The Lass who Loved a Pirate

Chapter 7 Giving into Temptation

After Bash had left to bargain with my father, I knew that I had to make myself useful. I could not just sit in Bash’s room all day, thinking about what was going to happen to me. I remembered that my Aunt Delphine was a healer, a well known healer in Scotland. Therefore, she taught me many of her remedies and treatments. So when I did return to Port Royal, I could more than just a planter's wife. I noticed that many of the pirates that traveled back to St. Bona’s needed to be tended to. Many of them ailing from injuries and sickness. After a week, Athena began teaching me her own different remedies and methods to treat the sick and injured. Mae and I became fast friends. I found out she was expecting her first child. She herself had only just found out. Both Aadan and Athena were overjoyed that Mae was with child. I was happy for Mae, as she deserved nothing but happiness. As she had suffered from so much tragedy in her young life. We shared that much in common, we both at twenty had suffered from so much tragedy. I hoped that I too would find happiness in my young life. Though I knew in my heart that would not be true. Athena also taught me to work in the tavern. To bring ale and other drinks to the men. And gather the laundry that needed to be tended to. I began to make friends with many pirates that came into the tavern. One in particular became like a brother to me. 

His name was Ali Abdallah, he has been residing on St. Bona’s for the last two months. He was recovering from a shipwreck. He had been traveling from the Ottoman Empire to the Caribbean. Being an Islamic merchant, he had turned pirate when his captain raped and murdered his wife. Taking his revenge he was fleeing when the storm hit. He wished to return to the Ottoman Empire to save his daughter who was living with his brother. But he could not until he was well enough. He often would tell me about his world and culture, which I found fascinating and often would sit with him as he told me stories. Soon enough my life on St. Bona’s became a routine. In the morning I would tend the many wounded and ill on the island. Most were children who suffered from childhood injuries. The women were grateful to have an experienced healer on the island. In the afternoon I would help Athena and Mae with the tavern, or sit with Ali. At night I would eat dinner with Mae. We would exchange stories about our childhoods. She had many stories about Bash and Aadan. Some had me laughing until I was crying. I found out that Bash’s mother, was not only Tiano, but was also one of the most notorious female pirates in all of the Caribbean, though many found a woman ruling a ship laughable. She never really told me about Bash’s father, except that he was a Spanish soldier. I would tell her about my childhood in both Port Royal and Edinborough, though I remembered more in Scotland then I did Jamaica. I told her about my father, and how he planned to marry me off to a man I never met. Something I knew I had to face, but did not want to. The growing dread of returning to Port Royal only grew with each passing day. Slowly I was beginning to enjoy my life on St. Bona’s. Wanting nothing more than to continue to live here. Yet I knew that it was not possible, that I had to return to Port Royal. That was what my destiny was.

One night after about a month on the island I was in bed. Beginning to feel sleepy. Today was particularly busy. Many of the children had been affected by a fever that had made its way to the island, and the mothers were desperate for relief for their children. The moon was full, which made the sea sparkle. I could admire the beauty that surrounded me. When I heard the door creak open, I sat up and saw Bash stumbling into the doorway. His face was ashen and there was a long tear in his shirt. The once white fabric was crimson with blood. 

“Bash, what happened,” I cried. Jumping from the bed I raced to him. Wrapping my arms around his waist I pulled him to the bed and pushed him to sit. He grimaced as he did so. I did not like the ashen color on his face.

“Take off your shirt Bash, I have to assess your injuries,” I said. I went over to the table and began collecting the different remedies needed. I turned and watched as Bash removed his red jacket and pulled off his shirt, he had a bloody bandage wrapped around his chest and stomach. I saw that old blood was mixing with the new blood. Crimson mixing with black, I did not like the look.