A Shade Darker ✔️

{Chapter Sixty Four}

Ashore The Mainland

April 5th, 2018

Ashley

I woke to the smell of salt in the air, and birds singing in the sky, their calls echoing off the water and reverberating into the window. I still had that dreamy feeling about me when you're not quite awake but you don't want to get up, and right now I had no plans of it. My only plan was to lie here in my relaxed state of mind.

Everything was so peaceful for a moment, until the abrupt loud snore had my eyes open in an instant. Only then was I aware of Mike next to me.

I smiled at the sight of him so relaxed, and praised myself for the faint teeth marks on his shoulder. I could feel the heat stir inside of me and lie heavily in the center of my chest.

Oh yes, last night had been slow, lethargic movements. Punishment that he do well deserved. And oh how he behaved himself, keeping his hands at bay, clenched tightly into fists. No pleads or protests, no fight for domination.

He knew he deserved it, and I had done him well.

I sighed deeply and stood from the bed, already hearing crew members moving about the deck to start their day.

I found my shirt and tied it, then my pants and buckled the belt around my waist. After strapping my knife to my thigh, I was ready for the day.

I laughed faintly when Mike rolled over on the bed, his ass as pale as a ghost and smooth as a newborn's.

I sighed deeply again, but at an empty feeling that caused my spirits to drop.

Snow was at home, the place where I longed to be, probably cooped up inside the house all day without seeing an ounce of sunlight.

Billie

"Please stop crying, snowflake...I- I'll give you a rattle. Ooh, look, see the shiny rattle?" I was exhausted and my ears close to bleeding as I sat outside the laundry station and tried to coerce my brother's daughter to stop crying.

Nevertheless, my attempts all failed miserably and Snow's cries only seemed to grow louder.

The rattle grew limp in my hand as I leaned my head back against the station's wall and bounced the child on my knee.

"Have you tried rocking her in your arms?" A faint voice called, causing my head to rise.

My ears picked up the soft spoken voice even over the loud cries. I couldn't miss the high tone, soft and appealing to my senses.

I blinked at the sight in front of me. A petite woman, at least a head shorter than me was exiting the laundry station with a basket on her hip. She had fair features, skin, as well as light colored eyes and golden hair. Her cheeks were rosy though, a small tint of color to her otherwise glowing face. A few whisps of gold hair blew in the breeze and tickled her small nose.

Her gaze on me held and for a moment I felt a smile break out on my face as I remembered the crying child and tucked her into my arms. I held her and listened to the cries grow quieter.

With a pleased grin on small pink lips, the girl gave a nod and began on her way.

"I bid you good day, you and your daughter" I stood quickly and followed through the crowd of people, following the girl who had given me such great advice.

Ashley

I wiped a few stray tears from my eyes and pulled myself together. This wasn't a moment to be crying, nor one to be thinking about home when it was so out of reach. I still had duties on the ship, ones that I needed to fulfill. I had to stay focused if I planned on surviving to get back to her.

I decided against waking Mike from his slumber and slowly went to the door. It opened quickly before I could and a young man, John, stood grasping his arm. Blood seeped between his fingers.

"What happened?!" He didn't speak and didn't wait for the invitation that I wasn't about to give. He strode into the room and sat himself on a stool across from the bed.

"My arm, it got caught on the rope as the men were trying up the cannons. One got lose and struck me. Have you any bandages?" I sighed deeply and threw a blanket carelessly over Mike's nakedness.

I reached under the desk and pulled out a long spool of bandage and tape.

"It'll need to be cleaned first" I sat the bandages down and grabbed a bucket of clean water.

I knelt by John and began cleaning the wound.

"It's deep, but not wide. You'll likely not need stitches, but it'll leave a scar. Now hold still" I pressed a small amount of iodine to the wound to keep it from infection and wrapped the bandage tightly around the arm.

John's eyes glanced over to the bed before he gave a slight knowing smirk down at me.

"Quite the night, then?" I kept my eyes on his arm, still wrapping.

"I suppose so. If you hadn't barged in here, it would've been all the better" The young lad made a dismissive sound in his throat and waited for me to finish.

"Tis' no trouble of mine. I'm happy to say I'm glad you two are back on terms. It was uncomfortable for the rest of the crew to go about when not knowing which captain to listen to" I had to agree with him, but I made no further remarks.

I taped the bandage and stood.

He walked towards the door with a smile.

"I shall let the crew know then. And thank ya' for the bandage, I must apologize for coming in uninvited. I will knock next time" I gave a small nod and thanks.

"Oh, just one more thing, Queen Ashley. Be sure to wake your husband quickly, we've found land to rest on. And the enemy ship had called a truce. We'll return home in three weeks time"