Chapter 17: The Thief and the Murderer

I stared at the distant vessel and watched it sail at an easy pace amidst the waves - it seemed to be carrying a lot of loads. I looked at the eager and expectant faces of the pirates and then to the ship ahead of us. It seemed ignorant that we were coming after it.



I heard a noise from the top of the rope ladder and waited for Alon to show up. When he appeared, he nodded at me and stood silently as he watched the cargo ship with his telescope.



"You need to come down right now!" I heard Erasmus' voice from below. I looked down at him and saw confusion and worry in his eyes: confused about how I got here and worried about how I would come down. I felt the hammering of the absolute fear against my chest and I knew that coming down wouldn't be that easy.



"Primrose!" He called again.



"Yes! I'm coming down!" I shouted back and turned to Alon. "It wouldn't be so hard, right?" I asked.



He looked at me and nodded again. Alon was never chatty with me so his agreement that it wouldn't be hard to come down didn't really help. I started to move towards the top of the ladder and grabbed the rope and with one deep breath, I started to climb down.



The morning wind blew colder and stronger as it matched the speed of the Obsidian - leaving goosebumps of fear on my skin. The waves started to become bigger making the ship jump in every passing of it. I squeaked as my feet sent flying into the air but my hands refused to let go of the rope ladder and I cried in pain silently as my body slammed hard against the post due to the impact.



"Primrose! Are you alright?" I heard Erasmus' frantic voice again from below me.



I tried swallowing my fear and answered, "I'm alright!"



But my voice was not convincing as it quivered upon saying those words. I took another step down on the ladder; the trembling of my body was shaking the rope. The moon and the stars were so enchanting last night that the sun probably got jealous and was making me regret everything.



"Skull! Help her."



I stiffened as I heard Erasmus called for his pirate name. And despite the fear, I couldn't help but feel conscious about my appearance. He was watching me and I was holding on to the rope tightly for dear life - probably in one of the most embarrassing way. And I just woke up! Who knew what my hair looked like or if I left a trace of drool on my face? I couldn't believe he would see me like this.



"She put herself up there. She should know how to come down."



For a moment, it took my fear away and replaced by uncomfortable annoyance. I turned to glare at him which was a bad decision because it just made my situation worse. Instead of looking at him, I looked at the whole ship swaying below me and it made me feel dizzy. How could I still be so high from the ground when I already took numbers of steps down? My teeth were chattering because of the cold and the fear that had doubled ever since I looked below me. I couldn't move. I couldn't make myself continue climbing down.



"Come on, Primrose! Take few more steps! You're almost in the middle!"



But Erasmus' encouragement didn't get through me. It wasn't working. I was completely immobilized by the possibility of falling down. I closed my eyes hard and convinced myself that it was okay - nothing bad was going to happen.



And somehow, I was able to take a step down. I felt my foot clung to the rope as tight as it could. I breathed deeply and told myself that I would make it safely. My fingers were burning and I wasn't sure if it could still maintain its grip for a long time. I was about to lower down my other foot when the ship climbed on a huge wave and jumped to the other one. I lost my balance and my fingers slipped on the rope as I tried to hold it tighter. Before I knew it, I saw myself falling down - the sky above was steady, the wind was blowing past my body and the ratlines blurred around me. I knew this brief moment was already my end, and that even though it seemed to slow down, there would be nothing to stop this fall. I closed my eyes and pursed my lips, not letting out a single scream, as I waited for the end.



But the end didn't come and instead of breaking down against the deck, I was caught by a pair of strong arms, which held me firmly - not allowing me to touch the unforgiving ground. I could smell his manly scent, feel his sweat on his arms, and the strong hammering on his chest like something inside was dying to come out. I opened my eyes and met a pair of gray ones - but it was different from the silvery gray that matched the moonlight last night. It was colder this time, icy, darker gray that almost looked like a bad weather. It was like a storm trapped within those orbs - and no one would like to be lost inside.



My heart, even though it was already racing, started to quicken its pace at a dangerous speed. I was already safe from breaking into pieces, but why do I still felt danger inside his arms? He was just standing there while holding me, his feet were firmly planted on the ground and not even the waves could sway him.



"I... I - " I stuttered on the first word and wasn't able to continue to the next one until all the attempt to speak finally left me. We were just staring at each other as if we were caged in our own storm.



"Primrose? Are you hurt?" Erasmus' voice sounded like a wake-up call on a deep slumber. It was like a lifetime before we decided to tear our eyes away from each other.



"Y-Yes. Uh - N-no!" I managed to stutter again.



The pirate world continued on its pace like it never seized to rotate on us. Without a word, Threy put my feet on the ground and held my waist until my body steadied. The gesture almost caused my heart to turn upside down and leap out, and at the same time confused me. Why would he even care for me?



"It will be best for you to stay in your cabin," Erasmus said once again.



I turned to him and then to the cargo ship ahead of us. I had a bad feeling about what was coming and even though my heart refused to believe that Threy would agree to something like this, the circumstances were telling me otherwise.



"What are you going to do?" I asked Threy directly. I didn't know what his name, Skull, really meant to the pirate world but I knew he was playing a big part in Obsidian--that the captain listens to him and the pirates regard him with respect.



"You have to listen this time. Go to your cabin. That's where you'll be safe," he answered without a trace of emotion, and I realized that I wasn't talking to Threy--I was talking to Skull, and Skull would not answer or listen to anyone.



"You will not hijack that cargo ship, will you? Tell me that you're not going to steal from it and--"



He turned his set of cold gray eyes on me and I was frozen on where I stood. That was how I confirmed that he would steal from the vessel. The man I loved left everything he had behind to steal unscrupulously from other people. We were almost near the cargo ship and the pirates were preparing their guns, swords, and knives for their attack. The sound of engine roaring was mixed with their yelling and it was deafening--the whole sight was numbing. Erasmus grabbed my arm and tried to pull me away from Threy to go to my cabin.



"I should have known that you sunk this low. You're just a thief."



Pained, I followed Erasmus to my cabin and I sat on my bed, covering my ears, closing my eyes and wishing that I wasn't there. I couldn't be a part of such immoral and illegal thing like this -- I couldn't breathe in the same air with a crime.



"He is the Skull."



Erasmus' voice was like a tiny sound that was trying to make itself heard despite me covering my ears. He looked anxious while staring down at me and it was making it hard not to listen to him. I dropped my hands on my lap and looked at him.



"He is the Skull," he repeated as if I didn't hear him the first time--as if it was the only moment I let myself to listen to him. "Whoever he was years ago when you met him, is already gone now. I don't know what story you two had, but it's all over, Prim."



Suddenly, we heard a gunshot from outside and Erasmus ran to my side to make me duck my head. It was followed by the sudden halt of the pirate ship and the loud yelling of the pirates. More gunshots were fired and we just stayed in my cabin helplessly ducking our head to avoid any bullets that might lose its way and come to us. But amidst the chaos and sins, I still silently prayed for Threy to not be harmed. I should have thought about my safety first but his name was the first word I said when I closed my eyes and prayed.



Before I knew it, it was all over and the yelling was replaced by loud conversation and begging. That was when I decided to step up and storm outside my cabin towards the deck. It was like running to my fear and there was no choice of turning around. Erasmus was calling my name behind me but I didn't want to stop or look back. I wanted to see what happened. I wanted to see Threy.



But the sight that welcomed me was different - though it was almost close to what I feared. The cargo ship was captured, seized by the pirates that were already roaming its parts and checking the loads it carried. The waves continued to sway the two vessels, though it was less violent this time, satisfied by the victory of its favored villains.



I gasped when I saw some of the crews kneeled in the group on the deck of the cargo ship; it was their begging which I heard from the cabin. They were surrounded by armed pirates and there, in front of them, stood Captain Drakon, Owain and the Skull. The crews of the cargo ship were pleading for their lives.



Without thinking twice, I ran towards the bowsprit of the Obsidian that connects it to the cargo ship, it also served as the bridge for the two vessels. I climbed to the other side of the railings and holding my breath, I jumped to the deck of the cargo ship.



I landed with a thud on the wooden floor. It was a flawed, awkward fall which I had to save myself from by rising to my feet immediately - I guessed there was no escaping the fall for the day. I somehow got the attention of the men on the deck, and I could feel their eyes watched me as I hurried inside the circle of the pirates. I immediately placed myself between the wounded and pleading crews, and the pirates - and when I looked up, I was confronted by the menacing glares of Captain Drakon, Owain, and the Skull. I almost forgot how to breathe when the intensity of my stunt fell on me.



"I told you to stay in your f*cking cabin!" Threy said angrily between gritted teeth - he was furious and I flinched as I felt the heat of it.



Pulling all my braveness, I managed to answer, "I - I can't let you kill them."



Opposition roared within the pirates - they were confused about the nonsense I was saying - as if they'd been doing this naturally all their lives: killing and stealing.



"Then kneel with them and die!" Owain snarled. He knew it was a good chance to get rid of me. "You can't sabotage us. You're not in your place to stand in front of the officials of our ship."



Owain started to move towards me but the Skull was already in front of him, like a lightning, like a thief, and blocked his path.



"Move out of my way!" Owain growled and tried to push past the Skull. But the Skull was deeply rooted on the deck like an ancient tree that refused to bend on a storm and pushed Owain back on his chest.



"You fucking bastard--"



"I will kill you." The Skull calmly and seriously stated which immediately stopped whatever profanities coming from Owain's mouth. It was followed by silence and the only sound that could be heard was the cries of the crews, blowing wind and crashing waves. I started to feel nervous as the silence continued - I couldn't understand what had just happened. It looked like it was obviously clear to them while my eyes were still clouded by fogs. I could only see the back of Threy's head since he was facing Owain, but when he turned to me, I almost froze in place. It was like staring back to a complete stranger, a devil, and a murderer.



"Come here, Primrose." He ordered.



If it was any other situation, I would be glad to be summoned by him. But he wasn't Threy--and this man they were calling the Skull was an unknown person to me.



"I said, come here," he repeated, colder and in a lower tone of voice, which injected more fear to me.



This man was dangerous, and I was obviously crossing the line to his bad side. But despite the fear, my heart was whispering to do what's right. There would be no death threats that could stop me from saving him.



"I can't let you kill them. This is not you. This is not who you are."



And that was how I found the strength to stay where I was and stop him from killing those people. Whether he was Threy or the Skull, he was still the man I chose to love and even though it could harm me, I would still put my life on the line to save his.



"If you will not come to me then I'll come to you, and I'll not guarantee that I won't hurt you."



But I didn't recoil and stayed on where I stood. My breathing quickened as he started to move towards me and when he grabbed my arm and yanked me, I closed my eyes tightly and waited to be thrown away.



But he just tightened his grip, which also felt painful because of the strain my arms had from battling the rope ladder. I saw him pointed his gun to the crews behind me so I slammed my body hard against him and grabbed his arm.



"Don't do this! Please!" I pleaded. And I realized that I wasn't just pleading for the crews' lives. I was begging for the face of my first love that was cheerfully, and naughtily staring back at me in my mind. I was pleading for what I believed of him.



And just like a prayer being answered, he relaxed against me and put down his gun. He let go of my arm and held me around my waist, and said,



"Get their most essential loads and leave the unnecessary ones. Get their weapons, food, and medicines. We will leave immediately after it's all done."



I let out a sigh of relief and saw the confusion on the faces of the pirates. They seemed to not understand his decision--they thought he was going out of what was already planned.



"So you're just going to let these bastards go? If you won't kill them, then I will. No bitch can stop me--"



But Captain Drakon put his hand on Owain's shoulder and stopped him from whatever he was going to do. Instead of seeing hatred in the Captain's eyes because of the Skull's decision, I saw amusement instead. There was no disappointment in him, and only curiosity about the situation. He looked at the gray clouded sky, smiling, and said,



"It's too good a day to waste it by shedding blood. Get everything they have and let them go."



And the pirates moved to check and transfer the boxes from the cargo ship to the Obsidian. The captain started to walk towards the bowsprit of the pirate ship and hauled himself up. Owain was left still furious of the outcome and glared at us,



"Be softer, so you'll be easily killed," Owain said and left us.



I looked up at the Skull and he was still as cold as I saw him this morning. It was definitely a bad day--I almost killed myself twice in this pirate world, but I was glad. I was glad that I wasn't killed. I was glad that Threy didn't kill. It was a good kind of a bad day.