Page 50 of Enchanted By a Pirate
Sirens… well, hopefully she could rely on the men on board. They climbed the steps back onto the deck. The sea was now much calmer, though there was still a strong wind that caused the ship to rock, but the men obviously had everything well under control. There were neither panicked shouts nor any kind of hectic rush.
"Why is it that you can resist the call?"
"We are the masters of the sea and the sirens are under our control. We don't possess magic like the fairies, magical powers like the Snow Queen, or powerful elemental powers like the giants, but we control the creatures of the sea. We know them and understand them, as well as the call of the sea itself. It is that call that we cannot resist even as young children."
As young children? "How long have you been at sea? And where are you originally from?"
"I come from a small village near the coast in the Kingdom of Flowers. Like all my men, when I was a child I stood by the sea and stared longingly at the endless expanse until one day a captain took pity on me and took me with him. I've been at sea ever since."
Madness. The notion gave her goosebumps. The call of the sea had to be magical.
"Are there other bands of pirates?"
"Aye, some wilder, some gentler, though all have the same purpose."
So, several… She wondered if they'd encounter the others. So far, she had not seen any ship except the Fortuna. Fortunately, it didn't worry her if pirates were simply a kind of duty collector.
"Do you live in peaceful coexistence with the other pirates?"
"Well, that depends. Things were carried out in a way that as long as everyone stayed within their own boundaries, there was no friction. Some, however, tried to expand their territories to collect more duty."
"That's no longer the case today?"
"Today, many pirates are angry because the events back then interrupted the eastern route. In general, there are far fewer merchant ships on the move, which is why it is not uncommon for minor or major conflicts to arise when one ventures out to sea."
Okay, it no longer sounded like the simple trip she'd imagined. But if there was no other way to get to the Snow Queen to stop the fairies from disappearing, then she had to go through with it. And who was better suited to go on such an adventure with than the captain and his crew?
19
The afternoon on the ship passed quietly. Anna chewed on the biscuit every now and then whenever her stomach felt a little queasy, but the intervals were growing farther and farther apart.
Johnny came up on deck from the galley to discuss something with Chris, who would periodically return to the helm and go over the route with his men. Even Freddy was among these men. The captain seemed to take his feedback seriously because he and his crew discussed which route they should sail along the east coast. They pulled out maps and sextants. Anna really didn't have any idea what they were doing. Even so, the afternoon passed swiftly. She explored the ship and found a cozy spot on the forward deck where no one else was and lay down in the bow net that was swinging back and forth leisurely. She stared out at the water and bowsprit. Fine spray splashed her face every now and then, but it was more refreshing than annoying. As she enjoyed the wind whipping around her nose, she gave in to her thoughts.
She kept wondering what had happened back then. If only she could get her memories back! Had a spell been put on her?The same spell that had banished her to the other world? She laughed in disbelief. The other world. For the first time, she no longer thought of the other world with Nele and the home improvement store as her home. No, she knew — she felt — that this land with Anton, the captain, his pirates, and all the magic was her home, and she didn't want to return to the other world. Still, she would certainly miss Nele as well as her friendly colleagues. She even missed her tyrannical boss a bit, as well as her apartment, her routine, and her clutter. But she was eager to explore this world: to spend time with Chris, take trips with Anton, and maybe enjoy another cocoa with Elena.
If she truly was a fairy, she was certain that it would come naturally. Her magical side could hardly be suppressed forever. No, at some point, it would break free — if it was true.
But how would sailing to the Kingdom of Winter help save the fairies? Sure, the Snow Queen was the prime suspect, but how could they defend themselves against her magic if she actually was that powerful? She would hardly say, "Ah, you caught me! Now I will right everything." No, they needed a plan or — better yet — leverage to get the Snow Queen to release the source of fairy dust. For Anna was convinced of one thing: Once the spring finally flowed again, the power would return to the fairies.
"Have you found your usual place, madam?"
Smiling, she glanced up directly into the captain's dark eyes.
"Usual place?"
"Aye. I used to always find you here. Sometimes, you flew up to the crow's nest in fairy form when you wanted peace or to keep a lookout."
"So you admit that I wanted some time alone?"
"Not from me, you never could get enough of me." He slid into the ropes next to her, took her head between his hands, and lowered his face to hers. Their eyes met just before their lipsdid, and her stomach began to sway again. The kiss was gentler than she was used to, but she still succumbed to it and the world stopped spinning for a moment.
Only to then spin faster than before.
"Ship ahoy!"
Chris snorted and turned to the pirate in the crow's nest, who was looking west with a spyglass. "Who is it?"
"Blackbeard!"
