The Mermaid-Cursed Pirate

Chapter 9

Recap:

"That's it!" she screamed in anger. She pushes him off her and waves her hands, removing her skirt and revealing a pair of breeches that flip down and button themselves at her ankles. Then she stretches out a hand and a sword from one of the men flies into her hand. "You best leave me alone if you know what's good for you," she says with pure malice in her eyes, ready to knock these men down a peg.

  ----------------------------

Hook makes his way back to the mess hall with the drinks but drops them because of what he sees inside. Sirena stood on a table, fighting off the men that surrounded her. She held a stolen sword in each hand as she spins around. She parries the attacks from every direction, knocking one of his men down with a kick to the chest. Hook stands in awe of her. Her movements are smooth and precise like she knows where each jab will be before her attackers do. Then he breaks out of his trance, realizing he has to stop them before anyone gets hurt.

"Everyone cut it out!" they all froze. "Now, what is going on here?"

"The girl started it!" one pirate answers.

"And I'll start it again if you don't flog off, you half-wit!" the mermaid screams, lunging toward the man before Hook grabs her arm and pulls her off the table.

"As you were, men!" he said to the angry crew around them. They slowly return to their meal as he pulls Sirena out of the room, back to his quarters. When they get there, he lets go and runs his hand over his face as Sirena walks to the porthole, still holding the swords. "What the bloody hell was that, Sirena?" the captain demands.

"You of all people should understand the concept of respect. Your men challenged my honor, so I defended it. I made it clear I wouldn't stand for any of their pig-headedness while I'm here," she retorted. She didn't move from the window. She stood still and calm as she tried to hold herself back from another, much more dangerous fight.

"Lass, I told my men that there would be none of this, and an hour later you start a fight?"

Sirena lost it again. She turned around, anger blazing in her eyes as she brought one of the blades to his throat before he could react. "I know you trust your men, captain. But you also know them, so you must know how they'd treat a strange woman on their ship. I did what I had to to be sure I'd last the year with these men," she said in a low, harsh voice before lowering her weapon. "I think it best that we call it a night. I'll go back on land tonight and be back in the morning," she explained as she gathered her things. She waved her hand to fold her pants back into place and cover them with her skirt like before.

"Just wait a minute. You can't go out this late. Who knows what that demon Pan is doing at this hour," the captain pleads, attempting to calm the woman before him.

She chuckles, "I can handle Pan. What I can't handle is every man on this ship coming after me for my life in revenge. I'm going,"

"No, you're not," he returns. "My men wouldn't dare enter my cabin without permission. If I'm supposed to keep you safe, then staying in here is your best bet."

The mermaid weighs the options in her head, then puts her satchel on the floor and walks back to him. "Fine," she concedes. "But you only have one bed. Where am I to sleep?"

"No, lass. I'll take the floor and you can have my bed." Seeing her mouth open to object, he quickly continues, "No, let me take the floor. It's what a gentleman would do."

"Ah, yes. How could I forget I'm bound to the only gentleman pirate in the world?" she laughs. "But I can't take your bed. Perhaps we can share it," she suggests.

The pirate gives her a devilish smirk and saunters towards her, "Normally, I wouldn't object to the idea. But don't you think that's moving a bit fast, lass? I mean, we will be stuck together for a year."

Her eyes open in shock and she blushes in embarrassment, shouting, "No! That's not what I meant at all!" she turns away and covers her face. "I meant we can take turns!"

Hook backs away, holding his hands in surrender, murmuring "Could've fooled me." He takes a blanket out of a chest and removes his coat. "What do you say we turn in, then? It's been a long day."

"I couldn't agree more," she replies, sitting on the bed and pulling the covers over her knees. "I've never slept on a ship before," she confides.

Hook rolls up his jacket and places it against the chest sitting across from the bed. "You'll get used to it, lass. It's calm here. You won't even notice it," he explains as he lays down on his makeshift bed.

They both are quiet for a moment before she pipes up, "Hook?"

"Yes?" he returns in an already groggy voice.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you."

"I'd say it's fine, lass, but it's not. You'll have to make amends with the crew tomorrow if you know what's good for you. You'll have to get control of that temper of yours and find a way to get along with them. I can't have you dying on this ship, I don't know what the curse would do to me," he scolds. Then he sighs and sits up sightly, "I am curious how you learned to fight that well, though. You held your own against all my men. Who taught you to do that?"

Sirena smiles and looks at her feet under the blanket as she remembers. "My first curse. Like I said before, the curses don't always go as expected. My father died while my mom was teaching me how to use my magic, so I had to find someone else to be my first bond. I was in the town where my father lived, minding my own business when this man comes up behind me and grabs my arm. At first, I was terrified, but he explained that he was a good friend of my father's. He promised my father that he would look after me and be my first bond if I wanted him to be. Long story short, I agreed after he proved that he knew my father and he taught me how to fight. He was captain, too. But not a pirate captain, a Navy captain."

Hook gasps in mock betrayal, "You were trained to hunt pirates like me, then? I knew there was something off about you," he said with a smirk and an accusing finger pointed her way.

She laughs, "Not pirates like yourself! You're a gentlemanly pirate, remember?"

"True, so I would've been safe if we crossed paths back then." They sat in happy silence for a moment before he continues. "You said this man proved he knew your father. How did he do that?"

Sirena grabs her bag and pulls out a book, walking over to the captain. She holds the book in front of him, then opens it to reveal a secret compartment cut out of the pages. Picking up the ring inside, she explains, "He gave me this. It's my father's seal. He kept it well hidden so no one could forge documents in his name. If the man was a trusted friend of his, he would have told him where it was in case anything happened to him."

"I must express my condolences, lass. I'm sure he was a great man if he made you," he says in a soft voice as she tears up, looking at the seal. After a moment, he continues, "But I think we should get some rest now. You deserve it, and we'll be up early tomorrow."

"Okay," she mumbles, laying down in the bed. "Good night, captain," she finishes in a jesting voice.

"Good night, lass," he returns before rolling to face away from her.