A/N: hello, sorry I've been away so long but life has a way of catching up with me like that, between revision and visiting my Gran (she's Italian so right now I'm in Palermo.) I have been extremely busy. I would never abandon this story, but as my mock exams are coming up the updates will be slow. BUT if you want quicker updates you can bribe me by reviewing, that would make me write faster. I made up Peter's family by the way but I will need them for my plot later on so if you don't like it deal with it.

Chapter 10
Parties and Poisons

The 'Phantom' was still at our tail, running us down like we were prey fleeing from a pack of wolves. The captain was adamant that we should keep a feeling of normalcy on the ship so all of the junior officers were to be found, on this brisk morning, gathered at the prow with their sextants in hand. Currently the captain was giving us a lesson on how to find latitude, due to the cool weather I was resplendent in a heavy satin gown which had been dyed to a blood red shade. It contrasted with my skin, I thought it drained me of colour but I did look rather striking in my crimson dress.
"Bring the sun down to the horizon." Instructed the captain as he held Will's sextant. "When its lower limb is touching the horizon" One of the midshipmen turned around again to check on the progress of the ferocious privateer behind us. "Williamson, look to your sextant!" The captain noticed and barked at the boy and then continued. "When the orb is no longer rising...then it has reached its zenith and that would be noon." I stood alongside the midshipmen and although I already knew how to use a sextant I was glad of any distraction from the dark vessel looming behind us. Peter had evidently also learnt this lesson so he had leant his battered brass instrument to me, it was old and had probably been his fathers. After instructing Mr Hollom to continue the class Jack departed to talk with Mr Pullings. They were quite far away but I tried to hear and over the hustle and bustle, typical on a ship, I could just make out parts of their conversation.
"Six hours?" Asked the nervous lieutenant.
"Five at most. Just keep us out of her reach until nightfall." Replied the captain. He definitely had a plan, which was revealed to us a few hours later.

The hours passed like minutes and the minutes passed like hours. Time seemed to rush by when we had things to do but stand still in the relative quiet, rather like the silence before a storm. There wasn't anything to do and yet we were constantly busy. Will, Peter and I walked around the deck making small talk, having no idea what to say I started talking about the weather back in England.
"It's probably raining, not that rain's a bad thing." I contemplated how often it had rained on my family's estate in the Midlands. I was going to continue until I saw the pained looks both of them were giving me. I hadn't even realized how agonising it would be to think about home, they had families that needed them, people to go back to. "Sorry! I didn't think." I quickly searched my brain for any subject. "Oh, that's an interesting structure." I said pointing at a strange wood and rope construction which was currently taking up a large amount of space in the middle of the ship. The captain was standing, looking over the construction and nodding with quiet satisfaction.
"Excuse me, sir, but what are they building?" Peter asked the question everyone was thinking. In response Aubrey smiled and turned to the three of us, looking back at Peter he responded.
"Your first command." We all looked quizzically back at him but urgent duties needed to be attended to so he strode briskly away.
"And I thought that it was the doctor who liked riddles!" I muttered half sarcastic and half exasperated.
"No, it makes sense to me now. You see the lamps they have? They are arranged in a way to imitate the lamps at the stern of Surprise." Peter explained and I filled in the rest. Peter was going to climb onto the raft and uncover the lights. It would be a simple exercise if it wasn't for the fact that a rather fearsome French Man of War would probably be in firing range by the time it was dark enough to employ the ruse.
"Sounds dangerous for you." Piped up Will.
"Not much worse than things you've done before." I said catching Peter's eye. He smiled quickly before Will could look up and see the exchange between us. I thought back to the fight when we went to look for Lowrey and about how well we had worked as a team. My hand absent mindedly shifted over to the handle of my pistol stowed in my leather holster, I possibly would need it soon.
"I'm not afraid, I just think the water will be cold." Joked Peter, I knew that he would be looking forward to any opportunity to prove himself. He was not one to boast but he always enjoyed a challenge.
"Me and Will should have some warm stew or something ready for you when you get back." I promised nonchalantly with no worry for the safety of the confident Lieutenant.
"Thank you, that would be very welcome." He replied seriously, the small comment seemed to have more weight behind it than before and this was re-enforced by the way he looked at me. I had nerves of steel but he always managed to make me feel uncomfortable. Mr Blakeney looked up at me with a beseeching expression on his face.
"Yes, you can have some too." I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Shall we invite the rest of the middies and have a party?" I said with lots of sarcasm, not realising Mr Boyle was walking along behind me.
"Oh, a party! Can all the mids come?" He s a wide smile spreading across his face. You have a knack for getting yourself into these situations don't you? I berated myself.
"Well we're just having some supper, nothing special really..." The boy's face immediately turned sullen. "But I'm sure we could work something out..." I continued as the customary grin returned to Mr Boyle's face. After he left the conversation I shook my head, sighed with exasperation and muttered: "I can turn stew into a party." Peter laughed and nodded whilst Will hesitantly looked to where the Frigate was fast approaching behind us. This ruined the mood.

It was now dark enough to set the raft afloat and the officers were milling about at the stern around Peter and congratulating him on his courage.
"Wouldn't want to lose you." Proclaimed the captain whilst he slipped a rope around Peter's waistcoat. I heartily agreed, I was loath to lose the friend I had so recently gained.
"Aye, sir." Said Peter smiling hesitantly, anxious to get the mission over with. Suddenly as he said his goodbyes to me and Will my heart plummeted, the situation was immediately very real to me. I ran over to the side of the ship my dress swirling around me and leaned over the side to watch Peter descend onto the makeshift craft.
"Be careful!" I whispered, receiving a grin in response. It was supposed to reassure me but it didn't work. With my eyes wide I watched the progress of the raft as it slipped almost silently away into the night, bearing Peter along with it. The collective quiet of the crew was interrupted by a loud splash of shot breaking the mirrored surface of the water. Peter began to climb up towards the lamps as another cannon ball went sailing past. The first light on the raft was uncovered and the small shadow I could make out as Peter climbed deftly across to the next light.

I was so absorbed in the dangerous play transpiring before me that I barely noticed the quiet presence of someone behind me. I ignored the light breathing to my left. Too late I felt a stinging sensation just below my ribs. I turned around but there was no one there, however there was evidence of someone; blood had splattered onto the floor but strangely it started to move. I realized slowly that it was me that was moving, and before I could cry out for help the world faded to darkness.

The pain began a few seconds after I collapsed, it started around the bottom of my ribs where I had been cut and it fanned out like fire, burning through my veins, incinerating me from the inside out. I floated in and out of conscious thought, each time I surfaced a new wave of pain greeted me and I was flooded by relief every time I was pulled back under. Memories and dreams mingled seamlessly. I was in the tree house on my parent's estate but Mowett and Pullings were carrying me through the window which opened onto a dark wooden corridor. I was laid carefully down on a hard table that was connected to a feather bed which I rolled onto. As I stood up I regarded myself in the mirror and decided that my white dress fitted perfectly and that the seamstress had done a fantastic job. The door opened and a soaking Mr Calamy was revealed, shivering and with a look of pure fear on his face. I felt a new dream beckon to me; my mother kneeling down gesturing for me to go to her. I was tempted, so tempted to run into her warm embrace and for her to tell me that everything would turn out fine. Her bright eyes were so calm and inviting and her blond hair shimmered as it always did. I was stepping over to her when I felt a rough yet comforting hold on my hand. I turned again finding Peter kneeling next to the table holding my hand. I turned again seeing the image of my mother slowly grow dim. I had made my choice to come back to reality, to come back to Peter, but I suddenly felt hollow at the absence of my mother. I had returned to real world but also to pain. I cried out as the poison spread to my head making it pound.
"Sophie, you've been poisoned, you can't give in." I tried to respond but the only sound I could make was an agonized whimper. "Doctor. Is there nothing you can do?" Asked Peter, his voice made uneven with his shivers.
"Give her this." Maturin presumably handed him some laudanum. "Until we know what toxin was used we can't do anything." Said the doctor with a look of pity which I realised he often wore when there was no hope of recovery or good news to give. I stared at Peter and summoned as much strength as I had left to stay conscious. It was not enough and I fell asleep watching his face.

I can't remember dreaming that night which was probably a good thing, as most of my dreams were disturbing. When, eventually I did wake I felt dreadfully cold and it slowly dawned on me that I couldn't feel my limbs. My eyelids fluttered open and I could see that Peter was still at my side, he was asleep and for once his face was open and unguarded. It took the stress of his features, revealing the young man beneath. He looked very similar to how he had been five years ago when his father was still there and all he had to worry about was returning home after his next voyage. Since his father had been forced to flee, problem after problem had piled around him, leaving him utterly swamped. He had his family to support, his mother, sister and a household of servants. His younger sister Catherine and cousin Angelique would soon need presenting at court, one season at court would be extremely expensive and with two girls who's social standing had been dramatically lowered I doubted they would get proposals quickly. Things did not look particularly good for the young man, but then I could think of many better situations for myself as well. I pondered my feelings towards him, we're friends, I decided but I knew that I was lying to myself. Locked away in the most private part of my mind was a primal desire for closeness. I wanted someone to know me, the true me, the person hiding behind assignments and I wanted them to love me for it. It was just one of those things that simply could not happen. I would be packed of to India or America on some mission and he would continue in the navy and marry some rich daughter of a lord who's dowry would settle his debts. I would grow old with nothing to my name but a number of kills and successful assignments, he would continue his family and rebuild their honour. Tears rolled down my cheeks that I could not wipe away, as I saw flashes of the life I would never have.

I heard footsteps so I quickly blinked away the salty water and closed my eyes.
"Calamy bring me some water, and be quick about it." called a voice which was obviously Dr Maturin.
"Yes sir." Replied Peter as he stood up, I was surprised when I felt him brush aside the hair that had fallen over my face, I opened my eyes but I still couldn't move. I could hear the crunching sound of Maturin grinding something with a mortar and pestle.
"Have you worked out what poison it is doctor?" Asked Higgins, the doctor's mostly incompetent assistant.
"Yes, could you grind the charcoal into a fine powder?" I imagined a confused expression on Higgins' face and the doctor explained "The poison was hemlock." I felt the world crumble around me. Hemlock! But I'll be dead in an hour! After the initial despair I realised that I should have expected it really as the symptoms were all there, the paralysis and headaches should have informed me. Peter returned with the water and a few seconds later a gritty paste was applied to the inflamed cut at my waist, I felt the pain lessen immediately.
"We need to flush the toxin out of her system, keep her drinking and apply the charcoal on the red area." Instructed the doctor. "I am going to talk with the captain, If her state worsens send Higgins."
"Yes sir." After Maturin left I heard Peter sigh and start to talk to me. "I don't know if you can hear me, but everything went according to plan. We haven't had sight or sound of the Acheron since." He paused. "And I thought we'd got out of this place." He muttered as if to himself. Yes, I mentally replied, I thought that too. "The crew and particularly the mids are very worried about you...I'm very worried about you." I weakly squeezed his hand, hoping that he would pick up on it. "Everything is going be all right, I'm here." The simple words had an effect on me, it reminded me that it wasn't just my life that was hanging in the balance, it was everyone on board this ship, everyone who would die if the Acheron attacked. I refused to give in for those people and also because I wanted the opportunity to beat whoever had done this to me into a bloody pulp.

OK so that's chapter ten, I hope you liked it, if you did or didn't for some reason please review. I hope you all had a nice Christmas and got lots of presents. I should be updating soon as I have a nice 4 hour flight back to England, but don't hold your breath. See you soon!