Ocean's Song (Pirate!England x Reader)

Ch 18: The Frozen Forest

After three days of rest we leave the little inn, the small Russian family waving us off. You smile sadly, it'll probably be the last time you ever see them. You can't remember how many days left you had exactly, somewhere around 19.
We start walking towards what  appears to be a large ice wall.
"Arthur where are we going?"
He turns to you after pulling his head out of the map he's carrying.
"There is legends off a near perfect  paradise at the center of this forest... The only thing is that the forest is entirely frozen and deadly. Some say that its haunted, but I've got spells and charms for that."
Arthur grins impishly at his own words before leading the group closer to the ice wall. Now that you're closer you can see that its not a solid wall, but a completely frozen tree line. Roderich mumbles under his breath in his own language while Lovino clutches what appears to be a rosary.
The forest is big, stretching both ways as far as the eye can see. The trees themselves are massive, so tall that you have to almost look straight up to see the tops of them. But most strange is that there doesnt seem to be a single bit of wood. The trees are massive ice sculptures, with smooth trunks and delicate crystal clear branches.
Arthur brings the small eight men group a halt as he scours the map. He glances up and approached the biggest ice tree in the area. He stares past it before turning around to the group.
"This is where we need to enter the forest. Now I must stress that we stay in a line, do not touch any trees that have a carving in them. If you here someone call your name from in the forest do not look. This travel will not be easy and it will be long and cold, but do not give up. We are so close to what we've wanted for so long men, I think its high time we get it."
Some of the men give small shouts of agreement before Arthur steps into the trees and everyone follows suit. In order there is Arthur at the lead, you, Lovino, Roderich, Francis, Alfred, Peter, and Antonio coming up the rear.
Immediatly all sounds stop except for the clicking of the bare ice branches of the trees. Even your footsteps seem to be muffled. There were other sounds too, whispers from the trees almost like voices calling a name but nobody looked. In the distance there were blue lights darting between the trees stopping ever so often, almost like they were watching. At one point there was a distant scream which Arhtur bid the group to ignore as it got closer. It then stopped after a few minutes. But other then reoccurances of those events nothing really happened. You only saw a handful of the carved trees that Arthur mentioned, you turn your attention back to Arthur.
As Arthur trudges on you watch him, you watch how his entire posture screams determination with every step. You dont know what he's looking for but you find that you're hopeing that he gets it. His thick red coat swirls around him as he takes a turn following the map closely.
You feel like you've been traveling for hours but the light level in the forest never changes, its almost like time works differently here but when you check your pocket watch it says that you have indeed been traveling for about 6 hours.
"Arthur?" You ask quietly and without turning around but slowing his pace slightly, "Yes poppet? What is it?" "We have been going through these woods for hours, should we take a break?"
He pauses before turning around and surveying the group. "You're right, we should set up camp here." The group lets out sighs of relief and everyone starts to unpack their small bags. You set yous down and go to Arthur who is still reading the map intensely. You place a hand on his shoulder and motion for him to join you on the ground. He puts a dot where we are and rolls up the map before sitting. He is quiet for a moment before saying, "I can't believe we are this close..." "Close to what?" You ask. "Close to what I have dreamt about ever since I was a young man. In this paradise there is a portal to a place that cannot be reached any other way. On this island it is said that there are untold riches and it is where the king of the sea, posiden, resides." You blink in shock, there was a chance you were going to meet your creator? That would shake anyone. But before you can think more on it suddenly your body seizes before a violent coughing fit takes hold. Your ears are ringing and your vision goes blurry as your entire body lurches with the effort to expel the accursed plants. Blood and saliva falls freely from your mouth in rivulets as you hunch over the ground. Arthur grabs your body and presses you into his chest as you choke on the blossoms of your manifested love. Your coughs become choked and muffled wet noises as the thorns from the roses tear through you. Nashing your teeth against the pain you cry out hoarsely as you feel the flowers gathering at the back of your throat. You thrash against Arthur as the pain drowns out all of your senses. You can't see or hear all you can do is feel, feel the pain of the flowers as they claw their way out of you into the world, feel your heart pounding out of your chest, feel Arthur's arms around you pulling you closer, feel the group eyes on you watching as the disease wreaked havoc on your form, feel yourself lean over as fully formed roses and Peruvian lilies spill from your bloodied mouth. Once they were out your eyesight cleared slightly, it was still blurry but you could still make out the red and yellow almost mocklying vibrant against the white and pale blues of the world around them. By the time the you body stops lurching and twisting in pain, you are sobbing heavily with labored breathing, you clutch your almost ruined throat. You cry as Arthur holds you close petting your hair and whispering reassurances to you as the group looks on sadly. Francis has a haunted look on his face as he stares at the flowers before his eyes flicker up to yours. His look shares a silent message that you refuse with a slight shake of your head. You were not going to tell Arthur he was the one you loved.
Arthur still held you even after you had calmed down. Eventually you fell asleep in his arms. But he didn't put you down he just shifted his hold on you and leaned back against a tree. Francis came from the group and sat next to Arthur. He sighs before speaking quietly, "Arthur, do zou have any idea who our la copine is sick for?" Arthur looks down and studies your face for a moment. Taking in how peaceful you look before answering, "I have no clue, she doesn't spend a whole lot of time with the crew. It isn't someone from her home because it started after she joined my crew. I know it isn't Peter because she is a mother to him..." Francis's expression deadpanned as he stared at Arthur. "Are you serious Mon Ami? I get zou are stupid but this takes zit to a whole nother level!" Arthur looked at him offendedly only to be let with a glare before Francis stalked away muttering under his breath. 'That frog face doesnt know what he is talking about, hes just tired... There is no way she could love me. I took her from her home, her family, her friends, I don't even know why she stayed.' Arthur thought to himself as he brushed a strand of hair for your face. He would also be client if he said that he didn't harbor some  feelings for you. He might even say that he loved you. But his thoughts were cut short with a small tickling at the back of his throat. He tried to clear his throat to get it to stop but it became more persistent until he coughed two short coughs into his hand. He felt something fall past his lips on the second cough. He looked down and felt a sick cold feeling come over him. Staring back at him was a small white bloom, its petals were white with a red ring in the middle. 'A daffodil, How fitting.' He thought darkly to himself. He closed his fist and crushed the offending flower. Leaning his head back against the tree staring up at the sky. He chuckled to himself, "Seems I've doomed myself..." When in reality the sickness has been with him for about a month now but he had been to stubborn to see it. He wants to tell you how he feels, he wants to explore the world with you, he wants to go to sleep and wake with you in his arms ever morning, he wants to cherish you. But He feels that if he tells you it would be unfair, because eyour heart clearly belongs to another. After getting lost in his thoughts he fell asleep like that, cradling you in his arms.
Francis the one who volunteered to go on watch first stared at the two of you sadly. He knew the pain of that painful disease he has seen others succumb to it, survive it to be loved, or even survive as he did. But he had never seen two victims in love with each other but didnt realize it. But he prayed to whatever god was listening that they would both come to realize that they were each other's cure before they both were doomed to oblivion.

Daffodil; Uncertainty, chivalry, respect or unrequited love, return my affection; new beginnings.