Mortance: A Miscarriage of Hope

Jade Ⅸ

"Ye got lucky," the medic told me. His name was Edward, and he looked my age and ten years older at the same time. "An inch te the right and ye might've bled out afore Chris even pulled ye from the water."

"When can I walk again?" I asked.

"Ye can walk now 'f ye use a cane," Edward said. "I'd give it another day or two without."

"Right then, thank you," I glanced around my new quarters. The ocean looked cold, but welcoming out the back window. The first men we'd put ashore had claimed it was frozen on the other side of the island, but Chris had gone and proved them as liars. Oceans didn't freeze, especially not in spring.

"No need, cap'n," Edward stood. "I'll 'ave Chris bring ye a cane."

And then he was gone, and I was alone.

I sat up on the expensive bed and stared at the maps on the other side of the room. The world was so much bigger than I'd thought it was. Ethan Patch had detailed maps of everything from the waters outside Seasport to Kark and the surrounding sea to some trade route to the east that read "here be dragons.'' It was all so daunting and huge.

I shivered. That is what it is to be Captain Jade the Just, I reminded myself. It will not be easy. Being queen would be harder still, but that was a task to worry about once we reached Seasport. When they write the tale of Queen Jade the Just, this will only have been the first chapter to it. Many more are yet to come.

The Blind Beauty was mine now. It had been anchored offshore from the temple's island for nigh unto three days now, and the crew had been pillaging for nearly as long. My first mate and swordswoman were overseeing it for the most part, but from what I'd heard, the temple had been exaggerated. Still, the crew was too scared to go very deep inside it. I'll remedy that for them, I decided. I can walk now, I'll go find what ancient secrets the witches hid here.

The door opened suddenly. "Cap'n," Chris greeted me. He was dressed warmly, as we all were, and he held a fancy cane in his hands. "I've brought ye a cane."

"You don't have to call me that," I said. "I'm only captain until Seasport."

"Aye," Chris nodded. "Can ye stand?"

"Edward says I can walk with a cane," I held out a hand. "Give it here."

It felt odd to stand after so long, especially with three legs instead of two, but I did it. Chris respectfully averted his eyes from my underdressed body. "How's it feel?"

"Strange," I answered. "But it'll work for now."

"That's good."

"Aye, 'tis," I smiled. "Bring me my clothes and tell me how the plunder's been going."

I hardly wore more than an old, oversized shirt at the moment. Chris had seen me in much less, but he still averted his gaze. "I reckon we'll be outa room on the ship by tomorrow at the latest."

"Anything good down there?" I asked as I dressed myself. A captain should know what's in her cargo hold.

"Don't look like it. 'Ere's hoping Lord Stanley Sailsman feels differently."

"Aye," I agreed. "Don't matter too much at that point though. We did what he hired us to do."

"Aye, we did."

"You think it's worth going ashore?" I pulled a jacket gingerly over my cut arm.

"So long as yer will te go deeper in the temple, I'd guess there's somethin' interestin' in there."

I adjusted my jacket and sat to pull on my boots. "Like what?"

"I hear tales o' healin' waters an' portals te wherever ye want an' books o' ancient history an' that sort o' thing from old men in taverns all the time. Can't say how true any of it is."