A Promise

Natives

The storm raged, blowing the ship around. It slammed it up and down with each giant wave. They did not need a storm. Not after the attack a few nights before. This storm was just part of the run of bad luck. Most believed it was the women. A few thought it was the gods unsatisfied with their work. And one believed it was just coincidence.

The ship rocked and lurched. Everyone tumbled and rolled to the side. Most were tied down to something on the ship, keeping themselves alive. But a few were not so lucky. They rolled over the side and into the water. Their screams were drowned out by the wind and the anger of the storm. Grace and Alice were stuck within Lorenzo's cabin, ordered there by him. They were trying to stay out of the way of books and things falling while keeping themselves upright. It wasn't working so well.

“Why is there another storm?” Alice yelled, annoyed. She grasped the porthole as the ship tilted again. Grace didn't say anything as the ship rolled to the left, sending everything that way. Her mistress groaned as she moved to the bed, hanging on. They could hear the curses from above.

The water washed over the sides as the rain pelted the wood. Men shouted at each other, but Grace and Alice stayed silent. They were not comfortable with each other now. Grace felt horrible that she shouted at Alice, but what worried her more was that she didn't regret it. She felt Alice needed to be told the truth. Alice needed to know that not everything was as easy as it seemed. The world didn't revolve around her; no matter how much she thought or wanted it to.

“Weather changes fast out here,” Grace called. Alice scoffed. The young lady sighed. She did not want to give anything to Grace. Alice thought she didn't deserve her attention. The two women didn't say anything after that. They just tried to keep upright as the ship lurched from side to side as well as back and forth.

Lorenzo growled, annoyed by this storm. It was bigger than most, but he had to get his ship and crew through it. Butcher did what he could, tying everything he could down and retied. Lorenzo manned the helm, looking for the swells, avoiding going over the larger ones. He didn't get it right as much as he wanted. The ocean reached over and plucked bits of his ship and crew. Ropes snapped and planks bent. The rain didn't help. It limited his view, and it was dangerous. The cold, sharp droplets caused his hands to freeze to the spokes.

“Butcher!” he yelled. The large man spun. “How are we doing?” Butcher cursed and muttered something, but Lorenzo couldn't understand it nor hear it. The man then shook his head. Apparently they were not doing well.

They needed to get out of the storm. As soon as possible.



The night came and went with everyone tired and nearly falling on their feet. Dawn came slowly, signaling the end of the storm. Butcher looked up at the sky, praying to his gods, thanking them for their safe deliverance from the storm. He bowed his head at the end, touching his heart as he turned to look over the damage. They didn't need the storm. Not when their ship was already taking on water. Now they really needed to fix it. “Find land, Tom Cat.” The lanky boy nodded, scrambling up the shrouds, gripping the ropes, heading up to the crow's nest. “Butcher,” Lorenzo called, looking up at the man at the wheel.

“Aye?” Butcher waited for his captain to finish. He knew the man had orders for him. He always did.

“Get us in the shallows.” The man nodded before placing his hands on the spokes and spinning the wheel to find the shallow waters that they could get through. Just as the ship turned, the captain's cabin door opened, revealing the two women. Alice led the way, looking regal as she strutted towards Lorenzo. Grace walked after her, but she didn't look like a servant any more. She had a strength in her walk, even though her gaze was on the floor. But it was from her timid nature rather than her upbringing as a servant.

Lorenzo watched the two, looking more at Alice since she was closer and tended to be more problematic than Grace. Even though Grace came with her own problems, but they weren't like Alice's with her haughty attitude. “And you are out here because...?” Lorenzo questioned as Grace headed up towards Butcher, ignoring Alice and Lorenzo. Lorenzo felt a sting at that. But there wasn't much he could do about it.

Grace smiled as she stood by Butcher's side. “T'laloc Ecuhli,” Grace said, trying to get her tongue to work the sounds of the name. He smiled, knowing she was trying and that was all she could do. “How is the ship after that last storm?” Butcher sighed, shaking his head. Grace started to worry. She knew they had some patch work from the pirate attack that hasn't been fixed properly, but hearing that made her worry even more.

“Not good. We be takin' mo'e wate' than befo'e.” Grace looked at him, concerned. Just as he said that the ship sent them forward and then to the side as they ran aground. Rolling onto her hands and knees, Grace gazed up, finding Butcher holding on to the spokes of the helm. He grunted as he let go, straightening himself out before looking at Grace. “Ya good?” She nodded, standing up and brushing herself off. Her dark woven shirt was all she was wearing with her cut off trousers. She pulled off a few splinters of wood that snagged in her shirt.

“Butcher!” Lorenzo shouted, jumping up the stairs, turning to look out across the bow. They could see land just off in the distance, but they hit a sand bank first or a reef. “Get the boats,” he ordered, resting a hand against his cutlass, waiting for everyone to get up before issuing orders. Once a few were up and shaking their heads, he started. “Start repairing the ship as best as you can. Butcher, Tom, and I are heading ashore.” Lorenzo turned to Hobson. “You have command, Hobson.” The man nodded, grinning as he turned to the others. Most joked that he couldn't handle the job, but they know he could, at least for a while.

Grace was thinking, figuring what she should do. She didn't know how to fix a ship nor did she believe she would be any help. But she didn't want to ask to come along with Lorenzo and Butcher. No, she thought. She would stay here on the ship. “I'm coming with!” Alice demanded, making her way up the stairs and towards the captain. Lorenzo sighed. He did not want her with him, especially if there were people. People that didn't take kindly to pirates. It would be easier if she stayed on the ship. “I will not stay on this ship with these men.” She leaned in whispering, “who will protect me from their advances?” Grace groaned, moving away from the two. Shaking her head, she headed to the boat. Butcher glanced at her, giving her a nod. Grace knew she should go to keep Alice in line and because she was Alice's servant. But now, it was more to keep the other woman in line and out of the way.

“Fine.” Lorenzo relented. “Grace and you can come along.” Alice pouted, wanting more of a romantic setting with Lorenzo than what she was getting. Butcher was lowering the boat into the water as Grace came to his side with Tom on his other side.

Both men glanced at her, but Tom stared. “I take it ya be comin' along.” Grace nodded before glancing over her shoulder at Alice as she hung on Lorenzo's arm. “Alice be as well.” Again she nodded. Tom grinned at her, loving she was coming along. He could be close to her once again. He hadn't been for a while now. It almost seemed like at times that she was avoiding him, but he knew she wasn't. She was just following Alice most of the time or talking with Butcher because he was someone different. Tom hoped she would get bored of him soon, so she would spend time with others, like him.

Butcher was the first over the side and down into the boat to hold it to the ship while the others got in. Tom was next. Then Grace and Alice, followed by Lorenzo. Once Lorenzo was settled, Butcher picked up the oars, beginning to row. He kept going, making them head towards the land. The green beach started to get closer and closer, but still seemed so far away. No one said anything as Butcher breathed hard, staring before him, hoping to get to land soon. Grace sighed heavily, bored and sleepy. Her sleep the night before was filled with dozes before waking up when the storm kicked up.

The waves slowly lulled her into a light doze as she leaned her head on the side. Her arms cradling it. The boat continued on, heading to the land. Butcher tried to keep it as smooth as possible, but bumps came along, rocking the dinghy. Grace woke up each time, blinking and glancing at how far they were from land. Her question was answered when they hit sand. Blinking away the haze, she found the tall trees in front of them, lining the sand. “We be he'e,” Butcher muttered, hopping out and pulling the boat farther onto the sand.

Everyone hopped out except Alice. She stood in the boat, glaring down at the water. “Isn't someone going to help me out?” Grace went to help her, sloshing through the water. Alice stared at her, sneering as she took Grace's outstretched hand. She gripped her servant, daintily stepping off the bow of the dinghy. Once in the sand, both women let go, going their separate ways. Grace headed to Butcher and Tom as Alice stood next to Lorenzo. Butcher seemed tense. His shoulders were higher and locked. His hand was on his sword, ready to use it. And she didn't know why.

She sidled up to his left, glancing up at him and then to the forest. Something didn't seem right. Her hair stood on end. The forest seemed to grow bigger and closed in on their position. A shiver rolled down her spine. Bells chimed in her mind, warning her that something was amiss. Something that could harm her and them.

“Where are we?” she softly asked. Butcher's jaw clenched as he gripped the sword at his hip tighter. Grace turned to the others. They simply shrugged. No one seemed to know. But Butcher.

“Let's split up. No one goes into the jungle. Not until we are all together,” Lorenzo commanded, glancing at each one. Alice gripped his bicep tightly, scared. She didn't want to explore. She wanted a romantic encounter with Lorenzo. Possibly on the beach.

She grimaced as she nudged the bright sand with her boot. No, she decided. She would not want it to be on the sand.

“Aye, Cap'n.” Tom and Butcher cawed. The two of them went opposite directions, leaving Grace to choose. She would feel safer with Butcher. But it might be rude not to go with Tom. She shook her head, knowing this wasn't the time to think about that.

Heading towards Butcher, she called out to him. “T'laloc Ecuhli!” Butcher paused, straightening and turning towards her. His dark eyes stared at her before realizing she was coming with him. He waited, relaxing his grip a little as she caught up to him. “Thank you for waiting.” She smiled gratefully at him. He curtly nodded before turning back. His gaze shifted over the line of trees and the long strip of beach before them.

Grace could sense he did not want to talk. His whole demeanor said that. It was a good thing she didn't mind the silence. It was usually comforting to her. But this time it wasn't. It was dead. It went shivers up her spin and chills down.

If anything, she wanted to talk. Just to settle her nerves. She didn't even notice, but her hands were shaking. Grace wring them around and around. Her nerves were starting to shatter as they continued on walking. She couldn't take much more. And the worst thing was that she didn't know what was making her feel like this.

“It will be all right.” A warm, large hand grasped her shaking ones. She wasn't this nervous when taking on pirates, but that was thrust upon her quickly. This was a slow build up. She hated it. But hearing Butcher tell her it would be all right, she felt better. Her hands slowly stopped shaking and strength seemed to seep into her.

“Thank you,” she whispered, ducking her head. He shook his head and slowly released her hands. The two of them continued, but this time in a comfortable silence.

They reached far enough away that the ship looked like a dinghy. “We should head back,” Grace muttered. They hadn't found anything. No wreck. No signs of life. Expect the ones in the ocean. It seemed the jungle was where everything was.

Butcher begrudgingly agreed. He still did not trust this place. It was not a place he wanted to stay.

The two walked back, slowly. They had yet to see anything that would harm them and that put Butcher on edge, but it calmed Grace. She enjoyed the sun and the gentle breeze. They walked in silence. And it wasn't long before they were back at the dinghy. Lorenzo and Alice were there as well. Lorenzo did not look happy. Actually, he looked frustrated. Alice looked satisfied. She ran her fingers down Lorenzo's arm, smirking. Her gaze turned to Butcher and Grace. Alice dared Grace to say something, but Grace didn't. If anything, she ignored it.

“We didn't find a t'ing,” Butcher reported. “But I don't like t'is place,” he muttered, turning towards the jungle. Grace watched him, concerned. If Butcher was this on edge, that didn't bode well for the rest of them.

“We will wait until Tom Cat gets back before heading in the jungle.” Lorenzo crossed his arms, shifting away from Alice. “We could cut some of those trees to get wood for our repairs,” the captain said, nodding towards the large green trees before them. They two agreed at his logic, but Butcher didn't want to stay her any longer than possible.

It took a while before Tom came back. He came waltzing in, whistling some song. His eyes lit up as he spotted the group. “'ey! I got some stuff!” he exclaimed. His hand waving in the air as he started to run. Tom nearly tripped several times, but he didn't. Tom stopped only when he got to the small group. “Look!” He pulled the cloth that was wrapped around something from his back. He set it on the sand, untying the knots. Working at the stubborn things, he finally gets it untied. Gently pulling back the corners, he showed what he had found; gold.

Several different golden items. Coins, jewelry, and a statuette. The statuette looked to be an idol of some kind. Grace didn't like it. It felt...off. The others were not affected by it. She stayed back, shifting her feet in the sand.

After moment, she stepped back, feeling something pull her. The water. Once it touched the heels of her boots, she felt a sense of calm wash over her. Then came a whisper. It was gentle, caressing her ears on the wind. “Come to me.” She didn't know what to think of it, but it felt familiar.

An arrow whizzed by, hitting the sand. Grace jumped. Alice screamed, backing up into the water as Grace moved to her.

“Raise your hands!” Butcher shouted, pulling his hands up. Tom fell to his knees, not knowing what he was facing. He was silently crying. Everyone else slowly raised their hands. People started to appear from the shadow of the trees, slipping into the sun. The russet painted skin showed how much time they spent in the sun. Lines of red and white rolled down the their arms and faces. Feathers hung around their wrists as more were tried into their hair. All of them were men. They only had cloths around their waists, covering their lower half. Loin cloths.

Grace stared. They stalked forward, following one man. He had a headdress, large and with gold dangling around his ears. The man hit his chest, speaking quickly before ducking his head slightly. He stomped against the sand before stepping up before Butcher. Grace felt her heart race, bruising itself against her ribs. She didn't know what to make of these people. But what she could make out was that their language sounded similar to the native language Butcher spoke.

The man crouched down, slapping his stomach and then his chest again, striking an intimidating pose. Butcher muttered something, clicking his tongue a few times. “Do you understand them?” Lorenzo asked, glancing at Butcher's back. The man's muscles tensed, trembling under the force of keeping everything still.

“Yes.” The answer was simple, but it sent shivers down Grace's spine. She didn't know if this meant he knew them or something else entirely. Butcher bowed his head, not looking at anyone. “He says,” Butcher paused, snapping his head up. The leader shouted, gesturing to the others. Tom was crying as he bowed his head, not wanting to die. He mumbled prayers to the heavens. Alice went to protest about something, but Lorenzo quieted her with just a look. Nerves ran through Grace as she stared at Butcher, waiting for him to translate the rest. “We be taken p'isoner and possibly sac'ificed to thei' gods.”

“Tell them, we will not be taken prisoner,” Lorenzo stated, glaring at the men. Butcher glanced back at his captain, shaking his head. “Butcher,” his captain warned.

“I can't. They will kill us.”

“We will go.” All of them turned to Grace, watching as she stood firm even though on the inside she was trembling. She was scared. She didn't know what would happen to them once taken prisoner by the natives. But she had to risk it. It may save their lives.

They stomped the sand, saying something in a chant as Grace nodded to Butcher. He stared at her, knowing what this could mean. He was amazed she could make a decision like this. Butcher told them this, stopping their chant and stomping. The leader gestured for the them to get up and follow him. Tom stumbled up, whimpering softly as all of them start to walk after the leader and two warriors. Their knives and spears in clear view. The rest walk behind them. And one picked up the cloth with the golden items in it.

Grace tried to keep it together as she walked in front, trying to prove—to the others and herself—that she wasn't afraid. She just hoped that was what it came across as. Butcher moved to her side, ducking his head to whisper in her ear. “Ya sure? The first...be the women. Always.” She gulped a large breath of air before nodding her head. She would be the first to be sacrificed, if it came down to that. I will not let anyone do that. Grace steeled her resolve as they walked into the forest, the jungle. Animals hooted and howled in the shadows. The noises echoed around them as they trudged on silently. Vines hung down, ready to tangle themselves around the humans.

Every step they took, Grace felt the jungle was out to get them. The leader, at times, signaled everyone to stop, looking ahead. A spotted animal, furred and large, walked pass, giving them just a glance before disappearing into the underbrush. They were just barely in the jungle.

Grace felt fear coil in her stomach. This jungle could kill them before they even got to their destination.