The Witch's Pirate! (Book 1)
Chapter 40: Not Welcome

Bayou

“Darn!” I groaned, hitting something solid under me. My arms enclosed protectively around Crystal. I felt her body shake as she managed a glance down at me. A sudden laughter escaped my lips.

“Are we alive?” she asked, I nodded, my laughing fit was showing no sign of stopping.

“Aye, we are,” I told her. She sighed out in relief, placing her forehead on my chest. I moved my hand and softly patted her head.

“Are you okay?” she asked in a low tone, looking up at me.

“I’ll live.”

She moved up, lowering her head and once again her hair acted like a curtain, covering our faces. I couldn’t help but stare into her deep green eyes.

“Thank God, we did it, we got the map and we survived,” She giggled.

I moved my hand, and brushed her hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Her eyes widened and I smiled deeply at her.

“I knew I could trust you. I’m proud of you. You are truly my woman, no other could have kept up with me!”

Without realizing it, I wrapped my hand behind her head, and kissed her cheek. Her puffy cheeks turned a deep red, and I just stared at her. She shyly gave me a strange look, but doesn’t move away.

Did I just kiss her cheek? I thought, licking my lips.

I stood up, clearing my throat and wincing a little. Crystal coughed while I awkwardly rubbed the back of my neck.

Why did I kiss her cheek? What is going on with me?

“I don’t get it. How did we end up here? How did I regain my powers? Where were we?” she asked, not looking at me. I looked around, to replace yourself inside a ship, not just any ship, my own ship, which I recognized from the back of my hand. Also, I spotted Shawn running down, with a box at hand.

“Don’t know how you regain your powers, but you did it, and we were back in my ship,” I smiled even more, feeling very proud of her.

“I only thought of home, how did we end up here? This isn’t my home,” she whispered, I tilted my head.

Strange, why would we end up here, if she thought of her home?

“Bayou, Crystal,” came a familiar voice. We turned around to see Max walking up the stairs. I noticed that we were next to my Captain’s wheel, when I moved back and felt the edge poke my back.

“Max,” I waved, watching him come closer to us.

“How did you end up here? What the hell happened to you two? You’ve been gone for two days,” he asked, moving up toward me, and hugs me. I can feel him breathe out, after he let go, turning to face Crystal.

“We don’t know, we ended up on an island, and spend two days there, what happen in your view?” I asked him. He went quiet, hearing someone go up the stairs. I lifted my head to see Belle rushing toward Crystal and wrapping her arms around her.

“Oh, thank God, you two are alright! We were sick with worry! You two disappear on us, in that strange fountain,” She let go and came up to me, hugging me as well. I looked at Crystal, arching a brow. She shrugged at me.

“What do you mean to disappear in the strange fountain?”

“Don’t you remember?” she asked, letting go of me. I shook my head.

“We don’t, the last thing we remember is walking up to the fountain. Everything became hazy, then we awoke in a strange island of the dead, and that’s all. Oh, we got attacked by the king’s guardsman.”

Belle gave Max a strange looked before she spoke.

“You two were saying that the statute felt real. Crystal fell down into the bloody waters. We think the shadow pulled her down. Captain Bayou went after you and then disappear on us. We managed to escape the king’s guards and went back to the elder. She told us that you two were led by the blind person and that you would return shortly, so we could sail with ease.” Belle explained.

“Oh, I remember her saying that, but it was a blind woman, so we disappear how?” Crystal asked, trying to comprehend the situation.

“Woman? Strange, but you two disappeared in the bloody water, what else?” Max finished.

“How...” but I shook my head.

“Don’t question it, it will give you a headache,” I told her. Crystal sighed, and glanced down at her hand. I did too, to see the map.

“You have the map?” Max asked, surprised. He walked up to her and gave the map a long hard look. Crystal nodded, looking up at me, then her cheeks flared up once again and she turned away. I felt my cheeks warm up. I took a breath and walked up to her.

“Is only half of it, before we explain how we got this, can I go and take a bath and a change of clothes?”

“Lo—I mean Captain Belle, can you prepare a hot meal for my witch? She only had snake these last two days,” I moved away, grasping the map out of Crystal hands.

“Snake? Ouch, aye Captain. Come Crystal, I’ll prepare you a hot bath and a hot meal, you as well Captain,” I didn’t want to sound mean, but you two reek bad, luckily I’m used to bad smells.” she smiled at me tenderly. I snort, but nodded, and glanced down at Crystal.

“Thanks, ” I told Belle.

Crystal wouldn’t even look up at me. I frowned, and cleared my throat.

“Go with Captain Belle, take a long bath, okay?” I told her. She timidly nodded, lifting her gaze toward Max.

“Max, please check on Captain Bayou’s wound, I tried my best to keep it clean, thank you,” she bowed. Max gave her a slanted looked but nodded at her.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him, remember he’s my son.”

Crystal nodded. Then she sighed and followed Belle.

Max went quiet, as I lifted my eyes from the map straight to him. He stared aimlessly into the distant horizon. Something was bothering him.

“Papa?” I asked him. He shook his head and turned to face me.

“Remember, that the elder said to take west, that Belle’s sister is closer than we think?” He asked. I nodded, folding the map in half, I tugged it on my breast jacket.

“Aye, I remember, what about it?”

His eyes tightened when he started to head down the steps.

“I went to check on the map, and discovered it’s his land,” his voice is very tight. I frowned.

“Please be more specific, remember, I had many ′friends,’” I emphasized.

Max sighed, shaking his head.

“Pleasant Island, we were just sailing along, waiting for your return. I haven’t told Belle anything because she’ll just go straight ahead without thinking twice,” he told me in a soft tone.

My body stood still, but then I walked down and patted Max’s back. He turned to face me and arched a brow.

“Aren’t you worried? You know you are not welcome there, and you have a large bounty on your head.”

“Where in the seven seas am I not welcome, or not wanted? And worried, ne I am not.” I walked down, going to my cabin, to take a bath.

“Bayou, you know damn well that placed is...” but I waved my hand, to see Shawn coming up to me.

“Captain, Welcome back,” he smiled at me toothlessly.

“Thanks Shawn, set sail to Pleasant island,” I told him. Shawn’s eyes narrowed, looking straight at Max.

“Sorry, Captain but Max told me to avoid that placed until we replace some other way around. You know that he...” I shook my head and walked around him.

“I’m the Captain of this ship, and what I say goes. We are going to Pleasant Island, and that’s final.” I yelled, reaching my cabin. Shawn gave a worried looked to Max.

“But Cap’tain, you know who’s there, and last time I remember, he almost ripped your arm off, luckily Max saved you,” I stopped in front of my door, and a chuckle passed my lips.

“Oh, I’m just going to visit him, and repay him that little favor, I wouldn’t be a good host, if I didn’t bring any gift would I? After all, what are cousins for?”