Chapter 20: Midshipman
It was not Maggie, or the glorified morning sun that woke me the next morning. It was an abrupt knock on my door. A knock that was uncalled for, sudden and purposefully set to annoy me. That was why it worked.
I nearly leapt from my bed when that knock arrived. I was never awoken by a knock on my door. Usually the sound of Maggie hustling about in my room woke me, but never a knock. Never. "Astrid!" came a voice. It was all too familiar. I shook my head and fell back onto my pillows.
"Go away! I'm sleeping!" I yelled back. I murmured a curse into my pillow.
"If you are asleep, then explain how you are talking to me!" it yelled back. I grunted and cupped my hands around my mouth, ready to scream at the top of my lungs, but then I remembered that my Mum and Dad were still sleeping and decided not to scream at the top of my lungs.
"I was before you came along and disturbed me, little stupid ship boy!" Outside my door I heard a boisterous laugh. It was so loud and wicked that it sounded as if it came from an evil witch.
"Midshipman!" he corrected. "I'm a midshipman!"
"For the love of God!" I replied. "It is morning, and I am tired! Go back to sleep!"
"I can't. I'm used to wakin' up this early. After all, I was on a shi—"
"Yes! I know! But that doesn't mean you have to wake me up too! Now, go away! If you want to talk to someone so badly, then why didn't you let Alexandra spend the night!"
"Don't start that again!" he roared. "Now let me in. I'm sorry for what I did last night. I'm sorry for yelling and pushing you."
"That apology was rather rushed," I retorted, but I got up from bed, threw a robe over my nightgown and opened my bedroom door. Roland leaned happily on the side when I opened it, a pleased grin on his face. I only glared at him in return. "What you have to say had better be worth it," I said. "I do not wake this early."
"Get used to it if yer gonna get on a ship's crew one day." He walked in and sat himself in the chair before my vanity, and he played around with my hair brush, flicking the bristles with his finger.
"You have changed a lot over two years," I said, taking a seat on the edge of my bed opposite him.
"Well, of course I have," he said. His voice cracked in the middle of his sentence, and I nearly laughed. He went from a low voice to a remarkable high pitch. He cleared his throat afterwards and continued on with his statement. "I mean, I have grown taller, and I'm starting to grow a beard," he said proudly. He tilted his chin up and pointed to the tiny, brown stubs of hair on his chin.
"Yes, Roland. That is one wonderful accomplishment," I said sarcastically. He shrugged off my mockery, but countered me back with a despicable grin.
"I suppose you want to know more about my life on the ship, do you not?" he said. I began to notice that he talked in two different ways. He could speak very convincingly as a sailor, and prove his time on a ship, but he could also speak like a gentleman and use proper grammar.
"I do." I paused, and tilted my head slightly as I made a better observation of him. "You look a lot like Daddy," I said. He raised his eyebrows at me. I was surprised he never noticed it because other than the fact that he had hazel eyes and was still a bit shorter than Daddy, they resembled each other.
"Really?" he said, rubbing his chin. "I suppose I do. Hell, I dunno. Think what you'd like, little Astrid."
"Stop calling me that," I hissed.
"I can't help it. It is a wonderful feeling to finally be above your curly little head." I stared coolly at him before returning to the conversation.
"Enough about that. Tell me what it was like on a ship." Roland grinned again and casually rested his legs on the top of my vanity. It drove me mad. "Get your damn feet off there!" I screamed. I shoved them off and he just laughed. "You are worse than before."
"And yet you can't help but listen to me. And, in addition, I will tell you about my voyage if you tell me about your… relationship with Adam Locke." His grin widened, while I felt my face grow as red as a tomato.
"He is a friend," I said. "Nothing more and nothing less. I met him at a party."
"Oh really?" he said in disbelief. "Because when I asked Adam about his relationship with you, he said much more than that."
"What did he say?" I growled.
"I'm afraid that I can't tell you, Astrid. That information is strictly confidential."
"Tell me, Roland!" I yelled, grabbing a pillow to prove my point. "Tell me before I beat you with my pillow."
"You can do that," he said. "But if you do, then I won't tell you about my adventures either." My eyes flamed and on an instinct I whacked him with my pillow, and a few feathers flew up in the air.
"Let's make a deal then, eh?" I replied. "Whoever wins the pillow fight… and the duel in fencing will tell their story, and the loser must oblige to his or her wishes. Agreed?"
"Agreed." We did a mock handshake just to play along with the competition, and the games began.
To play fair, I handed Roland the other pillow on my bed, and we glared at each other as we waited for the right moment to start the competition. It was a rather funny situation, especially because we were fighting with pillows and dressed in our night clothes. "On the count of three, we will begin," I said.
"Why do you get to do the orders?" he complained.
"Because you didn't say them first. Now, enough of your squeaky babble." My hands tightly gripped the sides of my pillow.
"One," he said.
"Two."
"Three!" A cloud of feathers surged up into the air as our pillows whacked each other in clapping thuds. Roland yelled a curse, which was another new thing about him. He cursed more often. I ducked as he swung his pillow and I kicked his shin to trip him. Sure enough, he fell flat on his face in a whirlwind of feathers.
"That was a dirty trick," he grumbled.
"Even after spending two years on a ship, ya still can't think like a true buccaneer," I said, taking a swing at his head. He dodged it and got back on his feet.
"For one," he began. "The ship I was on…" He stopped to take a swing at me and he missed. I thought I was free, but he came back and whacked me on the head. "The ship I was on," he continued, as I regained my senses, "was one serving the King. It was no pirate ship."
"Oh, then it must have been very boring then, eh?" I said, hitting him hard on the side. "No treasure or anything to dig up!"
"No, but we attacked pirate ships!" he yelled back.
"What!" I screamed, shocked. He took that to his advantage and swung so hard at my face that I fell to the floor. "Stop! You won this round!" I said, quickly surrendering so I could get back on the topic about the pirates. "Why'd you do that to the pirates?"
"If you didn't already know, little Astrid," he said, panting a bit and tossing my beat up pillow on my bed. "Pirates are a nuisance to the King."
"No, they aren't. They are exciting and dangerous! I could care less about that bloody King!" I returned, slamming my pillow onto the floor.
"Pirates are awful people, Astrid. Despite the fact that I have some pirate blood. I work for the King. I am, of course, a midshipman."
"Enough with the damn midshipman nonsense! Not all pirates are bad! Why, even Mum and Dad met one!" Roland scoffed at me.
"Mum and Dad? That is impossible. They would never"
"Come here. Let me show you something." I grabbed his hand and pulled him to my vanity. I unlocked a drawer and pulled out the papers and booklets I found in the chest in Mum and Dad's room, and plopped them on top of my vanity. "Read these and then tell me what you think about pirates, Roland William Turner." He frowned when I called him by his full name. He didn't like it. Of course, he had been calling me "little Astrid" ever since he got home, and that bothered me like hell.
He brought one of the papers close to his face, as if he was examining its authenticity. He even sniffed it and he cocked an eyebrow at me. "Astrid," he said. "These papers smell like rum."
"Rum?" I said. "Isn't that a drink?"
"Yes. An alcoholic drink. Where did you get these again?"
"In Mum and Dad's room," I answered. "What about rum?"
"What else was in the chest?" he asked.
"Well…" I left his side and unlocked another drawer in my vanity and took out an empty bottle; the bottle of the remarkable liquid that I drank the day before. "There's this. It had a liquid in it, but I drank it all," I said, handing it to him. He took a whiff of the air inside it, placing his sleek nose over the opening.
"Astrid, there was rum in here."
"Really?" I replied in disbelief. "How the hell would you know?" He rolled his eyes and looked at me seriously.
"Don't tell Mum and Dad. If ya do, I'll murder ya."
"I won't say a word."
"I got drunk for the first time on the ship. Meself and some other young lads found a stash of rum on the ship and we chugged all o' it down. Then afterwards we was all drunk as hell and got in trouble with the cap'n."
"Drunk, eh?" I replied, smiling at his story. So Roland was a bloody drunken bastard as well. "I'd never get drunk. Mum and Dad have warned you about drinking, and what do ya do? Ya go ahead and drink the whole ship's stash of rum!"
"Well, little Astrid, I wasn't the only one who has gotten drunk. Ya came down the stairs last afternoon drunk as ever. Mum was furious."
"You mean that because I drank this rum, I got drunk?"
"Yes. What do you think happens when you drink too much rum? For God's sake, Astrid, don't tell me you didn't know you were drinking rum."
"I didn't!" I said, annoyed with him. "It tasted good, so I drank everything."
"Wait 'til Mum and Dad find out you stole their bottle of rum and drank the lot of it."
"Hey!" I screamed, smacking his shoulder with my hand. "I promised not to say a word 'bout yer little story, so you must do the same for me."
"Fine," he said simply before leaving my side and reading the papers about Jack.
He sat himself comfortably in a chair beside my window, his brows furrowed in deep thought. He also began to gnaw on his nail, probably another new habit he learned on that blasted ship.
"Interesting," he said. Then he got up and handed me the paper very unenthusiastically.
"Interesting?" I echoed. "Is that all you have to say about the damn paper!" He shrugged his shoulders and sat himself on the side of my bed.
"I just found it interesting because that name seems so familiar. Give me a day or two to think about it and I'll tell you where I heard that name. It sounds so bloody familiar." He stretched his arms and was now lying on my bed.
"Since when did I give you the privilege of lying down on my bed, Roland?" I asked, crossing my arms and looking angrily at him.
"You didn't mind before. But… it seems you have changed a lot yourself. Actin' all prissy—"
"I am not like that. You are the second person to say that to me!"
"I wish I was the first then." I growled and slapped his head.
"If anyone has changed the most, it's you, ya bloody no good bastard."
"Hey, a life on a ship is no easy thing. Ya gotta do a lotta work and ya always gotta look out for trouble. Not everyone on the crew is trustworthy. Alexandra almost had a fit when the guys were teasin' her."
"And I suppose you were the goodhearted soul who stopped them from hurtin' your little darlin' eh?" I mocked.
"Yes, I was. And that's why I got upgraded to a midshipman."
"I don't know why you keep mentioning that bloody midshipman nonsense," I groaned.
"Because I'll be leaving as soon as spring comes… for another voyage on the sea." He grinned at me from ear to ear, while my face became tight and rigid.
"Damn you!" I screamed, whacking his head again. He raised his arms up to block the blow, pretending to scream and get hurt.
"Look, Astrid…" he said. "I never said that you couldn't come." At that, I stopped and I felt rather stupid and merciless for hitting him repeatedly.
"Oh," was all I managed to say. "You should have said that before." There was a moment of silence between us as I sat myself on the edge of my bed. "So what did you do on that ship?"
"There will be a time when I can tell you everything without having any interruptions. I would tell you right now, but I have to meet Alexandra at precisely noon today. Maybe when I get home." He got up and walked out of my room, hearing that the servants were up and cooking breakfast. The clang of pans and utensils could be heard faintly downstairs also with the indecipherable chatter of the servants. For some reason, I really did not want to know Roland's story on the ship. I wanted to wait until I had my own to share. All I had been doing ever since I wanted to go out to sea was fantasize about my voyages, and I would wait forever for the day when I didn't have to fantasize anymore.
My lessons with my governess were cancelled. Mrs. DeWitt was ill with a fever, so I would not be taught today. Of course, Mum suggested that I went with her into town to do some shopping, but I passed the offer. Spending time with my mother would be wonderful, but not if we are getting fitted for new dresses or browsing for jewelry.
Since I did not agree to leave with Mum, she left directly after breakfast to do her errands, and I was left with nothing to do again. Daddy had left for his shop already and Roland was busy making himself presentable for his little jaunt with Alexandra. There was nothing to do. Nothing to see. Nothing at all to even think about. I had eaten breakfast and had gotten dressed into a new, yellow frock, but what was the point when I would do nothing except wander and breathe and daydream?
"This is exactly the reason why I need to find a ship and get the hell away from here," I mumbled. I sat myself on the last step of the staircase and rested my chin in the palm of my hand. I heard the jumbling thuds of feet run down and I already knew who they belonged to.
"You are welcome to come with Alexandra and me," he said. I gagged and turned sharply to Roland with a frown. He was picking at the collar of his shirt.
"I'd rather surrender myself to the gallows than watch you two." He chuckled and stopped his fingers from touching his collar. "Then again, you could always send for Adam and—"
"I do not want his company," I yelled. "I'm quite content by myself."
"All right, but you'll be alone." He pulled at his coat to straighten it out and walked towards the front door. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"
"Yes. Go ahead and leave for God's sake." I was so desperate for him to leave and stop trying to make himself appealing to Alexandra that I opened the door for him and pushed him out. "Have fun," I smiled mockingly. "And behave yourselves. I wouldn't want to tell Mum and Dad that you got Alexandra pregnant." I laughed and Roland's eyes flamed, but I shut the door in his face before he could scream at me for ever proposing such a thing.
Not even a full hour had passed before I had gotten mad with the boredom. There was nothing to do except help and talk with the servants, who were wonderful people, but their work was far from exciting. Just half an hour after Roland left, I decided to go out and find him or at least make a stop at Dad's shop to say hello. I was just about ready to go; my hand was on the doorknob and my wrist was ready to turn when a hand stopped me. "Oh no, Miss. You're not permitted to go out into town by yourself." It was a maid, and I knew her to be Isabel Banker.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Your mother's rules, Miss. She doesn't let you go out of the house without an escort."
"Can one of the servants come with me then?" I asked as nicely and gently as I could. My desire to get out was eating at me.
"I'm sorry, Miss," she said, looking down at the floor. "It is not our place to accompany you. You need a proper escort."
"I won't be long. I'm just going to say hello to my father at the blacksmith's."
"I have to obey the Missus' rules, Miss Astrid. I'm sorry." My hand slipped away from the doorknob and the all too familiar trapped feeling came around me again. It was this house's and world's stupid rules that fettered me from reaching any place worth going. Since the maid was still present, I obliged to her wishes and went up to my room, locking my bedroom door in the process.
"Forgive me, Mum," I said as I opened my bedroom window. "I'm not going to be kept in this house any longer. Besides, if Roland can go out by himself, I should be able to as well." I grabbed my bed sheets and tied their ends together to form a long rope. I tied one end to the leg of my bed and swung the rest out of my window. Without even a second thought, I swung myself out of my window, clinging to the rope I made and climbed my way down the side of the house. Then a problem reached my attention. The rope was about fifteen feet short, leaving me dangling fifteen feet above the ground.
"You are an idiot, Astrid," I mumbled. "Why didn't you make the damn thing longer?" Bracing myself, I held tightly to the rope one last time before letting go and falling the rest of the way down.
I landed hard on my feet and fell back onto my rump. The pain in my feet and behind was soon vanquished when I suddenly realized that I was free. I was out. And nobody knew about it. Nobody! I grinned mischievously and sprang to my feet. Now all I had to do was find Roland, or at least someone I knew.
I remembered when I was twelve that Mum had let me venture off into town by myself when I had to fetch Roland one time. I wondered why she wouldn't let me now. What difference was there in two years? Yes, I had grown in many ways over those two years but I still did not see why she would not let me leave the house anymore without an escort. Even at the parties I attended without her, she always made sure that the footman and carriage driver were present at my parties. It was absolutely ridiculous. I thought about this as I wandered into town, keeping my eyes open for anybody I knew.
I passed by a shop. It was shop that sold wooden goods, and I was about to walk in when I was utterly shocked by a call. "Astrid!" it sang. I turned around and saw Adam running up to me from the other side of the street.
"Great God," I thought. "Why does he always manage to find me?"
"I didn't expect to see you out today," he said. I tried to smile without lashing out at him and asking him why he always knew where I was. Was the young man a stalker?
"I didn't expect to see you either," I said. "What are you doing out here anyway?"
"Oh. I just paid a visit to the tailor's. I had to pick up my hat." He showed me a black, tricorn hat. It was rimmed with gold thread and surely made him look like a young commanding officer.
"I have a hat like that," I said. "But my mother doesn't let me wear it in public. It goes along with my pirate attire," I said, without recognizing that I was talking to a high-class boy like Adam.
"Pirate attire? You surely have an interesting other life, Astrid," he said. He paused and then added, "I also saw your mother at the tailor's."
"W-What?" I nearly choked. "Did she leave the shop yet? Is she out in the streets?" I asked urgently, grabbing him and shaking him slightly.
"N-No," he said, his face quirked in confusion. "Why?"
"I'm not allowed to be by myself when I go out into town," I whispered aggressively.
"Oh. I see. It happens to many girls. My sister went through it. She hated it, but then again, there were many young men she knew that were willing to take her anywhere."
"But why do they do that?" I asked.
"I don't really know. My sister most likely does, but she's married and lives in England. Where are you headed?"
"To the harbor," I said.
"I'd be happy to be your escort down there," he said. "In case your mother does see you. You can tell her that I asked to take a walk with you into town." I was surprised at his plan. Who would have thought that a young man like Adam would have a conniving brain?
"I accept your offer, Mister Locke," I said, winking at him, just to make him feel uncomfortable. He looked shyly away and cleared his throat.
"Shall we?" he said, regaining his confidence. He offered his arm to me, and I hesitantly looped my arm through his.
"Lead the way."
The harbor was a busy place. Ships were being loaded and unpacked, sailors and merchants hustling to and fro on the docks, and ships moving in and out. It was an exciting scene and I wanted to at least talk to some sailors who had gone out to sea and knew what it was like.
As Adam led me to a ship that he found worthy of my questions, I leaned away from him, looking at the greenish-blue water lapping at the wide poles that held the dock up. The air smelled sweetly of salt and greenery, and I took deep breaths to relish every bit of it. Although the sky was overcast and no sun was out to shine on the beautiful harbor, I was still having the time of my life, and I could not wait for Adam anymore. I had to find a sailor and talk to him at once. I stopped at the first man that really looked like he knew the sea. He was dressed in dirty sailor wear and had a beard growing. "Hey!" I said, waving my arm at him. He was up on a ship when I addressed him, and he looked down at me, squinting his eyes.
"Whaddya want, lassie?" he said, climbing down from the ship and onto the dock Adam and I stood on.
"You've been on the sea, right?" I asked.
"O'course I have. What you think I was? A butcher? All sailors have seen the sea, Missie," he laughed.
"I'm Astrid," I said. "I'm the granddaughter of Governor Swann." He raised his eyebrows at that and eyed me. Of course, I was too thrilled to notice that he was looking at me from top to bottom.
"Ah," he said. "So what ye doin' here? Shouldn' ya be at yer house an' goin' to fancy little parties?"
"I just came by to ask you about the sea."
"Oh, so ya came all the way from yer little fancy house to come see ol' Tom, eh?"
"No," I said, slightly appalled that he would ever think that I would come all the way to specifically converse with him. "I just wanted to ask you questions about the sea."
"All rightey then, lassie. Ask away. I aint got all day."
"What is life on a ship like? What do you do?"
"We work, an' eat an' drink an' sleep." I was disappointed at his answer, and I felt Adam tug at the sleeve of my dress.
"He's just messing with you, Astrid. Let's find someone else," he said. Apparently, he said it loud enough for old Tom to hear as well.
"What you sayin' boy?" he said harshly to Adam. "I aint gonna take way yer little lassie. But she is very pretty, eh?"
"Leave her alone and answer her questions thoroughly and completely. She's no simpleton, and neither am I," Adam replied sharply.
"Yer doin' wrong to talk to a sailor like that, boy."
"My father is a captain of the King's navy. If you were wise, I would suggest you follow my orders."
"Take orders from a boy like you? Yer Daddy aint here to protect ya." Tom paused and turned to me again, rubbing his chin. He leaned in closer and I realized that he stank badly of sweat, dirt and other grime. "Ya wanna know what really goes on in a ship?" he said, grabbing my hand, and squeezing it tight. I tried to pull it away, but he was too strong. "We work hard day an' night to please our damn cap'n and get the worst food. We got the hard biscuits with little weevils in them and beer that's gone bad." I frowned at his descriptions as I tried to pull away from him. He wouldn't let go.
"Let go of her!" yelled Adam, but Tom ignored him.
"An' ya wanna know what else, pretty one?" he continued.
"No. I don't want to know anymore. Stop," I quaked, wincing as he neared his foul face.
"We—"
"She said stop!" interrupted Adam. "Let go of her."
"I'm tired of yer disruptions, boy," said Tom. "Do I need to give ya a good sailor's beating?"
"Tom! Ya little bastard!" came a happy yell. Adam and I turned to it, bewildered. Up the dock came running Roland, and trailing behind him was Alexandra. He jumped up onto Tom's back punching the man playfully. "Are ya teasin' my mates?" he asked, laughing at the same time. He stood back on his feet.
"They were the ones askin' for it," replied Tom. Adam and I were baffled and confusion was past us.
"Don't do that to them again. Ya scared the horse sh—" He cut himself off. "Jus' look at 'em." He pointed at Adam and me, grinning. By the time his little speech was over, I was fuming mad.
"Roland!" I screamed. "You know this sad excuse for a man!" I stepped forward, about ready to punch him.
"Of course I do. He was part of the crew that—"
"Shut up! I ought to kill you! That bastard was about to beat up Adam, for God's sake! And all you can do is run up to us and laugh!" I shrilled and grabbed Roland's shirt collar. "You're such an idiot! A bloody, vile little cad!"
"You can't talk to Roland like that, you wretch!" screeched Alexandra. This only made my blood bubble more. How dare she interrupt me!
"Shut your prissy ugly lips and if you dare say another word to me, I swear I will punch in your distorted face and pull out all your hair!"
"How…dare… you, you wild, rude daughter of a pig!"
"That's it! I've had it with you!" I lunged towards her like a beast, ready to rip her to shreds, but Roland got in my way.
"As Midshipman I order you to—"
"Enough with this midshipman idiocy! If you were a real bloody midshipman you'd know better than to court a prissy simpleton like her!" I pushed him ferociously out of my way, and was again set on tearing Alexandra Westley to pieces, but suddenly, I couldn't walk any further. The back of my dress was caught on something, or so I thought, and I had moved so quickly that the whole back had torn off. I gasped and turned around swiftly to see Roland's foot firmly placed over the part of my dress that was now gone. I realized that my undergarments were showing and I sat myself down quickly to conceal what should not be shown to the public. The only problem with that was that I could not get my vengeance on any of them.
"I'm going to kill you when you get home, Roland," I threatened.
"And exactly how are you going to get there in your condition?" he asked me, dangling the piece of my dress in front of my face to mock me.
"Oh, Roland," said Alexandra sweetly. I nearly choked myself. "Thank you. You are wonderful." She leaned on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek, while I grew redder and redder in the face from the both of them.
"Here, Astrid," said a voice. I turned and found Adam crouching down beside me. "You can tie my coat around your waist to cover up… the damage."
"Thank you," I said gratefully, relieved that someone had the heart to help me. He told me to get up slowly so he had time to tie his coat around my waist. As I did exactly what he said, Roland spoke again.
"Aww, Adam. You had to ruin my fun."
"If I did that to Alexandra, you'd do the same," replied Adam. Alexandra eyed me evilly as Adam finished tying his coat around me.
"Of course," said Alexandra matter-of-factly, "I know you would never do that to me, Adam, now would you?"
"You don't know how much I would love to do that to you, Alexandra," said Adam with a grin. "By all means, you deserve it." She gave a disgusted yelp, and only clung tighter to Roland.
"Thank you again, Adam," I said. "And as for you, Roland," I said, "wait until I tell Daddy what you did to me." A sudden worry bolted in Roland's eyes and he froze with the weight of possible punishment.
"Astrid, don't. Please," he begged. "I don't care if Mum finds out because she's not that strict on me as she is on you, but if Dad finds out he won't let me go on my next voyage. Don't tell."
"And why should I, Roland William Turner?" I replied. "I'm not changing my mind."
"Look, I'm sorry. I won't do that again. I beg you not tell Dad."
"You are not going to change my mind, Roland."
"Please, Astrid," he said. He was whining now. "Don't tell Dad."
"You only asked for this, Roland. If you never did that, I would never have to do this. Now, if you can excuse me, I'll see you at dinner." With a laugh of revenge, I sprinted down the dock, with Adam running after me.