Chapter 14
Howard had not slept a wink during the
night. His dream kept haunting him. He couldn’t help but look at his crescent
moon tattoo. He could feel his soul being torn in two, or was it from drinking
too much rum? He did not know. Getting off the bed he walked towards the
kitchen He noticed Diana was sleeping soundly in the corner and Nicholas was
cooking breakfast keeping quiet as possible. Howard growled and looked to
Nicholas.
“Why isn’t that gypsy wench helping
you?” He yelled to Nicholas who was now shaking.
Diana awoke with a start and stood
quickly. She scrambled to help Nicholas with the breakfast as the captain
watched her as she moved. Nicholas noticed how Diana cowered from the
Captain when she would usually defend herself. He noticed the red marks on her
neck and his eyes widened as he looked to the captain. Staying quiet he
finished preparing the captains breakfast and served it to him on a plate.
Howard ate quietly and rapidly. He could feel Diana’s eyes on him but he
ignored her. He was to meet Kevin today in the market to discuss their next
adventure. He Looked to Nicholas and to Diana and smiled.
“Nicholas I want you to let Diana do
all your chores show her where everything is, except you are to clean out the
weapons, do not let her anywhere near them or you will find yourself lashed” He
said as he took a sip of ale.
“Aye Capin” Nicholas said and
saluted.
Diana kept herself busy by cleaning
the counters. She wanted nothing more than to keep herself busy and stay out of
his way. She only hoped that she could sneak away to see Alexander. He would be
able to help her with this dilemma. She followed Nicholas who showed her where
everything for cleaning was. Her mind wandered to las night but quickly shook
her head to pay attention to Nicholas.
“The well is behind the house, and the
bucket should be next to it.” He said“Thank you” She said softly as she walked
towards the back of the
house.
The wind was blowing in her hair as
she approached the well. She proceeded to turn the handle sending the bucket
down for water. Once the bucket was full she carried it into the house and
started to clean. Howard sighed as he got dressed in his finest cotton slacks
with a white shirt and brown vest. Looking at his coats he chose his red coat
with gold trims and his black hat with white feathers. He looked at himself in
the mirror and smiled at how he looked. He gasped when he saw his gypsy self
leaning against the wall behind him through the mirror holding his side and
reaching out to him with a bloody hand. He turned from the mirror and walked
out of his room and into the hall. To see that Diana had already started to
clean the kitchen floors on her hands and knees. He smiled to himself and
walked off towards the front door slamming it in the process. He stood in the
mornings light and took in the fresh morning sea air. With a new approach in
his sights he set forth to the gun shop to meet with
Kevin.
At the gun shop Kevin was looking at
the latest pistols. He wondered where the captain could be for he was running
late. He could feel something stirring in the air, he knew it had to involve
Diana and he wasn’t sure if it was good or bad. He sighed with relief when he
saw Howard walking towards him flirting with the women who passed him by. It
seemed that the captain was back to his old self but only time could tell.
“Ahhhhh Kevin, here have you met
Ninnete?” Howard said as he presented a woman with long golden hair in
curls, the bluest eyes bluer than the sea, fair skin and a dress that accented
her curves and more.
“ma’am” Kevin said as he bowed and
kissed her
hand.
Kevin and Howard spent the rest of
their time talking to the ladies and looking at the artilleries for their ship.
Even though Howard tried to turn cold against Diana he couldn’t help but wonder
if she was alright. Back at the house Diana had finished cleaning the floors
and was doing the captains laundry when she heard someone whisper her name. She
turned her brown eyes towards the bushes to see Alexander hiding in them. Diana
looked around for Nicholas making sure he wasn’t in sight as she made her way
to the bushes. She brushed the few strands of brown hair behind her ear
and she looked at him her eyes full of worry.
“What is it my dear? Is everything
alright?” he asked.
“Oh Alexander, last night after I went
inside he was drunk and well, let’s say he wasn’t himself, I’m locked away as a
prisoner here doing chores, though I did not expect him to be like this” she
said as she tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to come out.
Alexander frowned and cursed inwardly
he needed Howard to care for her for his plan to work. He gently caressed her
cheek and pulled her in for a hug as she sobbed into his chest. He gently
stroked her hair and made shushing noises. He began to think in his head as she
cried on his chest.
“Even though he is my enemy I need to
make him come out with his true feelings so I can smash them to bits” he
thought
Diana began to calm down and looked up
at Alexander. She was thankful that they had met and hoped that he would help
her in her time of need. She took his arm and walked towards a nearby tree to
sit down.
“Alexander I have decided to just
ignore him and let him be, maybe he’ll come around. I should let destiny work
its magic” she said.
“That you are right sweet, he needs
time to cool off and think” Alex said “Why don’t you tell me about that bodice
you are wearing the patterns look very familiar to me”
“Well I saw this pattern on a man in
my dreams; it was before I was kidnapped. I was walking along the shores of a
beautiful beach and this man appeared. He held me in his arms and kissed me but
his face was never shown. The only thing I was able to remember was this marking
he had on his right wrist” She said softly as she trailed one of the patterns
with her finger tips.
Diana turned her head as she heard
Nicholas calling her name. Looking at Alexander she gently nudged him towards
the bushes. Alexander hid and watched as Diana walked towards Nicholas.
“Are you all right Diana?” He asked
worried for hi new friend and sister.
“Yes, yes I’m just feeling a bit sad.
I miss my home terribly and I just wish I could get out of here” She said
softly as she walked back to the Large Basin Full of laundry she had to
finish.
Nicholas watched as she worked sadly
on her chores and walked towards her. Running his fingers through his short
hair he rolled up his sleeves and helped Diana with the Captains Laundry. Diana
Smiled at him and continued to wash the laundry. Once they had finished
Nicholas and Diana began to prepare lunch for each other, since Howard had not
returned they figured they would prepare dinner for him to eat alone as they
ate in the cellar.
Kevin and Howard sat at the
local pub with women surrounding them. Howard laughed as Kevin told an old
pirates joke. Howard abruptly stopped laughing when he saw Captain Alexander
walk into the pub with his men. He growled in anger as Alexander walked right
towards him. Howard and Kevin both stood up making the women laugh.
Alexander walked towards them his eyes looking right at Howard. With four large
steps them men where toe to toe, the pub grew silent looking at them.
“I see you are doing well with a table
full of women, you always were a womanizer” Alexander said and laughed.
“Well I see you had a wonderful time
with my captive last night but it be your last” Howard said and sneered at
Alexander.
“Oh I don’t think so Howard. You act
as though you love this girl but we both know what she is good for, warming a
bed” Alexander said and smiled at
Howard.
At that moment Howard punched
Alexander right at the raw sending Alexander flying back towards his men who
caught him. Growling he unsheathed his sword and stood in front of Howard who
did the same. Both men circled around each other, their eyes meeting in a
glare. Kevin kept an eye on Captain Alexander’s men making sure they wouldn’t
interfere as Howard made the first Parry. Their swords clanged and crashed as
they moved up on tables and around the pub, the onlookers dodging the swords
letting the captains fight out on their own. It was a fierce battle and it
ended as soon as Howard sliced a cut on Alexander’s cheek but not before
Alexander cut Howard on his right shoulder. Both men pulled back holding their
wounds.
“We are evenly matched, but I warn you
Howard, you don’t know what you have awaiting you at your house, that woman
will only last so long being a captive” Alexander said and turned towards the
door signaling his men to
follow.
Kevin rushed to Howard’s side
and helped him up. He could tell by the look on the captain’s face that he was
thinking about Alexander’s words.
“Come Captain we should head home”
Kevin said as they walked out of the pub and straight to Howards
home.
Diana and Nicholas finished the
laundry and were now busying themselves with cooking dinner and cleaning the
floors. Diana decided she would take the time to clean the floors while
Nicholas cooked the captain’s meal. Diana whipped the sweat off her brow as she
scrubbed the wood floor, making sure that it was spotless. She heard the
footsteps coming up the path way but continued her work. As the door opened she
could see Howard walking through the door with Kevin behind him. Howard looked
behind him to see the muddy trail on the floor and cursed himself for not being
more careful.
“Leave it” He told Diana as he rushed
off to his rook with Kevin following behind him to care for the
wound.
Diana ignored him and went to washing
the floor once again. It had taken her almost all day to clean it, and she
would make sure she would keep it clean no matter what the captain said. Howard
heard the faint scrubbing from his room as Kevin prepared to sew his wound
shut. He took a drink of rum to numb the pain and bit down on a piece of
leather to keep from screaming. Kevin took a deep breath as he pressed the hot
needle through Howard’s skin closing the wound. One they were done Howard put
on a clean shirt and made sure not to show pain as he got dressed. Opening the
door to his room he motioned for Kevin to help in the kitchen as he carefully
made his way towards Diana who was scrubbing the floors.
“I told you to leave it” He said
angrily as he pulled her up by her
arm.
Diana looked into his angry eyes. She
felt her body shiver in fear. All she wanted to do was keep the house clean so
that he would be happy and leave her alone. Apparently that was not the point.
Howard could tell she feared him and cursed himself for doing it. They both
stood in silence. Their eye’s gazing at each other intensely. It wasn’t until
that moment that Howard noticed the crescent moon patterns decorating her
bodice.
“Where did you see this Pattern?” He
asked, his tone still that of an angry and ruthless
pirate.
Diana avoided his gaze and broke
free from his grasp as she continued her work on scrubbing the floors. Howard
groaned in frustration and pulled her up once again and slammed her against the
wall his hand now holding her chin. She looked at him through the strands of
her hair that had fallen over her face. Their breaths mixed together as they
stood gazing into each other’s eyes. Howard waited patiently for her to tell
him about the pattern on her bodice. When she stayed quiet he grew impatient.
“ANSWER ME! WHERE DID YOU SEE THAT
PATTERN ON YOUR BODICE?” He yelled making her
jump.
Diana felt the tears threaten to fall
from her eyes. She fought with herself of telling him, but she was also curious
as to why he was concerned about the crescent moon patterned bodice. She took
her gaze away from his for a second and noticed Kevin and Nicholas watching the
scene. She looked back to Howard and took a small breath.
“I saw it in a dream” she said in a
whisper and pushed him away from
her.
Howard watched as she stormed
off and disappeared into the kitchen. He could feel the eyes of Kevin and
Nicholas looking at him. He ignored it and turned to his room to think.
“Call me when supper is ready” He said
simply as he slammed the door behind
him.
Kevin and Nicholas looked to one
another and walked back into the kitchen. Diana was busying herself with making
sure supper did not burn. She ignored the looks as she walked out towards the
back door to watch the sunset. Something inside her began to call out she could
feel the seguria rhythm and began to sing a familiar song.
Respira.. positivate y riete de tí toa la vida
Renace.. quien dijo que era fácil la partida
Tú eliges... juégala!
Descansa.. Carretera y manta
Tranquilita niña y no pierdas la calma
que tó llega, tó llega, tó llega...
Solo tarda lo que tiene que tardar
Respira! Coge aire!
Respira!!
El viento sopla, casi cada día, algún ratillo,
casi como todos los dias, pero nunca igual
Resuelve el pulso!
Déjate llevar! Déjate llevar!
Para los tic-taques y la cuenta atrás
¡Coge aire!
Así no hay manera, suelta te
Tira la moneda, tú tienes madera
Conserva tu eje, no pierdas el este
Con el que arremete, nuestro soniquete
No es ningún discurso, resiste al impulso
No pierdas el pulso, esto es un abuso.
Ven p'acá morena y abandona penas
No pierdas la calma, falta mucha tela.
Respira. Coge aire ¡¡¡ Respira !!!
La vida es breve y dos veces bella
tres veces dura y cuatro te revienta
cinco veces te adormece y otras de desvela
una te equivocas y otra aciertas
una entiendes y otra no entiendes una mierda
y otra dan las seis y media
la rueda sigue... ¡vaya dilema! ummmmm
Playas mojadas, bajan la guardia
en mi cabeza
y la espuma de tu cuerpo que embelesa y que dá ganas
así despacito reconozco libertad
Yo que más quiero:
te escribo mis canciones, descansan mis visiones
le canto a la alegria, que se vayan desdichas y desamores
por un instante...sin dan las siete...¡que más da!
Así no hay manera, suelta te
Tira la moneda, tú tienes madera
Conserva tu eje, no pierdas el este
Con el que arremete, nuestro soniquete
No es ningún discurso, resiste al impulso
No pierdas el pulso, esto es un abuso.
Ven p'acá morena y abandona penas
No pierdas la calma, falta mucha tela.
Respira. Coge aire ¡¡¡ Respira
!!!
Dianna got on her knees as she
finished the song and began to cry sobbing uncontrollably.
***
