The Pirate's Ransom

15. Moods and Words

    Prim sat on the stairs near the helm putting the finishing touches on Kitty's gown. Swords clanged in the air as Charlie sparred with Pops. They were approaching Orphic and would soon reach their destination. There had been no sign of Captain Blight's ship, but Prim knew Caspian was always on the lookout for it.

    "You haven't sparred with Charlie in a while." She looked up as Caspian approached. He sprawled out on the stairs beside her.

    "I haven't been able to make myself."

    "Why?"

    "I keep seeing that man's face. The way he looked right after I..." Prim lowered her gaze. "I don't want to touch a sword, much less a gun."

    "You have to keep improving your skills."

    "What good are skills that are used to kill people?"

    Caspian shook his head. "They're not just used to kill people. They're for survival. Your survival. In this world, you can't survive without spilling a little blood."

    "My father has never killed anyone. He seems to be doing just fine."

    "Your father has titles and power to protect himself with. My titles and power only attract danger. I don't have the luxury of letting armed guards fight my battles for me. Your father may not have killed someone, but people have been killed in his name. Many more will be after he becomes King."

    "I don't want to kill people." Prim watched as Charlie disarmed Pops. He pointed Pops' sword back at him with a laugh.

    "No one ever does." His gaze shifted to her. "But at the end of the day, it's you and your crew's survival, or the lives of the people who threaten you."

    "Will you take on more crewmen from Port?" They had lost three men in the battle. An older man named Edward, his younger brother Matthias, and Jesp's friend Isaac.

    Caspian shook his head. "Not unless the crew starts falling behind in their duties. I don't like to take on new crewmen right away." He stood and offered her a hand. "Come on."

    "Where?"

    "Target practice."

    Prim shook her head. "I can't."

    "We'll keep the pistol unloaded," he promised. "You can aim at me if that helps."

    She half smiled and sighed. Prim let him help her up. She set Kitty's dress aside and followed him up to the helm. The wheel was held in place by a length of rope thrown over one of the handles. Prim tilted her head, eyeing it.

    "It's how we stay on course when someone can't be at the helm," Caspian explained. "Of course, we do have to check on it every once in a while. The wind likes to blow us around a little." He drew a pistol from his belt and held it out to her.

    "It's empty?" Prim asked.

    "I cleaned it earlier and haven't had time to load it."

    She took the pistol hesitantly. Prim cocked it and aimed towards the sky. She squeezed the trigger. There was no loud bang or reverberation, only an empty click. Caspian raised an eyebrow. "I was just double checking. Everyone knows you can't trust the word of a pirate," she laughed.

    "As I said before, I'm a man of my word, Darling."

    "Your word changes every day. Sometimes every hour."

    "It changes to match your mood."

    "How so?" Prim held up the pistol again. Caspian covered her hand with his own and adjusted her aim. She stared down the barrel of the pistol and spied a bucket.