Juliet of Dundee

Hesitation

Juliet of Dundee Chpt. 8

Juliet

I watched as Pater quietly left the room. He'd waited there for a while. He'd been watching me.

He'd hesitated. Why had he hesitated?

Within a minute I found me strength and gathered it. That little squabble had been a bit too easy. But did he honestly think that I was going to try and run? I wanted that treasure too, ya know.

I sighed.

Yes, I had finally come to terms with me thirst for adventure. For years I had hidden away from the life the world was calling me to have. Finally I had accepted me lust for treasure, the need for the wind to send me hair flying, the smell of salt and tar wafting in me nostrils. This was so much better than what I'd lived with before this adventure. Within a month or so we'd be at the Source, and the adventure would have its end.

I repeated this over and over in me mind. The thought was comforting but saddenin' at the same time. But then I realized somethin'; what about after this adventure? I couldn't go back to Dundee. Me life was over there. I had no one to go back to, no one I cared about.

But there is someone here. Someone that at the very least entertains you.

I shook the thought from me mind. I didn't want to think about that. No way was I thinking about that. Reaching up to brush the hair from me face, me fingers found themselves covered with a sticky liquid.

"Bloody hell," I cursed as I quickly sat up to fix the problem. I'd forgotten all about me wounds. How strange of me to start thinking so much. I blamed the isolation of the room.

I wandered over to the small, splintering desk in me room. I sat meself down on the small stool before the desk and lit the two candles before me. The gentle glow calmed me the smallest bit until I remembered what I'd done to Pater when I lashed out.

Ya acted like a total monster back there. Ya probably scared him bad. If ya choose to stay, who will fight ya if not him?

This was very true. No one else would fight me; no one else was brave enough. No man on this ship would dare fight me. They believed all too much those stupid stories about me fightin' ferocious beasts that ate the souls of men, or even dared to call me a siren.

What a compliment! Sirens were known for their irresistible beauty and enchantin' voices. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen me own face for weeks now. I was probably a mess. I reached next to the desk to find a bucket of water and a cloth. Slowly and gently I cleaned away the blood from me ears, careful not to irritate them anymore or worsen the throb that still pounded loudly in me ears.

I then went on to think of the men raidin' the port for my little goodies. It was obvious how much they wanted the liquid gold. How much they needed me. How far they would go in order to get what they wanted. It was sorta admirable.

Come to think of it, they got along well and were quick as well. A very good crew indeed. I was almost jealous of Captain Bernard. How had he come to find such an amazing crew? They were almost too good.

Outside me porthole I listened as cannon fire after cannon fire went off sending chunks of metal flyin' towards the port. Screams went up from the town and a pang hit my chest. Innocent people we're being hurt because of the things I requested.

But it wasn't my fault! Why'd the men have to raid the fort? Why attack it instead of just sneaking in and stealing a few things. No one needed to get hurt! Captain Bernard must've had his reasons.