Reason to Be

>SEVEN YEARS AGO<

“Keep me in your sight at all times,” I whispered. Belle nodded before drifting to the right.

“TracHeraA!” the island chief yelled. “KriDhyui Dek liAes!”

“What’s going on?” Belle was back. She was looking at the yelling villagers with worry etched all over her face.

“They’re trying to decide whether or not to attack the pirates.”

“Ah.” She understood, but her face still bore a worried look.

“Belle,” I reassured. “It’ll be alright.”

“My crew is on that ship,” she hissed back to me. “What happens if they decide to attack?”

“We’ll have to flee,” I whispered back.

“Where to?”

“The mountain caves.”

“But aren’t there wild animals?” Her fear replaced her worry.

“That’s why you have me.” I smiled.

“Hello Death,” she said in response to my comment.

“Aww, don’t be like that.”

She shrugged and moved through the bushes until she was on the opposite side of the campsite. She pointed into a tent and then to herself.

I shook my head violently and mouthed ‘no’, but she proceeded anyway. I hurried around to where she was but before I had even moved a few metres a piercing scream echoed through the night.

The villagers stopped their chanting and war cries to look towards the source of the sound. As her scream came again I ran towards the tent my heart beating rapidly.

Please God, was all I could think. Please don’t let any harm come to her. I knew I’d never forgive myself.

The chief’s son came out of the tent pushing Belle in front of him. Her hand’s were tied behind her back and a piece of material was being pushed into her mouth and tied around her head.

“DriaSyeWa,” he said to his father. “IylsAcei draEgh eA jeiKlor.” He said those words with a contempt that the people reserved for rats and mould. These words were followed by a long string of obscenities that I would never repeat had my life depended on it. I would’ve launched myself at him had it not been for the pleading look that Belle was giving me.

“FeirAwo,” he continued pushing Belle into the mud. “AleTywA!”

I barely heard my sharp intake of breath over the deafening roar of the crowd. No. They were going to kill her.

I ran out in front of the chief and yelled to the people, “DriTReas!” Brothers. “YutuLoa SiA elaDan. PiaRe tYaweaS gi HyarEop iyk GriaAe!” We cannot harm her. Are we not then, as bad as the pirates?

A replying yell told me to, “Get out of here; I don’t belong,” in Craewa, (their language). But I didn’t. I kept yelling my point across until Darè, the chief’s son, tied me up and pushed me into an empty wooden harvest shed.

As soon as I was alone I removed my gag. It was completely dark except for a tiny beam of light that shone through a gap in the timbers. I shuffled in desperation to the wall and felt the tears run down my eyes as I watched the torture they were inflicting upon Belle. It wasn’t until she lay unconscious next to the dying fire that the crowd dispersed and she was quite literally thrown into the room with me.

“Belle,” I whispered, choking on my newly forming tears.

“Daniel,” she murmured. “I’m sorry.”

“Shh,” I whispered, pulling her close to me. “It wasn’t your fault. We should’ve forgotten about the map.”

“I got it,” she whispered as she started to drift back into unconsciousness.

As soon as she was asleep I started to feel my way around to try and find something to cut our bonds. Eventually I found a knife. Wow. That was lucky.

“Daniel!”

A familiar voice came from outside the door. I walked hesitantly towards it and whispered, “What?” when I reached the door.

“It’s Aly.”

I almost did a double take. Aly. The only person who’d stood up for me when I’d been evicted from the village tribe.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered in astonishment.

“I’m getting you out of here.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“I’ve got the keys.”

“How?” I was wary. How on earth did Aly get the keys?

“I’m married to Darè now you idiot.”

My shock showed upon my face, but as she was outside, she couldn’t see me. I heard the click of the lock opening and she swung open the door.

“Let’s go,” she said.

“Not without Belle,” I replied quickly, hoisting her unconscious body onto my back. “Alright. Let’s go.”

Aly was looking at Belle with a confused expression but she didn’t question me. I followed her past the dying fire and into the jungle. We walked in silence until we reached our ship that was beached.

“I must leave you here. If Darè wakes up and I’m gone, he will suspect I’ve helped you.”

“I’m sorry,” I replied, shifting Belle on my back. “I never wanted to put you through this. Or what happened two years ago.”

“When you were kicked out, it was my choice to defend you. This is too.”

“Thank you,” I whispered to her retreating back as she started walking back through the jungle.

I felt Belle’s head move on my shoulder. “Daniel,” she murmured. “Put me down.”

I set her on her feet gently and we climbed up the side of the ship onto the deck.

“How are you?” I asked Belle anxiously.

“I’ll live,” she replied examining the cuts and bruises over her arms and legs. “Do you have a mirror?”

“No,” I scoffed. I think I hid it well, but I was greatly relieved at having her safe.

“Wake the others,” she said. “We should get out of here.”

“We aren’t going anywhere until morning. They won’t even know we’re missing until dawn. I’ll stay on guard while you sleep.”

“Thank you Daniel,” she whispered, walking towards her cabin. “Wait,” she started. “Where did this come from?” she pulled a purple stone from her pocket.

“I don’t know,” I replied honestly.

“Hmm,” she murmured before walking into her cabin and closing the door.

I watched the moon rise in the sky, but I didn’t remain awake for its descent.

xxxxx

I woke up tied to a mast. I felt Belle’s hand pressed to mine, but more than that, I could hear her words.

What the hell do they think they’re doing! she said. I need to get out of here. I wonder whether Daniel’s awake yet.

I am, was what I tried to say. But I was gagged. Wait…if I was gagged, she would be too.

The village people pushed us towards the plank of Belle’s stolen ship.

So much for staying awake.

Belle’s voice echoed in my mind yet again. What the hell was going on?

They removed our gags but they didn’t remove our bindings.

“How did you do that?” she demanded.

“What?” I automatically took a step back at the tone she was using. Not a good idea when there are swords behind you.

“I could hear you speaking but you were gagged.”

“I heard you as well.”

She frowned, but we couldn’t speak any longer. We were being pushed onto the plank.

You can swim right? She thought towards me.

Yes, I replied.

“Then jump,” she said out loud.

We jumped and swam back to the island. Then e ran as fast as we could away from the ship.

“Jack said that if we weren’t back in two weeks he’d come looking for us,” Belle said.

“I thought you hated him.”

“He’s good for some things,” she replied. “I do-”

She cut off as she began to fall. I caught her and checked that she was still breathing.

“It looks like we’re going to the mountain caves,” I said to myself as I lifted her off the ground.