Endless

A New Life

It had been a year since the mutiny. As captain I made a few rules.
1. No murdering other crew members unless they have my permission.
2. Everyone would undertake, once a week, some form of sword practice or archery lessons.
3. We would take it in turns to cook the crews meals. This meant we didn't need to hire a cook.
4. Treasure would be shared equally among the crew.
5. On Saturday and Sunday night we would not sail, allowing the whole ship two full nights sleep. The rest of the week we would take night shifts.
There were other kind of changes made too, such as sleeping arrangements. Where Blackbeard's cellar had been, I worked to make it into a second sleeping corridor. It was underneath the first one. This spread the crew out more, and gave them their own space. I also hung up sheets in between hammocks to allow them their privacy. The hammocks were also improved. After a pillage with a British navy boat we acquired lots of good quality cloths and sheet along with a few pillows. The only issue with the new floor was the stench of alcohol, but the whole crew pulled through and voluntarily worked day and night to scrub the walls clean.
I also partitioned off Blackbeard's massive room into two. One was my Captain's quarters and the other was a dining area. On Sundays we ate in the dining room, and everyone helped find and prepare the food. Not everyone was great at it but it was the idea that counted.
The ship was in much better spirits, as our quality of life had improved greatly. As a result, we fought with vivacity and stole heaps of gold, jewels and materials. The fighting lessons worked great, as people with the most experience, like Levi, taught people with the least experience, like Dorian and Alex (Alex was George's son who was our best lookout). And we slept well, which meant we worked harder at our pillages.
Our favourite target was the British Royal Navy. They were always looking for us, for all our "crimes against the law". I think they just hated that we were in their waters. We liked looting them, for they had all the best stuff there was. And it was also our way of getting back at them for all their pirate hangings. A lot of people saw us as the bad guys, but in reality the British Royal Navy were the original pirates. I mean, they were the ones who went to all those countries, demanded that the natives turned British, stole their things, and slaughtered their people. Then they had the audacity to come after us? No. We were just getting back at them.
I sat in my quarters, cleaning my long silver sword. I thought about our new life, and I wondered if there was anything I could do to make it better. My door was open, and I could see the crew working hard. When I looked further I could see Dorian at the back of the ship, parrying with James, my second in command. He'd been on the ship for thirty years. His hair was rusty and wiry, like a true seaman. He looked wild, with his beard untrimmed and his face scarred, but with each parry and strike he moved with the grace of a tiger, pouncing stealthily and then standing up poised and ready.
Dorian had improved. So much so, that James recommended he taught some swordfighting to the other crew members. I very happily agreed. Dorian would be so pleased with himself, and when he got pleased he blushed and turned away, rubbing his neck. I thought he looked cute when he did that. No. I didn't say that.
Standing up, I took a look in the mirror. My outfit had changed a bit. I felt like I needed a dramatic outfit to match my dramatic captain's hat. I opted for the tight trousers rather than the skirts, as they were far more practical. I wore a white shirt like the crew, but I took a black corset from one of the Navy boats and donned that too. My sword hung from my ornate leather belt, and my dagger rested hidden against my thigh. Upon my head sat the famous Blackbeard hat, now Devilsblood, with red feathers protruding from the top. To finish it all off, my tan pirate boots came up to just below my knees, allowing me the extra height so Dorian would quit teasing me.
I left the room and went to the steering wheel. I looked out to the stretch of blue ahead. There weren't any ships that I could see. I didn't know what to do. Then I saw Dorian.
He panted as he came up to the steering deck. "James said I'll be teaching some of the others how to swordfight! Can you believe it?" He said, blushing.
"You've done really well." I said, blushing too, though I wasn't sure why.
"God you've made this life so incredible Aviva." He said, looking down at the deck.
I blushed harder. "Thanks." I didn't know what else to say. He looked at me funnily, as though seeing something he hadn't seen before. He looked at me for a while, creating this long silence between us. I cleared my throat. "It could be better though," I said, taking a piece of paper out of my pocket and pointing. "The Prince." I raised my eyebrows suggestively.
Dorian laughed. "You can't still be on that."
"That was your whole reason for the mutiny!" I exclaimed.
"Yes but since then life's gotten better!" He retorted, "we've no need for that childhood dream anymore."
I looked at him, annoyed he'd given up so easily. He sensed it. "Look Aviva, the guy's probably long dead anyway. What reason did the thieves have for keeping him alive? He was no use to them. They probably robbed him and killed him and dumped his body in the ocean."
I looked down at the sheet. The little boy stared back, smiling, his eyes sparkling. "He was so young." I said unconsciously.
Dorian smiled a little. "I know. It's a sad thought. But we were young too when we found that thing, and times have moved on. It's time we do too. We'll get a new dream."
I laughed. "And what would that be Dorian?"
He laughed too, but never replied. Then he walked off back to the crew.
"Your turn for dinner tonight!" He called back, and mimed throwing up. I chucked a rock back down at him, and laughed quietly to myself.
I suppose he was right. Maybe a new dream was best.