The Captain's Black Heart

Her Ship

She stood proudly behind at the helm of her ship. Her ship. Just the thought of it caused a grin to stretch across her scarred face. She watched the men on the deck slowly grow more leisurely as the sun lowered into the deep blue vastness of the sea. It reminded her of the seven years she served Captain Waters as a crewman, proving herself worthy of piracy and the three she spent as the first mate, readying herself for this day. The day she stole the loyalty of the crew and sailed as Captain Isabelle Briggs of the Iron Maiden. The day she began her journey towards revenge.

She hadn't gotten the ship willingly, no, pirates don't give things away to even their closest friends, definitely not a ship. Reginald Waters was shot down during a raid in the last port the day before. He had told half the crew to go to his rival Captain's ship and steal all the cargo they could while the crew was gallivanting about. Unfortunately, Waters did not account for the crewman who stayed aboard the ship during port. Something the new Captain would never do. All but two were killed by the superior crew. The survivors included the previous first mate and the only man she could save, Jameson Taylor, otherwise known as James by the crew and Taylor by Captain Briggs.

Silently thrilled at her untimlely promotion she continued to watch the men falling either into drunkenness or deep sleep. Many were in their quarters, mourning their lost friends, Briggs wouldn't have that. She walked down the steps to the main deck and stood atop a barrel. Some had already began looking to her while others watched the waves or continued to sleep, grabbing her pistol and raising it in the air, she fired. The once snoring men jumped to attention, the ones watching winced and many from below deck ran top side to see who dared to interrupt their mourning. Once she was positive everyone was present she began her short lived speech.

"Now, as you may know, Captain Reginald Waters was shot down last night by Captain Roland Jones." Many of the men shouted in anger and cried out that they would kill Jones single handedly "Quiet! None of you speak! As first mate I must take on the responsibility of Captain of the Iron Maiden. If any of you do not wish to continue as my crewman, step forward." They looked around at eachother, their dirt covered faces scanning the crowd for any doubt. One man who was covered in considerably more dirt and had a long beard reaching the top of his torn, once white blouse stepped up. "Ms. Briggs, with all due respect ma'am, I ain't believe I be able ta serve under ya. Cap'n Waters wasn't thinkin' when he let you board this ship all them years ago. A woman aboard tis' bad luck, ma'am. One as a cap'n is fatal." The man explained in a gruff voice. An eery smile crept across Isabelle's face, she jumped from her position on the barrel, pistol still in hand. Walking to the man's face "What's your name?"
"Romey ma'am"
"Well, Romey I appreciate your respect. 'Ma'am', it's quite uplifting. Though your views on me are very construded. And as a respectable young woman I'll give you the opportunity to say your last word."
Confusion ran across Romey's face until he realized what she meant, fear quickly overtook the confusion "Ma'am-" he was barley able to get it out before the pistol in her hand cocked at his head and the trigger was pulled.
Everyone stared in shock. Putting her pistol in its holster she turned and walked toward the Captain's quarters. Just before the doors slammed behind her she yelled "Get back to work!"

James was leaning against the desk when she walked in. "That was cruel" James muttered to her as she walked in. "Ya could've just let him get off at the next port" his shaggy hair fell over his eyes and his hands were stuffed into his trouser pockets. "He shouldn't have questioned my authority." She walked farther into the room, wondering where she would put all of Waters'. things. Drawing and paintings of grotesque animalistic things covered the walls "Crazy man, and his drawings" she muttered, James scoffed "You loved them monsters just as much as he did." She said nothing knowing it was true.

At his desk she found his unfinished sketches, the head of a demon, half the body of what looked to be a human with insect like armor. She threw the majority of them in the trash bin but paused when she noticed a familiar one, a drawing of a small child looking over the edge of the ship, her hair flowing to her hips and her toes barely touching the floor, she was 12. It was her birthday present from the Captain exactly a year after she was taken in by the ship. She'd hardly spoken since he brought her in and none of those words were spoken to Waters himself. Instead to James, who had taken her under his wing. Until the day Waters presented her with this drawing, her first words to her Captain were "Thank you" the drawing was the basis of their friendship.