Journey

Chapter Seven~ A new Companion

Sebastian threw me over his shoulder like a sack of flour, and started for the entrance of the cave. I struggled, but his grip was firm. "Hey, put me down!" I pounded my fist on his back. We came out of the cave and the sunlight hit me in the face. Blinding me for a few seconds upon impact. I closed my eyes against the light. Then I breathed in the fresh, dry, crisp outside air, almost crying at the smell.

I had almost forgotten my whole situation when Sebastian started talking, "We are taking both of them with us. Can't separate them with the bond they have."

The other men nodded and started towards the woods. A few hung back while Sebastian set me down. "Give me a rope," he said. He grabbed the rope a crew member held towards him. He held my hands together while he grabbed it from one of his crew members. He bounded my hands, and held the rest of the rope like a leash. "Let's move," he said. He walked the same direction as the others. He pulled on the rope. I didn't budge. "I said let's go." He grinned, "or do I have to carry you."

With that I started walking. Like hell I'd let him touch me again. I followed Sebastian through the woods unwillingly. "Where are you taking us?"

He replied with a, "Nowhere you need to worry about."

"You're kidnapping me, I think I deserve to know where I'm going."

He didn't answer me, and continued to pull me behind him like a dog. We walked most of the day in silence until we came to a clearing in the woods. A campfire sat in the middle already burning. "We are staying here for the night, the ship is too far away to walk in one day." Great, now I have to sleep on the ground with strange dangerous people around me. Sebastian brought me to a tent and tied me to the pole it was set up with. He bent down so he was eye level to me, "Don't try anything stupid."

I glared at him, but nodded.

He smirked and walked away towards a tent across the clearing. I looked around. The sun peeked through the many branches, sending rays of light onto the ground. It was beautiful. I've always had a love for nature. I heard a rustle next to me. I looked down at the ground.

A little orb of light peeked through a bush. I raised an eyebrow at the blue orb. It came out into the light, it's own light shedding away from it. A little person with wings emerged. A fairy! What is it doing out here?

The little person, well girl, gave me a warm smile. My jaw was practically unhinged. I just stared at the little girl in awe. She was beautiful. She came closer to me, so that she was right in front of my eyes. Her mouth moved, but all that came out was the sound of a bell. "I can't hear you."

She moved as if she sighed. She moved to my ear. "You have to listen closely."

I couldn't believe it. The fairy just talked to me. "What is happening to me?"

"You are finally seeing the world of magic."

"You are just a figure of my imagination. I think I really am going crazy."

"It is true that only you can see me, but I can assure you I am real." I just blinked at her. "My name is Haley. I am going to help you out of here." Another blink. "Okay let's start with this rope." She whistled towards the trees, or at least that's what it looked like, I couldn't hear a sound. The bush rustled loudly and a squirrel popped out into the clearing.

"Hey little guy, can you chew this rope?" The squirrel moved towards me, and started breaking through the rope. The tension on my wrist loosened, "Now get out of here, I'll meet up with you later." She burst into a cloud of blue flowers and flew off. I shook my head and looked at my hands again. I was free.

But-- what about Reth?

I couldn't just leave him here. I had to save him too. I snuck into the dense woods and scurried around the trees. I made my way to the tent that Sebastian had went in to. I surveyed the area. A low popping noise got my attention. Blue flower petals fell to the ground next to me. "What are you doing?!" Haley snapped as she pulled on a strand of my hair.

"I'm saving Reth," I whispered to her.

"And I was saving you, now let's get out of here. Don't worry about him, he'll be fine without you."

"I'm not leaving him Haley. I love him."

She sighed, "okay fine, I can't deny a lovesick girl."

"I'm not lovesick, at least I don't think I am."

"You're putting yourself in danger to save a man you hardly know, and you don't think that's being lovesick?" She asks as she shakes her head. I guess she's right. Any other person would leave after being freed, not go right back into danger.

I shake the thought away, and walked around to the back of the tent. The flap moved and Sebastian came out. He looked towards where I was. He was shocked and alarmed, he screamed at the other pirates that were in the vicinity. He ran over to the tent where I was and picked up the rope.

I snuck into the tent, and was about to pat myself on the back for accomplishing my mission thus far when I heard a loud "hey!". I knew I was caught. I looked at the corner of the tent. I saw a surprised Reth staring at me. He looked horrible, "Annie." He said my name so softly, it hurt to see him like this.

Haley popped up next to me. Startling me so bad, I almost slapped her out of the air. "Get out of here! Run!"

I bolted out of the tent, right into the waiting arms of Sebastian. Haley was to late "What did I say about doing anything stupid!" His hand hit the side of my face. I fell to the ground with a choked scream. "Disobeying just like Reth." He picked me up forcefully and brought me back to the tent. This time he shoved me inside and had two people stand guard. I curled into a ball on the floor, I fucked up big time, any chance of escape was gone.

Haley popped into existence next to me again. "I'm sorry, Annie. I should've guarded you. Are you okay?"

"It's not your fault I am a failure."

"You aren't a failure. You are so much more than that." She laughed weakly. I didn't reply to her. Instead I watched the shadows outside of the tent until sleep took over me.

...

Sebastian woke me in the morning, he checked my cheek, inspecting the welt that formed there. "I hit you too hard. Reth is going to hate me even more." I let him take me out of the tent and tie the rope around my wrist again. He pulled me along again through the woods. We made it to the edge of the woods before dark. We came into an opening, a familiar scent hitting me.

The ocean. I looked around, but instead of crystal blue water in front of me, my focus landed on a ship. It was beautiful, certainly nothing a pirate could own. It looked like it was made of gold, "Ah, there she is. My beautiful ship, The Morning Star," breathed Sebastian.

I picked my jaw up off the ground and said, "That's your ship?"

"Do you like it," asked one of the crew members.

I looked away; why couldn't I just hate it? "Maybe." I muttered quietly.

Sebastian laughed, "Reth and I saved up for it for years. She's a beauty." He had a far away look in his eyes. How long has Reth been with them. "We need to get a move on. I don't want to be here when someone comes snooping around."