Piracy

41. Crushed by Him

I was awakened much later in the day by the sounds of children playing outside my window. I rolled over to kiss Harry and wake him, but he wasn't there. I quickly dressed, smiling as I remembered why I was naked in the first place, and I went to find him. 

First, however, I checked on the queen, and she was sleeping peacefully. She already looked so much better than when she'd first been brought to the village. Her face was filling out and her eyes weren't sunken anymore. I silently cheered for the twist of fate that brought Harry and his mum back together.

Outside, I encountered Elizabeth, Jonah's wife. "How are you today?" I asked politely.

"I'm just fine, thank you for asking," Elizabeth replied. "Looking for the prince, I assume?" 

"As a matter of fact, I am."

"Last I saw him, he was talking with some folks over yonder," she motioned to the north side of the village, near the path to the castle.

I went to find him and I had to venture a little way into the jungle before I spotted him. He was pacing around in a clearing mumbling to himself, in an obvious state of distress. I quietly approached so as not to startle him. "Harry?" I said softly.

His welcome was anything but tender. "What do you want?" I was rather shocked by his change in demeanor from just a few hours ago.

"I want to help you," I said, stepping closer to him, hoping to enclose him in my arms, but he stood stiff and unmoving. "Harry, I know this is a difficult time for you, but-"

"You have no idea what I'm going through," he interrupted with a grumble. "You don't know what it's like to have the weight of the world on your shoulders. I can't run away - I would dishonor my country and my mother would never forgive me. But this - this is impossible. I'm going up against a man who has the loyalty of many villages and whose sworn oath is to strike me down if he ever lays eyes on me again."

"You have killed many men, and you have successfully overtaken ships and crew by the hundreds," I reminded him. "I believe in you." 

He shook his head. "This is different, Wren. There's so much at stake. One mistake and we could all be dead."

I spoke firmly when I said, "Then don't make a mistake. You are very intelligent, skilled, and I know now how much you love this place. If you would die, my love, I would live out my years mourning you; however, I know that you would gladly die for the sake of your homeland. It frightens me, but I won't hold you back because this is what has to be done!"

"If only you hadn't talked me into returning," he growled.

"How dare you blame this on me!" I snapped. "You left the country because of a mad man, and now you're saying that I'm at fault for making you return! Your mother is rescued and your people will rally behind you to overthrow him. You were destined to return and make things right. You literally dragged me into this mess, so don't you dare tell me I had anything to do with it."

I stormed off, feeling very much agitated by Harry's unstable attitude. At some moments, he seemed strong, confident and ready to take on the world. Then I saw him turn into a child, fearful and shamed. In some ways that made sense. Out at sea, he had ravaged ships, obtained a vast amount of wealth, and did as he pleased with the multitude of prisoners who had the misfortune of falling into his path. But being back here prompted all the grief, terror, and insecurity he'd known before he left. How could I convince him to be that fearless sea captain once again? Especially if he was going to play the coward and blame others for his adversity.

* * *

I went back to the village center and found Hadley talking with some other women in the village as they sat in a circle, sewing and knitting, talking about their children, a few of them dandling babies in their laps. I took a seat next to a woman with a dark-skinned child suckling at her breast.