It took a lot of hours to finally reunite every Hellbender's crew to help find the mysterious plant that may be the cause of all the troubles circulating the island. Also, Vienna and the rest started late as it took a lot of time to finish illustrating the plant. Vienna has to draw a lot for the other crew to use as reference.
Samson who couldn't wait anymore look for it after she finished her first piece. Then next were the two youngsters, Leopard also started looking for it early together with the Captain. Only Vienna and Jake were left in the tavern to finish the drawings.
Awkward silence covered the atmosphere but none of them are planning to break it, afraid that it might end the scenario worse. Vienna knew that Jake kept staring at her and somehow she felt uncomfortable and glad at the same time. She couldn't understand her feelings anymore. After almost an hour she finished drawing lots of pieces, she was glad that she can't hide her smile and rushed outside to help find the plant and handed all posters to the other crew who helped.
Jake, on the other hand, chuckled seeing how enthusiastic his lady is. He still can't believe that the lady he saw crying in the dark before was now enjoying the life she had. But it pains him that everything comes to an end. Someday, after they reach the kingdom, the lady will surely run away when it's already time.
That's the reason why he was distancing himself from the Lady. Just by looking at her all day drives him crazy, he's afraid that if the lady is not with him anymore, he might not take all the pain. He knows as clear as the sky that he fell hard for her but he is so afraid to find out if someone willing to catch him. And that drives him insanely mad at himself. He is a fucking coward.
He drank the ale straight and head outside too to help others to look for that darn plant. Jake doesn't know where and why is there a plant like that on this island. This island has never been born any poisonous things before and knowing that it can be the reason is a great mystery.
Once he found out that someone intentionally planted it here, he will never show any mercy to that person for making such a debacle on the island. He will torture that person to death and behead them in public. He must have been known for being a happy-go-lucky guy but you should never anger the smiling lion. It may bite you until only your bones are left. He will devour you whole.
It's been hours, they already passed lunchtime, and yet not even a single leaf of that rare dangerous plant was seen in the whole island. It annoys them, especially Samson, they almost gave up when a new light of hope was shown by Vienna. Everyone was busy looking for it when Vienna noticed how heavy yet alluring the air became. She taught that maybe it's because of the falls fog that gives pressure to the air but something is not right. The scent is sweet as if it was tempting her. She bit her lips as hard as she could causing them to bleed to regain her consciousness.
She knows this feeling, it's like this when she finished cleaning herself yesterday with the poisoned water. She wandered her eyes and meters away, a waterfall can be seen. Vienna immediately walk towards there when the other men noticed her and immediately followed her too. Leopard and the Captain caught up at her.
"What's wrong? Did you find it?" Leopard asked and Vienna shrugged her head as a response.
"No, not yet," She said. "But I'm certain, something is in there." She added.
"What do you mean?" Drake questioned.
"The scent, it's familiar. Just like the scent, I smell when I took a bath yesterday, I taught it was from the soap I used but now I am sanguine that it's from that plant." She explained and ran as fast as she can, not minding the bushes that holds her dress's skirt that is making her slow.
"These damn bushes and this stupid dress. I should have worn pants instead!" She complained to herself. That's why she seldom wears long dresses before because if it's not caught by something, she will accidentally step on it and trip. The last time she wear one, she tripped and fall on the stairs. Thankfully Roscoe was present at that time and caught her.
Roscoe is the head commander of Andra's Proud Knights. He is a good friend of Vienna, who always shows up when she's in trouble. But unfortunately, Roscoe was away at that time she was taken by the pirates. Vienna was surprised when a pair of hands took her and carried her like a sack. She almost rolled her eyes 360 degrees as she realized the WHO.
"It's easy this way, and fast," The great captain of Hellbender stated and ran towards the fall. Well, who would dare carry her rudely other than the captain itself?
"Yeah, thanks-" Vienna replied half-heartedly with a hit of sarcasm. She knew that the Captain noticed it as she heard the jerk chuckle.
She can't choose between being thankful or being annoyed. Thankfully, her agony didn't last long for they arrived at the falls fast. Drake put her down instantly and Vienna saw the faces of the men who arrived first. Tired and disappointed, which means none of them saw the plant.
"Captain, none of us saw it. Maybe the lady was wrong all along." One of the men stated. The Captain nodded but Vienna doesn't want to give up, especially since the scent gets stronger that it makes her dizzy. She does have a body that can withstand any poison but she can still experience the effects of it.
"Lady are you okay?" One of the crewmen asked as he noticed Vienna twitching. Drake abruptly holds Vienna.
"You okay?" Drake asked and hold her carefully. Vienna nodded.
"Yeah, don't worry I'm fine." She replied and removed the Captain's hand away from her and follow the scent. She felt so nauseous as the scent gets stronger, her body is burning hot too and her eyelids are getting heavy. But her will to find the cause is stronger than the effect.
Now that she was feeling all symptoms, it's positive that the plants were here. If it's not on the surface, it must have been buried under the ground or the water. Vienna wandered her eyes around and saw nothing other than trees and such that were not suspicious enough. The men who are looking stopped and observed what the lady was doing. The water seems normal but the scent in it is not the normal scent of a waterfall. She then realized what was going on.
Before they even realized what the lady is up to, Vienna already jumped in the water and dived down. Everyone panicked for they all knew that the lady is not a good swimmer and it was not that long when she somehow learned how to swim. They froze in their position and another splashed in the water woke them up, Drake dived in the water to check for the lady and there he saw how deep the lady is.
He swims towards her but the falls' current is making it harder. He wondered how did the lady fight the current with her minimal knowledge of swimming. But seeing the lady swim sightly makes him smirked and proud. He continued following the lady and ended up in a cave under the fall. It has air and enough sunlight but what surprises him the most was the beautiful plants lingering in the whole cave.
Drake can't help but admire it, he was ready to touch it when Vienna stopped him.
"It's poisonous, don't touch it, captain," the lady tremulously stammered.
"Belladonna-" Drake replied.
"Hmm," Vienna confirmed. "Just what I thought,"
Drake cleared his throat and smell the air.
"Shit, it stinks!" He exclaimed and covered his nose.
"What do you mean? It smells good." Vienna countered.
"What the hell? It fucking stinks lady, it burns my nose!"
"It's sweet though--wait, you're not affected?"
"Of what? I didn't touch it so no."
"That's not what I mean, you dive in together with me which denotes that you must have been poisoned too," Vienna explained but Drake shrugged.
"I don't feel anything weird." He replied.
"Dizziness?" He shrugged.
"Nauseousness?" He shrugged again.
"None at all?" He nodded that making Vienna confused even more. What the hell is the meaning of this? If the cause is this plant then why is the captain not affected?
"Tell me? How is can this plant poison us?" Drake asked.
"The root. Since these are planted near the falls, the poison from the root must have mixed with the water." She explained.
"Oh, do the ladies from this island always swim in here?" She asked and Drake nodded.
"Yes, they believe that a goddess of the moon also swims in here every eclipse making the water sacred that gives them healthy body and beautiful skin- why?"
"It seems that only women can feel the effects of the poison. But it doesn't make sense at all, believe me, I never heard a gender inequality type of poison!" She frustratedly stated. The wind blew which makes her shiver. She's wet so the wind makes it hard for her.
Drake gulped as he realized what the lady looks like. The wet dress completely hugged her entire body emphasizing her curves. Instead of feeling the coldest of the air, his body is burning, he's turning on. He swallowed hard and looked away, he needs to get away from here, from her, or else he might end up hurting himself.
"What's wrong?" Vienna asked.
"Nothing," He instantly replied. "We have to get out of here first and tell the others about this."
Vienna nodded. She agreed for staying here for a long will seriously damage her.
"C'mon, follow me," Drake said and dive back in the water before she can respond.
But well, he is the captain. Vienna readied herself when she noticed something blinking near the stones at the left side of the cave's wall. She was going to ignore it but it kept hitting her eyes. She sighed and walk toward it and saw something gold and shiny.
She picked it up and cleaned the mud covering it. Her eyes grow in shock and her hands trembled. Fear consumed her all being as she's holding the Andra Kingdom's Royal Badge given to the outstanding knights in the kingdom. It was even stamped by the king himself.
What the hell is going on? Why is this thing in here? Don't tell me, the king is involved with this whole thing?