Chapter 8

"Thank you, Jimena," Brielle told her with a smile, and the woman smiled back to her.

Her smile was beautiful; it softened the hardness of her face and made her more approachable. As soon as she realized my intense gaze, she took back her smile and brought her hard-nosed self to the surface again.

"Well, I'm going to buy the beds as I agreed with the Captain. You stay here to rest. But if you need something, you can address it to my daughter Alma, and she will serve you whatever it is. Our room is on the right as you leave here, the second door on the left. If you don't find her there, she will be in the kitchen, far end on the right.

"Okay Jimena, thank you for everything," Brielle told her, and the woman left.

We were left alone so that I could explore our room. It shone with cleanliness. It was neither too big nor too small. There was enough space for another bed. The existed bed was made with clean white sheets, and there was also a chair with a small table. The cart was fit just fine, so it would not be a bother. So everything got its place! I thought about to keep using it as a hiding place for our jewelry. It was the perfect hiding place!

"Since there is no place to lie down, come sit on the bed with me to get some rest, you need it," Brielle suggested, and I obeyed. We sat with our backs against the wall. Now that all this worry and anxiety about the whole venture we had set up was gone, I could sleep for many hours, but unfortunately, that was impossible. The maids do not sleep that much, but the opposite.

I got rid of the cap and leaned my head back against the wall. I closed my eyes to rest and clear my mind of the intensity of the day. I didn't want to think about anything. Not even for what can be done now in the castle. If they have discovered by now that I have run away. Or if they pulled every string to find me and drag me back to marry King Henry, or else the slimy king as I called him.

None of this bothered me anymore. I pushed all these thoughts away. I cleared my mind. And then, some other image invaded my mind.

Two eyes in the color of the ocean looking at me intensely. Magnetizing me and inviting me to immerse myself in them. My heart started pounding, and I opened my eyes sharply.

No, I didn't want this picture either. These eyes were forbidden for me.

I would land at the next port, and I would never see him again. After all, I was nothing more than a maid for him. A humble maid.

These thoughts disturbed my mind and heart. I had to do something to keep both of them busy. Mostly my mind.

"I'm thirsty. Do you want some water too?" I asked suddenly, Brielle.

"If I want I will take some myself. You don't have to bring me. We are alone now." She scolded me tenderly.

"But it doesn't bother me bringing you some water. On the contrary, that will help me get into my role better. I have to get used to my new situation. Don't worry about me, I am not going to fall apart or something." I smiled at her.

She sighed surrendered to my desire. "Okay. Do as you want. I'm too tired to resist you further."

"Good!" I got out of bed and went to check the flasks. Catching them, I discovered that there was empty.

"We have no water." I informed her disappointed.

"Too bad, but it doesn't matter."

"How can it not matter? I'm going to ask Alma for some water. I'll be right back".

"No need, Kira…."

"Shhh do you want to destroy us?" I bent down and closed her mouth by my hand, agitated.

She growled for a while until I released her mouth. "Alright I'm sorry. Since we are alone I didn't think that it mutters. I will call you Serena even when we are alone? "

"Precisely! You never know who might be passing by out of our room."

"Okay. I won't do it again," she agreed.

I walked to the door and opened it as needed to peek outside. No one was out, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"No one is out. So, I'm going for the water. I will take the flasks with me to fill them." I told her, hanging them on my shoulder.

"Okay, if you insist. Go." she told me and lay down on the bed. "I will wait for you here," she murmured as she closed her eyes.

I left the room, closing the door behind me. I walked to the right as Jimena had told us to head to her room which she would now share with Alma.

My eyes caught the workers. They got in and out of the boat carrying the loads talking loudly, but I ignored what they said. Only one comment about me reached my ears, and I stood for a while in a corner to eavesdrop with outstretched ears out of pure curiosity.

"Did you notice the maid we will take with us? What a beauty?!"

I smiled, listening to the man's compliment, and decided to go on my way.

"Unlike her Lady, of course," I heard another man comment with his deep voice in a cheerful tone.

The smile faded from my lips, and I pressed them tightly together, led by anger. Is Brielle ugly? I clenched my hands into fists. Unfortunately, I couldn't intervene. I couldn't go there and teach them a lesson. Most likely, they would kick us out of the boat, and that was something I wanted to avoid.

"No, she is not ugly," someone else said. "It is because her maid is dazzling, that's why you thought her Lady was ugly. I would just say she is not that beautiful."

"You may be right," I recognized the same deep voice. "However, from what the Captain showed, he has the same opinion as us. For the maid I mean. Did you notice that he couldn't take his eyes off her?"

"Ouch!" I thought, "We made a spectacle of ourselves!"

"Yes, we noticed! You think he fell in love with her? "

First I heard a laugh and after a voice "Within five minutes of seeing her? I don't think so! He just noticed how beautiful she is. Just that. But he can play with her a little if he decides to, and wants to have a little fun. After all, it is known that women find it difficult to resist him," said someone else and laughed, dragging the others with him to laugh too.

I felt trembling with rage. I growled and clenched my fists even harder.

"This is true." Hordes of women have passed through our Captain's cabin," said another of the men.

"This is not of our business. Shut up and return to your work because if our Captain hears us, we will be done for!"

And immediately afterward, I heard them walk away. They would probably get off the boat to carry the rest of the load waiting to be transported.

For a moment, I had forgotten why I was standing there. However, I remembered and continued on my way. I was still angry with everything I had overheard.

The worst I had heard was the part with the Captain who can, as they said, play with me if he decided it.

Only over my dead body will I allow such a thing to happen.

I reached the second door as Jimena had explained to me that her room was located and knocked on the door. I waited for a while but no answer.

"Alma?" I said softly, sticking my mouth on the door. But again I didn't receive any answer.

I opened the door gently, ready to apologize if she was inside, but the room was empty. Alma wasn't there!

She will probably be in the kitchen, I thought, and closed the door. I went straight further, looking for the kitchen. I found three more closed doors. There was no smell to lead me, so I knocked on the first door.

"Come in," I heard from inside. Oh! That was the Captain's voice. My heart started pounding. What could I do? I couldn't just leave like that. So I decided to go in and apologize. I would explain that I knocked on the wrong door looking for the kitchen and leave immediately.

I opened the door hesitantly, swallowing dry. I didn't want to see him after what I had heard about him from the workers outside, who were probably also members of the ship's crew because they knew Captain so well and what he was doing.

He was across the room. He was sitting behind his desk, but he had his head bowed, studying some of the maps he had open in front of him. The room was about the size of the room they had kindly given to Brielle and me.

In the same way, this room was also spotless and tidy. There was also a glass bottle on the desk besides maps with some alcoholic drink, I guess, and a half-empty glass.

I didn't enter but remained in the doorway.

"Is something wrong?" he asked without raising his head.

"Um…I am sorry, Captain," I stuttered. As soon as he heard my voice, he raised his head sharply and looked at me. I felt his gaze burning mine.

"You?!" he asked in astonishment.

"I am sorry, I made a mistake. I was looking for the kitchen. I realized my mistake when I heard your voice but I didn't consider it right to leave like that without saying anything." I was out of breath from my rush to explain to him, forgetting to take a breath. "So I decided to come in apologize to you and leave. So, I am sorry. You can continue your work," I told him gently, stepping back.

"Wait," he told me, and I froze on my track.

"Come in and close the door."