Pirates, Kings, and Love. Oh my.

Chapter 13

The first thing I noticed when I woke was a deep ache in my jaw. Instantly, images of the night before flashed through my mind. I turned my head and looked up at Heath. This was the second time I had fallen asleep in his arms, and I hadn’t yet gotten used to the sudden quickening of my heart when the first thing I saw when I woke was his face. A small smile played on my lips and I didn’t bother trying to hide it. Gently, I sat up and stretched my arms over my head.

We were still in the crows nest. I probably wouldn’t have made it down to the deck last night I was so exhausted after almost getting killed; and also after kissing Heath I was in too much of a love drunken state to stand up straight. I had to remember to breathe. I stood up and leaned against the edge of the wood. The sky had cleared up almost completely; the only hints of a terrible storm were the few, whispy clouds remaining. The sun was on the horizon, streaking the sky with early morning colors.

I closed my eyes as I felt the breeze tickle my face. I gasped.

“Good morning.” Heath mumbled into my hair. He had come up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I turned around to face him. His green eyes seemed to glisten more today, his face was relaxed and he was smiling. I made a mental picture of this moment in my mind.

“Hello.” I said.

I closed my eyes as he leaned in and kissed my forehead.

“Good morning,” my eyelids. “Good morning,” my nose. “Good morning,” my cheeks. “Good morning,” my lips. He tasted of salt and sugar, of hot and cold, of day and night. And I took pleasure in it all.

“Now that’s how you say good morning.” I said when he released me from his trance. He chuckled, the sound of it like the prettiest bells ringing.

A ringing sound down below made both of our heads turn in the direction it was coming from. We saw the cook standing ringing a triangle.

“Breakfast!” he was shouting.

“Guess we better go down now.” I said. Heath sighed dramatically and dropped his arms to his sides as I turned away from his and started climbing back down the shroud. I felt the ropes tighten and knew he was following me down.

“Heath, Tarryn, so glad you could join us,” Kurt bellowed from where he sat on one of the benches as Heath and I entered the galley. All eyes turned towards us. I felt a blush rising in my cheeks and fought hard to keep it down. I couldn’t give away any tell-tale signs to the suspicions the crew already had about what happened after the chaos last night.

“It’s glad to be back.” He replied. The crew cheered. “Without Tarryn here, I’d have had a much different fate.” Silence filled the room as all of our minds went back to the poor soul who was lost last night. After a few beats Kurt said “Well then, let’s eat, shall we?”

Breakfast this morning was more like a feast, with there being a reason to celebrate. Kurt led the prayer before the meal.

“Dear Lord, continue to bless this crew. Thank ya for protectin’ our beloved captain and our newest friend as they did what no other man wanted to do. And bless the soul of the one we lost, may you give him a sailor’s peace. Amen.”

The room echoed their ‘amen’s’ and then began to eat.

“Tarryn, oh my Lord, I’m so glad you’re alright!” Henry came over to me after he had quickly scarffed down his meal. He hugged me surprisingly tight for a man of his age. “Bout near gave me a heart attack when I noticed you halfway up the shroud. We all were might scared, specially when you fell and near…” he trailed off, not wanting to even mention what could have happened to me.

“Thank you Henry.”

“Tarryn!” Tuck joined our group. “Boy am I glad to see you! I was getting my guts out and then the next thing I know the crew goes ballistic and Heath’s shouting, asking where you are and why nobody stopped you. I spoke up and said ‘Once she’s made up her mind there’s no stoppin that girl, she’s one tough doll.’”

I glanced over at Heath. He was surrounded by many of the crew. He looked up and his eyes locked on mine. For a few seconds it was as if the world had passed away and it was just us two, alone, up in the crows nest again. The moment was ruined when one of the map keepers rushed over and stole Heath’s attention, excitement written all over his face. Heath’s expression changed instantly to a grave slate. What could make him look so stiff?

“… and then you two fell into the crows nest and we all cheered. I don’t know that I’ve ever been as happy as when I saw you and the captain in the safety of the nest.” I was pulled back to Tuck and only caught the last part of what he was saying, but by the way he was breathing hard I could tell he had just given a long speech. Part of me felt bad for missing it.

I smiled. “Well I don’t know that I’ve ever been so happy to be in the safety of the nest either.” I said, thinking to the moments after I had pulled Heath off the yard.

The room went suddenly quiet and I turned my head. Heath was standing up, holding his mug in his hand, his expression changed back into a festive grin.

“Gentelmen and lady,” he said. The crew laughed lightly at this and I found myself doing the same. “Today we’re going home.”

The intensity on deck was almost visible. The entire crew was on deck, waiting to return home. We were all standing around idle, which made me wonder how we were to finish sailing if everybody was standing around? I was standing at the very front bow of the ship, leaning as far as I could over the rail, enjoying the last few moments I had to feel the ocean spray on my face and the wind fingering through my hair.

Cheers suddenly erupted on deck as Heath walked out of his cabin. He smiled and tilted his head in a slight nod, then walked to the right and climbed the stairs to the Quarter deck and ended behind the wheel.

“Are the hatches closed and secured?”

“Aye, Captain.” Kurt said.

“Well then, let’s go home.”

Another applause was spread throughout the crew.

“Tarryn, come back to the crew. Its not safe up in the forecastle.” Heath called.

Not safe? We were just sailing, what were we going to do, sink? Even though these thought were on the tip of my tongue, I held back and instead walked to where the crew stood below the Quarter deck. Henry came over to me and I took his arm. Truth be told, I was scared. My mind quickly flashed back to the conversations I had with Heath about how he wasn’t from our world and how I can never go back home. Uneasiness washed over me.

“Here we go!” Heath shouted.

In that instant the ship gave a great moan and the forecastle began so sink lower into the water. The ocean quickly began to fill up the deck, making its way back towards us.

“Henry, what’s going on? Why are we going down?” I said, trying my best not to be hysterical.

“I don’t know.” He said, patting my hand.

The ship continued to sink into the ocean. I watched in horror as the water kept getting closer and closer to where we stood as the forecastle kept sinking lower and lower.

“Get to the sides, now!” Heath commanded.

We all scurried to do as he said. I walked as quickly as I could to the railing. Everybody was scrambling as the water rose higher and higher and the forecastle sunk lower and lower. What on earth did killing us have to do with returning home. I turned and looked back at Heath. He looked confident and generally unfazed. He gave me a wink. My heart didn’t have time to flutter. The ship sunk quickly lower and I slipped on the wet deck.

A scream was hanging in my open mouth, but I couldn’t give it any sound.

“Tarryn!” I head Tuck call as I slid past him. He tried to reach out and grab me but he was too slow. I took a deep breath as I came to the dark water just below me.