Love At Sea: De La en Glässer

Captain Cockerell

Bernadette held her breath as she dived deep in the water. It was freezing cold. She tried not to panic or scream but she was falling in deep, water filled her lungs and her hands got weaker. Her eyes were closed shut as she struggled to find the rope of survival. To her luck the blades had been turned off and no one had seen her jump. She gripped the rope but then it slipped through her fingers. She could feel herself wanting to bust, losing air. She held the rope more tightly and bounded it around her arm. With all her strength she pulled, praying that the knife that held it in place would not move an inch. The first tag showed her it was secure. The second tag pulled her from underneath the water surface. She let out a coughing fit and clamped her teeth shut. The pain in her right arm intensified. She heard a low groan, and the first rotation of the blades began. Biting hard on her soaked clothes Bernadette pulled herself completely out of the water. She was hanging on the ships railing dangling on her right aching arm.

The blades caught on the rope, and it was torn out of her soar aching hands. She climbed over and fell to the floor. Her eyes opened involuntarily, and she noticed the small drift of voices above her. Great she had lost her hearing. She got up to her feet while staggering. "Macmillan!" She shouted. It sounded muffed in her ears. "Bloody captain Macmillan Wilbur! Answer me dammit!" She moved to a group of men that stared at her wide eyed as they parted the way for her. At the end stood a stunned captain. His sword clattered to the ground and his heart ached. "Bloody pirate!" She tried screaming but what came out were tears. Her vision was clouded by her unruly hair. "You insufferable despicable bloody pineapple!" The right of her palm hit his hard face and it coloured pink on instant. She fell into his open arms. "I am cold." Was the last thing Macmillan heard before she fell unconscious.

"Well, that be an entrance." Spoke one of the sailor's. Macmillan looked down at her. "Fetch me Francis and-" Cockerell was more than displeased. The look on his face said it all. "Cap'n nah t' be disrespectful but-" "Fuck this, I need to attend to her, watch over the ship and sail it well then when I come up we can talk about what ever displeases you." He carried the lassy in his shaking arms. His heart beat faster by the minute. She was extremely cold. "Francis!" He yelled. Cockerell looked back at the ship that was sailing towards the burning sun. "A lassy's pubes in exchange fer yer lifes worth! Are ye nah ashamed? Wha' makes her so special? Why scuttle yourself o'er a poppet whose name ye knew nah o'?"

Macmillan turned. "Cockerell I am warning you." The first mate laughed. "We 'ave been on this black spotted sea fer months 'n where 'ave we gotten? Only searchin' around in circles fer somethin' that might nah even exist! I say the cap'n has lost his touch. We needs someone better." "Someone better you say. You were willing to start a fight with a ship that had six vessels following it. A ship that would have killed all men hands down. And you think you are better?" A little moan escaped Bernadette's lips. He looked down full of affection and his heart burst the more. "I know you are all displeased. Do you think I find joy in knowing that we have not come across the islands? The map was stolen from us by those traitors. The island is here somewhere, and we will find it for now-" He looked down again. As much as she was dirty, he could not help but fall in love more. "For now, I need to attend to her. Sometimes," He felt tears beam his eyes. "Sometimes there are more good things than treasures, sometimes gold comes in form of a person and not metallic coins." He looked up with a hardened face. He brought Bernadette close to his body and stared Cockerell dead in the eyes. "If you wish to call for a mutiny, who am I to stop you? You are at your own free will. But one thing I would never do is fight you Cockerell." He turned for the stairs.

"Is she alive?" John asked from around the corner. "Yes she is, but she is terribly unwell." Heavy steps sounded on the wood. "Here captain take her in and I will see what is wrong with her." The door to his room was pushed open and the bed was stripped of all the papers on it. A clean sheet was dropped over the soft mattress, and she was laid down gently. "She is chattering. Lad get me a spoon hurry up with it." John was out the door in a jiffy. "We would have to undress her and clean her skin, but again I do not want to tamper with her." Macmillan closed his eyes shut. "We do not have any other female on the ship, and I cannot undress her no matter how strong the urge is." Francis looked up and placed a hand on his captain's shoulder. "You are a good man Macmillan, and she keeps you on your feet." He turned to look at the woman. "Well, we can only calm her fever down. The washing would have to wait till she awakes but if it gets worse then a strip of her clothes and a dip in warm water would do." John handed Francis the spoon. He tied a piece of cloth around its edge and removed the blade that had been placed between her teeth. Effortlessly he placed the spoon in her mouth.