Pirates Again

Rhys was in unbearable pain. He felt like his blood was on fire, and he wanted to tear his limbs off just to get away from the burning. Katerina’s hands on his face provided cooling touch until she was suddenly torn away from him. The last thing he saw were tears streaming down her face, and he feared that was the last time he would ever see her.

He wasn’t sure how long he was laying there, or what was real anymore. It felt like time would move slow, then fast, then slow again. The trees would turn a purple shade and the sky turned red, before going back to normal. Rhys couldn’t move his body, but he could see movement in his peripheral vision. His vision blurred for a moment, then when it came back, a woman was standing over him with her hands on a hips. Not just a woman, but his mother.

Lavinia Griffith was a cruel woman, but she was always a beautiful woman. She had dark, tight curls like Rhys that she always pinned in a messy pile on her head, and she was known for the colorful and scandalous outfits she wore to attract attention. He had also inherited her dimples, which were just another charming trait of hers. Just looking at her, she looked like a nice woman. She used that to her advantage when it came to getting away with things.

“Am I dead?” Rhys grumbled.

“Hm, almost,” Lavinia said. “That’s why you’re seeing me.”

“Was there no one else to guide me to hell?”

“Who else did you want, your father?” she smirked. “You know as much about him as I do. Not like there was anyone in your life other than me. You’re dying alone.”

“I’m not alone,” he said. “I have friends. You’re just not one of them.”

“Like that little girl that left you here for dead?”

“She didn’t leave me,” he said. “She’s coming back.”

“Because you think she loves you?” she said with an amused laugh. “No one loves you.”

“Maybe she doesn’t, but I love her,” Rhys said, feeling a small flutter when he said the words.

“Whatever,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I suppose we’ll find out. You only have a minute or so left, so I’ll see you soon.”

Rhys suddenly felt a lurch. None of that had really happened. It was all a hallucination, and he wasn’t able to move or talk. When his eyes focused again, they focused on another dark hair woman. Fuck, was it his mother again? Something bitter was stuffed into his mouth, and someone closed his jaw and covered his nose, forcing him to swallow it. For a few moments he felt still, then suddenly started to cough violently.

The bitter taste had coated his entire mouth, but he finally felt some relief from the burning. His vision started to settle, and he saw that it wasn’t his mother hovering over him. It was a terrified, teary Katerina. When he opened his eyes and looked around in a daze, she threw herself at him and choked on sobs. He still couldn’t move much, but she kissed him all over his face and was saying things he couldn’t understand through her sobs. When he finally felt strong enough to sit up, he found that the rest of the crew was behind her, with Harry and Notley bloodies and tied up. He lifted his hand to stroke her hair, but felt blood trickling down the side of her head.

“You’re bleeding,” he said hoarsely. “Did you hit your head?”

“You were just dead, and you’re worried about my head?”

“You might have a concussion.”

She started to laugh through her tears, hugging him tightly. It took a few minutes, but Rhys felt himself begin to recover. The blue hue was retreating from his skin, back towards where the original bite was, and he no longer felt the burning. It was replaced by some fevers and terrible nausea, but nothing worse than the venom from the snakes. Katerina stayed with him, stroking his hair and speaking to him soothingly.

“So what happened to Notley?” he asked, gratefully accepting some water another crew member gave him.

“The crew turned away from him and towards me,” she said, beaming. “I made an offer they couldn’t refuse. And then I shot him. It might have been fun if I wasn’t so worried about you the whole time.”

“It wasn’t so bad,” he lied. “Like a bee sting.”

“Shut up, Rhys,” she said with a smile.

“Maybe I’m downplaying it a little bit,” he said. “Truthfully, I did think I was going to die. And there was a… voice… that told me I was going to die alone. Before I left Stagfort I might have believed it, but not so much anymore. We may have to go out separate ways and lead separate lives, but I’ve somehow fallen desperately in love with you. If I died, my biggest regret would have been not telling you that.”

She was stunned speechless from his confession, her hand squeezing his so tight that her knuckles were white. She didn’t know what to say to him, but he gave her a reassuring smile to let her know he didn’t need to hear an answer. He didn’t expect her to return those affections. A crew member stopped by them, looking at Rhys.

“Can you walk?” he asked. “Harry and Bradley have been loaded onto the ship. I think we’re all ready to get off this stupid island.”

“I can walk,” Rhys said.

“We have to figure out a route out of here,” he said. “Notley was using those amulets.”

“I think I can navigate,” Katerina said. “Without going crazy like he did, I mean. I think you just have to be nice. Respectful.”

“Eh. If you say so.”

Rhys was helped to his feet and he limped down a path created back to the beach. Thankfully with no obstacles this time. When they got back to the ship, Harry and Notley were the ones tied to the mast. Notley looked like he lost what was left of his mind, staring aimlessly ahead while Harry protested the men clearing out the quartermaster and captain’s cabins of his and Notley’s things. Mostly Harry’s clothes. He cried out every time a silk jacket or feathered hat was tossed overboard, a few finer pieces set aside to be sold.

“Not the red velvet!” he cried out.

Lance looked at the ridiculous velvet jacket with gold trim in his hands, then back up to Harry with a sly grin.

“You know what?” he said. “You’re right. I think you’ll make a lot of new friends at Crossbones in this jacket.”

Harry was untied and stripped, dressed in the jacket he loved so much despite it making him look like a rejected Christmas elf. They then gagged him with the same blue bow that he griped about when Katerina wore it.

Katerina took claim of the now emptied captain’s cabin, helping Rhys inside and sitting him down on the bed. He still had fevers and the nausea was getting worse now and she was quick to hand him a bucket before he started to vomit.

“Ugh,” he said with a grimace. “It’s blue. Why is everything blue?”

“You should have some food in your system,” she said. “I’ll go find you something light to eat.”

“Thanks, Captain Dashwood.”

She gave him a sort of embarrassed, but pleased smile on her way out. Rhys hoped he returned it well enough before he puked again.