The Second Swann ---///--------

Chapter 32

         

"Quit movin'! Ye've already lost, lassie!" Charlotte heard one man hiss.

"We've been blessed, we have! Bet she's worth a good sum!"

Quietly making her way down the steps, Charlotte spotted a notch and slipped inside.

"Make sure it good and tight. We don't want her escapin'"

She peeked out to see two pirates hovering over a woman that was about her age, if she could guess. They stood up finally.

"Good, let's find the capt'n then."

Charlotte pushed herself deeper into the notch as the pirates passed. When the door closed she stepped out to run to the woman. She sat barefoot on the stone floor, with sand and mud clinging to her feet and the tattered hemline of her sleeping gown. Her wrists were bound by rope, linked to a post, with a padlock in place. She looked up and Charlotte noticed she was gagged.

She kneeled down to her and pulled it off, and just as she did, she realized how familiar those blue eyes were. Before she could register a name, the woman spoke first.

"Charlotte?!"

"Christine?"

"Just what do you think you are doing here?" Christine regarded what Charlotte was wearing. Her eyes narrowed, "you're one of them aren't you! Come to kill me, then?"

Charlotte was taken aback, "what?"

Christine continued, "I've always known there something seriously amiss about you, but to be a criminal—is that a weapon?"

Charlotte looked down at her baldric then back up at Christine, "you're ridiculous! I'm here to help you!"

"You're the one that's ridiculous! How on earth, why are you here?!"

"I'll explain after. Do you have a hairpin?"

"What would you need a hairpin for?"

To impale it through your head "do you have one or not?"

Christine reached into the tangled mass of her hair and flinched as she yanked out an iron pick. Charlotte examined it before taking it, "that will do." She pulled out her dagger from her baldric and with its tip and the pin, she worked through the lock. The lock broke free. "Come on," she said, standing up and offering a hand to Christine.

They made their way up the steps but as Charlotte went to open the door she stilled at the sound of voices approaching. She quickly turned around.

"What are you doing?" Christine demanded, stepping back, startled.

"We have to hide."

"No, we have to escape."

"Yes, but after we hide!" Charlotte answered and dragged her down the stairs. She spotted a large wine keg turned on its side, stored on a wooden rack, with its lid misaligned.

"There," she pointed, "you'll hide there."

"There?" Christine turned to her with outrage, "are you mad?"

"There isn't any time, go!" Charlotte returned, pushing her towards it. Christine clambered in.

"Ugh!" her voice echoed inside it, "how wretched."

Charlotte put the lid back where it was and heard the door opening. She dove behind a small arrangement of barrels.

"She's gone!" a pirate exclaimed.

"What do ye mean she's gone?" the second one called from above.

"I mean she's gone! She ain't here!"

"Rubbish."

"Look for yourself!"

Charlotte heard the second pirate coming down the steps.

"Well? Go on, find her! Else we ain't gettin' our coin!" the pirate paused, "oi! What do you think you're doin'?"

"W-well it's possible that she could hid here..."

"Why would she hide in the exact place we kept her! She probably ran right under our noses! Come on. She couldn't have gone far."

When Charlotte heard the door slam shut she exhaled in relief, then heard the barrel beside her shudder. Christine came tumbling out of it, coughing.

"My dress...it's ruined!"

"We have to find a way out." Charlotte helped Christine up to her feet.

It didn't take long till they found a door leading to the back. Charlotte shut it and exhaled a sigh of relief while Christine wasted no time to fully succumb to a delayed panic.

"This can't be happening, not to me! This has to be some sort of dream!" she stopped to look at Charlotte, who stared back, "a nightmare!" she began to pace, becoming more and more alike to that of an asylum patient plotting their escape. With with her nightgown billowing between her bare ankles and her hair frazzled as her expression. She shut her eyes and strained her. Then relaxed. Then dropped into panic again when she reopened her eyes. "No! It should have worked!"

Charlotte rolled her eyes, turning to Christine with a glare, "why don't you calm down?"

"Calm down?" Christine repeated shrilly then stomped towards her "calm down?! Have you not noticed what state I am in?! I'm a mess! And you!" her eyes went wide as she lifted up a finger, "I was right about you! You truly have made friends with pirates! I was right! Ha!"Charlotte watched in horror as Christine's demeanor became more and more unladylike. "Ha! Oh, this is good! This is very good! Now when I spread the word that Charlotte Swann frolicks in felonies they'll believe me!"

Charlotte stared at the hysteria unleashing before her.

"And how do you manage you'll do that?"

Christine stops smiling and blinks. She turns to her with a look of horror. "I'm stuck here? You've no way to leave this forsaken island?!"

"No."

"Then how did you get here?!"

"I'm going to save my sister."

"Elizabeth? She...she's been taken away?"

———continuing with editing
What was she going to do with her?

The initial thought and instinct was to leave this woman behind, but that wouldn't be quite ethical, no matter how appealing the thought of it was. She also doubted there would be anyone on this island who'd genuinely wish to help. If they tried, they'd likely run into the pirates they were avoiding.

Charlotte groaned at the conclusion. She'd more than likely have to take her with her. Which led to the next predicament. There was not a slight bit of chance that the captain wouldnt someone like her on board.