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

Chapter 5

Maryanne looked out into the horizon, taking in every elaborate detail. This was her first ever time at sea, she couldn't imagine the wonders it held. Edward looked over at her, smiling to himself as he watched her bask in the glorious sun and feel the sea winds blowing her red hair behind her. Her eyes glistened in the reflection of the sunlight, making them even more impossibly beautiful. Maryanne's attention turned to the massive white sails, like clouds pulling the ship off further to sea. The ship was massive, bigger than most ships in the British armada. It had everything a ship needed and more, sixty cannons, a large galley and the brig could easily fit over twenty men at capacity. The ships figurehead was the trident of Poseidon, marking it as the might sea gods ship of choice.

Maryanne wouldn't admit it to Edward, or anyone, but she never believed it to be true. Her own story. She thought her friend in Spain was simply insane. But this person proved themselves, and now Maryanne was anxious to meet them. A lone bird flew overhead, grabbing Maryanne's attention swiftly. She'd hoped the story to be true. She would finally get to leave the island and feel the sea blow past her hair and get to explore the world. She pulled a small map from her coat and began inspecting it.

"How recent be that map?" Edward asked, noticing her inspecting it.

"I purchased it off a man who said he'd personally made it only months ago..." Maryanne answered, smiling cheekily to herself.

"By the look of your face and tone of your voice, you didn't purchase it did you?" Edward playfully interrogated the new pirate. Her face lighting up and playful giggles escaping her lips confirmed his theory. "Well pirates are meant to steal!"

Maryanne laughed joyfully. "Well yo h-"

"If you even dare finish that sentence, I'll feed you to the sea myself." Edward snapped sternly. "It's an insulting cliche, no person let alone pirate speaks like that!"

"I'll drink to that..." Maryanne reached for a bottle of rum, swigging it. "Or anything really..."

"Aie! That be more like it lass!" Maryanne quickly pulled her sword from her waist and placed it at Edward's throat. The crew turned and unsheathed their own weapons, ready to attack Maryanne. Edward looked into her angry, but still beautiful, eyes and laugh at her in a patronising way. "Be more careful if you wish to kill your captain..."

Maryanne observed the number of men starring her down before placing her sword back at her side. "I don't like you calling me that..."

"I'll take that into account. Impressive movement with a weapon." Edward rubbed the nearly broken skin at his throat, grimacing. "Could use some work however..."

"What kind of work? Like my stance? Moves?"

"Moves? It's swordplay not a dance! You have one goal..." Edward explained. "Don't die before your opponent! Got me?"

"And how might one do that?"

"There will never be a fair fight Maryanne! Fight dirty! Throw sand in their eyes and slit their throat! No hesitation, you follow? Go ask Billy for some tips, he surely doesn't fight in a classy way... He can't even drink in a civilised fashion..."

Edward and Maryanne laughed with each other, the crew resuming their positions due to the volatile situation being over. Edward looked at Maryanne's map, remembering how the conversation started in the first place. El Puerto de Santa Maria was on the Spanish coast, directing looking out to the Atlantic Ocean. Ha! Atlantic Ocean, that isn't a coincidence! Edward amused himself, connecting Poseidon's Guide to Atlantis and the Atlantic Ocean, so forth. Not of any concern to them, a dangerous force made its way to Bortolini tracing a story of a lost ship returning...