Chapter 11
"Get ready to land; the ship must be cleared of all weights in the next one hour." Captain Stanley called out while he left the wheel past Smarya who sat shivering in the dampness of the red blood stained deck in simple light attires. She watched him stole by this and that way while the men tied and untied several ropes all over the ship. She saw how often he was throwing glances in her direction until he came to a stop just in front of her.
"Someone find the pirate girl something warm and thicker to stay alive from the coldness."
The ship's chef was coming to meet the Black Project's captain with a large sweater tied around his waist. The moment he heard this, he thought it was directed to him. Immediately, he untied it from his waist and took it over to her.
All the same, Smarya realized something weird bothering the captain it could not be her looks because where he came from, it was without doubt a land rich with all sorts of fair ladies. Ladies of nobble status and decency! It were the stories many of the pirates her father sent out on raid told the others about women beyond the fog. Whatever bothered him would sure give her a hint about his major weakness. She was taught a man without a weakness has not been born yet.
"We must do everything as first as we can such that by midday we are back on board... is that clear men?"
The faster the better... however, we shall start the day by giving our most honorable Captain Horrace the best burial he deserves along with... these, your comrade we won't see again hereafter"
He spoke raising the little satchel one of the men hand him comprising of the little finger they had clipped from each of the dead crewmates. Yes." they nodded because they did feel him now.
An orange sun was already rising from the east giving the fog an appearance of clouds ascending but also hanging over the vast sea horizon like they !
The anchor was thrown down and two extra rowing boats lowered. The crew got to work immediately after. They had Capt. Horace's corpse lowered into the first boat and it was sailed to the shores while the rest landed in phases. Before they went ashore, clear instructions were given; in that the captain's body went first before anything else landed.
Some Holtem's crewmates would sail the body to the shore while a few of Stanley's men remained on board to organize the emptying of the ship for repair as well tending to the prisoner.
Later Captain Stanley stepped out of the boat. His dark leather boots sunk into the wet sands following the others. Sunk into the wet sands. He stood for a while and took a deep breath. Then raised his face towards the extensive green jungles. South of the shores where they landed, a marsh spread out following the edge of the forest and then inland as if there existed a river where it bent in wards so many years ago.
Several strange rocks rose out of the marshland here and there becoming a lot visible around the outer edges of the marshland and the forest line.
He passed his fingers through his dismantled sea salty hair and shut his eyes. Raised his face towards the sky to feel the breeze. He met the grand pirate and unlike the fairy tales, he was alive with a proof prisoner! He smiled to himself!
Well, once they had landed, the remaining of Capt., Horrace's loyal men immediately headed for the forest to collect wood and dry twigs they would use to erect some rather alter of honor.
And in less than an hour, they'd formed a fair stack of wood somewhere off the edge of the water and the captain's corpse lain on top. The rest set up camp and when they were done with raising the seashore camp, Next thing was to say 'goodbye' to their captain's soul in the best way they knew best how to.
Hence, they all including Stanley's men collected around the rectangular stack of wood. His men placed the body on top the stack of wood. Fuel was added poured around the wood and t.
His men began to recite a prayer he last heard them recite a week ago when they would penetrate the fog to be able to travel by its mysterious time disruption power. He knew a few words himself and spoke them out when he got to them. However, following this, there was a long moment of silence during which a few even shade tears.
Daiki, the ship's cook stepped forwards first. He slowly approached their captain's body holding something no one could see with both his hand and placed it on the corpse's chest. He steps back and immediately another man stepped up forwards.
Now everyone could see what it was the next man held in his hands. It was a little wooden curving the shape of a Japanese god. As he steps away, someone else took out their necklaces and placed it upon the corpse. Another removed their dagger, another their shirt and another, took the dagger and sliced a long dread off the back of their head and placed it over the captain's shoulder.
In simple terms, everyone had to show their level of respect and gratitude to the captain by offering something dear and precious from their personal belonging. In support of the respect, Stanley also reached into his pocket and too out a silver chain watch and without a word did the same.
It wasn't long when Smarya heard the men break start a loud Catholic hymn as a matter of fact that most of them where from Wales. The morning sea breeze into the coast's interior carried off the hymn and rose together with the grey smoke.
Later, Smarya is escorted off the ship in one of the boats wearing one of Daiki's extra size shirts and her own wet pair of quarter pants.
The rest set up camp by raising two tents while others went fishing and a few towards the jungle hoping to find some nuts or fruits.
Once the camp had been set, Stanley instructed Daiki, the ship's cook to light the fire and make tea for the others. Some stacks of wood had remained. At once Daiki got back in his line of duty without any complaint. He instructed that a few refreshments be brought ashore from the ship's stores for Daiki to prepare something before everyone.
"Listen, no one is to goes 300 yards beyond camp, cause I'm not I ready to lose any one else and remember the faster the better. Stand with me until I am done with this mission, before mid-night today! And I shall ensure each one's payment is doubled and losses compensated before sunset tomorrow"
Finally, he turned and saw Smarya led ashore in chains. And from the way Horrace's men treated her with such roughness required his intervention. He moved over to the boxes of food and took out a piece of bread; put it on a wooden plate. He also scooped some drinking water from a wooden barrel and started over to her where he had earlier instructed they place her. She sat alone in silence on a big rock while gazing out at the sea and hair blowing wildly in the sea breeze. Leaping from one to another, Stanley reached its side.
"Hey, do you mind helping me up?' He asked her with a little smile. At first, she ignored him. He remained silent and sure that she had heard him. She had a brown cloth over her shoulder and indeed looked funny in Daiki's shirt. He could not deny that the girl was the fairest he has seen to this day.
Finally, she turned and looked down at him. Her complexion was thrice fairer than all he has ever known! She held her arm out to him but he found himself in a lock he hadn't intended and unable to see that she offered to help him up.
"Oh thank you."' He told her but she didn't reply. She took them, placed everything at her side, and then sat quietly until he was also seated next to her but dumbfounded! There was no comparison between her character, bravery and beauty! Almost at once, she asked him.
"You need to refill because where we are headed, we don't know what to expect?"
She glanced at the plate and then at him. She ignores it and turns to face the sea again
"You may never get back out there again unless..."
"Where is Cobham-?" is all that came out of her.
"Why, the man has been long dead and everyone knows that you are the aggressors. That should have been my question to you Smarya..." The girl stared at him right in the eyes. Neither did he shy off to break the contact. All of a sudden, he felt like she was robbing him of his deepest secrets or something from her very gaze! He immediately broke the stare constantly blinking! All of a sudden, she turned and focused back at the sea. Her shinny soft black hair blew towards the coast like some desperate arms reaching out for something no one can see.
"Just don't say my name again..." She said in a cautioning tune.
"Then what should I call you... Pirate girl, just pirate gir-?"
She spun at him with a furious gaze and he jerked at that...
"Okay, okay, pirate Girl. You will need to eat this, may be now because it will be a while before our cook finishes preparing something warm and better?"
With her gaze still fixed hard and furious at him she told him. "How good a man are you sir?"
"Don't need judgement to know what sort of man I'm..." He said while holding out the piece of bread to her. With their eyes in contact again, her inner ability to understand beyond a common person's measure, could show her that her beauty had thrown him off guard! Was this her chance?
She glanced at the piece of bread in his hand and then at him again.
"How long will I be alive?"
"Until I hand you over..." he replied.
"Save me..." she spoke with a meaningful tone.
"Please eat this..." is all he could utter about now! He could not answer this question. She did not bother. Hence, after a long silence asked her again in a simpler manner.
"Will you eat this or not." She looked at the thing again and this time took it. She did not feel like taking it but she finally took it ignoring his admiration. She sniffled it and-
"-poisoned? No, -just good for now. Come on and take a bite" And to prove to her, he reached out. Took hold of her hand, broke off a piece and pushed it whole into his mouth. At first, she looked at him in wonder and finally taking a bite too. However, her gaze showed she did not like the taste of it from the way she took the water to clear her mouth.
She drunk more of the water to escort the second bite.
"You rarely eat bread, I can see." He said this time trying to avoid looking directly at her.
After some long silence, he stealthily looked at her arms and realized that she still shivered even in Daiki's big shirt and his coat. Just the she shivered but when she tried to conceal it, he spoke saying...
"You're afraid -Smarya, oh I mean pirate girl. Aren't you?"
"I've been trained not to until I must-"
He turned to her in wonder; she was certainly scared and to her, she felt that he only to ask in order to gain reputation for his softness towards her.
"Why do you think that I'm scared-?'
"-because you should. Everyone out here hates your father and each one of those men would do anything to reap your neck off your shoulders had they a chance. Bu all that in vengeance for what your father has done all the past years."
She glanced over her shoulder only to spot the chef looking their direction!
"Father isn't as terrible as your people and masters make of him... I have grown up under his keen eye and I have known this you now to be lies! Because trust me he will search to the ends of the earth until he is found me. But I pray you of all those that may dare to stand in his way find mercy and truth."
"Truth... ha-ha!" Capt. Stanley spoke adding with all due confidence. "-the sea may be his play ground, but the rest is unfamiliar territory for him and his mad men."
"You only know what you have been trained to believe."
"What do you know that he hasn't just taught you?"
None of the two spoke now but she suddenly broken when she asked him.
"You are English man?"
"Why? Not purely English. I'm a little more of a Walsh." She kept squinted as if to weigh whether he lied or meant it.
Her gaze went past his shoulder towards the ship his men tried to repair. "Your father asked me for something he called -The Black scepter. What's that?"
"That, neither does he know it. He first read about it from some letters he normally receives from his brother."
"His brother...?" came Stanley cocking his head. No one did not know the heirs of the fallen Arab empire are great enemies... How then? What did she mean?
"What do you mean..." she looks at him hard and realizes she should not have said that...
"... Nevertheless, neither does he know what it is. No one does..."
"Why. I have not got you..." Stanley came again.
"It's the only thing that can help us reclaim our empire back from you greedy white men. A pillar is meant to balance the powers of nature throughout time. And why do you even think I should tell you about it?" She said with such powerful conviction and self-blame coated with bits of hate in her voice, which confused Stanley even the more.
"Oh yes, you should. Your father has taught you all the wrong about us but not any of the good he could have stood for or been part of... to save your grandfather's empire... you know. But if you do not mind, I will tell you something father told me when I was growing up. Your grandfather was luxurious and an arrogant man. He knew that slave trade was a form of mistreatment for any mortal man of his own blood. Yes, any other form of trade was welcome for so many years ever since he took over these shores until he began slave trade. At first, we all benefitted especially England because industrialization and innovation was the race of every nation across the sea. Unfortunately, there were Yakunko slaves among the normal slaves. These had plans many had no idea about except MOTH. Yes. Well MOTHs were a section of very intelligent and most powerful nobles across the sea. In addition, they guarded the realms of men against forces we knew less about!"
She merely remained looking and listening!
"The Yakunko are a people from the depths of Africa. We know so little history about them the common people. Nevertheless, they are very dangerous and merciless. They shape shift and had sailed over to our lands like slaves in human form only to change when they got across. Moreover, their mission we knew nothing. MOTH said nothing about them. However, they invaded Nobel homes and killed many of our prominent persons across the lands in search for something powerful they claimed they lost. Until there was, need to stop their only means of getting to our shores. The slave trade your grandfather practiced.
However, he never listened because the empire he had raised out of nothing survived on the economy of trade. He paid no attention even when he was told why he had to cease the trade.
"England's industrial system was far ahead of the rest and so she had experienced and found a way to repulse the Yakunko attacks years earlier. They hence remained infiltrating the surrounding states for years until they too couldn't take it. Portugal lost its throne to them and this is when its generals sailed to England requesting for her assistance to end the trade once and for good. England needed its relationship secure with the Sultanate for raw materials. Therefore, assisted in secret means. In the end, Portugal took over the coast under the support of Wales, which had made the same suggestions to England years earlier but in vain. Nevertheless, the Portuguese changed nothing. They set up their system but then clashed with another Yakunko version of war we had no idea about!
"Cobham..." she said.
"Cobham? Oh yes, he was a MOTH apprentice in his young days who then commanded the English and Walsh forces against your grandfather alongside the Portuguese forces. Your father told you about him I believe because he seems to hate him big time! But how he survived the invasion we got no idea, but I believe he has told you coz I don't think you were big enough." He told her.
"However ..." As Stanley spoke he realized that she was indeed paying attention to what he was saying.
"Around 1728, before the Portuguese took any step in attacking; the Walsh Tines Newspaper had published a lot of Lord Vanklopp's Anti-slave trade views. He was 18 years old when he started writing about the future threats of the Yakunko infiltration and how it could be controlled, his articles were published weekly by the Walsh times and the ideology spread like a wild fire until the Lord Charmain of England go involved."
"When the war ended, England requested Wales to keep an eye on the activities of the Portuguese rule. Wales selected a few of its nobles to carry out this inspection because Lord Cobham. Yes, Cobham would not take to this. He was leaving on a secret Voyage so as to escape his enemies your father number one."
This inspection was to ensure slave trade did not occur again under their rule because it was termed inhuman and hence illegal."
"Lies, father said you all have been liars, all of you blinded by greed and self...!"
"He lied about us..." Stanley interrupted her.
"Then you read less or something is missing in your records about why your masters evaded our empire!" Smarya told him.
"Well, true we have read and those who wrote what we read today aren't immortal. They were merely average witnesses of events. And I read that your grandfather's best friend and most popular general during the empire's might, still an acting Sultan in Mombasa, Khailem fought and repulsed the Yakunko off for decades on behalf of your grandfather. And so, he became Commander Cobham's first strategist and advisor on how to defeat the unbeatable Yakunko. And in the end they were pushed back into the jungles where they had their bases. But later something new happened as I already mentioned..."
"And is anything better now...?" She asked him critically and honestly he couldn't convince her anything was better.
"Well, War would happen again because the Portuguese Protectorate wasn't as efficient as were expected and so had to be replaced. It would mean war to be able to replace them replacing their rule because back home was no longer safe. Their home was no longer theirs and that is confidential information! However, His Majesty Prince Henry, heir on the English throne intervened with the future of the whole Protectorate system when he released his so called half-brother Lord Beryony as overall governor of the coast, which to me seemed a lot better than little the Portuguese and your grandfather until recently..."
"Liar!" She spits in interruption. "-Father has survived and we all have. That's how we were able to learn and to survive, to live above all the lies! You robbed our people of their home and retold the stories, the whole truth to your people in a completely fabricated new version! Nevertheless, why? Why? Except to try and find pity for your selves and your corruption...!" She added quickly.