A Pirate in Time (Completed)

15

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself as I walked back into the bedroom. I could feel a few tears brimming in my eyes at the cook's comments, and I was ashamed that I felt so weak about it. I haven't been bullied since middle school, when I transferred to Liberty High. I should be stronger than this.

Biting back the lump in my throat, I moved to sit on the edge of the bed

"Good morning," I said softly as I noticed the children beginning to stir. With a yawn, Rose sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Liam was already watching me with the remnants of sleep lingering in his own.

Looking at the children, I decided to ask what had been bothering me since I first laid eyes on them.

"Do you two remember anything about your families? Their names or where they live?"

"Mummy has brown eyes," Rose pitched in as she stared up at me. She lifted her arm to point at my face, "You too."

I smiled softly at the girl and nodded, "I do have brown eyes. Is your mommy at home?"

The girl nodded a bit and I looked to Liam as he spoke. "Mum's with child. She stayed behind with Grandfather."

"Stayed behind?" I asked, puzzled.

Liam looked down, "Da was taking us away from the war. To Auntie. Then he was going back to fight."

1779. That's smack dab in the middle of the American Revolution!

"You're from the Colonies?" I asked carefully, wracking my brain for anything I could remember about the war.

Liam nodded a bit and drew his knees up to his chest.

"Which part?" I asked, hoping he would know.

Liam turned to stare at the wall as he furrowed his brow in thought, muttering softly to himself. After a moment, he spoke, "Da always mentioned something about a tea party when we went to the harbor, and how it had started the war."

"Boston?" I asked hesitantly. Liam's eyes narrowed in thought before he nodded his head in confirmation.

I felt my heart clench. Not only was Boston a major part of the war, but it was also where I happened to grow up. Just, not quite the same as when I grew up there. Or will grow up, I suppose.

I chewed the inside of my cheek before sighing. "I have to go speak with Captain Jay. Will you two be alright by yourselves for a little bit?"

Once they nodded, I stood and made my way back out the door, heading straight for the upper decks. Once I stepped into the sunlight, I was engulfed in a flurry of movement. Everyone was scurrying about, relaying orders to their shipmates while carrying out their own.

"Captain," I called as I ducked around bustling crew members and made my way to the helm, "I must speak with you."

"Not now, Elizabeth," he spoke when I came close enough for our conversation to be private, "I'm a bit preoccupied."

"But I know where the children came from. Where their family lives."

Jay spared me a glance before shouting a command at someone in the crow's nest.

"We need to bring them home," I told him with utter certainty in my voice. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by another man's voice.

"And who are you to be setting the course of this ship, Miss?" came the voice of who I believed to be the first mate. He was right, of course. I really had no say in any of this. I was just an extra passenger picked up by chance. The man turned back to Jay, ignoring me completely, "Four leagues, Captain."

Four leagues? What's at four leagues? I turned and scanned the horizon, my stomach dropping a little when my eyes met a mass of swirling grey off to the west. The last storm I'd come across had ended in my death. I wasn't too keen on experiencing that again.

"Thank you, Briggs," Jay said with authority in his voice. He turned to me then. "Elizabeth, why don't you wait below decks, and we will talk more on this later."

"Yes, Captain," I begrudgingly relented, letting Jay do his job and get us through this storm. I couldn't help but feel a little itch of disappointment that he had brushed me off so easily.

Don't be ridiculous! I scolded myself as my footsteps echoed in my ears. He's the Captain. He has his own responsibilities. Quit acting like a starry eyed school girl!

But even I couldn't deny how handsome and important he looked behind the helm, the breeze making the loose strands of his hair flutter, and that hard set look of concentration in his eyes. He was a strong, confident leader, and to me, that was worth being a little starry eyed over.