Heavy winds blew the weather worn sails back and fourth as the massive ship jumped over the growing waves. Dark clouds rolled over the once peaceful sky. Salty ocean water splashed over the old Feather Flyer's rails, hitting the panicked men on board. The water stung their eyes and the heavy rain tore at their skin, but they had to secure the rigging so the storm wouldn't pull the ship apart.
One of the pirates ran to the scuppers along the side of the ship's railing (slipping over the slimy, wet planks of wood) and started dumping the water that had been over flowing the ship back into the sea one bucket at a time. He did this repeatedly when something in the water caught his attention.
"Man overboard!" he yelled to the others with whatever breath he had left. None of his crew members could hear his call over the rumbles of thunder. He yelled again trying to be louder.
Finally a youth came running over. He searched the waves to see if what the elder man said was true. "That's not a man Footsmen!" he shouted to the others, "Woman over board!" the rest of the crew came to help him pull up the body floating in the waves.
All the men simultaneously threw a large chain of net into the water, fishing out the unconscious girl caught in the rough waves.
Red cheeks showed up on every face but the youth's (for he immediately covered his face) when the men saw the motionless, naked girl who was soaked to the bone, entangled in the net.
Remarkably, the thunder had ceased and the waves were not as violent as they were before.
"MEN! BE DECENT!" A booming voice roared from behind the dumbfounded crew. The Captain pushed through the men to get to the maiden. "Don't just stand there staring at the poor girl! Get the net off her!"
The bashful mob jumped with a start and then started pulling and tugging, slowly managing to get the net off the helpless girl. As soon as this was done the Captain covered her wet, pale and cold body with a sheet found in the Sleeping Quarters.
* * * * *
The young maiden's eyelids opened slowly, revealing her pure sky blue eyes. She took in all her surroundings; she was laying in some sort of small bed with rough material for a comforter, her purple - brown hair spread out on the feather stuffed pillow, her pale arms tingled as she began to get feeling back in them. She looked to the wooden planked ceiling where it was dusty and cobwebs hung in every corner of the room, her view ran down the wall to the bookshelf that looked like it was to fall apart any moment. It was a small room with very little furniture except for the bookshelf, bed, a few wall hanging items and one chair, yet for some reason, she felt comfortable in there.
She was very surprised when a large square patch of wood in the floor suddenly opened. A young woman came out of the disguised wooden hole carrying an empty marble bowl and a grinder. She gave a glance toward the awakened maiden.
" 'ello lovely!" She exclaimed, excited and relieved. She set the bowl and grinder on the side table next to a weird looking hat and sat on the bed, opposite of the girl. "How are you feeling?" the woman acted weirdly familiar towards the stranger who ended up naked on a Pirate Ship.
"Uh..." the girl sat up hesitantly, still woozy from being unconscious.
"Well, I'm glad you're up." The young woman sighed, "I was afraid you wouldn't ever wake up." She was sincere, serious even.
The girl decided to speak, "W - what happened? How d - did I get here?"
The young woman smiled and put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "You see the boys saw you passed out, your body struggling to stay above water. They brought you on board and I fetched you some clothes." The girl then noticed what she was wearing; some sort of brown ragged shirt with a short puffed skirt.
"I don't remember anything." she kept her head down and leaned away from the woman's hand.
"Hmm," the woman felt bad, "Lovely, why don't you try and stand and we can get some fresh air." the woman took the maiden's hands in hers and started to lift her up, off of the bed.
"No, no wait I don't have - " the comforter had fallen to the floor and the maiden was in the midst of standing up. "Oh! I - " before she could take a step, she fell to the floor.
" 'ey are you alright? Why did you fall?" the woman lifted the comforter off the floor then offered her help to the maiden.
"I have legs! I - I mean - " she wrapped both her hands around the necklace she was wearing. The woman never noticed it before. "I mean my legs are num, I can't feel them."
"God, that's unfortunate! I'm sorry lovely!"
The young maiden looked up wonderingly at the woman, "Why do you call me lovely?"
"Because," the woman smiled a dashing smile and crouched beside the fallen girl, "You are quite lovely!"
This made the girl blush, she stared at her legs unable to make eye contact.
"But I suppose if it makes you uncomfortable I could call you by your name."
"My name? My name is Ma - uh, I mean my name is . . . " she searched the room for a clue. Hanging on the wall she saw a small fishing net "is . . . a - net? A net, my name is Anette!"
"Anette? Really? You poor thing! Did your parents not like you?" the woman acted devilish and leaned forward right in front of the maiden's inexpressive face. "I'd much rather call you lovely!"
"Fine." She answered, completely monotone. Then she noticed the other features of the room, like the fishing nets and rope hanging on the wall, or the planks on the floor and how they looked like they opened, and the slight feeling of constant movement and the smells of fish and salty sea water after a storm.
"Where are we?" Anette asked, concerned.
" Well, you're on The Feather Flyer in the middle of the Atlantic."
What the woman told of alarmed the maiden greatly. "What?" though she questioned it, she knew it must be true. "The Feather Flyer! The ship that belongs to Captain White Wren!"
"Why ye-"
"The most wicked Captain who sails the seas! He's known as The Killer of Men! The Treacherous Treasurer! The Murderer of Mermaids! The Siren Slayer! He's going to kill me! I just know it! I can't be here!"
"Ssh, it's alright. He's not going to kill you!" The woman put her arms around Anette, heavy panicked breaths coming from the girl's lungs. "Besides, " The woman let go, "If he did try and harm you, I'd protect you!" she smiled.
"Please, you 're probably just the captain's slave girl!" Anette blurted out. She immediately regretted it, but said nothing.
"Oh." Was all that came out of the woman's mouth. She stood up, brushed off her white pants and then scooped Anette up in her arms. Her right hand supporting the girl's back while her left held both her dainty legs.
"What are you doing?" the maiden wondered.
"Do me a favor my lovely and grab that hat on the table right there. My hands are quite occupied at the moment." The woman carried Anette over to the table and the stunned girl did what was asked of her. "Thank you. Now, I said you needed some fresh air so let us go and get some fresh air!" The woman pushed open the small, wooden door with her boot and walked out onto the main deck, where the crew was.
Anette watched all the fascinated faces as she and this strange woman carrying her walked up the stairs to the deck of the stern. The woman set Anette down on the top stair, taking the hat the maiden had in her hand and stood behind the Wheel to steer. Then she set the hat upon her head and yelled to the whole crew, "Men, we have a new guest staying on my ship! Let's treat her with good hospitality. Now, onward!"
"Aye, aye Captain!" was the reply.
~C - captain?~ Anette thought.
The woman gave Anette a side glance and said with a sly smile, "Slave girl huh?"
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