Almost a whole week passed, and our incident did not reach Ayutthaya. Ayame decided we would stay a little longer in order for me and Rosa to heal property, I was unconscious for two days. Luck was on my side. I haven''t got seriously injured while Rosa''s head still hurts, to me she looks fine but obviously she is using that to avoid even more work. Someone else shopped, we got all the supplies we needed and Mia lectured us about our recklessness and stupidity. Me and Rosa won''t ever leave alone thank god, Finn was not injured but yet he mock us and reminds us of how we almost died. Once again we are on a big open sea heading to our next location. Three days have passed since we got back sealing, heading to Xiamen. Ayame wants us to stop there in a few days to get some money before hitting Canton, its big city. We will need a lot of money. Canton is a very popular city for folks that come from Europe, its noble stop when they come on vindication or just want to get more property there. I never been in such big city, that is full with rich and powerful people, yet Ayame haven''t told me full reason for paying visit there or what have they done to be so wanted making them avoid trouble, not counting what me and Rosa done. These few days Ayame was in her cabinet. I guess she is very busy according to Mia, doing some work and planning our next move when we arrive in Xiamen. After all, I would like more about Ayame and yet she doesn''t like to talk much about herself. I know she is coming from Japan but I still wonder why and how she became who she is. Jasper told me a few tales about Ayame and rumors. I feel bad to never know how famous she is, a woman who defeated thirty men in one night, killed a sea dog one handed, a woman that don`t know about fears. Other tales told me Hassan and Mia. Ayame, who looks gentle, is a killer who can move mountains and make lions fear her just by the look of her cold blue eyes. I saw her fight that night. We met, she is really skilled and knows how to fight but that night no one died. Does she choose who lives and who dies? I fear death a lot and I am not sure if this journey leads me to one but Ayame doesn''t look have that problem like she is fear itself. It''s hard to believe such a gentle looking woman can have such fearsome rumors but the crew doesn''t look like they fear her. First time in while I have trouble with sleep I can''t stop remembering my past, I think sun will rise very soon and I couldn''t get even blink of sleep while rest of crew in bedroom sleep peacefully expect Ayame who sleep upstairs in her cabinet. I wonder if she sleeps or if she is like me. While I toss myself around the bed trying to find a comfortable position to sleep, nothing works. I stare at ceiling trying push thoughts of my fucking past but yet I remember it, as Ayame I try avoid my own past but it always hunt me down one way or another. I gently rub my eyes and slowly sit on bed look around room Rosa who sleep on other side of room she is hugging her flask with alcohol, look like someone have nice dreams while rest of crew also look sleep really well I wonder I am only one having problem like this. My both feet hit the wooden floor as I didn''t even bother to put my boots on and I was making my way to the door trying not to wake anyone. With the edge of my eye I noticed two empty beds. I didn''t try to look around to see whose two are missing. I am just glad I am not the only one awake but I wonder if Ayame is awake too. I want to talk with her. I gently open the door to get into the room next to where we usually eat and it''s messy from last night''s dinner so I decided to clean up before heading upstairs to see if Ayame sleeps. Empty bowls with empty bottles and spoons all over the floor, I usually skip dinners as I did yesterday, and I want to go to bed earlier and sleep longer. I guess today is not that case.  As I pick up bowl from floor I grab myself under ribs feeling sharp pain I didn''t heal fully yet but I''d rather not anyone know I am still in pain I don''t want pull anyone down. Mia will worry again and Ayame too maybe, I feel like my organs move from one place to another, I will be okay. I could get some fresh air. Last dish was put in a barrel with water. I will let someone else clean them. It hurts so much. Already I can hear whispers coming from the shipboard. I wonder who that is talking about, maybe it''s Ayame? But I don''t hear her voice, could she still be sleeping? I took some rum that was on a shelf close to the table hoping that it would calm my pain with that last sip. I slowly put it away and started heading upstairs. I peek from the trapdoor as I stop on stairs. I see Hassan and Jasper standing together next to each other holding fish rods and looking toward the sea. As I lift my leg to step on deck I feel my pain coming back but I ignore it.


    “Any luck boys?”- I said while approaching them from behind and I looked at Hassan who is on my right side, an old man that looks more like a fisherman than a pirate.


    “Do you want to join us, young Eleanor? Also you should wear something on your feet because it''s cold.”- Hassan said as he pointed out my bare feet I didn''t really want to wear anything on feet, feels more freely this way, I haven''t even changed to my regular clothes I am still in my cotton shirt I sleep in and my worn out pants.


    “I never fished before.”- I said hoping I can refuse the offer to head to the Ayame room.


    “You can give it a try, don''t worry we haven''t caught anything yet.”- Said Jasper while pulling back the fishing rod and handing me an unused one while attaching bait on it.


    “I guess I can give it a try, you two couldn''t sleep either?”- I said while taking a fishing rod from Jasper and trying to understand what to do next.”


    “We went earlier so we could fish but no luck so far.”- Said Hassan while he swung the fishing rod and I tried to do the same, my string with bait touched water and I guess now wait.


    “So you two really don`t have much luck in this?” - I asked as I hoped something would bite.


    “Bait fault.”- Said Jasper as he attached new bait to his rod.


    “Well I am out form.”- Said Hassan.


    “Anyway is Ayame awake too? Does she love fishing too?”- I asked hoping she was awake.


    “I think she is still sleeping.”- Answered Jasper.


    “And Ayame hates fishing. She never liked it and always says it''s boring.”- Said Hassan.


    “Hassan, you are longest in this crew?”- I asked.


    “No, Mia and Bao were here before me, I am just a guy whose ship is and I am an old man but I have known Ayame for a really long time, same for Bao.” - Answered Hassan.


    “Bao? The guy that don`t really talk? I barely even see him around.”- I said, I don''t think I even heard him speaking yet.


    “Bao cant talk, it was a long time ago when he lost his voice, also he spends most time cleaning cannons, he is our man when it comes to firing from them.” - Said Hassan.


    “He lost his voice?”- I asked out of curiosity.


    “It was really a long time ago when I just met Ayame. She needed my ship and the money she wanted with Mia and Bao to rob a bank. When Bao got stabbed in the neck we barely saved him, all thanks to Mia''s medical knowledge.”- Said Hassan while Jasper was silent.


    “Mia knows a lot about medicine doesn''t she?”- I said, she is really good when it comes to healing.


    “She studied medicine before running from home.”- Words Hassan said that caught my attention.


    “She run away? Why?”- I asked as I wondered why.


    “I don''t remember much but I think her parents tried to engage her and she ran away until find Ayame.”- Said Hassan.


    “And what about Ayame? Did she run away from home too?”- I asked as I wanted to learn more about her.


    “We don''t know.”- Jasper interrupted. Hassan didn''t say a word about it.


    “Well, I joined Ayame because she was so much my daughter and I couldn''t let the kid go alone.”- Said Hassan as he pulled strings of rod back, seeing no success.


    “Daughter? Where is she?”- I asked what I was probably going to regret for asking.


    “She died, I took with me once on ship and we had accident and she drown with rest of my crew.”- Said an old man that never talks much.


    “Sorry for asking.”- I said while feeling bad for such an old man.


    “It''s been a really long time ago, I got used to it and like said Ayame reminds me of her.”- Said Hassan.


    “Why did you join, Jasper?”- I headed to Jasper.


    “I seek for revenge and Ayame is key for that, that''s all I am going to say to you.”- Said Jasper. Jeez, what''s his problem? Revenge? Did someone do something bad to him? It was the first time he talked so coldly to me.


    “Anyway I think it''s enough fishing for this morning.”- Said Jasper while he started packing back own fishing rod, Hassan did the same and as I am about to do same, I felt my rod twitch.


    “Ayame what`s wrong?”- Asked Hassan as he walked by my side.


    “I think it''s biting?”- I said as I started to pull the string back and felt it was heavy.


    “No shit.”- Said Jasper as he got to my side.


    “Pull it back!”- Jasper yell out.


    “What do you think I am doing?!”- This shit is really heavy and strong. I can barely hold a fishing rod.


    “Hold on!”- Hassan grabbed the rod too, pulling with me and Jasper did the same.


    “Damn! This fucker don`t want give up.”- Said Jasper as we tried to pull it out with all our might.


    “I never saw such a thing, what could this be? Giant Grouper? Or Giant Sawfish?”- Hassan said wondering what is biting my rod.


    “Shut up old man and pull.”- Said Jasper as we tried pulling until the rod broke and I released it.


    “Sorry guys but that thing was really strong.”- I apologized as I cant believe how strong this thing was, what is that?


    “It''s fine that it could bring us into water if the rod didn''t break.”- Said Hassan as Jasper whispered a melody.


    “It''s not time to sing asshole.”- I curse as I turn to Jasper.


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    “What? I haven''t said anything.”- Said Jasper as he looked confused I can swear I heard singing.


    “I can swear I heard someone sing, or some sort of melody.”- I said as I hoped I didn''t want to be insane from lack of sleep.


    “I thought you did that?”- Said Jasper as he pointed at me.


    “I heard it too.”- Said Hassan.


    “What the fuck happened here?”- Said confused Jasper.


    “Maybe these fine ladies have the answer to our question.”- Said Hassan pointing at the empty sea.


    “What?”- Said me and Jasper. Then we saw three naked women in the middle of the sea, they all had long white hair, singing beautiful songs that sounded familiar to me. Their naked breasts on top of the water surface, something is weird about them.


    “Drift away, my love so true,


    The silver waves will cradle you.


    The stars will shine, the winds will sigh,


    And guide ye where the soft dreams lie.”


    “Hush thee now, the night is deep,


    Close thy eyes and sail to sleep.


    Morning’s light will kiss the sea,


    Till then, fair winds to thee.”


    “Are they singing? Who- What are they?”- Asked Jasper, who is as confused as me. Song they sing sounds familiar.


    “mermaid.”- Said Hassan.


    “What do you mean?- I asked.


    “These women are known as mermaids.”- Hassan said. I am not sure what that is.


    “You mean creatures that are half fish, half humans that drag people into water?”- Said Jasper.


    “Indeed. It''s not the first time I am seeing them.”- Said Hassan.


    “And how can they drag us into water? They are so far away? And they look weak.”- I asked.


    “This song, they want to hypnotize us.”- Said Hassan.


    “Can''t we just cover our ears?- I asked as I wanted to reach my own ears.


    “Their songs are magical, see how far they are and yet we hear them covering ears won''t do anything we can just pray.”- Said Hassan, I need to admit their voices are so soft.


    “Why do they want to hurt us? Or how do we stop them? You said you''ve been in this?”- I asked Hassan.


    “We are their food, and that one time I got lucky and no one got harmed.”- As Hassan said that I got closer to see them and noticed they got closer to the ship, when did they move?


    “Jasper what do you-”- As I wanted to ask Jasper for an opinion he mindlessly walked to the edge of the ship before I grabbed him.


    “What are you doing?!”- I asked as I and Hassan tried to stop Jasper from falling into the water.


    “They already got him?!”- Said Hassan as Jasper tried to fight us off and I looked over my shoulder to already see naked fish girls clinging to our ship trying to get us.


    “No chains can bind, no storm can keep,


    A sailor’s heart from love so deep.


    Though far I roam, my soul stays near,


    Forever calling, soft and clear.”- They continue singing, it is already pissing me off as my brain starts to hurt.


    “Hassan, hold him off, I have an idea.”- I said as Hassan pulling Jasper back, I rush to other side of shipboard where is big boxes I opened taking rifle out thankfully it''s already fill with gunpowder. I rushed back and see mermaid still clinging to ship singing this annoying song and I can see their fish tail, its so colorful tail, fuck it, I need to focus as I aim from musket I trying ignore their voices.


    “Hush thee now, the night is deep,


    Close thy eyes and sail to sleep.


    Morning’s light will kiss the sea,


    Till then, fair winds to thee.”


    “Die you bitches.”- I said as I pulled the trigger.


    “Eleanor, no wait!”- Yell Hassan out but I already triggered a trigger, the gun twitched my shoulder and shocked my body and felt like I opened an old wound. Bullet hit a woman on the right side directly at her eye leaving a hole in her face as she fell down while the other two stopped singing and drove under water. Jasper fell on knees confused about what happened.


    “What happened?”- Jasper barely stands up as his legs shake.


    “Don''t worry kid, the song got the better of you.”- Said Hassan as he helped Jasper stand.


    “I felt like someone was inside my brain, fuck.”- Said Jasper.


    “Did you guys notice something off?”- I asked.


    “Maybe fish whores?”- Said Jasper.


    “I didn''t mean them, I mean how no one wants to check out, I shot from a rifle that must wake someone up right? Or this song?”- I said as fog started to fall on us and the ship.


    “What now?”- Said Jasper as he holds on to Hassan. I started to run to the barrel where gunpowder is to reload muskets.


    “Wait Eleanor!”-  Hassan yelled out and I turned my head but as I got to the edge of the ship where the barrel is, one of the white haired mermaids jumped from the water. Now she looks differently, more angry, with long nails, small round breasts, not as colorful a tail as was under water. Her sharp nails grab me by my neck with all might pulling me over the edge from the shock I dropped musket. I could hear Jasper and Hassan yell my name but I was already under water, as I wanted reach for dagger I felt empty space remembering it I haven''t wear it whole morning, I am trying fight off under water but she is way stronger than me as her hand squeezing my neck and sharp nails getting under my skin. I am getting out of air as my eyes get blurry and my mind drifts away.


    “Drift away, my love so true,


    The silver waves will cradle you.


    The stars will shine, the winds will sigh,


    And guide ye where the soft dreams lie.”


    “Hush thee now, the night is deep,


    Close thy eyes and sail to sleep.


    Morning’s light will kiss the sea,


    Till then, fair winds to thee.”


    “No chains can bind, no storm can keep,


    A sailor’s heart from love so deep.


    Though far I roam, my soul stays near,


    Forever calling, soft and clear.”- As I opened my eyes to the lullaby I heard someone sing that so many times to me. Ah yes, I remember it now. The person who sang it was my “friend” and she was the same age and she was a slave too after losing her home. I think her name is Ella? Or something like that. We were in the same cell alone, she always treated me as her younger sister. I would put my head on her lap as she sang the same lullaby her mother would whisper to. I wish I could remember more about my mother too. Ella was nice, she would always help with my work too, and talk to me. But once Ella sneaked into the kitchen and I caught her stealing from our master and she saw me, she made me promise not to say anything. Same afternoon master called us all and said he knew someone stole his food, and threatened if someone don`t admit that none of us would get food.


    “Eleanor did.”- As I turned my head seeing Ella pointing at me, I wanted to defend myself but before I could understand what happened the master already punched me in the face dragging me away. Ever since me and Ella never spoke a word, yet again I was sold away, without Ella help I was useless. We never argue, she treated me nice, I even shared my food with her, why did she betray me?


    “Eleanor?!”- Huh? Did somebody call my name?


    “Eleanor!”- Could be a red-haired girl I don`t remember name? Or mama? Could be I am dead?


    “Eleanor!”- I feel a sharp slap on my face as I open my eyes and gasp for air.


    “Wha-”- I sit up as my head feels heavy and the ship shakes and fog still surrounds us. Ayame is by my side holding my hand as I awkwardly pull it back, Jasper and Hassan who feel revealed.


    “What happened?”- I asked as my head still feels heavy. I noticed Ayame wet clothes and hair, and a missing hat she probably left somewhere.


    “As that slut dragged you down we broke inside Ayame''s room and she slept heavily. We slapped her until she woke up, then we explained what happened and Ayame went after you.”- Jasper explained.


    “Look like this fog and all is some sort of magic, I felt trapped in my own dream until they woke me up.”-Ayame said as she stood from my side.


    “What happened to…”- Before I even could finish.


    “I killed her. Only one fish left, we need to kill all three to escape this fog.”- Ayame said, i can''t believe she fought under water and won.


    “Stay sill.”- Said Ayame before I could even stand up.


    “What are you going to do?”- I asked as I felt pain again close to my ribs.


    “To kill her.”- We all watch as Ayame walks closer to the edge of the ship, she is also bare footed, and I wonder where she left own coat. As Ayame stands on the edge of the ship as the last mermaid jumps from water, this one has even longer nails, a long face with red eyes, full of anger. Tail that looks more like shark tail than a fish tail. as she was the same height as Ayame. She didn''t even twitched as the mermaid reached Ayame''s neck. Before I could process what happened Ayame reached for own gun almost immediately, shooting the mermaid in the head. That was fastest gun draw I ever saw, I barely saw it, mermaid just lifeless fall into water as fog got clear and Ayame turn to us with blue blood of mermaid on her face.


    “We are safe.”- Ayame drew the gun back to her belt.


    “That was quick…”- I said amazed.


    “Awww you think so?”- Ayame said while laughing at me.


    “Was this really mermaids?- Asked Jasper.


    “They are fish, naked and scary I would say yeah. They tried trap us in dreams very cleaver.”- Said Ayame while she rubbed her chin.


    “Are they this much stronger?”- I asked.


    “As long as you piss them off.”- Said Ayame.


    “What did you dream about?- I asked.


    “I don''t remember.”- Ayame said, I don''t really trust that but I let go.


    “yawn”- We hear yawning coming from below.


    “Damn, I slept like a baby.”- Said Rosa while she walked out from the bottom of the ship.


    “And what happened here? Did someone fall into the sea?”- Rosa noticed me and Ayame being wet, I should get dry before I catch a cold. I knock on the door of the Ayame room waiting for her to let me in.


    “Come in.”- I heard Ayame''s voice as I walked in to see Ayame marking a map and book opened next to her.


    “Captain, I wanted apologize for this morning.”- I said.


    “Why? You haven''t done anything wrong, and I saved my crew.”- Said Ayame.


    “I mean this is the second time you saved me.”


    “I don''t count it, Eleanor.”


    “Is it your first time fighting a mermaid?”


    “Yeah I never bumped into them I thought they are faster.”- Said Ayame who was crazy fast already she didn''t even twitched. I stayed a little more with Ayame wanting to learn something more but as always not much progress. Nightfall on the ship as I walk back on deck and see Rosa look over the edge of the ship.


    “You might fall into the water again.”- I said as I mocked her.


    “I really wanted to meet a mermaid, are they really that strong? Are they sexy too?”- Said curious Rosa.


    “I''d rather never experience this.”- I said as I stood next to Rosa pressing my back on the wood.


    “How was swimming with fishes?”- Asked Rosa as she laughed.


    “I can throw you and let you see for yourself.”- I said as Rosa turned to me.


    “Well at least you are okay, I really wonder why we got trapped in sleep.”


    “Rosa, what did you dream about?”- Only the edge of my eye peeks at her.


    “Hm, about some handsome guy, why are you asking?”


    “No reason, I was curious.” - Could Ayame have such dreams? Even though I had a dream when I was unconscious, I wonder what she is not telling me.