The Blood In My Veins | Black Sails (Under Constructions)

A Lion's Den

My cold body shivered and I smiled as I felt a warm hand on my bare arm, knowing it was the one from the blue eyed man sitting down behind me.

I was happy to see that we succeeded, but what I didn't want to think about was climbing the even bigger ship than the one we set on fire.

~~~

(POV Charles Vane)

With my boot leaning onto the higher side of the railing of the ship, I watched the light turquoise sea as my mind went to Naida. It had been a few days after sailing into the dark horizon and her wound was healing better now she had rest. The only thing that concerned me now was the fact that it was getting visible that she was carrying my child.

I could have expected it.

She should be around three months by now and I noticed I was getting even more protective over her. My fear went towards her safety and health and it affected my mood a lot. Besides all that, the men of Teach started to know about her and the kid which wasn't an amazing thought either. Perhaps Teach was right. I definitely changed in a good way which I didn't mind, just, it also gave me something to lose and that uncomfortable feeling bottled up every time I saw the woman I loved.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Teach walked towards me and stood upright, looking down at me.

Wind's in our favor. Should be arriving in Ocracoke in three days' time."

I nodded at Teach and right away felt the feeling he was going to tell me another story because of the strange silence.

"My fourth wife. Constance.... a sweet girl, bright, but she had her notions. Cricket in the house means good luck, a moth in the house, bad. And the bed.... Jesus the bed. No hats on it, no brooms near it, nor any clothes in it that were worn outdoors. Any violation of this brought great misfortune. I mean, for an otherwise sane woman, she had these pockets of complete and thorough madness within her. Although, it's been six years since I've seen her face.... to this day, if I.... if I see a broom by a bed, I have to move it."

I raised an eyebrow at the man standing in front of me and narrowed my eyes as I couldn't focus on the meaning behind his weird talking.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"A woman has that power, God-given, to leave her marks on you. And it's far harder to dispose of the marks than the woman who left them."

"You think I'm having second thoughts about leaving Nassau? That that is the mark Eleanor Guthrie left on me?" I furrowed my eyebrows before tilting my head slightly.

"I know it is. And I know that you're conflicted about what you have left behind. But the question is whether you can cling fast to the truth we both hold in our hearts, the truth that makes us of the same mind."

"And what truth is that?"

"That a lion keeps no den. Because the savanna, all the space within it, everything that walks and crawls upon it belongs to him." With unbelief, I stared at the clear ocean again and shook my head.

"When I talked like that, they all looked at me like I was mad-.... They never understood."

"There's hardly any of us who do."

"Sails!"

In the distance we heard a man who I recognised as Reuben shouting, he was mostly serving on the vanguard.

He appeared to be spying the merchant ship sailing before us and as we walked closer he was still watching it until we ended up standing next to the red haired man, leaning onto the railing.

He nervously looked away from his spyglass towards us and lowered his head.

"Three masts."

"Colors?" Reuben suddenly hesitated before speaking up and answered Teach with something I rather not wanted to hear.

"Spanish."

"Signal the fleet. Set a course to pursue." Reuben shortly made eye contact with Teach before nodding and left the higher floor to give the orders around.

Teach was about to break a long tradition of pirates not to attack Spanish ships and was acting totally normal about it. I on the other hand wasn't agreeing with my former mentor.

"It was never a rule. No one ever decided it. It was just something of an understanding. Spanish ships are to be avoided."

"Yeah, for fear of reprisals against Nassau. I suppose that's one less thing to worry about now, then. Wake up your woman." I rolled my eyes before I took action, leaving my spot to, indeed, see Naida.

Walking a few stairs up and then down, being accused by crew members for help along the way, I finally arrived at Naida's hammock. To my surprise she wasn't asleep at all, she was fully awake while staring at the ceiling with her hand laying next to her and the other one on her rib cage. "Naida?" I called, trying to get her attention and she weakly waved at me when she took note of me. I slowly got closer and sat down next to her hammock on a small, wooden side table. She looked pretty rested.

Suddenly, she shot upright and held her hand for her mouth as I grabbed her by her back automatically, trying to comfort her.

"I couldn't sleep.... I'm way too nauseous for that-.... And I miss us sharing a bed." I spotted a small smile being painted on the Captain's face as I gave her a sign she was totally right.

I missed it too, the feeling of her curling up into my side, her head laying on my chest. Hearts beating the same rhythm, same as our breathing being in sync.

The feeling of her warming up my bed, just the safety I felt around her, I indeed missed it.

Naida threw her legs over the side of her swinging hammock and I caught her when she almost fell to the ground.

"Perhaps we need to find another way for you to sleep properly."

"With you, don't forget that." I smiled, an idea popping into my head.

Teach already had a big liking towards her, even trusted her, so perhaps he would let us sleep in his cabin if he was in a nice mood when I asked.

"Naida, we are pursuing a Spanish ship at the moment."

"On Teach's command?"

"Yes. Listen, within an hour or two they or we will board them and I don't think they will surrender."

"Fucking great." She rubbed her temples before sitting on my lap.

"I thought the same.... and.... he wants you on board."

"What?"

"Can you fight without being harmed?"

I looked down at her and out of a sudden her eyes lit up.

"Long range?"

"If that works for you, yes." I nodded.

"Fuck yeah."

"Good." I smiled back before pulling her into a hug.