literature

Under the Blood Sun Part 2

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The little dinghy sailed on for hours that first day without a sniff of trouble. A good wind carried them over waves that seemed to rise and fall in their favor, never too wild or too still. There was no sign of rain or storm, and their path was clear of any other pirate or navy vessels.

Despite their speed and the relative ease of travel, the two pirates onboard the dinghy didn’t speak much in the morning. They were both busy with their thoughts and worries and the mood wasn’t exactly cheerful. Often Darby started to ask Jane how her arm was doing, or what she was thinking, but he kept quiet. She didn’t seem to be in a talkative mood anyway.

When the sun was high overhead and beating down with noon heat Darby was glad for the cool breeze and the sea spray. It was a hot day indeed… Jane had even cast aside her coat to allow the wind to catch her shirt and cool her body. The blonde man couldn’t keep from glancing appreciatively in her direction often. Ever since their first meeting he’d thought her beautiful. Over the time they’d been on board the ‘Dream together he had come to care for her deeply. More than once he had made advances…. But Jane was not a woman to be trifled with. She never gave in to him, and if she caught him admiring her he knew she’d give him nothing but a steely stare in return. That never stopped him from admiring her, though, or from caring. In the midst of one of his glances she looked up and he cleared his throat.

“I’d say it’s time for a nibble, aye?” he asked as though he had intended to speak all along, and reached for the sack of supplies. Bill recognized this action and gave a happy chitter, leaping from his place up in the small mast to land on Darby’s knee. The monkey’s black eyes were large and pleading.

“It would seem Bill thinks so.” Jane offered a slight smile as she turned from the bow of the boat. She reached for her own haversack and produced some bread and smoked meat.

“Uh… you wouldn’t happen to have any rum in there, would you?”  Darby was hopeful, but Jane’s icy expression discouraged him. “Aye, I know. Now’s not the time for grog.”

“Sure it aint. Give that poor monkey something to eat, already… he’s breaking me heart.”

Indeed, Bill had gone from pleading to pitiful, reaching for the sack with eager fingers. With a light laugh Darby reached inside and pulled out an apple. Before he could even slice it up the creature had grabbed it and dashed back up to the mast. Bits of peel and juice were flung down as the little beast dug in.

“Mind your manners, Bill!” Darby called, but of course the monkey paid no heed. Shrugging, he set to his own meal. For a short time they ate in silence, but at length he spoke again.

“So, what’s in this chest we’re fetching for the cap’n?” he asked, “Scrolls, maps, she said- and a book. What sort o’ book?”

“A powerful one is all I know.” The first mate looked down and tore a bite from the small brown loaf in her hands. “Sybil may not even know exactly. It’s just bloody important that we get it back… the whole chest, at that.”

“She said that Maddigan couldn’t open it.”

“Hope not. It’s got a trick lock, but he’s a sharp one. Mad as a bucket o’ frogs, but sharp. The scum-eater was smart enough to launch a surprise attack on us out of the dark so we couldn‘t outrun ‘im. I still don‘t know where he could‘ve been hiding that great hulk of a ship.”

“He’s a devil,” Darby said, and frowned. “What’s the blighter got against our Cap’n anyway?”

“It’s a long story, tom cat.” Jane sighed and leaned back in the dinghy, making herself comfortable. “And I shouldn’t be the one to tell it. You know how Sybil is about sharing her private business. If she wanted you to know, she’d tell you.”

“That again!” Darby dared a smile as he rested his elbows on his knees and peered at her. His mussed golden tresses slipped over his shoulders, caught by the wind.  “Come on Janey, tell me! We’ve got nothing else to do ‘til we get to Port Doubloon or whatever. Well, nothin’ else as you’d be interested in doing.”

“Same as ever, aren’t ye?” Jane’s face took on a sour look but Darby detected a glint of amusement in her eyes. “If I tell you then you’d best keep it to yourself. If you go gabbin’ then the cap’n will have my head. She’s already in a foul mood, and I’d rather not test her.”

“Aye, pirate’s honor!” He held up his hand in a smart salute, “Bill, he won’t tell anyone either. He don’t take to gossip.”

Jane smiled as she glanced up at the little animal, then shifted into a more comfortable position.

“It has to do with what happened before Sybil came to Captain the ’Dream,” Jane explained from where she rested, “You know that tale well enough.”

“Aye.” Darby nodded. He’d been one of Sybil’s first recruits for her crew and so he had learned her story… how she had been a prisoner of a wicked pirate, how she’d slain her captor and escaped, and how she’d decided to take up the life of a pirate herself. He and Jane had been a part of her group before she’d even had a proper ship. The young man thought back to those times that seemed so long ago now. At first he’d wanted to hang around the two beautiful women just because they were beautiful…and women… but a few hours in their presence had taught him they were no bubble headed barmaids. They were fighters. And he’d seen and trusted their determination even then.

“Well, if you remember right, Sybil killed Boar, the one who had her prisoner,” Jane explained, “And she set the ship afire. There was no savin’ it… most of the crew died. But ‘is first mate… that one got away.  And that would be Maddigan.”

“Get on with ya,” Darby’s blue eyes were wide with disbelief, “Red-Hook was on that ship? That’s why his arms are all crusty?”

“Aye.” The first mate sat up and readjusted her position, “It was some years later before he put two and two together. He was already a bloody villainous captain when he and Sybil met again, but he recognized her and she remembered him. So they hate each other. Now I suppose he thinks he’s won, the black-gutted sea weasel. He‘ll think Sybil‘s dead.”

“But she ain’t,” Darby said with a smile, “And he won’t be expectin’ any visitors either. So we’ll sneak into his Port Dust-bunny, lift the chest, and be gone before anybody’s the wiser.”

She smiled back at him. “I hope it’ll be that easy, tom cat. Just remember- quick and quiet’s the word. The sooner we get the chest the sooner we can get back to the island and out of harm’s way.”

And back to a good solid drink of rum, he thought to himself, but Darby dared not speak it aloud. He knew he’d have to learn to curb his drinking somewhat if he was ever going to have Jane… if he ever could. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, the smile still on her lips as she let the sun beat down on her face. Her loose shirt fluttered around her figure in the breeze and movement but her curves were still easy to make out. The young man sighed. She was truly a beauty.


The day passed into night. They lit a lantern in the hull of the boat so that they could check the compass and map as they studied the stars in the sky. Luckily it was a clear night. Jane had no trouble navigating, and by the time they had eaten an evening meal she was certain they were on the right track. That night Darby urged Jane to sleep while he kept the watch- and without any rum he was able to keep himself alert through the silent, dark hours, til dawn came and he woke Jane to relieve him.

The days that followed were much the same. The pair of pirates (and their little monkey friend) were lucky to be met with fair weather. Although the wind picked up quite briskly at times there was no sign of storms. They wiled away the hours swapping stories or singing songs (Darby had quite the singing voice, though it was a bit rough from his years of exposure to salty sea air) and discussing what they would do once they reached the fortress, or what they would do when their mission was over with.

It was an odd thing to have all this time alone with Jane. On the ship he would spend time with her, of course, but never like this. It was all he could do to keep from scooting over next to her and grabbing her up in his arms for a kiss- which he had done many times before- but he knew their situation was serious and he didn’t want to be tossed out of the boat.

Nearly a week had carried them over the waters with a fair wind, though it seemed longer, before they spotted Maddigan’s fortress on the horizon. It was easy to see; the island was large, and at first it was just a smudge of black out of sight. As they drew nearer over the next three days, though, the island began to take shape. There was no beach to be seen- it was all rocks and high cliffs, with no apparent landing place for a boat of any kind.

“The Fortress will be on the other side of the island,” Jane said in a dark voice as she glared out at the hunk of land. “That’s why the British used it- there was only one beach, no other places for pirates or travelers to land except in their port. It was a bustling place once, taxing the ears off every sailor what dropped anchor here. Even the ‘Dream, once- and we only rowed in the longboat to get fresh water.”

“Aye, I recall that.” Darby grinned as the memory suddenly came to him. “If I recall right, Cap’n Sybil told ‘em they could keep their water and she’d keep her coins.”

“Though we made off with some fresh water anyway.” Jane chuckled, “Aye… years ago, before Red-Hook took it over. He probably killed every soul in the place. Unless he kept ‘em for slaves.”

“Death might be a better road than that.” The young man’s grin faded as he thought of it. “There’s pirates, then there’s pirates. What a hateful wretch that bloody Maddigan is!”

Jane didn’t answer. She was studying the compass and looking up. “We’d best head straight in, and then follow the island close during the night. It’ll be no good rowing right up to his fortress in the bare sunlight with a hello and how-d’you- do.”

“Aye, I have a feelin’ he wouldn’t invite us in for tea.”

And so that was what they did- they sailed straight to the island. The pirates couldn’t bring the dinghy in too close for fear of being carried onto the rocks and sunk. Then there was naught but to wait for the coming of night. As they sat there Darby felt the silence weighing on him heavily. He beckoned to Bill and the monkey hopped into his shoulder, chittering questioningly.

“What’ll we do with him?” he asked, “He won’t want to stay behind.”

“I guess not. I know you won’t tie him, so I guess he’ll come with us. You’d best keep him quiet, though.”

“He’ll behave.” Darby said, and flashed her a grin, “As well as me, anyway.”

The lady pirate snorted a laugh and shook her head. “You’re somethin’ else, tom. You just take care. I want us all three to make it out of here alive.”

“Aye, I’ll see to it that we do.” Darby nodded. At least, he would do everything in his power to make sure Jane didn’t get hurt.


The hours passed slowly and wearily. The rush of waves and the call of gulls mingled with the noise of the wind, ‘til the sun began to sink in the sky. It set on the horizon behind them, castings its brilliant paint over sea and sky. Darby noted there was a particular red shade in the rippling reflection… almost like blood moving on the waves. Unbidden he felt a chill sweep down his back, strange in the damp heat of the Caribbean.

When darkness had fallen Jane nodded her head as she pulled on her coat.

“Alright, Tomcat,” she said, “Up the oars and row. Now’s our start.”
This is part two of the story I started starring Darby Macfanning, my pirate character, and Jane, :iconkyavalentine: 's character. This part is rather short ^^; But I'm hoping I'll get on the next one more quickly.

The journey in the dinghy feels so rushed to me, but I really have trouble with 'travel' bits in stories. Any suggestions for fattening it up some? Or does it sound ok as is?

Please pardon mistakes... and enjoy ^^
© 2014 - 2024 Captain-Savvy
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KyaValentine's avatar
Oh Darby XD

"Port Dust-bunny" "he didn’t want to be tossed out of the boat" <-- two of my favorite lines :D
 
I loved this chapter. It was great seeing Darby's thoughts, both about Jane and his life (poor Darby, wanting that rum!) and I loved learning more about Sybil's past and how she and Maddigan are connected.

Jane is really starting to like Bill XD He must have stopped stealing from her after that first incident (even monkeys must know when someone with a pistol means business LOL). This was beautifully written and makes me want more!