On Board {A Solangelo Pirate AU}

16: Uh, Food Would Be Nice

NPOV

My crew was on the brink of starvation. Our supplies were running out. I'd finally had to lock everyone up in the cells at the bottom of the ship, which meant that I was the only one doing work upstairs. I was suddenly not only the only one keeping the ship afloat and headed south, but I was also the only one preparing meals, which meant I saw firsthand the tiny portions. I began giving them mine in the hopes that it might help them. I was down to half a meal a day.

Gabriel's boat was within shouting distance. The only reason they hadn't boarded yet was because of the rough waters—if they couldn't land their jump, they'd be dead, but if they got too close and crashed, we'd all be dead. The moment the waters cleared, Gabriel and his crew would board, and me and my own would be at his mercy once more.

I couldn't stop thinking about Bianca. What she would do. Her memory kept me company while I chopped up tomatoes or while I struggled to keep the wheel moving south in winds strong enough to steal tears from my eyes. She was there with her hand on my shoulder. I couldn't close my eyes without seeing her fall into the ocean, knife in her stomach....

I shook my head. I needed to stay focused. I had been right about my theory about the sirens. Their singing made it to my ears—and don't get me wrong, it was pretty—but I felt no attraction towards the women. So I sailed onward, and the sirens turned their attention to the boat behind me.

They appeared to have the wheel tied down in their ship, and I thought I saw the rope go below deck. I wondered if the lower layer was sound proofed, in which case, with that rope they could continue their sailing safely. Stupid rich people with their stupid clever inventions while my crew had to be tied up in cells.

I gasped as the wind nearly pushed me off the boat. The siren's song was getting louder in my ears. I grit my teeth and tied the rope with freezing fingers before heading below deck to the kitchens.

The cabinets were empty. I knew that, but I checked anyway. And then, with my crew moaning to be let loose from their restraints downstairs and the ghost of my sister beside me, I finally cried. I knew we couldn't survive any longer. We were starving and surrounded by enemies and I'd given all the blankets to my crew in an attempt to calm them. I was going to literally freeze to death. I found my toes repeatedly went numb.

But we were only a day away from leaving siren territory. Then maybe I could find land. Maybe there would be food somewhere....

If I stopped for food, Gabe would come aboard.

But he would come aboard anyway. At least this way he wouldn't starve my crew in retribution, or it at least wouldn't be my fault.

I let myself sob while my crew wouldn't hear it. They'd only be hearing the siren's song, the siren's beautiful song....

I wondered which was worse: sailing into the rocks like so many ships before me, or making it out of this and letting Gabe have my crew.

No. That wasn't fair to my crew. Will still needed to get home, my crew still needed their next meal, and I still needed to return to that island someday. Perhaps I could gift the natives something in return for the awkward conversation I would ask them for. I wondered what they would appreciate having that I could retrieve for them. Foreign spices? Just extra hands in whatever construction they were doing?

The distraction those thoughts provided slowed my tears. I forced myself to go back upstairs and face the winds. We continued south.

That night, the stars guided me out of the Channel of Song. I thought I saw an island in the distance. At the very least, we could probably find wild plants to eat. I tied the steering wheel and headed downstairs to untie my crew.