Treasure of the sea |Lesbian story|

CHAPTER XXXI

We were taken aback by the calm. The wind was scarce, and the sails were hardly puffed. The Captain was doing everything she could to keep the ship from getting stuck in the middle of the ocean. The sea surface was smooth and the Black Star did not even move; she glided silently over the water. The Captain gingerly measured the deck, hoping for a breath of wind, but it did not come.

"Damn it!" we heard her scream. She was restless and didn't even eat. She kept standing on the bridge, behind the helm, her eyes fixed on the horizon. We were stuck.

I had no idea how many degrees it was, but it must have been a lot. We all had sweat on our foreheads. Some of the men had taken off their shirts and were walking around the ship shirtless. Unable to take any more of that heat, I too undid a few buttons and rolled up the hems of my pants to my knees.

We lost a whole day of travel, and Arenis had to give up her pursuit of the merchant ship. Some breathed a sigh of relief, while others seemed disappointed by the situation. It was only at three in the morning that the sea became rough again and the wind returned. The sailors then returned to their duties.

Francis was learning to walk on crutches. He walked around the ship with a grim expression and cursed every wave too high, every manoeuvre too abrupt. We all pitied him and he hated it. He hated anyone trying to help him up the stairs or pick up anything from the ground for him. Arenis had told him that at the next landing she could get a wooden leg for him. He would learn to walk with it.

"I don't want a wooden leg..."

"Think about it. You'd have your hands free. You'd walk again."

"The mere idea of putting all my weight on this battered stump...I can't even imagine the pain."

"You'll get used to it."

Arenis had allowed me to leave the infirmary, but since my arm was still weak, I was abstained from work. Those hours spent doing nothing, however, passed even more slowly and monotonously, and my spirits grew darker as a result.

"Dinnington, give me something to do."

He looked at me, frowning. "You have been injured. You can't work under these conditions."

"I'm fine," I replied. "I mean it."

"What's the matter with you?"

"I just need to keep my mind occupied, that's all."

Dinnington nodded slightly, indicating that he understood me. "Come to think of it, there is something you can do."

Hopeful, I followed Dinnington below deck to the dormitory. The dormitory was silent, the men who had worked the night shift were snoring in their hammocks. As we approached Quinn I noticed that his blanket was pulled up over his eyes from too much light.

"Wake up, boy," Dinnington shook him.

The young man immediately opened his eyes wide and pulled himself up, a little alarmed. "What-?"

"It's okay. We are not in danger."

"What did you wake me up for, sir?"

"You once told me that you would like to learn to read and write."

Quinn's cheeks tinged red. "Yeah..."

"Well, Miss Adler has nothing to do at the moment and is willing to be your teacher. Isn't that right, Miss Adler?"

I parted my lips, but for a moment I said nothing. He had left me completely stunned. I stared at him, dumbfounded, but finally my expression became more serious again and I replied calmly, "Of course, I'd love to teach you."