Winds of Fate [Books I-III]

Chapter Thirty-Four: Death and the Maiden

"Captain." Eleanore steps in the cabin. Jim stands beside her, closing the door.

Uriah stands up from his seat behind the desk and waves her over silently.

Eleanore keeps her hand on the hilt of her rapier as she walks towards the captain. Her chest cramps in anticipation, that she cannot breathe. Here goes nothing.

He drops the open ledger on the desk.

"Read it, sign, and listen carefully-" he murmurs, sliding the inkwell beside her, where a peacock's colorful feather serves as the plume. Eleanore grasps the edge of the table, her heart pounding hard as she raises her eyes to look at him.

Uriah appears disinterested. His gray eyes somberly looks on her, utterly opposite from what he displayed in the hold.

"My word is law, as this is my ship," his deadly calm voice says, as he drills a finger on the ledger. "Obey me. Obey the Articles. Everyone is happy."

Eleanore straightens up. She nods and takes a deep breath, focusing in his eyes. "How shall I say my concerns if I have one?"

The old captain smiles serenely, pressing his fingertips together. "Quietly. In here. Air all your concerns to me...but not in front of my crew." The smile drops, and his eyes narrow to slits. "I give you respect, give me mine too, alright?"

She gulps. Her head lightens in a dizzy haze. "Understood."

"Good! Good."

Eleanore leans over, takes the quill, and signs her name. The articles are nearly the same, differing only in order and interestingly, there's no way to leave the crew.

"Says here you'll leave for Tortuga."

She nods, beside her name it is written - Until Tortuga approx. Winter 1719.

Uriah shuts the ledger shut. "Now, where to put you? I cannot let a lady sleep with sailors now can I?" She straightens herself, crossing her arms over her chest. The old captain grins, showing those nice set of pearly teeth once more. "Of course I can. But I am too much of a gentleman to do so."

"I can-"

"No, no," Uriah raises a finger to stop her. "You see we only have two cabins here. One for Jim, one for me."

All her blood drains from her face.

"Sorry but I need my bed," he mockingly places a hand over his chest. Uriah knowingly raises a brow at someone behind her.

Jim.

He grumbles, "Let her sleep in the dinghy I do not care!"

"I will rather sleep in the dinghy than in his bed!" She retorts, flashing him a deadly glare.

The captain laughs at them. "Aye, I've foreseen this very predicament," Uriah leisurely says, plopping back in his seat. "Tell you what, Smith, James here has...limited experiences with ladies-"

Eleanore scowls now. "The fuck do you mean?"

"Captain." Jim warns, his voice deadly low.