Chapter 13: Borgian Island



The pirates became busier. The rain fell harder and the wind blew colder. I couldn't take my eyes off the island which was now appearing nearer and clearer. It was another threat for me that was coming more real.

When the ship reached the port, it made a loud deafening sound that signalled its arrival.

"We have to get everything we need from this island. Obsidian will leave tomorrow before the Sun rises," Erasmus said when the ship was properly anchored.

"But what do we need from this island?" I turned to look at it once again and saw a crowd of people walking and passing one another in a rhythm. It was the busiest place I'd ever seen. I was afraid that if I walked with them, I'd be lost.

"Stocks? Water? Your clothes? My brother? If there's anything you need, you'll find it in this island," he said.

My brows furrowed in confusion. "Your brother?" I asked.

His nose wrinkled in aversion and said, "The first mate. He has gone here ahead of us to prepare the supply and crude oil. And you wouldn't like him."

I wanted to ask him more about this brother because I was starting to get worried. Erasmus was a fine young man and I was sure that he wouldn't have an unreasonable dislike towards someone, especially his brother. But before I could even speak, he ran off towards the ladder made of rope, and climbed down with the other pirates. Talking about his brother seemed to have distracted him because he forgot to wait for me and accompany me in getting what I needed.

I saw Captain Drakon withdrew from the helm and walked back towards the captain's cabin. I was deciding between staying at the ship or experiencing what Borgian Island could offer me. There would be fewer pirates in the ship the whole day and maybe, I could walk around Obsidian safely. But Erasmus wouldn't be there and if things turned out bad, who would I call? Who would help me? No one. Everyone was trying to take advantage, including me.

But if I walked around Borgian Island, I might encounter a different kind of danger and who knew, maybe this time, I wouldn't be so lucky.

But then, maybe my luck had stretched longer and reached this island. Maybe I wouldn't run out of luck today. Maybe I would find something that would set me free. Maybe I would find something that would lead me back, at least, to the West Land.

I waited until no one was using the ladder to climb down. There were still pirates on the deck but they just watched me silently as I took my step. It seemed like the 'Skull's Protection' was working right now. I felt the sand on my feet and the cold sea water that reached up to my waist when I started walking towards the shore. Several small canoes were lined up, waiting for their fishermen to sail them. Would it bring me safely to the West Land if I used them? Probably not. The waves on the deep would just swallow us whole. I pushed aside the thought and headed to the tents that were located near the shore.

Borgian Island was not just crowded. It was absolutely chaotic. People and loud voices were everywhere, shouting products or goods they were selling. The island was for market and trading. It was like a stop-over for sailing ships. I was at the part of the market where meat was being sold. I could see fresh parts of hog, goat and cow on market tables. I suddenly felt the desire to have them on my meal today. The last time I had meat, I was in my homeland. The West Land served delicious seafood during our visit while the pirates seemed content to have bread and fish in every meal. If I was going to live with them that way, maybe I could just stay here in Borgian Island. There might be a good chance that I could eat meat here.

Because of all these musings, it was too late when I realized that the crowd had ushered me far from the shore. I found myself in the middle of a busy place. Fear started to creep into me.

"Are you going to buy?" Said a fat lady from her table. She was selling coffee beans.

"N-No," I stuttered.

"Then move out of the way!" She yelled at me. She was completely scary with her big, pudgy hands as she shooed me out. I had no choice but to step back immediately and be carried by the crowd again. I couldn't even try to stop for they might step on me. They all looked so tough and everyone seemed to be on a rush. I felt like I was swimming in the middle of a raging river. I decided to just follow these people to avoid getting hurt. I reached the area where fruits were being sold. I saw a red apple and couldn't resist touching it. I was reaching with my hand when someone grabbed my hair. I gasped in surprise as I turned to look at my attacker.

"I've never seen a hair as shiny and red as this!" The man with a toothy grin exclaimed. His chemise was dark and dirty that matched his dishevelled hair.

His loud enthusiasm caught the attention of people around him and they turned to look at me and examine me, like a new species in an environment full of the same kind. The crowded place became smaller and made it difficult to move. The man never let go of my hair and I was left on my feet unable to escape. The danger was slowly approaching and it was getting harder to breathe.

"She's not from here!" A different man voiced out.

"Look at her hand! She's a thief!" A woman said.

"What?" I brought my hand in front of me and saw the apple. I immediately threw it back to the basket in fear but it caused the other apples to roll and drop on the sandy floor. It became quiet for few seconds as if they were watching where the apples were going to land. And when it stopped rolling, I raised my head slowly and met the eyes of an angry man who seemed to be the owner of the fruits.

"You little schmuck! You will pay for it!" He screamed and left his table carrying a long stick. He walked up towards me while the other man refused to leave my hair alone. The owner of the fruit stall was ready to strike so I braced myself from the impact. But it didn't came. A voice—a familiar voice—stopped them.

"I'll buy all the apples."

Everyone stopped when they heard his voice and they all turned to him. He was standing few steps away from us with at least five more pirates behind him.

"Yes, sure. Let me punish first this stupid–"

"She's with us," Threy said, firmly interrupting the owner. He started to take a step towards us and the man who was holding my hair immediately let go. The owner lowered his stick and went back to his table.

"Two baskets of apples," the owner said and Threy handed him few silver coins. The pirates with him moved to carry the apples back to the Obsidian but not without Threy snatching one from it.

When the pirates had gone to the ship, we were left in the middle of the crowded market and he signaled for me to follow him. I didn't want to get lost again so I decided to stay near him while we walk away from the market. We reached the edge of it and found a space with enough place to breathe.

"You're supposed to be with Erasmus," he said, finally.

"He left me," I answered. After last night, a conversation with him was the last thing I wanted. I didn't want to meet his eyes. I didn't want to hear his voice. I didn't want to be near him but I guessed this situation left me with no choice.

"You must be hungry because you decided to steal an apple."

I frowned and turned around furiously. He, of all people, knew that I was incapable of stealing.

"I'm not a thief!" I said louder than I was supposed to.

He probably sensed the anger in my voice because he didn't attempt to speak another word. Instead he handed me the apple, which I received silently, and led me to a bar. From the outside, I knew the place was loud. It was chaotic as the market near the shore but after being called a thief, I preferred staying in a loud place with the Skull instead of any place with us alone. Borgian Island, indeed, was a dangerous place.

When someone opened the door for us, the loud music hit me like a cannon ball that exploded in my face. It was enough to break all the glassware in our house. I saw the Obsidian pirates singing and screaming and drinking and dancing to the song. A group of musicians holding their guitars, trumpets and other musical instruments was on a small stage. There was a feast of food, liquor and music and everyone was enjoying it. Everyone, except me and Threy. Instead of joining the other pirates, he walked directly to an empty table in the dark and sat comfortably, watching everyone having a good time. Knowing that this bar was another unsafe place, I decided to go after him and shared with his table.

"You can have fun here. They won't touch you as long as I'm around," he said when I took the wooden chair in front of him.

He seemed to be unhappy of my presence so I answered, "I'll leave when I found Erasmus. I don't want to be eaten alive here."

I took a bite of the apple in my hand and couldn't help but marvel at its juiciness. Probably because it was the first food I tasted for few days aside from bread and fish. I took another bite dismissing the pair of eyes watching me. A young service man approached our table and put a couple of big, tall wooden glasses in front of me. I wrinkled my nose when I smelled alcohol. I drank wine whenever a certain event required it but I hadn't drunk something as alcoholic as this. It was probably enough to burn the internal organs of my body. Threy grabbed one of the glasses and drank from it. It's morning for milk and coffee's sake!

"So the Skull finally found the woman he was looking for. She's quite a beauty," the young boy commented, smiling at me.

"She's not her," he said between drinking.

I stopped from chewing the apple. It completely lost its sweetness. The fruit became suddenly unappealing to me so I silently put it on the table. The young man gave me an awkward smile and left.

"You're as insensitive as Chester," I silently said. There must be better words for rejection.

"I haven't heard that name for a very long time." He stopped drinking and turned to me. His eyes were still cold.

"You suddenly missed him? He's still a jerk. And oh, the two families are planning our betrothal. I guess the pirates saved me from a nightmare."

He looked like he was listening so I decided to continue. Maybe this way, he would miss his home and it would lead him to go back to the West Land. "Lady Amanda Weston is still as elegant as ever. She doesn't seem to age! And Lord Magnus—"

"I don't want to hear it," he interrupted and emptied his glass. He grabbed the other glass and drank from it.

"Does coffee look tame to you?" I asked.

"Do you want to have coffee?"

"Yes!" I answered a little too quickly. "And breakfast that's not bread and fish." I felt a great anticipation for food. It was like he opened a door for a light to come in and I drank hungrily to it.

He called the young man who gave us drinks and asked him to serve us breakfast. I waited for him to come back impatiently. My mother would probably cringe because of my lack of lady manners but she was not here and I was craving for anything wasn't bread and fish.

Few minutes passed before the young man came up with a couple of fried eggs, fried fish, rice and coffee. He even brought us water. He immediately left the table and I glared at the single eye of the fish on the plate. I guess it would never leave me. Well, at least it was fried and not grilled. And I had rice and coffee so I guess it's a little bit better than the food in Obsidian. I ate hungrily, savouring the different taste of food in my mouth. It felt like a rain just came in after a drought.

"You eat like a pirate," I heard him said in a low voice.

I glared at him—I didn't know when I became comfortable glaring at him. "You should put some eggs and meat in your meals in Obsidian! Even Roger would get tired from eating bread and fish three times a day!"

"Roger didn't complain," he casually answered.

"Just because you don't understand his 'mews' doesn't mean there's no complaint."

"So you learned how to talk to the animals."

I rolled my eyes at him. I never thought it would be tiring to converse with this man. But I did so instead of letting him annoy me, I decided to focus on the food on my table. I was about to get the egg from the plate when a hand scoop it and put it in his mouth. I looked up and saw an unfamiliar man. He gave me a stern look before turning to Threy.

"So this is the curse that boarded the Obsidian." His voice held menace in it.

Threy remained calm without lifting his eyes from me. It felt a little bit uncomfortable so I decided to focus on my coffee. This man obviously brought fear in me. He looked like he might hurt me.

"I don't really believe in that curse," Threy said coldly. He seemed to dislike the presence of the man.

"Well, I do. And you know how I treat curses. I destroy them. So you better watch her carefully." With that, he took my coffee and walked away towards the crowd.

I couldn't believe it. How could I receive a number of threats in just a day? And he took the egg, too! How could he take the egg that wasn't his? I looked at the fried fish and closed my eyes as I imagined it staring back at me.

How could he be this cruel?