Chapter 4: A First for Everything

BPOV

When I returned to my hammock I felt the gentle tugging of the sea as we pulled out of our berth. Before when I had first joined that gentle tugging had made me sick, now it was a comfort that I found hard to sleep without.

I didn't know why I was so sad to leave. I wanted to stay longer to have some time to relax. Mostly I wanted another chance to meet with Edward. It was so stupid. I had met the man once and he had been rude, not only that but he was planning to attack the ship.

I shook my head and let troubled sleep overtake me.

His fingertips fluttered along my cheekbone as he gazed into my eyes. "Why do you hide?" he asked in a barely audible whisper. The velvet still layered in his voice but genuine concern broke through. "Why do you hide your beautiful hair? Your shining eyes? You don't have to hide, not from me."

As the tears broke free and streamed down my face he pulled me close to him and held me, just held me. I felt like I could tell him everything. I could trust him. In his arms I felt the safest I had ever been. And it all came pouring out.

The murder I had committed, the theft and the lies. I didn't hold back, I couldn't even if I wanted to. His soft whispers and gentle eyes and broken me free from the shackles that had held me quiet for so long.

I choked my story out as he held me and stroked my hair.

"I'm a murderer. Worthless" I sobbed accepting the terrible truth.

"Bella…" he breathed into my "You are not worthless."

My eyes fluttered open at the soft words. My breathing was heavy, my chest ached and my face was stained with tears. It had felt more like a premonition than a dream.

My hammock rocked gently as I rolled out of it and the hard wood deck creaked as I landed on it in a crouch. I looked around the hold and saw that it was eerily empty; the whole crew must be up on the upper deck.

I made my way down to where a bucket of water was sitting at the far end of the hold and splashed some on my face; trying both to wake myself up and to wash away my dream.

I shook away the memories and breathed deeply. He was a pirate. A bad person. Not only that I did not know him; therefore I could not have any feelings for him.

So why did my heart race when I thought of him? Why did I feel warmth spread through me as I thought of his sparkling emeralds for eyes? Why did everything about him captivate me, make me want to know him? It must be because he comes from a whole different world to I. Yes, that was it I mused. It was a fascination with pirate world. Not a particular, very specific pirate. Not at all.

I made my way up to the main deck churning over my dream before discarding it as just that, a dream. It meant nothing. I walked over the deck and rested my elbows on the rails, I breathed in deeply the salty air revelling in the way it soothed me where before it burnt.

I heard the soft footsteps behind me and out of the corner of my eye I saw Crosby leaning on the rail next to, his back facing the sea. "Any news?" I asked.

Crosby let out a breathe and ran his hands through his hair. "None." He stated simply. "Though occasionally a mate says that he saw some sails with a black flag." He shook his head, "but when me or Capt'n comes to inspect we can see nothing. The men are starting to get jumpy." He shook his head. "Hell, I'm getting jumpy."

I thought over his words, sailors would see a ship but then no one else could. Would it be possible that they are playing with us? To me it sounded like they were playing a childish game of hide and seek in reverse.

What if they were purposely trying to get the crew so worked up that when they did attack there would be panic and chaos, making it easier to take the ship quickly and with less trouble.

"Crosby…" I started, but what if I was wrong?

"Go on boy, you've proven correct so far."

"Well, something just occurred to me. What if they want the crew to catch glimpses of them?" I paused and a frown creased over Crosby's brow. "What if they are trying to get everyone so worked up that when they attack there is panic and confusion on our side but they are perfectly composed? From everything I've heard about them, if they didn't want us to see them, then we wouldn't. The glimpses, then the disappearing sounds too… calculating, too planned. What's more if they were using these tactics then they would want to provoke as much panic as possible, then we should expect an attack at night. We wouldn't be able to see them if the dosed all their lamps but they would see us because we keep our lamps on." I drew in a deep breath and glanced at Crosby. Shock was etched onto his face.

"By God boy. Captain and me have been puzzling over that for the past day and you… you just had it figured out it a matter of minutes!"

"You think that's what they're doing?" Crosby nodded vigorously at my words.

"Come, we have to explain this to the Captain." Crosby grabbed my hand and started dragging me towards the Captain's cabin.

Crosby barely knocked on the cabin door before he flung it open to reveal the Captain sitting hunched over his desk. A map was spread out before him with pens and parchments scattered around.

The Captain scowled at us as Crosby dragged me across the room to stand in front of the Captain. "What do you want now Crosby? I'm busy."

"Sir…" Crosby faltered when he saw the death look in the Captain's eyes, but carried on after a slight hesitation. "Sir, you know that problem we have been worried about?" The Captain nodded his head slowly when he saw where Crosby was going.

Crosby nodded at me and a silent message passed between the Captain and Crosby. "Go on boy." He all but growled at me.

As I retold my theory I took in the Captain's appearance. Heavy bags hung under his eyes which were blood shot with lack of sleep. His hair hung in an unruly mess around his gaunt face. His face held no colour and the lines etched into it betrayed his age.

The last week had taken its toll on him.

Once I had finished he leaned back on his chair and looked on at me, "I'm surprised boy, and I know that I shouldn't be considering what you've done for us so far, but I am. You're a smart lad."

He thought I was full of surprises. If only he knew. I thought dryly to myself.

"We can now start making a proper plan." He pointed to the seat in front of his desk. "Sit boy." I took the seat in front of the Captain and Crosby took the one next to me.

As I sat down the Captain pointed to an area of the map. "This is where we are, and if what you say is correct then the Cullen's would be somewhere within this radius." He said as he took his measuring devise and drew a semi-circle around where we were. "They could be anywhere within this area. So we have to trick them into think that we don't know and try to lead them over to this area."

"Here the water is shallower and there is coral." I frowned; if we did this we were just swapping one danger for another.

"Sir, why would we go into shallow water with coral? It would just damage our ship." I said quietly.

"Ah! And there is the beauty of the plan. It won't damage our craft because we are small and light. Their craft on the other is heavy and large. Their ship will take all the damage."

He was right and it was genius.