The Belladonna

Chapter 55

It felt good to be out on the open seas again. Sky breathed in deeply cherishing the crisp salty air. She leaned on the railing looking out over the waters. All around her blue shifted to light silver then swirled into a dark green as the waves swelled and dipped. They had been sailing at a staggering speed, the wind had picked up once they moved further from land. The air flowing in from the north making their sails ripple with excitement. It was as if the ship itself was exultant to be moving so fast. The port was a speck behind them and the sun had turned the sky to a bright pink.

The ship was loud with work. Rigging lines clinked from above her and men hollered to each other from across the deck. Some women had begun to sing folk songs down near the bow of the ship. Up on the poop deck, Sav's gruff voice carried as he and the towns carpenter argued. Dana's commanding footsteps as she inspected her men's work and gave words of strict encouragement. Then there was the sound of insistent scrapping back and forth, over and over.

A throat was cleared to Sky side. "I do believe we were both placed on this task."

Edward was leaning with his back against the railing looking annoyed and hot. Sky turned to him from her thoughtful state. A bead of sweat dripped down from his brow and he huffed it away. The wind blew at his messy hair sticking it to his face only annoying him further.

"You know," Sky picked up her neglected sanding stone and looked down at it with a small smile. "I don't mind sanding." Edward lifted an eyebrow at this as he looked down at her.

"Then why am I doing all the work?"

The wood before Sky was smooth and soft under her finger tips the result of hours spent sanding. She trailed her hand out to her right until the railing cracked viciously and became splintered. With her stone in her left hand, Sky began to work away the rough areas gently. More aggressive scraping started up again to her side.

"I don't quite see the point to all this." Edward complained.

Sav had put them on sanding duty, partly in Sky's mind, to annoy his friend. Timothy was one of the men assigned to controlling the sails. As head of weapons back on Karniva, Sav was the commander of the gun deck. However, until they needed to use the cannons, he had taken up duty with the carpenter. From their consistent squabbles on the poop deck, the two men did not seem to get along well.

"Why?" Sky grinned as her hands guided the stone closer to the more damaged wood. "Because we will just get blown up anyway?"

"Exactly." Edward declared and dropped his sanding stone looking pale.

"What happened to your optimism on Harpers Ilse?" When no reply came Sky continued, "Besides, I don't fancy firing a pistol or holding a sword with a dozen splinters in my hands."

Once the waves had started to pick up a few hours ago, Edward had gone to find himself a bucket. Though, despite this and Sky's concerned questions, the young man had insisted that he was feeling better than before and was even getting used to the sensation now. Sky suspected his grumpy mood was at least in part due to his struggle to keep dinner down. That, and he may just genuinely hate sanding.

"No pride in your vessel Edward?" Dana remarked suddenly from behind them causing the two to jump slightly. Dana smiled mildly. "We want to look our best when we bring down the King. Do we not?" She moved on without waiting for an answer. Edward huffed and started sanding again a little softer with his movements.

"Does she have a name?" Sky asked following the leader with her eyes. Since leaving port the woman had seemed more at ease. Sky had even seen her talking casually with some of the women near the bow.