On to Spain, On to Italy

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya suddenly realized Titus was talking to her. "Oh no don't worry about it" She said as he took her rum and placed it on the floor of the boat. She was still deep in her own thoughts and fears that whenever Titus seemed to talk it was like a distant voice. "Oh, no no it's alright. Just got a lot of things on my mind right now" She said snapping back to reality. It was hard to concentrate with the sea calling but she could handle it. At least it wasn't as hot as before.

[Titus Cortez]

Titus looked at her sadly. "What's on your mind, pretty girl?" he asked. She didn't look like she usually did. She didn't look... happy. Not that she was usually happy. Most of the time she was busy working or enjoying the breeze that came off the water. But at least she was content. Now, she just looked different. His eyes followed her gaze to the sea.

"Want to go for a swim?" he asked her. He knew she needed the water. His fingers gently stole the bandanna from her hair. "Let's go."

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya looked at Titus when he took her headband. He wasn't serious was he? Personally she would love to but was it really safe for him as well. "Are you sure? I mean it is not really necessary" She stated with a look of confusion and slight shock. She knew that she really needed a swim but there was time besides she didn't want anyone to find her and that might happen. Something nagged at her in the back of her mind, almost yelling at her for questioning a swim.

[Titus Cortez]

"If the stories are true," he smiled at her, referring to her being a siren, "The sharks won't hurt me when I'm with you." He stood up in the boat. "The men are all gambling, and you know how long they'll be down there. And besides, we're all the way down here. It will be hard to see us against the waves. And they can't tell that you're a woman from way up there, they can't see your hair. And most of them are drunk by now, they're seeing double anyway. And you haven't been in the water since the voyage set off." He tucked her bandanna into a safe corner of the tiny little vessel that kept them afloat. "Let's go."

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya smiled at Titus before diving into the water. The cold salt water hit her skin in a wave of relief. It felt so good to have the water on her skin again. She swam deeper and deeper relishing the feeling of being free again. She never realized how much of a prisoner she felt on that ship but now there was no one to tell her what to do or any secrets to hide. Here was her home, her world and she could be herself. She swam back up to the surface after a few minuets under the water. she ran her fingers through her wet hair smiling. She was just a yard or so from the small boat. The air no longer felt hot since her skin was lathered in salt and she was still summered mostly in water.

[Titus Cortez]

Titus smiled back at her, watching her swim in the sea. He knew she wouldn't be back up for a while, not after being out of the water so long. So he waited a while until he saw her resurface before he dove in as well. The sun no longer burned his skin, though it had reddened it quite a bit, and the water felt good on his burns. He came back up, floating on his back, and just kicked around a little. As much of a farm boy as he was, he did like to swim. In creeks and bays, mostly, but the ocean was no different. Water was water.

He looked over to Alaya, giving her a devilish grin before slipping beneath the surface again. It hurt to open his eyes in the salt water, but he didn't really care much. Titus grabbed at her feet playfully, tugging them down and tickling them.

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya laughed when Titus started to tickle her she was quickly able to escape from him but not before kissing his cheek before swimming off. She wet up quickly for a breath of air before swimming back down into the waters depths. It took her a while to return to where Titus was again but this time she would stay. She had her swim and it felt really good to be back in the water. Even though it felt really good there was something wrong. It was probably just her are something but it felt off. It was as if there was something about to happen and the sea was holding its breath.

[Titus Cortez]

He was surprised at the quick kiss she gave him, and it made Titus smile to himself. He had reached his goal. He had won her heart, and he had given her his. He really did care for her, more than he had ever cared for a woman. She was so different. But most of all, she was his friend. Thinking back, he never really had been friends with any of the women he dated. He had respected them and been kind to them, but he never really cared for any. Not the way he cared for Alaya. He leaned back, looking up at the sky. Alaya wasn't just a siren. She was his girl.

And then she came back to him, and he tread water again, smiling at her. She just seemed to glow, and with a happiness he hadn't seen in her. Ever. Titus smiled back at her, swimming closer. He circled her once, before returning the kiss that she had given him upon her cheek. And for a moment, his heart jumped. "Pretty girl." he said sweetly with his crooked grin that won the heart of all the maids. "My girl." And he sent a splash of water at her, hoping she might splash back and start a war.

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya blushed when he called her his girl. She liked the name for once. She never felt so strongly for a guy like that before and she never wanted to be apart from him. But she knew that would not be so. How could they be together when he was human and the sea had yet to decide her fate? There were ways to make it so that they could be together if she became a full siren but still. She didn't know what was going to happen and it scared her. There were so many questions in her head at once and she knew that the answers would not come soon enough if they came at all.

When Titus splashed her she wanted to fight back but she didn't. Instead she swam up to him and embraced him. Alaya rested her head on his chest. She didn't want anything to happen but she knew that there was no way for her to stop fate.

[Titus Cortez]

He held her when she embraced him, and welcomed her head on his chest, instantly mellowed from his splash fight. "Sweet girl." he said, holding her tighter. "What's wrong?" He struggled to keep himself and her above water, with his arms around her, so he made his way to the boat so that he could lean against the side of it so that he didn't have to let her go. Her long hair brushed softly against his skin, and he couldn't help but close his eyes for a moment. He could feel her heart beating against his ribs, and he couldn't help but notice that it seemed almost in tune with the waves that carried them up and down with the ocean. Titus rested his head on top of hers comfortingly, his eyes peering out at the water's horizon. He couldn't see the other side.

[Alaya Seawitch]

She did not answer his question right away. Instead she kept her head on his chest, breathing lightly and in time with the sea. Alaya wasn't sure how to answer his question since what was bothering her was the what if's and such. He wouldn't have an answer or too many things that he could say to maker her feel better about the whole thing. Slowly she pulled back from him and looked into his soft brown eyes. "It's nothing really" She whispered before leaning towards him. Her lips were so close to his but she didn't kiss him, only smiled.

[Titus Cortez]

Titus purred softly as she came close to him again, but she didn't kiss him like he had hoped. So he wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting on her sides and his forehead pressed against hers. "Tell me." he said, the corners of his lips pulling back into the sliest of grins. "Or I'll tickle you." And she would not escape if she tried. And he knew it. "Come on," his lips drew even nearer to hers, but he didn't kiss her, as hard as it was to refrain. "Out with it."

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya could feel his warm breath on her face. She closed her eyes wondering what to tell him. There was so much on her mind but she didn't want him to know that she worried about what might happen. Maybe it would be a good thing if he knew what she was thinking but at the same time maybe not. It was just another thing on her mind. "Just thinking. Nothing important really" She said still smiling. She held onto Titus tighter not wanting to let go. She wanted to stay there forever but that wouldn't happen.

[Titus Cortez]

He moved his fingers threateningly. "It must be important, if you were thinking about it." he said, still wanting to know what was making her act so strangely. Staring off into space, embracing him as if they might die in ten minutes, not that he minded he holding her. He loved to. But he wanted to know why she was acting this way. "Tell me what's on your mind." Titus said again. He would tickle her, and without hesitation if she didn't answer him. But the tighter she held him, the more he decided against it.

[Alaya Seawitch]

Alaya sighed maybe she should tell him. She placed her head back on his chest and held him tighter. "I was just thinking about what would happen if the sea decided to make me a full siren. How could we be together then? I don't want to loose you" Her voice was a whisper and she could have sworn that there were tears forming in her eyes. She said it. but at the same time she wish she hadn't. She didn't want Titus to know she was upset. She cared for him more than anything else. But still, she felt torn between the sea and the man she loved.