The Queen of the Waves

15: a Filthy Plan

"What?" The man backed away from the deranged man in the cage for a moment before pausing to imagine if he truly was crazy.

"Get rid of them? How?" He edged forwards until his face was close to the bars of the cell, his behind was still burning and bruised, he wanted revenge not only for the pain, but for the humiliation.

"The easy way, a coup."

Silence rang out through the dank cell, the men both waited, each of them imagining exactly what they would do when the powers of the boat were gone.

"How many men can we get do you think?" Ciaran asked, standing and shifting nearer as much as his chains would allow.

"Tell me...?" He trailed off indicating to the man that he wanted to know his name.

"I'm Jack, and I know that we can get 13 men."

"Good," Ciaran laughed, the revenge in his chest was growing nearer and nearer to burning into flames. Mara needed to learn that when you crossed a man like Ciaran, you would be punished.

"Don't tell anyone but them, once we have numbers... we move."

Jack nodded and disappeared back into the shadows. His Captain had lost his way, bewitched by the dangerous siren and they needed to be gone.

Mara sighed contentedly as she woke from a restful sleep for the first time in days. Bayen leaned over from his chair to stroke her arm as her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey there, lass." He said softly as Mara focussed on his face. She slowly sat up and hugged her knees. Her body still felt weak even after a night of good sleep, when she thought of the restful sleep her mind went back to Bas.

A small smile tickled her cheek as she remembered how gently he held her against his chest, how she slept in his arms and even when he thought she was asleep, he placed a delicate chaste kiss to her forehead.

Bayen, unaware of the romance blossoming in Mara's chest, assumed her smile was a refreshed body.

"You gave me quite a scare for a moment there, Mara."

Bayen's voice was heavy with pain and Mara frowned, she stood from the bed, her legs felt heavy but she moved to the standing Bayen. Swallowing hard, Mara gave him a small hug to ease his pain, Bayen let out a shuddering breath as he wrapped his arms around her.

How many times had Bayen imagined holding his grown daughter like this, too many to remember. His babe had been too young to be named, Bayen was too busy grieving for the loss of his Calla, he thought he had all the time in the world to name his daughter, he had just three days.

"I want you to know," Bayen spoke softly as he ran his hand over her long hair, spilling down her back, "that you will always have a home with me."

Mara looked up at him with grateful, wide eyes.

"Really?"

Bayen chuckled, "of course, here and at my home in Andonia."

Mara pulled away, it all sounded amazing, too good to be true but amazing none the less.

"But... what would people think?"

Mara knew that Bayen saw her like a daughter, he had almost told her when he talked about his own daughter, but Mara knew people were cruel and judgemental. They would gossip and call her his whore and Mara couldn't stand that.

"I would tell them that you are my long lost daughter."

Bayen spoke the words and knew them to be the truth, no matter her true parentage Mara was his daughter.

"Really?" Mara's eyes lit up and a smile bursted across her cheeks.

"Yes, yes, really!" Bayen laughed as Mara squealed and threw herself into his arms. He spun her around a few times and they both knew that there was no happier moment than in this time.

After Bayen put Mara back on her feet, Mara knew that she needed to get out of the room. Even though she had been ill, she couldn't get rid of the overwhelming sense of being trapped.

"I'm going to get dressed, I need to get out of here." She said with a laugh as she padded over to the trunk of clothes Bayen nodded and smiled as he watched her comfortably move around the room. Despite the protests from his back about sleeping on a hammock, he knew that this was Mara's room and always would be.

"Very well," he spoke as he walked over to the door, "Bas will be waiting for you outside, make sure to bring a blanket please Mara, it's cold today."

She nodded and waved a hand noncommittally over one shoulder as she searched through the chest for a warmer outfit, even inside Mara could tell the days had taken on a distinctly cooler chill and her body still felt weaker than normal. The last thing she wanted was to catch a cold after a fever.

Once she was dressed in a pair of thick trousers, autumnal boots and a warmer shirt, she picked up a tartan patterned blanket from off the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders.

She let out a small shiver as the warmth of the covering reached her bones, but it was very possible the shiver had nothing to do with temperature and everything to do with Bas.

Mara gave her reflection a confident smile before she walked to the door and opened it. Bas was standing there, leaning back against the wall with his eyes closed.

Once he heard the door opening, his eyes flew open and he gifted her with a precious, open smile. She returned it and stepped into his proximity, looking up at him with slight nerves.

Reaching down, Bas tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and slightly brushed his finger tips across her cheek, Mara shuddered again.

"Are you well Mara?" He questioned, still shaken over the sight of her pale, limp body.

"Yes, I'm much better, I need some fresh air."

Bas nodded and guided her out of the small hallway as he had done for the past two months, only this time something was different, his hand rested on her lower back. The weight of it sent curling ripples of delight over Mara and she smiled at the simple gesture. Bas was claiming her even though there were no eyes watching, with one touch he was telling her that he was there with her.

When she saw Louis, her step altered as she skipped slightly in happiness.

Bas noticed her change in personality, how could he not? He bent down close to her ear to whisper, "will you be alright with Louis, Mara?"

His sudden proximity made her startle and once again those shivers appeared over Mara's body, she had to get them under control.

"Yes," she nodded her head and turned back to look at Bas, "I'll be fine."

He nodded in response, Mara didn't mind his lack of words. He was a quiet man anyway, and out on deck he was the first mate, which made him even quieter.

Bas lightly tapped her on her behind, unable to catch himself with the action and Mara grinned cheekily over her shoulder at him as she walked over to the whistling Louis.

Bas watched her walk away and then turned his attention back to the men and his ship, something wasn't right and Bas could sense it.