Woman Overboard

Chapter 6 : Before (1)

Alessandra

August 26th, 1820

(12:23 PM)

Aless stood beside the helm, feeling a rare sensation of peace settle over her as she watched Nia steer the ship, her hands sliding deftly over the wheel like a mother smoothing a hand over her child's earnest face.

Over the past four days, she and Nia had learned each other's preferences and techniques. Alessandra no longer felt the urge to correct Nia's freewheeling style, and Nia no longer commented on the rigidness of her meticulous, measured way of directing the ship. Most of the time, they sat in silence and watched the waves, making conversation when they felt like it and staying quiet when they didn't.

For now, their course was toward Charleston, South Carolina, where The Brookes hoped to intercept and incoming British trade ship, and Aless's crew hoped to take over the British vessel and say their goodbyes.

Both she and Afiba knew these goals might never be achieved. Between them, they had a whole slew of dangerous enemies: Aless had the US Navy, The Hampshire, a plethora of other pirate ships, and a few sea-faring bounty hunters after her; Afiba had a whole brigade of angry slave catchers, numerous greedy bounty hunters, and some antagonized pirates on her tail. With that many nemeses, their chances of raiding and taking over a vessel in one clean break were next to nil.

Still, they remained hopeful. Perhaps if they truly did act as one crew, things would work out well.

Aless sighed to herself. Even if they did manage to overtake a new ship, she knew things would never be the same. Her crew, she knew, was restless, and this wouldn't get better once they left The Brookes. After sinking The Elizabeth, she had begun wondering when she would be booted from her position as captain. It hadn't happened yet, but she figured it was just a matter of time.

In the common room, (a high-ceilinged space laden with throw rugs and shabby couches) The Brookes's crew had arranged two piles: One of donated materials anyone could use, and another of unclaimed items salvaged from The Elizabeth.

Aless had not yet brought herself to sort through the stack. She was afraid she would see something that would make her relive the pain of watching Daniel's ship sink -- or worse, that she wouldn't find everything. That her entire life was truly gone, washed away to the bottom of the sea.

Danielle, however, had no fear. "Mother, mother!" she had called, running down the hall with her baby doll tucked beneath her arm. "Look who I found!" Aless had been so distracted that she barely looked at it before saying, "That's nice, sweetie," and walking away.

Now, she remembered the doll. Danielle had found Elizabeth, a doll Daniel had bought her in Boston along with a wooden yo yo and a little book of constellations. On that same trip, he had bought Aless an extravagant hat, its maroon velvet rim piled with silken roses. Aless had laughed when he gave it to her, but he loved the way she looked in it so much that she wore it to mass for the next three months.

Ah, the days before piracy. Aless remembered them, longed for them, even, but knew they could not have dwelled in that fragile limbo, suspended between high society and the lure of the open sea. No matter how long they waited, she knew they would have ended up here anyway.

"Say, Cap'n Broderick?" said Nia, pulling her out of her thoughts. "D'ya see that, o'er there?"

Aless looked up, squinting at the horizon line. From above, the sun glared down with stifling heat, baking her skin under thin layers of clothing. Aless felt like a fraud in these clothes -- they had once belonged to Abigail, the only woman on board with a height near her own. The sleeves were a little too short, and the neckline dipped lower than Aless would have prefered, but what was she to do about it?