Chapter 41: Try Not To

Crystal

I couldn’t look at Bayou at all, it had been another four days, since we had arrived on his ship. In those four days, I managed to keep clean and eat. I helped around the ship at times and Bayou and Max would lock themselves in his cabin to look at the map.

I had been practicing my magic and my fighting with Belle and Max. I learned a few tricks that Bayou would do from time to time, which Max taught me. Personally I didn’t want to rely on my magic too much. Maybe when the curse was broken, I would lose them.

I looked up at the blue sky, feeling the breeze brush against my skin.

It’s not even cold today, is a beautiful day.

I moved my hand and touch my cheek, where he kissed me.

He surprised me, but I didn’t dislike it. Is different though. I thought, smiling tenderly.

He was proud of me, and he kissed me, I never thought anyone would do that.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Belle smiling down at me.

“Someone kissed you?” she guessed, causing my cheeks to flare up.

“No, but what makes you think that?” I asked her. Belle shrugged.

“I had the same goofy smile when my first love kissed me,” she told me. I arched a brow.

“You had a first love?”

“Aye, I did,”

“What happen? If you don’t mind me asking.” Belle moved back, and leaned against the flat wall, crossing her arms.

“We went our separate ways. We were still good friends, but he wanted just a normal housewife. I couldn’t give it to him. So now he’s married with two children. He’s a real gentleman, and we’ve remained best friends.”

“Don’t you miss him?”

“I do sometimes, but after I met Max, I haven’t really thought of him like that,” she explained. I smiled, looking down at my hands.

“Is it easy to forget your first love and move on?”

“No, it’s different for everyone, sometimes, one can’t stop loving their first love, no matter how many years go by, some do and fall for another. It depends on the situation. Apparently I’m in the second category,”

“I don’t believe in true love, but I think I’m the first one, if I ever fall in love, I will only love one man,” I told her. She arched a brow.

“So if something happens, you won’t stop loving Captain Bayou?” she asked me. My face blasted up and I shook my head.

“I don’t love him.”

“Sure you don’t, I have seen the way you look at him. It’s almost a month since you entered this ship,” I nodded at her.

“Wow, time sure goes fast. What do you mean the way I looked at him? I look at everyone the same.”

Belle shook her head.

‘Yeah, time is going fast, now that I think about it, I had less than two months,’ That made me sad.

“No, with Bayou it’s different, your expression changes. It’s hard to explain, but don’t worry, you are still very young to understand it. Soon you will, and I give you my full support,” she said, winking at me. I sighed, not getting it.

Belle looked out at the horizon as I stared down at my hand, moving my half-peeled potato.

“Soon we can save my sister, it feels like it’s taking forever,” Her voice was full of longing at the mention of her sister.

“I can imagine,” I murmured.

“Oh Crystal,” she bent to my level, her cheeks turned a little pink and her hair swayed with the wind. I lifted my gaze to stare at her.

“Yes?” I asked her. Her eyes turned soft.

“Max hugged me last night. He said he was sorry to hear about my father’s death and then he hugged me, and he let me cry on his shoulder.” My eyes widened, not sure to feel happy for her or not.

“Err, should I be happy or what? I mean at the situation,” she shrugged at me.

“I don’t know either. I feel happy and sad, but he hugged me. It’s the first time he done that to me.” her eyes softened.

“Good, he’s a very conservative man, but he’s nice to speak to,” I told her. Belle nodded in agreement.

“Land Ahoy! Land Ahoy! We’re arriving at Pleasant Island!” Shawn shouted. I looked up to see him all the way up at the poles, holding on tightly with a spyglass in hand.

“We arrived,” Belle clapped, standing up and heading toward Bayou’s cabin. I looked at my half-peeled potato and frowned.

So no dinner tonight, what a waste.

I stood up, wiping my hands and placed the half-peeled potato on its box and the knife on the side.

“Okay, you all go back to the kitchen,” I smiled, and waved my hand in front of the box, watching them disappear from my sight.

I’m getting a little too used to my powers.

Dusting my hands, I turned around, only bump into a firm chest.

“Sorry,” I bowed, only to hear him chuckle.

“You never change,” he whispered. I lifted my gaze, to see Bayou smirking at me. My face heated up and I turned around.

“Oh, it’s you, we finally reached the island,” I said nervously, clearing my throat.

“Aye we did, there’re two things we had to do,” he moved closer to me, causing me to move up and place my hands on the wooden edge of the ship.

Don’t get too close to me, please, I prayed, but it went unanswered, as I felt his chest almost pressed against my back, and his arms blocking my way out. He placed each on the edge of the wall, trapping me. I lowered my head.

“There’s a carnival tonight, if I remember is the feast of late autumn, so Belle will take you out shopping. Keep your eyes open, the placed we are going is heavily guarded. They were looking for you, and at any moment anyone can take you, so stick with Belle, Max or I, at all times,” he whispered into my ear, causing me to shiver. I gulped hard and nodded at him.

“Why shopping, we came to save Belle sister, not a carnival, or shop.”

“We need to be active, just in case she is not there. So go shopping a little. Have some fun, I do love carnivals, so we are going,” he said in an optimistic tone.

A carnival? I haven’t been in one of those in years.

“What’s the second?”

“If he is here, we might make a house call,” was all he said, but his tone hinted out anger at the mention. I arched a brow, confused by his sudden words.

“Can you let go?”

“Ne, I like it like this, it’s been four days since you ignored me, I have been extra lonely you know,” he chuckled.

I fisted my hands.

“You only think of perverted things,” I told him. He leaned forward, pinning me against his chest as he took a deep breath.

“Actually love, no I don’t. I really do miss you,” his accent kicked in as my body started to shake. His hot breath brushed against my skin. I turned my face, only to have my cheek pressed against his. He smiled at me.

“Now, that’s more like it, and also,” his silver eyes suddenly turned serious.

“Hmm?” I wanted to move, but somehow I couldn’t. He moved his hand and placed it on my waist.

“We will save Captain Belle’s sister, but it won’t be easy, so please be careful,”

“Nothing is and I will,” I told him. He chuckled, closing his eyes and leaning more into my cheek. My heart was racing faster and faster, as his warmth started to surround me.

“You’re worried?”

“Aye, I am,” he opened his eyes looking out at the island that kept getting closer and closer to us. I frowned.

“Don’t worry, everything always turns out okay. Whatever happens, in the end, we will win. I have faith in the both of us, and in everyone on this ship.” I told him. Bayou closed his eyes again and held my waist a little tighter.

“Thank you.”

We landed on Pleasant island. Bayou had to go around the back of the island, since the ship was too identifiable as a pirate ship. Now on Pleasant island, Shawn and the others scattered around, as I stood next to Max watching Belle and Bayou speak with each other.

“Crystal, can I speak with you for a moment,” he asked, I looked up at him and nodded. We walked up toward a small road, with large buildings.

I jumped back when someone threw the contents of their chamber pot from the window above.

It splashed in front of my feet.

“Oi, sorry, didn’t see you down there,” The man yelled, from the third window up.

I looked up, and Max did the same.

“Bloody bloke, careful where you throw your piss at, especially in front of a woman,” Max growled. I shook my head, noticing how tense he looked.

“Is okay, take care and God bless,” I waved my hand at him. The man with dark eyes, nodded, but gave Max a dirty look. I stepped around the mess and grasped Max’s arm.

“Okay, what’s wrong?” I asked him. Max looked down at me and sighed.

“Sorry, I don’t like being on this island. Bring too many bad memories,”

“Oh, you been here before, don’t worry, after we save Belle’s sister, we can leave.”

“That’s the thing, I can think of one placed that she could be,” he paused and I watched him furrow his brows together.

“That would be?” I asked him.

“The Duke’s House,”

“The Duke? Who’s the Duke?” I asked. He shook his head and pointed straight at his right.

“Pass the town plaza, up the hills, there’s the biggest house in the entire island. A mansion if you will. There lives a terrible man, his name is Austen Dash, and he is the right hand of the king.”

My heart trembled at his words.

“That’s horrible,” I murmured, rubbing my hands together. I looked back, to see Belle reaching our side, but Max grabbed my arm and leaned forward. He caught me by surprise when he whispered.

“The worst part is, he is Bayou’s cousin.” My eyes grew large.

“Bayou has a cousin, and he’s a duke?” I asked surprised. Max nodded, and crossed his arms.

’If he is here, we might make a house call,′ his earlier words played in my head.

So that’s why his voice was like that.

“Not exactly his blood relative, they grew up as cousins. Point being, they hate each other to the point of death. Bayou wants to repay him for what he did last time to him. In the meanwhile, we couldn’t do anything until we were certain that Belle’s sister is in his domain. One thing I ask of you,” his voice dropped and I leaned a bit forward.

“Yes?”

How horrible, besides Max, doesn’t anyone else care about him? Sadness overflowed in my heart, with this new fact about Bayou.

“Try to not show your face to the Duke,”