1670, Caribbean Sea. She's the daughter of a legendary pirate. He's a Spanish captain. Their countries are at war. Their fathers killed each other. And they were destined to follow on their steps.
But sometimes destiny isn't written in stone: it's w...
Since she had nothing better to do, Marina snoozed through the day. She'd spent the last three nights up and she was exhausted. Knowing nobody would bother her, she washed herself as much as she could. And with the water left, she soaked Castillano's stole and vest, to relief the bruises in her belly and her swollen eyelid. She was going to be thirsty, but there was nothing she could do to help it, so she ignored it.
Castillano found her behindthe bags late that afternoon, curling up under his coat, sound asleep. Shelooked unconscious from the door, so he let the cook in to get what he neededand booed him away. Then he sat at the corner where she'd sit in the morning,his back against the bags, his arms resting on his folded knees. And the childsleeping not a step away, helpless but carefree. He kept his watch in his hand,counting the minutes and forbidding his eyes to turn to her. When he deemed it safe to leave, he did so gladly.
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Marina woke up in a pitch-black darkness. The candle in the lantern had burnt out. She felt almost fine, and hungry. She touched around until she found the bread and cheese Castillano had brought in the morning. And she also found a wineskin.
She let a few drops fall on her tongue, expecting the ugly taste, and smiled. It was water. Fresh water. She eased her thirst and grabbed the food. She left half of it for the rats that had already dropped by to try it. Maybe if their bellies were full they wouldn't come to bite her.
At the main cabin, Lorenzo was surprised when Castillano commented he didn't plan to visit the riving that night.
"If you got bored of the bitch, remember my men are still waiting to try her," he said, laughing.
"Not pounding her ten times a day doesn't mean I got bored."
"Maybe it means you're not in shape," said Alonso, making Lorenzo laugh.
"Or maybe she can't take any more. Our Lion here is too fiery for her."
Castillano laughed with them, concealing his relief when they didn't insist. Relief that lasted only until the cook came to pick up the dinner service and suggested he needed 'some little things' from the stern locker.
"Duty calls," teased Lorenzo.
Castillano emptied his glass already on his feet. "And we King's men never shy away from duty."
"What about the dessert?"
"Send it to the riving. Exercise always makes me hungry."
He headed below, cursing the cook's family up to five generations. He didn't want to see Marina again. Not so soon. He'd thought he could stay away at least until the next day, when he would have to bring her some food. For some reason he wasn't inclined to explore, her proximity made him feel awkward. It had nothing to do with his breaking every rule to protect her. It was related to the fact that he couldn't help understanding her. And respecting her. That made him plain sick.
