Chapter 32: Answer Me

Crystal

“Stupid pirate, how could he? If this was three weeks ago, gladly I would have gone, but not now, we are twined and if I leave him alone, he’ll be lonely again.” I mumbled, I stared at my rice, my eyes turning sad. We sat in front of the fireplace, that evening. Max is with Bayou, attending to his wound.

“He’s just worried about you, and what do you mean lonely again?” I heard on my right. I jumped to see Belle smiling at me mischievously. My face heated up, and I lowered my head.

“I meant friend wise. He doesn’t look like he has many friends, besides Max. Well, that’s is his father.” I fixed my wording.

“Sure, I believe that.” she giggled, taking a bite of her rice. I looked up at her, watching the fire reflect from her eyes.

“I haven’t had the chance to speak properly to you. Tell me a little about yourself,” I asked her, trying to distract my mind. Belle shrugged at me.

“Nothing much to say about me. I’m thirty-four and I’m a pirate, that’s all.” I stared at her, as she kept staring at the fire.

“What made you become a pirate?” I asked her. She went quiet, then she moved her hand to take out something from around her neck. It shone with the reflection of the fire. It was a necklace silver medallion, with a skull in the middle.

“My father used to be a pirate, he used to tell me his greatest adventures on the seven seas.” her eyes shone with happiness at the mention of her father.

“So you wanted to follow in his footsteps?” I asked her. She nodded her face beaming.

“Aye, I just loved the idea of traveling the freedom. Father met my mother through his travels and fell in love with her. He decided to quit and settle down. Then he had me and my five sisters and three brothers.” I smiled gently.

“So you’re the eldest?” she nodded.

“Four of my sisters already married and have children, one of my brothers turned into a priest, and the other two are engaged. My younger sister, the one we are looking for is our baby sister. She only fifteen,” her eyes dropped at the mention.

“Wow, she’s young, I’m sorry,”

“Is okay,” she assured me.

“Oh, how did your parents react when you decided to become a pirate?” She shrugged with a sigh.

“My mother had some difficulty in accepting it, but eventually she did, but my father just laughed and told me to tell him about my epic adventures, when I returned home, and he gave me this medallion as a reminder to always come home.” She smiled sadly, tucking back her medallion into her shirt.

“Is he still alive?” I asked her. She shook her head.

“He died last year due to an illness that spread throughout my village, the sad part, I didn’t get to even be at his funeral. I just learned it about it a few weeks ago, before my sister got kidnapped by those bastards.” I tightened my hold on my plate.

“Oh God, I’m sorry,” I lowered my head, then I heard a choke. I turned to see Belle covering her mouth with her hand, tears ran down her cheeks.

“You didn’t have time to mourn him, haven’t you?” I asked, standing up from my seat. She shook her head. More tears ran down her cheeks.

“I miss him,” she cried out. I moved and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. I lowered my head, letting her cry out.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. He’s in heaven now, and watching over you. You can tell him all your adventures, when you return home with your sister, and visit his grave.” I tried to comfort her.

About five minutes, or so, Belle kept on crying. I only patted her back, letting her cry out her sorrows. In the corner of my eye, I saw a black boot. Lifting my gaze, I saw Max staring at us, with a sorrowful look. I frowned at him.

This is sad, poor girl, she hadn’t had time to mourn. I lowered my head and let her mourn all she wanted.

After an hour later, I stood outside, letting the cold air brush against my skin, watching the sky sparkle beautifully from the stars and the moon bathing its light down at us. The street was quiet, not even a mouse could be heard.

I hope Belle can sleep well tonight. I sadly thought, lowering my head, rubbing my arm. After she stopped crying, she simply stood up and apologized for breaking down. I told her it was okay, it was normal, she just thanked me and went down the hallway.

“Little one, why may I ask, are still up at this late hour?” I jumped in fright, turning to my right to see the elder standing there, blowing into her long black pipe.

“I didn’t hear you come out,” I told her, breathing out. I watched my own breath escape my lips. She giggled, and looked up at the night sky.

“I couldn’t sleep. Bayou wants me to go back and it bothers me then I learn that Belle’s father died, and she hadn’t had time to mourn him.” I lowered my head.

“Even if you just met them in such little time, you worry about them?” She asked, blowing smoke out of her lips, giving me a side glance.

“I don’t know, I never had friends before, and learning slowly about their lives, makes me appreciate my life even more, so I pity them. I’m not sure.” I told her. The elder gave me a soft smile.

“It’s because you have a pure heart. You may act tough, but you have an innocent heart Crystal. You will put yourself out of the way to help others. Don’t worry about Belle or Max, they will find their way, but there’s a dark secret someone is hiding and it would not be pretty when the truth is revealed. You will forgive, but the other won’t.” I blinked, giving her a confused look.

“What do you mean?”

“Due to its own time, dear. Now, I have a favor to ask of you and I will grant you two wishes,” she told me.

“Two wishes? I don’t wish for anything.” There, the elder laughed, and grasped my hand. Her touch was so cold.

“Everyone has wishes dear, including you. My only wish is to be set free. I no longer wish to be the Shadow keeper.”

“Why?”

“You think I have fun doing this? If I could, I would have used the shadow and killed the king long ago,” she suddenly snapped. I nodded very slowly, not sure what to say.

“How did you end up being the Shadow Keeper? Wait, were you the one that brought the shadow to us?” I asked her.

“It was punished, for rejecting the king when he asked me to bare his child. I look older than I really am. The king kept using my youth to give power to his shadow.” She explained.

“Oh God, that’s horrible, sorry to, how do I help you?” I asked her. She turned back and placed her pipe back into her mouth.

“The only way to free me is to kill the king. I know you are against killing, so I will give a clue. You heard that you are the key to break the curse of your husband” It wasn’t even a question.

“Yes, and please don’t say husband. We aren’t married.”

“But you are, little one. I made sure you two are.” My eyes widened at her words.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing much. The key, sometimes betraying someone can be a great victory, especially with your type of heart, you are willing to forgive and forget. Your love for him is so far deep, it will save your husband,”

“Can’t you just tell me straight, what am I supposed to do, I’m not good with puzzles, also I don’t love him.”

“Not now, but later you will, but I can see you have feelings for him. I can’t, I can’t tempt future events, I can guide you to make the right decisions, is all I can do,” she went quiet for a brief second, and puffed another smoke.

Feelings for him? I do see him as a friend now, no, I don’t, and will never have feelings for him.

“Now tell me your two wishes,” I sighed, not knowing what to say to her.

“I really don’t have any, just for my family to be safe, that’s all.”

“Don’t worry, they are, they miss you terribly, though. When you are ready, give me your wishes. It doesn’t have to be right now.” she turned to go in.

“Wait, you haven’t told me how to help, if I will not kill the king. What do you mean to give you my wishes? You aren’t going with us. I am lost. You never answered me. Did you send that Shadow after us?” All these questions rushed out of my lips. The elder stopped in her tracks and stretched out her arm to open the door.

“No, I did not send it out. The king knows the pirate’s location, and he’s heading this way as we speak, since he still thinks you’re his daughter. Don’t worry, the pirate won’t be sending you home, anytime soon, and when that day comes when you do return home, is the day you are really going to die.” With that she enters the house.

“Die? I’m still going to die?” I sighed, rubbing my head.

“I don’t get your riddles, why can’t anyone be straightforward with me, now I’m still going to die? Oh, Come on!” I stood, leaning my forehead against the cold wooden door.

“I’m still going to die, and all I want is a peaceful life with my books.” I dropped to my knees and clenched my fist.

“Like my life can’t get any worse? Can it?”