June 9th 2018
Hope you enjoy!
:)
No One's Perspective-
At first she figured Saint Denys had hit her side against some nasty waves, or the wind pushed her to the sea for a moment. Then, as she groaned, blinking her eyes awake, Tori realized that no weather was to blame for the violent swinging of her hammock. Dark eyes looked up to the leering figure standing high above her; the sight startled her, especially since she'd never seen her down below the deck. Tori jerked once her boots were slammed not an inch from her nose.
The cabins - including the men's sleeping quarters - were deathly silent as her voice grumbled terrifyingly, cutting through the still air: "Get up, now Vega." Tori scrambled about, the wood scuffing against the bottoms of her feet before she stood toe-to-toe with cold, unforgiving eyes. "Does your head hurt?" Tori felt all eyes on her, Cat's and her sister's from their hammocks and rows of gazes through the door. "Answer now..." She found herself despising the honeyed words, feeling the hidden blades within them. She thought it best to nod. "With words," her voice came icily.
"Y-yes, captain."
Captain West's smirk was mocking, a taunting glint in her eyes forcing a nervous jumble of knots down her gut. "Guess what?"
Tori worked her jaw anxiously before murmuring, "What, captain?" She eyed the tricorn, long coat and planted sneer - it was the most intimidating thing she'd ever seen. It was even worse than the mermaids with rotting, wilted flesh.
Dame Hestia leaned in, her lips barely grazing Tori's ear. It took all of her will not to move. "I. Don't. Care." Whilst her voice was soft, the words sliced through her ears, making her want to squirm more. And she did jerk once a tight, merciless hand gripped her wrist, earning a quiet - involuntary - whimper. "You are not here for your own glory," Jade seethed, Tori fidgeting as she felt cold teeth press against her hand. The half-Latina gulped as she continued: "You are serving a sentence for violating the handling of the most precious resources of my land. Do you hear me? That is an immediate death penalty, did you know? If you three weren't on this boat together, your sister would've probably still have been alive but you..." The captain snarled as Tori grunted weakly, snapping her gaze towards her sister. Trina stood, stricken, almost reaching out but thinking better of it. "Next time I ask you to do something, you will do it no matter how starved you are of liquor. Is that clear?"
She felt the comb's ivory press against the palm of her hand.
Tori didn't find her voice immediately, she found herself frightened - to not answer quick enough. "Y-yes," came out in a short breath, "captain."
She shrunk under Jade's ruthless gaze. "You will clean every-single-cannon by the time the sun is down. If you aren't done by that time, I will have you clean them - half the time - after we shoot each and every one of them. So get your ass out of here and start." The Dame abruptly moved to the side, allowing Tori to stumble over herself, shouldering passed the line of men outside the door.
Trina squeaked once Captain West stepped towards her in two strides. "Can you read French fluently?"
She gawked before answering, "Yes...ever since I was a little girl." Trina only received a nod before Jade stormed down the hall. She realized - just then - as the men shoved themselves away from the captain's path, that Jade wasn't a woman to piss off.
And yet her sister had.
. . .
Her arms ached as her knees began to throb. Even so, Tori worked tersely, eager to complete the job. Three cannons were cleaned thoroughly, inside and out. The tracks were cleared. No dust coated a speck of them. But she glanced down the long rows of them, whining softly. And then Tori reminded herself of the rows at the top deck - and the level below. With a heavy sigh, Tori continued to clean the cannon thoroughly, her attention to each and every spot.
She was so invested in her work that she didn't notice - or turn to - the steps trailing behind her. "Hello," came a soft voice behind her.
"Hey," she murmured, a small grin etched across her features. Tori felt his gaze at her shoulders, but she didn't bother to turn around. "You're not coming here to help, are you?"
Ryder chuckled. "No... I'm sorry, I don't think that's a good idea. But," he sighed, "I'll keep you company."
Tori gave a smile before murmuring, "Thanks." Still she swabbed endlessly, eager to get all of the dirt out of the strange marks. The young woman found herself torn between two battles: the need to clean every-single-damn-muck she found and the sun that was slowly making its way through the sky.
"Do you think you can finish this?" he asked.
"I have to."
He took the answer, watching as she worked away. Ryder cleared his throat before stating, "I feel like this is the nicest thing she'll do to you." Tori paused momentarily, looking over her shoulder.
"What do you mean?" she mumbled, absentmindedly scrubbing the cannon.
"Well, I mean she has you doing this for stealing a comb." She furrowed her brows, her head still aching. "I mean, come on, she steals lives. A comb is nothing compared to that." Tori nodded, though still lathered water and rags all over the side of the cannon. "What do you think, Tori?"
She shrugged sourly. "I'm a prisoner, and I have to follow her orders and serve," she stated.
"It shouldn't be like this," Ryder replied. "You should be free, not here to serve for what, causing a little trouble?" Tori recalled slamming her fist into another boy protecting some chests. She also recalled a man spitting in her face before getting the proper chance to explain both Andre and herself. Her scrubbing became irritated; thoughts swam as she noted that there was no reason for her being on the ship. No. Good. Reason.
"I don't want to be here to begin with," she muttered. Ryder grinned with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Even so, his voice sounded weary. "If only we could find a way to get her off your back... That way, you could be at least a little free."
"...Yeah."
Ryder shook his head. "Though, I've heard stories from my uncle - since he's in the Royal Navy-"
"Wasn't your father in the navy?"
He paused, pursing his lips for a moment as she moved down a cannon with cobwebs. "Both of them are...or, were when my father was alive. My uncle's still serving though, and he told me a story of this one man he met a few years back." Tori's eyes met his curiously. "Have you heard of Commander Oliver? Since your father was one."
"My father only knew about the commanders that he led and some others," she explained smoothly, adding, "but no - I haven't heard of him."
"Well," he coughed, "Commander Oliver...he was captured by Captain West. He was the only one who survived and escaped, actually. When he was younger, before he became commander, Oliver followed in his family's footsteps and went to sea before joining the navy proper. But, his ship was sunk and he had to fight her. Said to my uncle - see - that he watched her shoot his mates one by one, with no emotion in her eyes. She went up to him to do the same when he saw Davey Jones in her eyes... He told my uncle that it was an angel who saved him from her. The ship took a wild turn and she stumbled, allowing him to shimmy through the ropes and cast off on a board.
"And now, now Commander Oliver seeks vengeance against Captain West, and adamantly tries to find her ship." He finished his tale with a slow breath, Tori blinking. She hadn't cleaned a spot while listening to the tale.
She furrowed her brows. "Davey Jones... You mean like witchcraft?"
"Yes," he nodded grimly. "He didn't believe it but he thinks - at least my uncle did when he told me - that she drabbles in it." Ryder scratched his head, continuing with, "Once he was saved, though, my uncle said that he looked like a sick dog. All shaken like he'd seen a ghost. More like a devil."
Their attention snapped towards the stairs leading to the decks above. "Ryder! We need help with the masts, some of them are being brought down!" came Derek's voice. Ryder sighed, glancing towards Tori.
"I'll be back."
"Okay," she hummed. As his steps faded in the distance, her mind pondered as her hands worked. She didn't doubt the story, not with her limbs still sore from the few hours prior. But, her eyes weren't emotionless then, not how they usually were; the captain's eyes swam furiously with livid rage. But, then again, perhaps the captain wasn't the same when she was taking lives. Perhaps it was like how she was when drunk.
Tori, reminded of her task, began washing the cannon with vigor once more.
. . .
Wool itched at skin unmercifully, though the crew members still tugged at the coats, wanting to be more snug. The violent chip of cold winds bit their noses. Oh how those on the decks wanted to be down below, cooking a fine meal, sleeping with a lazy paw scratching at fleas, or even hauling ass to clean sixty-four cannons - including those on the surface - by the time the sun was set. Andre grumbled to Derek and Otis, shivering underneath two layers of thick, scratchy coats. "Does it get colder than this?" he asked through clacking teeth.
Otis - shivering slightly - looked to his side under a wool hood, Derek only sporting a linen coat. "Yes. Now I'd start scrubbing the decks with dry rags and get the ice away as quick as you can." The men immediately set to work, concentrating on warming their bodies up and shielding the deck floor from an icy wrath.
"H-how aren't you cold?" Andre asked Derek across the foredeck.
There was a solemn curl of lips. "We aren't going pass Sweden...but this ship's been through worse than that." Andre didn't like the sound of that thought.
By the helm, Cat gritted her teeth, steering the Saint Denys violently from a cliff's edge. Everybody on the ship - below or on deck - scrambled around. "Arianna!" Captain West snarled, after grunting as she slammed into the railing, her eyes meeting the sight of chilled waters below.
"I'm sorry! I only just saw it!"
"You're not only going to see this lead if you do that AGAIN!" the captain bellowed, holding a long flintlock towards the first mate. Cat squeaked, trembling from behind the helm. Once at her side again, Captain West muttered, "The ice better not be this bad when we get to the cave."
"I don't think so... If navy ships are still going around, they would be breaking the ice," Cat replied. Her gaze was suddenly lifted at the squawk accompanied by the large rush of wings. Rex chipped the wood as he landed at the balcony railing, a piece of parchment impaled through one talon.
As Cat took the paper, Jade growled, "I swear I told him to have his bird to quit ruining my ship!"
"Biatch," he squabbled.
Pastel eyes sharpened. "I fucking swear, bird, I'm going to have Festus cook you and feed you to him!" She pointed at the crow's nest, Robbie leaning over the side curiously.
Ignoring the threats - Dame Hestia reaching for the bird as it taunted her again - Madam Felidae murmured, "You're right, captain, we are being followed." She tucked the page in her pocket, waving at Robbie. A four-beat whistle came, excusing Rex to fly back to his companion. Jade turned over her shoulder, growling under her breath.
"Damned Spanish... Move." Cat surrendered her place before the captain gripped the helm with a scowl.
"Do you want to drop the rest of our masts?" The Dame shook her head as the ship crept passed two tall cliffs, a fork ahead: a narrow river leading to more ocean to the right while another curving around the base of the left cliff. The Saint Denys abruptly swung around the cliff, the captain grunting with the force. The first mate dove to help with the helm. As the two struggled, the ship diving out of view from the Spanish one, Jade barked, "Andre!"
Having been toppled over, he poked his head from the stairs. "Yes ma'am?"
She bore her teeth, her heels digging into the wood. The helm spun rapidly as the two made adjustments - Andre wobbled. "What are you doing?"
"Making sure there is no ice," he answered, adding, "captain."
"Go find Sikowitz and -" she heaved, the ship successfully turning the tight corner "- tell him to bring out the old flags."
"Which ones?"
As Cat panted beside her, she answered, "He'll know. And - also - bring out the uniforms from the same chest." He nodded dutifully before skirting off, leaving the captain and her first mate alone.
"'You're not only going to see this lead if you do that again,'" Cat mocked. She giggled weakly at the furious glare sent to her.
. . .
The Union Jack sailed mightily upon the vessel, the crew members mulling around in uniforms that had been previously dusted thoroughly. Ocean-blue eyes watched the incoming ship as it sailed by, calmly. He cleared his throat once a woman in a long, blue dress stood beside him. "They better not go downstairs..."
"They won't," Jade murmured calmly. "Not when there's a trusted captain overseeing her deck." Sikowitz quirked a smile. "And in any case, we could always tell them that they're trespassing..."
He chuckled lightly, nodding carefully. "Perhaps, perhaps... Though I doubt they'd be interested. After all, we may just very well be trespassing in their waters." The true captain pursed her lips. They watched - with the few crew members who stood on deck - as the Spanish ship groaned beside them, appearing to be shabbier and runty beside the majestic Saint Denys. Jade heard their anchors plummet through the surface with a dutiful splash! "Lower the boards!" Sikowitz shouted. Lane, Toby, Ryder and Brantley followed the orders. Long boards were lowered for the gathering Navy soldiers, an impressive man standing in front.
He was the first to board the ship.
With a gold-rimmed tricorn on top of his head, the man had he chest permanently puffed-out from the long, draped, tailored long coat that matched the darkest shadows of the ocean. "Where is the captain of tis ship?" he asked with a light accent.
"Here," Sikowitz answered calmly, earning a large grin. "Captain Molder," he grumbled, shaking the man's hand.
"Ah! And I see you have a missus?" Jade gave a quaint grin as he bowed, kissing the top of her hand. "What a precious ship - well kept paint, I'd say," the man - presumably the captain - noted once the Dame put her hand back to her side. "Now, beg my pardon, I'm Captain Borja. I've received word of caution that I'd think would be best spread amongst the others patrolling the waters."
Sikowitz arched a brow. "What do you mean?"
Captain Borja inhaled, shuffling through his English vocabulary. "Piratas," he answered. "A ship of ours had been plundered by them, and I believe it to be Captain West's doing. Especially since I've heard of his name floating around these aguas, er, waters. Killed Captain Vega, his crew, and his daughters."
Sikowitz clicked his tongue to the roof of his mouth, furrowing his brows. "That...is interesting. I've heard of it in passing but- What news do you bring?"
The Spanish captain shifted his gaze towards Captain West, chewing the inside of his cheek. "We must talk more privately. I fear I would bring too much trouble in front of any others." The older man shifted his gaze towards Jade who pursed her lips - at the irony, if anything. She nodded slowly before backing away, leaving the men to shuffle towards her cabin. Sikowitz led the man inside, casting Jade a quick, sneaky glance. Some Spanish soldiers - wanting to keep an eye on the cabin door, surely - began to quietly converse with the crew members, some bowing their respects to Jade. She wondered if she was the only woman they had seen for months.
After several minutes, the door opened, Captain Borja striding away with Sikowitz standing at the quarter deck. He nodded towards Jade as he strolled passed, strolling towards his ship. "Take the boards!" Sikowitz ordered, the crew then pulling the ramps back to the main deck. Captain West immediately strode towards the older man as he leaned against the railing. Once at the last step, the anchor then being pulled up by the other ship, she blinked up towards him.
"What news did they bring?"
He sighed calmly. "Bad news... I have a feeling that they will find us again. We must tred carefully, especially with whom we have on board." She arched a brow. "The main points that he had to give we already know - and know more about. He told me that he's one of the ships commanded to track pirates down and send them for their trial - take back their gold. But, he also said that he's keeping a sharp eye for Captain West."
"He wouldn't know if the captain stood a foot from him in a dress."
Sikowitz nodded, grumbling, "Yes, that's true...but he'll know. I just have that feeling. And you know I've never been wrong."
Captain West scowled. "What are you trying to say?" The two watched as the Spanish ship began to move forward, slowly and creaking its way passed.
"He knew Captain Vega personally... He told me a story of visiting his farm, even." Jade felt an uncomfortable irk in her gut. "If he does find us again, unprepared, he'll recognize the girls." She scowled, her right hand balling. Sikowitz padded her shoulder gently, murmuring, "Nothin' is easy, is it?"
"Seems not," she growled quietly.
. . .
Her eyes followed the waves as they licked the sides of Saint Denys' hull. Droplets rushed to her fingertips, a crack of a smile only dawning on her.
"The ocean calls to you, doesn't it Tori?"
The swabbie scowled, wrenching her hand from the side. The sky was dark, allowing soft hues of orange from the lanterns to gently light the five decks - all of which were being scrubbed tersely by Trina, Otis and Derek with dry rags. Voices murmured in mellow tones, a hot meal in their stomachs coating their words. Ryder stood beside Tori, turned towards Andre who held a bucket. He teetered to the side, his skin still tinted green from his time up in the crow's nest. After a while, he darted off, needing to lay his head down that wasn't at least a hundred feet from the comfortable ground.
"So," Ryder hummed, leaning against the railing, "the ship's nice at night, right?"
Tori smiled gently, nodding slowly. "I like the lanterns."
"I do too. The ships I've been on never been this nice..." His voice trailed off. "If I were in the Navy, I'd rather go on this ship than any of the others." The half-Latina chuckled. "Anyway, what about you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Life on the farm. I've never really been around cattle or goats... So what was it like?" He blinked at her with interest.
Tori shrugged before murmuring, "Well, we lived on the side of a mountain, a bit further off from town. I could see the ocean - or at least hear it - from my bedroom." She ignored Sikowitz's words as they bubbled in her thoughts. "And it was just habit, really. Get up, feed the sheep, work on the crops, go to town and by bread from Daniel, make our dinner and meals for the next day and then go back to bed." Tori furrowed her brows, feeling her eyes burn. It was a simple life, one with a promise of life; she missed it. "It was good, then. My father came back for a month or two, helped us, and then asked Trina and I if we could go with him...see the world. I was really excited and Trina was too. My mother..."
Tori sighed wearily, staring down towards the dark waters. "I haven't seen my mother in so long. I- I don't remember if it's already been a year."
"Do you remember what she looks like?"
She turned towards him and nodded softly. "A lot like Trina. But my sister says she looks a lot like me," Tori answered.
Ryder gave a soft laugh, murmuring, "Your sister and you do look similar." Tori gave a weak shrug, looking off towards the distance. Sikowitz manned the helm, Cat skipping down the flights of stairs. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.
"Nothing, just thinking," she answered. "My sister's always been the prettier one." A blush crept across her cheeks; it wasn't something she meant to think - out-loud especially.
Tori almost jumped when a rough - though gentle - hand clutched her chin. Curious blue eyes looked down at her with a small grin. "I don't think so," he mumbled. She flicked her gaze back down to his lips before she blinked at his eyes.
"I- Thanks..." she stammered bashfully.
Hard steps seemed to have thundered in the middle of the lantern-lit moment, the captain's shadow a dangerous, black figure against the kind light. Tori's expression immediately morphed into a scowl, one that was returned with more vigor. "Get down to the cabin, Rottman, you're not on duty." Ryder pursed his lips, a strange glare coating his eyes. Jade's sneer was infinitely more aggressive, however; Tori thought of it like two storms battling one another. Ryder's eyes bore resemblance of a calm ocean during a sunny day, the waves tossing spiritedly. Captain West's, however, were pale, what one would see as they drowned in the depths of the waters, searching for the sun.
The man nodded before slinking down under the deck, not before giving a kind glance towards Tori.
"You're on night duty, Vega," she growled.
The teen watched her carefully before murmuring a quiet, monotone, "Yes captain."
Jade nodded curtly before storming off, her long coat blending in with the night sky. Tori leaned against the railing, sighing exasperatedly. She heard steps behind her, and a part of her wished that it was Ryder - a large part. As metal-clad claws scratched beside her, the large parrot looking out to sea, Tori greeted, "Hey Robbie."
"Hi. I heard you and the captain talking," he said. Robbie sided beside her, drumming his fingers against the railing. "It's just me, you and Otis patrolling down here. Tug's up in the crow's nest. When he comes down, I'll have to go up."
"Alright," she mumbled. The two remained silent, not speaking in the calm quiet atmosphere, just listening to the waves rustle against the ship. Still, she felt better with another person by her side, one that didn't reek of violence.
. . .
Rex squawked, escaping the mutt as he jumped after the parrot. There was a holler, and the companion joined Robbie up in the crow's nest.
The helm creaked underneath Sikowitz's hands as he turned, his eyes watching the few shadows - the lanterns besides a couple having burnt out - mull around. The dark figure of the young swabbie caught his attention, pity filling his chest. "You know," he hummed to the captain, "you don't need to be so hard on her."
Jade snorted from the side, her gaze up to the moon. "She needs to know her place."
"Aye, agreed," he admitted. "But what do you expect? She watched her father die with a ship she'd rather be on than this one." Pastel eyes found his own, her lips pursed grimly. "I'm telling you Jade, she'll be valuable to you. I can see it: She's a fighter."
"Oh yeah? I'm having a difficult time finding use for her."
Sikowitz guided the ship to the left, his eyes darting towards his compass at his palm. "How so? Is it her that you have an issue with? Or is it her friend?" There was no answer - no verbal one, anyway. "I told her this some time ago - right before we got to the Stone Village... She'd be a good first mate."
Jade growled to herself. "Cat's the best one I've had, and she's the only one I need."
"Oh yes, and I agree. Cat's a very good one. She's done an excellent service, especially when seeing the fact that we found her in a barrel. But I'm not saying now, either...though in time, I feel like Tori will prove herself to be a good leader of sorts."
She shook her head in protest. "What about her sister - Trina? Andre?"
Sikowitz chuckled dryly. "Andre will be a good man, I'm sure. Though another Derek, just as loyal and hardy. Trina will be useful, definitely. But captain, you know very well that they aren't strong enough, not like how Cat is. They don't have that fire that combats the water around us." Captain West folded her arms indifferently, looking out onto the decks below.
"And Tori does?"
He nodded. "She has that look in her eyes. And it takes a lot to pry her away from the sides of Saint Denys... That," he gave a sly grin, "and her drinking should be a warning." Sikowitz glanced towards the woman who arched a brow. "There's a fire with her, I can see it."
"And I can't," Jade stated firmly. "The only reason why she's not overboard is because she's serving."
"I know, and I doubt that. You can't risk any other losses, even a swabbie." Dame Hestia growled, though spoke nothing - he wasn't wrong. "And in any case, I'd keep her... She just hasn't seen enough of the ocean and what we do, that's all. And don't argue -" he cut across "- because you've purposely kept her from it. Now I've seen this time and time again, where people board ships with a steely hatred, and then the ocean calms it, morphs it into determination."
There was a scoff before, "And what other time have you seen this?"
And a pause was drawn out. "You." Jade shook her head. "Now don't... She reminds me of the little girl who'd sell flowers when she was young. And, yes, you were scorned before you even boarded this ship - at a few years younger than she is now. But remember, she was just taken from her life picking hay and grooming sheep. You can't expect her to be what you need right now."
"But what I need right now is not what I will need later," she snarled.
The man paused, turning his back towards the helm. "There's one thing you desperately need, Jade, something that he took from you when-"
"Shut it."
"You can't ignore this, Jade," he said softly. "You need people to help you, whether it be under your command or not. You can't do everything on your own."
"I'm doing a pretty damn good job at it now."
Sikowitz chuckled weakly. "That you are. But you know Lady Lee won't care. You need all the people you can get, especially Tori. She may turn out to be an dangerous woman - maybe more than you."
Jade snorted, rolling her eyes. "She can barely lift a chest. She can't even listen! How the hell do you expect me to believe that she -" Captain West pointed towards Tori who continued to look over the edge "- is a threat?" The man looked towards the young woman in the distance, her figure mindlessly following the rhythm of the ship.
"Look, as I said before, you don't need to be so hard on her. Life's already breaking her back - don't need to go 'round and snap it. Now, if you truly want a useful worker out of her," Sikowitz grumbled, his fist curled around the helm once again, "I'd suggest you take her with you to find the locket." The Dame growled under her breath. "And if you don't want her with him," he continued, answering the grumblings, "then don't bring him. If you truly want to see what she could do, then take her to the darkest of shadows and the brightest of lights. You need to convince her. But you also need to rely on her; don't believe what you see, Trina isn't the one hurting the most here."
"Yet she's the only one who has terrors as she sleeps." Sikowitz arched a brow. "Cat told me."
He shook his head. "A man who dreams of his terrors but lives through his life under the sun is accepting it. Not wholeheartedly, no... As I said, don't be so hard on her. If you do, well, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And two of them would be a nightmare."
"Oh please... Fine, fine," she gave in nonetheless, "but I'm going not going to help her."
Jade swiftly left his side, stepping down towards her cabin. He tapped his fingers against the helm, whistling an odd tune. Curiously, his eyes swept towards the swabbie as her sister joined her side. "I do wonder..." he murmured aloud. Shaking his head, he turned the helm to a degree. "No, not now. Not yet."
Still, he gave a pleased smile.
Ah man. You know what? I've never written a chapter of this on this computer. It feels weird, but I'm oddly loving it. Send love to my nine-year-old desktop please, it's the most loyal device I've had since watching Scooby-Doo, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and writing this shit. :3 Also, excuse any languages used in this... I'm using Google Translate. XD But, for those who do speak any languages used, I'm happy to correct anything you spot that needs it.
Hope you enjoyed!
:)
PS- In July, the 1st through the 11th of August, there will be one story that will be finished completely. It'll give more room for me to actually get stuff done, rather than updated and eventually completed. So there's a poll that'll end June 30th to decide which story will be focused on (not including this one since this would be impossible to finish by that time). Vote if you are interested, and there is more information on the profile page. :)
