On to Spain, On to Italy

[Titus Cortez]

Titus had nothing to do during the day between meals, so he helped as best he could. In the great many weeks, or was it months, he wasn't sure, he was beginning to become more comfortable around the pirates, but he never dropped his guard. Axel seemed to be having the time of his life. The men had seemed to make a mascot of him. "SEA HOUNDS!" they'd yell when they saw him, and they'd howl, and the dog would howl.

At this moment, Titus was fixing a sail that had gotten tangled in the rigging. He pulled it free, and slowly climbed down the ropes. No one seemed to be on the deck at the moment. They were playing poker in the hull, the whole lot of them. It was a few days left till Spain, and they were growing anxious to stand on solid ground again. Titus being the most anxious of them all.

The sun beat down on his skin, like a golden whip. He never thought it could be this hot on the ocean. For every cool breeze that passed, he was thankful. He let it run through his hair, and sea salt coated his shirtless body. His feet were bare, and he had certainly taken on the pirate appearance. He needed a shave badly, too.

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya weighed her winnings in her had as she walked up to the deck. She never really played much but when she did it was usually a win. She smiled and put the money away enjoying the smell of the sea. They were heading to Spain then to Italy for some loot and such. The only thing she hated was the heat.

She quickly took a sip of water wishing to go for a swim but that wasn't going to happen any time soon. Her skin was dry and unlike humans she didn't sweet thus making her skin feel even dryer so the spray from the sea felt amazing. Alaya wasn't expecting to see anyone on the deck but she was wrong.

It had been a while since she had spoken to Titus and she did wonder how he was fairing with the sea life. She walked over to where he was with a smile. "Liking the sea life?" She asked.

[Titus Cortez]

He turned to see her, smiling. "Well enough." he said, pointing to the sail he untangled. "I think I'm getting the hang of it. Got myself some sea legs, too." The waters on the first day had been very smooth, so close to land. But out at sea, the ship rocked violently at times. For the first weeks, he was falling over like a horse on a wagon. But not any more.

Titus peered up at the sun, squinting. "Sure do wish that sun would go down though." he said, "It's too hot." he closed his eyes as a wind came again. But it was only a tease. Soft. Not strong enough to really cool him down. "How are you faring?"

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya rolled her eyes at him when Titus said he finally had his sea legs. To her he was still a simple land dweller. She shrugged her shoulders. "As fine as I'll ever be" She answered walking over to the edge of the ship so the water could splash on her face. "I will have to agree that the sun is torture" She hated weather like this. Truthfully she loved storms or just rain but hated hot days. It was always so dry and long.

[Titus Cortez]

Titus followed her, leaning against the rail. The water splashed over his back and shoulders, even if it was just the mist. It was wonderful.

He watched her for a moment, the sea dampening her face. "If you don't mind me asking," he said, keeping his voice low and quiet even though the men were in the hull. "Where is your tail? Why do you look so much, you know, like us?" Human. He had figured out that she was a siren, of sorts. What he couldn't understand was why she wasn't like the one's in the story books.

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya closed her eyed as the sea spray splashed her face. So he had figure it out, that was a step. His question, however, posed some difficulty. In truth she had no idea the reasoning behind why the others had tails and she had legs. There were theories but no one knew for certain. Many of the others believe it was because she spent more time on land instead of at sea.

"That question I have no answers. Truthfully no one really knows. It is true that those born from a Siren and a human start off with legs but they will turn into tails at an early age. The first Sirens are said to be the daughters of the sea, as you might have heard. They can have children but only by humans, if the child is a girl it is a Siren, if boy then human" She explained still wondering why. The elder once said to her she didn't have her tail yet because the sea was planing something for her and she needed her legs until then.

[Titus Cortez]

Titus listened, putting it all into his mind. It intrigued him, really. Who wouldn't be? He was looking folklore in her beautiful face. He moved closer to her a little, his hands sliding along the rail.

"Why," he asked, "Do you trust me so much? I only just met you a few weeks ago. The information you're telling me could get you killed." Of course, Titus would never do anything. He wasn't that kind fo man. But he was just curious. Why did she trust him?

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya smiled. "Ah but the same information is in folk lore and no one would truly believe it if you did say something" She said. She did trust him not to say anything to the rest of the crew. Not like they would believe him anyway.

"Besides, as strange as it may sound, I trust all of those on board that know I am really a girl. So really if they find out what I am I still trust them. This has become my second home and I trust some of the 'family', so to speak" She looked around slightly making sure the rest of the crew was still bellow deck.

[Titus Cortez]

"All of those on board?" Titus repeated. "Who else knows?" he asked. "And they would so believe me. They have only to look in your eyes and be held beneath your spell to see it's true. You didn't even try to bewitch me, and you did." Titus laughed. "You still are." he mumbled under his breath, more to himself than to her. And then speaking clearly again, "Don't you think that they'd wonder? It's hotter than blazes out here." he said. "Why you don't take off your shirt and the rest of us do? You'd be trapped." he told her. He wasn't threatening. He just wanted to know why she trusted him. He answer wasn't good enough that she gave. He wanted more.

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya smiled "Only one other knows.His is the one who let me join really" She looked back at the sea. "Thing is, my gaze can work in different ways. You only saw one side. Most men see the other side which makes them fear. That is what pirates do to simple folk, make them fear them. That way they won't be able to see the connection" Alaya hoped what she said was true. Why was he asking so many questions that she couldn't really answer? She shrugged her shoulders to what he said about the others taking off their shirt. "Well on hot days like this I tend to be in charge of the night shift and work bellow deck so I am not exposed to the sun much. I don't sweat either so they don't think I am hot" She explained.

[Titus Cortez]

He nodded, thinking again. "Why is it," he asked, "That I saw the good side of your gaze, and everyone else saw the other?" Titus closed his eyes as the water graced his skin again. "And why don't you sweat? Do you get dehydrated then, like a fish? Do you need water to live?" he asked her. A gust of wind propelled the ship forward, and sent his eyes closed again the moment he opened them. It was a gust he had wished for all day. But it was gone as quickly as it had come. He sighed, deeply.

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya nodded. "Something like that. My skin is like a fishes scales in that way. Always need water or some moister. The sun is a killer at times but that is why I spend my time bellow deck" She wondered how to answer his other question. Strangely enough she couldn't say she really liked him, or even that she felt like she had really fallen. She moved in closer to where he was wondering if it was the right thing to do. She placed her hand on his cheek and moved his head to face her. She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips. She let her hand fall and looked back to the sea blushing slightly.

[Titus Cortez]

Titus was about to ask yet another question, but was silenced by soft touch of her fingertips against his cheek. He stopped breathing. His entire body shivered, suddenly cooled from the horrible heat of the sun. And she kissed him. Fire melted that sudden cool, thrusting his breath back into him. He breathed deeply, his eyes closing as her lips brushed against his.

He opened his eyes as her fingers fell away from him. Titus was stunned. "Wow." he whispered, barely speaking. "Wow." His eyes followed her as she looked into the sea. Softly, his hand rose, and his fingers held her chin gently. He brought her face closer to his, and his lips caressed hers again. He kissed her back.

[Alaya Seawitch]

The softness of his lips against hers was unexpected but greatly welcomed. She knew he liked her but she was never sure if that was what he truly felt or just false. Now she knew and hoped that nothing could change that. The only thing was, could she ever give up the sea to be with a human? She pulled away unwillingly. "We shouldn't do that too much. The men might find out" She said turning her head to hide the redness in her face.

[Titus Cortez]

Titus blinked, taking a moment to remember that he indeed was on a ship. "Who?" he asked. Then gave a small chuckle of realization. Right. The other men. They were all still in the hull. He didn't care.

He reached for her again, turning her face to him. "Don't you hide that rosey face from me." he gave her a wink. He loved it when girls blushed. He smiled at her, hoping to ease her embarrassment.