A Wee Outlander FanFic

Chapter 2

We had been at sea for three days. Not much exciting happened, other than my newfound knowledge that are father gets very seasick. He was fine on the first day, the second day he managed to compose his sickness, but today was when it worsened. Him and Tara stepped out to watch to morning sunrise. I soon followed them only to find my father laid over the ledge of the ship. I escorted him back to his cot, and returned to Tara.

    "Does seeing nothing but water cause you anxiety too sister?" I asked her.

     "No, I like to imagine all that is in the water. Such as mermaids." I smiled at her. Her childhood innocence was always so admirable. I, however, could not do such a thing. I wished to see land. Being out in the open with nothing else to see but water was frightening to me. The Gloriana could sink and we would just be gone. It would be nearly impossible for anyone to find the wreckage.

"So what do you plan to do today Tara?" I wondered.

"I am going to search the ship for fathers compass." He still had yet to find it, and it meant very much to him. Our mother gifted it to him many years ago. I thought it was an odd gift considering he was no sailor, but at least he could make some use of it on the journey. Well when he finds it. "That's very sweet of you Tara, make sure to be careful going about the ship. I do not trust the crew." I patted her head, and gently pushed her along.

    I continued to watch the sunrise over the water. The ball of light was close to the water's edge, which comforted me. It made it seem as there was a break between the sky and sea. At any other time the two things merged together and seemed to be as one.

  Even though the ship had been at sea for three days, I found it hard to keep myself entertained. I often spent my time reading, but I only brought three books with me, and I had already finished one of them. I supposed I could read them a second time.

   "Excuse me miss," declared a man with a rough voice from behind me. I turned around to see a short but brawny crewman. "A pair of my breeches ripped last evening, and I was curious if you could mend them?" His voice appeared to be English, but he spoke as someone quite illiterate.

   I appreciated his request. I finally had something to keep me momentarily occupied. "Of course sir. Where might I find you when I have them mended?"

   "In the kitchen. I'm the chef." He shortly answered while tossing the breeches at me, "I expect them by tomorrow." He walked away. Why must seamen be so rude and ungentlemanly? They act as if they are superior to all, and that everyone must wait on them hand and foot. The captain of this ship especially acts as so. He behaves as if he is the King of the British empire. Our first night here, everyone gathered in the kitchen to receive their supper. The captain suspected one young man of exploiting the amount of food each person should receive. The man did take a second ration of food, I saw him do it. Regardless, the treatment he received was uncalled for. The captain meandered his way to the man, then when drawing close, he grabbed the man from behind and held a knife to his throat. The entirety of passengers were motionless in awe. The man struggled, but he was no match for the captain's strength.

   "Now I want you all to take this as a warning," he commanded slowly, but with force that could cause the hair on your arms to rise. "There will be order on my ship. This man, well,"he smiled charmingly, "he thinks that he can just have more food, than the rest of you. Well! That is just not how I am to have it. After all, this is my ship." The crewmen laughed. He let one of them take the man. "Put him in the jail, and we shall give him to Davy Jones Locker." The man screamed and tried to fight, but it was useless. He was dragged out of the room. The captain slid the knife back into his belt. "Take this as an example. If anyone makes more trouble, I will see that the ocean takes you too." With that he left and returned back to his quarters. The other passengers were frightened. A few of the women cried, possible relatives, I assumed. Unlike the others, I was more intrigued rather than alarmed. Of course the situation could have been handled differently, but the way the captain dealt with it, it was something I had never heard nor seen. I do not think I was wrong by considering him a dangerous man.

    Mending the breeches took the whole morning and a bit of the afternoon to finish. Once they were fixed, I took them to the kitchen. The chef lacked in thanking me, but muttered a "maybe you can help me with a little something else next time." I did not speak after that, I just quickly walked away composing the offense I took.

   After a short walk to my area of the ship, I noticed Tara had yet to return from her search. Concerned, especially after the comment I had received, I decided that I needed to find her, and that I would not let her out of my sight until we docked in Scotland.

   I searched every outdoor area of the ship and she was nowhere to be found. I then realized that there was only one place we had not yet seen, and that was where the cargo was being held. I walked hastily, shouting her name everywhere I stepped. I walked around stacks of food and other materials until I found her in a small corner.

   "Tara, I have been looking for you for almost an hour. How dare you stay missing for so long. I know you heard me calling for you. Wait until father finds out about this! And you know we are not allowed to be down here. Now come on." I grabbed her and dragged her towards the door. Suddenly the captain appeared and blocked the doorway.

   "Going somewhere, sweetheart?"

    "I am so sorry captain. I was looking for my sister and she was lost whilst exploring the ship." I said . I was frightened of what he would do since we weren't supposed to be where we were.

    "Well, the problem with that is," he tilted his head and smirked, "you are not supposed to be down here, whether she was exploring or not." In the time we had been on this ship, I had yet to look him in the eyes. There appeared to be no soul beneath them, no mercy, no empathy. He seemed as if he were the most intimidating man in the world. "Because lass, I am the captain and as so I control the rations of food each passenger has. How am I supposed to know you took nothing?"

    "Neither of us took a thing." I defend myself. He stepped closer to me. I felt his breath on my face as he whispered, "She can leave. You however, need to come to my office.

    "Captain, I did nothing wrong." I plead.

     He shook his head. "Are you to follow me or should I drag you there?"

    "Tara go to father." She exited the room. "I do not see why this is necessary. Neither of us did anything wrong." He grabbed me by the arm and began dragging me to his quarters.

    "Well love, I'm the captain," he curled his bottom lip, "and I make that call.