Confessions of a Pirate's Heart

Chapter Ten

The Captain's cabin was dark when they entered. Alexander closed the door firmly behind them, before moving to his table in the middle of the room. He struck a piece of flint and lit a small tinder box, transferring the flame to the candelabra. The warm glow revealed papers scattered about and navigation tools glinted in the light. The Captain's face, however, was cast in shadows as he leaned wearily against his table and glanced between Scarlett and William.

“Where do we even begin?” he said.

“I can explain everything,” Scarlett said, sitting herself in a chair across from him. William stood hesitantly to the side, gazing uncomfortably around his new surroundings.

“First, we need to determine if we are still in any danger,” Alexander said.

“Well, I couldn't say. You would know just as well as me.”

“Why were you being sold into slavery? And for God's sake, how did you even end up in that situation in the first place?”

“That's what I can explain. William and I are on a journey and stopped in port in Swansea. We needed to look for a merchant ship and a man on the docks suggested I look in the pub house. So I went there and the barman recommended a man to me and took me to his table. Before I knew it, I was standing before Blackbeard and then it was too late. He captured me and my brother and threw us in the brig on his ship until we arrived here. I don't even know where we are.”

“And now that he’s put a fine price on your heads, he has reason to be on our trail.”

“Not only that but I think Blackbeard has his own feud with me because of my connection to you. You know him just as well, Alexander.”

“You're very right,” he said, sighing deeply and sitting down.

“This is bloody fantastic,” William mumbled off to the side, running a hand across his face.

“Alex, we're very grateful to you for rescuing us,” Scarlett said. “I don't know what I would have done if my brother was shipped away for war or if I was--”

“There's no need to thank me. I'm just glad I was there at the right time.”

Scarlett smiled at him but he didn't return the warmth. Concern still shadowed his features as he kept to the business at hand.

“However,” he added, “we aren't in the clear yet. We need to stay in the shadows for a while until we can distance ourselves from Blackbeard's domain.”

“Domain? What do you mean?”

“Love, you were in the bustling underworld of the slave market--a dream for pirates like him.”

“And why were you there?” William spoke up, approaching closer.

Alexander looked at him for a brief moment and then inhaled sharply. “I go there for different reasons--to save people. Ironically, it happened to be you this time, which leads me to my next question--why are you traveling in such dangerous waters by yourselves?”

Scarlett hadn't imagined this conversation taking place between her and the Captain. Even though she had played out their reunion many times in her mind, it hadn't looked like this. She wasn't prepared to address the reason they were on a journey but now she had no choice.

“Well,” she began, glancing nervously at her brother, “we are looking for our sister.”

“Your sister? You mean Grace?”

“Yes.”

There was silence among the three that lasted for what felt longer than a mere few seconds. Scarlett listened to the waves splashing against the ship's hull as she watched the Captain. His expression was neutral and she hated not being able to read it.