Caged And Bound

by Daniella Wright

  My little shop was situated in a market district of modern-day London. Outside my window, people walked by, holding bags and staring at their smartphones. So much had changed in two hundred years that sometimes it boggled my mind. I shook my head, knowing it was best not to think about it. What was so smart about them anyway?

  Outside, someone stopped in front of the sign that said Slade Blackstone’s Custom Jewelry. I was advertising a new sale I had going on, hoping to attract some more customers. One day, this well-dressed individual crossed the threshold, holding a briefcase in his hand. “Excuse me, do you know where I can find Slade Blackstone?”

  “You’re talking to him.” I chuckled, holding out my hand. He gave me a firm handshake, his thin lips pressing into a hard line.

  “My name is Dillion McKenzie and I’m your finical advisor. I’ve tried to call you several times, but you never seem to return calls. So, I decided to make a house call. I hope you don’t mind.” He paused, giving me a sly look.

  “Not at all,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. My features were calm and collected, but in reality, I wanted this man out of my store as soon as possible. I didn’t need anyone to tell me how to handle my money. I had been living in the lap of luxury for the last one hundred and fifty years!

  “I’ve noticed that your stock price has taken quite the dive over the last quarter and so, I decided to do a bit of research. It seems like your pirate-themed line of jewelry isn’t selling very well, but you still funnel an extraordinary amount of money into production.” He walked up to one of my display cases, looking at the jewelry with disdain. “If you ask me, it’s nothing more than tacky costume jewelry and you waste perfectly good high-end materials on making more.” He looked up at me. “Is there somewhere we can talk about this in private?”

  Getting a little frustrated by this man and his arrogance, it took a lot of willpower for me to smile at him. I walked up to the front door, closing it and flipping the sign to closed. “There,” I said through gritted teeth. Things were so much better when the government didn’t require businesses to be so regulated.

  “I suppose that will do.” The man commented, seemingly unsatisfied. He sat down at my workbench, pushing some things aside to put down his briefcase. I sat down across from him, my eyes narrowing as he pulled out some papers. “Now, I think it’d be in your best interest if you considered some diversity. If your jewelry already has a reputation of being high-end costume jewelry, then you might as well ride the wave, so to speak, and expand into semi-precious stones. You can get them at quite a bargain.” The advisor pointed out some graphs he had printed out. “If you do that, then I can see profits increasing by at least two hundred percent.”

  I couldn’t argue with the numbers. All the math seemed to be sound and I had no quibble to exploring other fields of the jewelry market. “Sure, that works. What’s the worst that can happen?”

  “Now Mr. Blackstone, I need you to take this seriously. This isn’t just some silly game. This is a business. There are people, like me, as well as the stockholders who put their faith into the success of this company and that depends on you.” He paused, shutting his briefcase with a heavy thud. “Not everyone has the benefit of being a trust fund baby like you.” His voice was nearly a hiss, accusing me. “Your parents may have been “new money,” but some of us still have to work for our living.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him, not liking his tone of voice. Still, I couldn’t help but laugh. He, like many others, believed my false identity as if it was written in stone. I nodded, being complacent. “I guess not. I’ll keep that in mind.” I tipped my head in his direction and he got up, grabbing his suitcase and leaving, letting the door slam behind him. I was glad to have him out of my store.

  ***

  Later that night, I was even happier to be home. I had bought myself a grand house by the seaside. It was positioned precariously on the top of a cliff, but that’s how I liked it. It gave the home some character. It also provided some amazing views. Unfortunately, I wasn’t always able to take advantage of that. Most days, I was simply too tired.

  Exhausted, I dove into my bed, falling asleep almost instantly. Quickly, I became submerged in the realm of nightmares.

  I was back on Atlas’ ship. There was a sword in my hand, but it wasn’t mine. Already, the blade was covered in blood. I looked up, expecting to find the Pirate King in front of me, but instead, it was Nixie.

  Her blue eyes were like diamonds, looking at me like I had just betrayed her. Behind her, King Atlas approached with his steps like booms of thunder. I was about to push her out of harm’s way when she collapsed to the ground. Everything seemed to stop.

  To my left, a giant wave emerged, carrying a chariot pulled by elegant white steeds that seemed to gallop over the water. The wave curled, dipping down, about to crash. On its crest was Poseidon. His presence alone was enough to make the blood in my veins run cold. I stared at him in disbelief.

  Suddenly, he crashed into the boat, swooping out and grabbing Nixie into his arms. “For you have harmed my sweet Queen, you’ll be eternally punished, roaming the Earth forevermore, never destined to find the love you seek.” With a surge of power, he slammed his trident into the deck and the wood cracked. The ship shattered under my feet and I found myself falling into a darkness that almost seemed to be eating me alive.

  I woke up with a start, my whole body covered in sweat. I pushed my bangs out of my face and breathed hard, glaring out at the dimness of my bedroom. I half-expected to see the vengeful god grinning at me, but I was all alone. I looked down at my hand, remembering the golden ring Nixie had slipped on my finger when I was dying. Nixie was real. She had to be.

  Chapter 5

  The next morning, I couldn’t help myself but rush over to the bank, checking my safety deposit box. Inside, the gold ring that Nixie had given me was there. I held it in my hand, my heart skipping a beat at the thought of her. “Please… Nixie… you have to find me… just as you promised you would.”

  ***

  That evening, I was obligated to go to a socialite party I had signed myself up for. I regretted it now, wishing I could sit on my porch with a drink and look out at the ocean. Sighing, I put on a dashing black suit and matching tie. I checked myself out in the mirror, running my fingers through my wavy black hair. Over the years, my face had not changed one bit. I still had the same chiseled jawline, semi-crooked nose, and hollowed cheeks. I ran my fingers over my well-kept facial hair. Would Nixie even recognize me if she saw me? I felt I looked the same, but at the same time, my reflection in the mirror, staring back at me, looked so alien. Wearing modern clothes, I didn’t resemble the pirate I had once been.

  Pushing these thoughts to the side, I left the house, getting into my Porsche. I started the engine, making my way to the function hall, situated near the hub of London. As I drove past Westminster, I could see Big Ben and the London Eye. Happy couples were walking around, holding hands and smiling. It only made me grimace. Their happiness seemed unfair. Why should they be happy when I wasn’t? A bout of depression wrapped tightly around me, making it hard to breathe. My fingers tightened on the wheel and my foot grew heavier on the accelerator until I was almost doubling the speed limit, weaving my way through traffic. Finally, as I spotted a parking space, I maneuvered into it with ease.

  As I stepped inside, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the function was quite nice. The decorations were well-placed and the music was appropriate. I made my way over to the bar, ready to get myself a drink. I sat down, waiting for the bartender. “I’ll have some rum,” I told him, easing back in my seat. As I did, a beautiful girl sat down next to me. Her hair was a gray color that seemed to stem from her roots. It was almost unnatural. I examined it closely, trying to figure out whether it was dyed. Her eyes were a radiant shade of blue and her small face was framed by a pair of thin-rimmed glasses.

  “Um… excuse me.” I cleared my throat, hoping to get her attention. When she looked at me straig
ht on, I nearly gasped. I could hardly believe it. My heart skipped a beat. It was her. I nearly took her into my arms and rejoiced, but the look of confusion on her face brought me back to reality. Maybe it wasn’t her…

  “Yes?” She asked, cocking her head to the side.

  “I just couldn’t help but introduce myself to a beautiful woman like yourself. I’m Slade Blackstone.” I pronounced my name carefully, watching for any sign of recognition, but she just smiled politely, her cheeks growing pink at my compliment.

  “I’m Nixie Highwater.” I froze in place. Nixie. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She said, holding out her delicate hand. For a moment, I didn’t know what to do. I was now so certain it was her that I found myself at a standstill. Finally, as things started to get awkward, I shook her hand, jolts of electricity running through my spine as if Zeus had just hurled one of his lightning bolts at me. There was no doubt that it was her. But why couldn’t she recognize me? “What brings you here?” She asked, taking a sip of her colorful fruity drink.

  “Oh well… I own a few shops. Jewelry shops.” I stumbled over my words, still caught in the holds of her gaze.

  “Oh, that’s really cool. I’m actually an environmentalist and marine biologist, affiliated with the Smooth Sailing Foundation. Are you familiar with them?” I shook my head and she continued. “Well, we’re a business that harvests red coral from protected reefs so we can cultivate them and repopulate the decimated areas around the Caribbean.”

  The word Caribbean was like a bullet through my soul. I kept staring at her, hoping she would remember her past, but she seemed oblivious to what she once was. “You know, I used to know a little nymph whose job it was to protect those reefs.” I joked, thinking it would spark her memory, but all she did was glare at me, thinking I was using the word nymph in the derogatory sense.

  “You see, that really isn’t something you should joke about. People should care about the reefs, no matter what their sexual preferences are. Corals are very important to the ocean’s delicate ecosystem.” She looked at me, taking a sip before continuing. It looked like she had enough stamina to lecture me through the night. It wasn’t like I minded all that much. Just being around her again made me feel whole once more. “Anyway, so my parents are scuba divers and they do research on the subject all the time. They tell me that the reefs are very beautiful and I want to ensure that my children and grandchildren can enjoy clean water, biodiversity, and the taste of fish for their entire life on Earth.” She then narrowed her eyes in my direction. “You said you were a jewelry shop owner, right? You aren’t one of those despicable people who make jewelry with red coral, are you?”

  All of a sudden, I felt extremely guilty. I thought about the pile of red coral on my workbench and how I planned to turn it into a beautiful necklace fit for the Queen of England. “I used to… but after hearing your passionate speech, I would never think to do so again. I promise to dissolve that part of my business in order to keep the oceans healthy. I hope you can forgive me for my ignorance.” I said, letting an air of humility fill my voice. I bowed my head as if I were addressing royalty, a grin painted on my face which she couldn’t see. She was much too flabbergasted to either accept or refute my plea for forgiveness.

  Chapter 6

  I couldn’t keep my mind off her. Even as the party came to an end and we went our separate ways, my mind wandered. It had to be her. She was the spitting image of the nymph I had come to adore so many years ago. They had the same mannerisms and even went by the same name, but it seemed like this Nixie had no recognition of her life two hundred years ago. She seemed so caught up in her life in the present, genuinely believing she was the child of two hard working scuba divers. I had to help her to snap out of it. I had to get her to remember.

  So I did some research, finding the address for Smooth Sailing’s Headquarters. Hopefully, with some luck I could find Nixie and impress her with a business scheme I had concocted that night as sleep eluded me.

  I hummed along with my car radio, my thoughts buzzing. I could see her image as clear as day before my eyes. I couldn’t believe how beautiful she still was, even after two centuries. Her cute button nose hadn’t changed a smidge. Her eyes were still the color of the ocean. Everything about her was exactly as I remembered. There was no way it couldn’t be her.

  Motivated by this thought, I eased my car into a parking spot in front of the large building. I straightened out my tie and grabbed a briefcase from the passenger side, bringing it with me.

  Inside, I inquired about Nixie Highwater, thinking for a moment how fitting her last name really was. To my surprise, the secretary was very kind about pointing me in the right direction. She didn’t give me any trouble at all. I nodded in gratitude before making my way down the hall to the elevator. After a short ride, I was on the fifth floor, searching for room 507. Finally, I found it. Nixie’s name was printed on the frosted-glass door. I knocked, hearing her sweet voice from within. “Come in!” She chimed. I could already feel my heart racing and my knees going weak, but I still kept my head high, determined to see this through.

  I opened the door and saw her sitting there. Her silver hair was pulled back into a tight bun, showing off the features of her angelic face all the more brilliantly. I stopped in place in the middle of the room, gawking at her like an idiot. “Ah! Mr. Blackstone. What brings you here?” She tilted her head to the side, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

  “Oh… um…” I choked on my own words, enthralled by her breathtaking beauty. I gulped down my own anxiety. I had waited two hundred years to find her and now that I was face to face with her, I could no longer remember how to speak.

  Her brows came together in confusion, noting my obvious trepidation. “Why don’t you take a seat?” She pointed to a chair in front of her desk before she got up, filling up a small cup with water. She had to bend over slightly to do this, her waistline and firm backside coming on display. For the first time, I realized I had never seen her from the waist down. I gulped, a fire burning between my thighs as my excitement kindled new emotions inside of me that I had never felt before.

  Finally, I managed to sit down, taking the water from her hands. I took a sip, grateful for the cold liquid splashing against my throat. I took a deep breath, trying to regain my composure. “Right. I have a business proposition for you.” I said, my voice softer than I had intended.

  “Oh?” She pinned a strand of hair behind her ear. “What is it?”

  “I wanted to market a new line of jewelry and I want all the proceeds to go to your foundation. After last night, I knew I had to do something to help your efforts.” I said, trying to appear confident.

  Her eyes grew wide at my words. I could tell she was quite jubilant. It looked like she wanted to jump out of her seat and give me a hug. “You know, I have a pretty busy schedule ahead of me today. But I wouldn’t mind talking about this over some dinner. What do you say? I heard Gilligan’s, the new restaurant that opened up nearby is making quite a name for itself. How about we meet there tonight?” She asked as she leaned forward, the cut of her shirt dipping down, revealing a light blue lace bra. I gulped, the fire between my legs intensifying. I simply nodded, unable to do anything else. “Well then, I’ll see you tonight. How does eight sound?” She asked before walking over to me. “I can’t wait to see what kind of jewelry you have in mind for this project.” With that, she ushered me out of the room.

  Chapter 7

  I was at Gilligan’s promptly at eight. I sat at my table, fidgeting, constantly looking at my watch. 8:02. 8:07. 8:15. Where was she? I started to doubt that she would show up at all, my fears nearly getting the best of me. I cursed myself for not getting her number.

  The steak knife was in my hand as I started to subconsciously carve into the table in my anxiety. I kept looking out the window, hoping to see her, but it was a rainy evening and everything was blurred. All I could see was a variety of different colored umbrellas. I sighed. I should have neve
r gotten my hopes up. I sunk down deeper into my chair.

  Then, just as I was about to give up completely and go home, Nixie appeared as if out of thin air. She wore a plain crimson dress that fitted her perfectly. My cheeks turned red at her appearance and I quickly got up, pulling out her chair for her. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” She said with a sweet voice, batting her eyelashes.

  I shook my head. “No need to apologize. I would wait an eternity for you.” She glanced up at me, thinking my comment was a little inappropriate. I sighed softly under my breath before sitting down. “Anyway, do you know what you would like to eat?”

  “I’m not sure yet.” She said, glancing over the menu. As she did, I couldn’t help but stare at her, taking in her impossibly beautiful figure. I wanted to reach out and pull her into my arms, to kiss her lips and feel the touch of her skin against mine, but I managed to control myself. This wasn’t the Nixie I had fallen in love with two hundred years ago.

  “So tell me, a beautiful girl like yourself, you must have a boyfriend.”

  “Actually, I’m single.” She said, her cheeks turning rosy. She hid her face behind the menu like she didn’t want to talk about her romantic life, but there was a deep curiosity inside the pit of my stomach. I had to know.