Dream Sequence
The ship had been docked for only a few hours, but most of the crew had scattered across the large island waiting for night fall to cover their deeds. The side they docked was hidden from the small town they planned to pillage, which gave the crew time to rest, explore, and relax. Rowan hadnât found his crew very appealing to be around and took the opportunity to explore a bit on his own.
Leaving his crew behind, he wandered down to a rock formation with a beautiful view of the ocean. Rowan carried only a bottle of gin and a sack of smooth rocks that usually hung from his belt loop. All his life Rowan felt the need to collect rocks that he deemed suitable for skipping across water. Something about two elements coming together for even just a split second excited him. Unfortunately the ocean was never still enough for his childish games, but still he collected rocks whenever he found them.
He settled on a spot close enough to feel the mist of the water, but not dangerously close enough to fall in, regardless of the amount he decided to drink. Cracking open the bottle, he took a large sip and stared off into the ocean. From his position he could see the ship, as well as a few islands far off in the distance. It was times like this that gave Rowan a reason to stay a pirate.Â
Time passed slowly, but Rowan didnât mind. He drank from the bottle every once in awhile, finally feeling the effects after an hour or so. Drinking used to make him happy, but lately itâs been great at numbing the feelings deep in his core. He knew it wasnât the solution to his current state of discontent, but something urged him that if he kept drinking something would happen and hopefully that something would be happy.
It was getting lighter, which could only mean that the surface was nearing, and Arabella was doubting herself. She could not believe she had agreed to kill a man. Her thoughts flipped back and forth between not believing what she had promised, and convincing herself that the whole situation was totally and completely doable. She was being childish. She had surfaced many times before, and this was nothing different.
Only that a tiny voice at the back of her head kept saying, âIt is different, it is! Youâre plotting to kill!â
âI am only doing what I must!â
âBut must you take anotherâs life? Only to gain what? Your reputation with the others?â
âShut it!â
Finally, Arabella reached the surface. It was nighttime, and the air was cold against her pale skin. At this point, she had regained her confidence. Taking advantage of the time it took for her to swim towards the shore, she carefully planned her next steps. There was no way any sailor was going to fall for her if she kept acting like such a child. She had to appear mature and put together. Mysterious and seductive was the way to go.
As the shore neared, she noticed a large ship, docked a little way away from what looked like a village. Now, all she had to do was circle the area, and wait for a somewhat drunken human to take notice of her. However, it was a very particular skill, and she knew it. The stories went that if a sailor saw a mermaid alone, he might as well have signed himself over to death, or at least whatever it was the mermaid wanted with him. He would get caught up in the beauty of the mermaid, and most commonly, stare in silence until she decided it was a good time to swim off. However, if spotted by multiple sailors, that was something that never ended well. They would most likely do everything in their power to capture or perhaps torture, and Arabella shuddered at the mere  thought.
Just then, she looked up to see a group of them laughing loudly. She was even near enough to hear not one, but several rude remarks. In a panic, she turned and swam as fast as she could toward a rock formation off to the side that was considerably farther from the ship. When she slowed down, she noticed one in particular lounging on the cliff face. Not only was he alone, but he was drinking. Smiling, she dived back into the water and allowed herself to relax. Game time.
