Since yesterday's little sextant incident, I've tried to lay low from the captain. He kept looking at me with shifty eyes - just what I needed. My plan was to figure out where we were going and figure out where I needed to go... and how to get there. I hadn't even began to think about that yet. I had to figure out a way to look at the maps. I needed some bearings on where we were so I could find the second clue of Atlantis, my Father had found the first.
"So where are we going?" I asked Michael. I loved having him as my little travel companion. He was old enough to be of value for information, but young enough to not notice my true intentions.
We were both in the kitchen helping the cook prepare for supper. He was a grumpy old man - or so I assumed. He barely spoke two words to us, so I assumed he wasn't fond of conversation.
"What do you mean?"
I laughed, assuming what I meant was obvious, "Where are we sailing?"
Michael snorted, "If you get one word out of the Captain about that then you'll know more than us."
I dropped my knife I was using to cut the lettuce with in shock, "We don't know where were going? He expects his crew to blindly follow orders without even knowing his plans?"
"What else do we have? We have food, a place to sleep, and promises of treasure. Better than scraping food off of the ground on land," Michael said.
I shrugged, he had a point.
"What's this promise of treasure you speak of?" I grinned.
"Oh, I don't know. All I know is that's where we are sailing. To get treasure. From where? Who knows."
I grimaced. I needed more answers.
***
The riddle has been written and the lock has been found.
All you seek is a ruby as red as the sirens who speak.
I mulled over my Father's scribblings but quickly shut my journal when I heard footsteps. It was still dinner time and I had gobbled up my portions as fast as I could. I quickly hid my journal in the crease of my bunk, put my hat over my head and pretended to be napping.
Whoosh.
I was on the floor in seconds. Someone had flipped my hammock over. I looked up to see pale green eyes peering down at me with a smirk - Gabe.
"Having a little nap were we?" Gabe asked and started to bounce about the room, checking each sailors bunk. As his back was turned I quickly grabbed my journal, stuffed it in my pants and untucked my shirt to cover the bulge.
"Just a short one, sir. Did you need me to do anything?" I asked.
"Oh you don't have to be formal with me. Safe those stuffy words for the Captain," Gabe said and turned back towards me.
"You checking for anything in particular?" I said with a smirk, gesturing to the sailors bunks.
"Not really. Captains orders though, he's always so paranoid. So what's your story, boy?" He asked in a light tone and proceeded to take a seat on the ground.
I stared at him curiously for a second and then joined him on the floor cross legged, "Your a strange first mate," I said.
"You were expecting rotting teeth and a black heart weren't you? Well, I like to defy those unruly expectations," He said with a wave of his arm. He paused, scanned me over twice and said, "Your new to this whole pirate thing aren't you? I bet you were a cabin boy on a merchant ship before. Wanted some more adventure in your life?"
"Yup. Exactly. That's it."
"Hah! I'm right every time! I always have a nack for reading people."
"So what treasure are we trying to find? Do you know where we are going?" I asked, hoping to sound innocent.
Gabe creased his eyebrows and looked deep into my eyes as if he were peering into my soul. It felt as if my secrets were boiling to the top right there for him to see, "Your not a tattle tale are you."
"Not at all," I smiled, gaining a bit of hope.
"I won't tell you much - but I'll fill you in a little. You see, Captain Larse's father, Captain Klause, is in charge of this whole fleet. Klause is busy raiding some big fleet of merchant ships however many miles away, so Lars decided to take his own little journey. I think he's sick of being under his father's orders, so this treasure were going after, whatever it is, is probably going to be big enough to set him free. You know, to run his own fleet."
"And you don't even know what it is?"
Gabe laughed, "No one does. I'm not too worried about it though, he's a smart man."
"How long have you known him?"
"About three years. Even though he barely talks to me, I'm pretty sure I'm his closest... acquaintance. He's a strange one that man," Gabe said.
"Well thanks for the insight," I smiled.
Stop smiling so much, I scolded myself. Gabe was a handsome man - it was hard not to swoon over his pretty eyes. I got up from the floor and dusted myself off, "I'm going to get back to work."
"Before you go," Gabe said, "What else do you know? Other than how to record lunar readings? It's strange for a cabin boy to know that stuff. I feel like you could know more than me," He said.
"I just like to be... prepared. My father was an intellectual - collected a lot of books. Saw no harm in reading them."
Gabe nodded and went on his way. I sighed in relief when I was alone again. I wasn't lying necessarily, but I had deeper intentions as to why I read them. But he didn't need to know that.
***
After a few hours of forcing myself to stay awake, all of the crew was finally asleep. I creeped out of my bed and snuck up unto the main deck.
"If I were a map, where would I be," I whispered to myself.
Probably with the lovely Captain. I peered into the captains quarters. The room was dark. I looked around one more time to make sure no one else was around, and pulled out a little metal wire from my pocket. I bent it into an L shape and wiggled it around - this whole process lasted about thirty minutes.
Click.
I smiled and opened the door. I quickly walked over to the desk to see a big map. I placed my journal beside the map to compare routes. It looked as if we were heading in the same general direction, but the final destination on his map looked to be a few islands over. It seemed as if Lars was heading towards some sort of cove. Just below me, I heard some shuffling. Satisfied with the information, I quickly exited the captains chambers and closed the door. I made my way down the stairs and - "Oof!" I mumbled as I hit something hard.
That something hard was Captain Larse's chest. He was making his way up the stairs as I was going down. The stairwell was already tight with one person, but as we stood face to face only inches away, I could feel his hot breath down my neck. I resisted the urge to cower away from his tall figure.
Lars still didn't say anything, he was simply staring at me.
"Uh, I was just, out for a quick breath of fresh air," I said.
"In the middle of the night?" His smooth voice questioned.
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep."
"That seems like a pathetic excuse, Lee." I was startled at his use of my name. It was also a very pathetic excuse. I had to start coming up with better ones.
I swallowed and I stood up even straighter, "Well I'm sorry sir, but it's the truth. If you want me to make something up, I can."
I swear, I almost saw the beginning of a smirk on his lips.
He cleared his throat, "That won't be necessary."
I nodded and proceeded to make my way past him until he grabbed my shoulder, "One more thing. I hope you don't presume me to be so stupid as to think that you merely, like to read. Cabin boys don't know the things you do. I'll be keeping my eye on you."
And with that, he was gone.