Pirates

Chapter 3

I was woken abruptly by the banging of pots, accompanied by the yelling of "Right, you lazy pigs'-droppings! Here's your breakfast!" Then a stampede of footsteps sounded, vibrating the floor I was now stood on. Did I dare attempt to join these mongrels for breakfast? My answer was soon made up for me, when the man from before (who had told me to attend dinner with the Captain) knocked on my door and said, without opening it, "Breakfast. Captain's orders." Now I knew I could not refuse. After last night, I would have to be on best behaviour so as not to get killed before my father could come for me.
Food was being thrown in the air by a man with a bucket and it would be caught by crew members swinging by. It was truly a sight to behold. Not a single piece was wasted or dropped and the pirates had grins from ear to ear. I caught sight of an apple hurtling towards me at an alarming rate. I held my hands out in anticipation of its landing, when a man swung past on a rope and intercepted it. He yelled "If you don't catch, someone'll snatch." In an annoyingly rhythmic way. The other men laughed at me, so I was now determined to prove myself. Another fruit came into my view and was closing in on me. I started running, ready to catch it, when the same pirate swung past and again prevented me from accessing my food.
"Thief!" I cried.
He merely smiled and said "I am a pirate." He landed on the deck with a thud right before me. He bit into the fruit tauntingly and then spat it out again, just to show his power.
I lunged.
I threw my body weight at him, knocking both him and myself into a pile of ropes and barrels. He growled in pain and ire. He threw me off him and I landed back on my feet. What had I done? He stood up and positioned himself in the fighting stance. By this point, we were encircled by pirates eager to see a fight take place. I had nowhere to escape to and a pirate wasn't simply going to accept an apology. I also doubted my being a woman was likely to make him hold back. He pulled back his arm and released. I was right. I felt the pain bloom across my right cheek as his fist collided with my flesh and bone. I realised the only way to get out of this was to fight back. He struck me again, smashing my shoulder as I tried to duck out of the way. Tears pricked at my eyes, but I knew any sign of weakness would just be encouraging for the man before me. I was now out of his reach and at the edge of the circle, where hands pushed me to get back in. Words of encouragement mingled with those of scorn until it blended to nothing but background fuss. The attacker ran at me; I ducked under his arm and turned quick enough to kick him in the back. He was launched against the wall of pirates who mocked his faults. He turned on me, eyes ablaze and slowly marched towards me. We stood before one another; face to face. His breathing was ragged and mine only scarcely less so. He seized my head and smashed it against his knee. He then twisted me into a head lock. The pain was immense. It swallowed me whole. Angered, I pulled my arm forward and brought back hard, against his groin. He roared in pain and released me. I stood up straight, though the whole earth spun as my blood pressure attempted to return to normal after my having been held so tightly round the neck. I wiped my lips, the blood returning almost instantly afterwards. I could feel my gums had been cut open and the blood was dribbling down my teeth and long my tongue. My nose I daren't even attempt to touch. After recovering from the injury I had inflicted upon him, he ran at me and kicked the back of my knees. I collapsed and hit the deck. He readied his foot above my head and I shielded myself as much as I could. He brought it down.
All was silent.
I looked between my fingers to see the foot hovering above its target. It then moved and the man stood up straight looking in fear to someone. I sat up and then dragged myself to my feet.
The Captain was looking at us both through a gap in the circle the pirates had made. "My, my." He purred. "What's the commotion all about?" He sauntered over to us. I averted my eyes and looked to the floor in silent submission. After my rudeness last night, I could not afford to risk angering him again. "I believe I asked a question, did I not?" The surrounding men answered in varied forms of the affirmative. "Then where is my answer?" He turned to us, deathly quiet.
It was my attacker who answered. "It was all because of this hussy." He growled at me.
"Do go on." Hayes instructed.
"She stole my breakfast, so I took it back."
"Is this true?" He turned to me, though he was unable to look me in the eyes due to my still averted gaze. I turned to my attacker who gave me a glare to warn me not to spill. I gave a restricted nod a winced at the pain even such a small amount of movement gave me. "You stole his food?" I gave a verbal response this time so as not to feel too much pain. I waited in silent anticipation of what my punishment maybe. "I'm impressed."
I looked up in shock, but quickly looked away again, remembering with whom I was with. He tilted my face towards his, studying the damage which I knew by now was turning shades of purple and blue. When he had finished I looked to see what the reaction of the man I had been fighting with was. He was very displeased at the outcome he no doubt had wished to have been a punishment. The Captain then made his way over to the man I was looking at. "You did that to her face?" He asked, almost a command.
"Yes, Captain, but-" The Captain grabbed the man's throat and threw him across the deck.
"That girl is worth a lot of money to me. She cannot be damaged, or I will be collecting compensation from your pockets." The second half he yelled to the entire crew. "That being said," He turned to me. "You did well to defend yourself considering it was your first fight. You will need to be able to defend yourself if you're aboard my ship. There's not a sailor in the land who doesn't want a shot at proving themselves to be better than me." He strode over to me. "In fact," he grinned and then winked. "I myself shall teach you." He turned back to his quarters, not before I heard him mutter to himself "This should be interesting."

That night I was again summoned to dine with Captain Hayes. The food this time as a roast chicken with garlic and gravy. After the fiasco at breakfast and no meal in between, I didn't' object when he told me to sit down and start. "I know you didn't' steal his breakfast." He said as I was half way through. I started to object, fearing for my own safety when he put his hand up; silencing me. "He a notorious liar. I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. No one on this ship would. But you see, we are pirates and it isn't necessary to tell the truth. We'd be rather bad at our job if we didn't lie." I nodded in understanding. "Your face is a little better I see." I nodded again. "You're a little quiet. You are allowed to speak."
"The swelling has lessened and the bleeding has stopped, though I believe the full extent of the injury shan't heal for some time."
"Yes, well, you needed some souvenir for when you go home and that scar on your lip should do nicely."
"Might I ask something?" I added, my heart pounded in anxiety. I hated this man and the fear he made course through me. If only he could hear how much I detested him. However, if I voiced any of my inner thoughts, I would no doubt be dead and I couldn't inflict that upon my father. I would have to hide my true emotions as best I could.
"Be my guest." He stated after a silent pause.
"When am I to go home?" He stopped and placed his cutlery down.
"I sent a letter a few days ago, I have not yet heard back." I thanked him for his response, though disappointed by it.
"If there were a more civil way of doing this, I would." He stated after a few minutes' silence.
"Doing what?" I enquired.
"Getting money. But the world is a harsh place and a man must do what he must. Not to mention the fame I now have." He added with a wink.
We ate in silence for five minutes before I remembered something I had been meaning to ask somebody, anybody, and with the awkwardness of the silence, now seemed as good a time as any.
"Who was the man who looked after me when I was nearly dead?" He stopped at the breaking of the silence and then pondered the question.
"That will have been Coras. He is the closest thing we have to a doctor on board. Why do you ask?"
"I simply wished to be able to thank him and to put a name to a face." He nodded his understanding.
"We shall start your training tomorrow." He added, trying to rekindle the conversation. I wished he wouldn't. I simply wanted to eat my meal and be gone. I detested the idea of spending any more time with this man than absolutely necessary.
"Forgive me, but why, might I ask, must you train me? I shan't be here long. The second my father hears of my kidnapping he'll be scouring the earth looking for me."
"Yes, because you're living in such a hell." He said jokingly whilst gesturing to the grand dinner before us both. At my silence, which indicated that to me where I am could quite possibly be the closest thing to Hell I will get, he answered my question. "My ship is regularly attacked and I cannot afford to have to watch you constantly when defending her. You're no good to me dead." Charming. I loathed the very sight of this man. I wanted so badly to tell him so, but fear for the consequence kept my mouth shut. Having now finished my meal, I thanked him as best as I could despite my hatred and left for the night.
Too frustrated to sleep, I walked out onto the deck. The night was clear and the breeze cool and calming. I looked up and the stars shone back at me, the moon full and bright enough to see by. I walked to the bow of the ship, up some steps so that I was above the Captain's quarters and looked over into what I expected to be the gloomy sea. I was mistaken; the stars reflected in the near still waters and the small ripples that did flow, made them dance and twinkle. It was beautiful and for just a second I could almost understand what could compel a man to become a pirate. Almost. Suddenly overwhelmed by fatigue and not wanting to have to trek back to my room and abandon this glimpse of heaven, I lay down on the floor and put my hands behind my head, looking up at the stars. The air was warm enough with only the occasional breeze, so I laid there and looked up at the stars until my eyes could hold open no longer.