Waves of Ruin

Chapter 10

We travel the last two days until we reach the port of Blackwood. Maeve has made lunch for us to eat before we dock.

I take a seat around the great table. It's one of two we have below deck. Each hold about 12 people and given that my crew is made up of 25 souls, they work quite well. I am sandwiched in-between Ike and Cianna. Ike silently listening to the chatter around him, and Cianna who talks to everyone around her. I don't even realize that Ro across the table from me has been trying to get my attention until Ike lightly taps his leg to mine in a silent warning. People are watching, get it together.

"Sorry, I'm still getting used to sleeping back on the ship." I lie.

"No it's fine, I just wanted to see what the plan was for port, are we staying? going out?" He asks.

"I thought Warren told you guys the plan?" At least I thought he did.

Warren jumps in. "I told them the plan for the journey, but not about the specific ports. We didn't get to that yesterday."

Right, damn it. "Yes, sorry. We are leaving late tonight." They all nod. Okay so we got to that yesterday. "And some of you can go on land and enjoy a day's break before heading back to the ship and please don't make a scene and invite a bunch of people on board this time, or I will let Warren have his fun with you." I look at Castil.

Everyone laughs. "To be fair, I would let Wareen have his way with my any day of the week. However, because you asked so nicely, I will refrain from welcoming people to our home." He says with a wink at me.

I am eating my soup, one that I wouldn't mind never eating again, but on a ship you take what you can get. Of course I would never mention this to Maeve, she is self taught and pretty good at it too, especially with the limited resources. Maybe I will stop by and get some more spices.

"Why won't you let me go Cianna, I'm 16 now." Vinnie begs her sister.

"Because the world out there waits for young girls to happen upon it and when these girls do, the world isn't so nice." Cianna says seriously.

This makes me think that something happened to her.

"I know... but when will I be old enough?" she asks, her round blue eyes unaffected by being denied. It seems she just wants her sister to talk. Vinnie isn't much of a social butterfly, but she always tries to talk with her sister.

"When the world stops being cruel." She moves her the spoon around her bowl, a sad look diluting her usually deep blue eyes. Then it's gone and she is asking Rhea what new concoctions she has created this week.

I think that if I had a younger sibling I would want to protect them too, but you can't shield them from everything. Hiding them from the world will only make them want it more, and when they do get out it takes them by surprise. Like throwing someone into the ocean, without ever having taught them to swim. The water will swallow them whole.

We dock, Ro making sure the right sails are in there correct positions, the anchors are dropped. Wren eyes catch on me and he comes over.

"I have the list you wanted. I made sure to add enough to make it a necessity."

I grab the list and look at it.

Clothes

Oil

New lamps

Thread

Soap

Wood

I know that Wren has learned these words from Ike, because the first time he came aboard the ship he didn't know how to spell his name, much less any supplies we might need.