The Belladonna

Chapter 42 - Cells

"Do you really know this man?" Sky mimicked him, crossing her legs and falling to the ground softly only feet from the bars.

"Talk." She commanded and saw the officer's face tighten, "Please," She sighed.

"Dustin Hawk," The man frowned creating deep groves in his ageing face, "Was once one of the kings very best." Sky nodded already knowing this and sick of people telling her like she was in the dark about his past. "The only man to ever be his better came long before him."

Another mummer went through the crowd and what the men said ran a dark shard through Sky and made her sag.

"Christopher Davion," The captain spoke her father's name with the utmost respect. "Not only a good friend to King Patrick, but a loyal and noble man. It is truly sad to see only one of his children follow his great cause." The captain said with disgust and Sky's head snapped up at his comment.

"My father," Sky whispered angrily, "would have never done this. And my brother has been poisoned by the King to believe in such a cause." She knew the man who raised her, kind and selfless to all those around him, could not have known of the Cleansing.

"You stupid woman." The captain snapped. "I am thankful Davion had a son carry on his great legacy and not just a bitch who fights against his good deeds. For without Commodore Ashier you fathers plan would have never come to be."

"My father's plan," The words left her lips softer than a dying heartbeat. Softer than his dying heartbeat.

"Aye," One of the men next to the captain smiled with pride. "It was Commodore Davion who suggested The Cleansing to the King. His final gift was so his noble cause could be carried out."

"When news of your father's death reached Karniva the King vowed to finish the dream he had so that his soul my rest in peace." The captain nodded with earnest.

Sky was thrown back into her child hood. It was like someone how dropped her into a bath of ice-cold water that rushed into her ears and filled her lungs. It stung her eyes with a harshness that made her want to let it take her. She could feel the pressure building until it was unbearable. Sky struggled within the depths of her own mind, thrashing her arms wildly to escape the nightmare she knew was to come.

Her father's weak coughs barely reaching the other side of the door where she sat crying. He had been sick for weeks but still Sky prayed for his health to return along with James. As she sat her back against the hard wood Sky imagined her brother coming through the door of their small house, lifting her onto her feet and marching into their fathers bedroom to find him sitting in his chair reading or holding his compass with strong hands.

But it never happened. Hours later the doctor had emerged and Sky could see that there was no use; her prays would remain unanswered. James was never coming home. Her father would die.

She had gone in to see him when the doctor had shook his head and left, her frame trembling so badly that she feared she would fall to the ground. He lay in his small bed, the covers pulled up to his chin, and his breathing so shallow Sky had thought he was already dead.

"Skyler," Her name brought tears to her eyes for it was the last time he would ever say it. The young girl made her way to her father's side and knelt but his bed. She wanted to reach to hold his hand and tell him she loved him, but was too afraid. It was something she would regret for the rest of her life.

The words that come from his white lips where hearse and Sky had barely understood them. The dying man did not sound like her proud father but a weak old fish merchant.

"Forgive James," He had whispered and Sky wanted to yell that she would not, would never, but she was unable to speak. His next word were but a whisper and Sky's eyes had become full of tears for she knew they were his last. "All I ever wanted, everything I ever worked for, was-"

"A great man Davion! May his legacy live on through our deeds." The captain of the schooner yelled and his crew joined him in agreement.

Sky blinked. She was breathing heavily and could feel her throat closing. Her father's last words pounding against her mind like a gong. Louder than he had said them on his death bed, with more force and life, as if he was saying them to her now, in the brig of The Belladonna, without his fragile body restricting him.

"And here his daughter plots to destroy it all," The officer looked at Sky with hate filled eyes. "I am glad he is dead so as to not see your brutal betrayal."

My brutal betrayal... Sky stood and looked down at the captain.

"Commodore Ashier gave orders not to harm you." The captain snarled and Sky frowned remembering his reaction upon the schooner. He had intended on doing more than harm. "But you deserve to be killed for your crimes and worse. I hope your fate is as vicious as your lovers." He spat at her feet, leaving a smear of saliva on her leather boot.

Sky squared her shoulders. She felt strong and sure of herself. And she would forgive James and Dustin for all their misdoings because she loved them both. And she felt grounded in who she was and what was to come. There was no doubt left in her mind.

She smiled at the officer adorned in his red and blue uniform. "I'm sure it will be and I shall gladly accept it. For I intend to be there when we settle this war. And I intend to watch as King Patrick chokes on his own blood and the blood of all those he had killed."

The men looked at her with furrowed brows and confused eyes. This was started for my father. And I shall finish it for him, even if it kills me.

Sky spun and turned towards the ladder leading to the middle deck and turned to look at the resting pirate and smiled. As she walked past him she gave him a hard kick in the leg. Jenkins started and leapt to his feet his pistol drawn and his sleep filled eyes wide. He was Sky before him and his face darkened.

"Don't you have a job to do?" Sky asked him not harshly for she was begging to feel an odd mutual distaste for the pirate that could almost be counted as a warped friendship.

Jenkins grumbled at her and shoved his pistol roughly back into its holster. "Aye. Not that it's any of your business." He snapped back and Sky grinned.

"I won't tell him," She said as she moved past him to the ladder. Jenkins gave her an almost grateful nod and leaned against the wall his dark angry eyes passing over each of the officers. Sky let out a small breathy laugh that was unheard by anyone but her and climbed up to the middle deck.

She walked with soft footsteps as many of the hammocks where occupied with alcohol induced pirates snoring loudly. Some were even out of their hammocks as if they had passed out before the reached them. Sky saw Thomas in his hammock; the one next to him, which belonged to Sky, was unoccupied. She considered climbing into the piece of cloth and getting some well needed rest but didn't. All most all of the crew were fast asleep.

If Thomas is in here that means Dustin is awake. Sky felt a nervousness steeling in her stomach; one that was partly worry and the other anxiety. She moved toward the way up to the main deck pulling her cloths tighter around her. Sky had some words to say to the captain and she would make sure he listened.