The Solstice Daughters

chapter 12

TRIAL 1

        day 7

WILLA'S hands gripped onto the railing of the deck as she watched the waves caress the sides of the ship. "What do you guys call this pretty girl anyway?" She asked Silver Tongue who was pealing the skin of a banana beside her. Aside from the rotten smell that leaked from almost every inch of the wood, the ship itself was quite a sight for sore eyes. The masts were sturdy and a glimmering red, similar to the canon holes which were also rimmed red. The quarter deck blended into the main deck with shades of white and gold to brown.

"We call er' the Jolly Roger. Built er' 'rselves." The pirate explained, cheerfully. "Cap'n's very protective."

Willa raised an eyebrow. "Sounds familiar. Speaking of, where is the devil? Dunked me on this ship, told you to watch me and then left. Where to, I wonder." They hadn't left for sea yet and the ship was safely anchored to the sand below the waters. Silver Tongue shrugged, taking a large bite of the curved yellow fruit. "Dunno, lass. Whateverr ye did out der angered 'im. Surprised yerr still on yerr feet."

"Me too." Willa sighed. "The mermaids said he was cursed?" Silver Tongue nodded while chewing happily.

"I'm not sure what he did to anger them exactly but it would seem they double cursed him. Any idea what they meant when they said we were bound and the lust would kill him? She urged, knowing it was nothing good.

The pirate, who had turned to stare out at the ocean, stopped chewing and spat abruptly into the water. His horrified expression made the acid in her stomach churn.

"Oh, 'ts not good, lass. 'ts not good at all." He confirmed, stroking his crimson beard. "Te Cap'n 'as ta explain it to ye, girl. Not my place."

Willa glowered at him in irritation, jogging to grab her new favourite chair and placing it facing the ocean, beside him. The rest of the crew was lazing about around the two, some playing cards, others sharpening their blades and weapons. Everyone was waiting for the re-arrival of their explosive bomb of a captain. Willa in particular was impatiently waiting for him to step onto the deck again with his stupid curly hair. She had questions that needed answering.

Considering the way Huntington had reacted and Silver Tongue had followed suit, she had a feeling her death would impose a...problem for him. Whether it meant he would die alongside her or he would burden a triple curse, it was a massive advantage on her side because it gave her a higher chance of living to find a way off this ship. The only concern was what the mermaids had referred to when they mentioned the lust that would destroy him. Perhaps it had nothing to do with her?

"Why have you been so kind to me?" She blurted to her pirate companion. "I mean, you don't really have a motive to. And as it would seem, I'm not very popular, or maybe too popular around these parts."

Silver Tongue chuckled, his round belly shaking. "'ts a short life, lass. I'll have ner business squabbling wit' strangers." Willa shot him a grateful smile. It took them a second to realize the ship had quietened and the men had gone back to mopping and fiddling with the controls. One of the men whose hand was adorned by a wooden carving was busy in the process of raising the anchor. Willa gazed around in confusion. "We're leaving without the captain?"

Stone appeared from the staircase within the ship, where some of the men slept. He had a troubled look on his face but a grin stuck to it regardless as he made eye contact with Willa. "Cap'n's requesting ye presence, lass." He said and Silver Tongue watched her pitifully. She wasn't exactly ecstatic to see him, especially since he requested her presence through his little minion but it would be more useful for her to act out a swap interrogation than sit on the deck like a stubborn child.