div data-p-id="9433fbab1591dd6316f844f59ef40a68"emChapter Twenty Nine: Captain (II)/em/div
div data-p-id="e495ba5b463398e8397655124dea4d81"It was a quiet moment between he and I, the Captain, I mean; but I stood, after he fell into a light slumber, and tip toed as much as I could out of the room, closing the door quietly behind me, which, I shouldn't have worried of, the sounds of the waves smashing over the deck and grinding against the hull as we passed them would've kept away the noise of a measly door closing. Nevertheless, silent I was, that is, until I took to the wheel of the boat and the capacity of having the entire boat and everyone in it at my mercy, seeped into my blood and rushed rapidly through my veins-contorting the muscles around my lips to wind my mouth into a gluttonous smile. At this, I let out a laugh, that, to the First Mate, seemed completely inhuman; he reported that it sounded almost spectral in being-like I was possessed-possessed by my recently bequeathed dominance./div
div data-p-id="e495ba5b463398e8397655124dea4d81" /div
div data-p-id="721ab4cd8c57f448fe2b9ede91de350d"I held the wheel firmly in my hands, smiling as I felt the boat heel and groan with each turn against the strings of waves gathering together like silken fabrics being woven against the grain by an unsteady hand. However, the sky hardly changed in demeanor, with the exception of a few spotty rain-showers, the weather remained almost perfect. The sun was full and bright against the canvas of a light blue sky, and the meandering clouds of white and light charcoal only gathered as the day would draw more to a close./div
div data-p-id="721ab4cd8c57f448fe2b9ede91de350d" /div
div data-p-id="402fa705d494b160876ba346f48cb3b5"However, that part of the day was far from near the present. I let out a sigh in which part of the contentness I felt broke away and was thrown into the world, carried along with the quiet breath. I glanced down from such a picturesque world to find the deckhands moping along the deck, dragging their feet behind them, it seemed. And, in all honesty, this angered me; my Captain was not paying them to mope around for nothing! My cool tranquility left me in an instant, if you hadn't guessed./div
div data-p-id="402fa705d494b160876ba346f48cb3b5" /div
div data-p-id="e087b83662763917b9f78d8a4c010f41""Down there!" I barked, gaining the attention of most of the deckhands. "The hell are you all doing? Lollygagging! You aren't paid for this! Now get your asses to work!" I cried, forgetting that my wounded Captain slept in the room below us. There were murmured words among the crew, which only fueled my infuriation; to this, I yelled some words I would dare not repeat and was met with hostility, unsurprisingly./div
div data-p-id="e087b83662763917b9f78d8a4c010f41" /div
div data-p-id="229e88c151136b687e3e4f11831797b6""The hell d' ya' think ya' are?!" One of the crewman called up to me, the rest of the crewmen stood around him, nodding and yelling their approval of the question, their grimy and dingy faces upturned to me, their eyes turned to squinting in the sunlight, which I did no help to ease./div
div data-p-id="229e88c151136b687e3e4f11831797b6" /div
div data-p-id="bd9e280c685551e9c09e4148854937bc""I am the Captain of this ship whilst the other Captain is out of commission! You will do as I say, or you will die." I growled, though, my, what I thought was faint, heart waned at the thought of killing someone with no justification. However, something burned in my chest which kept my lips sealed together, and kept my weak demeanor from showing; for, surely had one crewman stood against my word, I would break and be shown as a weak Captain-as they thought I would be. So, I puffed out my chest and held a mean-ish expression, and, happily enough, the crew abided and continued their tasks-only faster this time./div
div data-p-id="bd9e280c685551e9c09e4148854937bc" /div
div data-p-id="4eabee2c5656e47a916cecf884c11df1"I grinned to myself when I watched the crewman work, they looked like little ants running about to do their daily chores-capable of being squashed by the boot of life and dispensable enough to replace without a moment's mourning. It was almost pitiful. Then again, a Captain is of a higher rank, but he/she is still completely dispensable-however, a emgood /emcaptain, is not. Apparently, my train of thought was so distracting, that we began to veer off course, and when the First Mate reached for the wheel, to set us back to course, I whipped towards him staring daggers into him and snarled: "The hell do you think you're doing, boy?"/div
div data-p-id="4eabee2c5656e47a916cecf884c11df1" /div
div data-p-id="6129f5f60429bbbaac307a8bc547c765"He was rendered speechless for a moment, his vocal chords stuck shivering in his throat from my miniature explosion of rage. "T-The boat" he squeaked out, pointing a trembling finger towards the wheel. "W-We're v-veering off c-c-course, ma'am.." He whimpered, visibly slinking away from me, shrinking back in fear./div
div data-p-id="6129f5f60429bbbaac307a8bc547c765" /div
div data-p-id="39aafd3507b0c7201bd6df01ecfbb580""It's Captain!" I hissed, the words being dragged through my clenched teeth, at the moment, I was too drunk with power to realize how terrified the man before me was! Also, in that moment, I couldn't give a care in the world! With a grumble, I turned on my heel and pushed us back to course. I didn't know where we were going, the Captain hadn't spoken to me about that! So, I followed the direction of the very scared, very worried First Mate, who dared not breathe a word against me or what I wanted-and he warned the others to do the same. At dinner that night, all of the crew moved away from me, fearing an outburst, especially since all that what ensued when I was catcalled or put on edge-ultimately, someone would die./div
div data-p-id="39aafd3507b0c7201bd6df01ecfbb580" /div
div data-p-id="dd30daa2ccec5a2723af561132176fc2"I took my dinner to the Captain's room and sat on his bedside, watching him, watch me. He was a bit stronger than earlier, and could lift his hands with little difficulty, and he could sit up in bed with my help (which was a nightmare for his chamber pot), but besides that, he was bedridden and his voice was weak; but the physician said he would live! I fed him slowly, and, between bites, he spoke. "I heard you today...yelling at the crew." He said quietly, his usually saintly voice reduced to a poor man's whisper./div
div data-p-id="dd30daa2ccec5a2723af561132176fc2" /div
div data-p-id="29b2e079632cba7d7fe4c3f832b29be0""They wouldn't listen to me"/div
div data-p-id="29b2e079632cba7d7fe4c3f832b29be0" /div
div data-p-id="2fbdc406334282ca94ffa992ebcef8d6""Why not?"/div
div data-p-id="2fbdc406334282ca94ffa992ebcef8d6" /div
div data-p-id="43b96d76f903f58bd14e2f289a119334""Because I'm not the real captain here" Said I, turning my eyes towards him to watch him, watch me. His champagne colored eyes searched my face for any sign of an emotion expressed and identified by the human condition. He lifted his hand up from beside him, to brush against my cheek; I smiled and let the crack of a smile on my lips become twisted once again into a smile of greater length. His hands, however, no longer felt like the velvet they once were-now they felt of worn leather, bashed with the elements and whatever else the world could throw at them. He brushed his thumb against my cheek and let out a quiet sigh./div
div data-p-id="43b96d76f903f58bd14e2f289a119334" /div
div data-p-id="df595417cd9f0aaf1be199f4096a6357""You will be, it takes time. And judging by what the physician is saying, you will have more than a plentiful amount of time to learn the ropes of captaining a vessel such as this." Said he, taking a breath every so often-I couldn't tell if he was shrugging his shoulders or attempting to breathe, and with every struggle of breath he took, my heart sank deeper into my stomach, for him. "The physician also said-" He started again, a wheeze leaving his mouth as he tried to breathe "-that I must be taken to land. The sea is not good for me, Anna, at least not in this state."/div
div data-p-id="df595417cd9f0aaf1be199f4096a6357" /div
div data-p-id="c1e01bd5b538657bc9391583ff35dc5c""W-Wait...that means, you have to stay on land, w-while I captain the boat?" I asked and he gave a booming laugh, one that, I thought, shook the entire boat itself! However, this laughter was short-lived, and soon morphed into a fit of coughing./div
div data-p-id="c1e01bd5b538657bc9391583ff35dc5c" /div
div data-p-id="0dc040ea53136497963c010fe2a1fcba""N-No, Anna. It means, we port somewhere and we don't leave until I'm feeling myself again-by that time the boat and crew should be sufficiently content with land and then I will captain her once more." He explained and I nodded, feeling wave after wave of relief break over me; captaining with him on the boat was hard as it was! Captaining with him emoff /emof the boat...why, it'd be damn near impossible!/div
div data-p-id="0dc040ea53136497963c010fe2a1fcba" /div
div data-p-id="17d1675f7dc3e4c788b53a9377b40068""You're sure you can make it until we get to port?" Asked I, placing what was left of the food on the table beside us and taking his hands into mine./div
div data-p-id="17d1675f7dc3e4c788b53a9377b40068" /div
div data-p-id="3a6fe6698669ee710cdbf0ce1a070296""I'm sure" He wheezed, and I cocked an eyebrow. He gave a quieter chuckle and nodded. "I swear!"/div
div data-p-id="3a6fe6698669ee710cdbf0ce1a070296" /div
div data-p-id="a86b3523aa87ed7676213cd6f6aa540c""Swear on what?" Asked I, offering my pinkie, to which he did not take./div
div data-p-id="a86b3523aa87ed7676213cd6f6aa540c" /div
div data-p-id="dbf670608a6e3dea1c8a19f5e0f8f794""My mother"/div
div data-p-id="dbf670608a6e3dea1c8a19f5e0f8f794" /div
div data-p-id="dbf670608a6e3dea1c8a19f5e0f8f794" /div
div data-p-id="0c886665f0c2f970aa4f1550d1f742ed"- Captaining the boat wasn't a walk in the park, however, with the added pressure of taking care of my Captain, my head felt close to exploding! I spoke to the physician so much he became annoyed with my presence and began to lock me out of his quarters! This, understandably, created some tensions which became more and more rage ridden as the days drew on...and his lock drew weaker. One day, when my Captain began to spit up blood, I felt I'd put up with enough, and promptly smashed my boot so hard against his quarter's door, that the door flew open on it's hinges, creating a squealing sound, which halted all work on deck. I stomped into the room, my fingers curled into fists at my sides, and my sights locked on the man wearing the dirty white coat. I slammed the door shut behind me and took the physician up by his collar-yanking him out of his chair and bringing him a mere centimeter or two from my face. "You will tell me what is really going on with my Captain or someone is going to be seriously hurt" I hissed, my teeth clenched hard together, and the attempt to keep my cool plummeting in vain. He gave a sheepish smile, one riddled with anxiety and beads of nervousness dripped from his brow, down his nose./div
div data-p-id="0c886665f0c2f970aa4f1550d1f742ed" /div
div data-p-id="0c886665f0c2f970aa4f1550d1f742ed""H-H-He has b-blunt force t-trauma to his h-head and his body is b-broken-"/div
div data-p-id="0c886665f0c2f970aa4f1550d1f742ed" /div
div data-p-id="af8769b830d5a5df8bfe8989ea5c61f0""I already know that!" I huffed, throwing him down, against the deck. "Tell me the truth!" I growled, ripping my rapier out of its holster and raising the weapon to his gullet. My chest rose and fell in elevated anger as I stared down at the rat beneath me, however, the sneaky man smiled-emhe smiled/em!/div
div data-p-id="af8769b830d5a5df8bfe8989ea5c61f0" /div
div data-p-id="76f50813f585e32bb0c935a6953921ea""I am invaluable to you, I am the only one on this vessel who knows how and proper ways to care for sick and wounded men-you cannot kill me." Said he, his persona now reeking of smugness./div
div data-p-id="76f50813f585e32bb0c935a6953921ea" /div
div data-p-id="53d979b0ea9fb0194443708578addd21""Do you believe I am so incompetent as to kill you? Then you really do have a low opinion of me, emsir/em. You will not die at my hand...but injury and maiming are a totally different story-both moral and metaphysical laws dictate that I can and most likely will hurt you, besides...a little torture never hurt anyone."/div
div data-p-id="e495ba5b463398e8397655124dea4d81"It was a quiet moment between he and I, the Captain, I mean; but I stood, after he fell into a light slumber, and tip toed as much as I could out of the room, closing the door quietly behind me, which, I shouldn't have worried of, the sounds of the waves smashing over the deck and grinding against the hull as we passed them would've kept away the noise of a measly door closing. Nevertheless, silent I was, that is, until I took to the wheel of the boat and the capacity of having the entire boat and everyone in it at my mercy, seeped into my blood and rushed rapidly through my veins-contorting the muscles around my lips to wind my mouth into a gluttonous smile. At this, I let out a laugh, that, to the First Mate, seemed completely inhuman; he reported that it sounded almost spectral in being-like I was possessed-possessed by my recently bequeathed dominance./div
div data-p-id="e495ba5b463398e8397655124dea4d81" /div
div data-p-id="721ab4cd8c57f448fe2b9ede91de350d"I held the wheel firmly in my hands, smiling as I felt the boat heel and groan with each turn against the strings of waves gathering together like silken fabrics being woven against the grain by an unsteady hand. However, the sky hardly changed in demeanor, with the exception of a few spotty rain-showers, the weather remained almost perfect. The sun was full and bright against the canvas of a light blue sky, and the meandering clouds of white and light charcoal only gathered as the day would draw more to a close./div
div data-p-id="721ab4cd8c57f448fe2b9ede91de350d" /div
div data-p-id="402fa705d494b160876ba346f48cb3b5"However, that part of the day was far from near the present. I let out a sigh in which part of the contentness I felt broke away and was thrown into the world, carried along with the quiet breath. I glanced down from such a picturesque world to find the deckhands moping along the deck, dragging their feet behind them, it seemed. And, in all honesty, this angered me; my Captain was not paying them to mope around for nothing! My cool tranquility left me in an instant, if you hadn't guessed./div
div data-p-id="402fa705d494b160876ba346f48cb3b5" /div
div data-p-id="e087b83662763917b9f78d8a4c010f41""Down there!" I barked, gaining the attention of most of the deckhands. "The hell are you all doing? Lollygagging! You aren't paid for this! Now get your asses to work!" I cried, forgetting that my wounded Captain slept in the room below us. There were murmured words among the crew, which only fueled my infuriation; to this, I yelled some words I would dare not repeat and was met with hostility, unsurprisingly./div
div data-p-id="e087b83662763917b9f78d8a4c010f41" /div
div data-p-id="229e88c151136b687e3e4f11831797b6""The hell d' ya' think ya' are?!" One of the crewman called up to me, the rest of the crewmen stood around him, nodding and yelling their approval of the question, their grimy and dingy faces upturned to me, their eyes turned to squinting in the sunlight, which I did no help to ease./div
div data-p-id="229e88c151136b687e3e4f11831797b6" /div
div data-p-id="bd9e280c685551e9c09e4148854937bc""I am the Captain of this ship whilst the other Captain is out of commission! You will do as I say, or you will die." I growled, though, my, what I thought was faint, heart waned at the thought of killing someone with no justification. However, something burned in my chest which kept my lips sealed together, and kept my weak demeanor from showing; for, surely had one crewman stood against my word, I would break and be shown as a weak Captain-as they thought I would be. So, I puffed out my chest and held a mean-ish expression, and, happily enough, the crew abided and continued their tasks-only faster this time./div
div data-p-id="bd9e280c685551e9c09e4148854937bc" /div
div data-p-id="4eabee2c5656e47a916cecf884c11df1"I grinned to myself when I watched the crewman work, they looked like little ants running about to do their daily chores-capable of being squashed by the boot of life and dispensable enough to replace without a moment's mourning. It was almost pitiful. Then again, a Captain is of a higher rank, but he/she is still completely dispensable-however, a emgood /emcaptain, is not. Apparently, my train of thought was so distracting, that we began to veer off course, and when the First Mate reached for the wheel, to set us back to course, I whipped towards him staring daggers into him and snarled: "The hell do you think you're doing, boy?"/div
div data-p-id="4eabee2c5656e47a916cecf884c11df1" /div
div data-p-id="6129f5f60429bbbaac307a8bc547c765"He was rendered speechless for a moment, his vocal chords stuck shivering in his throat from my miniature explosion of rage. "T-The boat" he squeaked out, pointing a trembling finger towards the wheel. "W-We're v-veering off c-c-course, ma'am.." He whimpered, visibly slinking away from me, shrinking back in fear./div
div data-p-id="6129f5f60429bbbaac307a8bc547c765" /div
div data-p-id="39aafd3507b0c7201bd6df01ecfbb580""It's Captain!" I hissed, the words being dragged through my clenched teeth, at the moment, I was too drunk with power to realize how terrified the man before me was! Also, in that moment, I couldn't give a care in the world! With a grumble, I turned on my heel and pushed us back to course. I didn't know where we were going, the Captain hadn't spoken to me about that! So, I followed the direction of the very scared, very worried First Mate, who dared not breathe a word against me or what I wanted-and he warned the others to do the same. At dinner that night, all of the crew moved away from me, fearing an outburst, especially since all that what ensued when I was catcalled or put on edge-ultimately, someone would die./div
div data-p-id="39aafd3507b0c7201bd6df01ecfbb580" /div
div data-p-id="dd30daa2ccec5a2723af561132176fc2"I took my dinner to the Captain's room and sat on his bedside, watching him, watch me. He was a bit stronger than earlier, and could lift his hands with little difficulty, and he could sit up in bed with my help (which was a nightmare for his chamber pot), but besides that, he was bedridden and his voice was weak; but the physician said he would live! I fed him slowly, and, between bites, he spoke. "I heard you today...yelling at the crew." He said quietly, his usually saintly voice reduced to a poor man's whisper./div
div data-p-id="dd30daa2ccec5a2723af561132176fc2" /div
div data-p-id="29b2e079632cba7d7fe4c3f832b29be0""They wouldn't listen to me"/div
div data-p-id="29b2e079632cba7d7fe4c3f832b29be0" /div
div data-p-id="2fbdc406334282ca94ffa992ebcef8d6""Why not?"/div
div data-p-id="2fbdc406334282ca94ffa992ebcef8d6" /div
div data-p-id="43b96d76f903f58bd14e2f289a119334""Because I'm not the real captain here" Said I, turning my eyes towards him to watch him, watch me. His champagne colored eyes searched my face for any sign of an emotion expressed and identified by the human condition. He lifted his hand up from beside him, to brush against my cheek; I smiled and let the crack of a smile on my lips become twisted once again into a smile of greater length. His hands, however, no longer felt like the velvet they once were-now they felt of worn leather, bashed with the elements and whatever else the world could throw at them. He brushed his thumb against my cheek and let out a quiet sigh./div
div data-p-id="43b96d76f903f58bd14e2f289a119334" /div
div data-p-id="df595417cd9f0aaf1be199f4096a6357""You will be, it takes time. And judging by what the physician is saying, you will have more than a plentiful amount of time to learn the ropes of captaining a vessel such as this." Said he, taking a breath every so often-I couldn't tell if he was shrugging his shoulders or attempting to breathe, and with every struggle of breath he took, my heart sank deeper into my stomach, for him. "The physician also said-" He started again, a wheeze leaving his mouth as he tried to breathe "-that I must be taken to land. The sea is not good for me, Anna, at least not in this state."/div
div data-p-id="df595417cd9f0aaf1be199f4096a6357" /div
div data-p-id="c1e01bd5b538657bc9391583ff35dc5c""W-Wait...that means, you have to stay on land, w-while I captain the boat?" I asked and he gave a booming laugh, one that, I thought, shook the entire boat itself! However, this laughter was short-lived, and soon morphed into a fit of coughing./div
div data-p-id="c1e01bd5b538657bc9391583ff35dc5c" /div
div data-p-id="0dc040ea53136497963c010fe2a1fcba""N-No, Anna. It means, we port somewhere and we don't leave until I'm feeling myself again-by that time the boat and crew should be sufficiently content with land and then I will captain her once more." He explained and I nodded, feeling wave after wave of relief break over me; captaining with him on the boat was hard as it was! Captaining with him emoff /emof the boat...why, it'd be damn near impossible!/div
div data-p-id="0dc040ea53136497963c010fe2a1fcba" /div
div data-p-id="17d1675f7dc3e4c788b53a9377b40068""You're sure you can make it until we get to port?" Asked I, placing what was left of the food on the table beside us and taking his hands into mine./div
div data-p-id="17d1675f7dc3e4c788b53a9377b40068" /div
div data-p-id="3a6fe6698669ee710cdbf0ce1a070296""I'm sure" He wheezed, and I cocked an eyebrow. He gave a quieter chuckle and nodded. "I swear!"/div
div data-p-id="3a6fe6698669ee710cdbf0ce1a070296" /div
div data-p-id="a86b3523aa87ed7676213cd6f6aa540c""Swear on what?" Asked I, offering my pinkie, to which he did not take./div
div data-p-id="a86b3523aa87ed7676213cd6f6aa540c" /div
div data-p-id="dbf670608a6e3dea1c8a19f5e0f8f794""My mother"/div
div data-p-id="dbf670608a6e3dea1c8a19f5e0f8f794" /div
div data-p-id="dbf670608a6e3dea1c8a19f5e0f8f794" /div
div data-p-id="0c886665f0c2f970aa4f1550d1f742ed"- Captaining the boat wasn't a walk in the park, however, with the added pressure of taking care of my Captain, my head felt close to exploding! I spoke to the physician so much he became annoyed with my presence and began to lock me out of his quarters! This, understandably, created some tensions which became more and more rage ridden as the days drew on...and his lock drew weaker. One day, when my Captain began to spit up blood, I felt I'd put up with enough, and promptly smashed my boot so hard against his quarter's door, that the door flew open on it's hinges, creating a squealing sound, which halted all work on deck. I stomped into the room, my fingers curled into fists at my sides, and my sights locked on the man wearing the dirty white coat. I slammed the door shut behind me and took the physician up by his collar-yanking him out of his chair and bringing him a mere centimeter or two from my face. "You will tell me what is really going on with my Captain or someone is going to be seriously hurt" I hissed, my teeth clenched hard together, and the attempt to keep my cool plummeting in vain. He gave a sheepish smile, one riddled with anxiety and beads of nervousness dripped from his brow, down his nose./div
div data-p-id="0c886665f0c2f970aa4f1550d1f742ed" /div
div data-p-id="0c886665f0c2f970aa4f1550d1f742ed""H-H-He has b-blunt force t-trauma to his h-head and his body is b-broken-"/div
div data-p-id="0c886665f0c2f970aa4f1550d1f742ed" /div
div data-p-id="af8769b830d5a5df8bfe8989ea5c61f0""I already know that!" I huffed, throwing him down, against the deck. "Tell me the truth!" I growled, ripping my rapier out of its holster and raising the weapon to his gullet. My chest rose and fell in elevated anger as I stared down at the rat beneath me, however, the sneaky man smiled-emhe smiled/em!/div
div data-p-id="af8769b830d5a5df8bfe8989ea5c61f0" /div
div data-p-id="76f50813f585e32bb0c935a6953921ea""I am invaluable to you, I am the only one on this vessel who knows how and proper ways to care for sick and wounded men-you cannot kill me." Said he, his persona now reeking of smugness./div
div data-p-id="76f50813f585e32bb0c935a6953921ea" /div
div data-p-id="53d979b0ea9fb0194443708578addd21""Do you believe I am so incompetent as to kill you? Then you really do have a low opinion of me, emsir/em. You will not die at my hand...but injury and maiming are a totally different story-both moral and metaphysical laws dictate that I can and most likely will hurt you, besides...a little torture never hurt anyone."/div
