To Yonder

New Perspective
“I feel the salty waves come in
I feel them crash against my skin
And I smile as I respire
Because I know they’ll never win”
- Panic! At the Disco

“I’ve not the slightest clue. Shouldn’t you know this type of thing?”

Will and Nelly sat huddled in the corner of the tavern so they could talk in privacy without any of the other crewmates possibly overhearing their conversation and reporting back to the Captain. They had planned to concoct some kind of ploy to fix whatever was wrong with the Captain and the other woman, the problem was now that they were actually here they couldn’t come up with any plausible ideas.

Will sighed, why had he taken this upon himself again? Oh yeah, Will the prince charming, angel conglomerate…. The man of all men, he was going to be Tanek’s savior. Did Tanek even need saving? Did it even matter?

“Why would I know anything about seduction? I’m not the pirate!” Nelly was baffled. Why would Will even consider such a thing? What could have possibly popped into his thick skull that made him reach out to her for such nonsense? “I may not be a princess, but I am a woman of standard, not some common whore on the street!”

Will had never heard Nelly use such a vile word. Something about it tugged at his insides and he found himself strangely aroused. There was something so different about her since the first time he had laid eyes on her. He took in her appearance. She looked more carefree in the moment. The ship had changed her in one of the best ways possible. He smiled, “Say it again.”

“Say what? Focus!” Nelly scowled at Will and his stupid looking smile.

“Not until you say it again,” Will still sat looking at her with his lopsided smile.

“I don’t have the slightest clue what you’re talking about,” Nelly’s frown seemed to increase if it were even possible, “Repeat what? That I’m not a princess…?”

“After that”

“I am a woman of standard?”

Will smile broadened like the Cheshire Cat, the word was seconds from passing through her lips once more, “Keep going…”

It dawned on Nelly and instead of flushing like she normally would, her gaze sharpened, focusing on the idiotic man who sat before. She refused to say it again, “No, continue on with what we were talking about before.”

Will was crestfallen, but decided not to push the subject any further. He’d get her to repeat it again soon, “Clearly they found each other attractive to some degree so I say we don’t do anything. Let it work out all on its own.”

Nelly’s eyebrow arched. This was the brilliant plan? She mentally laughed. What was she expecting Will to come up with? She wasn’t really sure, but she thought it would definitely be more impressive than that. Will gave pirates a bad name. Nelly came to the conclusion he was more of a pretty boy than an intimidating brute.

“That’s it…? That’s really all?” Will nodded in confirmation.

Nelly was conflicted. As a friend she wanted Alessia to be happy and choose whom she wanted to be with, but there was such a strong pull from her alliance to the royal family… Alessia was a princess, she was promised! Could Nelly really stand by and watch when everything would just end up in heartbreak? When the fate of the kingdom rested upon her shoulders? None of this would be fair to any of them, especially the Prince. Could she really do this with a clean conscious?

“Well, my other plan had to do with seduction, but you’ve got no knowledge on the topic,” Will said almost sounding condescendingly. So now it was her fault all of his plans were absolutely horrible?

“What’s with you and being seduced?” Nelly asked incredulously. She understood he was a pirate, but all he wanted to hear about was plans that involved whores and seduction, what a man… Nelly shook her head in disgust. Seduction was not practical knowledge.

“Don’t look at me like that! It’s practical knowledge!”

Nelly could not stand the man. “Look at you like what?” Nelly called back.

“Like that!” Will extended a long finger right at her face.

“You’re incredible!” She threw her hands up. Whatever plan they had tried to devise was clearly not working, “I thought you had a plan, and you’re hell bent on some strange notion of lunacy!”

“Lunacy?” Will jumped up and stomped toward her, “Lunacy!” Nelly stared at him as he continued to string together curses in between each fit of repeating the word lunacy. Will had officially lost it and become a certified loon.

“I’ll show you lunacy!” Will grabbed Nelly’s chin and forced her face upward. He stared into her eyes trying to think of what would really drive her crazy. Then it hit him. Of course! It all happened in a split second. One moment they were two and the next they were one with his mouth smashed against hers.

What had started out rough just to prove a point slowly melted into unexpected pleasure. It was like a choir of angels singing all at once in perfect five-part harmony. Will began to lose thought. What was he doing again?

Strange sensations spread throughout Nelly’s body, but as soon as it began it had ended. Will mumbled a few incoherent words, and Nelly jumped up to her feet in shock. She debated slapping him before she turned on her heel and stomped toward the door in a huff. She almost turned around but decided to call over shoulder instead, she didn’t want to see Will’s face regardless of how beautiful it was.

Nelly got up off of her barstool and started stomping off in the direction of the entrance planning on heading back towards the ship. Halfway to the doorway she halted abruptly, pivoted on her heel, and sent a dangerously glaring look at Will before shouting at him something to leave him thinking.

He was absolutely bewitched. Never had the words sounded so eloquent… so beautiful… so complimentary.

“William you whore!”

---

Tanek looked at her as the sunlight caressed her porcelain face. All thoughts had fled his mind at the most inopportune of moments. He was left alone. Figures, he always seemed to be the one left to make due with his own defenses. He felt like a complete idiot. He had sounded stern and strong before, but now he couldn’t even think coherently. He gaped like a fish. A very stupid and very senseless kind of fish he imagined.

“Um…”

Tanek’s eyes flew to her kissable lips where the sweet sound had come from. He couldn’t be in love. No matter how much his heart urged him on, his mind simply would not comply. Tanek refused to give into temptation. Hell, Tanek didn’t even know what love was. He knew he had loved his Mother, deeply, but that was by default – everyone had loved his mother unconditionally -- it was just part of who she was. A kind and caring soul, god bless her beautiful heart.

That was his Mother… and then there was his Father. Tanek could care less about that waste of space. He was less of a man than any other, no, Tanek had never felt any tender feeling towards that animal. Out of all the men Tanek had come across in his existence, he had never met anyone else who epitomized scum as well as his father had. His father though, would have been proud to hold such a title.

The thing was, Tanek knew he was just like his Father. There was no way his Father had been capable of emotions, especially love; therefore, Tanek wasn’t one to love either. As far as he was concerned he didn’t deserve to ever love… or even be loved. Tanek was just as bad as his old man, a pirate fiend who terrorized the world.

Tanek would not let his Father ruin another moment of his life.

“Were you…?”

Tanek ran a hand through his windswept hair. The two of them sat on deck in an awkwardly comfortable silence. They had survived the storm and had beautiful weather as a prize. It felt nice and the breeze had been in their favor. None of the men had returned from land yet and he almost felt like he was on a secluded island just with her. Today the Captain felt like drifting and seeing where the world took him for once.

Today started as a relaxing day, but his throat felt parched and his tongue suddenly felt like sand paper against his rough lips. The day had taken a turn for the worst. As far as he was concerned he might as well be a helpless man in love and not even realize it. Surely he would be facing a premature death sooner or later. That sounded like the perfect punishment for all the sins he had committed.

“Captain…?”

His shoes needed to be shined too. It had been quite some time since he had been able to send the men onto land a pick up some more supplies. He could use some more clothing too for his old white shirts had attracted a layer of grim that refused to wash out. He also had a pocket watch that could be sold to a pawnshop… He would have to send Will on shore to do his bidding…

“Tanek!” The Captain’s head snapped up. He had completely forgotten the lady in his presence. The feeling of dread entered his being once again. What had he wanted to tell her before…?

She had a slightly annoyed look and her arms were crossed tightly against her chest. Her lips too… the succulent creature had her lips pressed firmly in a line. Tanek reluctantly pulled his gaze away from her and looked toward the ocean – he could always find solace in the ocean.

“Were you going to say something or shall I?” She said tightly.

“I was…” What was he doing…? “I shall speak first my lady…”

Since when did he speak so properly? Tanek wanted to shake it off of him. The words felt foreign, as if they were coming out of someone else’s mouth. He felt like he was back as a little boy learning manners from his Grandmother. His proper etiquette training was beginning to sneak through his current façade. Eloquence was something that no longer mattered to him yet it was ingrained in his subconscious.

There was no way he could cast those hours of etiquette training from his being without hearing his Grandmother’s nagging voice instilling guilt.

“It is something I wish not to speak about so openly in public though…” Tanek’s eyes slid across the deck looking for any of his crewmembers forgetting they were still enjoying their land legs, “If you would escort me to my bedchambers.” No one escorted Tanek, what had gotten into his head? He came and went as he pleased regardless of whether or not he was with anyone. What he really wanted was to make sure the crew didn’t see the two of them. They should be returning soon… eventually.

Subconsciously, he propped his arm up waiting readily to lead the way for the lady. He was about to put his arm down when she slowly interlocked her own with his. Tanek felt like an absolute fool, this wasn’t the type of thing he did. He should have been walking paces in front of her to show his dominance. He was a pirate brute, not one of society’s well-bred gentlemen.

Somewhere in the midst of all these thoughts Tanek found he could keel over and laugh. How funny it was that a woman accompanied him to his bedroom so often… the same woman. How inappropriate it was, to be alone with her for just a second was considered scandalous. According to society they should have had a chaperon… and according to the pirates he should have taken what he wanted from her… what was technically his. Tanek though did neither. Here he was, caught in between.

“It is nice out today…” She trailed off making small talk.

Tanek smiled faintly, “Must we always talk about the weather?”

She had been right though, it was extremely pleasant outside – the storm had passed and left behind a rainbow. The sun seemed to caress his face and a light breeze danced around his loose fitting clothing. He almost felt chilly; he shouldn’t have left his top few buttons open. He wore the shirt from last night, the rain had left it wrinkled in all the wrong ways and he imagined he was less than pristine looking. Maybe he should just change it all together. He made motion to open the rest of the buttons when he heard his companion let out a squeak. He looked over curiously and noticed her cheeks flush slightly, “Sorry…”

This definitely wasn’t gentlemanly.

His buttons were long forgotten and his mind became plagued with thoughts of the woman at his side. He still didn’t know her name -- he laughed to himself with incredulity -- how ridiculous was this situation? It didn’t matter though; it was easier to take what you wanted without getting attached that way. His Father would have said something about a pretty face being nameless serves the very same purpose as a renowned princess… you could do what you wanted with either.

He’d definitely done it last night.

The pair had reached the point halfway to Tanek’s room when he stopped and turned toward her. He was about to turn back in the direction they had been heading when he began to feel optimistic… courageous… spontaneous… It came out before he had a chance to process the thoughts that all seemed to reappear simultaneously, “Have you ever been in love?”

She looked momentarily surprised. Then came a quick look of wistfulness before she took in a moment to study him and his uncharacteristic happiness. “No…” She said softly eyeing the Captain curiously, “Have you?”

“A girl… her name had been Annabelle… she was absolutely stunning,” Tanek reveled at her shocked expression and the jealous glint in her eye. He let her wandering mind conjure stories and drive her mad for a few cruel seconds before continuing, “I suppose it was more childish infatuation than actual love… I believe I was only at the tender age of six years at the time… I believe they call it being in like.”

“And where is your precious Annabelle now?”

“I have not seen her since. For all I know Annabelle is somewhere sailing the seas in the opposite direction… or perhaps swimming with the fish… I suppose it would all be the same to me.”

“True love,” She mused her eyes blazing with a brilliant shine.

Maybe Tanek was in love. Just a little bit though.

Tanek grinned back, “True love indeed.”

A little bit? He could handle that.
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