The WindFlyer

Chapter 26

Draen's PoV

I wake up to find the bed empty. It can't be much past dawn, I can't help but wonder what time the pirate wakes up at. We stayed up goodness knows how late working on those sums. Well, I worked on them and the captain worked on writing to whoever it is she writes to. I wonder what those pages of numbers all mean. I can add them and read them, sure. But the columns and tables don't really mean anything to me aside from being numbers on a page.

I stretch my back and sit up. Glancing out of the window, I see the soft pink sky. I sigh as I get up and find my boots. I don't usually get up so early, but for some reason today feels different. My arms feel stronger than usual. I feel like I could climb that volcano again or maybe run for miles. I feel like I could fly if I only tried hard enough. It's almost as if my body hums with energy today.

The door creaks softly behind me as it shuts. I wince at the sound and glance about the deck with hunched shoulders in a sneaking position only to realize I probably look like a fool to the entire crew already awake and working. I righten my spine and try to play off the behavior. It works for the most part, I think -- at least until I see Ren wink at me from across the deck. I internally groan but shove the embarrassment away. Ren clicks her metal teeth at me once before turning away and back to her work. She seems so different from the woman with her wife on Festival. I can't help but be curious about her... no. No I am not going down that path.

I notice the captain already at the wheel with her eyes glued to the horizon. Does it bother her to go to Roltem? Does she feel anything? She made her feelings pretty clear on Roltem that night I found out her lineage but it was her home. I don't know, I just feel like she would still hold something for that place. I would feel something for Alture, wouldn't I? Even if I ran away? I know I would. But then again, I am a male. I grew up knowing that my future would have me ruling on the throne. Knowing my marriage would strengthen me and that my parents loved me. Astoria, however, was taught that she was to have and raise children. She felt like her parents sold her off to protect their kingdom -- no, their slave trade.

I know Alture has problems, hell it's not even close to perfect. I always thought no place could be perfect. And then I went to Oneiro. There is no crime there, no violence or hate, no slavery or debtors. I don't know how Astoria did it. I don't know how she could see all the hate of the archipelago through the gilded veil the royals are shown. And then she felt strong enough against her own land to leave to create someplace better. Because as benevolent as any ruler can be, Astoria is better. She is stronger and kinder but commanding -- deserving of -- respect. But she's a pirate. She also said she never killed an innocent person and I believe her. I can't say why, but I do.

I take the stairs two at a time up to the wheel. Astoria glances at me for barely a moment before looking away quickly. I shrug to myself at the slightly odd behavior. I mean, it is odd, but what isn't odd when it comes to the pirate. She gives me a little nod and a "good morning" as she focuses back on the horizon. I mimic the greeting and lean against the railing with my arms crossed over my chest. I can just see the side of her face from where I stand. I forgot how different the sea is. I forgot how different Astoria is. She's not cruel but she's not the girl on the island. It's not a bad thing, I decide. I've seen the face under the mask. I know the cold and the cruelty is just a face she wears. The face legends are told about.

"The sums from yesterday. What are they?" I ask after the sun has changed the sky from pink to the start of blue.

"My income reports," she says sounding amused. I blink. Her income reports? I saw the numbers. I saw the pages of numbers. I added the columns and tables and pages of numbers.

"You're not serious, you can't be. That's not possible," I stammer, sputtering and grasping for words. There is just no way.

"Aye, dead serious. I told you, I am a very rich woman." She did tell me something like that once. I thought it was just arrogance talking. My mind races with all the numbers and totals. Shit. Shit!

"You really weren't kidding about being rich enough to buy my whole family as servants, were you?" I breathe. I watch as barely, just barely, the captain's lips twitch into the fraction of a smile. The same amused smile I remember from the volcano. I'll crack through that mask again one day.

"Ah no, I really wasn't," she pauses now. Opening her mouth like she is going to speak again then closes it with a shake of her head, as if thinking better of it.

I watch her captain the ship for a while, opting not to speak. Sometimes, silence is easier. It's not hostile silence, like it used to be, now it's comfortable. Easy silence. The type that lets you listen to the waves and the wind. I find myself content to just stand here and observe in silence.

"You said you know how to sail, right?" Astoria asks after a time. I nod with a quizzical expression on my face. "Good. I'll put you to work, then." I start in surprise. "What? You got free passage on my ship last time, you really think it's going to happen again?" I think that was almost humor. I laugh a little and amusement dances in the captain's eyes.

But she wasn't kidding. And that's how I ended up spending the rest of the day running around deck like one of the crew members. She really doesn't let anyone slack or shirk their duties. Somehow, every time I finished with one job, she knew and would shout out another. Adjust a sail, tie a knot, run this there, readjust the sail, more knots. Astoria doesn't just stand around and steer all day either. She is with us, working and then running back to the wheel in some crazy balance. It's exhausting and I feel like I haven't stopped moving all day, but I find myself enjoying it. By the time Astoria hands the wheel over to her first mate, I feel like I could collapse right on deck.

"Quitting time?" I ask, trying to conceal my hopefulness, when the captain meets me at the base of the stairs.

"Unless you want to stay out for the dead mans shift," she calls over her shoulder as she enters her private rooms. My eyes widen at the thought of there being more work, let alone doing that work. I hope she is joking, but I find myself walking just a little faster after her.

By the time I am in the bedroom, Astoria is already sitting at the desk and picking up her work from last night right where she left off. I clench my jaw to keep it from dropping open. Does the woman ever stop working? I swear she slept for a total of 5 hours, and that's being generous. I sigh and sit across from her, picking up the pen I used last night and the paper I had stopped with. Astoria glances up at me with a frown for a moment.

"You don't have to do that," she half mumbles, clearly still focused on whatever it is she is working on. I snort and wave her comment away. I don't mind helping her.

"I won't be able to sleep with your light on into the ungodly hours of the night," I say; it's a lie, though. I could easily fall asleep. I swear I hear her mutter 'prick' under her breath but I can't be sure. "What was that, darling?" I ask with a sickly sweet tone and heavy sarcasm.

"Nothing, dear," she croons back, playing along with me. A delightful surprise I think to myself. With a smirk on my lips I go back to work.

Once again, the pirate has no issues putting her head down to crunch through the papers, but I find myself starting to nod off after a while. Only snapping my eyes back open when they linger shut too long. "Don't you dare drool on my finances," Astoria says without even looking up. "Go to bed, you're tired," she commands.

"No. Not until you do," I say stubbornly. I know I'm acting like a child but someone has to worry about her health. A lack of sleep isn't good for anyone. A distracted sort of smile twitches on her lips. Astoria blows a piece of hair out of her eyes and looks at me now. Leaning back in her chair, she crossed her arms over her chest and quirks her head at me.

"Fine," she says with a shrug, "lets go to bed then." A little victory for me then. "This time I'll bring the light over so you don't run into anything," she teases me. A grin breaks out on my face and I roll my eyes. Only Astoria. I sit on the bed and throw the blankets over myself, feeling the mattress dip when she climbs in. Astoria then puts out her lamp and plunges the room into darkness as she lays down. The heat coming off her skin radiating outward, barely a whisper on my arm. Her back is turned to me and I turn mine to her.

"Goodnight, captain," I say before shutting my eyes and finally falling asleep.