"Cap'n! E's done it again! Cabin boy gone and lost is' mind up in da crow's next!" Starsky yells so loud half the crew has to cover their ears. Big fellow Starsky is, but Mullins in much, much bigger. Got a loud voice he has that Starsky, usually yelling about how I've lost my mind. Ha! This crew is just too cowardice to do these things I do, calling me insane to cover them own behinds. Oh if the captain only once in awhile watched them closely enough. But just thinking like that I'd consider mutiny, and so no more.
Aye I better introduce myself to yah, maybe even let yah in on a few secrets. Well I'll start with where and what I'm doing now. I'm up in the crow's nest, like Starsky says, but I haven't gone daft, I know exactly what I'm doing, well sort of. Anyway, I come up here a lot to think and just relax, so that's what I'm doing now. I've finished my duties for today below deck and so I thought I might take over the next watch shift. Oh yeah, the name's Tristen, but the crew on this ship calls me Cabin boy or Trent. See there's a story behind my name, you can decide if it's long or short, but know that this is a secret; I'll leave it up to you if you keep it.
Really I'm not a boy, to put it simply. I grew up at an Inn, Baggins' Tavern be the name. Orphan I am. Mother perished of some new plague that been rousing up in dirt-poor towns, ones with them lot of rats. Inn I grew up in sure had the lot of them. But always been a healthy child I am. Never caught so much as a cold, good thing too or my cover would have been blown long ago. Anyways, back to the autobiography, my dad left me here in this Inn not too long back. Sixteen I am now so I think it are eight years back I was abandoned. Well as the story goes, caretakers of the Inn took a liking to me, pitied me in my sense, so they let me stay, though I had to do my fair share of the work. I dunno if I were too young, or too ignorant back then, but I didn't miss my father much, matter of fact I don't believe I'd recognize him if he'd walk right up and say hi. Not that he'd know me by looks.
As for those, looks I mean, well that has a story that collides and combines with my names. I do remember one specific thing bout my father. He was first mate on some ship with the name of it being Legacy, or some sort. I remember that crystal clearly, fact being I've always loved ships I have. Love the ocean even more, but could barely swim back when dad was around. Now I can swim better then fish, usually am the one to dive right in, with a life line of course, to fetch Cook some fresh fish when our bushel gone sour or the sort. How I came to be on this ship is what really changed me outlook on life as well as me looks.
Never been the lady sort, the kind that dress up in those ridiculous getups going to stupid balls or parties of the same sort. Couldn't take it, so to say. I remember when Ms. Hibs, one of the caretakers at the Tavern, the motherly sort, tried to dress me up and send me off to one of those parties I'd been invited to. Never got invited to one of them again to make a long story short. Did I ever have them boys drooling though, and the girls giving me them envious glares? Mary had a black eye by the end of the night, by my fist too. Came right up to me, she had, and started telling me off. Don't think her mother likes me much to this day; then again she'd probably have given me her daughter's hand in marriage if I asked for it now. You see, now I look identical to a boy. I don't have the same cravings as them, mind you. I'm still attracted to men, it's just I haven't found the one I'm looking for yet, not that I'm looking for anyone specific, just the right man for me.
So I'm a girl in boy's clothing. Never wore much female clothing type when I was young either, father didn't know how the hell to dress me. Use to make me laugh, I remember that much. Tried putting them fancy dresses on me, I guess maybe make me look prettier so I could be sold for money or something. Didn't get any takers, as I'd always follow him around when he'd leave me somewhere. Finally I think he just got frustrated, got drunk, and actually forgot I was using the outhouse back them eight years ago.
Anyway, so the crew hasn't got any idea I'm a girl, and I'm hoping to keep it that way. Wouldn't let me do half the things I be doing, they wouldn't if they knew! Don't think I could go on living on this ship if that came to be. Too bad really, the crew here is more like my family then every ship I've ever traveled on, been cabin boy on. More times then once I had captains finding out I wasn't a boy, had to run for my life literally I did! Don't take kindly to liars, them captains didn't. Especially one as clever as me! I could kill a man where he stands having a witness watch my every move, and no judge could convict me. Only reason those other captains found out was because I let my guard down one too many times when I'd jump ship, going swimming that is, I'm not a traitor. They'd see a little more then I'd allowed and that's when gunshots would rein the night air.
Can't say I don't miss being a girl. I sort of wish I could go back to having my straight auburn hair, even though usually it was tied back in some loose tail or another. Pretty it was, any time a girl came in the Tavern they'd fawn over it. Might as well have cut them off a chunk to keep for all the good it did me. But still I miss it, as it would calm me down when I'd brush it slowly. I wonder sometimes if me mother had done that when I was a babe, I saw mothers come into the Tavern with their babes, awkwardly enough. They'd sit there in a dimly lit corner, their eyes searching for their lost husbands, brushing the babe's hair, if it had any. Can't remember my mother at all, looks nor sounds, not just one little thing. She left me a locket, a damn broken locket at that. But I keep it close all the same. Often at night, if you're lucky enough to find me without asking the captain, you'll see me looking at it, sometimes even trying to pry it open. But I've long since given up that fight, it's a lost cause I suppose. Except when I wake up from a dream where I see a woman's face and I wonder if it were my mother's, so I go to the locket, hoping to find her picture inside, but now I suppose I'll never know, unless by some miracle the locket just happens to have a mind of its own and opens up for me without my hand trying.
Damn shame it is, mighty strong I've become, not that I look it. Always been petite damn it, elfin even! Even got the pointed ears I have! Well so to speak, they're pointed, but only just slightly. But sure as hell I can hear perfectly, much better then anyone else I've ever met at least. Could give my recent captain a run for his money if he ever said he had better hearing then me! Conceited fellow Captain is.
Oh yeah, back to the story of how I came to be on this ship. Well like I said, always had a fond spot for the ocean and the many ships that be coming in at all times of the day or night. Seen a few pirates in my day, and if you promise not to tell, I am one! Anyways, one night at the Tavern some large fellow came in saying he needed an errand run, as he wasn't as young as he used to be, which was obvious with so much as a glance. Ms. Hibs told me to do it, angry with me she was, for what, I can't remember. Anyway, think I was frightened so terribly of her, scary she is when she's angry. Gets a glint in her eye that could scare my recent captain an inch within death's grasp. So I went running, all the way into the harbor the Tavern was housed nearby. Ms. Hibs should have known better then to send me, to think she actually thought I'd return after seeing all those huge ships! What a laugh that would have been, had guilt not been weighing down my shoulders ever since.
Anyhow, nasty town the harbor was housed within. Had so many men ten times my age hitting on me I thought I was going to vomit more times then once. Still get that awful taste of bile just thinking about them looks given freely to me, makes me glad the baggy boy's clothes I'd been wearing. Got so sick of those looks before I could even deliver the parcel I'd been sent on the errand in the first place, I snuck into the closest tavern and pick pocketed a dagger to cut my hair with. Left a whole pile of it behind me, just enough to reach my shoulders. Sad to think that if I'd let it grow, by now it'd have reached my waist once more. So anyhow, I had it tied back like I'd seen some boys been doing at the Tavern lately back then, and when I finally delivered that parcel, no longer was I getting vial looks from them men, but rather from ladies. At the time, I'd have been twelve I suppose, I didn't have any breasts, hadn't grown up enough. But because of this and my new hairstyle, the person I was to deliver the parcel to took me as a young boy. Asked me why my parents would send some boy as young as me out to deliver such a small detail into such an important town.
My answer had been I was an orphan, and I remember clearly the pity in the man's eyes. But took me in he did. Said he was a captain, the ship's name was after his old love I think, Saint Marian. To this day I highly doubt his love was a saint, but I wouldn't say a word to the man's face. Too bad how close I got to him. As I was young, I became cabin boy, meaning I slept in his quarters most often. Suspicious fellow I remember now. As I got older he always wondered why I cut my hair, and how I never grew any facial hair other then eyebrows and eyelashes. Guess he got tired of asking cause after the first year he stopped. Loved the man like a father I did. He was the captain of Saint Marian, and I envied him for it, as Saint Marian was in tiptop shape at all times, a sea Maiden beauty. Taught me the sword, how to fence with all sorts of weapons. Taught me to shoot with a pistol, he did! Even taught me how to shimmy up the ropes to the crow's nest and walk on the beams of masts to tie down or release the sails. By the end of the first year I could beat even the best sailors up them ropes to the crows nest. Had the best balance and grace out of all of them, as women usually do.
But problems developed when I started to develop. And that was how I got kicked off the first ship. Captain wouldn't take me back to this day, even with all my experience I've earned over these three and a half years. I went into the nearest town and by god I was on a new ship by midnight. The new captain tested me out and said he was amazed, as I'd lied about ever being on a ship. Knew he was suspicious of me from the start, I did. Not for being a girl, as I'd gone to great lengths as to tie down my new medium sized developments, hugging them to my chest tightly. But he was suspicious I'd lied to him about ever being on a ship. Heard him admitting it once, been in the galley at the same time as he, except I was fetching food for a sick mate while there. Happened to fall into too large a barrel and overhear the entire conversation. Left that same night. You see the captain had bitten off more then he could chew, making accusations I would never be part of! Calling me a traitor or spy as such.
A pattern developed after that. I'd only spent a few months on that ship there, finishing out my second year of being away from the place I called home. Then I'd have been fourteen years old I suppose. I went from ship to ship over the next two years. Being taken in by those who pitied me. Perhaps that's how I developed my temper, though it's hard to feed fire to nothing more then embers, as it's tough getting me angry. Mind you, when I'm angry, I wouldn't stand in my way. I may be short and petite, but under all these baggy clothes lies nothing but muscle. What else could a young cabin boy sailor have?
Well these last few months, around four months to be near accurate I'd say, I've been on this ship. Red Barron to be known only by pirates, Grey Ash to be known by anyone else. Poetic this captain is. Told me the first day I boarded, first night I spent in his cabin, told me Grey Ash for all those sailors that turned to dust long since. Took a liking to him right away I did. I suppose he took a liking to me as well, as because I didn't exactly have any experience with an education, he began teaching me a few minor things. A couple of sums here and there, reading and writing, as well as my share of discipline, though I'm not sure that could be counted as school type work. Don't know really as I've never been to a real school. Just picked up a few things on my way to becoming a sailor.
Now here comes the captain, so I suppose I'll have to tell yah more about me later. Might as well give you a description of him while I'm at praising the fellow. Tall man, I think he stated his height as being six foot four inches, though to me he doesn't look as tall, maybe six foot exactly. Mullins is around six foot four, so that's how I measure people up. He's always wearing a red coat, a sign of the Red Barron he once told me. A handsome tailcoat that ruffles in black around his shiny black boots that make a clunk clunking sound when he walks across these here floorboards. His hair is long, curled, and black, always under that same tri-cornered captains hat. Sometimes his eyes glow red, or perhaps that's just the light reflecting off his bleak always-angry brown eyes.
"Trent!" He calls to me. Even though he puts on a tough front I can hear the notes of concern and worry in his voice. Sometimes I wonder if I'm not like a son to him, rather then a daughter, as he has no idea I'm female. As I step foot over foot around the corner boards of the crow's nest the captain's anger is evident in his eyes. It's rather like a balancing beam, you may see them gymnastic type doing, the type in circus' walking on tightropes. At least if I ever failed at being a terrific sailor I could go and be a high tightrope walker at the circus' I see traveling around from town to town. "Get down cabin boy!" Captain now screams.
Perhaps it's not such a good idea; really maybe I shouldn't do it. Who am I kidding? These thoughts quickly rush through my head as I'm rushing towards the deck directly below me. This crew is already beginning to think I'm insane; there can't be much harm in my diving from the crow's nest without the same accusation. Uh oh, the captain looks really panicked. I'm going to get it tonight. Oh well, is my last thought before my left hand reaches out and grabs the nearest rope to slow my fall before my face splatters against the deck. Luckily for me, I know exactly what I'm doing, and I'm not hurt in the slightest, except maybe now I have a little rope burn on my left hand and a couple more then a few slivers, but I'm not one to complain. Just to show off I do a flip from the rope I'd been hanging onto for dear life, yet now I'm only inches from the floorboards and so this is quite safe. My feet gently land on the floorboards in front of a very angry looking Captain.
"'Ello Cap'n. Been having a fine evening? No land in sight just yet." I can hear the entire crew letting out relieved sighs as they go back to work and peel their eyes away from me. My voice comes out in a trained boy's tone, rough and deeper then I know my real voice sounds. I only pray I don't talk in my sleep, for then this captain would have quite the surprise on his hands, and this far out into sea there would be no escape for me this time. Pity it would be really, this captain is by far my favorite, as he didn't show me pity when I boarded, but rather wanted to see what I was made of, so sent me into a fight with the other cabin boy, Nat, who I'm quite good friends with now. Mullins is like a father to him, which is cute because though Mullins tries not to show it, he favors the boy Nat so much their hammocks in the crew's quarters are purposely near each other. Though if Mullins ever heard me say anything I can be sure my neck would be wrung, or placed in a noose before I could spit.
"Would you like to be confined to the brig until this voyage is over?" The captain asks. Fear flickers through my eyes and I know it. I had quite the bad experience with that damned brig, even the whole for me once. Nasty place I never want to go back to.
"No captain." I bow my head respectively as a silent apology, which I know is anywhere near good enough for this man.
"Skimping on duties?" I look up at him, an anger awakening in my eye at the accusation.
"Never sir." My tone is serious. Captain nods and turns away from me, his one hooked hand with a large silver hook in at this time, glinting in the setting sun's last rays, reflecting painfully into my eyes.
"Try that act again and you'll find yourself in the brig." With that captain turned and made his way back towards his cabin from hence he'd come. His trusty first mates Smee scuttling along behind him. I can't help but roll my eyes at the captain and Smee's backs. Smee's like a lost puppy without captain, yet with captain he's just the same, except following a master's orders clumsily. I turn and run headlong into someone.
"Watch it!" I growl getting back to my feet. But before I can stand on my own a gigantic hand comes down and clamps onto my loose tail my hairs in. Using that, whoever it is pulls me up; I'm biting my lip to hold back a yelp of pain.
"What was that whelp?" Mullin's almost booming voice is enough to deafen me as he barks down at me. It's times like this I really hate my tough attitude I must keep up to continue pretending to be a boy. I can't help the loud gulp as it comes into my throat, and noisily rubs down its passage. I wouldn't admit it around any of these men, for even though they're all cowardly they'd have a hearty laugh at my expense because I'd admit it, but I'm afraid of Mullins. Stupid really, well not to be afraid of Mullins would be like a death wish, as he hates competition, but to be laughed at because of it, and by these cowards! Normally it would make my blood boil, but at the moment the man in mention has me by my tail, close to literally.
"I said," calmly, "watch out!" I yell now as I point behind him at some imaginary object. Mullins drops me and I don't waste a second speeding right back up to the crow's nest where Mullins would only go to save young Nat's life. Come to think of it Nat's not that young, he's a year older then me. But right now I can't worry about such things, for I have the biggest worry of all chasing me to the mast and waving a fist below me as I scramble swiftly up the ropes. Men are laughing below me, the crew has seen what I've just done, and Mullins will discipline me all the while for it once I come down, that is if I ever do come down.
Now that I have time I might as well tell you what I look like, and if I have more time, I'll tell you the differences, as in changes I made over the years to become looking like a boy. My hair is to my shoulders; I cut it every time it grows a full inch passed. I've got bright green eyes I think my father once had. As for my height, measuring against Mullins I'm like a mouse next to a giant. I'd have to guess about five foot two inches. My baggy clothes I'm always wearing cover up any signs I'm a female, but sometimes I wonder if my eyes don't give that away. Right now I'm wearing some white baggy shorts that stop an inch above my ankles, I'm barefoot only because of my balancing act otherwise I'd be wearing my shiny black boots that captain of this ship gave me my first day abroad. My shirt is a dull green, luckily or else my eyes would stand out.
"Mr. Trent!" Uh oh. Smee's come to find me and Mullins is keeping an eye on me from what I can see. This can't and won't turn out good. Slowly I climb down the ropes and stop midway to turn and give chubby little Smee a questioning look. "Mr. Hook would like to see you in his cabin." Really, this can't be any good. With a last look at Mullins I jump the rest of the way down to the deck and make for the cabin at breakneck speed, just as Mullins takes a lunging step towards me then decided better of it and continues on tying something to something or another. Nat isn't far behind smiling knowingly at Mullins and my antics.
"Get to work boy!" Mullins yells seeing the knowing smirk on Nat's face. Without looking back I can tell Nat's smile has vanished, but the laughter still reins in his eyes. Running into the captain's cabin isn't such a good idea, so decidedly I halt just before I go face first into the wooden door.
Thunk!
Damn, guess I didn't slow down soon enough. Rubbing my now aching nose I open and shut the captain's cabin doors as I step into his office. Out the corner of my eye I watch the Captain give me a reappraising look before going back to writing in those stupid little books of his. He lets no one read them, and anyone that asks to can count on a bullet hole through the skull, no ones asked once since he announced that after shooting the very late cabin boy, I think his name was Billy and was around my age. Captain finishes writing something, shuts the little book, and then motions with a pointing finger for me to sit on my cot. Before my butt even touches the bedding captain begins to speak.
"I'm very disappointed in you Mr. Trent." This is new. I've had people disappointed in me many times before, but I haven't yet given this captain any reason to be such. "You've been slacking off." Hm, now I wonder if this had something to do with my little diving act. Well that's not very fair, but then again he is the captain pirate, so I guess nothing is fair on this ship.
"How so captain?" My British accent is much more definable around captain. A glare is turned to me.
"I've been going over the logs, which I keep an account of all our loots. As it so seems, you haven't brought in half as much as everyone else." He raises a finely arched black eyebrow at me, where I just stare back at him.
"You already know I've never sailed before, let alone loot another ship. It's not like I don't try, but I won't make excuses and I can only do better next time." Looks like I said just the right things, as usual. If you can't beat 'em, kiss their Asses. Captain nods and waves a hand at the door, his show that I need to leave now. I bow my head respectively again before ducking out the door and closing it silently behind me.
"Trent run!" I pray for Nat every night, especially during times like these. Mullins runs at me, his dagger being held readily for a swipe or stab. Thank god for Nat, I think as I dodge to the left, laughing madly. What good fun these pirates have! Mullins, though I'm deathly afraid of him, is my favorite playmate, unless he catches me, then he's my very least favorite person that I could care less if they fell off the edge of the earth. I love playing chase, Nat sucks at it, and really he does. I usually catch him in less then a second, or if he's it, then he stays it since he can never catch me. It's what comes at the end of the game of chase I hate. So far Mullins has been the only one to catch me, not that he's fast, no he's the furthest thing from that! But he knows this ship like the blade of his dagger, and since that dagger never leaves his sight I'm pretty sure I'm right in saying such. Plus I'm new on this ship, which makes all the difference. Now if only the entire crew except for Nat wasn't on his side.
As I dodge another swipe of the blade a sailor sticks out his foot and making a great show of gracelessness I trip and roll a few paces before I'm up and running again. Mullins face is turning red, well redder then usual, this isn't a very good sign. Maybe I should let him catch me? Nah. Instead another swipe of the dagger's blade comes at me, which I dodge, and now I'm scurrying up the ropes faster then Nat ever could.
"Get don e is scrawny scallywaggying son of a bi-" Even though wondering I am if scallywaggying is a word, I climb faster up the ropes until I topple over the edge of the crow's nest, and now I'm standing happy as ever shaking my little fist right back down at the gigantic Mullins.
"Watch yer language!" Foolishly as ever I call back. That definitely was not one of my better ideas, which I keep telling myself as now I watch Mullins start to climb the ropes. Meanwhile me other few thoughts are all saying at the same time, 'well I'll be damned! He can climb!' Then again, maybe I shouldn't be thinking that when I should be running. Perhaps I shouldn't have come up here after all? But maybe I'll get lucky and Mullins will chicken out or fall.
Damn luck must be broken! Mullins' dagger's blade has just found itself wedged into the side of the crow's nest opposite to where I stand. Yep, definitely not my best idea running up here, I should a just jumped overboard. Mullins can't swim, and couldn't follow me no matter how much he wanted to. Still, the sharks may be hungry and a day with Mullins is better then floating with hungry sharks, I had to learn that the hard way. Luckily I escaped that death-feint with nothing more then a large slash down my back, I think the shark had been going to rip my spine out. Then again, that is how I got kicked off the fourth ship I ever was on.
Well, I can't run, and there's no chance of hiding just yet. Either the captain or Mullins will spear me, by hook or dagger as some say. There is the third choice, as there always is, but never will I turn cowardice and beg for neither my life nor my dignity. Mullins looks real out of place up here in the tiny crow's nest, but rather then continuing to think about this I decide on the latter of Captain and down I go, now free falling once more towards the poop deck. It's times like these I can't help but wonder why they call it a poop deck. I swapped it just this morning, so definitely doesn't look like poop, so guess I have ta. Maybe some other cabin boy once tried this and forgot to catch the rope. Oh well, no time to think more about this, I reach out and grab the rope in mention, giving my left hand a worsened case of rope-burn. Damn it does rope-burn ever hurt!
But I've grabbed the rope sooner then before and so even if Mullins does go back down to the deck he can't get to me. Doing a back flip, from hence the talent comes from years of being a sailor/pirate, I release the rope that saved me from most certain broken bones and most definitely death and land on the man mast, already occupied with the main sail.
"Lily livered coward!" Yells Mullins.
"Takes one to know one!" Most childishly I call back. Uh oh, now Mullins is a nasty shade of purple, I might as well settle down here for a nice long nap once the sunsets, neither man nor mouse is safe when Mullins turns this color, in this case neither is the crow's nest and definitely not on deck. If only the captain hadn't heard the commotion. Come on luck, yah let me down on my first try, how bout a snip of luck now?
"I'll de-bowel yah with me bare hands if I hafta! Come back e're yah cowardly cabin boy! Skittish as a girl!" At this me muscles freeze up, and only you and I know why. "Woon't doubt you were a girl, dirty li'l bastard yah is!"
"Talk to yer mum with that mouth do yah? Calling me a girl when yer hair, or the hair you got left, is longer then mine! Wouldn't be surprised if under all d'em baggy clothes yah wear we found a pair o d'em goggles with the necessary juices!" retort I did once the effect of his words had worn off. I can only pray the others didn't take notice of me freezing up. Men below laugh heartily at Mullins and mine's exchange of words, so I doubt they did. That is until Captain comes out and ends the fun, for the better I can be sure.
"Coward, say that to me face!" Yells Mullins, not taking notice of the captain. Unluckily fer me, I have yet to notice the captain as well.
"Bend over and I might try! Hard to the difference of above and below fer yah, aye Mullins?" Mullins' shade of purple darkens. Man I wish I wouldn't have added that last comment. I'm gunna get it once I come down from here, if I ever come down from here.
"Mullins, Trent! Get your Asses down here!" Finally Mullins and I take notice of the red-coated captain. Captain's face has turned and interesting shade of red as well. This definitely isn't good, and if I disobey orders… I can't think of it without shuddering. Obediently Mullins goes to climb down the ropes, his face still purple as ever, while I hitch a ride sliding down the closest rope to the deck. Of course I beat Mullins by more then a head of hair and am standing in front of Captain before Mullins has taken just a step down that rope ladder!
"What have I told ye about yer little stunts Cabin Boy?" He says my title like it's a curse, like it sometimes can be. Shamefully I bow my head while Mullins arrives by my side, still brandishing his dagger and playing with the shining blade.
"Said could cost me a isle in the brig sir." Obediently I answer, still in my trained rougher boy's tone. Captain brandishes his hooked hand at me as shudder I do under its glare. Looking up into the captain's eyes I woulda found red glaring down at my shrinking form. Captain's angry as hell; I can feel it radiating off o him. Got the strangest feeling I should run I do, but stay put I shall.
"Yet you directly disobeyed my orders?" I open my mouth to agree but find me voice I can't, and for fear a girlish tone will come out rather then my trained boyish one, I shut my dried mouth again and nod instead. "And to add to the crime you purposefully piss off Mr. Mullins?"
"He was pissed off before Sir, I simply egged 'im on." Suddenly me voice is back and as boyish and raspy as ever. Out of fear I don't want to look up, but certainly I can feel Captain's anger with me lessen at my strict honesty. I may be a liar, but damned be it I'm one hell of a clever ass! Using the captain's learned emotions to their best, I find I can lessen my punishment to however I so need them, though perhaps this time I can't escape my Fate of the brig for an isle?
"And what is to come of you Mr. Mullins? You did try to harm the boy, one of my crew. Do you not already know the punishment for such had any harm come to Mr. Trent?" Captain, such a great man he is. Love him to death I do. Fine sailor he is, best pirate since Flint, Black Beard, and all them good uns.
"Aye sir, but can't deny the boy wouldn't deserve what's comin' to 'im. Pickin' fights he don't know how to finish. Have the mind I do to clean his gills for supper-"
"Like to see you try and catch me first hand! Fish out o water I am, but land legs I have when I need em." I say without thought, which really was stupid had I taken a minute to consider it. Oh well, alls well and done with, and with Captain here Mullins can't touch me. Fine coward I sound like now aye?
"Mr. Trent." Though Captain's tone is cold, there's amusement in his eyes and I can feel his anger lessening more so. Play me cards right and I might just get out of going to the brig.
"Why I oughtta!" Mullins takes a swing at me with his dagger in hand. Captain catches it with his hook and throws it back at the much larger man. My face, if I could see it now, I know would be stark white, though now I try to cover it up with a knowing smirk, which I as well hide as the captain looks back at me brandishing once again his silver hook.
"Step out of line once more Trent, and you'll find yourself hanging from that main mast there! This is your final warning. As for you Mullins." Captain turns away from me and brandishes his silver hook at the much larger man. "You'll spend tonight occupying the brig so as to cool off. Harm one of my crew without terrific reason, and you'll find yourself having the same Fate as Trent will be in once he's stepped back out of line." With his last threat Captain turns and retires back into his cabin just as the moon rises over the east horizon.
"More trouble then you're worth whelp." Mullins mutters to me as he's escorted by two men half his height or weight away to the brig.
"More then you'd like to know." I whisper and turn to go and climb back up to the crow's nest, but unfortunately Nat is in my way and as it seems so, he's angry. Just like his adopted father's, Nat's face is turning a nasty shade of purple that would be frightening were him and me not good friends from the start.
"What'd you go and do that for? Getting Mullins into trouble when he was the last of the persons deserving it." Snort I did at this. Mullins? A criminal among criminals, a murderer among murderers, didn't deserve this punishment? Had Nat gone mad in these short few moments? Perhaps it had happened after seeing Mullins face his fear of heights to come after me. Thank me Mullins should! Had I not egged him on he would still be afraid of heights. Wait a minute, now that Mullins wasn't afraid of heights, where would I have to hide now?
"For me own reasons, none your business what is mine." I answer in my boyish tone as I skirt around him and reach for the ropes that'll use as my ladder.
"Any business that's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours-"
"Then you won't mind if I take my business elsewhere." And with that I begin climbing up the ropes with great speed that would take only the best of sailors to compete with. I can feel Nat's glare still on me even as I tip over into the nest, but pay it no mind as I settle in to sleep up here.
Strange really I think it is. I like the water and such a great swimmer I am; yet up here in the crow's nest I feel at ease with this world. Sounds corny aye? Oh well, never paid it no mind before, won't be starting now. Good night for now.