Draen's PoV
The moonlight reflects on the water. I watch the pirate. She sits there, so still. Not saying anything, not moving, just watching the city shrink. There is still blood on her face, on her hands, on her coat. For some reason, it doesn't bother me. I watched her kill that man and it doesn't bother me. And then, then I killed a man. I shot him right in the neck, because he was going to hurt Astoria. I killed him and watched as he fell to the ground, lifeless. And for some reason, that doesn't bother me either.
Maybe that makes me a monster.
Ropes are tossed over the edge of the WindFlyer and rowboats latch them onto pulleys before throwing them back up to the crew. Then they start pulling us upwards. The rowboats rock and jerk about as we are hoisted back to the ship. Once on deck, the masks fall to reveal the flushed and grinning faces of the crew. As Astoria's own mask falls, it's as if she snaps back into the roll of captain. No longer staring at the sea, no longer silent. She smiles and claps her hand on shoulders, congratulating them, cheering as treasure are unloaded onto the deck. But I know something is wrong, her face may say joy but her eyes still hold a haunted look about them.
A crew member runs up to her with a hammer and chisel in hand. The captain takes it from her with a nod before approaching the slaves who came with us. There are only seven of them, I don't get it. The slave house was huge. How could there only be seven that wanted to be free?
"Most of them were traded away before you arrived," the vandal boy says next to me. I look down at him, forgetting he was there. My confusion must have shown on my face for him to know what I was thinking. I take this opportunity to study him. The boy is maybe 15. He has blond hair, like Astoria's, and brown eyes. They, Astoria and this boy, have the same color skin. It is not surprising that they come from the same kingdom. "Kako," he says with a tip of his head. I nod to him but remain silent as I watch the pirate.
With the utmost and gentle care, Astoria kneels down on the deck. She places the chisel against the cuff of one of the former slaves. She glances up at the man briefly before she taps the hammer down. Three taps and the cuff pops free. She does his other ankle next. Then moves to the next person until all the shackles are open and empty. The captain drops the hammer and chisel on the deck. She picks up the chains and looks each person in the eyes once before dumping them over the side of the ship.
"You're free," she says softly but strongly. "You're free now." The former slaves look between themselves and one of the women starts sobbing. She takes one step toward the captain with an arm outstretched, hand trembling. As if that first step broke some sort of hold on her, she stumbles to Astoria and falls to her knees, pressing her forehead against the wood of the deck. The other six follow suit after her, silent tears streaming down some of their faces.
"Thank you," the woman sobs, "thank you." They all start saying it, murmuring the words like a prayer on their lips. Astoria shakes her head back and forth. She grabs their hands, each persons hand one at a time, and pulls them to their feet, still shaking her head.
"No, no. You bow to no one. Never again," she whispers so softly I nearly do not catch it. "Come," Astoria says as she leads them away. The seven now free people trail after her as if in a daze. I turn away, suddenly hit by how bone tired I am. It's been a long day.
"Kako, go talk to that big man, Andreas. He is the first mate and will get you settled here," I direct.
"And you're the captain?" the boy asks and I freeze. I nearly laugh.
"No, not me. The girl, she's the captain," I toss over my shoulder before walking into the captain's quarters. Let the boy think what he wants. A dark chuckle escapes my lips as I enter the bedroom. I pull my shirt over my head and take my boots off before I fall into the bed.
<•> <•> <•>
My eyes could have been closed for five minted or five hours when they flutter open again. I am greeted to see Astoria climbing into my arms. My arm goes over her shoulder instinctively as hers go around my waist. She rests her head on my chest and sighs.
"Don't start with me, I'm tired and we both know we'll end up in a similar position anyway," she mutters into my chest. I can't help but smile as I tuck her closer.
"Where are they staying?" I ask in reference to the freed people. Astoria's eyes flutter shut, her eyelashes brushing against my chest.
"Below decks." I raise my eyebrows at that.
"I thought there was no room below decks," I muse with a little smirk, remembering what she told me the first night back on the ship. I feel Astoria's warm breath hiss out in a small laugh and her lips stretching into a smile. She doesn't respond to what I've said and I count it as another small victory over the captain. I feel her breathing even out a little as I rub small circles on her shoulder. I don't fall back asleep now, even though the sky is still dark, I just lay there rocking with the ship and staring at the ceiling. I stay like that, holding the captain, until the sky changes from near black to grey. Astoria doesn't move at all as she sleeps, one arm over my stomach and the other around my waist. I feel a small smile tugging on my lips as I look down at her. Her hair is unbound and fanned around her head. With my free hand, I gently move the strands out of her face and pin the behind her ears just as the first signs of dawn paint the sky.
Astoria stirs now, her eyes flickering open and closed a few times. I feel the muscles on her arms contract as she removes them from where they had been. She sits up in the bed, leaning her back against the headboard, and stretches. "Did I wake you?" I murmur softly. Astoria looks at me and shakes her head.
"No, you didn't," she says with a yawn as she points to the dawn sky. "That did." We are silent for a while. I watch as she slowly gets out of the bed and starts getting ready. Fresh clothing and her coat thrown on, her boots laced up, and her hair tied back. She finishes with her hat rimmed with red silk. I force myself to leave the warm bed too, throwing on a new tunic and stuffing my feet into boots.
"I never thanked you," Astoria says. My brow creases in confusion. Thanked me? Why would she thank me? "For that man last night. I don't think I would have use of my left arm had you not done what you did. So, thank you. And I'm sorry that you had to do that. I'm sorry you became a killer because of me," she whispers the last part rather softly. I cock my head at her.
"It might sound terrible, but it didn't bother me when I killed that man. I know I shot him but I can't find it in myself to care that he's dead, knowing that he wanted to kill you. Maybe that makes me a monster," I respond, looking down at my hands. Hands that held a pistol last night. Hands that pulled the trigger. Astoria walks over to me and takes my hands in hers. I look up at her face now. She looks concerned.
"It doesn't make you a monster. If there is something I've learned in my eight years of pirating, it's that it is okay to be okay. You don't have to feel bad." I nod once, my throat bobbing as she pulls away. We walk together out of the bedroom and through the dining room, not taking that secret passage to the wheel of the ship today.
The pink-grey sky meets us along with the brisk morning air as we emerge. The dead mans shift, as Astoria called it, is just ending it seems. Andreas is not planted at the wheel though. We must have kept the anchor down last night. There is the slight smell of smoke mixed with the salt in the air. I look to the horizon where the skyline stands. Great pillars of smoke rise from the city as a grey haze falls. A few wisps of ash even reach us all the way out here. They careen down like snowflakes in the winter. I hear Astoria make a somewhat satisfied 'hmm' sound with her hands planted on her hips. She gives a sharp nod, clearly thinking something to herself, before she starts walking. I scramble after her up the stairs to the wheel.
I head behind her and look out in the opposite direction the ship is facing. I notice something jarring against the sky. I squint at it, trying to make out what it could be. Something white against the pink sky. I tap the captain's shoulder and motion to where I am looking. Astoria braces her hands against the railing on the ship and leans out a little. She shuts on eye, squinting the other at the object. After a beat, she pulls a small telescope out of her belt and puts it up to her eye. As soon as it's up, she slams it shut with a hiss.
"Pull the anchor up! We are turning this ship around. Wake the day crew, now!" Astoria yells over the deck. The tired crew jumps at her command and starts acting on them. When the day crew appears on deck, Astoria shouts to them, "Prepare for battle!"
The anchor comes dripping out of the water and the sails snap open. The catch wind and Astoria whips the wheel around as sharply as she dares. The WindFlyer groans as she turns, having no speed to help her in the process. Large ships like this are not meant to turn abruptly like Astoria is now doing.
Astoria glances at me with a snarl manifesting on her lips, pure hatred burns in her blue eyes as she hisses out one word: "Slavers."