Sea of Dreams

“My love, I am sorry I could not give you my farewell personally. I love you so dearly but, I have to sail through the sea to save my beloved. I want to stay beside you, always, but at this moment, I have to let go of that desire for the promise I gave to my mother.

I’ll fight the stormy seas to get back what belongs to me and to get back to you. Until then, please wait for me to come back. While waiting, promise me you’ll never come to follow me. I know how much you love the sea, sail and see the world, but the sea is very dangerous. I can’t let the woman I love face that danger. Allow me to pursue your dream instead. I promise to come back to you my love and by that time, when everything is okay, we’ll sail to the sea together. I love you.

Your truly, Henry”

My beloved, it’s been quite a long time since the last time I saw you. It must be hard to sail in the sea. You might have encountered terrible waves and fought pirates. But I thought, you’re enjoying your adventure. Maybe, you learned to love the sea a little bit.

I miss you. I miss hearing your voice. Your tiny giggles and deep laugh. The smile you give when you look at me, your warm embrace, especially those little kisses you give.

I smiled in pain as I’m hugging his letter. This letter is the last memory I have with him. I played the cassette tape by my side with his voice humming and singing our favorite song. The feelings never get old, it seems as if he’s with me at the present, serenading me while giving those precious stares.

As I’m listening to his song, the night gets deeper and I fall asleep in hope of dreaming of him.

Waking up feels a little harder since he left. But I have to wake up for his promise to come back. I still feel sleepy but I am alarmed with the noises I heard. What are they doing? It’s still early and why are they fussing like that?

“Diana! Please stay inside! Never open your door until the bombing stops.” Heard Tiya Telya scream outside my room. Bombing she said? My eyes widened in shock when I realised that there might be some pirates attacking our village again just like what they did 11 years ago. The sound of bombs, canon, gun firing and the screams of people. I felt despair.

“Tiya! What is happening outside?” I asked.

“Just don’t open your door Diana.”

“Tiya just let me know. I will not do anything reckless.” In hope to get an answer.

“What do you want? We’ll give you anything you want, just don’t do anything to people.” I heard Tiya plead with someone outside. I do not really understand what’s happening outside. I could not even look at the window because I was scared. It brings back memories that I do not want to remember anymore.

After Tiya spoke, I heard nothing else rather than her mumbles like they covered her mouth and it made me worried so I took a deep breath and went near my door. I need to do something because I know that people here are risking their lives.

I was about to open the door when I heard someone.

“It’s been a long time, Tiya Telya.” That voice sounds so familiar. It made my heart skip a beat. “We do not come here to bring chaos. I just went here to get someone and fulfill my promise to her.”

I am sure now that I am not mistaken. It’s Henry.

I do not know what happened next, I just realized that someone is already in front of me. Watching me while I was crying.

“My beloved Diana. I was glad to finally see you after all these years. Please look at me. I missed you so much.” I heard him whisper in my ears. I could not do anything else rather than cry more.

“I-is that really you...Henry?” Feelings mixed while I was looking into his eyes. I received a warm hug instead of answering my question.

“I am glad you’re alive. I thought I would never see you again.”

“I promised you that I will come back. I never meant to break that promise. I don’t want to hurt your heart my beloved so I risked it all just to come home to you.” I cried more when I heard him say that. I miss these feelings so much. To be able to be in his arms again.

“Captain. I am sorry to disturb you but we need to hurry up. The navy is already sailing to get us.” I heard him curse after the report from his crew. I know being with him is already hard since he became wanted after being a pirate.

“Diana, we do not have much time to stay here. We do not want to harm people here and we are avoiding fighting with the navy. I do not know if it is too much to ask you this but, are you willing to come with me in the sea? And fulfill your dream with me?” I heard Tiya scream for disapproval. I looked at Henry and Tiya. As much as I wanted to be with Henry, I could not leave Tiya and my family this easily.

“Henry…”

“I am sorry Diana, this is the only way that I think to be with you. We wasted so much time, I just want to be with you.” Is 11 years that long?

I removed his hand and went back to my room.

“Diana…” he pleaded.

“Captain. We really need to hurry up.” He did not listen to his crew and went to me.

“Diana, if this is your decision, I promise to come back and by that time I wish you will come with me. I am sorry I need to go now. I do not want to harm anyone here.”

I closed my eyes as I felt him hugging me.

“Henry… Do you think I will just stay here and wait for another year to be with you?”

He did not answer but loosened his hug.

“I’ll go with you. I just have to pack my things.” I said and removed his hands again. I hurriedly went to my closet and got some clothes. When I was done I went to Tiya.

“Tiya, I am very sorry that I have to leave you now. I am very thankful to what you did for me but, I also want to fulfill my dreams. You know I waited for years to be reunited with my beloved and I just can’t… I just can’t let him leave without me anymore. I want to be with him.” I saw teardrops from my Tiya’s eyes and could not either stop my tears. I just gave him a kiss before I ran to Henry.

“Let’s go. We do not have time to waste more time.” I said and let the lead.

We are all rushing to get out of here. I am just glad that no one hinders our way. Henry and his crew are all armed and if I am a common person I would not also dare to get on their way.

“Diana, is it okay for you to run like this? Are you not hurting?” Henry asked and said no and keep running until we got to their ship.

“Diana!” I heard some people call me but I did not look at them. I should not waste time explaining.

We thought we would get our way free not until we saw the governor of our village with some of his soldiers getting on our way and I just heard the pirates curse in frustration.

“Why do they need to get on our way! We did not do anything to them!” Said by one of the crew. He’s tall and he surely is young. “If one of them attacks us, we don’t have any choice but to attack too.”

“Whether you want it or not captain, we will not risk it all here. I still want to be your best man, you know.” Jokingly said by one of them.

“Do what you want, Fernan, just don’t kill.”

“If that’s what you said then fine.” He said and went in front of us.

“If you do not want to be killed you better stop and surrender yourselves pirates!” Our governor warned us as we still continued running.

“Put down all your weapons and surrender!” It was a command from the commander of the soldiers.

No one of the crew listened, that’s when they all pointed their guns on us and we all stopped.

“Ahh, we are trapped. Guess we do not have any choice.”

“Don’t do anything reckless unless I tell you what to do.” Henry warned them.

“Diana!” I heard our governor call my name.

“You pirates! How dare you kidnap one of my people!” I can now sense his anger.

“Ahy, you must be the governor of this village. We do not come here to bring chaos. We just came here to fulfill our captain’s promise and fulfill one of your people’s dreams. We do not mean to harm anyone so just let us pass without anyone getting hurt. If you shoot us, you might get more casualties because we will fight too. So you choose, let us pass unscratched or bring chaos to your village?”

“How can we trust you? You are pirates and all you did was to bring chaos!” The pirate gasped and some laughed.

“We are already giving you choices. As I told you, we went here for a good reason. So why can’t you trust us? Has anyone of your people died already?” It was the vice captain who’s talking with the governor. I knew who he was when I asked one of the crew.

“What do you want?” Asked again by the governor.

“Nothing. We just want to fulfill Diana’s dream.”

“You can’t get her!” He exclaimed.

“But she volunteered to come with us, what are you gonna do now?”

“Who are you pirates? Who is your captain?”

“Daylight Sky. Henry. Anything else you want to know? If none, get out of our way.” I don’t know how this man can talk informally to one of those higher ranks in position to the government.

“I want to talk to him.”

“What do you need?” This time, Henry already showed himself.

“Henry!” I can clearly see the shock in his face when he saw Henry. Our governor and Henry were close to each other before but he forgot the bond they made when Henry decided to sail.

“It’s been a long time, Don Diego. You never made a way to save my sister a long time ago, so maybe you can at least grant my favor now? I won’t do anything unless you force us to do so.”

“Is this what you really wanted, Henry? You said you won’t be like your father but what are you now?”

“I won’t be whoever I am today if you just had helped to save my sister. Do not blame me for being a pirate for I become more heroic than any other of your soldiers. You only think of your own good. Even how much you befriended me, you still hate me for having the blood of my father and you still become unfair to giving help and justice to us. So stop questioning whoever I am today. And give us a way out.” He was not able to speak after what Henry said and I can see the guiltiness in his eyes.

“I volunteered to go with them, governor. I just want to see the world as what my father had told me to discover. I am one of your people, so I am asking you to please let us go from here.”

I hope he will let us this time.

“But you will be in danger Diana.”

“I know, but we will never achieve our dreams without risking, right? I want to do this governor so please let me.” I am already begging him.

“Would you rather fight with us, Don Diego?” I looked at Henry after challenging him.

“Go.” I was glad when he gave us permission to leave.

“Let’s go!” Vice captain shouted as everyone started to run again. But I did not since Henry is still in his place.

“What are you still doing?” I asked.

“By the way Diego, I was able to rescue my sister. She’s safe now sailing with us. Although you did not grant my favor in the past, I am still thankful for taking care of us before. I will not come back here anymore so I have to tell you this.” After that, he turned his back and held my hand and started running.

“Henry.” Governor called him but he did not care to look back. “I am sorry that I still do not have the power to save your sister back then. Please take care of yourself and your sister.” We just kept on running until we reached their ship.

“We’re ready to sail!” I cannot express what I am feeling now. I am terrified of the dangers we might encounter but I feel safe because I have my beloved who’s sailing with me.

Father, I am starting my journey in fulfilling your wish for me to see the world and discover the vast sea.

“Welcome to my ship my beloved.” I suddenly felt warm from the cold night when Henry hugged me. “My adventure will be greater because you’re now with me, Diana. I promise to show you the world and make you experience how fun it is to be in the sea. I love you.”

The long years of waiting are worth it. I could not wish for anything else anymore because this is what I longed for for how many days and nights. I was now in the hands of my beloved and clearly without doubt, I am finally home.

“I love you too Henry. Please stay with me forever.”