The Belladonna

Chapter 9 - Harpers Isle

They were singing. Sky could not believe it. It had been almost four hours of sailing in the one direction; she hadn't seen Thomas spin the wheel once and since the night was clear she was able to see the speck of Harpers Isle way off in the distance. The Captain was right; they would be there early afternoon tomorrow. Or today. Sky thought considering the time was early morning. The almost full moon was big behind them and the crew's mood was unsettlingly good.

They had finished the first keg of rum and were rolling out another when Thomas yelled at them all that they weren't to touch another drop. He had then turned to Sky rolling his eyes. Sky was feeling very out of place amongst these men and was surprised to find she took comfort in knowing Thomas was the only sober man on the ship. However she was very frustrated to find her eyes kept drifting to one certain pirate in particular.

Captain Dustin stood leaning against the main mast with a slightly annoyed look on his face as his men danced around him singing a sea shanty Sky had never heard before. Form what she understood, the pirate's slurred words were difficult to decipher, it was about a man who left his wife to gain stolen money and although his motive was pure his thoughts while away were not. When the main line "So be the life of piracy!" came everyone joined in with cheer in their drunken faces. All but the Captain.

Sky watched as his men yelled the line and pulled at him trying to get him to join in like children do an adult. He simply shrugged them off getting more annoyed with each attempt. Sky felt her heart skyrocket when he pulled his pistol out and aimed it at the man tugging on his arm a pissed off look on his face.

"Not to fear, Lass." Thomas reassured her. "The Cap'n can hold 'is liquor." The statement didn't do much to bring her confidence. Though the men seemed to get the message that their Captain was not in the mood for singing and drunken dancing. In fact, Sky noted, he looked more angry to be down amongst his men then he had before. His eyes were dark and tired looking and it seemed as if he was leaning against the pillar to hold up his intoxicated frame.

Working at The Pigs Pen had allowed Sky to see many men well past their limits. What threw her with the pirates though was how happy they all seemed. It was difficult to not smile at their out of tune singing and even more ridiculous dancing. But Sky caught herself each time she began to feel more relaxed.

These men slaughtered good people only a few days ago. Sky scolded herself feeling sick. They killed men with families, leaving widows with no money. They sliced through a young boy who had a sister to look after without even caring. For the first time in a while Sky thought of James. Had these men killed him? Was the man standing against the mast, his hat off and his light hair blowing gently in the cool breeze, responsible for driving a blade through her brother? Sky went to turn away from him, her chest tightening, when she noticed that his eyes were on her.

As if he had heard her thoughts he looked down at the pistol in his hands and put it back in its holder at his hip a scowl on his face. Sky wanted to storm down the steps and confront him, demand to know if he had seen her brother and, if the answer was yes, had he killed him. But there was something holding her back, some part of her that did not want to hear the words from his lips. And she didn't know why.

"The sun'll be rising soon." Thomas' voice brought Sky back to where she was and she looked to the east as if she could see it already. The men on the deck were yelling with joy and merriment and Sky wanted to know how they could live with themselves knowing what they'd done to the navy soldiers.

From above her was a holler. "Captain!" Dustin lifted his head to look up at the man on the top with a bored expression. "There'd be two navy ships docked at Luckuss! Look like frigates." The panic in his voice carried out over the ship and the men below stopped their dancing and singing to look at each other. Their gazes turned all at once to the Captain. He cursed and pushed himself from the mast with some effort. Sky watched him as he staggered up the steps using the railing for support.