If only Vienna can turn back the time, she will change it. If she only fought the aftereffect of that weird drug, the current scenario wouldn't be this bad. Leopard who kept glaring at her as if she will turn into a bubble if he blinks. Samson who looks guilty and is currently fighting with himself with something nonsense. Thompson and Von who never left my side that after I showed up in this tavern, made for the hellbender pirates only. Jake looks so worn out and the captain whom Vienna never heard talk to when she arrived.
But the way he breathes, one can conclude that he is angry.
"A-ah Vienna, I'm sorry. I should have checked the water that my mom prepared for you, then you wouldn't have to experience those things. I'm sorry!" Samson pleaded at her. Vienna felt bad because she knows she was wrong too.
"No please don't. I admit it's my fault too--"
"How is that your fault? You don't know things here and Samson is responsible for you the whole time yet he let this thing happen," Jake cut her off as she tried to explain her side.
"Jake is right, I'm sorry," Sam added.
"You don't have to, I'm sorry I caused too much trouble," Vienna apologized.
"Oh, c'mon things won't be like this if you just an eye on her, as simple as that Sam, as simple as that," Jake stated again but before Vienna open her mouth to speak up, Drake interrupted.
"What done was done," Drake stated. Vienna gulped to the coldness of the Captain's voice.
"But you have to accept the punishment for neglecting the job assigned to you. The rule is a rule. And it is part of the contract to protect Vienna Watson as long as she is with us, any objections, Lennon?" The Captain added pertaining to Samson. Samson nodded, a sign that he agrees with what the Captain exclaimed.
Vienna couldn't help but feel guilty. It's not unusual for her to have someone punish her but this thing is different. It was partly her fault. If she just check the water or even fought the surge of her emotion caused by the drugs then things will not be like this. It's not like she can't fight the drugs, poison couldn't even bring her down yet the drugs have more effects on her than poisons.
But that's not the point here, Samson will have to endure overworks because of her and she felt so bad because of that. She is afraid that her guilt may haunt her even in her dreams.
Minutes of silence and negotiation passed and everyone looks calm now. Von and Thompson drifted into sleep besides Vienna so she let the two sleep and lay their heads on her thighs so they won't hurt their head. She saw Jake drinking ale early in the morning and looks so upset.
I must have worried him that much. Vienna uttered to herself.
While looking at Jake, she remembered what the young pirate told her before. He must have liked her that much that he is got so angry that he scolded Samson. But no matter how Vienna likes to comfort the man, she doesn't want any misunderstanding between them. Yes, the guy admitted that he likes Vienna but Vienna never said back that she felt the same way. Because she is confused about her feelings too.
She doesn't want to jump to a conclusion, just because Jake can make her feel this way means she likes her too. Jake is not the very first man who made her feel like this, the Andra Kingdom's Knight Commander made Vienna feel like this too before. And she's afraid to admit it but Leopard somehow gave her the same vibe. She couldn't understand it anymore, this kind of feeling is taboo to her.
Vienna sighed, erasing all those thoughts in her head. Unfortunately, her movement made Von wake up. She smiled sweetly and caress Von's hair. The young boy smiled back and returned to dreamland. He must be so exhausted, looking at how deep the two young teens slept in her lap made her feel more guilty.
"But isn't it weird?" Leopard blurted.
"What do you mean weird?" Jake asked who is already tipsy early in the morning.
"The water," Leopard answered that caught everyone's attention. "No matter how hard we investigate about the drugs used to mixed with our water, we still can't find the cause of it." He added.
Indeed, it's very suspicious. What kind of drug can make you hallucinate that much and the dizziness will make you puke and pass out.
"You're right. It's like a very rare drug that it's hard to believe it exists." Samson stated. Vienna ransacks her brain to find if she knows some drugs that cause hallucinations. But she can only think is an intake drug and she never eats or drinks anything to be drugged. She never drink the water she used to clean herself too.
"What's wrong?" Captain Drake asked Vienna as he noticed Vienna. Vienna looks at the captain, she wants to clarify some things.
"You see, I never heard any drugs that can cause lucid hallucination without intaking in inside your body," Vienna explained. They looked truly at her and nodded, they admit that the Lady knows more about this stuff than them. They're pirates and their knowledge is limited about medicines.
"So, your saying?" Captain Drake asked again. Vienna nodded and fixed the two young kids sleeping on her lap.
"Atropine and Scopolamine can induce hallucinations as well as a variety of serious effects when overdosed. And those can be found in a variety of plants." She explained. If what she thinks is true, then that explains why the effect of the mysterious drug didn't last that much at her because she has resistance to poisons in her body.
"A plant?" Samson asked. "Then is there a cure in it?" He nervously asked again. Vienna smiled and nod which give relief to the poor man.
"Plants like Jimson Weed, Mandrake, or Deadly Nightshade." She explained.
"What do you think is the plant that causes this whole thing?" Jake asked that surprised Vienna. She thought the man doesn't have any plan to speak up anymore.
"Most likely the Deadly Nightshade knew as Belladonna. By merely touching it can damage and poison humans, then what if it was mixed in the water? The effect is slow but can still cause hallucinations and maybe that is what causes this undying illness." Vienna demystified.
"T-then does that mean, my mom was poisoned?" Thompson interjected. Vienna didn't even notice that the boy was already awake, even Von. The discussion must have woken them up.
Vienna slowly nodded her head and looked away.
"Tom, you don't have to worry. I will find the best medicine to cure mom, don't worry," Samson vowed to his brother that warming Vienna's heart. A brother's love is something that can't be defeated by a storm.
Vienna wished she have someone that will promise her too, that will say to her to never worry about things for he will take care of it for her.
"Vienna, can you tell me what's medicine can cure it?" Samson begged. Vienna nervously bit her lips hard and notice how it bleed.
"We must find the source first." She said and stood up.
"What do you mean?"
Vienna knows how complicated the thing is but she is afraid to tell everything. She's still not sure, but most likely and logically, the result lies on the infected person's hand.
"In this case," Vienna revealed. "The cause is also the cure."