Bloody Mary

Chapter Ten~Accepting The Facts

Chapter Ten~Accepting the Facts

By the time Marianna had returned to Tortuga’s busy community of drunkards and wenches, the sun had already began to dip in the sky. At the time she didn’t care if Carlisle wondered where she went, she hoped he searched every bloody tavern for his new Quartermaster. Then again, he was a lazy piece of work; Marianna bet he’d be drinking at this time of the night. Probably even made his way to a Brothel or something of like characteristics. She cursed the lenient captain under her breath, saying words she would never have dared to say back in Kingston-

No matter how hard she tried, her thoughts always had to have something to do with her old home.

Sometimes distant memories would drift through her mind when she was unaware, and it would distract her from her current work, but at least this time she was able to dismiss these thoughts quickly. It did cause her pain though, and no matter how much she loved her life at sea, her family would always be in her heart. Perhaps one day she would-

“Percy!” A voice jarred her from her thoughts. She turned her head to where the voice came from, meeting the eyes of the boisterous member of her crew. Eddy, she recalled.

“Yeah?”

“Captain’s looking for you, says he needs a word.”

Her jaw clenched. “Right. Thanks for the notice.”

“He’s at the harbour master if you need ‘im.” He shared, to which she gave him a flippant wave of the hand as a reply before venturing down to the docks. Figures he sends someone else instead of meeting me in person…

Quite moodily she made her venture toward the docks, stopping once she saw Carlisle and Rory engrossed in friendly conversation. She took note of their solemn expressions, the way their brows were furrowed in deep thought. They must be talking about something serious, Marianna observed mentally as she strode into the conversation. She cleared her throat, causing the two men to lift their heads and turn her way. This time Carlisle didn’t smile at their greeting. Apprehension grew within her.

“Percy, just the man I wanted to see.” Carlisle turned to him, facing Marianna with his solemn stare. “It seems that you were right. It’d be best if I found myself a more… Knowledgeable crew.”

“I…” What was she to think at that moment? What was with his sudden drastic change of heart in this Captain of hers? “Very well Captain. Whom, may I ask, are we adding to our crew, and who will suffer the blow of your boot?”

“None, actually, will have to face that of my boot.” Carlisle’s arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed Marianna’s expression. He wanted to make sure to get her reaction, especially with his new suspicions at the peak of his thoughts. “Though, a few more hands will do us good. I was assuming that, as quartermaster, you would be put in charge of this ordeal. As the Captain you can imagine I have other pressing matters to attend to.”

Ah, she thought to herself. What is with the stoic tone of his voice, the straightness of his posture, and his vocabulary? He almost sounds educated, at the most.

Alas, Marianna let these thoughts breeze through her mind without so much as a second moment paid attention to them. At the time she was much to shaken too keep such thoughts within her head anyways. Now she was facing a whole new adventure the captain was laying ahead of her.

“You wish me to assemble a crew?”

“Aye lad. Did I stutter? You know what needs to be done and who needs to do it, and how it should be done. There is no better man aboard my ship to carry out such a mission.”