Black Hearted

Part 42

Mark glanced out at the open water, hoping to see what had Nate so spooked. He didn't see anything. The water was too dark. Looking back at Nate, he asked him curiously. "What has found him? More Krakens?" Nate took a step back from the edge, finally looking at him with a hard stare as he answered coolly. "Sirens. We need to get off the water. Salvage what you can from Silver's ship... but we need to move before others show up." Mark gave Nate a swift nod. He didn't see a reason not to trust him in times like this. Nate's instincts were rarely wrong. Mark crossed the ship barking out orders to the crew. He told them to take as much as they could from Silver's ship to keep their ship afloat. Then helped take in inventory as the crew got to work. Nate raced around the ship to see the worst of the damage and asked crewmembers to bring him specific pieces from Silver's ship. Every so often, Mark saw Sean helping the crew cart stuff over. Before too long, they had salvaged what they could, and Nate steered the ship out at a gradual pace.

The ship was far from being in good shape, but she was still seaworthy. No one rested. Everyone was too busy or too worried that the ship wouldn't pull through. Holes kept appearing in the haul below deck. While cleaning away splinters of wood and securing loose cannons was a chore all by itself. The spare main mast was holding, but the wind wasn't with them. Which resulted in Sean having to manipulate the water to help move the ship along, while Nate steered. Mark tried to help keep the moral up with his crew as he helped them where he could. Venturing out from the majority of the Mediterranean Sea, they managed to pull into a Spanish port. Docking into the harbor, Mark paid off the harbor master and engaged in trade for more supplies to fix the ship. The process was long with the language barrier between them. Fortunately, one or two members of his crew was fluent enough in the language to get them through it. By the time they got everything arranged though, both him and his crew were exhausted.

Dismissing them for the night, they all made their way to the coastal inns and taverns. The inns were already pretty full, but he managed to get a room. Sending Nate and Sean to it, he explored the port for a bit. As tired as he was, he wanted to make sure that his crew all had places to go. He even loaned out a few coins to crewmembers that were short for lodgings. He needed them all in top condition tomorrow. Finally, venturing back to his room, he silently crept inside and smiled warmly. Nate and Sean were already in the large queen-sized bed. They were sleeping so peacefully that Mark tried his best not to wake them as he undressed. They both had worked so tirelessly to keep the ship going that they had earned as much rest as they could get. Slipping into the bed very carefully, he turned away from them. He didn't want to risk snuggling against Sean. His movement alone had not gone unnoticed though. Behind him, Sean rolled over from snuggling against Nate to snuggle against him.

Mark hugged Sean's arm closer to his chest with a sleepy smile, his body drifting off as the soft bed relaxed his aching bones. Mark awoke the next day with a deep groan to the warmth of the sun streaming in through the sheer white curtains. He didn't want to get up. Taking the pillow, he pulled it over his head to block it out. When Nate chuckled out to him playfully. "You should get up soon. The crew is pretty much up and exploring." Mark groaned into the mattress, muffling out sleepily. "Ugh... You get to work... I'm exhausted." Nate chuckled from across the room, stating out lightly. "I can't. I'm the helmsmen. You want to avoid work? Go find your Quartermaster and let him put them to work." Mark reluctantly sat up, shooting a sleepy glare in Nate's general direction as he ordered him dryly. "Go fetch him." Nate scoffed, splashing water as he snapped out still in a light tone. "Go fetch him yourself, Jackass." Mark woke up more, growling out bitterly. "I am your Captain! I'm ordering you to go fetch him!"

Nate blew a raspberry at him, stating out bluntly after. "Do I look like I can fetch him?" Mark took in where Nate was and blushed slightly. Nate was lounging in a brass bathtub with his legs hanging off the sides. Turning away to stare at the carpet, Mark mumbled out. "Oh... " Then it hit him. Where was Sean? Taking in the room with worried eyes, he practically shouted out. "Where is Sean?" Nate raised a hand in a gesture for him to calm down, before telling him calmly. "He's fine. Robin took him to the market square. He needs new clothes and weapons... Plus... there is a stall selling seashells that he wanted to see." Mark slipped off the bed, commenting rather sharply. "You let him go alone?" His anger was wasted on Nate. Nate flicked his fingers across the water surface, answering unfazed. "I told you. He isn't alone. Robin, Bob, Wade, and Felix all went with him. He's fine. I've seen it." Mark shot him a doubtful look, grumbling out. "How have you seen it? You're in a tub?" Nate touched a finger to the surface of the water and made a circular motion.