Bloody Mary

Chapter Fourteen~The Search

Chapter Fourteen~The Search

By now, months had passed since the disappearance of Benedict's lover, Marianna. He had searched far and wide from Kingston to Montego Bay, and everywhere else on the landmass. There had been no sign of his beloved no matter where he searched, which only enforced his suspicion that she had been taken to the sea. Once this thought had been spoken aloud to the Commodore, Benedict's father, both arranged a sailing vessel to search the sea for the missing woman.

"Benedict, I trust you to be responsible during this endeavor. Keep your men out of harm's way, do not engage in any combat unless another party initiates battle. And fight back intelligently. The last thing needed is to have a missing vessel, as well as the supplies it carries."

Benedict bowed his head in response to the Commodore, who sat across from him. The younger sea captain stood erect with his hands formally clasped behind his back. "Understood, Commodore. I will ensure that my men remain safe and secure under my command."

"Benedict," The Commodore's tone softened considerably. "I am not only asking you to remain safe as your superior, but also as your father. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I lost my only son."

"Then I shall return." He met his father's gaze with a fiery, passionate stare. Given his young age, he still had a certain amount of boyish foolishness about him, causing his actions to continuously be executed recklessly. At the moment his father's words were sailing directly over his head.

Without any signal from either party, Benedict turned and took his leave. The concerned eyes of his father followed him out of the door, then turned on his desk before him. He mustered all the faith he could and sent a silent prayer to protect his son.

On the other side of the door, Benedict continued to exit the Commodore's manor. He was a corageous young man, that much the eye could see. He was the superior to many around him, but that didn't mean the title was rightly earned. True, he lacked in experience of sailing. In fact, it could be assumed that a certain young female sailor had traveled farther on the ocean's waves than he himself had. Of course, that went unbeknownst to him. He thought he was the most prepared for the endeavor to rescue his fiancè, but he himself only had the knowledge of how to command a ship. Rarely did he ever take a ship out to sea unless it was shipping cargo toward a nearby dock or island.

Of course, this didn't even occur to his distracted mind. Right now he had one set goal. By now the entirety of Kingston knew that. And he wouldn't let them forget it until his beloved was recovered.

"Captain, we are ready to set sail when you are!" One of his men in red uniform hollered to him with a stiff posture and salute. Benedict placed his hands behind his back and continued toward the docks where his ship, a fine sized frigate, was harboured. It carried a good one hundred ninety men, maximum. This was the number of lives that Benedict held within his palm, but at the moment he was blinded with desperation.

"Then lift the anchor and have us begin our journey. We do not stop sailing until the Governor's daughter has been recovered."

"Aye, Captain!"

He took his place at quarter deck, just behind the ship's wheel. As his crew lifted the anchor and the ship became subject to the force of the waves and winds, Benedict let his orders loose upon his crew.

"Half sail men! Get us out of the harbour, then full speed ahead!"

They carried out his orders without hesitation, and unlike the unknowledgable crew that Marianna sailed with, this crew had been trained and knew precisely what they were doing. Within the next minute the sails on the foremast were released, and the ship began it's snail like departure from the harbour. When the ship's bow crashed against wider and open sea, each sail became unbridled, allowing the frigate to slice through the waves like butter.