierce storms across the Caribbean."

"You're seriously telling me that mermaids exist? And that Jean-Luc dates them?" asked Jackson, hazarding to believe in something so outlandish.

"Well, he only really dates the one," said Amelia, "Honestly, I don't get why he's so hung up on her. I mean, I like pussy as much as the next girl but not on a fish."

"No... you've got to be kidding me. This is harassment, isn't it?" said Jackson, nervously looking between Kingsley and Amelia.

"It's the truth," shrugged Kingsley.

"Aye, maybe you could meet her when we swing back through these parts."

"I'm not sure I'd want to," said Jackson.

"Alright, you slobbering dogs!" yelled out the Captain, "No storm from a wee wench is going to slow us down now! Someone pick up the coxswain's clothes and the rest of ya get back to work! All hands hoay and man your stations, you scurvy-ridden rotten slags!!"

Leigh stormed up past Jackson and her lieutenants, nigh as fierce as the tempest itself. She smiled back at them, a devious glint in her eye, before stopping just at the edge of the companionway.

"We've got Port Nassau on the horizon and heavenly winds at our backs. Destiny, gold, and a wee alchemist boy, they all lie in wait. I shan't be stopped; not for anything."