The Belladonna

Chapter 14

"So does that mean you have no use for me?" She asked. Most ships had more than one navigator but she didn't want to impose on any one's position. The captain simply looked at her one eye brow lifted.

"Unless you want to earn your keep some other way..." Sky scowled at him. "Good. Fane will stay up top and you can navigate from down here." He told her. "I assume you will need a spyglass and a compass?" Sky felt her heart sink and the captain must have noticed. "They were on the Brig weren't they?"

Sky nodded.  "They were all I had left of them." She whispered thinking of her father and brother. Dustin looked at her, his gold eyes calculating but not cold.

"Master Thomas." The Captain yelled out to his quartermaster, "Get a spyglass and a compass." He ordered and Sky wanted to tell him she didn't want anything from him but realised that in order to navigate they would be necessary.

Thomas walked over to them and handed his captain a small brass spyglass and a compass about the size of Sky's palm. Dustin looked at them and frowned. "This spyglass won't give her much range." He said as he gave them to Sky.

"That's fine," Sky said as she took them. Dustin's hand brushed hers as he let go and she felted. "I-er, I have good eye sight." The captain nodded not seeming to notice her stumble. Thomas did however and looked at her out of the corner of his eye with a smirk on his face. Sky tried her best to ignore him and focused on the captain. "Thank you," She told him feeling awkward.

"Don't thank me yet." He looked to Thomas. "Are we almost ready?"

"Aye sir," Thomas looked at the mid-morning sun. "I 'ope we get weather like this the whole way there."

Dustin nodded though looked like he didn't think they would. His gaze fell on Sky for a long moment again then looked to Thomas. "Give her the hammock next to you in the corner. Move Rogue to the other side of the hull and tell him if he has a problem he can see me." Thomas gave his Captain a mock salute which Dustin ignored before moving around to his men.

For Sky's side she heard a chuckle. "What?" She asked Thomas who was watching his friend.

"He's paranoid." Sky looked to Dustin as he gave one of the pirates a friendly slap on the back. Sky realised that it was the man she had knocked out to go ashore. She hoped he wouldn't hold it against her.

"Paranoid about what?" Sky asked. Thomas didn't respond. Instead he grinned and shrugged over dramatically. Sky frowned at him and looked back to Dustin. Thomas moved on saying he needed to settle some things with the ships log book. Sky took the opportunity to inspect the tools Dustin had given her.

Both were brass and the compass was dark with age. She opened it and saw that the metal had more of a shine on the inside. The needle was black and spun easily when she shook it. Based on where the sun was she could tell that it was a little off; slightly to the right. That didn't bother her as many old compasses were a little off north. Behind the needle was a simple backing; that was marked to indicate the directions, much like hers had been but with less vibrant colours and more strikes. She pocketed it and moved her attention to the spyglass.

It was a little larger than hers had been but not by much. Altogether it had four pipes, one more than hers, and its glass lens was thin. Sky pulled it using more force when it didn't budge at first. She opened it to its full size and moved her eye to look through. The mental was cold against her face and she blinked a few times to let her eye adjust. The captain was right; its range wasn't amazing but it would do its job.

Sky turned and inspected the village through the lens. The cracks in the buildings paint were easy to see at this distance and Sky slowing moved it down getting a feel for the tool. She reached the shore line and saw a face grinning at her. Sky let the spyglass drop from her face and saw the boy who had kissed her last night. It was only yesterday?  He waved to her and Sky smiled waving back. Next to the boy was the girl who had been shot. She too waved and Sky felt relief that these two kids were saved from a massacre.

Running to the ship from behind them a young woman. She was dressed in a dull red dress and had a frantic look on her face. Sky looked to where she was running and saw Dustin standing on the pier with his hands on his hips facing the other direction. Sky's gut twisted when she saw it was the same woman from last night. She was even more annoyed when she realised she was within ear shot of them.

"Dust," The woman said as she neared him. Her was voice light and pretty. "I thought you'd leave without saying goodbye." She said when she reached him. As soon as she was within arms distance her hands were on him. Dustin grinned down at her.

"That was the plan," He said teasingly. The woman laughed and leaned up to kiss him. Sky turned away and lifted her spyglass to look out over the ocean trying to block them out.

"Last night was-"

"Scarlet," Dustin interrupted her, his voice more serious now, "Promise me something," Sky's heart picked up as she waited for what he had to say.

"Anything." Scarlet said her beautiful voice grinding against Sky's ears.

"Promise you won't wait for me." Dustin's flat words made Sky turn back to face them. She saw Scarlet's eyes widen then she looked down at her feet. Sky looked to the man in her arms and saw the answer to her earlier question. So, he has no feeling for her. Sky felt oddly glad at this. Dustin dipped his head and gave the woman a harsh kiss on the lips and pulled away.

"I guess I should have expected nothing less from a pirate." Scarlet said with a grin. "I won't. Wait for you, I mean." She let her hands drop from him and stepped back her pretty face still aglow despite being shot down. "If you're ever back to Harpers isle, tell me." She blew him a kiss before turning and walking away.

Sky watched the captain as he grinned like this was a common occurrence for him then turned back to his ship pulling his hat down more over his face.

"Release the sails, lads." He yelled as he ascended the steps to the poop deck. From the beach, merry cheers rose up to fare well them. "Let's go pay our dear King a visit shall we?" Sky shuddered at the hate in Dustin's voice.

There was a flapping noise as the sails fell from the mast and into place, the wind catching them instantly. Around her pirates worked to get the ship out of the port and on its way to the open sea. Sky tuned to the townspeople and waved once more before she looked out to the horizon.

I'm coming James. I'm finally coming.