O’ my summer knight,
Me summon thee for eternity,
For those who worship love,
But unrequited,
Ye, O’ my dark Lord shan’t see,
The knightly armour bends to me,
Passionately guarding thing which ought to be,
Mine and forever,
Unrequited love or never,
Hath to be mine and always,
Let it be O’ my summer knight.
“Poems by Lilianna, the unrequited love,” I recited in my chamber, passionately holding the book of a poetic love story which every chapter had a poem.
“Eleanor, what on earth are you doing? Get off with you and go get the laundry done!” Mammy leapt out of nowhere and made me jolt in alert.
“I’m on my way, Mammy,” I answered timidly as I had my way out of my room leaving the most wonderful book in the whole world would ever have.
“Read’in zat book o’cha, aint’cha? What iz’it zat zat book have than ya own life’ta even bother bout?” That’s Renka, with his crappy way of pronunciations that made English sound bad from what it was.
“Well, you would never even bother to know and experience the passionate and overwhelming romance of a love story,” I explained briefly at the same time, made my way towards the balcony.
“Y’know what, I ain’t a kid no more and in fact, there’s no way a so-called Prince o’ ya will come. Look at’cha own figure. How shabby,” He pouted. “Don’cha worry bout zat! Ye can land’cha head on my shoulder.”
“Whatever. Yes, I know I’m in an awful condition. Why can I not fall in love with just anyone?” I mocked.
“Nah, it’s not zat you can’t do so. Juz in case you’ll get hurt, I’ll play my role as yer brotha. So sorry zat I’m not an English, so, I might be a crappy tongued brotha ta ya, ain’t I right?” He gave out his childish grin as always that made my heart calmed for quite a bit.
“Well then, it is time for me to bid my farewell for now. I’m doing laundry.”
I paced away as I went towards the balcony for my daily chores. I was an orphan who was brought up by Mammy under her mercy which she and her whole family was a gipsy. My mother and father died due to an unknown virus that spread through the winds which came from the west. I was the only survivor by the time their caravan reached my birth place. Well, in the age of pirates and such, courage, wits and bravery were needed to protect ourselves from being captured and what’s worse, a slave of the all hail villains’ crew.
I was lost wandering at my own pace which my head was elsewhere whilst my body stood doing its job, hanging the laundry. My head was wondering what kind of love story I would experience in the future. I did not wish for some ordinary and boring love story nor do I wish for an extravagant one such as being saved from a tall tower or being kidnapped and being saved by a hero. I just wished for a proper love story just like what Lilianna and the summer knight had had in the story. I knew that Lilianna’s love was unrequited, but, the reason was that the summer knight thought that she was his bloodline sister. The dark lord or should I say her father already thought of him as his own son so, he made up all the story regarding to their mother and such but the truth was that Lilianna’s brother died right after being laboured. The summer knight grieved over the fact and restrained himself from loving Lilianna. What a romantic love story.
“Wow, I didn’t know a person could be so deaf when she’s day-dreaming,” A masculine voice was heard from the ground which there stood a lad wearing such a fine outfit.
“Pardon me, sir. On what occasion do you have here to even interrupt my job here not to mention that so-so manner?” I was greatly upset with his dictions to come out with such rude words.
“Better stop that day-dreaming of yours or Mammy will fire you,” He replied.
“Fire me? On what reason would she fire me?” I mocked a bit sarcastically.
“Oh, so you might be her slave or so?” He made up a new obnoxious statement that almost made me burst.
“Nah, she ain’t a slave nor Mammy’s servant. She’s ma lil’ sis but we ain’t related by blood. Anyhow it’s kinda rare ta see ya being here for business with Mammy. Why don’cha come in and zat girl up’ere serve ya some tea while wait’in fo Mammy’s return. That’ll kill some time,” Renka came out and greeted him as Mammy’s clients.
“No way am I serving that ill-mannered lad. I have no tendency in doing so,” I declined his order just in instance.
“I don’t mind’cha doing zat but Mammy won’t be happy ta hear yer answer. I wonder ya might not be able to attend dinner tonight. Serve ‘im or no dinner fo’ya,” He explained.
“Well then, you just have to wait until I finish my business here. You don’t mind about it right?” I gave a fake smile to cease the tension casted on me.
“Eh, I’m not really that patient so I doubt it,” Before he could finish his line, I cut his words by retorting, “Fine I’ll finish it right away and can you please enjoy yourself for a moment.”
“That’s more like it,” He let out a smirk and left the front door in an irritating manner.
I quickly finished my laundry in a split second and rushed downstairs to serve him some tea or maybe a few mustard muffins that I had just made that morning. He, who was waiting nearby gave his look of displeased while gazing towards my rushing figure which quickly diminished out of the horizon heading towards the kitchen. The tea’s ready and now the muffins. Where did they go I wondered? Tinkle was swaying her tail to and fro, watching excitedly towards my busy stature that’s moving here and there and as I reached where Renka and that rude-man were, I caught my breath and served them tea just in time.
“Not bad for a foster,” He finally uttered.
“Well, she’s da best sister I’ve ever had. What brings ya here?” Renka finally started his speech.
“Well, I don’t mind being in short of people but now, I need to find a cook. See, my cook resigned two days ago due to the last fights so, I need Mammy to find an excellent cook or my crew will die a dreadful death due to starvation,” He explained briefly.
“Well, it’s not zat she doesn’t want ta find’cha a crew especially a cook but em… Ya see, everyone knows yer crew and they’re afraid of ya so it’s hard’ta find one,” He paused. “If only ye’re willing ta vow ta take good care of da cook, we might as well find one.”
“Well, please be quick then. Either male or female is fine by me since we have not much time and we are to set sail as soon as possible,” He begged and took a sip of the tea.
“I can’t say no ta a customer of Mammy so I’ll juz have’ta work my back off and find’cha a pleasant cook for the sake of yer crew. It’s the least I can do after what you’ve done ta the village,” Renka made his statement.
“I’m counting on you, Renka. I’ll hold my sail till tomorrow afternoon and be sure to answer me before then so that I can make my smooth sail for the next port.”
“Yes, sir. So long fer now,” He gestured a wave and went back in to where I was.
How heart-breaking to see my handmade mustard muffins were left just like that and untouched plus, he only took a sip of the tea when I worked so hard in preparing them and I even rushed my legs off to do so. It’s just so unfair. Renka who noticed my unhappy scowl just chuckled beside me and said nothing. He nodded his head as he left the house with only me alone to search for the requested cook. Moments later, Mammy arrived safely home with Pappy by her side.
“What a cold day. Eleanor, where’s Renka?” She questioned.
“He went off to find a cook for your customer. He said that his cook resigned two days ago due to a fight and desperately in need of a cook for the crew before tomorrow afternoon,” I explained.
“I see. We’ll just have to wait until he returns home by then. Now, help me prepare some dinner for tonight,” Mammy’s orders were absolute so I had to obey her.
After dinner, Renka finally arrived home. His expression didn’t look quite promising for a positive reply and without him even telling, Mammy already knew the situation. She let out a heavy sigh and turned to me. For a while, she would shook her head but for a while, she would let her grunts controlled the silent atmosphere. Somewhere nearby, Tinkle purred at me and would sway her tail in anxiety that she really understood the current situation.
“Well, we can’t upset him for what he had done for our village’s sake. If it’s not for him, the government might swipe off our people who mostly are fishermen,” She paused. “That leaves us no choice.”
“Are ya sure bout this, Mammy? She’s a girl and zat crew… Well, she’s one o’ us right?” Renka tried to stop her.
“I’m sorry darling. Sometimes, for the sake of others, we need to give up on one even though how hard it takes,” Mammy with her refine statement.
“Very well ‘en… But’cha must not regret zat decision of yours, Mammy,” Renka left the scene and left both of us in private.
“Mammy?” I uttered.
“Get your things packed. You are to join the crew and be their cook. You are forbid to decline my request for what he had done to our village,” She stated with a stern look on her face.
I, who was almost crying which to my most dreadful fate to be apart with this family after years of being under their care for such trivial incidents for the sake of that delinquent lad who’s very rude to me. But, to see her being so serious about this matter, I couldn’t decline her will. I nodded and paced weakly towards my chamber and packed my personal belongings as tears poured down from my cheeks. I wiped them out but they just kept on falling. The door of my room was knocked and the stature of two men who were standing still watching earnestly towards me.
“Eleanor, a second probably,” Pappy called for me.
“Yes, Pappy?” I walked towards him.
He took out a dagger which on the end of it, a brilliant ruby shone beautifully, “If anything were to happen, please use this to protect you. Consider it as a lucky charm.”
“Aww, Pappy. You don’t have to. It’s your most important treasure,” I took the dagger from his hold.
“You are the only daughter I have. Related by blood or not, you will always be my daughter,” He held my cheek and shove away my tears.
“Hey, I mightn’t be by yer side so uh… Here, take diz. I made it myself since ya love’ta read dat book o’ ya,” He took out a book marker that was beautifully made from dried leaf.
I hugged both of them and said, “I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done. I’ll treasure them as my property from now on.”
And so, I was left to have my slumber for the night. I rubbed my pillow and thought of a word, “This is my last night to sleep with you.” And I even gazed towards the whole room, “Goodbye. Thank you for letting me in since I was a little girl. Now that this is a farewell for both of us, I just don’t know what to say other than thank you. Saying a ‘goodbye’ is quite hurtful and piercing.” Lastly, I fell into a deep sleep.
An hour before afternoon, I bid my farewell towards them and had my way towards the so called crews of that lad. I was somewhere near the jetty and there were so many ships that I had some difficulties in finding the lad’s ship. Renka said that the ship was what the other ship would never look like. Only certain ships would have that image so, I searched for a ship which was extraordinarily odd.
“Hey, aren’t you Mammy’s foster daughter?” A well-known voice struck my ears.
“Yes, I am,” I answered a short reply.
“So, where’s the cook then?” He took out his right hand and gestured to find the cook.
“Actually, I am,” I explained.
It went for a long pause and finally, he uttered, “You?”
I nodded and said, “Yes, I am.”
“Humph, can you really cook?” He mocked.
“Another words and I’ll quit,” I couldn’t believe that I was actually threatening him.
“Okay then, welcome aboard then,” He sarcastically bowed and showed me the way.
We finally arrived to his enormous ship and that ship was extraordinarily odd. Why sailors would have a mermaid carved on their front ship? I gaped towards the lad and he gave that stupid look of his towards me.
“Set sail! We’re sailing directly towards East!” He gave out orders.
“Capt’n, have you find our cook?” One of the crew bluntly asked.
“Captain?” I retorted unbelievably.
“Well, yes. I’m the Captain of the ship named Kenneth Rogers. Oh, and Rio, show our cook her room and be warned not to lay a single finger on her or else a murder will occur in just a blink of an eye,” He ordered.
“Aye, aye, sir!” Rio saluted towards him.
“Come on, Miss. You don’t want to be lost in this ship, don’t you?” He took my bags and my cases heading towards my room.
“What is this ship? What kind of voyage are we having?” I asked.
“Nah, we aren’t going anywhere. Just random instinct,” He explained.
“Random? You mean like being a traveller or you’re just a random sailor or probably a merchant.”
“We’re none any of that. We’re pirates,” He said it with a straight face.
“Seriously, your joke is not funny,” I replied.
“No seriously, we are,” He assured.
“What?” I screamed.
I went out of my room and was heading towards that so called Captain Kenny who was now standing for a lookout from a distance beside a navigator. I glared at him with a dark aura emitted from my body while he ignored my presence completely.
“Why didn’t you tell me that this is a pirate ship?” I yelled.
“Who me?” He took out his fore-finger and pointed towards himself with a monotonous look on his face.
“Yes, you of course! Why didn’t you tell me before we set sail?” I asked boldly.
“I thought you had already noticed it with that mermaid carving and the black flag up there,” He nonchalantly pointed towards a pirate flag that was hung up perfectly.
“Stop kidding me! Send me home right away. I am not continuing this voyage! Please let me off,” I begged.
“I’m sorry but we’re already far from the coast. There’s no way you can get off. I doubt you could ever swim, my lady,” He explained briefly.
“No, this isn’t happening!” I ran towards the hind deck and the jetty was nowhere to be found.
I sat in dismay while looking helplessly towards the left-behind sea with a slight frown on my face. One of the crew laid his right hand on my shoulder to console me and said, “We meant no harm over you. We’re really desperately in need of a cook since none of us know how to cook. Please don’t leave. If you promise to stay, I promise I’ll protect you.”
“Me too,” Another crew raised his voice.
“Count me in,” A crew that was wearing a bandanna raised his hand.
“Your answer, my lady?” He asked.
“If that’s the case, I’ll stay,” I replied hastily.
The whole crew gave out applause and cheered for my answer. Captain Kenny slightly grinned for his crew since he had long waited for a new cook for the replacement of the old one who had just resigned three days ago. I doubted that I would ever enjoy this voyage but then, had I even a choice? No.
