Authors: Lynelle Clark
she came topside, fear gripping her thoughts. She stayed in
the middle as men scattered around her to tie the equipment
to the rails. Bravely she watched as the waves pounded
down on them, Roberto barking orders through the
thunderous clouds. He could barely hear his voice as a
whisper but it did not stop the men from doing their work.
When the pounding became uncontrollable she decided to
tie herself down.
Waves higher than the ship fell on them all with
crushing strength. Men rushed over the deck as water ran
like strong currents over the rolling deck. Everyone was
drenched, tired and cold but they could not slacken and
during this time after another brutal crash Rosa-Lee was
swept into the ocean. The rope and a part of the ship's
railing were still tied around her. Shock and fear gripped
her heart the moment she plunged into the dark angry
depths. She tried desperately to untangle herself but it was
futile. Her chest burned and with one last desperate attempt
she reached out her hand to be pulled back in, losing all
consciousness.
The cry went out that a man was overboard.
Roberto rushed over to see who it was. His heart raced as
Alexi yelled that it was Rosa-Lee. Without any thought, he
tied a rope around his waist and dove into the whirlpool of
dark waters.
Praying to God above to save her as the dark waters
covered his body he searched the darkness for the fragile
body.
With the first few attempts, he could not find her. It
was pitch black as waves continue to crash down over him,
burning his eyes and lungs. Desperately he kicked around
him. Men brought lanterns closer and as the glimmer of the
light fell on the dark waters. He finally saw her pale blue
dress bobbing in the swells, her head disappearing at an
alarming rate into the dark depths. He had to go after her.
Her dress was too heavy for her to stay afloat on the water.
Kicking with everything he had within him, he followed the
lifeless body.
When he reached her, he pulled the rope, indicating
that they could pull them up. Steadily the sailors pulled
them in. Breaking through the water's surface he sucked in
huge gulps of air as more water broke over them. He
swallowed mouthfuls of the salty water. Finally, they
reached safety on the rolling deck. Men grabbed them and
hoisted them over the railing. Getting his footing, Roberto
laid the lifeless body down. He pounded on her back out of
desperation to get the water out her lungs and much needed
air in. Her face was a grey-blue and water dripped down
her bruised face. He brushed her hair away, trying to do
whatever he could to get her to live, even slapping her face
but nothing happened. He called out her name in
desperation. Cold and lifeless, she lay in front of him, and
he thought his life was over.
The ropes around her had cut into her flesh and he
had to cut them away. The flesh on her shoulder was
slashed open where she had scraped against wood and
nails, covering the normally creamy skin in red blood. She
looked terrible. Roberto panicked for the first time in his
life, the storm forgotten, as he was fixated on her.
He called for the doctor while gripping her body to
him, slapping her face and whispering how much he loved
her. Everything happened so fast, the roaring sounds of the
storm vanishing as his heart pounded in his chest.
He loved her. The concept emerged within his heart
and he had no time to tell her. But there was no time to
ponder this new revelation.
She was lifeless and pale grey. The doctor rushed to
her side, working over her. Finally she gave that one
desperate gasp for air, coughing up water, making it run
from her mouth and nose, and breathing in the life-giving
oxygen.
Roberto was so relieved that he grabbed her body in
a fierce embrace, kissing the ice-cold face with desperate
kisses. Over the past few weeks, he really had started to
care for her and when the true reflection of his heart
shimmered through, he did not care who saw him. He
wanted to tell her, his face adorned in a smile in the midst
of the still-raging storm.
'You are hurting me,' she coughed out, and the
doctor grinned.
'Sorry,' He replied in a whisper. She smiled and fell
into a deep sleep. Shocked, he looked at the doctor but he
squeezed his shoulder.
'It is all right. She will be fine.'
The doctor wanted to carry her but Roberto just
lifted her in his arms and carried her to her cabin. He
brushed soft kisses over her face, his heart too big for his
chest. When he placed her on the bed, he thought she was
the most stunning woman he had ever met.
Rosa-Lee Almaida looked fragile and small, but he
did not see that. He only saw her beauty gripping his heart.
The markings of the rope on her shoulder were red
and swollen. Her dress was torn and they knew they would
have to get it off and as he held her, peeling the wet, torn
fabric from her body, he could not help but to look at her,
appreciating the curves in front of him. The good doctor
spoke sternly and he let her down, covering the body with a
blanket.
'We will have to hope that she does not get an
infection in that shoulder.' The doctor looked closer and
found a broken nail imbedded in her shoulder. Roberto
brought a light closer while the doctor searched in his bag.
He pulled tweezers out, dipping them in rum he had with
him, and pulled the nail out. She flinched, still unconscious.
Blood streamed from her shoulder and Roberto gasped
softly. Roberto watched as the doctor worked on her. He
put a few stitches in the shoulder and bandaged it with a
white cloth. The rest of the bruises and cuts he disinfected
and placed a powder on them before he closed them as
well. Her face was bruised and swollen but the doctor
assured him that would go away. The cuts would not
become permanent scars and for that, he was grateful.
That whole night, despite Roberto's tiredness, he sat
with her after the doctor left. Pierre brought him some dry
clothes and he towelled himself down, slumping into the
chair next to her bed. The storm calmed down about an
hour later.
Sometime he dozed off because, when he woke the
sun was streaming into the cabin and she was looking at
him, smiling.
What a welcome sight.
'I owe you thanks for saving me.' Her voice was still
rough from the near-drowning.
'Can I give you some water?' he asked as he came
closer, squinting his eyes. They were still burning from the
salt water.
'Yes, please. I hear the storm has calmed down. Is
there much damage to the ship?'
'It is manageable. Nothing that we cannot repair.'
He smiled back, his heart racing at her smile. The
paleness had made way for colour and she looked beautiful
against the white sheets. Her dark hair was dry and
dishevelled, but that made her more appealing to him.
'How do you feel?'
'Tired, stiff and aching all over my body, but happy
to be alive. I remember you dove into the waters to rescue
me. You are a real hero. How will I ever repay you?'
'By allowing me to love you,' he said without
thought. She looked at him in wonder, this man that she
was trying very hard to understand.
He loved her. A pirate had fallen in love with her.
How was this possible?
'I still hate you for what you have done to me and
my parents.'
'I know. However, it does not change the fact that I
have feelings for you. Last night confirmed it. For me,
there will be no one else but you,' he said with conviction
as he came closer and knelt before her, his eyes trained on
her with all the emotions he felt. He wanted her to see it.
He wanted to convince her as he took her hand and brought
it to his lips.
She was stunned at his confession and had no reply
as she saw the tenderness in his eyes. Love was prominent
in the ochre depths, and she stared back into those depths,
her future brightly shining as he opened his heart. Her heart
raced as she struggled to sit up, forgetting the pain of her
body. She was just bathing in his revelation. The hate that
she felt for him had melted away and in its place love shone
in the depths of her own eyes. She touched his cheek,
tracing the scar once again and when her finger stopped at
the corner of his lips he kissed it.
'Please let me love you,' he whispered before his
lips touch her lips. She closed her eyes, just revelling in his
touch, his tenderness. Her heart sped up another notch.
Softly she sighed and leaned into him. He captured her
mouth with a desperate plea, until he pulled her closer and
she flinched in pain. Withdrawing, he laid her down, the
love shining unmistakable, and she smiled.
'You need to give me some time. This is very
confusing to me,' she finally said. 'I find your company
pleasant and not once did I feel afraid while with you. You
always treat me with respect and I admire you for the
captain you are. This does not change the fact that you are
still a pirate and that I am the price of a sick scheme.'
He stood up and sat next to her on the bed, taking
her other hand, clutching the two together in his warm
hands and said,
'Not everything is as it seems.'
'What do you mean?' she asked, looking up to him,
eyes wide.
'I am going to ask you to trust me. I will never hurt
you intentionally. There are many things happening in the
background that I cannot tell you about, but if you can trust
me, it will be a great start. Love will come. You are not
indifferent to me, and that much I know.' He kissed her
hands for a second time. Her fingers tingled under his
touch.
Again she looked at him, perplexed, allowing
herself to enjoy the kiss. His voice was soft and soothing.
Again, she reached out, touching the scar on his face. It
made him even more attractive to her. Her eyes showed her
heart and he leaned over, brushing his lips over her face.
She closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness of him, her
heart racing. When he lifted his head he said softly,
'I love you, Rosa-Lee Almaida.' She smiled, her
body trembling with exhaustion and excitement. She
relaxed into the softness of the mattress. He could see that
her eyes wanted to close. Her tiredness was still evident on
her. He bent over, placing again a kiss on her forehead and
said,
'I will leave for a while so that you can sleep. Later
I will be back and we can give you some food to eat. There
is something we need to discuss.' She nodded and dozed off
into a deep sleep, a soft smile on the beautiful face. He
smiled, stroking the bluish cheek before he walked out of
her cabin. The smile on his face reflected his heart. He
covered a yawn as he entered his own cabin.
He was tired to the bone.
†††
Several hours later, awakened by the most delicious
smells filling her cabin, she opened her eyes. When she
tried to move, pain shot up into her shoulder and she
moaned. Roberto rushed over to her.
'Are you okay, my Rosa?'
'My shoulder hurts,' she said hoarsely.
'The doctor said your shoulder looks much better
and there is no sign of infection but it will take a while to
heal. The nails did do some damage on your shoulder,' he
explained.
'Thanks, Roberto, for taking such good care of me.'
She smiled again. 'A lady can get use to this.' He bent over
and kissed her.
This was not a dream. She thought she had dreamt
all of it but now that he repeated the words and showed it
by taking care of her, she knew it had to be true.
'I would love to take care of you always,' he said
softly, his eyes darker than normal, his breath warm against
her skin. She leaned forward and kissed him softly.