The Fallen Stars

Chapter 18 Damião

As I listen to Theo and Esme's conversation about me and Theo being cousins.... I slightly get annoyed by it.
"Theo, come here." I call him I don't look at them... I just listen for Theo's footsteps getting closer.
"Yes. Captain?" He asks.
"You are not to play with her heart." I order quietly.
"What?" He asks, confused.
"She's our enemy... not a lass from the tavern." I say nonchalantly.
"I know that, Captain... but do you?" He asks boldly.
I look at him with a frown.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" I ask, annoyed.
"You had a bit of a misstep there when you came out and saw her... you looked at her like one of your shells you keep. Those strange finds." He explains.
I look over my shoulder at Esme. She's talking to Hae... and Hae's face is the murderous face.
"Might want to save the lass, from murderous Hae... she looks ready to kill." I whisper to Theo.
He sighs as he looks back.
"Mierda! Is she like that? Esme hasn't done anything." He asks me desperately.
I stare at him.

He is an idiot, but I can't say that out loud.

"You tell me... you're the lady charmer here." I say annoyed.
"That doesn't mean I know everything, the bloody women!" He protests.
I chuckle darkly.
"She vexes you, doesn't she?" I ask, with a smirk.
"Who?" He asks, confused.
"Hae, Hae Jeup." I exasperate.
He stays quiet for a moment.
And there is my answer.
"Go, save the lass from Hae." I order.
He does as he is told and leaves to be the hero of the day.
But it was not needed. Hae already walked off with anger following her every step.
"So..." Esme starts.
"Let me show you around." Theo says.
"Okay." She says softly.
As she walks, she makes a sound.

Thud. Step. Thud. Step. Thud. Step.

"Didn't Gwen say you should rest?" I ask, not looking at her.
I'm counting down the supplies for Isla Maldita.
She stops.
"You might be the captain of this ship... but that doesn't mean you're my captain." She sneers.
I chuckle.
I turn to look at her, her loose light brown hair that looks golden as the sun is starting to get low behind her.
"Well, last time I checked, you're on my ship. You're getting food and shelter on my ship. And you call me captain.... so how do you want to argue this?" I ask
"I... I only call you Captain because I don't know your name." She says defeatedly.
"My name is Damião Casimiro Ladron. But I prefer you calling me Captain, love." I say, smirking at the end.
"Don't call me love!" She says angrely.
"Alright... love." I say, smirking.
She glares daggers at me.
"Esme... let's go." Theo comes in smoothly.
She starts walking away.
"Enjoy the views, love." I say, looking away, chuckling.
"I'm going to hate these three weeks." She whispers to herself.
She walks away.
I am going to drive that lass mad.

                                ***

As it turns to dusk, I retired to my room.
Esme is with Theo.... Esme is stuck to Theo like a Remora.
Which is not a surprise. I mean, he has so many girls at the tavern trying to sway him.
Even though he is only the first mate.
Yes, I get a few lasses, but almost all the lasses have their eyes on him.
The reason why is María Ladron... since she worked in the tavern until she was sixteen. Even though I was twelve, she left a message for all the lasses. Because she saw that I would mature into a good-looking Pirate, thanks to my father.

"My brother is off limits." She said to them.

And everyone knows she's then queen.
And if you mess with the queen, you'll end up dead.

So, now and then, a brave lass appears, or I approach a drunk lass.
Some might say my life is ruined.
But I'm glad I have no distractions.
But tonight, I can't focus on anything.

I stand up from my desk, walk around...
Look at my shelves.
I groan.

Why can't I think of anything?

I walk towards my bed, and I fall on the soft bed... covered with blankets and pillows.
A knock inturupted my nothingness.
I jump up.
"Who is it?" I call.
"It's Esme... Captain." A soft voice answers.
I immediately stride towards the door,
I open it, and there she is, standing with her wooden legs on either side of her.
"Yes?" I ask.
A bit too desperate.
"Um... where am I supposed to sleep?" She asks, embarrassed. She looks down at the floor.
"Oh... well, I guess with me." I say, not thinking.
She looks at me with wide eyes. She is about to curse at me when I fix my mistake.
"I meant, you're sleeping in the reading nook." I step back and point to the bed where she had slept for the last two days.
"Oh. Not with the crew?" She asks.
"No, there is no space." I answer quickly.
She thinks for a moment.
"Okay... I guess... I'll take the reading nook then." She says, walking past me towards the small bed.
She sits down.
I close the door, and I stand there looking like a fool.
She looks at me.
"What?" She asks, looking at me strangely.
"Nothing." I answer, looking at her nonchalantly.
"Go on, whatever you have been doing." She says in her weird accent.
"Just making sure you were not going to bump into my shelves and break something." I say, walking towards my wardrobe.

Why the bloody hell did I say that?

I silently screamed at myself.

"Okay." She says unsurely.
"Where is my cousin?" I ask, changing the subject
She looks at me.
"Um, he needed to go to talk someone... that girl Hae." She says nonchalantly.
"Ah, alright." Is all I say.

I open the door of my wardrobe and pull off my shirt and belt, folding it up and putting it on one of the shelves.
Then, I grabbed a folded blanket out of my wardrobe. I throw it at her.
She catches it with a glare.
"What is this for?" She asked, confused.
"To capture a turtle." I say sarcasticly.
"To cover yourself when you get cold." I answer, annoyed.
"Oh. Thanks." She says, unsurely.
I turned to her, and she stared at my chest for a few moments before seeing I was watching. Then she turned her gaze to the blankit in her hands, blushing.
I smirk at her reaction.

"Good night." I say, walking towards my bed.
"Good night." She says, her voice uneven.

I plump myself on my bed and blow out my bedside candle.

She blows out her candle on the shelf next to her, and I can hear her moving around on her bed, getting comfortable.

This is going to be a long three weeks.