“You look a beautiful sight Lilith!” Trina called up as Lilith stood at the rail above to greet her.
“You look a mess Captain!” Lilith called back down. The men occupying the longboat with Trina seemed taken aback. Several of them exchanged glances among each other and the man in the prow with an officer’s coat slunk his head down, rubbing his eyes.
“Who have you brought along Captain? Prisoners?” Lilith called down. She held a cutlass in one hand, its point dug into the wooden rail as she leaned against it.
“These men saved me Lil, they plucked me from the wreckage after the Shepherd went down. The one in front was their commander. They mutinied when he refused to throw me overboard for the fishes.” Trina called back up, Lilith saw her exchange a glance with the officer in the prow and the man looked up at her afterward.
“Hold the capstan,” Lilith ordered over her shoulder and then called back down, “And who would you be navy man? A pirate hunter?”
“My name is Lieutenant William Pike; I am the commissioned first Lieutenant aboard the H.M.S Valor. No, our tasking was not to hunt pirates, although any navy ship is duty bound to do so on sighting them.” Will answered.
“And so why would I hoist a crew of men, duty bound to kill pirates, aboard my vessel? I thank you for rescuing my friend, but I won’t be meeting a sword point to my back once you’re up here, will I?” Lilith demanded. She held up a hand as several of the African crew gathered at the rail with muskets in hand.
“No miss. I have no reason to commit treacheries aboard your ship. Enough has been done to me in the last few weeks.” Will replied, his glances swapping back and forth between Lilith above and Trina in the back of the longboat.
“No. That’s not good enough. You’re not setting foot aboard unless I have your word, on your honor, that you will be loyal to the Maiden and her Captain. Anything less buys you a volley of shot and a grave in the deep.” Lilith called down.
“Lilith, they saved my life! Hoist us up and we’ll discuss terms.” Trina shouted up, growing irritated with her stubborn protege.
“He saved you from what? He saved you after they blew the Shepherd to pieces? And I’m supposed to thank him for it? You said it yourself, this crew won’t have freeloaders aboard. If they mean to come aboard, they’ll do so as part of the crew or not at all.” Lilith yelled back down, her voice beginning to betray the anger she tried to keep veiled.
“What? Where is James? Or Chibs? Have them come to the rail and speak Lilith, I want aboard.” Trina replied.
“James is dead. He fell at the hands of the crew of that warship and Chibs is wounded Trina.” Lilith called back with a cracked voice, her eyes welling up uncontrollably as she spoke.
“Oh, love. Dear, hoist us up. These men will do you no harm, you have my word. If they put a finger out of line, I will gut every one of them.” Trina called back up; her voice softened with her temperament when she saw the tears streaming down the girl’s face. Lilith turned to the crew at the capstan, “Hoist away, bring them up. But all the rest of you, arm yourselves.”
The growing dawn brought into stark reality just how much damage the crew had sustained in the battle. Though the ship had faired remarkably well from its impact, Lilith could only count fourteen aboard that had returned from the fight. Most of those were wounded as well. Chibs had ordered a group of the Africans, mostly the women and children, to stay aboard the Maiden and that made the total number still less than thirty souls. As the longboat edged its way up to level with the deck an uneasy crew gathered around, weapons in hand.
Trina was first to step onto the Maiden’s rail, leaving the men aboard the longboat to exchange hesitant glances and wonder for their collective fate. Lilith met her and the two friends embraced.
“I am so sorry Lil, about James.” Trina whispered.
“He died the way he would have it. Too soon and with a sword in each hand.” Lilith whispered back through tears.
“Where is Chibs? I’ll want to see him.” Trina said as they released each other, still holding onto each other’s hands.
“We’ve made him as comfortable as we can by the helm, he insisted.” Lilith replied as Trina dried her face with a rough hand.
“Sounds like the old sea dog hasn’t changed.” Trina said, drawing a laugh from them both.
“Not in the slightest.” Lilith replied with a smile returning.
“These men, Lil. They saved my life, that has to count for something. What do you intend to do with them?” Trina’s tone lowered.
“I’d like to hang them all, for the Shepherd, Trina. But I have something else in mind.” Lilith answered, looking over to the men still anxiously waiting in the longboat. “Go, see Chibs. He’s not well. I’ll have a word with them.” Trina left with a reluctant parting glance to each of them, lastly lingering on the strapping Lieutenant Pike. She shot a smile his way and then walked off to see Chibs.
Lilith looked over the Maiden’s crew and then to the men in the longboat. They were all a sore and sorry sight, no one would win from another fight today. In a step she was up to the rail, leaning her weight back onto the hilt of
