Hooked

5.

Some days passed, and Ash learned something new everyday.

Pierre was nearly eighteen and his favorite color to paint his nails was black.

Miss Erena had divorced her husband at 47 because he was an "ugly, obnoxious prick who never knew how to shut up for more than one minute". A few months later, she'd met a woman her age. They'd fallen in love. She introduced Miss Erena to the Sunken Grave which was how she was here now. A year after that, the woman left out of no where, and Miss Erena never heard from her again.

Kyra had pissed off her parents with her "shitty attitude", so they sent her with her grandmother on the ship almost a year ago to straighten her out. It wasn't working.

The crew treated each other like family, something Ash had never experienced on the Red Star, not even from her own father. And despite her being a "prisoner", she found herself becoming part of their family.

It was so bizarre, she thought. These people, these complete strangers...accepting her and welcoming her as one of their own, and over such a small amount of time.

All except Kyra of course. She was nasty to everyone, but Ash discovered she was especially to her, though she didn't know why.

When walking along the side of the ship, trailing her fingers across the rails, Ash spotted Kyra approaching and did her best to put on a smile. Kyra smirked in return and shouldered her roughly. That was the last time Ash tried to be nice; now she sneered in return and would often threaten to trip the bitch.

Caught up in the rest of the crew, Ash nearly forgot Asterin existed, but she almost just as oftened remembered. And wondered. The captain was never out of their cabin, at least, not when Ash was.

Every night, Pierre ushered her back into the storage cabin not long after the sun would set. She could only assume that night time was when Asterin made their appearance.

Ash supposed this made sense. Night was when most of the crew was asleep. It was quiet and calm and gave room to think. She could understand that.

Each morning, Ash woke to the rising sun streaking through the portholes in her cabin. She'd change out of the night shirt Pierre had snuck her, and into her shirt and trousers and boots. She'd tuck in a knife she'd stolen off another pirate into her boot, and another she'd snuck tucked into the waist of her trousers. Though she trusted many on this ship, there was still Asterin and Kyra to consider, even though she was sure Kyra didn't have the boobs to hurt her more than a shove.

Then Ash would run her hand through her hair as a sort of comb, and left her cabin.

On her way to the kitchens, she greeted members of the crew hard at work, and others lounging around, sprawled in the sun. No one seemed to mind that she went where she pleased without Pierre as escort.

In the mornings, Miss Erena sat at the stern of the Sunken Grave, resting her back against the wall and always carving something from a small block of wood.

Ash often stopped by and sat beside her for awhile. They chatted about anything and everything, a woman who'd lived a long life and who was experienced, and a girl who's life had barely begun.

Erena spoke of her past lover; one of the only times her face softened.

"Celeste, was her name," she said, eyes fixated in her current carving. A rose. "She was the most beautiful person I've ever set eyes on."

Ash fiddled with a string hanging off her shirt. "What happened?"

"Well, she took me here, to this ship." Her gray streaked hair fell in front of her eyes. "That year was probably the best one of my life. I fucking loved her. She loved me too, I thought."