Title: Plain Sailing
Category: Books ยป Twilight
Author: lisaXX93
Language: English,
Rating: Rated: T
Genre: Romance/Adventure
A/N This is a story that I originaly wrote a few years ago. I have recently taken it down as I have been going over it and improving it, weaving out grammatical mistakes, ever so slightly changing the plot (but not much!) etc. It greatly grieves my heart to have lost all the amazing reviews my original readers left me! I hope you're still with me and if you are let me know!
Chapter 1: Running
And too any new readers, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
I own nothing of the original Twilight Saga.
BPOV
He lurched towards me, his hands pulling at my dress. I slapped him hard around the face.
"What's the matter?" he slurred, "you're such a pretty girl." I stepped back trying to avoid his hands.
"James, do not touch me, or I swear to God you will regret it." I pushed him away, cringing from the smell of rum on his breath. He chuckled at my threat.
"Feisty, I like 'em like that."
I retreated behind the desk in my father's drawing room. James slowly prowled towards me. His movements a lot like that of a hunter tracking his prey. I pulled open the desk drawer by my left hand and pulled put the gun. James was too drunk to notice my movements and carried on leering at me. Under the desk I flicked the safety switch off and put my thumb on the hammer.
James was now approaching my right hand side. I put the gun behind my back and slipped out behind the desk.
"James." I tried to warn him with the tone of my voice but again all he did was chuckle.
As he lurched at me again I brought the gun up and held it steady; pointing straight between his eyes. He stared crossed eyed down the barrel of the gun. His expression would have been comical if it weren't for the dire situation. I pulled the hammer back and released it. It bounced back with a loud click! An uncertain smile spread on his face.
"Now, now Isabella. You're not going to shoot me are you?"
"If you push me too far James, yes I will." I stared at him in the eyes and tried not to let my fear show. He stepped forward slowly so that his forehead touched the barrel of the gun. He took another step and my arm bent as he closed the space between us. He grinned giving me the full view of his yellow teeth.
"You, Isabella, will not shoot me because you are scared."
I was, I was terrified and I froze in shock as his hands started to pull at the shoulders of my dress.
"See," he sneered.
His foul breath washed over my face and pulled me out of my shock. As he reached out a hand to touch my chest; I stepped back and shot him in his chest. His hand flew up to the gaping hole, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. I shot him again, the sound like thunder in my ears. And again. And again.
I stared at his body sprawled on the floor. The blood splattered across the opposite wall. I stood frozen as the realisation of what I had just done crashed down on me. I had killed him. I was a murderer. I had to get out of here I had to leave. Now.
I picked up the skirts of my dress and ran, tears streaming down my face. I tried to step over the body but I foot caught on his leg and I crashed to the floor. I landed heavily on the floor in something sticky. I screamed when I realised that it was his blood. It coated the front of my silk dress and was on my hands and face.
I scrambled up and ran out the door of the room. I ran up the stairs, occasionally stumbling so I threw out my hand to steady myself and left bloody handprints on the wall. The same thought was going round my head the whole time. What have I done? When I reached my room I pulled off my dress and poured a pitch of water into the tub in my bathroom. I knelt by the bath and scrubbed the blood off of me. I scrubbed at my hands, at my face, my arms, my legs. No matter how hard I scrubbed I could see the blood on my hands. I could see the sin I had committed.
I stood up and went into my father's room, he was out at dinner and it was the servant's night off. The house was empty but for me and the body. I looked through his wardrobe but everything was too fancy. I needed something that wasn't fine. I had decided to leave; I would dress as a man and get a job on a merchant ship. That way I could pass unnoticed by the law and get passage somewhere far away. Possibly America.
The only thing I took of my father's clothes was a white linen shirt. I then went to the servant's quarter's and rummaged until I found a pair of woollen brown trousers, a long brown waistcoat, an old frock coat and a worn hat. I took the clothes back to my room where I stripped out of my petticoat, unlaced my corset and threw it to the floor. I pulled off my chemise but I left my plain knee length draws on. I pulled on my father's shirt and the trousers. I tightened the string of the trousers as much as I could but they still hung low on my hips, I pulled on the waistcoat over the shirt and hoped it hung lose enough to hide my breasts. I picked up the hat and the frock coat before walking into my father's room again.
At the back of the wardrobe I had seen a variety of belts and swords. I pulled out the shabbiest looking sword, but it was still gleaming and had gold leaf woven into the handle. I buckled on the thick belt and it hung heavy on my hips. I picked up the gun I had dropped earlier and tucked that into the belt as well. I would have to go back to the drawing room in order to get ammunition for it, but I would do that later. I pulled my hair up and tied it into a ponytail. I silently said a prayer of thanks that I hadn't curled my hair this morning. I then tied a plain brown scarf around my head to try and hide the length of my hair.
I went over to my mother's dressing table and picked up a locket that had a picture of the three of us from when she was still alive. I pulled it over my head and tucked it under my shirt. I then rummaged through the draws to find the money that I knew would be there, I pulled out the drawstring purse I found and looked inside. I counted one hundred English pounds. That was a lot of money, I put the purse in the inside pocket of the waistcoat I was wearing. Before I stood up I looked in the mirror and at my reflection. My eyes were dead.
I stood up and pulled the frock coat on before I pulled the hat down over my eyes. I ran down the stairs, ignoring the bloody handprints and stopped in front of the drawing room. Taking a deep breath I walked in. I kept my eyes on the desk and inched around the body. When I was once again behind the desk I rummaged through the drawers until I found the little box of bullets for my father's gun. Now I was ready to go.
I needed a new identity for myself and I decided to call myself after my father; Charles. I hurried out to the stables and saddled up my horse. Twilight waited patiently for me to finish and mount her. Once I was up I started to make my way down the road, it was a half hour ride into town and with every step Twilight took I left my life behind. I had intended to keep going straight to the docks but I was forced stopped because the heavens opened up and I was getting soaked.
I stopped when I came across the first inn, I would stay here for the remainder of the night. I dismounted Twilight and looked up at the inn sign; the paint was faded so I couldn't read the name of it. I led Twilight to the stables behind the inn where a stable boy was sitting and getting soaked.
"What's the price for the night?" I shouted over the storm to him.
"Two shillings to leave your horse here for the night, one pound for a room."
"Do I pay inside?"
Instead of shouting back he just nodded at me. I gave him my horse and watched as he led her to a stable. Once I was sure Twilight was settled and calm I entered the inn. As I looked around the inn was mostly filled with drunk, balding men drowning their sorrows in a pint. I approached the bartender, when I stepped up to the bar he stopped cleaning the dirty pint glass and just looked at me. "I need a room for tonight and my horse is in the stables." I said quietly. The bar tender looked me up and down, not quite sure to make of me. "It's a pound, if you have a horse outside as well." I nodded and reached into my purse. I pulled out the required money. I set down on the bar. The man took the coins, "Lizzie, show this boy to a room." He called behind him and a young girl, no older than I, came out behind the bar. I was pleased to note that my disguise was working.
The girl called Lizzie led me to the back of the room where I saw a staircase I hadn't before.
"Do you not have any bags?" She asked me as we walked up the stairs. I shook my head before I remembered she couldn't see me.
"No." I could see the back of her head nod, when we reached the top of the staircase she led me down a dimly lit corridor until she stopped outside a room. She turned to me and held out a key.
"Here's your room, the lock is a bit stiff so be wary of that. Do you need anything else?" She asked me. I took the key from her hand.
"Yes, can I have some food brought up please?" She nodded and started down the corridor again. I put the old key into the lock and turned. Just like the girl said it stuck, I heaved my shoulder against the door and stumbled as it swung open. I looked around the room, there was a small bed pushed up against the far wall beneath the widow with tattered curtains and equally tattered bed clothes. To one side there was an old wooden chair that looked like it would buckle if any weight was put on it. I sighed this was not what I was used to but I had left that life behind.
I pulled off my frock coat and slung it over the chair to dry and flung my hat onto the bed. I was relatively dry thanks to the coat so I wouldn't need to take off any more clothing. I sat down on the bed and pulled my knees close. What would I do next? I had no idea. I thought hard about what I would do when a gentle knock brought me out of my thoughts.
"Food's here love." Called Lizzie, I got up off the bed and pulled open the door. I took the tray off of her and paid her. I only started to examine the food after I closed the door. It seemed to be some sort of stew with a slab of bread on the side, I picked up the fork that Lizzie had put on the tray and poked the food. I carefully lifted the fork up to my mouth to taste the food. Surprisingly it wasn't too bad and I ate all of it before putting the tray on the floor.
I shrugged out of my waistcoat, kicked off my boots and unbuckled my belt. I put the sword on the floor next to the bed where I could reach it and the gun under my pillow. I then crawled under the covers to go to sleep.
I woke up when the sunlight began to stream through the window. At first I didn't remember where I was and sat bolt up. I suddenly felt dizzy because of the blood rush to my head and I flopped back down onto the pillow. As I lay down the events of yesterday came rushing back. I threw my arm over my eyes and groaned. I had to do something.
As I got dressed I decided to sell Twilight, I didn't want to but if I was going to get a job on a ship a horse would be an inconvenience. I pulled on my frock coat and left the room. The corridor was quiet as I stepped out into it; I closed the door behind me and locked it. Once I was downstairs I made my way over to the bar man again. He was cleaning the same glass as yesterday, and it didn't look any cleaner.
"Do you know if there are any jobs going down at the docks?" I asked quietly. The bartender looked up at me.
"Sure boy, a merchant ship is coming in today; it brings in my supply of rum. They'll be looking for some fresh meat. She's called Joy." It took me a second to figure out that he was talking about the name of the ship and not a person. I nodded my thanks to the barman and was about to head out the door before turning to him.
"Do you know where I could sell my horse?"
"On the way down to the docks, there's a market, and you could sell the horse there." I smiled and thanked him before heading outside. I walked round to the back end of the inn; I couldn't find the stable boy anywhere so I walked along the stable blocks until I found twilight. When I found her she was munching on some straw and looked happy enough. I rubbed her head and pulled her out to the yard, as I mounted her I spotted the stable boy making his way over.
"That's a mighty fine horse you got there." He said and stroked Twilight s cheek. I chuckled and tossed him a pound.
"Thanks for looking after her." I said and started to make my way down the road towards the docks. As I got nearer the road started to thicken with people and carriages, I stopped one man and asked him for directions to the market.
"Carry on down the road. In about a mile take the right turning, it'll be right in front of you. You can't miss it." He said roughly before slouching off. I shouted my thanks after him but he ignored me.
I carried on down the road which was getting thicker with people every passing moment, when I spotted the turning a steered Twilight down it, but instead of seeing a market and lots of people, the road was completely empty. I carried on down it hoping that it wasn't a joke when the road widened and a huge market place revealed itself.
I dismounted Twilight and led her for the rest of the way. I pushed my way through until I saw what I was looking for. A man stood with five horses tied up in a row. I quietly watched him sell two of them before I walked over to him.
"I need to sell my horse," I told him. He looked over at Twilight with a keen interest in his eyes. He ran his hand over her nose and down her flank.
"Gender?" he asked.
"Female I replied. She is in good condition sir, I don't want much but I'm not willing to be ripped off either. I'll settle for a price just below the one I bought her for. Oh and she's called Twilight" The man cocked an eyebrow at my little speech and nodded his head slowly.
"What price did you buy her for he asked?" I looked fondly at Twilight.
"Thirty five pounds but I'm willing to sell her for just twenty five along with all her gear." The man let out a whistle and then chuckled.
"You've got yourself a deal lad." He grinned at the bargain we had just made and he handed my twenty five pounds over.
I helped him take off Twilight's saddle and cloth. I stroked her nose, "behave," I told her before turning back to the dealer. "Which way to the docks?" I asked.
"Just follow this road straight down; the docks are right at the bottom." He told me. He then turned his attention to a couple that were looking at Twilight.
"This here is a very fine horse, female called Twilight. Wonderful name isn't?" I heard him carry on talking as he tried to sell Twilight to the couple and I turned to carry on walking down the road.
As I approached the docks the crowds got thinner but the air got heavier with the scent of salt and fish. When I reached them I looked up and down. The wet cobbles carried on for miles, there were ships and boats of every size and shape. I walked down and watched as fishermen hauled their catch out of their ships and as wealthy merchant men talked to the captains of their ships. I finally spotted the ship that the bar man had been talking about.
It was right at the bottom of the dock, 'Joy' was painted in large gold lettering across the side of the ship. The ship was simple in design and colour but it still managed to look sleek and elegant. As I approached the ship a man that I presumed was the captain was shouting at a boy who looked younger than me.
"I thought you said you could read and write?" He yelled I could see droplets of spit fly out of the corners of his mouth. "You're lucky I'm just firing you and not flogging you, now get out of here before I change my mind!" the boy hurried away almost in tears. I felt sorry for him but it gave me the chance I needed to ask for a job.
I approached the man nervously. "Sir; I couldn't help but overhear your, er, conversation." The man turned and looked at me, his eyes travelled up and down my body and I hoped that he couldn't see through me.
"Forget it boy I'm only going to take you on if you can read and write." He turned away from me and I smiled to myself.
"That sir I can do." I called out to him. He stopped and turned around to face me again.
"I swear to God boy if it turns out that your lying I'm going to flog you to hell and back." He growled at me. He jerked his head in a gesture for me to follow him. I walked up the gangplank and stepped up onto the deck. The man prowled along it shouting at various different members of the crew. Some of them stopped and looked at me as I followed the man across the deck. I fought down my blush and held my head high and tried not to look at them men watching me.
The man stopped at a cabin door and knocked on it. "Come in," barked a deep gravelly voice from inside. I held my breath as the man opened the door and led me. Once I was in the room the man closed the door behind me and started to speak.
"Captain, this boy here says he can read and write." Obviously my earlier presumption that the man who shouted at the boy was wrong. He wasn't the captain. I looked at the man sitting behind the desk; he was dressed in rich colours and had a belly that was pressed into the edge of the desk. He had a kindly face but I could see that he was annoyed.
"The last boy who said that turned out to be lying." The captain glared at the man standing next to man and he started to sweat. I took a deep breath before stepping forward and speaking.
"Sir, I am not lying my father taught me how to read and write from an early age, he also taught me to always to be honest and respectful. I am sorry if I am speaking out of turn." I looked at the captain who had focused all of his attention on me and the man next to me was shaking in fear that I had offended the captain. The captain pushed the book that he held towards me; it had columns and rows of numbers.
"Read that to me." He spoke quietly. I frowned; these were numbers not words.
"Sir, these are numbers not words." The captain nodded and then reached behind him and pulled out a book, he handed me the leather bound book. The cover was green and the title was gold leaf.
"Read the first line out to me." I nodded and opened the book. I scanned the page first before I opened my mouth.
"The man stood tall and wide on the deck of his ship, all around him havoc ruled but he only had eyes for the man in front of him. This was the man who had murdered his father."
I stopped and looked up, the captain was grinning, "You can read and you know your numbers I'm impressed."
"Sir how did you know that I knew my numbers?" I asked him. He smirked.
"When you looked at the accounts book you said 'these are numbers not words.' That told me right away that you knew numbers and how to read. Now the next test is writing." He pushed a quill and a piece of parchment in front of me. "I want you write what I dictate to you." I nodded and sat down on a chair so that I could write better. I quickly wrote down what he dictated to me and handed the parchment to him; hoping that I didn't make too many mistakes. He scanned the parchment before looking up at me.
"Incredible, not a single mistake and everything I said is down here." I grinned at the compliment, "incredible." He murmured again. "Welcome to the crew boy!" he suddenly roared making my jump in the seat I was still sitting in. The captain got up and threw open the cabin door. He reached out and rang a bell that was next to his door. I saw the crew of the ship scuttle about until they had formed a line in front of the captain. "What's your name boy?" he asked turning to me.
"Charlie Swan." I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat as I thought of my father. Once again the thought what have I done? Flashed through my mind. I shook my head to get rid of it. "Alright boys we have a new member joining us today, this is Charlie. Williams he will be helping you. He can read and write as well as knowing his numbers. Now Charlie; Williams here will explain the rules to you but here are a few. You will be signing up for a three year course with us and you will be paid at the end of each month. You will do as Williams tells you and if and when I ring this here bell you line up. You will stand on the left hand side of Williams; you will also refer to me as captain from now on. Understood?" he barked at me.
"Yes captain." I said. He grinned at me.
"Good lad. Boys three will be drinking tonight to celebrate!" A huge roar went up at this statement. I just stood there. I was now a crew member of the Joy. I stood there and thought what have I done?
