On The Trail We Blaze

Chapter 2 - Escaping The Ship

The moon was brightly shining in the sky, along with thousands of stars, and the ship along with those that accompanied it were already far out to sea. The trio had continued to try and get out of their confinements but were no closer to getting out than when they had started.

"You ready?" Tulio asked the others.

Miguel, though exhausted, still responded enthusiastically. (Y/N), however, "Give it a rest, Tulio."

"Come on, just one more try."

She rolled her eyes but gave in. Just in time for some sailors to stroll over and remove the chest that weighed the lids down, and over to where it was needed.

"One, Two, THREE!"

They all popped out of the barrels, giant grins on their faces after finally being free. However, they froze as hundreds of eyes stared back at them, anger and confusion painting their expressions. The trio smiled awkwardly, attempting to try and hide themselves back inside the barrels, as if nothing had happened.

This didn't work out in their favour - or at all for that matter.

Instead, they were cuffed, with a yoke pressing on the back of their necks to keep their arms upright and restrained, finally being dropped to their knees in front of Cortes himself. They were terrified as he turned to face them, dark eyes seething with a rage that couldn't be matched.

"My crew was as carefully chosen as the disciples of Christ." He informed them, cracking his knuckles in an intimidating manner. "And I will not tolerate stowaways."

Neither could speak up to defend themselves as there was no way they could. If they explained how they ended up in the barrels, they still were quite guilty. They did evade the law after all. In either light, they were not innocent. And, even if they were, there was no way they'd be seen as innocent in Cortes' eyes.

"You will be flogged. And when we put into Cuba to resupply, God willing, you will be flogged some more, and then enslaved on the sugar plantations..." His eyes narrowed on (Y/N), who tried her best to shrink away from his terrifying gaze, "Or in a brothel for the rest of your miserable lives. To the brig."

(Y/N) felt like she couldn't breathe upon hearing such terrible things. Everything she knew was coming to an end. All that was held dear to her would probably be ripped away and, either on a plantation or in a brothel, she'd have no rights and no freedom.

She'd rather have been killed now than to learn of what awaited her. And it seemed Tulio agreed, his horrified expression matching hers.

The only one who seemed happy about the news was Miguel. Granted, it was only because he was not fully aware of what was going to happen to them.

He merely grinned and excitedly stated, "All right. Cuba."

His companions gazed at him, wondering if he had lost his mind, before being seized and hauled away.

...

A few days had passed, with a new one rising over the small fleet of ships. A happy looking chef whistled cheerfully, carrying a large bowl full of bright red, delicious-looking apples. He strutted over to Altivo, Cortes' horse, who gazed at the apples hungrily.

"Hey, Altivo!" He greeted but swerved as the animal tried to chomp down on one of the apples. "Ah-ah-ah, not for you! You're on half rations. Orders from Cortes."

As he moved away from the steed, he accidentally dropped one of the apples, and the poor creature watched as it rolled across the floor and through the bars of the brig's door. Inside were the helpless trio, Miguel startled from his slumber as the apple fell into his lap.