The Queen of the Waves

10: the Truth punished

Over the next few weeks Mara fell into the rhythm of the ship. It was close to a month that she had been on the boat, and she was yet to see or hear of Ciaran, not that she really cared.

The only problem was that her dreams were often punctuated with the image of him breaking down the door of the cabin.

Mara had grown accustomed to the sounds of heavy male footsteps on wood all around her, but it still woke her from sleep in a startle.

Because the men had become used to seeing her around, and seeing her with either the Captain or the first mate, no one bothered her. In fact, the only man aside from the previously mentioned two, was Louis.

After Mara had fled from their last conversation, he stayed well away from any talk of Sousmonté, and their people.

Groaning as the sunlight splashed on her face, awakening her from sleep, Mara attempted to burrow her head under the pillow. After a few moments of futile waiting for sleep to occur once again, Mara threw back the covers and stood from the bed, yawning.

She dressed in another of Bayen's wife's outfits, every time she pulled the material on now, it felt special. Mara didn't remember much about her parents but she knew that if her mother had been anything like Calla sounded in Bayen's stories, she would have been truly lucky.

Mara sighed heavily and opened the door to the cabin. She no longer needed protection from Bastian, and she was glad of it. She was tired of his brooding expression looming over her shoulder every day, Bastian, however, was less pleased with the whole arrangement.

For years, he had sworn that his thoughts would never be poisoned by another woman. And yet here he was, pining after Mara. Apparently all it took was a few flirty comments from that little stowaway and his thoughts were bewitched.

"Hello Louis," she smiled as she saw her only friend on the ship messing around with a piece of knitted rope.

He nodded his head warmly at her, she strolled over and leant on some barrels. She still wasn't completely used to the ocean rolling beneath her feet, but she was getting better at it.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Louis teased, after the first time he accidentally asked her that question, they began the tradition of that question.

Mara enjoyed it no end, having a tradition with something meant that they would remember her, a luxury she was not yet used to.

Bayen walked down the steps towards the cells of the boat. The smell of aching wood and dank decay filled his nostrils.

He had been keeping a close eye on Mara over the past few weeks, especially after they began opening up to each other about their past. For a couple of nights, he had caught Mara's sleepy, whimpered words of fear, fear caused by Ciaran.

Enough was enough, not only did he need to deal with Ciaran, he needed to deal with him in her memories.

Bayen swiftly dismissed the sailor on duty guarding the prisoner and looked down at the disgusting form.

"Captain," Ciaran drawled, smirking confidently at the man he should be showing the ultimate respect towards, "have you come to set me free?"

Bayen laughed easily, this man was seriously testing his self control and his fist was aching to slam into his jaw.

"No, I am not here to free you. I'm here to deliver your justice."

"Oh really, Mara still too afraid to face me?"

"No, Mara is many things, but scared of you she is not. I'm here to give you the justice you deserve because you have committed crimes."

"Are you going to kill me?"

"No, that would be a kindness, you are going to stay here until we arrive in Andonia, and then you are to be hanged as a slave trafficker."

"Under whose authority?" Ciaran was full of self confidence, in his mind he had committed no crime, Mara was nothing more than a business transaction for him, a means to get ahead in the world.

"Mine."

Bayen turned sharply on his heels and started to walk up the stairs again.

"No, no! You can't!" Ciaran raged like a savage, his fists clinging to the bars and rattling them. "I'll get out of here! I'll get you, you just watch! I'll make you pay for this, you and the bitch."

Bayen ignored his screams and walked to the top of the steps where the guard on duty was waiting, standing to attention with his eyes trained on nothing.

"You don't leave him unattended, ever. Not even for a moment. I will be sending another guard to join you. There will always be two of you."

"Understand?"

"Yes Captain."

Bayen nodded, satisfied with the fact that this man did truly understand the magnitude of what he was asking. Bayen had a sinking suspicion that any person who could disrupt a person like Mara's sleep was more capable than people would think.