Heart of the Sea

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Thalassa closed her eyes as fear suddenly gripped at her. But- the blade of the sword hadn’t touched her. Instead, there was a loud clashing sound as another sword caught the blow she was supposed to be taking.

She opened her eyes and saw the boy from the carriage above her, gritting his teeth in concentration before he slashed; pushing the bandit away from her. He looked down at her and gave her a hand to stand up.

“I admire your courage little boy. But- this is not for little children,” he scolded.

Thalassa gaped at him. Sure, he did save her. But- to mistake her for a boy was disgrace. She crossed her arms over her chest and stood tall against the older one. “I am not a boy,”

His eyes grew in shock at her voice. Surely, he had heard wrong. But- the voice was definitely a girl’s. How would a girl know even a little bit of knowledge about fighting?

“Do not worry about me, sir,” she answered, seeing the question in his eyes. “Worry about the bandits closing in on us,”

He looked up and saw that the bandits were indeed closing in on them. The boy gripped his sword as his two remaining attendant managed to get away from the bandits and stood at his side. He told the little girl behind him to stay still.

They had managed to fend away the bandits. He ordered his two attendants to take care of the body of the one who died. They nodded at his order and he turned to face the little girl who helped him.

“I am in your gratitude, little girl,” he said to her.

Her arms still crossed, she glared at the man in front of her. “Do not patronize me. I did nothing but be saved by you,”

The man laughed at her not-so-childish way of speaking. It felt like he was speaking to someone his age or older but it definitely had not felt like speaking to someone younger.

“I am Pierce,” he introduced himself to the very first girl who managed to pique his interest.

Thalassa awoke with a start. Could it be? Could it really be? The very first friend she had made. The very same boy from her past. Could it really be Mr. Sinclair? It had been so long- buried deep in her mind so that she would not dwell on it that she had actually forgotten.

If the Pierce from her memories and the Sinclair she knew now were the same, it would have explained why there was a part of her who felt at ease with him, a part that was curious about him as she had always been.

But- in terms of personality, the two quite differ. The Pierce in her memory, despite being so frank and so insensitive, was full of life and his eyes were so alive. There was this small glint of vulnerability peeking through his eyes. That small glint was the thing that made her to keep seeing him again. And again. And again.

But- the Mr. Sinclair she grew to know for the past months was so different. He was still insensitive, frank, but he was also cold and distant. There was this air around him that makes people loathe him without him opening his prejudice mouth.

It baffled her how people could change so much in years’ time. How people became a totally different person. It was something out of a tragic novel she used to read as a kid. For her, there was nothing sadder than forgetting your own- forgetting who you are.

“Cousin, I would like to talk to you about Ms. Aeras,” Nicholas called as Pierce walked passed him in the garden.

“What is it Nicholas?” he stopped in front of his cousin.

Nicholas served his cousin a cup of tea and invited him to seat. Pierce took the chair on the opposite side of his cousin. He took the cup in his hands and sipped the strong tea his cousin always favored.

He studied his cousin’s face. Usually, there was always a smile in Nicholas’ face but at that moment he was in the most serious mood Pierce had seen. He was giving off an aura that told Pierce he would not back down even if his cousin so much as tries to stop him.

“I want to tell you before I do so. I am going to ask Ms. Aeras for her hand,”

Pierce hadn’t answered. He saw it a miles away with how his cousin looked at the young woman. It was the first time he ever saw Nicholas showed that much emotion that he was actually afraid it might hurt him.

If it was any other day Nicholas announced his intention, he might have stopped him. But- aside from his talk with Ms. Thalassa, he did finally saw the love shining back from Ms. Aeras’ eyes the night the bandits attacked. He knew his world slowed down when he realized a bandit had his musket aimed at his cousin. But- the look in Ms. Aeras’ eyes stopped him on his track. Her eyes were screaming for Nicholas to be safe and even put her own safety in line just to save him.

Pierce smiled. He really was prejudice like a certain Haskell had said. Nicholas opened his mouth to say that whatever his cousin would argue with, he would not change his mind. Pierce laughed at him because he had mistaken his silence as his disagreement.

“No cousin,” he answered to stop Nicholas’ tirade. “I am just thinking the wrong I’ve done Ms. Aeras in the past,”

“That is all right, Pierce. People make mistakes. It’s what makes us human,”

Pierce finished his cup of tea. He looked up at the blue sky and imagined a certain someone spending her time by the falls. It was always during the time when the sun shines so brightly that she would want to go swimming in the cold water that Pierce would usually hide away from her before she could pull him down with her.

But- those days were over. They were never coming back and no new memories would be made. For the woman who became his reason for coming back to the palace now loathe his very existence.

“Do you want me to accompany you to the Haskells?” he asked.

Nicholas smiled at him; his seriousness from moment ago vanished as his cousin finally accepted his decision. “I am sorry for imposing on you, cousin. But yes, I would like to have an escort; especially because my mother would not allow me without one,”

Pierce laughed as he stood up. “You can never blame her, Nicholas. There have been two attacks on you,”

Nicholas excused himself to tell his mother of his plans who could not have been happier at the announcement and wished him luck; telling him he made the right decision for the two of them suited each other.

And so, the cousins set off towards the home of the Haskells. Their journey was safe and sound, and they arrived in time just before lunch. The prince nervously walked towards the front door and Pierce told him to relax. He gestured the door to the prince and he knocked.

Pierce laughed at Nicholas who looked like he was about to pass out as he waited for the door to open. “Breathe, cousin. You will not be able to ask for her hand if you pass out now,”

“I do not know what you are talking about, cousin. I am perfectly confident,” Nicholas answered despite his voice quivering.

Mr. Haskell opened the door and it was like a switch had been flip off and all the nervousness from the prince vanished. He stood in front of the father of the woman he was about to ask like the royalty he was; with his chin held high and confidence oozing out of him.

“My prince! Mr. Sinclair!” Mr. Haskell greeted in shock for he did not knew the two would be visiting them. “Please come in! And may I ask what brings you here to our humble abode?”

The prince bowed to Mr. Haskell who looked more shock than earlier. “If you would, please allow me to talk to Ms. Aeras privately,”

The wife who had heard it was filled with joy as she realized why the prince would come on such a day just to talk to her daughter while her husband just stood there, unsure of what the prince was getting too.

Mrs. Haskell nudged her husband as she stood beside him. “Of course, my prince! I shall call my daughter,”

Mr. Haskell led the two men towards the library where they waited for Aeras. She arrived laughing with her sister. As soon as Thalassa saw Mr. Sinclair, she turned around and left.

Aeras wanted to run after her sister but by the looks in her eyes, her sister wanted to be alone. So, she entered the room on her own. The others excused themselves and left the two alone in the library.

Pierce excused himself to go out for some fresh air. He wanted to look for Ms. Thalassa but he knew she’ll only be madder if he goes to her sanctuary so he decided against it.

He watched the horses ran around the field of the Haskells. Suddenly, he heard Mrs. Haskell screaming in glee for her daughter who had just agreed to be engage to his cousin. He entered the house, he saw Mr. Haskell talking to his cousin and his wife hugging the eldest Haskell. But- Ms. Thalassa was not inside to join in the celebration.