New Horizons (A Pirate Story)

Chapter 4: The truth

Her face was hot with anger, her hands quivering. How dare he invite her onto a pirate ship without warning and without any information on what she was signing up for?

The nerve of him.

Is this my reward for finally trying to do something with my life? she thought.

Her breath was quickening. Astryd relaxed her fists slightly when she noticed a steady pain in her palms from digging her nails into her skin. She looked at the captured ship. Men were merrily hauling their loot onto the Crescent. Crate by crate they were taking what didn't belong to them with a hearty smile.

I want no part in this.

Astryd forced her way past a man walking over a gangplank back onto the Crescent. Her jaw clenched, she made her way over to the victim's ship and to Kincade. Every thundering step she took echoed around her, but she didn't care. She landed on the opposite ship with a conscious effort of making a loud thud. Kincade was casually observing the progress of his crew, but he snapped his head in the direction of the noise.

Astryd's face was as red as Kincade's hair. She no longer cared about consequences. She only cared to give Kincade a piece of her mind.

"How dare you?" she shouted. She didn't care who heard.

Kincade continued to stare at her with a relaxed yet slightly confused expression written on his face.

"How dare you bring me aboard this ship without so much as telling me what you are?"

Kincade let out a smug grin, one that infuriated Astryd even more. She took a few more steps toward him so that they were mere feet apart.

He looked down at a doubloon he was holding and slowly turned it over in his hands as he spoke. "I saw a troubled woman in a sailor's pub, obviously hiding from the royal guards. Surely you must have gotten yourself into a sticky situation. And you don't expect me to assume what you are?"

Astryd fumbled for words. What was he getting at?

He lifted his head to look her in the eyes. "You're a thief and now a sailor. You know what that makes you, sweetheart?"

"I am not a..." she shouted, but she stumbled at the last word. She pointed her finger in Kincade's face and whispered, "pirate."

Kincade grabbed Astryd by the wrist before continuing in a lower but no less harsh voice. "Consider yourself lucky, princess, that you found passage on any ship. Besides the fact that you are a woman, I know you're hiding something in that precious satchel of yours." He peered down to the bag hanging from Astryd's hip. "Be glad I haven't bothered discovering what it is by force." He roughly forced her wrist back to her side.

The color started to fade from Astryd's face as she realized the type of man she was dealing with. She was reminded this wasn't just a carefree man. He was a captain and a pirate. If he did in fact discover what she was hiding, she could be killed.

"You're lucky I've even allowed you to speak to me in such a manor. I am your ranking officer after all. It's time you know your place aboard my ship."

In a defeated tone, she let out nearly a whisper. "I want out. Leave me off at the nearest port."

Kincade laughed, a laugh that once again brought the red color to Astryd's face. "Sweetheart, we don't stop at the next port for another four weeks."

"Four weeks?" she shouted. "And stop calling me sweetheart!"

"Alright, princess," he grinned. "Sure, there are some stops along the way, but you don't expect me to make a detour just for you, do you?" He straitened the bandanna tied to his forehead before turning his back on her. "Oh, by the way," he called, "welcome aboard."