A Pirates Life For Me

"ahhh so mean!" she said gripping his shirt "prince? what is this?" she said with a smile "why is it a secret?" she asked taking a few steps still holding onto his arm for support

Rei gave up... there was no way to use a pick up one the girl.... " its just something between you and me kay not even Hime knows.... that way you and i are close like friends so we can trust each other " he said.

then he took a second to think. " as for what i am.... i guess you can call me a Captain on land... like the english captain on this ship is a captain on the sea?" he said hoping it was not as stupid as it sounded.

(sorry going to bed! Have fun chickies!)
Mateo couldn't hold back a laugh. It was a soft laugh though, melodic and from actual humor he found in her. "Well unlike most men, I was raised in a brothel by a woman who held more morals than a nun, god rest her soul." He said, crossing himself before giving his person a gesture. "But I can assure you I am half spaniard, half english, and 100% human." He said and looked her over. "And you?" He said reaffirming exactly what she was.

she blinked at the human part and gained a confused face again. " half mermaid half human.... " she whispered.

" i was able to stay will my clan till the age of maturity.. but... i could not preform the song and even my mother did not have the power to save me from getting the curse.... " she sighed and smiled ironically.

" it was said the day i return to the sea that it would become my grave" she said inching a little closer to him.

" i never thought i would hate water as much as my self " she keep inching closer till she was shoulder to shoulder with him and then rested her head on his shoulder.

" please.... if its okay, i promise i cant harm you... i just... i feel safe... sorta... with you... well with you being a weird human anyway. " she said as a complement.

she laughed brightly at that comment "captain of the sea! ha! that man is weak... you arent anything like him... right?" she asked and then smiled "your very kind rei... if there is a way to break the spell between you and hime... will you go back to being prince?" she asked as they worked to pull the sails up

"ive not been very far inland... but i dont know if i would feel too safe so fara way from the water..." she mumbled looking at the water

Rei smiled " well... i dont think i have a choice any more... as a pirate... i cant be a prince... my father will disown me. "

he laughed. " but strangely... it does not bother me... "

smiling he sighed feeling the responsibly of his prince-ship slip away. " maybe one day ill get my own ship and keep sailing or something " he said jokingly.

"with my freedom..." she thought for a moment. "i would swim to the isle of paradise." she said closing her eyes imagining she was there "no human has stepped foot on them. they are small islangs but the coral refs around them are magnificent. they are what keep ships away. that ref stretched almost 15 miles in every direction. but... there is this tunnel system under teh island... it lets you pop up all over the island!" she said with a bright smile "the animals are so nice too. little fuzzy ones with big ears" she said and smiled remembering cuddling with them

"i couldnt get to one side of the island though. the tunnels where blocked by all of that 'gold' crap" she mumbled with a frown

she let go of his arm and took a few more steps to the side pulling the sail tight on that end. but nearly slipped

"all of this 'clothes' are going to make me fall! why do you wear them again? cause you want to kill yourself!" she mumbled trying to steady her hat

Rei quickly tied off his end of the sail and put an arm around Freya to steady her.

" well if you wore clothes that fit you better... you would not have such a problem... these have to be at least two sizes too big for you . "

" no wander you dont work well in them. " he said laughing as another man climbed up and made his way higher in the rigging.

Mateo nodded, feeling a bit strange with such a beautiful woman leaning on him for support. He never really pictured himself like this in all of his travels, but then again he also didn't expect to meet mermaids either.
"My shoulder is yours to lean on. I have no reason to say no." He said, trying to provide the girl a little more comfort to her dark situation. Something told him she wasn't used to this kind of treatment, since she found his cordial behavior resulted in him not being human.
"A grave at sea, seems a bit harsh for someone that simply didn't fit in.." Mateo thought aloud then realized he maybe stepped on a raw nerve that might cause her to feel worse. "Eh, lo siento, no me-I mean I didn't mean to awaken harsh things-that might-you know what I mean." He said his accent getting in the way of his words and made him stumble over them. He sighed and a laugh escaped his lips at his own jittery behavior. "I guess I am a very 'weird' human." He said, his accent comming out on his pronunciation of weird.

Hime giggled at how badly his words came out.

she moved her head to get a better look at him, " to be honest as long as you dont call me a witch and a monster or act like a human... well you know what i mean... its okay. "

she shrugged almost at a loss of what to do... she never really had a conversation with a human... much less a man.

she sighed feeling almost lighter from it all. " besides its reality. adn reality is hard some times to grip if you dont look at it strait... i cant lie to my self... the last time i lied to make my self feel better i got cursed and hurt badly but the first human i ever met " she said.

" but i have decided to become a stronger person for my own good... i just hope im strong enough." she smiled for streangth

"Strength is a funny thing, to interpret I mean."Mateo said, looking up at the roof of the cell, where the deck should be. He'd always thought about being a stronger person, always wanting to be better so he could protect those around him and make people proud of him..."Being strong, it has such a hazey description. It could mean what everyone expects it to, that your brave. Or it could mean its how well you hide your true feelings from people." He was quiet a moment. "But you'll never know how strong you really are till its all you have left." He seemed almost sad for a moment before he snapped out of it and looked back at her with a bright smile. "Well, it's up to you to interpret it how you want. If strong is what you are on the inside or just using on the outside as a barrier." He said, then looked at the door to the cell.
"It's funny, but I've shared a lot of my thoughts with you, things that trouble me aswell. Maybe, we can help each other figure them out when the time comes?" He said and tapped his lip in thought. "Well this stinks. I've never sat in one place this much in my life. Got any ideas for some fun?" He asked, his wiry smile making him look like a kid trying to let some of their pent up energy out.

Hime smiled at the logic understanding. even with in her people they saw the hazy lines of strength the same way.

she paused to think of games she played as a kid... all involved being under water....

" well unless you and i can both sprout tails... i dont think i have a game " she said trying to be a little up beat.

" other then song games... but i cant use "My" song " she said.

" what games do human children play?... what do humans do at all... " she asked finding a strange curiosity.

her eye's lit up she peered up at Mateo intently.

Mateo thought about it a moment. "Hmmmm, well I learned to play cards when I was little but to do that we need cards, hm. Let's see there's I spy but there isn't much you can spy in this darkness, hmm, nothing that involves any kind of distance... well how about a game with words then. You simply say what you would rather do between the two options." He said, unable to think of anything but that.
"Get it? Just in case I'll start with an example." He thought a moment before looking back at her. "Okay, would you rather...swim in a water full of sharks or in a water full of snakes?" He asked not sure what he would chose himself. He hated snakes, with a passion, something about them made him shiver just looking at them, but then again at least a snake couldn't bite him in two.

Hime laughed, " i liked swimming with sharks best " she said.

" actually sharks can be quite nice in the pacific ocean" she said giving him a genuine smile.

she giggled about that. " snakes are a little creepy... and very inappropriate...." she said wrinkling her brows a little.

" hmmm so my turn... " she said thinking hard.

" okay... would you rather be.... in the forest or in a field!" she asked feeling clever having thought of a question that a human could answer with.

Mateo thought for a few seconds, secretly glad that he has found something to help her smile. "A forest. Unlike a feild, it feels a bit more adventurous, with something unexepcted that could be at every turn." He said and raised his brows in humor. "Would you rather...eat something without knowing what it was or have to kiss someone that was incredibly dirty for a minute?" He said, trying to think of something easy enough to answer but still an equal ammount of bad to both.

" i would rather eat unknown food then kiss any one " she said flat out serious.

she smiled after that. " my first kiss was rather bad experience and i dont see my self wanting to do that again... "

she shruged adn looked at him " what about you... would you rather kiss a monster like me or eat food that mermaids eat and i mean sea weed and squid and raw fish...? " she asked knowing it would be the food that won.

Mateo blinked, his borws raising a little. Did she want him to answer truthfully? "Honestly?" He said and thought of a way to word it to where he wouldn't sound like the kind of 'normal human' she was afraid of, "I would take the kiss over the food. I've heard that a mermaids kiss is something quite amazing...but not that I'd ever really just go around kissing people!" He said and tried for an awkward smile. He had recieved a kiss from Freya once infact, however small and had felt the buzz he got from it. It was like their alluring power swept into you and made you want them even more, but he knew that it was only a ploy to drown sailors. He frowned a bit and drummed his fingers on his knee. "Would you rather be stuck in a cell with a high classed british man or a lowly pirate mutt?" He said asking something equally difficult for her to explain. Again she probably wouldn't know much of about social standings amoungst humans but it was pretty obvious what was the better choice...

Hime was surprised by his answer... but some how it was okay. some how Mateo was very non threatening.

she looked back to were Rei had been sitting. " ah... i ... if it was between... sitting in here with you in the pirate cloths or Rei in his expensive what ever he complains it was... i would rather be here with you... so which ever one is closer to you "

she wrinkled her brow line again thinking about it. " even though Rei is spelled into protecting me.... he is quiet apposed to it... and vocal about it.. i already know im a monster he dose not need to remind me all the time... "

she smiled, " that is why you are better you are... nice like the mer folk in a weird way... for a human.. so i guess.. i can say you are the only man in this world that i dont hate beyond a dout " she stated proudly.

Rei kept his arm around Freya trying to decide what to do next. " should we call dibs on the crows nest for this next watch? it will let you rest a while before climbing down? " he suggested not wanting to have her fall when he couldn't keep her safe.

Mateo was glad not to be hated by anyone especially women. They had nasty tempers, and dealing with a mermaid that was mad with you was ten times more complicated. "it's good to hear that I have been treating you girls right. my mother would strangle me if i disrespected any woman regardless of type or, in this case, species." He said and shrugged. "Maybe your friend or protecttor Rei just doesn't quite understand what to make of your kind. I can say that after a lot of stories the crew told I didn't know what to think when I met my first mermaid."

" ah... yeah. " she looked down. " well im as good as a human now...well sorry i cant be a mermaid for you either. " she said shrugging, laughing she continued. " some of the story's are very untrue... but some... are scary in the way that they are so real that i have seen them my self... "

"see... my last days... as a mermaid was the longest and the most amazing... " she smiled. " i was going to the Lagoon... a sort of mermaid court...what sailors call Atlantica... or Atlantis... all the Mer-folk go there as a sort of coming out... or the leader of clans for yearly meetings... " she smiled then.

" well seeing all the amazing things were like my last rights... like a glimpse of the heaven humans speak of before plunging into davie's locker. "

she smiled. " it was perfect, like a child's smile so simple and pure.i turned out to be the only mermaid in the last thousand years to be banished and land cursed."

she continued to smile lightly. " Rei has only heard the light tail of the mermaid that had been land cursed and her song stolen because of her love of a Human prince... she lived with him on land for a year before he unknowingly betrayed her. ripping her heart into shreds. she took the the cliffs near by and returned to the sea. she found her grave in the water... but as the humans say it she turned into bubbles or sea foam... and floated away... "

she sighed. " she left so that he could be happy with his new love... but she had no were to go..." she smiled with one side of her mouth. " i guess... Rei is like that...in the way he would betray me, if he intended to or not... " she smiled.

" but i do not want to turn into foam... i want to live again to some how be happy... i wish i could have a clan again... a family that would want me despite my being unable to be a full Mermaid.... i just don't know how too... how to do it... to get it... to live as a human... " she whispered.

smiling, " but... meeting some one... complex as you... as... mer like as you are... makes hope seem possible, it makes me want to try. to try being human a chance."

Freya had been working hard all day with Rei helping her. she smiled when they finally got to sit down for dinner. she blinked at the food before bitting down hard and chewing the stale bread with a small frown but she couldnt really complain all that much. it was ship food afterall.

"rei..." she mumbled through a mouthful of bread "i know in your heart you dont want to be here, you want to be back in the land where you are... leader?" she said not knowing if she was using the right words.

"you dont like mermaids much, and honestly, i dont like humans much. just you and mateo." she said turning to look at mateo and hime in the cell. she smiled feeling a little blush rise to her cheek at the thought of mateo. she remembered when he explained kiss to her and she kissed his cheek.

"i wish there was a way for me to show you how wonderful the water was" she said her eyes still on the cell before she blinked and looked back at him with a sheepish smile

Rei shrugged. " to tell the truth... id does not matter were you are... there is always something that is good and something that is bad... " Rei said.

" and about Mermaids... personally dont bother me... i have never meet one before you... " Rei said thinking about what he was saying looking back at Hime and frowned.

" hime... is not what you are... and she is no lady either. " he said rolling his eyes.

" but i would rather much more to be free. . . from Hime and my father... to be a leader is great... but to be your own leader and decide were you go adn what you can be... that is what i want... to feel the waves and the wind about me.... is.... almost.... exile-rating... like a beautiful woman's smile "

Rei took a sip of the crude beer served to them. " and if ther is a way to show me the joys of the sea with out my death i would wish to see the colors of your world too one day... you must have many adventures below the waves " he said happily.

she looked back at rei "its dangerous down there too though... more so for you then me..." she said and then felt the ship rock harshly. she slide on the slippery floor

standing she watched as the others walked above deck. they had docked near an island with a small pirate outpost

waited for the majority of the men to leave the ship and she walked back below deck over to the cell. she grabbed the lock looked at it intently. it almost looked like the colors in her eyes where swimming. the lock opened and she pulled it so they could get out "come on we docked." she said with a smile but her eyes where locked on mateo. truthfully shehad been terribly worried with mateo being locked up all day with hime. if she had tranced mateo she wouldnt be able to control her anger.

(sorry gone all day with family! Soooo exhausting!)
Mateo watched Hime as she spoke about the seafoam and mermaids. A story with a definately sad ending, one he wouldn't like to see befall some one as nice as her. "Being human isn't all that bad. But being a mermaid must be so much more exciting..Who knows, maybe there might be a way to break this curse of yours....curses are mysterious after all, with no clear outcome." He said right before the cell opened. He looked up and saw Freya and for a moment his face fell.
"Freya-You shouldn't-" He paused when she said they docked and got to his feet, helping Hime up with him. He gave her a reasuring smile before looking back to Freya and Rei. "Bout time..I was starting to go stir crazy in there." He laughed, stretchng out the aches in his unused muscles.

Hime took the help thankfully. her body cold and sediment seemed to creek with movement.

she stepped forward walking around Mateo towards Rie once again. she didnt even try new she was going to fall before her food stumbled on the uneven floor causing her to cry out in surprise as she stumbled forward and managed too land face first on the floor with a thump.

groaning she sat up and rubbed her now red forehead and managed to get up. she sighed. " i hate this boat" she grumbled. as Rei spoke up, " i dont think its the boat that has you tripping all the time "he continued to snicker at her misfortune .

she didnt look at Mateo knowing he must think is was funny too... maybe. she was mostly too embarrassed to do so... no mermaid was so uncoordinated as she...

hell growing up with her mothers clan she was the ONLY one to get lost..... a lot.. or swim in to things...

" lets just go kay " Hime said. before looking down at her obviously feminine cloths. " should... i change before going out there though... what if they toss me in there again?"