Endless

A Funeral

*Ten years later*

It was a calm summer's day. The wind blew gently through the sails, gliding us through the Pacific Ocean waters. The sun was warm and bright. There were little clouds, so pale and high up in the sky they were almost unnoticeable. Wisps, trails, breaths of cotton stretched from one end to the other. The day couldn't have been more perfect.

Which made it so much worse.

We were assembled on the ship deck in an orderly circle, clutching hands. Our faces were breaking, though we tried to maintain a strong façade, as we looked down at the lifeless figure that had once been our dear friend in the centre.

James lay on the ship deck, dressed in the clothes he had died in. We didn't think it was right to change our dead into pure white attires. Dressing them in clothes that everyone else does makes them seem less human, more like one of the crowd rather than a unique life. Out of respect for them, we kept them in their own clothes no matter how valuable. Their last outfits often told the tale of how they died. Blood spatters, protruding arrows, knife or sword wounds.

In James' case blood covered the front of his pirate's shirt. He had been sparring with a navy officer and hadn't been quick enough to block the fatal blow. I saw it happening as I killed the ship captain.
I hoped it had been quick.

We stood holding our weapons, battle wounds still fresh.
I looked down at the man that had been my friend, who supported me in my pursuits no matter how pointless. James had been my second-in-command during my entire time as captain. He taught me the ropes and he eased me into place as a captain. He lived and gave his life to the crew. I would forget be grateful to him.
"May God guide you to your place by his side." I spoke softly and raised my sword in the air. The crew copied me and raised their swords in respect. Somehow the words I spoke felt extremely underwhelming. They didn't fit him. It was just something we said to our dead before we buried them. These words were nothing compared to James.

I tied a rope to the centre of the body and all together we lifted him up and lowered James into the sea.

"Goodbye friend." I whispered under my breath.

And we sailed on. The body floated on the water for a few seconds before it gradually descended into the ocean blue.

*the next day*

"Do we have a destination?" Dorian walked up to the steering deck. In his arms was a bundle of blankets that he handled gingerly.

I looked at him expressionless. "No." I said. The hurt of losing James was still raw. I didn't have a plan as to what to do next. In times like these James always had a gentle suggestion.

"We could go to the carribean shores. There's meant to be an export of goods next week. By the way he won't settle down and it's your turn." He said and passed the bundle of blankets over to me.

Under the layers of material a small baby shuffled and whined. Henry was only two months old and didn't enjoy the ship moving when he tried to sleep. It often took one of us staying beside him for an hour before he drifted off.

Henry looked up at me with his large sparkling blue eyes. He had Dorian's eyes and my hair. I gave him my finger to grab. I looked at his little face, with his pink cheeks and I smiled. Henry always made me feel better.

Dorian sat beside me. He had obviously been looking after Henry for a while, whilst I managed the ship. "Alright." I said, picking up the sniffling baby. "I'll try get him to sleep."

Dorian nodded. "I'll take care of the ship if you want."

"That would be appreciated yes." I said, he was acting like James, which made me feel sad again.

"And about that carribean shipment?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"When is it due to be exported and who's exporting it?" I said trying to take my mind off of things, and bouncing the baby up and down.

Dorian grinned. "2 weeks from now it's being picked up by a transport ship to England. It's so full of gold, materials, teas and spices."

I walked over to the map by the wheel. I looked at my compass.

"It'll take us about a week or so." I said and smiled. "We could steal it before the transport ship picks it up."

"Those were my thoughts exactly." Dorian agreed.

"It'll be tough." I said. "It'll be heavily guarded by natives, and we can't risk Henry getting hurt."

Dorian thought a moment. "We could ask George to keep Henry up in the crow's nest during the fight. He'll be way out of harms way there. And George knows how to handle a kid, he'll be okay."

I nodded. "It sounds like a plan."

Dorian nodded and then began marking out routes. I shuffled Henry in my arms, rocking him gently. I began to make my way down to our cabin, now more like Henry's room that we occasionally slept in, when I remembered something and I stopped.

I looked round at Dorian, marking out routes and doing other tasks to help us find our way. Someday he would make a good captain.

"Darling?" I asked.

"Mhm?" He replied, eyes fixed on the compass.

"Will you be my new second-in-command?"

Dorian stopped. He looked at me. "What?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Yes or no?"

Dorian stood with his mouth hanging slightly open. "Y-yes." He replied, still a little shocked.

"Alright then." I said and smiled. I was just heading down the stairs when he called out.

"Aviva?"

"Yes?" I turned to face him.

"Why me? Is it just because we're married? Is that why you've picked me over everyone else?" He searched my face.

"No." I smiled. " I think it's because you have the skills for it. You're devoted to the crew. You've lived pretty much your entire life on the ship. You're long overdue a position of authority."

"Oh okay." He nodded uncertainly and looked back at the compass.

I stayed a minute. "If you really must know," I said and he looked up. "It wasn't my decision."

"Oh?" He looked confused.

I smiled. "It was James' decision. He told me he wanted you to replace him someday. He believed in you as I do."

And with that I walked down the stairs and into the cabin, leaving Dorian speechless at the wheel.