Chapter 8~An Upgrade
Over the course of the next few days (the time it took the crew to return to Tortuga's port), the crew of the vessel began to see Marianna as more than just the scrawny boy that she appeared to be. After her little stunt in Kingston, she was a hero. After they counted their coin, she was a God.
No man could overcome the fact that the 'street rat' had successfully broken into the Governor's home, and had robbed him blind! Marianna took incredible joy at their newfound attitude toward her, even though the attitude they previously paid to her hadn't been at all resentful, she still enjoyed the appreciation they displayed. The only thought that could ever sour her mood was concerning them discovering her secret, but she made sure that even if they did discover who she was, she'd give them no choice but to continue to consider her a good pirate.
Maybe even a great pirate, but she had a feeling that that time wouldn't be for a long while. Right now she was simply content with working the sails, swabbing the deck, and embracing the feel of the sea.
Carlisle saw this, and had actually been observing her the entire journey to Tortuga. He got to know her, asking about her old life in Kingston, her past job experience, and why she preferred the sea to the alternative. The lies she fed him were taken in earnest by the Captain, and the lingering guilt she felt for doing so quickly dissipated. Actually, she grew quite proud of her tale. It was as adventurous as she hoped for, fibbing about how she had once been a street peasant that broke into strangers houses to steal their goods, just so she could feed her poor family. When the people's money lessened, she told him that she took the risk of turning to the Governor's riches, but took them in small proportions that could pay for what she needed when she needed it. Then the guards threatened her for standing up for a person they had been cruelly bullying, and she took to the seas.
This lie had also captured the crew's attention. The fact that they thought she was a skilled thief put them on edge, but then again, they also realized she had only stolen for noble reasons and stole humbly.
Marianna was definitely a skilled story teller.
When she told Carlisle of her love for the sea though, that was all in truth. She spoke from the heart when she described to him in great details the joys it gave to her, and how that, if she had had the choice at the time, she would've started sailing much earlier in her youth. In fact, such a time was just like the present, with Marianna and Carlisle sharing their stories.
The sun had long since set on their fourth day of sailing, and Tortuga was soon to be expected just around the corner. Like usual, Marianna had taken place at the bow of the ship that night, reluctant to retire to her actual sleeping quarters. Carlisle, also awake at the time, observed her from the window of the Captain's Quarters. He watched her climb to the bow of the ship, until she was in such a position that a single step would take her plummeting into the sea. He knew this already, but he still couldn't get over how gutsy she was, as if her fear was nonexistent.
Curiously, Carlisle stepped out of the Captain's Quarters and onto the deck. The sweet sea breeze welcomed him in a chilled embrace, one which he accepted with a pleasant smile before making his way over to Marianna.
"If we hit a wave, then you're a goner, lad." She peered over he shoulder at the Captain, giving a quick nod of acknowledgement to his words.
"Aye," she said. "But the waves are small. The waters are calm."
A faint smile tugged at Carlisle's lips. He's got me there.
"So, do you come out here every night?"
"Aye." Marianna answered. Her eyes were set on the waves, and she swore she could see shapes moving beneath the ripples.
He doesn't talk much... The captain thought again, but he didn't let her passiveness bother him. Everybody had a right to their own voice, even if the British Government thought otherwise.
"Do you've any thoughts on improvements made to the ship, lad?" He finally asked, and felt quite satisfied when Marianna's head turned to pay complete attention.
"Me?"
"Aye, I didn't stutter, did I?"
She shook her head. "No, Captain. I was just surprised is all." Now Marianna furrowed her brow in thought, and cast her gaze to the build of the ship. The vessel could definitely use work in every place coin could pay for. The only real issues she could see were the condition of the hull, the masts, and the sails. Those could easily be fixed, and with coin to spare.
"Well?" Carlisle followed her critical gaze to his vessel.
"The sails, the hull, the masts. A crow's nest would be fairly useful, not to mention canons. A lot of them. Firepower is a must."
"That'll take quite a few Reales." He replied, but he could tell that Marianna spoke in truth. His ship was definitely something that needed work, even if they had to find some other method to get themselves the required coin.
"We have enough, and those necklaces could go for a pretty price. It was the Governor's daughter's dowry. We can afford to take only the highest prices."
"You stole a missing woman's dowry?"
"Well," Marianna found herself chuckling lightly at the irony of the situation. "She's obviously not putting it to any use, is she?"
Now Carlisle felt a grin of his own take form. When Marianna had introduced the plan to steal from the Governor for the first time, he thought it was quite a malicious plan for such an innocent boy, but now he realized that Marianna wasn't as innocent as she looked. He could see it in the glint in her eye, her secret desire to be the devilish one.
"That, my friend, is true."
Marianna found herself slightly surprised at the camaraderie between the two then. She'd risked her life for this man and his crew, and while once she would've been aghast at the thought of it, now she found herself relishing in it. It wasn't that difficult to see why Benedict would wish to drown himself in the dangers of battle, not difficult at all now that Marianna realized it wasn't so much a choice as much as it was an addiction. And perhaps they both had their different meanings to 'battle', given that Marianna had never held someone at sword point before, but she couldn't think of a feeling any better than doing good for the men of the ship.
"Aye." Now, not at all miffed by her passiveness, Carlisle began his silent retreat back to his cabin. "And Captain?" The call came as he was about to enter his quarters, and when he turned, he saw that Marianna had stood on her feet, balancing on the bow with surprising balance. "Mayhap we can find some additions to your Quarters, as well."
"Mayhap," Carlisle felt a prick of anxiety for Marianna, but it soon disappeared as she gracefully leapt back onto the deck and sent him a lopsided grin. Something deep within Carlisle stirred then, and he wasn't quite sure what. It was though, a reaction to the way the pirate before him had grinned at him, and the way his eyes lit up like fire. Hastily he retreated to his quarters, trying not to dwell on the emotions that puzzled him.
Marianna had watched the Captain as he left her presence, and couldn't keep the childish grin from her features. Something had struck her as well, directly out of the deep blue sea. A wave of unexpected, and unfamiliar feelings that gnawed at her belly.
That could very well have been her hunger, though. The grub on the ship was rubbish, to be quite frank.
Nonetheless, she did not let herself dwell on such emotions, and took her usual place below the ship's main mast in which she peacefully fell asleep by.
Dawn pierced the horizon with it's jovial light, marking the beginning of yet another day in the Caribbean. Marianna was the first to receive the light as her wake up call, and rose from her position. She was stiff in the back and shoulders, but she stretched out whatever bothersome kinks she had, and made her way to the side of the ship. She leaned over the rail, her blue eyes admiring the colors the horizon displayed. Extravagant reds, yellows, purples, and oranges dyed the horizon in a fiery embrace. Each color was examined thoroughly by her eyes until each color took it's leave, and instead a peaceful blue began to assimilate the sky. At this time Marianna had completely awakened, and having had admired the sun rise of that day, she ventured below deck to wake the crew.
"Up and at 'em, lads!" She hollered rather obtrusively to the slumbering men. Before they had been snoring and grunting in their unconscious states, but now they were groaning as they began climbing from their rest, and made their way to top deck. Marianna followed right after, somewhat of a laugh bubbling inside of her.
It had been a daily routine since she'd boarded the ship, her waking the crew, that is. They tended to fancy the idea of sleeping in until noon, and once, while on the way to Kingston, they had almost run aground due to it. The Captain had been awake, she knew that, but the sails had to be reset to half sail, and well, there wasn't anyone around to do that. It was the one thing that bothered her about Captain Bishop, he was too lenient on his crew. He had an obsessive habit of drinking rum while he wasn't captaining his ship, and while she enjoyed his presence like any other of the crew, she had to at least try to enforce some discipline on these men. If she didn't, then there would be no telling what would happen if an enemy caught them in their sights. It simply would not do.
Eventually though, the crew had begun to grow out of their ways. They became less grouchy when it came to her morning wake up call, and during the day the Captain would limit his rum.
"Captain, might I suggest that while enjoying a good drink is well and all, it may not be wise to drink while commanding a ship," she would say, and sooner or later the Captain would put his drink away and take charge of his crew with a new vigor.
It was strange, she realized, that the one to take charge and make change would be her. The Governor's daughter, a woman pirate masking as a boy... it made her laugh at odd times, but the crew never minded.
And, speaking of the crew, they had now begun their day's work. The vessel had already been changed to half sail by the time Marianna emerged, and the Captain, having heard the ruckus below, was now before his ship's wheel.
"Tortuga at the bow, Captain!" A holler came from the ship, causing Marianna to jog toward the bow, where she did indeed see Tortuga's island increasing in size. In no time at all the crew found themselves docking their vessel, and skipping onto the docks, where they each discussed amongst themselves the best place for a drink. Captain Bishop bid them off to do their celebratory drinking, but when Marianna was ready to go with them, he grabbed the collar of her shirt and pulled her back.
"Not you lad, I've got a bit of work for ye."
She gave him a curious look, but gave a short nod. She would prefer his company than that of a group of drinking men anyways. "What do you need, Captain?"
"We're going to the harbor master. I have improvements to make to her," he gave a quick jerk of the head toward the Carvel. "And I want your... expertise when doing so." With surprise evident at her Captain's subtle compliment, she followed him the way down the port. A stand stood, rickety and rugged just meters from the actual docks. An anchor for a sloop was propped up against the shack's exterior, as well as a few sails laid haphazardly across the roof, acting as a cover. Like the rest of Tortuga, it looked more so for the reason of comfort and simplicity instead of presentable. It was the complete opposite of Kingston, but Marianna didn't mind. It was about time her life took a turn away from prim and proper.
"Carlisle Bishop." A rugged man greeted, a toothy grin on his face at the sight of Carlisle. By the warmth his greeting emanated, Marianna expected that they knew each other.
"Rory, good mornin' mate. Got anything worth the look?"
"Aye, watcha' be in the need of?"
At this, Carlisle turned to Marianna, crossing his arms. "Well," he said to her. "Tell 'im."
It was a miniscule responsibility in Marianna's eyes, but it caused her heart to speed up, nonetheless. Why was he asking her to tell him what to buy for the ship? Wasn't it his ship? She was only a crew mate- she didn't expect Carlisle to pay this much attention to her.
"The vessel is in strong need of sails, sir." She found herself thinking, not at all breaking her steady gaze with the man across from her. "The hull of the ship is much less than average, and an outer armor would be greatly appreciated. The masts aren't at all suited for sailing under harsh weather, so I suspect that if a storm were to show it's face, then we'd be down and under the waves in seconds."
Carlisle listened to her as she spoke, and often he'd find her throwing in quite the colorful vocabulary to describe the broken ship. She seemed much too intelligent to be masking herself as a peasant boy, and Carlisle saw that. With the knowledge she displayed just by speaking, he would think the Navy would be paying a pretty price for her services, especially since she wasn't the weakling that she looked.
The thought had never crossed his mind before that moment, but all of a sudden Carlisle found himself growing apprehensive of her. What if she was working with the Navy? It wouldn't be that hard to believe, once he thought about it. She may be a bit young for the muscle work, but she was perfect for this sort of work. Marianna had accepted the lifestyle of the pirate a little too quickly, actually. She could be spying on his vessel, and making short work of his crew by conversing with them and leeching whatever secrets she could.
All of a sudden, he felt very wary of Marianna. It was just a thought that occurred in his mind in that split second, but it changed his perception quite drastically in just a few moments.
By the time his thoughts had come to a conclusion that he was to be more wary of her activities, she had finished ordering the proper outfitting for the ship. She turned to him, smiling in hope for some sort of praise. The deep in thought expression on his face fazed her, she was quite subconscious suddenly. Did she order the right equipment? Did she say something wrong?
When Carlisle realized her attention was now on him, he abandoned his reverie, and gave her a short slap on her back. "Come on mate, I've got some things I'd like to talk to you about."
"D-did I do something wrong?" She stuttered. Her feet trailed after him in a shuffling manner as she tried to keep up with his long strides. Rory, back at the shack, had told her that it would take nearly a week to fit the Carvel with all of it's needs. They would have a week of drink and celebration of their upgrade, but to Carlisle this meant that he'd have a week of getting to know the real Marianna, whoever that was.
"Not at all, Percy. I couldn't have said anything better." Which bothered him deeply.
"Then what-" She stopped short when he halted in front of a tavern, and cast his gaze around the exterior. Marianna watched as he surveyed it's appearance, then opened the door and went on in. It was quieter than most taverns, and once she got inside she realized that not a single one of the crew was in sight. "Captain, I think we're at the wrong tavern. The crew-"
"I don't want to be within earshot of the crew." Carlisle stopped at a chair, and roughly pulled it from a table before sitting down. When Marianna hesitated, he swept his hand and gestured to the seat across from him. Quickly, she sat herself in the chair.
"What do you-"
"I'm in need of a Quartermaster. I think, out of the entire crew, you would be a fine choice."
She was taken aback at the offer, and her eyes noticeably widened. The innocence on her face made it a bit difficult for Carlisle to believe his earlier suspicions, but he suspected she was a trained actor.
"Of course, Captain. Thank you."
A fake smile pulled across his lips. At least this way he'd be able to keep a closer eye on her. She'd be with him constantly; this was good for him to get to know her.
Except this wasn't good at all for Marianna. Not when she had to masquerade as a boy. It was easier when he paid less attention to her.
Better yet, none at all.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
DO NOT claim the contents of this story for your own. All rights and claims go to myself and those that have helped me write this thus far. Do not copyright this text, otherwise there will be consequences.
Special thanks to my editor, ThouArtPenguin for the mending of this story.
Shit. Two weeks late :P Sorry 'bout that! I may just make Saturday my Bloody Mary uploading day, since it's the day I typically base all of my writing activities on.