THE ASC3NDANTS Awakening. (III) ✔[#Wattys2019]

Chapter (10)

Chapter 10 

He attacked Smarya but she was as steady as he was. His first two blows were surprisingly waved off skillfully until the pirate girl drove him into some boxes of food. She pressed him there with his hand twisted back facing up the way her knee was against his spine!
She took out her blade and tries to slice it through his neck but he did not allow this to come so easily! He crushed her foot and when she winced, he turned out of the way with a swift twist! Took her by the hair and dragged backwards with a tripping toe. She could not find balance from this trick and before she knew it, she was struggling backwards under the young man's weight. And a dagger against her neck so hard
Stop it fool!" The grand pirate yelled at him but before he could get a proper aim at the young man, the blade was already against his daughter's neck and any slight mistake he made, would mean her last breath!
This struggle happened in a blink of five second, and by the time, it ended; no party was above the other! Fear engulfed the Pirate's face just as he started forward as if he had something he could do about this defeat. She was indeed his weakness!
Stanley dragged the girl back with a sharp instruction to the grand pirate not to draw another inch closer!
The last scream pierced the fog from the ship across! The pirates felt a twinge of fear grip them. They looked puzzled for the very first time. Stanley did not care what happened the other side. He knew one thing now. He was having an upper hand and needed not waste the chance! He immediately acted up!
"It is over Pirate, you need not make another mistake lest I slight this pretty thing's throat here. Just make another move!" Stanley barked at the pirate!
The pirate was furious and breath came like that of an angry bull ready to charge at him whatsoever but not when its horns are broken. The girl was struggling under his grip when he barked at her too and shaking her violently.
"And you better cease your struggling, hopeless. Because he can no longer save you from this."
The girl's defeat seemed a great surprise to the rest of the pirates. The moment she got into a struggle with the Black Project Captain, they turned in her defense but were not first enough! She was done for.
Having attained everyone's attention on board Holtem's deck, Stanley dragged her to the side of the ship. However, he never realized how much he was shivering from the tension and pressure he had around him in addition, the drizzling rain.
"Tell your men to lower their arms immediately or else this-" A major wave of silence crossed the deck when the grand captain instructed his men to cease attacking for his daughter's sake. Anger engulfed him. He gazed at her with such a down cast frown because this instructions to her were as clear as day!
The grand pirate nodded at his men who quickly divided the floor by taking their captain's side followed by Holtem's crew. Never the less their captain was not going to make it. Two of Pirate Alsahim's men dragged him up under their support. They dragged him over to his side.
"Do whatever you wish but dare not spill a drop of her blood unless you wish his guts running across this deck!" Captain Horrace's men saw the grand captain hold their captain's head back by the head! They cringed with terror! Horrace was the last captain they had. Their life at sea was to end with him if today would be his last!
"We needed not spill any blood this day because what brought me I was as simple..."
"Propose no trade upon this deck and have your men off this ship or she pays the price of the blood you have already spilt..."
"She has got nothing to do with my deeds..."
Just let her be and ill spare him and maybe, maybe we can strike a deal like captains..." Captain Alsahim calmly requested him while pressing his blade onto Horrace's belly. Stanley felt pressured by what Captain Horrace's men thought about his next step.
Just then, captain Horrace spat out.
"Don't dare, dare let th- that bustard girl go Captain Stanley. Don't be fooled!"
The Captain's lips were flowing with blood in the sides. His pain was indescribable! His warning motivated Stanley. He instead got more furious and sliced the into girl's wrist before the pirate could use this chance to request for whatever brought him. The girl let out a loud scream causing the father to raise an arm saying of surrender.
"Father-" The daughter began but...
"Oh, okay, okay-" Alsahim said as he released the already limp, dying man and added, "Now, if you would release her..., we shall leave here at once but be sure..."
"Shut your beak girl and, -you sir cut the crap and do just what I have asked... No negotiations!"
Stanley barked at the girl daring not to loosen her, pressing the blade hard onto the girl's neck once more! She winced with pain biting her lips lest he slit her.
Captain Horrace dropped to the floor and tried to crawl away.
"Let her loose and I shall depart at once..." Captain Alsahim spoke waving his men back off the ship.
"It's up to me now, where and when I shall release her. Now, if you please?"
"She is my daughter and you have no...!" the pirate sneered and started forwards but the ship's cook stepped forwards quickly his face as serious and sure like never before. He held the muzzle of his gun up at the Grand Pirate. The Pirate halted!
This was an absolute defeat for the grand pirate... However, that was it! However, his defeat was not going to come so easily like this...
Not just, like this. He looked at Smarya with a hard man's expression, but all she could see hits of fear under his usual frown.
"Fool!' is what she indistinguishably read from her father's lips when he turns around to leave the ship.
"Don't you wake up a day later and find this was the gravest mistake you have ever made because be sure I'll find you sooner than you can know."
The pirate said with his back at Stanley and next, he stooped aside so slightly and pulled an arrow out of Capt. Horace's back! This cause the man excruciating pain.
"Father?"
"He glances back at her with pity in his look this time. However, he had nothing to say to her. She had chosen this herself and he his hands were tied.
"Please don't leave me behind-?" Smarya started again worry filling her face too! Nevertheless, her father returned no response. Moreover, after a few seconds, he turned to follow his men!
There was another moment of silence across the damaged ship. Once all the pirate boats were off, Stanley motioned to the surviving crew mates to give him a hand with this prisoner. He thrust the girl to the floor and his men surrounded her.
"Chain her to the mast..." He instructs his men. Next, he scuttled over to Capt. Horrace whose wounds were beyond assistance.
Smarya got violent and yelled at her father not to leave her behind but her father could not save her no longer!
The man still breathed. He bent down to and collected him into his arms just when a few of his men rushed up around him. The captain's condition was sympathizing! Pickles began sobbing the moment he saw his captain's condition. The chef provided him with his shoulder to sob on while he patted his back.
"That's how far I could go Captain..." Capt. Horrace began coughing.
"You must take this.... take it. And promise you shall get each of my men home safely. Those still alive. Lose no other because they have been good men. Friends and family to me. Will you Sir?"
"I shall. Yes..."
Capt. Horrace smiled. He reached for his hand and spoke again the world that would become his last.
"You and Cobham resemble very much..." Stanley could not add to that because it wasn't the first time he was hearing the compliment. He only nodded with a smile.
"Is it true he lives?"
"Cobham?" Stanley stammered. "Cobham... I cannot tell but many think so... even though no one has got proof yet."
"If you do get to meet him... tell him I'm sorry I failed him when he needed me. Then I saw the dream weaver. And she comes..."
Then as if the sun shone upon his face, the Capt. smiled for the very first time ever since they met onboard this ship a week back. Stanley returned the smile but then he hadn't understood what the Captain meant.
"The dream weaver...?" Stanley asked but before he could ask what she meant by that, the man died. Then the man breathed his last. He returned his eyelids and stood up with instructions to his men to collect him up. They would take him below deck where they would lay him covered on top a long table in the captain's main chamber until next morning, which was not far.
Four men dragged the pirate girl to the main mast where they chained her! However, everyone of Capt. Horrace's men started throwing dark glances at her. Stanley saw this and knew she may not live through the night if he left her out on open deck. They blamed her for their Captain's death and sorrow filled them all.
Pickles could no longer hold back his hateful feeling he comforted about this pirate girl. She certainly was responsible for the death of his captain. Captain Horrace watched his men busy with clearing the deck of all their dead comrade's bodies.
However, Pickles, one of Horrace's men wasn't doing anything. He would no longer follow anyone's instructions for reasons he knew best. Stanley did not force him but had him under check! Truth, Pickle's allegiance was not sworn to him yet but there was need to follow protocol after what just happened. But he watched him and just like the rest that were busy,
Across the fog, Pirate Alsahim and the remainder of his men sailed up to the grey ship. There was an unusual silence. And when they got up on deck the ship, what they found, I cannot disclose yet but it was horrific to behold! Reason here is I will need to use what happened as a reference later.
Captain Stanley watched pickles from the corners of his eye. All of a sudden, Pickles made for the girl with a drawn dagger. Captain Stanley drew his gun quickly and shot him in the left leg. Pickles was a few steps away from the girl when the bullet went through his leg. He stumbled and rolled over.
Nevertheless, Pickles had personal feeling that drove him! He ignored the pain and started up again but Stanley got to him earlier.
Pickles cursed with such discontented while he tried to crawl closer! Then walked over to him. Before he could reach her, he had a foot on top of his back. He groaned in pain... Before he could pierce through her thighs, which she parted just in time when Stanley grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up and back from his prisoner.
"This is a prisoner now. She is my prisoner and so will she ream under the custody of the Black project and the magistrate of fifth gates of piracy, Winchester."
He supported the young man up. Once he got up on his feet, Stanley forcefully turning him around to face the rest of Capt. Horrace's crew.
Pickles saw no shame in this! His allegiance was to one man that lay dead below deck this very moment. Therefore, what could Stanley say now! He limped and staggered violently out of Staley's grip as if to say.
"I will expect no contact between any of you and the prisoner unless I say so. She is and will remain an asset of the black project from now and so forth...
Nevertheless, no one cared what he said or replied because many actually felt the same way Pickles felt about the pirate girl. If possible each one had a good reason to drive a dagger into her any chance they could get!
He stood between them and the girl for a few seconds while everyone returned to what they were doing. He raised his face towards the great fog. In addition, slowly walked over to the side of the ship. He captain Horrace's spyglass and peered out into the fog. The pirates' ship was no longer there...
"I'd rather you kill me or dump me into the sea... because when father returns, it will thrice the loss that's been here today!"
She told him. He turned around sharply lowering the spyglass slowly as if in great surprise. His lips hardened from what she just requested of him! He starts towards her while removing one of his gloves. She realized a limp and his heavy Black Project boots stained with blood.
She shivered from the cold and had her legs folded. Her eyes rose never breaking the gaze The young captain held as sure and solid.
He limped from a deep cut in his right thigh and she saw him trying his best to conceal it from the rest of the crew for no clear reason. Al of a sudden he bent down on one knee! She shivered again never realizing she too was trying to conceal the shivers lest they be mistaken for fear or cowardice!
Her hair was as dark as ebony and fell all over concealing her face. He reached out slowly for it just when she leaned aside slightly. He did not speak but showed her that he only meant to... she let him. He waved the hair aside revealing her face! She was indescribably the fairest lady.
He took her face and without any resistance from her, lifted her chin to face him. His eye brows rose before they went into a frown after realizing how deep her dark eyes seemed to look within his! All the same, he never broke the gaze.
"Smarya- is what they call you?" He said deeply
"Well, it's a pretty name you got girl. Never the less, by sunrise it will no longer be your name."
"He told her. From her gaze, he saw he had her attention but then he had a few question to ask her himself.
"I must not set foot upon the dry lands..., I beg you throw me into the sea... I'd rather die that way. Please." She spoke in such a pitiful tune. Stanley got confused for a few seconds.
He could see that she was shivering. He took a few hairs between his fingers and rolled them thoughtfully. He rolled her hair between his first two fore fingers thoughtfully before he revealed to her...
"I'm sorry I can't do that Smarya."
"What do you want from me...?"
To this, he did not respond to except, "The sun will set in a few hours and ..." He paused for a second before he concluded with, "-May the gods have mercy on you Smarya!" Having said that, he stood up and turning to his men said. He sprung up faster than he had gone down and immediately turned to his men. All the dead they'd tossed into the sea having cut off their little fingers as was the custom on board Holtem Ship when it came to the comradeship of the crew. These they would burn along with their captain's body when they came ashore.
"Now listen here y'all!" He called to the men adding, "Holtem won't make it to Port Zanzibar. She will need repair and the closest point between here and the port are the M'kotwa marshes."
The crew heard him but no one opposed his idea because it was evident they could not make it without repairs.
"Much of the food and water supplements have been lost overboard and can replace them. If you all would please take to the rowing deck... each one of you with a rowing stick."
He started up towards the ship's wheel where he would take charge of the ship's captainship until they reached the Zanzibar port. As he passed, he gave the pirate girl such a look she could not define. Undeniably, she was beautiful indeed, unlike any other young woman he has ever encountered!