The Captain of the Black Dragon

Chapter Eight: Remebrance

Two swords clanged together, as us two spared at dawn. It was an old ritual Kahtarina and I did as young teens. We haven't done it on the ship, and since we stayed the night in Glasgow- we figured why not?
Kahtarina and I had been meaning to catch up on our fighting skills and test one another. We just haven't gotten around to it in the past few years...
"Domo! Quit day-dreamin'!" Kahtarina spat, out of breath.
"Why not call it a morning, Kat? Me ol' joints can't handle much more exercise!"
"Ye're merely 27!" She said, as she forcefully hit her weapon upon mine.
"Aye...very well."
She clashed her sword against mine, and began to move about. As we struck one another's swords, we moved about in the small balcony- like setting, as the sun arose.
"So, Kat-" I began, swinging my sword left and right. "-Exactly why do ye want to sail to the Carribean?"
Her eyes focused on my movements, as she began to grin. "Heh, I thought ye'd ask me that..." She steadily stepped backwards onto a steep ledge, and continued to fence me with her right hand.
"...I told me uncle Jack that I'd see him after I got me own ship. It's been a long time since we've had the Black Dragon, so I figured we'd go and reach the Caribbean by the end of the Summers' eye." She furrowed her brow. "I wish we would've gone before four years- but time got away from me grasp..."
"Ah," I spoke "Tis' a saddened tale- but I think we've better go now than never...but what if yer uncle isn't of time?"
"Explain, yer words aren't sinkin' in"
"Well-what if Jack, isn't y'know.. Alive? Or even a cap'n anymore."
She stopped and held her hand to signal me to stop. "What makes Ye think that Jack won't be 'live?" She put her hand down, and stood in a resting position.
"He's an old man..." I elaborated.
"He ain't but 40 or so!"
"And that's young?!"
"Domo!"
"Kahtarina!"
She glared at me. "He's very much alive."
And with that, she walked past me towards the docks.
Oh, Kat. How do Ye know if he is alive and well?
-------------------
I nervously played with my locket from my younger years, as I walked up the dock.
After boarding, the only time Kahtarina came out of her cabin was to do a line up before we departed. Even then, she didn't say much.
Enough of this. I thought after an hour or so past.
I asked Jane sweetly if she would steer the Black Dragon west, while I would take care of some business.
I slammed the door to Kahtarina's quarters open, and stepped back to take in the sight.
The captain was drunkenly draped over her chair, her feet propped up on the desk. She had her 'tricorn:Captain's' hat over her eyes, and her coat was lazily thrown across the room.
On her desk lay her bottle of rum and a candle that was running out of wax.
The curtains in front of her window was half-assed pulled over the light.
"Kat..." I said with wide eyes.
She slightly looked from under the hat on her face, but decided to look back down and attempt to get comfortable again. "What?" She groggily spoke.
I shut the door as I walked into the darkened room. I sat in her chair in front of the desk and looked at her, with a saddened expression.
"Kat. I was wondering- is this a bad time? I can come later-"
"Yer fine. Speak."
"...ok... Well, how exactly do Ye know yer uncle Jack is alive? 'ts been botherin' me.."
She took the hat from her face and set in on the table. Her dual-colored hair shining slightly from the candle light. She removed her feet from the desk, and got up from the chair.
She walked to her bookshelf and grabbed something small, then walked back to sit down again.
"Before he left-the last time I saw 'im, back when we were barely seven...he gave me this."
She held out a small red jewel, that had a Dove carved into it. In the dove's eye, there was a small glisten that looked like a light. And it wasn't a reflection coming from the candle...
"He said that if the dove's glow was gone, so was he. I look at it often... He said that the glow was put there from a sea witch known as 'Circe'. It was so any friend or foe could know he was alive and well. And it wasn't his choice..."
I took a deep breath, and marveled at the stone.
"That's amazing..."
"I know..."
I smiled at her. "Well, now I know! I'm going back to me wheel-"
I got up from the creaky chair, and walked to the door. Opened the it, I looked back at Kat.
"Oh and Kahtarina?"
"Hmmm?"
"Don't ever loose yer faith in Jack. He's a smart man."