Ch. 7 – Aimen's Interrogation
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As morning's first light slowly descended on the Caribbean, an injured someone stirred in his cell. Every muscle in his body ached, and he felt as if his head was about to explode. He lay there in the shadows, watching the sun slowly seep in through the cracks in the ship's frame. He could have basked in the tranquility of it forever, but forever meant nothing to pirates, and his thoughts were soon interrupted by a loud clanging noise.
"Turner!" A gruff voice called out, causing Will to lift his aching head. "Get up. The Cap'n wan's ter see ya." A slightly confused look adorned wills face as he slowly rose with a sigh. The Captain was harsh, crude. No doubt he'd end up being commanded to dive in search of the gold, again – a task he now completed, with fail, on a daily basis – but he felt that the next time he had to dive, he wouldn't be able to resurface again.
He made his way to the Captain's wuarters, a soft, yet bitter feminine voice greeted him there.
"Did you sleep well, William?" He nodded.
"As well as one can in captive."
"I see…" The captain's chair slowly turned, revealing Amien, a young woman no older than twenty one, clad in an off-white tunic and corset with breeches the color of raspberry wine. Her hair was as black as the night sky, cascading in a sea of curls down onto her shoulders beneath an extravagant hat the same color as her breeches.
"Mister Turner…" she began, rising and pacing slowly across the room. "Tell me about this… wife of yours."
"Elizabeth?"
"Aye."
"What about her, m'lady?" The captain grumbled.
"Take a seat, Turner." She crossed back to her desk, side-saddling it so that she was sitting on it with her legs off to one side. "I want to know all about her. Her name. Her parents. Where she is."
"Her name is Elizabeth…as you know…and her father is the governor of Port Royale…"
"And her mother?"
"She doesn't-"
"Yes. She does. Be logical,
William." Will cast his gaze downward.
"I do not know."
"You lie!"
"No! She's…she's never told me." Amien snickered, hopping off the desk and circling Will.
"And you say you've loved her forever?" The captain laughed, folding her hands behind her back. "I think, perhaps, she does not return your feelings!" Will stayed silent, watching the floor. "If she cared about you so, wouldn't she have let you in on her little secrets?"
Will was furious. "It's not my business!"
"Of course it is!" Amien moved behind him, sliding her hands
onto his shoulders. "You two are
married now. You should keep no secrets
from each other…" With each word, the
captain moved closer, until she merely had to breathe her words into Will's ear
to be heard.
"Why…why does it matter to you?" Will tensed up as she touched him, wishing he could just jump up and leave.
"Her mother was a whore, Turner." She gently slid her hands down onto his chest, toying with the collar of his shirt. "She was nothing but a filthy harlot from London… why else do you think she never talks about her?"
Will's breath quickened. "It's not true… you… you don't even know her!" Amien shook her head, smiling wryly.
"No… no. I don't know her. But I know her mother." Her hands moved further down his chest as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "Does the name Mary Keaton ring a bell?" Upon no response from Will, she chuckled slightly, her warm breath tingling his neck. "She was a pretty little thing, so I hear."
"H…how do you know?!" He leaned his head back slightly as the lady captain nipped gently at his neck. He hated what she was saying, but somehow he believed it.
She carefully slipped around in front of him, sliding onto his lap. "Let's just say a little bird told me." She nipped at Will's neck a bit more as he slid a hesitant arm around her waist. "After all…" she continued, whispering in his ear. "Is it really so hard to believe? Like mother, light daughter…"
Will's eyes narrowed. "Elizabeth is not a whore! Don't you dare insult her in such manner!" Amien pulled back slightly, gazing into Will's eyes, her own crystalesque orbs glowing with hints of sympathy.
"Then where is she now? She's obviously not come to your rescue…" After a moment, Will's expression fell. He knew the captain had a point, and that he had been beat. Amien knew this too, apparently, for her mouth slipped into a wry smile. "That's what I thought."
Ever so gently she leaned forward, drawing Will into a deep, enchanting kiss. As he kissed her back, nothing else mattered. Elizabeth was in the past now, and all that mattered, for the moment, was that he was here with Amien, and she seemed to care for him in a way no one else ever had.