The Belladonna

Chapter 8

Sky ran towards the stairs leading up to the poop deck and caught up with the Captain and the man he was with.

"Master Thomas." Captain Dustin turned his head to face the man standing close behind him. "How many did we lose?"

"Four all together, Cap'n." Sky followed behind them silently. The man, Thomas, looked over his shoulder at her. He was average height and strong looking with big muscles and his skin was a dark tan and his eyes dark brown. He looked frightening with dark swirling ink that laced one side of his face in an intricate pattern. His eyes were surprisingly not unkind when they fell on her.

Thomas said nothing and simply looked back to his Captain. "We took a lot of damage today Dust. The Belladonna is still in bad condition from the battle with the Brig. If you push her too hard you'll sink her."

"She can take it." Captain Dustin replied.

"Cap'n-"

"We'll make port at Luckuss and resupply there." The Captain cut in. "It's only two days from here, one if we have the wind at our backs. That should be enough time for the men to gather their wits."

"Aye. What about the Jane Duchess?" Thomas sounded hesitant. A scowl appeared on the Captains face making him look older.

"We let her go. For now," He didn't look happy about it and Sky wondered what they were talking about. "Set a course for Luckuss. The men are in need of a good time." Sky knew his definition of a 'good time' involved lots of rum and a woman's company. She internally cringed.

"Aye Sir." Thomas descended the stairs and Sky watched him walk over to a small man. The man nodded then climbed up the rope ladder connecting with the main mast. She followed him up with her eyes and when he reached the top he produced a spyglass. Dread clutched at her heart when she realised that both her father's compass and brother spyglass were at the bottom of the ocean. The only things she had left of them gone and she could never get them back.

"Move." The Captains voice broke her thoughts and she looked him and blinked. He rolled his gold eyes and pointed to the stern of the ship. Sky looked back and realised he didn't want her standing close to him.

"Aren't you going to put me back in the cell?" She asked confused.

"Do you want me too?" He lifted one eyebrow cockily. Sky huffed and turned away from him making her way to the back of the ship.

"What am I meant to do?" She didn't want to piss him off and needed to know what he expected of her so she didn't get her throat slit open.

"Stand still and shut up." He growled turning back to the wheel. Sky waited till she could no longer see his face then narrowed her eyes at him in anger and annoyance.

The back of the ship was rather beautiful with calved railings and a flourish top that opened like a flower. It was painted in dark blues and engraved unto the wood at eye level was the name of the ship in cursive script so elaborately done she struggled to read it. Deciding to make herself comfortable Sky sat down glad to rest her sore body as the rain become lighter and landed on her head with less intensity than before. We are almost out of the storm. She wished she had some more substantial clothing on. Her pants and shirt were still covered in grime and old blood from the battle on the Brig. Sky struggled to push aside memories she did not want to relive, especially not when it felt so raw and surreal. Her eyes stung and she shut them blinking away tears. Sky remained there letting the fresh water wash the filth from her face. Soon her body gave out with exhaustion and her eyes drifted closed.

Orange light pierced though her eye lids and Sky's body went tense. She could not believe that she'd let herself fall asleep on a ship surrounded by pirates. As difficult as it was she pried her eyes open and saw the sun was level with the ocean. With the storm clouds gone the sun crated shades of bright orange and yellow that faded out into pink and then a beautiful purple as the blue of the evening sky mixed in with the pink rays of sun light.