Chapter Eight: Disappointment
Don't you just hate it when you've lost something and you know it's right under your nose, yet when you look it's not there? For once I'm not talking about Tristen, but my eyeglass. We're docking near another village cause the cook on this ship didn't get some ingredient he'd been looking for at the last village. Great cook there is on this ship. Best food found at sea here, just ask the cook for a taste. This is a new cook too though I forget his name. Last cook was getting old, so one day when we'd docked he got off and didn't come back. Struet waited for him, good heart Struet has got, but the old cook hadn't come back in a full week, and Struet me friend finally got tired of it and said we were to head out that evening, whether or not he returned.
This cook is pretty young still. Came abroad during that same week old cook had left. Captain Struet had been showing signs he was getting restless of waiting. Well when the kid mentioned he could cook Struet brightened up a touch, and by the time we'd finally shipped out he wasn't the worst for wear, and so neither was the crew. Oh yeah, kid cooks name is Jukes, Billy Jukes. Make a mighty fine gunner as well. Anyway, should be getting back to my duties, I've got The Watch tonight. What The Watch is, is I sitting up in the crow's nest and watching out for land. That's why I'm so frustrated with not being able to my spyglass. Annoying it is really, I've got great vision and all, but the spyglass gives me an even better advantage.
"Find it yet? Don't find it within the hour and get yer ass up there then I'll say yer skimping on yer duties and keep you docked for a full week." Damn it Struet. Bet yah gold coins that he's the one that took and hid it from me. Always been like that he has, and I bet he always will be.
"Wipe that smirk off yer face Struet, makes yah look suspicious." I raise an eyebrow as I say this. Struet does wipe the smirk off his face, and now I know it was he. "Give it here mate. You don't listen to me unless yer guilty." I growl while holding out me hand and waiting for the familiar weight to be set in my palm.
"Aye, ye always were too clever fer me tricks. You and that troublesome daughter of yers took after ye she did." My knowing smirk fades into a sad frown. Why'd he have to go and mention her? I'm still searching my heart out for her, just when I have those split seconds of happiness I want to hang onto them for a touch longer. Ah never mind it, sounds selfish that do. I deserve every moment of loneliness after what I went and did. Abandoning a seven-year-old like that. I was the only family she had left and there I go leaving her the first place she doesn't follow after me. Terrible I am. "Ah I'm sorry Peter. Didn't mean any harm."
Good man Struet is can read my emotions like a book he can. "No harm done. Better get to me duties before Captain docks me fer a week." I give him a fake reassuring smile before scurrying up the nearest rope to the crow's nest.
"Ah I'm sorry Pete." I can just faintly hear him mutter before he turns and retreats back into his cabin. Wonder if he noticed I picked his pocket? Ah well, didn't take anything that was his. Just got my spyglass back is all, now I'm using it to look out over the ocean. It's just starting to get dark, though the sun hasn't quite set yet. Still peaking over the horizon it is. What a great view I can get up here, and without any interruptions.
"Aye Mr. Pan!" Scratch that.
"'Ello Toodles. What brings you up e're?" Half-heartedly I ask. In the back of my mind I know exactly why he's up here, but I can still imagine something else can't I?
"Just wanting to watch the sunset." Liar.
"That so?" Aw just as I thought, the lad is sweating now, just barely. Can see a drop of it near his brow. And here I was thinking the lad were afraid of heights. Wonder if he'd call it cruel if I were to, oh I'm not sure perhaps pull some mischievous strings? "Nice view it is up here. Always helps when I'm feeling seasick." He gives me a questioning raise of an eyebrow.
"You get seasick?" Yeah he sounds doubtful. Wonder if he's caught on already! Not like him to catch on to one of my tricks this fast.
"Aye, but just a bit." I say leaning forward a little so half my body is fully out of the crow's nest. I can feel a horrified stare on my back coming from whom I can only guess is Toodles. "Always helps when I can see that I'm high above the water rather then feeling it tip and turn below me." Ah just as I thought he would. With a glance behind me anyone can see the boy's color shift to green as he pales. At first glance I shoulda noticed he were already uncomfortable, now I can see freely how white his knuckles are clinging to the edge like that. I have to stifle a smirk at this.
"Sure." Sounds woozy this one does.
"Aw go on Toodles, I already know captain sent cha up e're to keep and eye on me." Boy gives me a fretful nod before shakily climbing back down to the deck. As I watch his feet touch deck I let out an unfamiliar sigh, before settling into my thoughts and only absent-mindedly watching the waving motions of the mostly calm ocean. What is it about this place up high that nags me so? Not that I'm uncomfortable with these surroundings, quite the contrary, matter of fact I love it this up high. But there's something nibbling at the back of my mind, like a long since forgotten memory that's wanting desperately to be remembered. Hate it when this happens.
A/N: sorry this chapter took so long. Truth is I'm writing more fan fictions then I can handle. But since this story is already half done, then I guess there wasn't much harm done. VERY SPECIAL THANKS to everyone that reviewed! I feel so loved! I'm too eager to please, I know. Anyway, sorry again for the long awaited update, especially for such a slow-moving chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Peter Pan. I do own any of my original characters.