OCEAN WITHOUT DIRECTION

Chapter Two

"That's the ideal meeting...once upon a time, only once, unexpectedly, then never again."
― Helen Oyeyemi

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I soon decide that there would be no harm in going to dance, especially with the captain although I don't prefer to draw attention to myself. Smiling slightly to myself, I trudge over to the telephone on the side table, glancing at the numbered piece of paper on the table. 

As it rings, I fidget slightly clenching the coat on my lap. "Hello?" a feminine voice echoes through the extension.

"Um, yes, hello. My name is Xena Harley" I sound out less confident than I want. Silence.

"Ah, yes, Ms Harley. The captain warned us you may call." Though I can't see her, I can hear her smiling widely. Before I can begin to ask what she means by 'warned' she starts up a painfully long conversation.

"Now Ms Harley, if you have called to tell us you would like to join the captain please say you will. All you have to say is a simple one word and I will have a group of maids to your room as soon as possible and they will help you get ready for tonight. I will tell you in advance though, the captain would like to see you early and he does not want a single crinkle in the gown tonight. He gets a bit fussy" she ends in a whisper and a school girl giggle.

My mind is now floating with so much information I feel it may blow soon, "right, well, yes then. I would love to join him" "oh, I knew you would" her know it all voice now in a displeased tone.

What was that supposed to mean? 

"I'm sending the maids over now, please be ready soon" I swear she changes moods faster than I can dress myself. Hanging up the phone all I can do is stare straight ahead, the pot plant staring right back at me. What in the world have I gotten myself into?

Numerous knocks on my door are loud enough to wake the whole ship. Before I can walk forwards, it bursts open revealing four jubilant maids smiling widely. "Miss! Miss!" they all shriek running forwards holding a dress bag and makeup kit, widening my eyes I wait for the impact. As expected I topple over onto the bed, sudden silence has me looking up. Two of the maids look as though they might be sick and the other two are scrambling up off of me.

"What are you doing stupid? The captain might as well fire us now and throw us over board!" the brunette one hisses. A blonde one looks down in discomfort and fiddles with her working dress. "Now go help up the poor soul, she'll highly likely tell the captain now I mean look at her, she's probably just as mortified with us now than a few seconds ago."

As the blonde one helps me up I glance at all four of the women. They stand in a straight line with their hands folded behind them, "My name is Emma, Miss" the brunette introduces herself. I silently nod and look to the next, the blonde. "Sorry Miss, my name is Carmen" I smile at her and see her lips tweak up a bit too. A red head then introduces herself as Maggie and the last in line is a black haired female named Virginia. 

We all stand in silence with me facing them all. "So will you get me ready?" I ask, as if my words snapped them out of a trance they begin to hustle around the room getting my shower ready. Table for makeup, and hanging up the dress so it won't get creased-That would be a disaster on my part anyway.

"Please follow me Miss" Carmen ushers me towards the bathroom. "Xena" is all I reply with, she looks at me confused. "Please, call me Xena, and for the record I won't tell the captain about earlier" she shyly nods and closes the bathroom door.

The steam from the shower is fogging up all the glass in the room and the heat is swirling up my body already. Undressing, I quickly jump underneath the water and it instantly urges me to relax. The tension in my muscles and the heat is at battle, fighting each other until one loses, finally I relax.

Lathering the soap onto my skin I move onto my hair, it's dark auburn strands sticking to my back. The smells of lemon verbena and vanilla float through the air and stick to the corners of the walls like spider webs. 

"Mi-I mean Xena, we have everything ready for you now" Carmen calls out interrupting my slacken body. Instantly I tense up again and let out a hard sigh, turning off the water I exit the bathroom uncomfortably.

Promptly Emma rustles over and pulls at my arm, causing me to lurch forward. Luckily I catch myself but she seemed to have not noticed that she was at fault here. Plopping me down in a hard chair she begins to seize my hair with a comb and I wince at force she puts into it. "Sit still!" she snaps and I frown, why is everyone only nice when we have first introductions?

Just as she finishes pulling every single strand of hair off of my head she pulls me up again, bear in mind I'm still in a flimsy towel going up just past mid thigh. As she thrusts me hurriedly towards the other women, Maggie leans over and whispers "don't worry too much about her, she'll come around eventually." Shaking my head I help them put the dress on and Maggie zips it up for me before slipping on a pair of kitten heels.

"There, isn't she gorgeous?!" Virginia grasps my shoulders and looks me up and down admiring their handy work. Chuckling I walk to the mirror-pumps clicking gently on the wood floors-and praise them for their work. All ladies beam at my compliment except Emma who scoffs at me. Choosing to ignore her I continue to look at the intricate designed gown.

"Xena, here" Virginia hands me a piece of card and I soon realise it's an invitation to get into the ballroom. I thank her and safely tuck it into the cup of the dress, they grin at me and push me out of the room.

My smile instantly fades as I walk up a pair of stairs, I have no clue where the top of the ship is. Following my instincts I continue walking forwards hoping it leads to where I want it too. Luckily enough a door is leading outside of the ship. As I push it open I am greeted by the fresh cool air of the night, waves crashing against the sides of the ship.

As I advance forwards I see the back of a man, a man who is the captain. As if sensing my arrival he turns and my breath hitches halfway in my throat. His green eyes glow like a cats and his dark hair is shadowed by the moonlight. Smiling shyly as he walks towards me, his smell overrides my senses, it's musky scent makes me close my eyes.

"Hello Xena, you look just as extravagant now than as your mother described" his voice like cream, I snicker opening my eyes. He cracks a smile, his teeth white like snow. "Shall we?" he extends his arm for me to take, I bow my head and graciously take it like my mother taught me.

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