CHAPTER9: THE END OF CORETTA VILLAN (3)

Inside the captain's cabin, Knight Tillian delivered a grave report to the sergeant. The ship was in trouble, and there was a real danger of it sinking. The rocks in the sea were proving to be too much for the sailors to handle, and the shift of the keel was a major problem that needed to be addressed immediately.

For the betterment of the ship, Corporal Tillian left the rudder to Dante, who was a better rider than he was.

Kushim tirelessly studied the drawing of the ship's interior and exterior in his hands. He furrowed his brow, his mind racing, trying to come up with a solution. Scratching the creases on his temple, he asked, "Are there inessential loads on the ship?"

The captain quickly ordered the sailors to let go of a few empty barrels into the sea, hoping it would lighten the load and make the ship more stable. Unfortunately, the plan backfired, and the keel hit an enormous rock, causing a loud rumble and everyone on top of the ship to go flying in the east direction.

"Are you hurt, Sir?" Tillian asked the sergeant.

"No, go and look at the others. I will be back," he ordered, already thinking of what to do next. If they were affected inside, Coretta must be injured.

"Sir, there is a problem, I fear. The waves are unstoppable and unbeatable. Should we crash into an island first?" a man with blonde hair and onyx eyes asked the sergeant, looking concerned.

Kushim thought for a certain period, weighing his options. He knew they needed to act fast. He agreed with the plan, knowing that it was their only chance to survive the storm.

"Yes, we should. Do it now," he ordered, his voice firm and assertive.

He doubted if the storm would end any time soon. His prediction was not valid in the end. The situation was dire, and they needed to act fast. The waves were crashing against the ship with such force that it felt like it would break apart at any moment. They were in the middle of the storm, and it was only getting worse.

On reaching Coretta's spot, his steps faltered. She wasn't there.

The love of his life had vanished, leaving behind nothing but a set of heavy chains and a padlock. Panic set in as he frantically sought the help of his men to begin the search for her. He had never felt so vulnerable in his entire life, his heart racing with each passing second. The overwhelming sense of fear and uncertainty was almost too much to bear. But he refused to give up. His anger and determination fueled his resolve, and he led his team on an exhaustive search, scouring every inch of the surrounding area until they found her. 

"Coretta, where are you?" Kushim roared, his voice slithered with the beastly wind.

"Lady Coretta."

"My Lady."

The ship was battling against the fierce wind, causing the mast to wobble and tumble uncontrollably. Coretta was gripping the side of the ship for dear life, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.

She had managed to steal the keys from Kushim and was feeling triumphant, but her joy was short-lived. In an instant, the ship lurched to the left, and she was thrown off-balance.

Unprepared, she was sent flying outside of the boat, hurtling towards the sea. In a moment of sheer panic, she grasped onto the bowsprit, her body swinging in the wind, as she struggled to regain her balance.

Finally, she managed to steady herself and avoid falling into the unforgiving waters. Her heart was pounding in her chest, as she prayed for a miracle to keep her safe.

The biting cold was relentless as Lady Coretta found herself stranded and alone. She was so cold she could hardly speak, but as she struggled to call out for help, a faint voice in the distance responded.

"Lady Coretta," it called out again. She looked up, her eyes squinting against the piercing cold, and saw a kind-hearted sailor approaching her. 

"How did you get there? Goodness!" he exclaimed; his voice full of concern. Lady Coretta trembled as he reached out his hand to help her back onto the safety of the ship. 

Coretta's chest heaved with relief as she stretched out her arms, her fingers splayed wide. She drank in the salty sea air, her eyes fluttering shut as a small smile graced her lips. But the moment was fleeting. A sudden wave of dizziness engulfed her, and she struggled to keep her balance.

In her disorientation, she saw a group of men barrelling towards her, their faces twisted in concern. Kushim was at the front of the pack, his eyes fixed on her with unwavering intensity. He shoved the sailor who was with her aside with a rough hand and barked, "Give me your hand, Retta."

Coretta felt a jolt of surprise at Kushim's sudden show of concern. She could see the fear and insecurity etched into his features as if he was afraid of losing her. The sight of her reflection in his eyes made her feel uneasy, and she instinctively recoiled from the connection between them. But even so, she couldn't deny the fierce gratitude she felt towards Kushim for his unwavering dedication to her safety.

Coretta stood like a rock. She blinked her eyes as her reflection kept getting bigger in his eyes. She began to wonder if she was hallucinating. That's when the heart-wrenching memory of a knife stabbed to her stomach bruised her head, making her too faint-hearted. 

"Retta..." There was pain in the way Kushim called her name. The same pain she felt when her child was murdered by those people. Her tears blinded her, and she could no longer differentiate real life from a memory. 

"Retta, listen to me. You must take my hand right now and refrain from acting on your thoughts. We need to find a better solution, and I won't let you make any reckless decisions."

Coretta looked away. What was she thinking about? Why did the thought of death make her feel relieved?

"Retta, for fucks sake, give me your hand. Give it...F**k!! Hand your hand over. Please, I beg of you."

Kushim was aware of her potential.

Coretta didn't flinch as she looked away. He knew exactly what she was thinking about. Death was no match for her. She would welcome it with open arms, knowing that it was just another phase of life. For Coretta, death was not a source of relief but rather a reminder of her strength and resilience.

Coretta's heart was pounding with fear as she looked at the desperate man before her. However, she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. She slowly extended her hands towards him, hoping to offer some help.

Suddenly, the ship's movements became more rapid, and the sound of a loud crash echoed throughout the vessel. The ship had collided with a rock, causing a devastating rupture from the keel. The situation became chaotic as the sergeant and crew members were thrown to the ground, struggling to maintain their balance amidst the chaos.

Kushim, with a sense of urgency, leaped forward to save Coretta as she teetered on the edge of the water. His fingers reached out, trying to grasp hers, but just before he could save her, she lost her footing and plunged into the water. As she fell, helpless, Kushim's heart sank.

"Lady Coretta!!" Callisto was the first to scream. He looked frightened.

"Sir, you can't go down there. The sea is very deep!!" Tillian warned. Kushim stood rooted to the ground, his mind hazy. Mindlessly, he took his jacket off, however his movement was confiscated,

"You...We are sorry, Sir but we have to cease you from going down there. It is late, and the storm is very much inadequate."

"Get your f**king hands off me!! What right do you have to stop me???" Eyes as scary as a forest hyena glared at Corporal Dante, whose arms were around the sergeant's shoulders.

Coretta had her hand stretched out in the cold water when she suddenly hit herself on the face with a large rock and everything went dark.

As she was slipping into unconsciousness, she heard a sound that cut through the silence like a ray of sunshine - the sound of a baby giggling. She looked up and saw a vision of a naked infant who bore an uncanny resemblance to herself. The child's hair was as colorful as her hair and his golden eyes sparkled. The baby's laughter was infectious, and Coretta couldn't help but smile. The child called out to her, "Mama..." before she lost consciousness completely. This vision stayed with her for a long time, and she wondered what it meant.

The guilt of helplessness died into the sea. She finally found...PEACE!

Or did she?