May the Wellerman Come

☆Chapter Eleven: To Be a Captain☆

AN: RIP to all the victims and their families from the F4 tornado that struck Mayfield, Kentucky early Saturday morning. And thoughts and prayers for everyone still trapped within buildings and being rescued. All Kentucky people, you are in my heart ❤️

September 21, 1650 @ 11:37A

I skin some dead fish as I watch some of the crew scrub the floorboards. I blink as I readjust myself. It's a cloudy sky with a storm brewing, and the waters are a bit rough with the ship. I look up and I see Rowan, his red, wavy hair down to his mid back, his eyepatch strapped tightly to his head, he is wearing a black pirate hat, a red bandana underneath, a long, black coat that belongs to Reid, black cargo shorts and barefoot; where I've since noticed that while his fingers are mutilated, his toes are as well. He is missing his big right toe and his three left toes between the big and small ones. His arms are tucked behind his back as he watches the horizon "Phillip, prepare da fishnets! I'sa eyein' a shark, up ahead!" He exclaims "Aye aye, Cap'n!" Phillip replies, Phillip is a smaller man with a brown right eye and bald; he is a Norwegian. I cross my arms over my pregnant belly as Rowan grabs the wheel "Marcus!! Prepare ta make food!! Alice has been a-skinnin' da leftova fish!" He shouts. Marcus does a salute before heading down to the bunkers. Rowan has been alright for a captain; he is pretty bossy though. "What ye think o' Reid Jr., huh?" Lee asks Abdalla, Abdalla simply nods and grins "He be like Father." He says with a laugh, he now looks at me and smirks. "How does it feel being First Mate?" He asks as I smile awkwardly "Oh, aw, shucks, well, I wouldn't quite say that. I-" "Abdalla, she's havin' da Captain's kid and they're ta be married soon, give da Lass a break!" Lee says with a laugh as I blush "I think Rowan is a wonderful Captain, just like he'll be a wonderful husband and father." I state with a smile. I look over to see Rowan looking at me and smiling as he walks down the steps and speedwalks to me "Good afternoon, me fair princess." He greets as I giggle "Where, oh where, do you come up with these pet names?" I ask as he chuckles and points to his head with his left pointer finger "I get 'em from me skull, Lassie. Ya know me!" He jokes as I playfully smack him. Abdalla laughs "Rowan, she has a name, y'know." He says as Rowan rolls his eye and grins boyishly at me "Speakin' of. I came up with some...b-baby names!" He stammers; as if this is his first time saying 'baby'. I rub my belly "Alright, what shall they be? Let's hear 'em." I say "Alright, fer a lass, it'd be Ocean, an' fer a lad, we'll name 'im Gibb." He says as my eyes widen. Lee and Abdalla seem to like the names, while I just shake my head "Giving this baby either of those names would be considered child abuse, Rowan." I state, Rowan blinks in surprise "Ey, what be wrong wit da ocean, Love? It's beautiful an' vast!" Rowan exclaims "Rowan, nobody goes around naming their child Ocean, unless they were some magical water creature from a lab." I say. Rowan shakes his head and sighs "Okay, how 'bout Agatha fer a lass, an' Rupart fer a lad?" He asks as I facepalm with my right hand "No, do cute names for girls. Seriously, Rowan. Like, Mary, Susie, Abigail, Katie, Elizabeth, Katrina, heck, even my name, Ash, would work!" I snap, everyone gawks at me "Alice, are ye callin' yerself names again?" Rowan asks as I growl "No, I'm just saying that-" "I should send ya off. Ya've been actin' a bit off. 'Haps I'm workin' ya ta death. I'm sorry, Lassie." He cuts me off and pats my head. I glare at him and storm away. How dare he talk to me like that?! Oh my word! I walk into the room where Doc is laying in a hammock and snoring "Doc, I'm sorry to bother you. I just, feel so lost." I say with a huff. Doc snores loudly in response and I turn around "What's fer breakfast now?" He asks sleepily, I turn around to see Doc look at me weakly. I smile and shake my head "Oh, it's not about breakfast, Doc. I just...Rowan and I were trying to come up with names for the baby, but it just seems like Rowan just comes up with worse and worse names." I say with a giggle. "I'm sorry if that seems petty, I just-" "Rowan's just namin' for the next in line, dear. Nothin' wrong wit that." He says "It's just, they're not good names. Also, I don't know when I'm supposed to be having this baby, and why they are constantly kicking me. And I know what pregnant women look like, and I'm so huge! You have to understand my concerns here." I say as Doc chuckles "I'm guessing you're havin' the imbalance. Look, Alice, I wouldn't worry about the names, worry 'bout that when the baby gets here, and as for the birth, I will help deliver the baby wit no problem...but what do you mean by constantly kicking, babies sleep?" He asks plainly. I roll my eyes and take a deep breath "Like, one side is kicks, and then the other side kicks. It's so strange, and it feels so odd. There's so many bumps going on." I answer. Doc arches his brow "I think it'll be alright, Darling. I promise to help ya and get dat baby delivered." He says reassuringly making me smile. The door opens behind me and I see Rowan come in to see us. He nods and walks into the other room, Doc looks at me conceringly and sighs. "Ya gotta give 'im some time to process things. He's about to be a father, Grant has kidnapped ya twice now, an' Cap'n is down, and will be for a long time. How is he doing?" He asks, I shrug "He's doing fine, I know he is going through a lot. I am too, though. And-" "Look, Darlin', forgive me for being open here, but you have to support him too, and talk to him if you're having a big problem with things. You can't just watch yerself." Doc says before turning around and snoring. My jaw flies open; did he seriously just tell me that I have to talk to Rowan. I get that I need to communicate...but how? Rowan can handle things himself surely. I walk into the other room quietly where I see Rowan sitting in an Indian sit and talking to Reid who is sleeping soundly "I hope I'mma makin' ya proud o' me, Reid. I'm tryin' me best here. Sleep well, ya need it." He says quietly. Rowan now pats Reid's left shoulder and stands up; I back away and try to exit the area as I don't want him to think I'm eavesdropping. I get up on the poop deck and to look at the stars; my lantern in my right hand. It has been a hectic day, but it makes me wonder; is that why I've been single for so long? Because I only think for myself? Am I...selfish? My eyes widen at my thoughts and I sigh "I need to go to bed." I say and I turn to head to the cabins. I get past sleeping shipmates and open the door to my cabin. Rowan is sitting on the bed manspreading and his head hangs low; he looks up and I see that he no longer has his eyepatch on. I blink in surprise and get inside to shut the door. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were still awake..." I pause, seeing him rub his right greenish-blue eye with his right hand "Yer fine, Lassie. I figured ye was watchin' da stars." He says as he takes a deep breath through his nostrils; I notice his face looks a little red "Is, everything okay? You look a little red." I ask as I sit down on the bed facing his left profile. He looks over to me and smiles "Y-yeah, I'm fine, Lassie. Don't worry 'bout-" "Why do you men do this? I can tell something is wrong, Rowan. Were you crying?" I ask. His eye widens and he clears his throat "I'm...I'm just worried 'bout Reid. He's so weak an' he can barely feed 'imself.  I've been a-cleanin' his wound daily, I dunno what be goin' on." He begins to tear up and looks down to the floor. "Doc is down, an' we don't have any ot'er doct'er aboard. Reid has been a-stabbed b'fore, but dis one's really got 'im." He says. I watch a tear drop down as his face scrunches up in pure sadness "Comfort him." A voice tells me, it's like an instinct. I hesitantly touch his back and rub it gently with my right thumb "Rowan, I know things seem so bleak right now. I'm worried about them too, and I know you're scared. You need to relax, and I want to help you. After all, I'm about to be your wife." I say with a slight laugh "I also am a-worryin' 'boutchou.  Worryin' if ya gonna get taken from me again, or worryin' yer gonna get hurt." He says tearfully before sobbing. I put my head to his left shoulder "Rowan, I'll be fine, and the baby is fine, very active actually. I'm worried about you, and I don't want you to hide away your feelings, you can talk to me." I say. He suddenly turns and hugs me while gently resting his head on top of my stomach. I stroke his hair and sigh softly. "It's going to be okay, no matter what happens. Try to get some rest." I kiss his right temple gently and he snuggles his head more into my stomach. Maybe...maybe this is what's wrong with me, I was selfish for my Rowan; I didn't want to compromise, or hear him out. I look down at this Rowan to see him slowly falling asleep. Is this what I'm supposed to learn? To think of other people too? All Rowan wanted was to see me happy, but I didn't want to see his side. I have to change, I need to change for the life I have now. Let go of the past to embrace this new future. "Goodnight, sweet Rowan." I whisper as I look up tearfully, this might be my wakeup call, and I need to take it. From now on, I am Alice Adney, and this is my new life, aboard a pirate ship.

~End~

AN: I know, I'm sorry I'm late. I went to the zoo yesterday and my phone died so I couldn't update. This is a pretty short chapter too.