Swords

Chapter eleven: A stranger

Chapter eleven:

A stranger

They pulled the boat onto the deck. Inside was a man. He wore Indian peasant clothes and was knocked completely out. Before my father could give the orders me and Talon went to him and carried him below deck. The crew took all the items out of the row boat. We lay the man on a bed of hay. “Talon hand me that bottle of rum,” I ordered. Talon handed me a canteen hanging on a peg. I uncorked it and swished it around. “Open his mouth,” I said. Talon held the man’s mouth open as I poured the rum into his mouth.

Nothing happened. Then the man shot straight up spitting out the rum. Then he ran for an empty barrel on the other side of the room. He then began to vomit. “Well he’s definitely alive,” Talon said. The man turned around and lay back down on the hay. “Please, please don’t kill me,” He said his voice raspy and out of breath. “Who are you and why were you in the middle of the ocean?” I asked. He sat up and took the canteen of rum away from me. He gulped it down and handed it to Talon. “My name is Gupta. I am from India. I escaped from the prison of the east India trading company. They imprisoned me for stealing a rare gem they stole from the temple of Krishna,” Gupta said.

“How did you escape?” Talon asked. “I killed five guards and had some help from others,” He said. Gupta stood up and searched around for something. He stared at the horse troth full of water. Before I knew it Gupta’s entire head was the troth drinking the water. “You know that that is for horses,” I said. He jerked his head up and spit out the water. I and talon fell back laughing. Talon handed him a canteen of water. Gupta drank every last drop.

Talon got him some new clothes that didn’t smell of moss and curry. Gupta walked on deck and was welcomed by my father. Gupta had a great knowledge of were all the East India trading Company’s posts and forts were. After Gupta got acquainted with the crew he began work as the chart man. Gupta had given my father the ruby of Krishna that he had stolen. The ruby was as big as my hand. My father placed it in his chambers and showed Gupta the chart room. Me and Talon climbed the mast and looked at the crew work.

We watched Gupta scurry around with books and scrolls in his hands. “We are turning back around and going to Egypt you know,” Talon said breaking the silence. “Yes it sounds amazing. How long will it take us?” I asked. “It took us about a month to get down here so it may take that long to go back up to Egypt,” He said. After we climbed down Gupta ran up to us. “Helena, Talon I need you to come with me. I have a mission for you when we reach Alexandria,” He said. Gupta led us below deck. He sat in a barrel and gave us the details. Apparently there was a giant diamond that was left behind in an old temple. It was supposedly the biggest diamond in all of Egypt. He wanted us to find it and bring it back to my father.

We agreed and left Gupta to fiddling with his books and scrolls. Over the month I and Talon grew closer. After a month at sea we made it to the busy city of Alexandria. I saddled up Cassia who was very eager to go ashore. The entire crew came ashore. Some riding horses others walking. “We will stay here and resupply for about three days. Until then we will all rest, but tomorrow we will get straight to work,” Father ordered. Talon and I galloped off and enjoyed ourselves. We stole from the vendors and searched for the burned down temple.

We caught no site of the temple. We returned to the ship to find it deserted. “They all must be at an inn or a bar,” He said. We rode in town and found no site of the crew. Suddenly Jumma ran towards us. “Helena come quickly your father needs you!” Jumma said urgently. Talon and I cantered after Jumma who led us to a bar. I could hear yelling and screaming. That wasn’t a good sign. I leaped off and ran inside with Talon right behind me. Then I saw something I didn’t want to see. A bar fight had broken out between the crew and some Egyptians. Rum bottles cracked and broke over heads and fists met faces in punches. I was furious. I ran forward. I shoved a drunken man out of the way and jumped up on a table. I pulled my pistol out and fired a shot. The whole bar froze and fell silent. “Now you bastards have exactly ten seconds before I release hell on you! NOW SCRAM!” I yelled. The Egyptians fled from the scene. All that was left was the entire drunken crew and a frightened bar maid.

I saw Jacoby with a bloody nose, but swaying back and forth and smiling. I jumped down and went up to him. He tipped his hat to me. I slapped him sending him to the floor. His senses were less dull at this point. “JACOBY, what is going on here?!” I asked “A bar fight,” He slurred. “One man said something and then another and another,” I covered my eyes with my hand and shook my head. “I don’t know why I try,” I complained. Suddenly I found my father drunk as ever leaning against the back wall. “Captain; why are you drunk?” I asked. I was already pissed off at the crew and now at him too for getting drunk. He stared at me with an odd expression. I could tell he was having a hard time controlling himself. I rolled my eyes. He did a hiccup. “Sorry about this captain,” I said. I punched him in the face. He fell to the ground out cold.

“Jumma take him to the ship and leave him in his cabins,” I ordered. Jumma picked him up and carried him away. “Now the rest of you to the ship and that’s an order,” The crew ran as best as they could without falling to the ship. Jacoby eventually rode with Talon. When the crew went below deck I relaxed. Talon had left for bed which left me by my lonesome. “You’re a pretty good captain,” Jumma said. “Thanks. What happened with them?” I asked. “You know your father. He might be wise, but sometimes his fighting gets in the way,” He said.

“Jumma I think I will see you in the morning,” I said. I went to bed and fell into my bed. I slept soundlessly against the silk pillows and sheets. When I awoke the sun had barely peeked past the Egyptian mountains. I went on deck and found Gupta sitting on the railing. “Gupta, what are you doing here?” I asked. “Just enjoying the view,” He said. I went and leaned on the railing. “Tell me what do you do if you’re in love?” I asked. “What do you mean?” He asked. I hid a blush. “No….you?” He asked. I nodded. “Well if he loves you back then it might lead to marriage,” He said. “But what if you don’t know if the other person really loves you?” I asked. “Why do you ask me?” He asked. “Well for one you are from India practically the most romantic place ever. And I need someone to talk to besides my father,” I answered.

“Well you just have to wait and see. If he loves you he will show it. If not he won’t say it,” He said. “Thanks Gupta that clears a lot up. Also can you swim?” I asked. “What?” He asked. I then pushed him over board and into the sea. I look at him from the ship. He surfaced and shook his fist at me. “You little bitch!” He shouted. I smiled and left the railing.