Guns & Swords

Chapter 3

Rachel P.O.V.

Several days, more or less a dozen had passed when we left the kingdom of Vefriece with half of their riches ransacked. We had also supplied our storage of food and spent it on refining the Ethereal and other more things such as medicine and other whatnots, and like what I had said to Louis many days ago when we were at Vefriece, the money wasn't used on buying new clothes.

Whatever might have remained of the money was safely stored away in the captain's room, my room, where no one is allowed to step foot in except for Jacob, the ship's navigator and my most trusted ally and longtime friend.

I looked out to the horizon as I and Jacob were discussing our next destination with a map, compass, and telescope resting on a table brought out by the crew to the top of the quarter deck where we were currently discussing. As we talked, the crew busied their selves with whatever chores that were assigned to them. At the corner of my eye, I saw Louis, still wearing his favorite bandana and dirty clothes, as he mopped the main deck.

Ever since that day, Louis had been cautious with his words around me but he still kept up on his irritating and childlike ways on continuingly challenging me either to a duel or practice challenge between our swords. And, just like every other time and over, I defeated him.

He continued doing the foolish and hilarious and hyper antics around the ship, but every so often, when I'm close by, I could always see him looking at me with caution which was very strange for Louis to do but not impossible. He only did so if he was serious, which is rare, and now, seeing him look over his shoulder and rest his gaze at me shortly before mopping once again, I knew he was very serious and he had dropped his foolish antics around me from time to time.

As the sea breeze blew by, I couldn't help but hold onto my long unkempt hair as it blew. My mask was sturdy when it stayed in place on my face and covering the upper half of my face but I couldn't say the same for my hair.

When another gust flew by, I had enough of always fixing my hair and decided to tie it back to a ponytail. As I tied my hair back, the blouse I had just scavenged from my wardrobe which was in a rich red-wine like the color also shifted up. The sleeves were far too long for my taste so I had it folded up to my elbows. I fixed my blouse again, tucking it safely underneath the same fitted black leather pants I had used until now when I was in Vefriece, and fixed myself. It was easier and quicker than the rest I had done since I was only currently wearing a blouse of red-wine color, the same leather black pants I had worn for over a week, a pair of another set of stiletto boots, and my red mask obscuring the upper half of my face. I had left my captain's hat and red coat in my room for fear it might blow away or annoy me on a windy day such as this.

I had insisted for Jacob to let me steer the ship in the meantime to busy myself than to spend my day doing nothing. He had hesitated on giving a work that was solely the navigator's and insisted that it was better for me to rest even though I hardly do anything on the ship, but after some persuasion and talking about the advantages of me steering as he completed his other tasks, had led him to finally giving me the priority of the ship's wheel. He left me to do other things but not without a sigh of irritation first to escape from his lips.

It was relaxing to look out at the sea as I steered the ship. It was a fine day with good weather as I looked forward to the vastness of the sea as I steered, focusing on the soothing sound of waves and the feel of the sea crashing on the ship.

But really, the scenery was only occupying my mind from remembering every little detail of the fight I had with the general of Vefriece. I had been rewinding the memory of that duel to no end until I couldn't bother with such thoughts again and left it to plague my mind.