Heart of the Sea

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Weeks had passed since the visit to the palace. Prince Nicholas’ promise letter never came. She hid her depression under her usual smile but Thalassa could not be fooled. She could see how Aeras had taken it.

Aeras rarely goes out of her room so Thalassa was forced to come most of the time just to talk her out of it. She tried asking her for a sparring session, a horse race, and a simple walk. But- despite all efforts, Aeras remained depressed. Thalassa wanted blood. How dare anyone remove her sister’s smile?

Aeras dropped to her bed. “Such a fool I was to believe he felt something for me!” she cried, perfectly confident that her woes would be safe in her sister’s ears.

“Now, Aeras, that’s preposterous! Anyone who has eyes could see how the prince had looked at you at the ball. And I have also witnessed it again during our short visit,”

Aeras sat up and held her sister’s hands. “Young, handsome men may like someone for only a day or so, dear Thalassa. I hope Mr. Sinclair is more sensible than the prince. I would hate it if you end up like me; a foolish person!”

“I am sure the prince is only busy. He is the prince after all, my dearest Aeras,”

Aeras smiled at her sister. “You are right, Thalassa. Surely I must be over thinking things,”

Thalassa sat down on the bed beside her sister and gave her a hug. With a smile, she turned to whisper at Aeras’ ears. “Now, smile like the Aeras I know. Or I shall hunt for the prince’s head,”

Aeras’ eyes widened in shock. Thalassa jumped off the bed and ran away laughing from her sister as Aeras’ scolded her. “Thalassa!” though she, too, was laughing.

Mr. and Mrs. Haskell could hear both their daughter’s laughter and they smiled at each other. At first, they were not confident that they could raise their youngest one right for she was a very special lady. They were afraid there would be jealousy between the two but they grew up to be the best of friends.

Always supporting each other and never leaving each other’s back. It was like they had given birth to the perfect team. And they couldn’t have asked for anything better. Though, they admit there have been several mistakes in the past Like how Thalassa was seen as heartless and cold for something she could not help for it was her parents fault for secluding her away from people in the first place.

They just could not help but be protective of the little angel the heavens gifted them with.

“Mrs. Bridgeham has personally invited us for a ball,” Mrs. Haskell said during dinner. Mrs. Bridgeham was one of her few friends that she had remained in contact with despite being separated from the rest of the town.

Thalassa looked up from her soup. “Will we be attending it, mamma?”

“Of course, dear Thalassa! The Bridgehams are a very close family friend of ours. She will be utterly disappointed if we do not come,”

“I hadn’t realized that being able to go out would also mean attending to balls,” Thalassa muttered to herself but her whole family heard. They all laugh at her as they continued to eat dinner.

“Ladies, we are going to be late!” Mrs. Haskell’s shrill voice called downstairs.

With a laugh, her two daughters went down and had their mother approve of their clothes for she had been so strict for the past few days.

Thalassa wore a long-sleeved floor length gown. The gown itself was beige though the upper part was also covered in black lace that continued ‘til the sleeves. Her hair was fixed like the last time while Aeras’ let her curly hair down. She wore a forget-me-not blue floor length gown that brought out the color of her eyes.

With a nod from their mother, they quickly set off to the carriage where their father was already waiting for them. The journey was a quiet one. Aeras was not so eager to arrive as she dreaded to see the prince and prove her intuition correct.

She entered the hall with her sister by her side. Thalassa smiled at her. The two were unconscious of the stares they had received at their entrance. “Think positively, dear Aeras,”

“I will,” she promised with pained smile.

Thalassa gave her a soft; sinisterly laugh that only she heard. “Yes. If it does not go well, tell me. And the prince shall not leave with his head on his shoulder,”

Aeras, wide-eyed, looked around to see if anyone had heard her sister. Aeras knew it was merely a joke. But- she was sure it will sound like a threat to any other person. And it would not help Thalassa’s already tainted name.

“Thalassa!” she scolded in a whisper and Thalassa merely laugh in answer.

Inside the ball, the two sisters had no choice but to separate for Aeras was soon flocked by men asking her for a dance. The polite woman she was, had not refused any of them and promised them a dance each.

Thalassa sat alone in the corner with a glass of water in hand. Things like gatherings and dances drain her of the little stamina she had. All she wanted to do was soak in a river or sea. But- then, as she sat there alone, the well water behind her home does not sound bad either.

“May I have the honor of being your first dance?” a man came and asked Thalassa.

“Forgive me, kind sir, but I do not dance,” Thalassa answered politely.

The man was handsome with faded blonde hair and shining green eyes. He looked neat in his black tuxedo. The smile in his face did not faltered in the slightest bit by her refusal. Instead, he asked her if he could join her in the table to talk.

“I am Wilhelm. It is a pleasure to finally meet the mysterious lady of the Haskell family,”

Thalassa gave him a smile. “I would not say I am completely mysterious. I aware of the things people say about me. And I know you do too, Mr. Wilhelm,”

Mr. Wilhelm chucked at Thalassa’s blatant speaking. It was true that some nasty rumors were going around about the young lady. But- Mr. Wilhelm was not one to believe in some old gossips. “When I asked you for a dance, you had answered that you do not dance. But- I must confess, Ms. Haskell, I was there when you danced with Mr. Sinclair. Could it be you are engage to him?”

Thalassa’s eyes widened for a second before she recovered herself. She took a sip of her water before she turned to face Mr. Wilhelm again. “Goodness! It was merely a dance. It does not mean anything, sir,”

There was silence between them as the two of them contemplated everything. Thalassa looked on to the middle of the room where several couples were dancing. Aeras was also there; dancing with a man Thalassa recognized as Mrs. Bridgham’s second son- who the party was dedicated too since he had officially became a lawyer.

Mr. Wilhelm had heard many things about the young lady in front of her. But- none had come close to who really was sitting in front of him. Rumors had said that she was some cold young lady. But he sees a shy lady who does not know how to express herself. And he saw the caring way she looks at her sister. The look in her eyes that says she would be there in a blink of an eye if her sister ever needs her. He suddenly felt guilty of hiding things from her, Mr. Wilhelm cleared his throat to gain her attention once more.

Thalassa turned to him with a smile. Mr. Wilhelm started his tale that he works for the palace. And during his stays there, he had heard some things.

“I know the royalties and the Haskells have close ties. But- I cannot bear the thought of hiding what I had heard for you seem like you really care about your sister,”

Thalassa gave Aeras a sideway glance before giving Mr. Wilhelm her full attention. “What do you by that, kind sir?”

“Did the prince ceased to write letters to your sister, Ms. Haskell?” he asked and Thalassa nodded, unsure where the conversation was heading. “Men talk, Ms. Haskell. I had heard Mr. Sinclair and the prince talking. He had convinced the prince to not grow attach to your sister. He asked Prince Nicholas to distant himself,”

Her ears ringing in anger, she couldn’t answer the man in front of her. And as she saw Mr. Sinclair entering the hall with the prince, she wanted to strike the former where he was standing. Her sister’s honor and happiness demanded her of revenge.

The memories of Aeras’ smile hiding in the depths during the weeks the prince had not wrote to her, the memories of Aeras crying when she thought everyone was already asleep, the memories of the strong Aeras Thalassa had known crumbling in weakness flashed in her mind.

All because of someone who could not mind his own business.

She was seeing red as the man in topic started to walk towards her direction. To stop herself from making her thoughts reality, she excused herself from Mr. Wilhelm and went out.

Pierce saw Thalassa’s retreating figure. He excused himself from his cousin’s side and quickly followed her out back. He saw her heading for the trees and ran after her.

“Ms. Thalassa!” he called and she stopped on her tracks. “If you would be so kind as to listen to me,”

Thalassa was ready to kick the man in front of her, but when he spoke, she was beyond shocked that she couldn’t do anything but stare.

“Ms. Thalassa, you have never left my mind since the day at the queen’s garden. You have fully captured my attention and interest that I could not stop my thoughts from wandering towards you. I thought it was impossible for me to act this way again but- I realized that it was because you are the person I am looking for. Since then, you continue to rob me control of my own heart and mind. In vain, I have struggled, Ms. Haskell, but my feelings will not be repressed,” he knelt in front of her. “Would you do me the honor of being my wife?”

Thalassa was so angry at the moment that she had not noticed some of his confessions. The only thing she had noticed was how his expression betrayed nothing of unease. The way he was so sure of himself, so confident that she will accept his offer of marriage.

Thalassa thanked the heavens that she decided to not wear the traditional ball gown but one that allowed her to move completely with no trouble. She shrieked in anger as she spun around to give him a round house kick. But- with his superior quickness of foot, he managed to avoid her attack. Her foot made contact with a thin tree which shook at the force; showering them with some leaves.

“How can I ever think of marrying a man who ruined the happiness of my dear sister?” Thalassa asked in disbelief. “Or a great man like you would deny it?”

He looked shocked. “I do not deny it. But- it was merely a consequence of the action I took to protect a dear friend and cousin,”

In anger that he had not even denied it, Thalassa took a broken branch and threw it at the man in front of her. Mr. Sinclair had managed to dodge it by kneeling down to the ground and he swept her off her feet in the same action. Thalassa landed with a loud thud but both of them were on their feet as fast as each other could blink.

“Despite my cousin’s obvious affection for her, she remains indifferent!” Mr. Sinclair continued.

“Indifferent!?” Thalassa screeched. “She’s shy! This is the first time my sister ever fancied herself in love! And you ruined it!”

She raised her hand to land a solid punch but he pulled her by the hand and pushed her towards a tree where she would be trap between it and him. He held her hands at her side to stop her from attacking him. The two of them were breathing heavily from their fighting and screaming.

“Forgive me, Ms. Haskell, if I have broken your sister’s heart. It was merely the consequence of protecting my dear cousin,”

Thalassa held her chin high despite not having the strength to push the man in front of her away. “Your apology is in vain, Mr. Sinclair, for it was expressed most unwillingly. And it shall not be addressed to me but to my sister whom you so misjudged with no apparent evidence. To judge a person merely like that- you are nothing but a prejudice person,”

But- before Mr. Sinclair could have answered; they heard people screaming from inside the hall. And without a word to each other, they ran towards it. Inside they saw a bigger group of bandits closing in on all the guests.