Juliet of Dundee

Broken

Juliet of Dundee Chpt. 15

Juliet

Me chest rose and fell with one sharp pain after another. I wanted to die. I was the reason why Pater suffered those scars. Me own father had set this all up. And now here we were, tied to the mainmast surrounded by two trecherous crews waiting for me to say the one thin' that would kill me to say.

"Begin," Acton frowned at me as he held a dirk to me throat. When I'd hesitated he pressed the blade closer. Me skin stung for a moment as a warm, sticky liquid began to drop down me neck and onto me bodice.

"It started years ago after me father, the King, killed me mother in order to steal the small vial she possessed containin' a small amount of elixir. The elixir that was needed as a compass to find the treasure he'd been seekin'. He'd slept with me mother and married her only for the vial. On me thirteenth birthday the King decided to end his little trick and just take it. Unfortunately me mother had given me the vial that mornin'. Me father, after killin' me mother and realizin' that she hadn't the vial, sent me half brother after me."

I stopped and took a shaky breath. Callin' the King my father had hurt. No more would I ever call him that. He wasn't me father - he'd never been. All of the above had come out in a rush. The hard part was over for now. But worse would come soon enough.

"Me brother came after me as he was told and caught me on a dinghy. He attacked and wounded me just as I cut the rope free. I began bleedin' out and used a drop of the vial to heal meself. This is why it glows when it's around me and works for me as a compass. I made it to a port a few miles away in Scotland. That's where I came up with the name Emmie Monroe. I decided I would have to start a new life for meself."

I looked at Pater to see his face but he'd gone cold. The lively Pater that had once had such a spirt and such determination seemed to disappear. His golden locks hid his handsome face and eyes but not the scowl that dressed his lips.

"Keep going," Acton prodded.

"Acton please stop. You're hurtin' me!" I shouted as he pressed the blade closer to me neck. Pater looked up at me and I winced. Not just from the pain, but that I also might not see the look on his face. I'd lost the courage to look at him.

"I don't give a bloody scat, remember?" me brother retorted. I took another scared breath as I continued.

"I started a job in the small town and I had made a few friends. But then a rumor began to spread, a rumor that would cost me happiness. The stories began goin' around that me was a pirate. This was true, but the other half about me matchin' up to the King of the Caribbean, was not. People began to run and hide, believin' that I was a monster, some even plotted to kill me. Fearin' for me life I took off towards another port town and the same happened."

I paused again. This was getting a little easier. The hard part was nearly over. I was almost done.

"Not long after that the ditty known as the Faer Red o' Scotland came along and I had to run from that as well. But it always caught up to me. For a year I tried at a new life as Emmie but kept being identified as Emmie Monroe, even if I made up some random name. Finally I came to Dundee where things started to work out. Then the whole Marcus thing happened. Makes sense that the King was the one behind all the rumors and the ditty... I should've guessed."

There was a pause as me father approached me once more. He stood before me and looked me over.

"My dear girl, how much you have grown," he smiled as he lay a menacing kiss on me forehead. "I cannot wait until we reach the Source," he added as he removed the vial from me neck. All of my hope was at steak here. But at least I sill had Pater - I couldn't risk losin' him. As long as he was here I would be okay. But he probably hated me now. I'd probably already lost him.

"Acton, have them tied up and brought about our ship. The last trek is going to be the hardest. We'll need Juliet for the last few bits."

"And of Pater?" Acton asked as he crossed his arms and spread his feet a foot apart, taking a strong stance before me father. He definitely wasn't a pushover.

"Have them both put in the spare cabin. He'll keep her sane for the remaining month of our journey."

The men waited for him to add anything more as the King hoisted himself up on the rigging and smiled at the breeze or perhaps the evil thoughts that always danced in his head.

After this moment of peace the King turned back to his men who still waited for their direct orders.

"Don't just stand there! Do something you blundering bastards!" he yelled. "Stouts, Acton, take the captives to the Valiant. Put them in a cell, shackle them up. Do whatever you must in order to do so," the King waved his hand as if to pass on the matter to the men before Pater and I.

"You should know, I've always wanted to do this," Stouts flashed a sly grin at Pater as he pulled back his fist and popped Pater in the jaw.

Almost instantly Pater's head dropped down. He was completely unconscious. Taking advantage of the situation, Stouts grabbed Pater's hair and lifted his head.

"'Ello, I'm Pater Bernard and I'm hopelessly in love with a good for nothing she-pirate," Stouts mocked as he used Pater as a puppet. The men watchin' laughed as they prepared for the month ahead.

"Stop," I breathed as the men laughed. Stouts stopped and let Pater's head drop.

"What's that Princess? Are you defending your precious Blue-eyes?" Acton laughed. That's when I remembered when he'd come to me door with Pater. I'd asked him if he was Blue-eyes when he'd been at the door.

"I said stop!" I said, this time with more courage. "Just leave him alone!"

"Well, well, if I'm not mistaken, I do believe my ol' sister here has a thing for her captor. Why didn't I see this coming?"

"Shut up."

"Well, I can't wait until our father hears about this!"

"I said SHUT UP!" I screamed as I kicked me brother as hard as I could manage. Instantly me brother grabbed his shin, but only for a moment before he pulled back his fist. I watched as he clenched his hand so tight his knuckles turned white.

"Sorry, sister," the word rolled off his tongue as if it caused him a great displeasure to say it. "But I think it's time you rested."

Darkness.