Page 6 of Viktor at Sea

“Because you’re the only one rude and careless enough to step on Kis’ tail. No one else would dare to treat her that way,” she snorted. “Now apologise before I make you regret it, Viktor.”

“And why would I do that?”

“Because if you don’t, then I’m going to set her loose all over your face, and when you try to have one last night of fun beforesetting sail tomorrow, all the women on the island will reject you because your face will be red, bloody and ugly. Of course, I would argue that you already look ugly, but Kis would do a better job.”

I opened my mouth for a witty response, but no words came out.

Instead, I threw my head back and laughed, unable to believe the threat she had just posed at me. Not only that, but she had called me ugly.

As Captain of The Serpent and the best seaman Jorvik had to offer, no one else would dare to speak to me that way, and frankly, I found it refreshing how Astrid always spoke her mind.

It was safe to say that I apologised to Kis, but before I could say anything else, Astrid turned around, flicking her thick, dark locks over her shoulder and sauntered away from me with her evil, conniving cat in her arms.

I had never met a woman so fiercely loyal to a creature before, and it got me thinking. If she was this devoted and loyal to a cat, and a horrid one like Kis at that, just how loyal would she be to her future husband?

From that moment on, I started seeing Astrid in a new light. No longer was she my mentor’s daughter whom I loved to annoy, simply because it was so easy and very humorous to sit back and watch, but she was the most fascinating and passionate person I had ever met. It didn’t take long from there on for me to fall completely and utterly in love with her.

I had never been in love before, didn’t think I would ever experience love because most years, I spent more time at sea than on land, but the moment it hit me, I instantly knew. I instantly knew it was love that I felt for Astrid, but I also knew she didn’t feel the same way about me. Not even in the slightest.

Judging by the annoyed look on her face when she saw me last night at the water fountain, it appeared that her feelings for me hadn’t changed while I was away.

What a shame,I couldn’t help but think to myself with a heavy heart.

It probably didn’t help my case that she knew I had bedded two women last night.

Just the reminder of last night sent an intense wave of guilt over me, and I wished I could go back in time to change what had happened.

Needing to clear my mind, I went to the one place which felt more like home than anywhere else.

The water.

Others would have stayed away from the freezing sea water so early in the morning, but I found it refreshing. The cold water felt wondrous against my bare skin, and I groaned as all the kinks and knots in my body gradually came undone, my body waking up and rejuvenating for the day.

There wasn’t a single place on Earth where I felt more relaxed. Not only did the water wash my body, but it also washed away all my problems for as long as I was in it.

In the water, I floated.

My mind was clear, and my troubles were non-existent. I was often able to close my eyes and fall into a nap-like state, many times even falling asleep in the water, but as I had just woken up, I wasn’t the least bit sleepy right now.

Instead, I watched the islanders walk by and go about their daily lives. There was a group of people currently on board The Serpent. They were clearing it out–all the furniture, little remaining good and most importantly, the bounty we had brought back–so it could be deep cleaned. Months at sea had a way of accumulating grime and dirt that couldn’t be found anywhere else.

A little away from them, there was a group of small children positioned in a circle, kicking around a ball. They were screaming and cheering so loudly that I could hear them even from here. I laughed quietly at the sight of a group of women walking past them, a not-so-pleased expression on all their faces for all the noise.

When my eyes fell on a familiar man further to the right, stood still, his eyes set on me, I snapped out of the daze and swam back to the shore.

“I had a feeling I would find you here,” Daewon chuckled, immediately reaching out to pull me into a hug.

“I’m sorry I didn’t catch you last night, Daewon,” I grinned and clapped him on the back in the way all us men did. Not only was Daewon my mentor since I had been on the island, what with him being the former Captain before he retired and allowed me to take over, but he was also Astrid’s father. “You know how hectic things can be when getting back from a mission.”

“Yes. Yes, I do,” he chuckled. “I remember the good old days. Feasts, bounty, and women. In your case, I heard it was two.”

“News sure does have a way of spreading like wildfire around here,” I chuckled, a strange feeling of nervousness washing over me.

I had never felt nervous around Daewon before because he had only been my mentor. But now, I hoped one day soon, he would also be my father-in-law.

“I’m only teasing,” he said. “Welcome back to the island. I’m glad you had a good time last night, but I actually have a motive for seeking you out this morning.”

“What kind of motive?” I asked, my interest piqued.

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