Stowaway (A Pirate Novel) (Completed)

Ch. 46 A New Adventure

"Well?" Talbot demanded as Jr lowered onto the seat across from him. Jr gave him a wary look, then glanced at Harv.

"He sent me away." He said using the male noun to describe Elle. He picked up a piece of fried bread from the pile on the table.

"What do you mean, sent you way? You were supposed to bring him here." The Captain scorned.

He glanced up from his plate. "Captain, with all due respect, after what he just said I'm more scared of him then you at the moment. I'll be needing my body intact when I get home." He had dropped his gaze concentrating on picking up some of the flavourful meat and vegetables with the bread as Talbot had shown him that morning.

Harv barked a laugh. Talbot sent him a glare. "You go get him then."

"Cap?" Harv asked pensively.

Talbot growled. "A bunch of hopeless crabs, scared of a tiny thing half your own size. Fine. Let Elle sleep, for now." He grumbled.

Harv grinned, amused. He was sure the only thing changing the captain's mind was he didn't want to be the one going to get Elle. He hid his smile behind mouthfuls of mouthwatering spicy food.

They spent the next hour talking, eating and drinking.

Elle woke and stretched. She heard the waves lapping at ships hull. She sat up squinting in the dark. She remembered they made port.

She had never been to India before. The thought of exploring the new exotic place filled her with excitement. The emotion felt strange compared to her phase of near apathy the past months. She bound her breast, dressed as a young cabin boy, secured her sword at her hip, and pulled a pouch of gold from under a loose plank of flooring. At the last second she grabbed the bag she had made to steal the painting.

The boatman informed her she was expected at place by the market. He gave her directions.

She wanted to explore more than she wanted to see the others. Despite the directions she only needed to follow the scent of spices. The air was ripe with the mix of fragrant smells. She breathed in the smells and felt a little shiver of energy.

She found the market with little problem. Her nose led her first to a stall connected to building.

A man in thin loose fitting robes of white and red sold pan bread with a mixture of meat and sauce stuffed in the center. She bought two after they communicated the price with hand signals, nods and head shakes. She ate them as she moved between stalls and stands.

There was something interesting everywhere. In each spot her eyes landed she found something to consider. A carpet, a bolt of cloth, a piece of jewelry, a woven basket, a tapestry. The colors were amazing. Even the people were intriguing.

One man that caught her interest wore a wide curved sword on his left hip. His trousers were tan, loose and cinched at his waist with a round leather belt. His head wrapped in a thick faded blue cloth that somehow managed to stay in place.

He paid no attention to the merchandise for sale but moved between the vendors.

She had no idea what he was doing or why but she started following him around the market. He did nothing but walked and watched. With a sigh she shrugged her shoulders and wiped her fingers on her pants.

The longer she followed the more she noticed. He had seemed to be paying no attention but in fact he was. He would stop and talk to vendors. At those moments she hated not knowing the language.

She would stop and pick up a trinket. As she pretended to study it she would really be listening to the conversation a stall or two away. The words meant nothing but tone of voice explained how well the vendors thought of the man. A few even pressed gifts in his hands. He would smile, bow and accept the gift with tones of grace, honor and respect in his voice.

The sun shone brightly and Elle squinted when facing the sun. Still she kept the man in sight.

Eventually she grew bored with him. Her attention drawn to someone else. This time it was a woman. The woman was covered in brown loose cloth. The only skin visible was her small hands. A shear cloth in lighter brown shades draped over her body in various places. Face, shoulders, waist, wrist. Jeweled silver bracelets at each wrist connected light flowing fabric over her shoulders.

Elle wasn't the only one following the woman. A man followed her. He watched every move she made. His pants seemed to be yards of dark fabric pleated to cover each leg. His matching open robe showed the light colored shirt underneath.

Elle felt the heat and wiped the sweat from her face as the woman handed coins to an old woman at a stall selling vegetables.

When the woman spoke to a shop keeper or vendor the man moved in close. Elle didn't hear the man speak, not even to the woman.

The woman placed her assorted purchases in a woven basket that she carried on her arm. She never looked at the man but Elle felt like she knew that he was there.

After they left the market Elle moved around looking for something else, or some one.

The heat made her clothes stick to her skin. She could feel the grit in the air stick to her damp skin. She found a shady spot created by building at the edge of the market. After a while she noticed that standing still and leaning against the wall did nothing to lessen the heat or renew her earlier energy.

She debated going back to the ship. She had somehow managed to spend half the day wondering through the market. Her meat pie meal had long ago stopped working to fill her hunger so she found another stall that served food. She ate as she searched for the place she was expected to meet the Captain, Harv, and Jr.

She popped a date in her mouth and marveled at the new flavors. She loved it.