Chapter 3
The past
Later on, I made my way to the ship's bridge, part of my routine, you see. After assuring myself that all was well with the ship, I ascended the shrouds to the crow's nest. After a few moments, I heard voices below, and paused to listen. It was my new cabin boy, Jim Hawkins and the cook, Silver.
"Well, since the Cap'n has put you in my charge, like it or not, I'll be poundin' a few skills into that thick head o' yours to keep you outta trouble," Silver told the boy, who scowled.
"From now on, I won't let you out of me sight! You won't eat, sleep, or scrath your bum without my say so," Silver declared, laying down the law for the boy.
"Don't do me any favors!" the boy growled back, but Silver seemed unphased.
"You can be sure o' that my lad," he said. "You can be sure of that.
I continued up to the base of the topsails, and looked out on the beauty of the Etherium. After a while, I heard the sound of someone climbing the shrouds below, and then Hawkins appeared in the crow's nest.
"Good evening, Mr. Hawkins," I said politely.
"Evening, Captain," he replied, clearly scared, and unsure of himself this high up.
"Here," I told him, offering him my hand in assistance.
"Thanks, Captain," Hawkins said, grasping the mast tightly.
"My pleasure, Mr. Hawkins," I replied. He then looked at me and asked, "Can I sit down, ma'am?"
"If you like," I told him, and moved a little to the left down the yard, so the boy could sit beside the mast.
"Thanks," he said again.
"So, Mr. Hawkins…why are you up here, exactly?" I asked, curious.
"Well, Captain…back home, on Montressor, I used to sit on the roof of the Inn to think. Up here seemed to be the closest I'm going to get aboard ship," he explained.
I nodded in understanding, and soon he asked me a question, "What are you doing up here, Captain? I thought a Captain's place was on the bridge or something?"
I sighed and decided to admit the truth. "I'm afraid I was reminiscing about sister." I slipped out the picture I always carried of myself, Arrow and my sister.
"She's pretty," Jim said. "A lot like you, but…well, not the same, if that makes any sense. What was her name?"
"Victoria," I replied. "She was three years older than I." I paused, then added, "She's gone now, you know."
"I'm sorry, ma'am. D-Did your parents take it hard when she died?" he asked in a quiet understanding voice.
"No, I'm afraid that they died at the same time," I replied rather sadly.
He looked confused, and understandably so. I sighed, and explained quickly. "For fifteen years, Victoria, my Mother, and myself lived with my father aboard his ship. This ship."
He nodded, and looked on expectantly.
"One night, we came under attack by a shipful of pirates. My father and his men defended themselves, but my father had my mother take my sister and I below to our stateroom. After looking Victoria and myself in the stateroom, my mother returned to help my father to help defend the ship.
"After what seemed an eternity, we heard a scream outside our stateroom door. Victoria began to call out for mother, and ran to the door. Somehow, she managed to open the door, and ran to our mother's aid. I called after her, but she didn't answer. I had no choice but to go after her. By the time I made on deck, my mother, my father, and my beloved sister were all lying dead upon the blood-stained decks.
"I screamed in rage and despair, and attacked the remaining pirates still on deck. I don't remember that very well…but soon all the pirates were dead. In the process of getting my revenge, I some how managed to save seven other ships in the convoy."
"Whoa," was all Jim Hawkins could manage, his eyes bright with his imagining the battle.
"After that, you see, I was given the my captaincy as well as inheriting my father's ship," I said woodenly as I finished my sad tale.
"I…I'm sorry, ma'am," Jim said with a gulp.
"That's quite all right. It´s ok i said and continued: you shoud get some rest. After what i heard Silver is going to give you mutch work tommorow i said. You spyed on uss Jim said. I just heard from since the captein you under my care part i said and began to climb down.