The Queen of the Waves

6: Not an Amateur

Bas watched from a slight distance as Mara wandered around the bow of the boat.

To an amateur he could tell that Mara's movements would appear aimless and amateur, but Bastian wasn't an amateur he could tell that every glance and pause Mara was taking was calculated.

"What do you think?" He called out over the call of the waves slapping the wood of the ship. He didn't like the way she was analysing the boat, he wanted to throw her off and keep her distracted.

"It's incredible." Mara called back, she turned around and was now facing Bastian. Her eyes were wild and free and a smile graced her face as her hair was whipped around by the wind.

The way Mara held herself on the ship surprised Bas slightly, she looked like she belonged there with the wind pulling her hair.

Bas nodded his head and stood to his full size from where he was leaning against a bench. He walked over to where Mara was standing quickly, his speed and silence made Mara jump slightly and she shifted away from him. It was clear she was still jumpy following his threats and treatment over her shoulder.

"I uh," Bas cleared his throat as he crossed his hands behind his back and looked out to see as Mara's eyes followed his, "wanted to apologise for how I treated you earlier. I shouldn't have done that to your shoulder."

Bas thought that was a perfectly good apology and Mara would move on but Mara did not. She turned on him, her eyes ferocious and savage. She stared him down with a glower of warning.

"Is that all you have to say to me, no apology for the veiled threats you gave me?"

Mara raised an eyebrow as Bas looked down at her in surprise. He wasn't accustomed to such viper tongued women and this woman was under the protection of his captain, meaning he was powerless around her.

"Look, I still don't trust you so no, I am not going to apologise to you." His voice was a snarl but Mara stared him down with a blank look of bored contempt.

"Have you seen enough now?" He asked as he began to walk up and down the deck with an impenetrable glare written across his brow.

This Mara woman was a puzzle that he was eager to solve, for the good of the ship and for the good of his sanity. There hadn't been many women intelligent enough to baffle Bastian and he hoped this Mara woman wouldn't turn out to be one such woman.

Mara nodded and turned with expert direction back towards the cabin. She decided that she was done with conversation with men for the day, the betray of Ciaran was still fresh in her chest. She had never trusted him, she was no fool, but she had felt a semblance of trust towards him.

More than just the ache in her chest, her shoulder was still burning and her ankles felt unsteady and tired on the deck. The boat was rolling and diving under the waves and Mara's centre of gravity had not yet adjusted to the uneven, always shifting floor.

Mara wobbled slightly as she walked back along the corridor but she kept her head up high and her lips firmly pressed together.

"Goodnight Mara." Bastian called as she shut the door, a tiny part of him hoped that she would call it back to him but of course she didn't. Then again, as Bas walked away he told himself it was only a very small part.

"How did you like the Golden Promise, Mara?" Bayen asked her from his place on the desk.

His voice caught her off guard but she managed to stifle the jump down to a minuscule flinch that went unnoticed by Bayen.

"It was wonderful, I very much enjoyed it."

She nodded her head enthusiastically but managed to maintain her delicate dignity.

"You have the bed, Mara." Bayen nodded his head towards the large bed that Mara had already slept. Despite that fact, she still felt uncomfortable displacing the Captain from his own bed.

She opened her mouth to protest but Bayen held his hand up to silence her.

"I won't argue with you about this, you're taking the bed."

"But where will you sleep, this feels wrong."

"Bas has set up an extra hammock in his cabin for me, I will be fine."

"Oh, okay." Mara found it hard to dispute his statements, maybe because he was the Captain or maybe it was because she was too tired, either way she knew she didn't care.

"So Mara," Bayen cleared his throat and stood so that his chest was directed towards Mara, "I want you to feel comfortable here, this will be your home for the next three months."

"Three months!" She gasped before swiftly clamping a hand to her mouth, Mara always liked being composed but quite frankly after the last few days, she suspected that it was fading.

"Yes," Bayen chuckled lightly, setting her at ease enough for her to drop her hand and rest herself on the end of the bed, "Andonia is long way from Zauros."

"Oh, sorry I didn't realise." Mara blinked up at him, hoping it came across as meek. In truth she knew that Andonia was far away from Zauros, just not three months by ship.

"It's quite alright Mara, I don't mind you asking questions or speaking your mind."

"Thank you, Ciaran did not hold the same opinions and sometimes I forget."

"Anyway... as I was saying, I want you to feel that this place is your home. Therefore, I have decided that you can go wherever you wish on the ship, but for the first few weeks I would like Bas to accompany you."

"Oh, right..."

"It's not because I don't trust you, I don't trust all my men around women on a ship."

"Oh..." Mara mumbled, picking at her thumb, "yes, I think that will probably be best."

Bayen nodded again before walking over towards the door.

"You're safe here, Mara, Ciaran won't get to you again. I promise."