Viola

Sweet Dreams

"Madeleine?" The Lady Captain asked.

"Yeeeesssssss?" I was in her room, sitting on her bed. She had left me alone and asleep for several minutes at most. I could still hear the party outside.

"Why on Earth are you drunk?"

I shrugged, blushed. "Felt sad. Wanted to cheer up,"

She shook her head. "Can you walk?"

"Yes," I said, not bothering to move.

She raised an eyebrow, holding her arm out in case I needed it.

I slid off the bed and onto the floor. I heard a giggle from across the room. "Who's that?" I asked the floor.

The Lady Captain lifted me up. I looked to the side. The whore was sitting on a chair on the other side of the room, nude.

I attempted to yell a curse of some sort, but my mouth seemed to be stuffed with coarse fabric. Or at least it felt like it.

Then I calmed down, even though the Lady Captain was restraining me. "Nice siens," I muttered.

"Was that for me or you?" The whore asked.

"I'm assuming for you," The captain said. "As much as I'd like to flatter myself."

"I'd like to agree," the whore purred.

"You can stop, now, Margarita. I've paid,"

"Ay, gracias a Dios!" The whore, Margarita, said.

I fell into the Lady Captain's chest, which I found was pleasantly unbound. "It was for you," I said, pointing at Margarita.

She laughed again, a pleasant melody, a smooth collection of notes I wished I could emulate.

"You're a really good dancer," I said. It was barely coherent.

Margarita began collecting her clothes. "Thank you! I really do enjoy your pirate nights. All the girls make quite a clamor to be chosen by you, Captain, and I have to say–"

I rolled my eyes despite their heaviness. They felt sticky. Could eyes be sticky? "No, my Captain here,"

I could sense the Captain could scarcely hear the words I was saying, but the arm that had slung itself across her neck got my point across.

"Madeleine, I do not think you are in your right mind–"

"Let's show her, Captain!" I said, filled with energy. I grabbed her in a traditional hold (me as the man, her as the woman), and tried to twirl her, but her arms held me firmly in place. "You're so strong! Stronger than any of my other suitors,"

"Thank you, but I really don't think you should be..." she trailed off.

The whor—Margarita—walked over toward us. I scoffed. She raised a single eyebrow at me. "Captain?" she asked in her sweet, husky tone. "Do you need my services any longer?"

"Yes, I mean, no," she said, sounding strangled. I realize my arm was mildly choking her. I removed it, then forgot it was the only thing anchoring me upright. The Lady Captain swooped me back up before I could fall, though. "You may leave. Tell your Lady you were excellent,"

She nodded, then skipped out the door.

"Is it just me or does she look a lot like me?" I asked, talking into the Captain's chest. It wasn't my fault. I'm just short.

"It's just you," she said hurriedly. "Time for you to go to sleep,"

"Sleep? With you, Captain? I hadn't realized you thought about me that way, although Henri did say..." I trailed off, my sodden brain realizing I shouldn't share everything Henri says.