We're Almost Free

Chapter 9

The brig stank. All the usual ship smells - tar, seasalt, lantern smoke - were mingled with old sweat, urine, mouldy bread and blood. Regina was beyond caring. Her muscles ached, her head hurt, her stomach was groaning for food and her beautiful Jerry was facing death by either starvation or drowning, neither a pleasant prospect. And all she could think about as she tried to sleep was the pirates she'd shot, stabbed, kicked overboard. What if they had sons, back home? Wives? Elderly mothers to take care of, and the only money they could get was by piracy? It haunted her. Their twisted faces found their way into her nightmares and it was all she could do to stay positive for Roland. His little face reminded her every day of Robin and sometimes she wished the boy hadn't been persistent enough to get aboard the ship.
She had no idea how long they were left in there. It seemed like an age, made longer by Sam's still relentless pursuit. He would sit next to her, touch her waist, cheek, put his hand on her leg and keep it there, no matter how many times she asked him to stop. Eventually John, who was emotionally numb and physically hurting from the fighting himself, stepped up.
"Look here, Sam. It's bad enough that you're pursuing a married woman, but the fact that we are now in a pirate brig, our lives in the hands of those barbarians up there, should be deterrent enough? She's asked you to stop. Now I'm telling you."
"You're the cabin boy, you hold nothing over me!"
"Actually, he's right," one of the other sailors spoke up. "In front of her son too. It's not what you'd call honourable."
The others murmured their agreement. Sam, disgruntled, moved away from her, muttering to himself. Regina caught some of it: "Captain allowed me, why do I need the permission of a stupid woman?"
That, as well as the others' unwillingness to say anything before, irked her. "Oi." He turned his head only to be met with a resounding slap across the cheek. "Bastard." The others looked impressed.
"As for the rest of you, if you believe something, just say it! Could have saved me a lot of trouble." She sank back against the bars in a huff. At least they've got the decency to look sheepish, she thought to herself while sending them all death glares.
Her outburst was met with applause from the staircase. The hollow sound rang through the brig.
"Well well. Seems we have a feisty little one on our hands, don't we?" The captain unlocked the door and shoved her to her feet. "You're coming with me."
"Mama!"
"Oh, it's all right, little man. Your mama's coming back. Don't you worry." He cackled and pushed her up the stairs so hard she fell over the hem of her dress.
Up in the captain's cabin she was subjected to an intrigued scrutiny. She refused the wine he offered her, fearful of poison; all the time she was looking for a weakness, something he might reveal that might help her make an escape. She had no idea how long she'd been stood there before she asked, somewhat irritated:
"Would you mind telling me what you dragged me up here for?"
"You're a special one."
"What makes you think that?"
"You're married, with a son, clearly not skilled in combat yet here you are, a survivor of a pirate attack. How?"
"That's exactly what I've been wondering myself," she responded wryly.
"You didn't answer my question."
"Luck, I suppose."
"And? There must be something else."
"I guess I have something to live for."
"Your son."
"Yes." She would have smiled if the expression on the boy's face when she was dragged away, and the rapidly diminishing chances of them ever seeing his father again, weren't foremost in her mind.
"You know, I have a daughter."
"Really?" Her interest wasn't faked - maybe here was something to her advantage.
"Oh, yes. Believe it or not I was a merchant sailor before I turned pirate. She and her mother are back home, where they're safe. She'd be eight by now." He picked up a miniature portrait.
"Is that her?"
He turned the picture round - there was a crude sketch of a girl, no older than three, in a woman's arms.
"I thought you said she was eight."
"I didn't. I said she would be eight. If she were alive today." His eyes took on the steel they'd had before. "They're both dead. Killed by the roadside by a runaway horse while I was in the shop opposite. That's why I joined the pirates. Never have to go back on land."
Regina kept silent as he seemed to get lost in his own thoughts.
"Captain?"
"Get out. Back to the brig."
"Yes, sir." She backed out only to run into the bosun who was standing just outside. He gripped her upper arm and dragged her back down, shoving her in with no mercy whatsoever. She hit her head on the opposite wall, blacking out immediately.

A/N: Bit of a filler chapter, hope it's ok though! All your reviews make my day :)