Black Sea

Chapter 9

A team of pirates brutally entered the quarters were I was. Their swords and body were covered in blood, a sight similar to mine. They scanned around, getting closer to me until they spotted me.

“We're clear. Signal the Captain and load the cargo.”

I started breathing heavily as they took in the scenery inside the galley. A dead man below me, a slave in handcuffs holding my sword beside me and my body being a mess with bruises and cuts on my skull and rest of the body. It turned out that for them it wasn't that odd. One grabbed Shon from the collar utterly and I immediately asked pressure on his shoulder.

“Take him and don't lay a finger on him. He's important.”

“How can a freakin' slave be important?”

“He is holding my sword while being tied up with chains. What else can a slave do to prove his worth?”

His eyes exchanged glances between me and him until finally he took my sword from Shon's hands and threw it down. With a drag less harmfull this time, he looked me in the eye and said,

“I will send a team to clean things up here. The slave will be on our sleeping quarters. Don't expect me to take off the chains!”

And with that he walked away, the five men following. A horn came soon after, signifying our victory. Loud shouts and cheers came from above, the footsteps became louder as more men boarded on the English vessel.

I stared down at the dead man whose odour started filling the galley. His face really was a mess; a mess I had created. I tried to recall what I thought while doing that, what I felt. But I couldn't. It was like I was controlled by a monster, something I had only heard of in pirate stories back home. Was I one of them? A person eager to kill at any giving chance? This thought sent shivers down my spine, troubling my brain. I stood there doing nothing, listening to barrels and boxes being dragged outside of where I was. I was brought back when a characteristic voice ordered for the men to carry away the last barrel.

Her shadow came near me and I fought to make a move and escape. But it was pointless.

“Close your heart to it. The first time is always fυcked up.”

I didn't reply immediately something that made her turn away and leave, but my voice stopped her.

“How can you be so certain that it works?”

“I ain't. It didn't work otherwise with me so that must be it.”

It was my fault for believing she would ever care to offer some good advice.

“You're terrible at this comfort thing.”

I moved away from the body and grabbed my sword left on the ground. I started wiping the blood on my pants while she talked.

”You are obviously terrible at loading cargo. Move your ass and help carry some boxes!”

I could only chuckled as she stormed away, her hair blowing back her shoulders. As she moved further away, her voice echoed in the empty ship.

“I ain't tryna comfort you anyway.”

~~~

With papers in hand, I opened the Captain's quarters and stepped inside. He was sitting on his squeezing chair, drinking the last drop of his rum.

“I made the calculations,” I informed as I got closer, always a few feet away from the desk. “They are not enough for each one of us to get a big price, but it's good for a start I guess.”

“Thanks Zane, put them right there please,” he showed with his eyes at some drawers on his left.

While I walked towards there, I heard his drunk and low voice talking.

“You made a good start. If it wasn't for your plan we probably wouldn't be here.”

Once I placed the papers in the right drawer, I turned around facing him. Of course, since day one he kept underestimating me. The only job I could do according to him was take account of the foods and rum. But suddenly, once I managed to earn him cargo he remembered what he took me for. Obviously I didn't say that out loud. Instead I gave a nod and made my way out. Before being able to take a step, he talked again.

“I know that you feel like I'm underestimating you and that is very logical,” I found it harder to face him again, but I did. He didn't stare back at me, though. His dark eyes were fixed at the bottom of the empty glass as he twirled it around.

“You must know that this is not true at all. I'm aware of your abilities, that's why I chose you after all,” a corner of his mouth turned up, being the only expression on his face. “But, you see, that's the only thing I know about you.”

A line appeared between my brows, my head curted to the side. I made a short step forward, trying to earn his attention. However, it seems like the few drops remaining on the bottom of a glass were more worthy of his stare.

“It must be already clear to you that I can't fully trust you despite the good impression I have on you. It's only a matter of time.”

Only then did he meet my eyes, the blank smile never fading away. “A matter of time for what?”

“To see who you really are, what you are worth of,” with a deep sigh, he let the liquid flow in his glass his eyes filling with desire. “You have no idea what I've seen. My most trusted people betraying me for fake promises. But you probably don't care about these things and I'm just wasting your time.”

“Captain, my intentions are nothing like that. I only care about-”

“Don't worry Zane. It's only a matter of time,” he chuckled, finally taking two rich sips of his rum.

And then, the tensed silence broke when someone rushed inside the quarter, the door banging on the walls. I twirled around, meeting Anne. Her eyes widen and targeted at me, lips pressed together and body tensed.

“Here you are!”

I gave a quick glance behind me, making sure that she is referring to me and not at some silent ghost that happened to be behind me. I could never be sure with that mad woman.

“Can I help you?”

“What the fυck are you thinkin'? Bringin' a British slave in our sleeping quarters? Orderin' not to touch him because he is ‘important’? You stupid, ain't you?”

I let out multiple sighs on the period her lecturing lasted. I crossed my hands and just stared at her.

“How can a slave harm you?”

“In many fυckin' ways! What good can he do in the first place?”

“He is a surgeon. Of course he is extremely essential for our well being.”

She let out a silent groan, her hands clenching together and her eyes trying to burn me alive. Despite my nerves building up inside me, I didn't move a muscle not even my eyelids.

“You thought of a good plan and now everyone is agreeing to whatever you do...” she pointed me with her finger, nail chewed. “I won't be one of them!”

“Watch me and see if I care about anything you do.”

“What a piece of s**t you are!”

“Enough!” Rackham jumped up from his chair, staring wide eyed both of us. “I can't even enjoy a single victory with you two. The slave is staying!”

“Kane!”

“End of story,” he warned silently. “Anne, do you want anything else?”

She looked away, her hat hiding her left eye.

“Storage issues.”

Rackham straightened up, nodding in satisfaction at his achievement to silent her.

“Zane, would you be kind enough of leaving us alone.”

Before having even finished his sentence, I had already nodded and walked away. As I touched the door handle, pain seered inside my arm at the contact with my wound. Something that the two inside didn't notice and started talking. Anne's words reached my ears as I stepped out.

“What are we gonna do with the black boxes?”