"You two have been stuck on that large island for four months," Mark said with a grin, watching me as I sat on a chair with a blanket around me. Caspian was in another chair on the other side of the table, he didn't have a blanket. Of course he wasn't shivering like I was once I was out of the water.
It was Rackham's ship that had sailed to the island, and they had helped us off it. Hearing that it had been two months baffled me, weren't we on that island for a week? Or had traveling in time made time here go by quicker?
I didn't know if I should be thankful, or scared.
"Four months?" Caspian curiously asked. "I had not known that."
"How could you two not know that two months had passed?" Mark raised a confused brow. Bonny, who stood somewhere, spoke up, "We saw the Dawnbreaker go by but with a new Captain, and after Amul told us where you were and where they were going we thought about picking you up and taking you to your ship to get it back. Now wasn't that kind of us?"
"Thank you, guys, for that," I had a relieved look on my face. "Did you guys spot Bear?"
"Amul said that they chained him in the ship," Mark answered. "It was either that or they'd toss the big dog overboard, so Amul had to do that for his safety."
"The bastards," I swore.
"We will take you to where they docked the ship," Rackham suddenly walked into the conversation. "You can board it while they are drunk, and ye can take over the ship. The crew will think twice before marooning their Captain again."
"So where did the bastard go?" Caspian spoke with anger.
"He went to a lil' island to get drunk," Mark rolled his eyes. "That's all he's been doin', plus pillaging just lil' ships, he is too chicken to go after the big ones that Caspian gets. I think the crew is annoyed with him already."
"That is their fault that they have chosen an idiot," Caspian nearly growled. "I want my ship back, however. So let's go to wherever they are and get it."
And with that, we were headed off.
Hours later after I had dried up and changed into some new clothing I walked to the upper deck of the ship. I was ready to find where Bart was and get the Dawnbreaker back, but it was a nice thought that Amul had gave Mark a tip about where we were and where they were going. It meant he wasn't for the mutiny in the first place, and it was a good thought that he was still on our side.
As I stood at the end of the ship, Mark and Bonny stepped up. They each stood by my side, looking off at the ocean we sailed over. Bonny was the first one to speak up, smiling at the wind, "I love the feel of the wind, don't you?"
I nodded, "It always seems to calm me when I'm pissed off at men."
Mark snickered, "Isn't that right, lass?" In the distance a ship appeared on the water. Mark didn't have to say what the ship was, I had seen the ship a million times to know it was the Dawnbreaker. The red sails and the huge sun carved in the back of it was a big giveaway.
"Bart," Pulling out a spyglass from her pocket Bonny looked at the ship. "The crew looks drunk. It will be easy to get onto the ship and take it."
"Have ye ever pillaged a ship before?" Mark -Mary- turned and gave me a small grin.
"No," I shook my head at her. "I told you I don't pillage ships."
"This will be like it, but instead of taking the goods ye take over the whole ship and take it back... then again, it seems quite similar. So just do what ye do and wing it," he turned and walked for Rackham who was steering the ship towards the Dawnbreaker.
Bonny stayed by my side, "This is always so exciting," She smiled. "Come, lass. Let's get ready."
She handed me a sword and a gun since my weapons was on the we were heading for. We were the ones who attacked first, which was a surprise to them because they were being attacked by another pirate ship. Until they saw Caspian and I standing on the deck of their enemy's vessel, Bart who was standing on the helm stared at us in disbelief, but continued to order his crew to position. Half of his crew were too drunk to walk and were moving sluggishly to load the cannons.
When the ship was close enough we had limited time to jump across. Mark, Bonny, and Rackham jumped first, and then Caspian and I went. As soon as we fell on the ship as Rackham's ship and onto the Dawnbreaker Bart shouted for the crew to attack them. The drunk ones were disoriented, and the other half that wasn't drunk suddenly turned on the drunk half of the ship -the loyal part of the crew. With Theodore.
"What are ye doin'!" Bart shouted in anger.
Bonk.
From behind, Amul had hid the man in the head with empty bottle of rum. He hit him hard enough to break the poor bottle, and Bart fell onto the ground harder than Caspian did getting hit in the head with a coconut.
"Amul!" I shouted, relieved.
"This man has been a pain the moment he took over," Amul grunted and threw the broken bottle to the side, walking towards us. "Theodore and I and the loyal men staged this, getting the disloyal purposely drunk to be unable to fight."
"Yer planned this, Amul?" Caspian turned his head and looked to see the sober half of the crew rounding up the disloyal part.
The big man nodded, "It got a bit boring without you are the little mouse with a temper."
"I am so happy I just want to hug you," I smiled. "Oh! Whatever, I'm going to hug you," I ran up and hugged the big man, he gladly accepted it and hugged me back too. I was glad that this was handled with quickly, and we kept Bart and his man somewhere until we found a island that was smaller. Much smaller. Then, we marooned them.
I thought that I should have felt sorry for them but recalling all the things they had done I felt nothing for them. I even watched the island slowly disappear as we sailed away from them. I turned my head and saw Rackham's ship approaching to pick up the three that jumped abroad before. Our ship stopped to allow the two ship to sit side by side, and I watched as Bonny and Rackham returned to the ship but Mark stopped for a moment to talk to me, saying a quick word.
"We are heading to a town that is a week's travel from here. There is no authorities and much safer than Nassau now," She grinned. "Ye should come, be on land with other people. After all being on a lonely island with a stubborn man for four months must be... exhausting."
It took me a moment to understand what she meant, but when it hit me I slapped her shoulder. She only snickered when I replied, "I'll have you know we did not do any of those things on that island!" I kept my voice low. Thank goodness Caspian was on the other side of the ship speaking to Rackham.
Mary rolled her eyes in disbelief, "Alright, lass. Try to come to the town and we can get some liquid in your system."
"I hope this liquid is water," I crossed my arms at her like a mother would to a child.
"When is it ever water?" She laughed and climbed back onto her ship. Later the ship became mobile and sailed off, our ship remained still for a while longer before our ship too sailed.
Before things could truly be back to normal...
Bear, who popped out of nowhere, was released from the basement and ran to me barking with joy. I saw at him and smiled, until I noticed he was running at me with full speed, his attitude cheerful, happy. I shook my hands rapidly, "B-Bear! No! Slow down! Whoa, what? Ah!"
He jumped on me full on and knocked me onto the ground. He licked my face repeatedly, whimpering in joy. I failed to get him off so Amul had to come over and grab him being the only man capable of holding back the beast. Caspian approached and pulled me back onto my feet, then handed me a rag to clean the slobber off of my face. "Yuck, Bear, I missed you too. I think he broke my rib..."
Amul patted the dog on the head, "It took a lot to keep him alive, I am pleased that he obeyed. He has been well trained."
Theodore walked up with a grin, "It was gettin' a bit boring on this ship without the lady with red hair yellin' us straight." He now chuckled. "Bart didn't win fair, not all of us agreed to leaving you two on the island."
"I appreciate the loyalty," Caspian nodded to Amul and Theodore, then looking at me. "Ria, I need to see yer in my quarters," He gave his crew at look as he strained the word, in case anyone else wanted to plan another mutiny against him. "We have something important to talk about."
By the significance of his voice I could tell that it wasn't going to be anything other than important things. I followed him into the Quarters, he opened the door and watched me walk inside before stepping inside himself, shutting the door.
"So what do we need to talk about?" I walked over at the table and looked at the map laying on it, starting the conversation. "Is it about the keys? Well, I am still deciding what to do with them, maybe I should find the Obsidian Room and... Caspian?"
As I was speaking he smoothed himself a way behind me, snaking an arm around me and putting his face in the curve of my shoulder. It was a slow and unexpected move, my back straightened with the surprise. "What are you doing?"
"I did not mean that, Lovely," He chuckled, "I mean something else that is important, want me to remind you?"
"Remind me of what?" He sounded so serious before I didn't think he would go with this so quickly. He finally made me relax against him as he spoke, "It is all over and done with now, Darlin'. I have my ship back, we are off the island alive. Yer have to keep yer end of the deal."
"What deal?"
"Do yer really not remember?" He just chuckled, not even offended. "Yer made a deal with me that once we were off the island alive yer would marry me."
"Jeez I thought we would be dead then," I sighed. "Damn."
"Yer have to keep yer promise," He grinned, turning my head to look at him. "When we make it to land yer will marry me and yer will finally be mine."
"You make it sound like I don't have a choice," I shook my head, rolling my eyes. "What if I say no?"
"Then I will have no choice but to change yer mind," Now he was chuckling deeply, whispering. "I will do everything I can to make yer think about me, lass. I will ruin yer senses so that yer will never be able to look at another man other than me."
"You wouldn't dare!" I tried to get his arm and hand off of me, sadly it didn't even budge. "This is how you propose to someone? You're an animal, Caspian. A hound."
He brought his face close to mine, and just that simple action caused my heart to race. He knew it did with just the look in my eyes, his grin grew into a pleased smile. "Yer love me, Darlin'. I have mentioned this before. Yer love my every flaw, especially this one. When we hit land we will be married."
"Fine..." I sighed with a smile. "You win. I'll marry you. Then again I didn't have a choice."
His laughter was pure, pulling me tighter to him, "Yer also takin' my name, yer know?"
"Wait, I have to do that here? Where I'm from, we have a choice."
"Not here, meaning yer'll be with my name," he kissed me. "Ria Woodrow. Has a nice ring to it, I think."
"I didn't even take Clyde's name," I complained.
"And if yer did? What would yer name have been?"
"Ria Wilmore."
He shook his head, as if disgusted. "Good thing yer didn't take that name."
"Oh shut up."
With another laugh he turned me and laid me down onto the bed, and we weren't seen outside of the Quarters for the rest of the night. And morning.
🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊
Just like Mark said it was a week sail to the town that she mentioned. The town was bigger than I thought, we docked and everyone had gotten. I saw Rackham's ship there as well, when I had gotten off the ship I met Mark and Bonny at the Tavern. We could only chat for a moment before Caspian called me, I knew by the look on Mark's face that she was suspicious but I only excused myself and walked towards him into the town.
We wanted this only between ourselves, but the only other people alive that knew about our affair. Mark and Amul. Amul will be the only one who will know about the marriage, and when we made it to the church it was a surprise to see Amul was there.
There isn't much to say about the small little secret wedding, only that it was small with only Amul there. At the end of the ceremony he had dipped me and kissed me roughly. It was surprising, my eyes widened, gripping his shirt because I was afraid I would fall. He had his arms tight enough around me so I wouldn't. I never been dipped before, especially not like this.
He but me back onto my feet and chuckled, "Yer mine now, don't yer forget that," He whispered it into my ear so only I can hear him, I felt a warm chill go down my spine.
"I really hate to be a party crasher," A voice said, echoing in the church. "But I hate it when a friend keeps a secret from me, especially one like this."
I turned my head to see Mark was sitting in the second row of the church, her legs propped up. When I spotted her she put her legs down and stood up, walking closer, "What's wrong, Ria? 'Fraid I would tell?"
"Oh..." I turned my head to look at Caspian, who only shrugged at me. What help you are... "No, we didn't even tell Amul. He just knew this was the only church here, and–"
"Enough with excuses lass, I was still here to see it," She laughed. "You can't hide anything from me, you must know that by now. Do not fret, however, I will not tell."
After a couple laughs all of us headed to the tavern for our celebration, everything at that moment seems perfect. Seeing everyone drinking, Mary picking with Bonny about kissing Rackham, and of course Caspian and I sat somewhere apart from the rest of the rowdy crowd.
I stared into the crowd, at Mark, Bonny, Amul, everyone... thinking.
"Do yer still want to leave, Darlin'?" Caspian noticed my look at everyone, his words catching my attention. "Yer already built a life here, would yer want to throw it away and return home?"
"I don't know..." My voice was almost a whisper, unsure. "In the beginning home was all I thought about, but now... I even did a permanent thing by marrying you. I even thought about building a life with you," I gripped my head in shame and annoyance. "I-I don't know anymore."
"How about we put the keys to the side," His look was softer than usual, striking. "Then come back to them later."
"Perhaps you're right," He finally convinced me, my hands falling into my lap. "But realize that I don't want to do this pirate thing forever, as fun as it is I don't want to get killed doing it."
"I am startin' to agree, I gave it to some thought once yer told me about Blackbeard's death," he nodded. "Once I get enough money I'll retire. I'm not gettin' any younger, and I do not wish to do this for any more years."
It was surprising that he survived this long, in my opinion. He was thirty-one years old and he's been doing this for years, even a year prior before I was taken onto his ship. "Hopefully one day we'll get the chance to stop."
He nodded in agreement, watching as I got up from my seat and walked past him. "Where are yer goin'?" he asked.
"Back to the ship, I'm a bit tired," I gave him a little smile and began walking away. Before I made it to step two I heard him chuckling and getting up as well, and we head back to the ship.