My Treasure

My Treasure: Chapter 2

Everyone gawks at the beautiful woman following Captain Kirkland aboard his ship. He leads her to his office, where a blonde Frenchman with shoulder length hair and blue eyes is waiting for them. He goes by the name of Francis Bonnefoy and is Kirkland's first mate. Mari dumps her trunk on the floor next to the chair that Arthur has told her to sit in. He is sitting across a desk from her, while Francis is standing above him. They both are smaller thin men, Francis being the slightly larger of the two. Mari leans back in her chair, "So, what do you two gentlemen need to know?"

"Everything." Francis says plainly. "And may I add, you are very beautiful, no." He says in a heavy French accent. And Mari was beautiful. What with her lovely grey eyes and smooth, silky dark hair braided down her back. Arthur sits in silence, staring at Mari and assessing her every move.

"Well where to start..." Mari ponders out loud. "Let's see. My full name is Marietta Lavender Addams, my mother loved lavender. I am twenty years of age and have received formal schooling. I am literate in English and also speak Latin." Arthur raises his thick dark eyebrows. For a thief, this woman was educated.

"I see you are literate as well, Arthur." Mari pulls a small leather-bound book with archaic runes scribble inside. "Though in what language I don't know..." She says as she skims through the pages. Arthur snatches the book from her hand. "That's mine." He says. "And don't call me Arthur either." 

"Well I'm letting you call me Mari." Mari retorts. Arthur mutter something along the lines of "bloody git" under his breath. 

 "I play stringed instruments as well, and I own a lute. Don't touch it." Mari continues. "I have brought my own spare clothing, and as you have seen I own two scimitars and a dagger."

Arthur interrupts her. "For a woman so educated, what made you turn to a life of crime? You could have been a suitable match for any of the upper class men in town." 

Mari snorts derisively. "That's a story that will take some time. You can hear it after I sign on. As for being unwed. Why would I want to? A city man would only tie me down, I couldn't be free. I couldn't be near the sea for one." Arthur nods his head in understanding. 

"Now Arthur, I presume you are about my age as well? Even if you act like an old man." Arthur scowls and mutter "Bloody git." at her once again. 

Either way he answers her question. "I'm twenty-one, if you must know."

"I'm twenty-five!" Francis cuts in as her smiles charmingly at Mari. Mari and Arthur scowl at him. 

"Well Mr. Kirkland, how did you come by to captain a ship at such a young age?" Mari continues. 

"I ran away from home when I was thirteen. I've been on the sea ever since. I was the previous captain of this ship's favorite crew member, he treated me as a son. He was old and died of pneumonia. He left me the ship, and some of the crew stayed on, the most left. I employed Mr. Bonnefoy as my first mate, he and I were long time friends on the ship. Now as to leaving my family, I left, and have never looked back. I was the son of a poor naval man. That drunk was a horrid father..." Arthur tappers off his speech, now deep in reminiscing. 

He jerks his head up, brought back to the real world by a polite cough from Francis. "Oh yes, we now have to search you. It's protocol. And you pulled a hidden knife on me during our little fight."

Mari looks indignant at this. "You pulled a hidden knife on me too!" She protests. Francis, though, has already began searching through her trunk. "No weapons in here!" He called. "But there are some very nice panties..." 

"Get out of there you bloody wanker!" Mari shouts. 

Next, Mari's satchel is put up for inspection. "I don't think there are any weapons in here..." Francis says unsure. "Ha!" Mari laughs mockingly. She moves to her satchel and pulls out two daggers concealed in hidden sheathes on either side of the inside of the satchel. She lays the two weapons on the table in front of Arthur. Mari returns to her seat and leans back in her chair.