True Love of the Seven Seas Chapter 13
I stood there utterly fuming at the door in unbelievable rage. Behind me the crew members that remained to watch were frozen in terror of what I might do should they move a single muscle. Even from a distance my fury was literally radiating in overwhelming power. Thankfully they weren't stupid enough to face the fearless wrath of an angry female unlike their captain.
"He did not just do that," I said in denial.
"He did," said Kale from above.
I didn't bother to respond to that. The realization to what Sinbad did signed a guaranteed warrantee to a huge beating.
"Oh if he wasn't dead before he's going to be now," I snarled, fling the door wide open slamming it against the wall. Stomping heavily down the stairs with a purpose to his cabin I prepared myself for a fight.
When I caught up to Sinbad at first I didn't pay any mind to what the reason might've been for him to linger outside his door instead of entering. It made no sense, but I honestly didn't care. My brother's life was on the line and Sinbad was about to find out just how much I was willing to do to win.
"Sinbad-," I began, but was cut off in the middle of my rant when he planted his hand over my mouth.
Flabbergasted I went to punch him when Sinbad held a finger to his lips silently requesting for me to keep the noise down. Suspicion sprouted inside me assuming he was merely putting on an act to make sure I wouldn't bother him anymore. That changed as he gestured to his partially open door and his ear to listen to what he was hearing.
At last I noticed what he was showing me. Someone was roaming around in his cabin that was far from belonging there. Immediately I concluded there was a stowaway on bard perhaps wanting to steal some treasure of their own from pirates. This person would been to be disposed of sent back in a small boat before we got farther away from solid ground.
But it was proven this was no ordinary stowaway.
"Marina," I said, astonished.
Slowly Sinbad pushed the door open far enough to where both of us could peek inside without being conspicuous.
Marina was wandering around the cabin taking a look at all the valuables, antique and new, Sinbad possessed in his ownership.
"Look at all this," she whispered. "I can't believe it." A skeleton of a gorgon, a mythical beast, caught her interest. "Oh, but this can't be real. It's be far too deli-." She touched the end of a serpent head on the skill causing it to instantly break off clattering onto the floor. "Uh-oh."
I muffled a giggle at Marina's folly.
"This is more like it," approved Marina, impressed, moving off to Sinbad's desk where better material was.
Tapping Sinbad on the shoulder I made a forwarding motion with my arms bowing low mockingly to enter first. Exhaling Sinbad composed himself for this inevitable encounter. The two of us snuck inside with Marina completely oblivious to our presence behind her. She was far too busy occupied with the treasures she was looking at.
"Stolen from Venezia. From Pompeii...," said Marina, holding a priceless necklace in her hands, figuring out the origins of most of the object she could see. Taking a silk top with jewels hanging from it the design a giveaway to what the previous owners profession was. "And from a brothel in Syracuse."
Leaning forward until his mouth was at her ear, Sinbad said "Good guess."
Marina gasped, startled, spinning on her feet to face us hiding the bikini top behind her back tossing it into the corner.
"What do you think you're doing here," demanded Sinbad in indignation.
"I'm here to make sure you get the Book of Peace and make sure Chryseis gets home unharmed," stated Marina, arms crossed in front of her chest. "Or bring back your dead body if you fail."
"Really," said Sinbad, circling Marina, leaning his body on the table. "And how are you going to pull that off?"
"By whatever means necessary," said Marina, determinedly.
"Did you bring a crew," said Sinbad, already knowing the answer.
"No," said Marina.
"You know how to get to Tartarus," asked Sinbad.
"Um… no," answered Marina, sheepish.
"Can you navigate on your own," asked Sinbad.
"Yes," shot Marina, triumphant.
I smacked my face with the palm of my hand shaking my head sadly sympathetic. Marine thought she achieved the upper hand when in truth it was in face Sinbad outwitting her.
"Well good," said Sinbad, jumping onto his bed, lying down, tugging his hat over his eyes, hands lodged behind his neck, "then we'll dump your butt in a rowboat and you can paddle your way back to Syracuse. 'Cause we're going to Fiji."
"Fiji," smiled Marina, brow raised.
"Yup," said Sinbad.
Marina looked to me for confirmation.
Shrugging helplessly, nonchalant, I sighed "He won't change his mind no matter what I say to persuade him. He's set on abandoning Proteus for Fiji." The last part I pronounced harsher hoping it would make Sinbad guilty with no such luck.
Sinbad kept his carefree posture.
Leaning back on one of the support beams sustaining the ceiling, silkily, Marina said "Just as I thought."
"What," said Sinbad, taking his hat off his eyes.
"Sinbad, you're no a very complicated guy," said Marina, smoothly. "All someone has to do is imagine the most gutless course of action and you're bound to take it." In this process she'd left her spot on the support beam bending over him.
That one certainly hit a nerve.
"Hey, this is not my problem," said Sinbad. "I did not steal the Book."
"You're really not going to lose any sleep over this, are you," inquired Marina, sitting at the edge of the bed.
"Not a wink," said Sinbad, rolling over onto his side so he would look at her a moment longer.
"Because me, I'd be tossing and turning knowing I'm alive…because I let my friend die," said Marina, brutally cold.
Groaning in disgust, Sinbad scoffed "I'm not responsible for this mess. I didn't ask Proteus to put his neck on the line for me!"
"Look, clearly I can't appeal to your honor," said Marina, "but I have other ways of convincing you."
"Really," said Sinbad, flustered, his eyes traveling up and down Marina's figure. Apparently he had a while different idea of what she had in mind. "Uh…just how do you expect to do that?"
"By speaking your language," said Marina, flaunting a flawless diamond the size of her fist in his face.
"Snatching the diamond, checking its authenticity, Sinbad urged "Keep talking."
Already suspecting it would take more than one stone to convince Sinbad, Marina came well stocked. She dumped an entire pouch full of diamonds and gems in his palm throwing the now empty bag aside when she was finished.
I was temporarily speechless at how much she'd brought with her. I should've packed some so I could've ultimately bribed as required from Marina's perspective.
Sinbad bounced his hand testing the weight of the stones. I stood they praying for him to make the best decision. At first it appeared like the bride wasn't tempting enough.
Boy were we wrong.
"Yup this'll do," he said.
"Yes," I squealed, delighted, clapping my hands and hugging Marina in gratitude.
Smiling at how happy I was Marina rubbed my arm in response pleased at the results she obtained.
"But," said Sinbad, the mischievous tone in his voice along with the disturbing lint in his eyes causing us to become instantly weary," not for first class. Chryseis has access to a cabin, but you don't."
Before Marina could react in time Sinbad tossed her over his shoulder holding her securely at the waist. He then carried her out, but she refused to comply on his terms.
Mortified Marine struggled in his unrelenting grip kicking and pounding on his back.
Following them out t maybe help Marina, I muttered "This isn't going to end well."
Sinbad drew the attention of the while crew when he kicked open the door leading to the outside.
Partially strained under the weight of the flailing Marine as she constantly fought him Sinbad threw her momentarily to achieve an improved grip. He said "As you can see, we're well equipped to accommodate the most discerning of royal tastes. We have excellent ocean views-," Marina aggressively clawed at his face only for Sinbad to shake her off easily, the crew watching all this in bewildered silence, "luxurious living quarters," the quarters he referred to was the storage room with all the food that he, also, kicked open throwing Marine unceremoniously inside, "with three gourmet meals a day. Pickles, eggs, and pickles."
"Sinbad, this is ridiculous," I argued inside the miniscule doorway.
The next moment I dodged out of a near collision with Sinbad's dog Spike as he barreled passed me into the storage room.
"Ah, hey Spike, there you are," said Sinbad, ignoring me, giving Spike an affectionate headlock not bothered by the amount of drool the dog was excreting.
Marina and I shared the similar sentiments appalled by the image.
"I'd like to introduce you to your new bunkmate," said Sinbad, "well, actually, you're his new bunkmate, as it's actually his bunk."
Released Spike jumped on Marina his tail wagging, licking her all over the face much to Marina's displeasure.
Sinbad steadily retreated from Marina, he said "We do hope you have a pleasant stay aboard the Chimera. Oh, if he starts hugging your leg it means he likes you."
Shoving Spike away Marina charged Sinbad, grunting "If you think-."
Sinbad slammed the door directly in her face effectively ending the conversation. He lodged a board into the licks to keep it shut preventing Marina from breaking free from the inside. Spike barked the last sound heard.
Sinbad chuckled satisfied by what he'd accomplished until he saw the expression on my face. "What," he said.
"Let Marina out this instant," I insisted.
Annoyed, Sinbad said "Don't worry she won't be in there forever. She'll stay there to the point where she doesn't try to kill me."
Throwing my arms in the air at his behavior I moved off.
Rolling one of the diamonds in his fingers, Sinbad pondered "How did she even get on the ship?"
The answer revealed itself when he cast a glance at his men. Mystery solved. No matter where Sinbad turned each one of them held a diamond in their hand studying the stones with great intensity. Apparently, like him, they'd been bribed to allow her admittance without alerting their captain to the unauthorized addition to their party. Unorthodox, but it got Marina what she desired. All pirates were capable of being persuaded with the right type of instigation. When they realized Sinbad was on deck they all tried to hide the diamonds to no avail their guilt plain. Some even went to the length of hiding the diamond in their mouths.
"Gentlemen, we have a new course," said Sinbad, making his way to the helm. "We're going to Tartarus."
"Huh," said one of the twins, spitting out his diamond in shock. "What happened to Fiji?"
"What? No fun," whined the brother distraught.
"No beaches," said the 1st.
From above a lei dropped onto Sinbad's head. Sinbad identified the culprit at once.
"Rat," said Sinbad, snapping his head at the crow's-nest.
Sticking his head out of the crows-nest a lei of his own wrapped around his neck with a ukulele in one hand, Rat said "Sorry, Captain!" Rat leapt from the crows-nest he followed the Sinbad as he continued moving with the long line. "But did you say Tartarus?"
"That's right," said Sinbad, matter-of-factly, maneuvering passed Rat as he constantly got in his path.
"Will that be the same Tartarus from which no sailor ever returned," asks Rat, leaning in close.
Sinbad pushed Rat away, but, undeterred, the persistent Rat came back.
"The Tartarus of lost souls, where they grind your bones and pickle your spleen, and-," rambled Rat, melodramatically.
Sinbad had enough of Rat's exaggeration although a bit wasn't untrue.
Rolling his eyes skyward he grabbed Rat by the lei, sarcastically saying "No, Rat. This is the nice Tartarus with lots of beaches and drinks. You know with little umbrellas?" With that done Sinbad let Rat go sauntering away in a mood.
Rat muttered disparaging obscenities under his breath in Italian making faces and gestures at Sinbad demeaning.
At the wheel Kale had seen and heart all from his vantage area. Sinbad avoided looking at Kale directly in the face aware of what he'd find there.
"I'm only doing this for the money," said Sinbad, arms crossed, irritated.
"Right," said Kale, grinning victoriously, of course he was.
"So how do we get there," I asked, having tracked Sinbad to the helm.
"That star's our point," directed Sinbad, pointing ahead to the single star brighter than all the rest.
The wheel clicked in Kale's hands as he steered the ship in that direction.
The danger was about to begin. If anyone considered for a second Eris was going to be merciful they were certainly the definition of a moron.
Authors: Surprise! Here's another chapter and so soon after the last. And speaking of surprises I have an extremely massive one for you guys next chapter. Let's just say its something you guys have been practically dying to happen for a long time. Ha! Ha!