Henrietta stood out for all the wrong reasons. She was constantly second to her brother, brushed aside by her father, and laughed at by the rest of the public. With many mistakes and an arranged marriage looming over her, she leaves the only home sh...
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Bright sunlight streamed into the room directly into Henrietta's face, rousing her. She immediately sat up from her chair, the coat that was acting as her blanket fell limply on her lap. Despite her drowsy state from being woken up, she was on alert. As a pirate captain, her profession was a dangerous one. Anyone could have boarded her ship and captured her crew. Looking straight at the source of the light, the door was open to let the sunshine in and amplify the smell of salt in the air. A figure stood at the door, and from her point of view, the form was a shadow as she was blinded by the luminous light.
Henrietta covered her eyes and let out a groan as a familiar giggle reverberated around her, the sound amplified by the small space. The auburn-haired girl tried to shift her face away from the almost blinding light now that she knew there was no threat. Much to her comfort, the brightness seemed to disappear as fast as it had turned up. The soft click of the door closing allowed Henrietta to slowly adjust her eyes and look back at the person who interrupted her slumber. Her head was pounding from the sudden awakening she received.
"Are you just going to stand there?" Henrietta spoke, her voice groggy. She brought a hand up to massage the side of her head, trying to lessen the headache. The captain didn't even bother to look at the thin girl. Brianna just walked over to the big desk in the middle of the room, her waist-length dreads swinging as she moved. "You didn't eat last night. Your last meal was almost 24 hours ago. I made that fresh. Now, eat." Brianna placed the bowl down and gave it a slight push over to Henrietta.
For her part, Henrietta looked at the bowl before pulling it closer. The moment her eyes saw the food, her stomach gave out a loud rumble. From the corner of her eyes, she can see Brianna with a smirk on her face, knowing she was right. Henrietta was hungry. Between all the eventful things yesterday, she couldn't remember the last time she ate. It was clear Brianna knew that; she did all the cooking for the crew anyway.
Brianna just leaned on the wall opposite where her captain sat. The smirk was still on her face as she crossed her arms, patiently waiting for Henrietta to finish her food. As she ate, Henrietta took the time to admire the beauty of her friend. Brianna was tall and her skin was a gorgeous cinnamon color that glowed when they worked in the sun. Some of the simple tattoos that littered her body was on display through her cropped tank top. The dull umber color of her long dreads contrasted the sparkle in her hazel eyes, its length emphasizing Brianna's impressive 5-foot 8-inch stature.
A few minutes later, Henrietta pushed the empty bowl back toward Brianna. There was a grateful smile on the former's face, silently thanking the latter for not letting her starve herself to death. The brunette took the bowl just as the door opened again. The light was not as blinding as earlier since Henrietta now had time to let her eyes adjust. The figure that stood at the doorway was just another shadow, again. We must be facing east. Henrietta inferred based on the direction the sunlight was coming from.
