The Belladonna

Chapter 11 - Manor

The pirates, Sky included, helped the townspeople move the bodies away from the dock and dumped them in a mass grave far to the left of the village. After that Sky had spent a long time dry heaving as her empty stomach clenched at the sight of all those men. The villagers who had died were carried off with care up to the cemetery near the manor but at the bottom of the hill. Mr. Rogue had gone into the buildings to tell the people it was alright to come out and Dustin went aboard the frigates Thomas following. Both of them talking in quiet yet restless voices. Two of Dustin's men had died; the one who had spoken against the captain on the long boat over and the man who had gone with Dustin and Mr Rogue.

That meant she was left standing with the other man from her boat. He watched her with curios and worried eyes.

"I'm fine." She assured him feeling uneasy. He nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. Sky placed him in his thirties and he had the same sort of look as Lucuss had; blond hair blue eyes. Only his were not innocent and pure. Marle, Thomas had called him.

"You did well." He said before to her moving away to greet his Captain. The three men spoke with their heads bent together and Sky saw the anger and hurt on Dustin's face. Marle said something that made all three sets of eyes turn to her. Sky wanted the ground to open and swallow her up, but instead it remained completely intact and even seemed to hold her in place as the three pirates made their way over to her.

"You should not have been here." The Captain snapped and Sky actually flinched. She thought over her options. Should I tell him the truth? And then let him rip open my throat for almost betraying them to the navy? She knew that wouldn't end well. But the longer she thought about it the more she became angry.

"Excuse me?" She snapped back at him. The Captain didn't even blink. He leaned in so his face we inches from her and spoke slowly a dark fire in his eyes.

"What were you doing here?" Sky's gaze flicked down to his lips and she forced her eye back to his.

"Had I not been here all the townspeople would have been massacred." She pushed at his chest to get him away from her.

"She has a point Captain." Marle said looking at her.

"So what happened?" Thomas asked giving her an option to explain herself before the captain punched her.

"I overheard them talking," Sky explained not really wanting to go further into it.

"And what did they say?" Thomas prompted. Sky looked at him finding it easier to fill her lungs when she wasn't confronted by gold hateful eyes.

"That the king had given the order, and that they were going to blow up the town." She looked back at the captain when he cursed aggressively. "I followed them and when I saw what they were going to do I shot the commodore." She felt wrong for taking another life even if it was to help innocents.

"You still haven't answered me." The Captain growled at her. Sky swallowed, she couldn't tell him her reason for being there.

"Dust, she's had a traumatic day-"

"I don't care what bloody hell kind of a day she's had." The captain whirled on Thomas. He looked back to her his eyes blazing. "You should have been on the Belladonna. Why weren't you."

Sky swallowed. "I was trying to escape." She wasn't really lying. "I thought if I could get on one of the frigates they could take me home."

The others nodded accepting her lie. Dustin did not. "I know you're not telling me something, Sweetheart." He moved his face so close to hers that she could feel his breathe on her eyelashes. "And the only reason you are getting away with it is because I owe you my life." He spoke the words in a very unhappy manner. "Next time you lie to me you will regret it. I promise." He moved away and Sky resisted the urge to shiver.