Pirate Souls

II - Chapter 12 - Storm at sea

The horizon, blurred by the smoke rising off the Anarkhia, is growing blacker and blacker to the East. In the mounting darkness, I witness the marooning of Florence and the pirates on my ruined ship.

Not a tear or a farewell. When all is said and done, we are only pirates! Once again, the sea takes the mermaid who has bewitched my soul away from me.

One night of pleasure.

It was the only thing that Dana could grant me and she did it. It was my dream. I was fortunate to be able to enjoy that bliss one last time.

A last look makes us see what is before us. She will die before me, swept up in a storm in a ruined boat. I will join her in the hereafter in a few weeks, following Carpentier's humiliations, my judgement and the gibbet.

My nightmare is becoming real. I am tied hands and feet. The Anarkhia and my men disappear in the smoke, on a sea full of broken wood. Baptiste holds me while Carpentier searches through my clothes and divests me of my pistol. He slips it into his own belt. A bolt of lightning tears the sky asunder. Thunder rolls as his acolyte escorts me to steerage. Chains await me in the bow of the ship. They are usually used for the slaves. I am seized with dread at the contact of the cold metal on my wrists and ankles. A twist of fate. Florence had warned me. I have transported bonded beings without caring for their humanity. I not only looked the other way in the face of horror, I also took part in it. I have contributed to the cruelty of the world.

A few minutes later, the captain grants me his first visit. The fool! He should be on deck helping his seamen to guide the Vindicta out of these turbulent waters. But nothing of all this is of any importance to him.

"You are so afraid of me that you have come to check that I am well tied up," I taunt him, holding up my arms to show him my iron shackles.

Yes, I know that it will not do me no good to arouse his hatred. As I have nothing more to expect from life, I might as well be a brat. That is something I know full well how to do. Hassling Carpentier will be the only amusement within my grasp for the next few weeks.

The captain moves forwards and kicks me full in the chest.

"You bloody bastard!" I bark at him.

There. I have done it. His anger grows visibly. He hits me. One punch. Then another. And yet another. He hammers at me. I can do nothing. My only defence is to curl up and hold my arms above my head to protect my face.

I endure it. I am in pain.

I hold on to the thought that it will soon be over. Carpentier is tiring. He will stop. Sooner or later...

For the time being, he continues to slap my face. Behind the buzzing in my ears, I can hear him shouting out his anger. His frenzy. His is a disorderly aggression. It reminds me of the savagery I myself used on Fisherman. He wants me to plead, to recognize that he is superior. Intellectually and physically. The fact that he is using violence to obtain it is proof of his failure. Only fools believe that you can adequately dominate an enemy by hitting him when he is down.

I used to be like him. Sirena has changed me. Thanks to her, I have evolved. That is perhaps why he hates me so. He understands that there is a part of me he will never be able to reach.

At last. The blows have stopped. Carpentier falls on his knees a good yard away from me. I raise my eyes to look at him through my split eyelids. He huffs and puffs and sweats profusely.

"That was... for... Basselin's chest," he pants.

"Well, well..." I splutter in turn. 'You should see what you look like... Crying like a kid. The thrashing... was worth it!"