Christopher

Nearly drunk and nearly there, Christopher's heart leaped. He was only a short distance away. If the winds were on his side today, the two ships would be side by side in no time. Christopher just hoped that Daniel didn't notice a pirate ship behind him.

***

Anne

Maybe it was because I didn't feel like going back to my room, or perhaps it was because I wanted to learn more about this new Daniel, but I went to the gallery. After putting my stuff down (and trying to calm myself down), I went back to meet Daniel, where I prayed I didn't have to face something embarrassing again.

Daniel stood in the middle of the gallery, focuses on the sack of potatoes that sat in a corner. If he hadn't kidnapped me, I would have made a joke about it.

Hearing my footsteps, Daniel turned his head. "I'm trying to decide what to make," he said, turning back to the potatoes and then to the other ingredients on the counter.

As if on instinct, I walked over to the potato sack, grabbed three, and then walked where there was a knife and cut them up, all while Daniel watched.

"What are you making?" He asked.

I still felt annoyed by his presence, and I wondered if it would be this way now - if I would come to hate being around him.

I grumbled 'dinner' under my breath, not wanting to say anything more. Daniel didn't say anything, either.

After cutting, I laid the potatoes onto a pan on the stove. "Start a fire," I told Daniel. He followed my orders and crouched down, starting a fire in the furnace below.

I felt awkward around him, and I was still furious. Why must it be this way? Why? It felt strange, being angry at Daniel. I've never been mad at him, not before he left me without telling me where he went.

He stood up, looking at me. "Want me to handle, or would you rather do it?" It was an innocent question, and since he could probably handle the cooking, I let him, leaving the stove and pulled up a chair. I watched as he used a few spices to savor up the meal, and was surprised to find that he knew what he was doing.

"Where did you learn to cook like that?" I asked, playing with my hair, not wanting to make eye contact with him.

"I watched the kitchen staff cook, and they showed me a few things."

I was a bit curious. "You could afford kitchen staff? You didn't tell me you were..." I let my voice trail off as I concluded Daniel's wealth - Christopher's wealth. How had I not seen it before? Christopher's mother. She wore an exquisite dress and the painter who painted it. No working-class family could afford to have a portrait painted of them.

Not unless they had money.

"Yes. Christopher's father was a tradesman. He had money." His voice was tight as he said it. This topic was hard for him.

"I wanted to be like him," Daniel continued. I still didn't have the heart to glance in his direction, though I wanted to. If things weren't this way, maybe I could have been the friend Daniel needed me to be.

But I didn't think it could ever be the same again, not with the way things were turning out. I loved Daniel, but how could I marry him knowing what he did to me?

At last, I couldn't help myself. If things were going to be this way, I wanted to hear the truth, the whole truth.

"Why?" I asked, feeling the prickle of tear, darling fall down my face. I could tell Daniel knew this because he was silent for a moment before answering.

"I wanted to be successful, and I thought that maybe that would get his attention. I loathe Christopher for that. He always got attention. Perhaps because it was because he was Father's biological son, I'm not sure, but I still felt the need to impress Father. "

"What about your parents?"

"My father left before I was even a toddler, and my mother, using her pretty face, captured the attention of Lord Taylor. Thus, ending in marriage. I was barely young enough to remember when it all happened, but I thought Christopher's father was my own, and I felt obligated to become like him."

I already knew the rest. Christopher wasn't like that. He didn't want to become like his father, but Daniel did. He hated his brother because of the attention he got.

He wanted attention, and he wanted to be loved. That was why he took me. I felt a tight knot in my stomach.

The tears ran down my face, at last, dampening my vision. I had to close my eyes. I didn't want to see Daniel's face as I told him, "Daniel, I can't love you the way you want me to. I never have, and I never will. I-"

"Liar."

It was one word, but it hit me like a bullet, fast and painful. I opened my eyes to look at Daniel, really look at my friend.

"I'm speaking the truth, Daniel. Why won't you believe me?" I cried, my voice choking. It had become hard for me to speak and even to breathe. I felt like I was going to suffocate.

Right then, Daniel strode forward and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me up from the chair and into his arms. He hugged me tight, pressing me into his body before releasing me, letting me looking to his icy eyes.

"Look at me and tell me you don't feel something for me."

"Daniel-"

"Tell me," he commanded. I felt his body shake as I looked at him. He was focused on me, patiently waiting for the defeat he knew was coming.

"I can't lie to you, Daniel, you know that," I said. "So I'm telling you the truth when I say I don't love you the way you want me to. Daniel, I'm not in love with you."

It wasn't a second after saying that did his lips crash down onto mine. He held me in his arms as he kissed me, pulling me closer as he did so. I felt the fast beating of his heart, quickening as he deepened his kiss.

It wasn't like the kiss I shared with his brother. While Christopher's was of need and passion, Daniel's was of loneliness and desperation, trying to make one final attempt to win me over.

I felt his tears run down his face as they joined with my own, and I knew right then that he believed every word that came from my mouth. I couldn't be with him, and I didn't want to be with him.

I didn't kiss him back, but I didn't pull away either. Instead, I stood lifeless in his arms. It was like kissing a corpse, and Daniel knew that. My heart tugged. I could never give Daniel what he wanted.

Finally, Daniel pulled away, panting. I felt his body shake against mine as he fell limp to his knees. He grabbed the hem of my dress and kissed it, whispering, 'I'm sorry' and 'forgive me.'

Tears rolled down my face as I whispered, 'I'm sorry too,' back.

"Please forgive me," Daniel cried. "I didn't-, I wasn't-, I'm sorry, Anne. Forget this ever happened. Please, I'll take you back."

He'll take me back. Daniel was going to take me back. I thought of Christopher then, how it was going to feel back in his arms again. I was going home.

But what about Daniel? What was going to happen to him?

Was he still going to America? Was he going to harm himself? I didn't want to think anymore what could happen to him, so I asked.

"W-what about you?" My voice was weak, but I managed to get my point across.

"I'm going to America," he said, getting up. "I'll figure it out then."

I was going to say more, but then Silas ran into the room, a fearful expression written all over his face. If he was surprised by the way we looked, he ignored it and instead said frantic tone, "There are pirates after us."

***

A/N

We're almost to the end guys! Can you believe it! 

What do you think about Daniel? Still hate him, or are you starting to feel something different? Let me know in the comments!

Till the next chapter!

---Author