The Pirate and The Mermaid

13: A storm

Nope, it's long.

Luna's POV:

Today is just another afternoon cleaning up the kitchen before it gets dirty. Again, after dinner.
For these past three—and a half—weeks, it's been a simple day. Wake up and help in the kitchen, help out on the ship till lunch, help out on the ship again till dinner, wash up and then go to bed and start all over the next day. He may have taught me how to fight, but all I know about him is his family. I need more alone time with that pirate.

🧜🏻‍♀️the next day at the steering wheel🧜🏻‍♀️

"So, you want me to steer the ship, captain?" "Yes, and don't worry, I'm sure you'll do great." Riding a seahorse is one thing, but steering this big ship is like trying to make a humpback whale go left and right. "And don't worry dudett, I'll be right here if you get tired," Alfred said. "So in other words you'll be sitting back with your legs up having a snack." "Exactly."
It was pretty easy—left right left right—and the moment Alfred finished eating, I told him to take over, because it was so easy, it was boring. "Luna, can you come down here for a moment." Finally, he needs me.
"You called, Arthur." "Yes, I was wondering if you'd like to join me for tea." His desk with maps was now a desk with plates—with what looks like rocks on them—and cups with paintings of the sea. "But I thought you loved rum Arthur." "That's only on the weekends, or when you don't have time—or want—to deal with those wankers and their problems." "Oh, we'll then I'd love too." I wonder what land tea taste like.

🧜🏻‍♀️time skip🧜🏻‍♀️

"So, what do you think, Luna?" "Well, um," these aren't what he calls scones, these are rocks. At least this Earl Grey tea is good. "This is really, something I haven't ever had." "Well there's still more—" "No no thanks, I'll just have more tea, I haven't had this tea in a long time." I had to drink more tea just to wash down that—ugh—taste. "I'm glad you like this, there's finally someone else who loves tea and scones more than me. Especially on this ship." He just laid back, and drank his tea . . . Now he's smiling, you can hardly pay attention to his eyebrows when he smiles. Or maybe that's just me.
"I've never met anyone like you, Arthur." "Same to you love." All I could do was look at my shoulder.

Arthur's POV:

She could try to hide her smile, but she can't hide the pink on her cheeks. She went for the tea pot, and I went for the scones . . . Both our hands touched. We looked up at each other, then looked down at our hands. Slowly—like trying to balance a tower of plates on your head—our fingers moved closer. This is like when I taught her how to steer the ship. I was frozen, the only thing moving was my hand, it almost locked with hers until . . .
"Captain, there's a storm coming."
That's when our hands moved back. "Luna, go find Peter, and stay down in your room with him. Make sure he doesn't get out."

🧜🏻‍♀️downstairs🧜🏻‍♀️

Luna's POV:

"But why can't I—"
"Peter, there's a storm up there, and your brother told me to keep you safe and down here." "How do you know he's my brother?" Oh brother, "I'll tell you later." You could hear the rain coming down as fast as a current. Arthur was up there shouting orders, "Keep her steady men." "We're trying dude." "Don't call me dude. Seamus, Liam, tie the cannons down hard, make sure they don't brake loose." "We're doing that you idiot, but we'll need help," Seamus said. "I have to go help up there." "But eyebrows said—"
"I know what he said, but I'm apart of the crew. And I know you can take care of yourself, you've been through this a bunch of times right?"
He gave me a bone crushing hug. " . . . Don't fall off the ship, please."
"I won't, muah, I'll be right back." (Yah, she just gave him a kiss on the cheek like a mother would😚😊)

It was chaos: there was poring rain, cold wind, men trying to keep the cannons from braking loose, holding the ropes so the sails could stay steady, Arthur trying to steer the ship. "Lassie, what are you doin up here?" "I wasn't going to stay down, Allistor, I'm apart of the crew, I know I can help."
"Well my wee brother won't—"
"Luna, I told you to stay down there with Peter!"
"Told you so. Don't worry brother, I'll take her down . . . if you want to help, stay low and quiet, and try to move fast to the side of the ship, and hold on tight to the rope." It wasn't easy staying low, I was afraid I'd get stomped on, and the wind kept blowing my hair in my face. This is some storm. I held on tight trying to tie down the ropes, I was not letting this storm take me, Arthur, and his crew down.

Arthur's POV:

She should have stayed down with Peter, she's too skinny to hold down the ropes, with this wind and rain she could . . . . oh no. "Alfred take the wheel." I don't know what got into me, I ran—my hat falling off in the process, but I didn't care—grabbed one of the loose ropes, and jumped off; luckily the rope was tied to the ship, so I was swinging down like a monkey off to catch his banana before it hits the floor. I need her onboard my ship.

🧜🏻‍♀️the next day in Arthur's room🧜🏻‍♀️

Luna's POV:

That wind and rain pushed me off the ship. It must have done it on purpose, because I felt like it was blowing and raining on me the most. Somehow after I fell, everything went black like squid ink. I was waking up, but this wasn't my room. A bed with soft sheets and warm blankets, bookshelves in a corner, and a desk with a sleeping pirate on it.
"Mmmm . . . *yawn* . . Mmmm, you're awake love. *Yawn*. . about time." Poor captain, "I'm sorry you had to sleep there last night. Speaking of last night, what happened?" I asked. As he stretched, I noticed he looked a bit, well built. He didn't have his coat on so it was easy to see. "*Yawn* . . . There was a storm last night, I told you to stay with Peter, but you came up to help. You tried to help, but not even the wind and rain wanted you up on deck. And so you fell overboard, but I wasn't going to let you drown."
"Oh . . . thank you."
"You're very welcome. But somehow when we got back on deck, you were unconscious. I didn't see any bumps or cuts, but I was worried so I had you in here, I was waiting for you to wake up."
"Oh, well why'd you sleep there? you could've slept here, I mean this is your bed, and it's big enough for two people."
"I didn't want to scare you if you woke up, and a lady needs a bit of personal space when she's asleep." He really is a gentleman. "And the bed downstairs looks uncomfortable, I figured you could use some good sleep on this ship for a while." He was right, this bed felt like you could jump on it. And speaking of feeling something . . . My necklace.
I didn't feel the cold pearls on my neck.

"Uh captain, did you happen to—"
He pulled it out of his pocket. "Before I give it to you, let me ask you something. Is this really a necklace passed down through generations? because it looks strange, the pearls are different colors, and this looks like something you'd find deep underwater." Oh shrimp, he's getting suspicious, think, think, think.

"Yes, yes it is. It was my grandmas, and since I loved it so much when I was little, she gave it to me on my 18th birthday before she died. And if I wanted to, I could pass it down."
. . . He threw it to me, phew, he bought it. "Here, she must have said you looked more brighter and beautifuler then those pearls. I'll let you sleep a bit more and bring you lunch when it's ready."

🧜🏻‍♀️at the steering wheel🧜🏻‍♀️

Arthur's POV:

That was not just some three pearled necklace you can find or buy on land, I mean, one of the pearls is blue. The same goes for the bracelet. I'll have to look into one of my books. I know I've seen them before.