Poseidon's Guide: The First Adventure // #Wattys2018

Chapter 3

Morning rose on the drunken island, the beacon from the sea rising to ward the drunken fools from their bars and taverns to either head off somewhere useful, or collapse in the street from their previous night of debauchery and drinking. Edward walked out into the brisk morning air of Bortolini, the sun being the only provider of warmth to the cold island this time of year, the breeze doing everything in its power to combat the suns godly rays of comfort to Edward's body. He didn't wear many layers of clothing, pants, leather boots, a thin piece of clothe that dared call itself a shirt and a large brown coat, still unable to warm him.

By the edge of the Far East beach Maryanne stood by a dock and row boat with six other drunks. Edward couldn't help but take in all her glorious details once more, her luscious red hair blowing in the sea winds, her lips glistening in the sunlight and her beautiful emerald eyes. She had a change of clothes since he'd last seen her, the seductive waitress had become a typical, cheap sailor in similar pants and thin clothed clothes as Edward. The difference was her boots, the black leather wrapping halfway up her lower leg and her black jacket had a beautiful yellow trim, sown in by hand no doubt.

Maryanne turned away from the blue seas alluring tranquility, facing Edward. Without a word, she knew exactly what thoughts ran through his mind about her so called "crew". The drunks could barely stand on their own two feet let alone sail a ship that requires far more men than just the eight of them back into the sea it's been so long deprived of, should Maryanne be right. Edward walked over to one man, brown haired and of a very slender build. He had stubble to match his hair and wore, what looked like, clothes he'd just found, none fitting. Edward pulled him to his feet, waking and startling the man.

"What the! Get ya' hands off me ya' pig!" The man shoved Edward, jumping in front of Maryanne 'protecting' her. "Is he givin' ya' a hard time missy?" Maryanne smiled innocently at the man, before kneeing him in the crotch. He fell to her feet, looking back up at her, watery eyed and betrayed. "What's... Goin' on...?"

"This pig be your new captain. I'd be giving him a little more respect, wouldn't you think so?" Maryanne informed the man in a rather condescending tone of voice. "On ya' feet! I'd be makin' ya' kiss my boots if I were him..."

"And luckily for this young fellow, you're not me." Edward laughed. "On ya' feet mate, we've got a cove to find..." Edward helped the man to his feet, leaving his hand on his shoulder so the drunken man wouldn't topple over again. "Do we have a name?"

"Me mother, God bless her soul, called me Billy-"

Edward rose his hand to 'Billy'. "I asked for ya' name, not ya' life story lad."

"The tides rolling in, if I'm correct we have about three hours before the ship will be in deep enough water to sail out of the cove..." Maryanne spoke to herself primarily, pulling a map and a compass from her pocket.

"Did you say we have to wait for it to be in deep enough water? Like it's not already?!" Edward asked in disbelief.

Maryanne grimaced. "I may have left one or two wee details ou-"

"'Wee details'?! The ship not being in deep water isn't a wee detail!" Edward rose his voice, frustrated. "This ship should be docked in water deep enough already! What, is it just sitting on the edge of a beach or something...? Please don't tell me it is..."

"If you'll shut your gob for two seconds, I'll explain!" Maryanne snapped. "It's in shallow water within the cove!"

"Water too shallow for it to sail out?" Billy asked, joining the argument.

Maryanne rolled her eyes and Edward stressfully ran his hand through his messy blonde hair. Neither of them wanted to even bother catch the drunken fool up on every essential detail he'd missed doing whatever he was busy doing. Part of Edward even wanted to hit him, he didn't know why, he just wanted to hurt the man.