Sailing With The Captain

Dinner With The Captain

Hook had cleared off his desk of the piles of maps and compasses.  He also went into a trunk and pulled out to large red candles, placed them on the center of the desk and lighted them. He then blew out the candle that he had on before, so that only the two small flames illuminated the 'dining area.'  Smee had placed a platter of chicken in the center of the 'table' and then left us by ourselves. 

" It's not exactly a fancy restaurant, but I guess it will do...right?"  Hook looked up at me with a somewhat hopeful expression.

It confused me why he wanted to please me. Just like I had been startled by the fact that he wanted to help me. This pirate was full of surprises. I smiled, "Yes. It is fine."

He smiled in relief, "great."

"Captain, why are you doing this? Why do you care about me enjoying dinner, and being comfortable and being protected from the other pirates?" I asked.

"First of all, you can call me Hook. Secondly," he hesitated, and then leaned forward and whispered, "guess you'll just have to figure it out on your own." He leaned back in his chair with his usual devious smirk plastered on his handsome face.

I sighed, exasperated. I had a feeling that every single question that I ask would receive the same answer.

 Hook and I began to eat and for the most part we ate in silence, well correction, I ate in silence. He was trying his best to get me to talk, but if he wasn't going to be explaining things to me, what was the point of talking to him?

"So...have I earned your name yet?" He had asked.

I found great interest in my chicken and did not reply.

"Have you ever seen caves overflowing with gold? They truly are a wonder." 

I again continued to keep my mouth full so I could have a small excuse for not replying. He continued to attempt smalltalk but to no avail. My lips remained sealed.

"Are you mute now?" He asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

I decided to let him think that I was currently mute.

He sighed, "Come on. I know you talk. Must we not have a conversation? Look you can even choose the topic if you wish." 

I looked up at him, his eyes pleaded for conversation. "What were you doing in Talla?" I asked determined to get answers from him.

He exhaled loudly,  "Of course you would choose that."

"Well you told me I could choose what we talk about, and I choose this." 

Hook began to scratch the desk with his hook. I could tell that he had done it in that same exact spot for some time, for the wood was wearing thin. Probably a stress reliever I assumed. 

"Looking for treasure." He stated.

"What kind of treasure?" I asked, not aware of there being any treasure in Talla.

"Doesn't matter. I didn't find what I wanted. It wasn't there." He said matter-of-factly. But yet I could tell there was something that he was hiding, for he avoided my gaze and continued to scratch at the wood, each stroke harder than the previous.  The continuous sounds of scraping of wood, getting louder caused me to panic slightly. I feared that once he ran out of wood to scratch he would scrape at my flesh instead. What was strange, was that the captain's expression were calm, but his 'hand' was obviously not, I found it quite discomforting and decided to change the subject quickly. 

"So...you said you have seen caves filled with gold." I offered.

He looked up, and slowed his 'carving' "Yes. Yes I have."

"Where?" I asked. To be honest, I was interested. When I was a girl I would always go up to the men who came back from slaying the might beasts in the forests a few leagues to the north of my town.  I would beg for them to tell me what had occurred. They would laugh at my enthusiasm and tell the tale, while I listened with wide eyes and eager ears. I would then return home daydreaming that I had been a part of the group and had played a major role in the killing of the beast. 

"It's a long story. Probably would bore you." Hook stated, taking a sip of water.

I shook my head, "I doubt that. Please, tell me?" 

"Alright." Hook then continued to tell me of his adventures in Solmec (the land where he found the caves).  Apparently, it had been myth that the land there was overflowing with riches. There was even a river that was said to turn anything to ruby. Which I found ironic, since apparently there was a river in some foreign land that turned things to gold.  He said that while in Solmec he and his crew had faught of a hydra that always rested near the lake. And which he now found out, the powers of the lake was a myth. The river did not turn things to ruby....but to blood. It literally dissolved whatever item that was dipped into the water, to thick blood.  He also said that he and his men had to defeat a mighty dragon that stood guarding the treasure flowing caves. And apparently, after defeating the dragon the pirates went into the cave and started to touch the many jewels and riches. A few moments after touching them, the men had turned to dust. "Myself and Mr. Smee were the only ones to survive." Hook said, "I had suspected such trickory and did not touch a single thing, warning Smee also to do the same." Hook finished.

"Why didn't you warn you men?" I asked, surprised that he wouldn't warn them also.

He shrugged, "I sensed a mutiny."

"A mutiny? You let your men die because you feared that they would overthrow you?" I was upset by such things.

"Look, a mutiny is not just an overthrowing of the captain. It is death. The crew would have forced me to walk the plank and then swim to a small island, with no drinking water, and no food, besides the plants, which are poisonous.  Pirates always maroon their captains on that god forsaken island. It is the only island in these seas that promises certain death. So yes, I did what I had to do for my safety." Hook explained.

I opened my mouth to protest that it was still wrong what he did, but I reasoned that it was the only thing that he could have done to save himself from dying.

"It's getting late." Hook said, rising from his seat.

I nodded and stood also. Hook walked me to the door. "I hope that you will consider having dinner with me again."

"I will." I said.

He smiled, a real smile. And I could not get it out of my mind that a pirate, like himself, could be so dreadfully handsome.