While the pirates fired back, the Royal Eagle moved to the north, around and away from the battered Lion. As soon as they were far enough, Laventry ordered to turn around, and while at it, he had the gunners unload the larboard cannons against the Spanish warrior. The Royal Eagle turned west, using the Sovereign as a shield to sail past the Lion. And at the same time, the pirates that had remained onboard Wan Claup's ship jumped to the water, swimming for the lines the men threw from the Royal Eagle to climb onboard. The last men left loaded the wounded on boats and rowed on Laventry's wake until they were able to reach his ship.
It was about time.
The second warrior, even dismasted, had seriously damaged two of the small ships, leaving them to sink. Harry's Sparta had sailed past Tortuga's northernmost cape with half a dozen small boats, that barreled to help those still engaged in combat with the second warrior. But the frigates had already shown on the horizon and would be in range within a couple of hours.
Harry let the others go ahead and took the Sparta toward the Royal Eagle. Morris jumped onboard, looking around upset.
"Where's the pearl?" he yelled.
Nobody bothered to answer, too busy setting the ship on her way home.
"Morris!" Laventry called from the bridge.
The young man ran to him. "What happened? Where's Marina?"
"Below deck, I reckon. Wan Claup's injured, boy." Morris' face reflected horror. Laventry shook his head, grimacing. "Go with him. I'll join you as soon as I can."
South of there, Harry managed to cover the smaller ships from the Lion's fire, for the Spaniards were still eager to fight and kept firing their starboard guns. Harry waited for them to rescue all the survivors from the battle with the second warrior and ordered all the ships back and away to the northwest. Behind them, the sails of the Armada's four frigates were only three miles away.
Below deck at the Royal Eagle, Marina got herself a bucket of water and washed herself the best she could. She ripped the bottoms of her shirt and tied the strip of cloth around the cut in her arm. She saw Maxó walk by with Charlie Bones, the Sovereign's surgeon, who followed him soaking wet and dripping water, but with his leather case. She followed them back to the weather deck and to the cabin. Maxó's eyes widened when he saw her there, but fought back his surprise to stop her.
"Let Bones see him first, pearl," he said, closing the door behind the surgeon. "What the burning hell are you doing here?" he asked, lowering his voice. Then he spotted the blood on her shirt and turned pale. "You're wounded!"
"It's just a cut, old wolf. How's my uncle? Is it bad?"
The pirate shrugged. "The bullet went in and out, pearl. That's usually good. But I cannot tell you what it did him inside. He lost a lot of blood and passed out before we could take care of him."
Marina looked at the closed door with teary eyes, once more full of anguish and fear for her uncle. Morris joined them and the three of them stayed there, in silence. Minutes crawled while they waited for Bones to come out. The pirate fleet sailed toward Cayona with good wind along the northern reefs.
Finally the door opened and Charlie Bones came out. His face made Marina's knees shiver. The man turned to her, shaking his head with a grimace.
"You should go with him, pearl," he said.
Morris stopped her. "The captain doesn't know the pearl's here. We should wait until we get to port."
"He's not leaving this ship, Morris," Bones replied. "The bullet pierced his lung, and if we move him again, we'll only hasten his death." He nodded to Marina. "Go with him, pearl. Seeing you will comfort him."
She dodged the three men to hurry into the cabin. They'd placed Laventry's hammock on the table, and several cushions. There lay Wan Claup on his side, his back to the door and his face to the transom windows and the sea outside. The thick bandage wrapped around his torso was stained in fresh blood between his shoulder blades. De Neill was sitting near his head, and stood up when he saw her come in. He whispered something to Wan Claup and waved her over.
Marina's heart drummed in her chest and then it seemed to stop, to resume its hectic beating. She circled the table around her uncle's feet and leaned in toward him. The bandage had fresh blood on his chest as well.
She kissed his forehead gently, a lump in her throat when she heard his labored breathing. She wanted to scream and weep and run far away from there. She wanted to turn back time, to never spot the accursed Jamaicans on their sinking boat. She kept a grip on herself and thanked De Neill when he brought a chair closer for her. Wan Claup's head rested on cushions, and Marina met his eyes when she sat down before him.
Wan Claup managed a smile and moved a hand, that she hurried to grab.
"Why am I not surprised... you're here..." he murmured in a deadened voice, no trace of being angry or annoyed.
Marina let out a shaky chuckle. "I'm so sorry, Uncle. Forgive me for disobeying you."
"There's nothing to forgive... For I get to see you... one last time, my child." Wan Claup pressed her fingers. "That moron let you... fight..."
She lowered her eyes to her cut arm. "Actually, he told me to stay behind," she said.
The corsair's face pursed in a pain grimace as he fought back a chuckle, and he shook his head. "What a fool..."
"Tell me about it," Laventry replied. He'd come in noiselessly to stand by Marina, and gifted Wan Claup with one of his wolfish smirks. "Even though I'm regretting ever fetching her back. If I'm not wrong, the officer she beat single-handed was the infamous Lion. I think next time I'll leave her be, and let the Spaniards to their own device to make it through." He saw his friend's face and chuckled. "I'm kidding, Wan."
Wan Claup looked down at Marina. "Send Morris in... pearl... and have Bones tend to your arm... before coming back..."
"Yes, Uncle."
The girl stood up, kissed his forehead once more and left him with Laventry.
Outside she saw the survivors from the Sovereign that didn't have serious injuries had gathered out the door. They were about thirty. Charlie Bones was sitting on the bridge's steps and took care of them, to be around in case Wan Claup needed him. She faced those tough, rough men that waited for her words, and found no voice to speak. Tears overflowed her eyes before she could even notice.
"He calls for you," she managed to say to Morris, and covered her face with her hands.
Maxó patted her back and helped her to sit on a roll of ropes near the door. Marina looked up at him, crying.
"He's dying, old wolf," she muttered, her voice broken in grief. "Wan Claup is dying! What're we going to do? What will become of me without him?"
The pirate set his jaw and put his arm around her shoulders. Marina hid her face against his dirty shirt, biting her lip to hold back the cries ripping her chest apart.
When they reached Cayona, the cheering over stopping the Armada soon died away, as word of what had happened to Wan Claup spread. The Sovereign's crew refused to leave, and the Royal Eagle's men stayed with them. All the captains in town boarded Laventry's ship, hoping for a last chance to see Wan Claup. Laventry left his lieutenant in charge of dealing with that crowd and went to fetch Cecilia himself.
Wan Claup neared death in the tropical sunset.
Marina was able to calm down to go back to his side, along with Harry, Morris, Maxó and De Neill. The girl held his hand, and cleaned the thread of blood dripping from his lips with a wet cloth. Cecilia joined them soon. She met her daughter's eyes, bright with tears, and went to her side.
She caressed her brother's hair with a sad, loving smile. He opened his eyes a little, only enough to see her. He tried to speak, but he couldn't. Cecilia leaned in to kiss his cheek.
"Go in peace, brother," she whispered in his ear. "Go sail with my Manuel. Go rejoin with Marie and hug your little Anton. Marina and I will always pray for your soul. I love you."
Wan Claup was able to nod. When Cecilia stepped back, he moved his lips again and pressed Marina's hand. She brought her ear close to his pale, fevered face.
"Forget the past... my child..." Wan Claup murmured in a thread of trembling voice. He paused, so weak those few words had exhausted him. But he forced himself to go on. "You're my... treasure... too... My pearl... And I love you..."
Marina moved back to face him, to see one last time those pale blue eyes, and managed a smile.
"I love you, Uncle. Now and always," she said.
Wan Claup blinked slowly. His eyes blurred and the gurgling of his breathing grew louder. The girl kissed his hand at the same time he closed his eyes to never open them again.
"Uncle?" Marina called. "Uncle!"
Cecilia rested a hand on her daughter's shoulder, silent tears rolling down her face. The men lowered their heads in respect.
Maxó patted De Neill's arm to walk out when Marina broke in desperate tears. Morris found it hard not to weep like her. Cecilia sat down by her, held her in her arms and didn't leave her side. Laventry and Harry stood by the head of their dead friend in a gloomy silence.
Maxó and De Neill left the cabin without a noise. The muffled sound of Marina's sobs coming from inside spared them from answering questions. A quiet whisper ran around the Royal Eagle. All the men took their hats off, and many of them crossed themselves. The stars rose and spun overhead, but they didn't notice. Nobody moved from where they were. Nobody looked up. Nobody uttered a single word on that vigil that lasted until dawn.