Yes sir, Captain (Completed with trailer) [ReaderxPirate]

Chapter 9

"Let her go, leave her alone!" the Captain gasped.

You awoke with a start and jolted up. The Captain was thrashing in his sleep.

"Stop it, don't kill her, I didn't–"

"Captain?" you whispered.

"Take me!"

"Captain?" you said a bit louder.

"Flora!" he cried.

"Captain! Hey, Captain!"

He was sweating, whipping around, struggling as if in a seizure.

You shook him. "Captain, wake up! It's just a dream!"

He awoke with a gasp and jolted up to a sit. You jumped back, but then sat next to him and said calmly, "Captain, you were dreaming, are you alright?"

He blinked, panting, and looked to you desperately.

And then he suddenly hugged you.

Surprised, you tensed up and froze. After a moment, you finally hugged him back to make him feel better.

Was that...a flashback? What kind of history might the Captain have?

Suddenly, he was back to his senses, and pushed himself away from you, and you quickly dropped your arms from the awkward hug. He looked away from you, putting his captain-face back on, looking embarrassed. "Yes yes, Anika. I'm fine. So sorry to wake you."

"But...are you alright? That sounded like a really bad dream.... Did something happen?"

He gathered his breath. "One doesn't simply decide to become a pirate. You become one somehow." He swallowed. "It doesn't matter. It happens often, I'm quite alright."

"But...are you sure? And what do you mean by 'often'?"

"Occasionally," he corrected himself, still turned away from you. "Now go back to sleep."

"Captain, you were sweating and thrashing and yelling about–"

"You are not obligated to be my maid or doctor, Anika."

"And so I'm asking you as a friend," you insisted. "Are you alright?"

"I told you, I'm fine." He returned to facing you.

"No you're not. Tell me what happened," you demanded.

He looked at you and narrowed his eyes, debating. He certainly didn't have to listen to you, the 'wench' he bought at a trading post, but... Just tell me, you urged in your head.

Then he looked away from you. "I get that dream...every night. That's why I'm often so tired. I can't sleep well. That's why I can't sleep in the barracks. Don't want to wake the crew. Just go back to sleep, Anika. That's an order."

You bit your lip and took your hand off his shoulder. He had an incredible amount of scars across his torso, now that you realized it. Lines over his shoulders, red marks and stabs on his chest and back.

You nearly gasped.

"Just nudge me if I start talking again." He said drowsily, his voice flippant, his eyes glistening with the ghosts of his past. He rolled over away from you. "I wouldn't want to hold up your sleep."

You didn't reply.

You just went back to your blankets. He didn't wake you up the rest of the night.

But those scars that had been across him...

It was like somehow...he'd been...tortured.

Someone's really done a thorough job of turning him into the pirate he is now.

.

~ ~ ~

.

The next day you spent making Sauerkraut and getting a pile of smelly muddy clothes from sailors wanting them patched. At least no one ran out of clothes, you thought somewhat optimistically.

All afternoon, you patched clothing. The sailors, meanwhile, unfortunately including the Captain, decided it would be fun to go down to the dining room/kitchen and get drunk.

The Captain asked you to make something to eat for them, so you did. You didn't have a choice in the matter anyways.

Everything they said was inappropriate nonsense. Luckily, they didn't speak to you while you were putting together food at the mini-table in the corner meant for cooking, but as soon as you brought their food over they did.

"Anika!" one of the men exclaimed drowsily. "Come sit with us! Come sit by me! No need fo' ya a' be just wanderin' around!"

"No thank you, I'm busy right now, Kennard."

"Aww, over, Anika you come," another said. "Always be havin' a spot if you want to sit on me lap."

"Hale, I'm busy."

"C'mon beautiful. A saucy wench like you–"

"You are not to speak to me that way, as the Captain has told you," you warned.

"Oh, sorry. Captain, can I be talkin' to Anika?" Hale asked slowly, his words slurred.

"Not like that, Hale," the Captain said in an identical drowsy tone. "Anika, you come sit by me."