Winds of Fate [Books I-III]

Chapter Fifty: The Price We Pay (Part One)

"Oh don't worry, we've gotten to know each other pretty well last night!" Aggy chirps, in the middle of wolfing down the hearty breakfast of bacon and potatoes. The two crews are seated by two tables, pushed together, with the two captains sitting side by side. Madeline sits at Eleanore's left, and beside Aggy, who volunteered to keep her company. Madeline still shrinks to her friend's side, scooping the potato with a weak hand.

Eleanore glances at her, frustrated how she got her friend into this horrible situation. Moreover, she has a crew to oversee before her personal affairs. The captain shakes her head. Nausea from the storm and sleepless night leaves bitterness in her mouth that makes eating awful.

She tosses a crust of her bread to Torkin, who swoops in and catches it between his beak.

"How 'bout you?" Aggy turns to her. "What happened?"

Eleanore takes a deep breath and looks at the awaiting faces around her. "Well..." She clears her throat and begins the tale; leaving out the devil or Yoka Hu and citing that weird magic kept them in the forest. "Then we were sheltered by my former mistress, Madeline."

Madeline shrinks at the pirates' gazes.

"I see..." Aggy nods, rubbing her chin as she studies the lady. "But... why exactly is she coming?"

Madeline stiffens, and her eyes flash to Eleanore's right, where Anton quietly sits still nursing his fever with his plate untouched. Eleanore explains who Longbourne was in a whisper. "He hurt her, and when I intervened, was about to do the same but -"

"But I disposed of the man."

Anton briefly looks up. His face remains tight, but blank.

Ricky lets out a terrified squeak. Madeline turns away, unable to eat any longer. Aggy's mouth drops, her eyes darting from the Captain to Eleanore, and back again.

Eleanore resists the urge to glare at him. He said it without any remorse at all. Her brows meet, and her fingers clamp at the edge of the table. She looks at Madeline, and sees beads of tears at the rim of her lashes.

"Crew," Eleanore dispels the tension. She meets Thibaud's eyes first. "Madeline needs our help. She is delicate."

The crew can't help but gasp.

Eleanote raises a brow at them. "Well, she is. And I won't have her work-"

Aggy nods.

" - Around the ship. She is a passenger, and my guest. As such, she will be treated so."

"Of course, Captain," Dante answers. "Welcome, Miss."

"Don't be scared of us, Mads," Victor adds with a brilliant smile. Madeline winces a little at the new name but politely smiles as he adds, "We might not be the folks you're used to but we clean up well..." He brushes imaginary dust off his shoulder.

Aggy snorts at him. "We got you," she pats Madeline's arm. "Yep, I'm a girl. And there's another girl! Eugenie. She's new too, and younger than you!"

Madeline smiles at them, but it trembles and does not stay. "Thank you." She glances at Aggy. "I'm relieved at that."

Aggy adds in a whisper, "We girls stick together." 

Madeline giggles, her shoulders finally relaxing. Aggy beams at her new friend. Eleanore sighs out of relief. She glances at the crew one last time and remembers the man she needs to discuss with. "Where's James?"

Dante, sitting beside Nigel, and about three people away from Eleanore, answers, "Stayed on the ship this morning, Captain. Doug also... got a fever from the rain, he had to stay on the ship with the rest."