Just like what he had said while barging inside my room. I couldn’t hide myself from him forever though I felt like I doing so. I had made up my mind to face him directly and let slip whatever happened recently. I walked out of my room and went towards where he was standing for a lookout beside Scar. He didn’t notice my appearance below him and I myself didn’t have enough guts to call for him. I just stood there like a statue, frozen stiff and was literally feeling like a fool.
“Oh, so you’ve finally get over your Trauma, Eleanor?” Sylvester’s voice made me jumped.
Captain Kenny who overheard Sylvester’s dictions turned his head downwards and saw us standing just below him. I gave my full speed and ran away from the scene, feeling very embarrassed. I still couldn’t overcome my trauma for losing my first kiss over that sickening captain. I wasn’t sure whether it was neither his fault nor mine but as far as what I could think, I really couldn’t face him no matter what.
I did hear some conversation between them, “What a runner. You sure are a nightmare for her captain.”
“Better zip-up or get eaten by sharks,” He threatened him.
“Awww... I know but, are you sure to keep up with this awkward situation? Well, we do feel sorry for h-e-r... I mean both of you. You better apologise Captain,” Sylvester suggested with a slight smile carved on his face.
“Why do I have to do such thing? You guys never let me apologise whenever I’m wrong,” He with his refine statement, declined.
“Well, it is okay for us guys and you didn’t steal our kisses. What I’m trying to say is a girl will be deeply hurt since that the first kiss she planned to give for the one she’ll love one day had been stolen by a... Well uh...”
“I get it. I’ll try to talk to her later,” He moaned and walked away.
Not long after that, a new island was spotted from the lookout-stand where Ronn stood since it was his turn for a lookout.
“Land ahoy!” He shouted at the top of his lung.
Captain Kenny rushed towards where Ronn was and took a spyglass and was examining the land upon him from afar. He let out a grin of relief and told the whole crew to settle there for two days rest since there’s a harbour. If there’s a harbour, there’s a town! Everyone was busy with the preparation to ‘turn’ the pirate ship into a typical sailor ship. Finn and Draken looked as if they had not enough hands to do so. Thus, the remaining of the crew without any ranks would give them a hand. I was forbid to do any works instead of cleaning and cooking.
“Ready, boys?! We’re going downtown. Any of you who do not wish to visit the town will stay behind and look for the ship,” He commanded.
I was quite curious so I whispered a question towards Chast, “Hey, Chast. Aren’t half of us needed to take care of the ship?”
“Nah, we don’t really need to do that. When it comes to a town or city, we’ll pay the compensation for the ship guarding chief. His workers will guard the ships that have paid for the compensation. Any theft or robbery during the guarding hour will be fully under his care in the other words; he’ll have to repay back the amount that lost. Usually, the merchants would pay higher price since their luggage is out of question,” He explained briefly.
“Ah, is that so. That means we can leisurely go out and enjoy ourselves without bothering for our ship since that it is well guarded, right?”
“Exactly!” Chast replied with his childish grin.
Captain finally made his last statement, “You are free to go wherever you wish for 2 days and be back sharp at Dawn on the third day to set sail. Any delay will be punished. And as for Chast and Eleanor, you guys aren’t allowed to loiter around without a caretaker. Who’d volunteer to watch over Chast?”
“Awww... capt’n, how about Eleanor?” Fredrick and the rest of the crew moaned.
“I do not trust a single maiden under your hands. Do you guys think that I do not know where your whereabouts are right after this?” Captain Kenny gave a sharp glare towards his crew mates.
All of them gulped simultaneously didn’t dare to say anymore words.
“Well, isn’t there any of you want to babysit him?” He repeated his previous question.
What a fortunate that none of them did answer for his question. Captain Kenny gave himself a face-palm and sighed, “Fine. I’ll babysit both of them. You guys can go wherever you want. Your whereabouts is none of my business anyway. Henry, Finn... Be sure to pay the compensation okay?”
“Aye, aye Capt’n,” Both of them said synchronically.
“Chast, where would you want to go?” He asked.
“Well, uh... I want to go to where people as old as me are,” He replied hesitantly.
“So, be it...” He paced away, expecting us to follow his lead along the road.
Chast trotted happily beside Captain Kenny while I was tailing them from behind, still feeling awkward from the previous incident. Chast understood the current situation and faced backwards towards me. He smiled and said, “Mama, don’t you want to walk beside Papa?”
“Huh?!” I retorted in embarrassment since everyone’s eyes were locked at us.
“Come on, Mama. Papa only gave a slight kiss. You’re just a newly-wed right?” He grinned mischievously.
Captain Kenny dragged Chast near him and gave him a slight punch on the head to make him stop his words but instead of stopping, he sobbed. I ran towards Chast and patted his head while glaring an angry look at his face, “Can’t you be a bit gentler towards him?! You always treat others badly and do you think people can stand you for doing such thing?”
“You yourself can’t even stop that kid from blurting nonsense in crowds. What do you expect me to do? He’s already 11!” He shouted back.
“But that won’t change the fact that he’s still a kid!” I replied back angrily.
“What are you, a mother? As a man, he needs to learn not to cry anymore. Do you think he can defend anyone with that cry-baby habit of his? Think deeply before saying unreasonable stuffs!” He exclaimed furiously.
“You’re such a pig-head! What, you had never cried when you’re a boy?! Don’t fool me. Everyone does!”
“In fact, I had never cried ever since I was a boy! What can you do about that fact?!” He replied fiercely.
The atmosphere was getting tighter and tighter. Everyone’s attentions were at us from the very beginning and they went on like whispering next to their friends and such. I couldn’t fight back his words anymore instead of feeling very mad and finally, I uttered, “Fine! Let’s split!”
“No can do. You know nothing about loitering around in big towns so better not part,” He replied, giving a sharp glare as if he’s saying ‘you’re trying to go up against my order?’.
“If you want Chast to be a man, just let him face his first practical that is to protect me from any danger from this town,” I was still refusing him.
“He’s still 11 you moron! A man’s strength is not yet developed during a child! Skills are needed for him to survive from the vastness of the world without any help from the grown-ups!”
“Well, I AM a grown-up!” I corrected his dictions.
“But you have no man’s strength. How are you able to live?” He asked in a sarcastic way.
“I’ll manage it somehow,” I gaped at him angrily and trotted away with Chast by my side.
His figure diminished as I paced away from him, inch by inch. The town was very enormous. I needed an inn to settle in and somehow the town was getting quite odd. The people rushed inside their houses and no one was left on roads or pavements. What a bizarre. Not a single soul was to be found as the sky was getting gloomier and gloomier. I had a bad omen for it. I turned towards Chast to check on him and he seemed quite calm and so I moved on in searching for an inn.
Suddenly, a big shadow appeared below my feet. I swiftly turned backwards and saw a hideous dragon which the size was almost the same as a grown-up. I took Chast’s hand and sped away from the creature. I knew that it was following us so; I left Chast somewhere near an inn and told him to stay there while I distract it towards the outskirt. Chast obediently listened even though he greatly against it at first.
And here I was, running towards the forest while the dragon was chasing behind me. The weather didn’t seem to help me either since the rain-drops started to pour down little by little. Once I reached the outskirt and was literally inside a forest, I hid myself among the trees to confuse it. Now, I could only pray for my safety that someone might pass and aid me as soon as possible but praying for such thing was a bit too much I guess.
The dragon finally spotted me. I was in great fear and with a mass of courage, I sped away again from my current hiding spot but things didn’t go as I planned. My sleeve was caught at a thorny tree. The dragon was drawing near. I decided to rip my sleeve and continue with this so called chasing game. I was quite bewildered in why this dragon didn’t blow any fire-breath? I couldn’t care less.
Oh, what luck had I had that day that everything was getting on my way on and on. Now I stepped on a sharp stone that was nearby and got my sole bleeding like mad. I couldn’t continue my run and now, the dragon was in front of me, ready for an attack. I shook my head in disbelieve and turned my head away from witnessing that vicious being. Would this be my end after eighteen years of living without knowing my past?
