Slave's Love (Pirate!Spamano)

Capítulo 19 (diecinueve)

Antonio's POV:

Crisp wind washed over me, filling my nostrils, playing with my hair slightly like a child would with its toys. The air was getting colder with every day passing, nights were longer and days shorter, the Sun not as warm as before. Even animals began to slowly retreat into the woods, searching for a safe place where they could stay.

Leaves changed colours, falling onto ground lightly and either staying there or being snatched away by strong winds. The blueness of sky was fading out of sight when grey clouds came rushing in, dragging storms and even more coldness with them. Nature was screaming one word – winter – and just then I've realized just how long we've been here. The flowers were also a sign that snow was just around the corner; their petals were falling off each and every day and before I could even notice, their crowns, usually carried with pride, were now pulled down by gravity, colours fading and shadows overflowing them.

I truly wanted to leave, to finally get back to my dear ship, to my crew. My mind was too stressed, my body too tired or was it the other way around? What I knew for sure, however, was the annoying desire of running away. I wanted to search about unknown horizons again, see things no-one ever saw, have lungs filled with clear ocean breeze...But I didn't have the heart to leave my favourite little flower alone. Yes, I was taught to never hover over one place for too long, such thing bringing problems and uneasiness to me, but there was no way in Hell, and I swore this to God Himself, of letting go of my youngest subordinate.

I promised to never leave his side. He was too young, to naïve, too tender and fragile to be alone in this world. I swore that to him, I still remembered my very own words when my voice dripped with anxiety, with worry but also with relieve as I held the burning boy in my embrace. His body was shaking brutally and, really, I thought he'd break. My heart was beating so fast, my brain couldn't focus but I still felt his hotness, his sharp breathe and those cries for help.

Sadness creeped into my heart at the memory. The wind was getting too cold for me and thus, I shut the window closed. Its unbearable presence was still there though and I shivered softly, huddling into a near chair where I've been before actually. I suddenly felt so small, cuddled into a ball with a gift-given book on the shiny tea table next to me. Anxiety dug a hole in me, every piece of warmth escaping through it.

I reached for the book, fingers swishing gently along its brownish hardcover. My eyes flicked across the title again, golden letters forming words and sinking into me once more. Don Quixote written by Miguel de Cervantes, a man who was imprisoned by pirates and survived before I was even born. The book in my hands was comfortably warm, letters feeling nice underneath my touch and its rather funny and ironic point making me at peace.

"Here," Roderich said as he showed the small item into my hands. I gave him a puzzled look, taken aback by his sudden movement. He's been carrying that little thing around the whole day, even as we went for a little walk to his gardens. We chatted a little, looked around and chatted some more. It was nice, talking with someone like that; we didn't talk about problems, about politics or anything others would expect. Rather than that, we talked about geography, history or even about something as pointless as hunting.

"I thought you'd like to read this; it's something to keep you from being bored." He said that and turned away from me before I could thank him properly. He was right though; it really did keep me from getting bored. (Or being at anxiety's mercy.) Every page was a small reminder of my childhood days when I used to read from dusk 'till dawn. I didn't understand the meaning of this piece then but grew to love it anyway, still finding it the best even now, after many years filled with life experiences. Some passage made me crack a smile but words in some were so deep and full of meaning, it made my thoughts somehow philosophical.