The Different Ship
18

It has been almost a month since Rune had come back aboard Azhar’s ship since she was taken. Since the last mishap she had finally calmed down and left the cabin. There were positions to be appointed amongst the crew and that meant her also. They are down four, fault being pointed towards Matchy and the other three traitors. The crew had been called on to the deck after the sun had set, Azhar walked out with a smug look on his face.

“Now since we had a few traitors aboard that left we have to finagle a few things around. Some of you may get new positions others will stay the same. Even though it is everyone’s responsibility, all hands on deck and listen.” He said to them, walking the line of them. The crew looked around in confusion before back at him; Rune wandered out behind him tucking her shirt into her pants.

“We need someone to work the bow, the stern, the anchor, and well the crow’s nest.” He listed then pointing up to the mast with a wooden basket that held a single person to observe the sea and look for land markings.

“I’ll do it.” Rune said suddenly and looked at him before up at it. This caused him to look down at her with an unamused face before shaking his head.

“No you will not, knowing you and your misfortune a ways will knock the boat and you will fall. I would hate to see my lovely assistant fall to her death or back into the sea.” He said crossing his arms with a small smirk, she returned it with a small scowl.

“Oh yea captain, watch me.” she said beginning to head towards it. Azhar shook his head and made no moves to go after the foolish girl, he was in shock on why he put up with such a stubborn woman as her. Everyone watched as she walked up to the mast and grabbed the rope ladder that leads her up to it and she began to climb. Some of the crew snickering at Azhar and the others confused on why she would want to be up there. Making it about half way up she stopped to smirk at him, which was probably one of the worst decisions of her life.

“See what did i…” she trailed off staring down and gulping, gripping the rung tightly. Azhar looked up and chortled at her reaction.

“Oh my, my, someone is afraid of heights? Whatever shall you do?” he teased, she tried to narrow her eyes but she was more fixated on the deck that had to be at least ten feet or more below her.

“Shut it you damn leech, get me down from here!” she cried out slightly. He shook his head and clicked his tongue at her, wagging his finger slightly.

“You’re so tough Rune why don’t you get yourself down. You are the one that chose to get up there after my direction of telling you not to. Now suffer your consequences.” He told her fixing his shirt then looking back up at her, his face played out the question ‘what are you going to do now?’ as he watched her. She went to step a rung down but froze, letting out a loud shriek that sounded like a mix between anger and fear. She couldn’t get herself to move she was frozen; she paled suddenly and clenched her eyes shut.

“No, no please! Help me I… I can’t do this! I am sorry!” she wailed as the breeze began to pick up, rocking her on it which made her fear of falling sky rocket.

“Jus jump ta us lass!” one of the men called out holding his arms open. Rune was bewildered for a moment. Jump they told her, she can’t even get down and they ask her to jump?

“Are you crazy you fool, I will die I am a damn human!” she yelled at him only able to imagine the scenario on her head going totally wrong and she falls to her death.

“Ya a human n’ we ain’t. We won’t let ya get hurt Ayo!” he called up to her. She seemed to forget that major part, that indeed they weren’t human. She swallowed her pride and moved closer to the edge getting ready to jump, preparing herself for the frightening fall back to the deck.

“I wouldn’t mind having a pretty girl in my arms.” he said. This made Azhar’s head snap over to him as Rune jumped down with a small scream. As she plummeted to the deck quickly Azhar pushed his crew member back and caught her.

“Now Rune are you going to do that again?” he asked her looking down at her with a cocky smirk. She shook her head; she was a shaking mess in his arms as she stared up at him. Her hair a mess from the wind as when she fell, she was unable to speak at the moment.

“Good, we wouldn’t want another mess or misunderstanding like this now would we?” he asked her before he turned back to the crew.

“Now who is going to work the crow’s nest? We can even do something as simple as switching positions every house on a counter clock wise movement.” He said. His crew nodded in agreement, the ship being withheld properly was up to everyone.

“I think that is a great idea Azhar!” Arab said suddenly showing up from under the deck, Azhar turned his head as a bone chilling breeze blew; the temperature took a sudden drop. He turned to look out on the horizon as the clouds began to gather, covering the nightly blue sky.

“If everyone is fine with that then we will use that method, but heed my warning, a storm is blowing in. Be careful on the deck, we know what happened last time.” he said looking down at Rune who was watching the storm come together quickly.

“How long can a storm last out on the ocean Azhar?” she asked him lifting her head more to get a better look at the man that was holding her. He shrugged slightly and looked up to watch it also.

“Well, it depends on the sea we can have hurricanes and typhoons. They can last for days and you can’t distinguish day from night sometimes.” He said to her and sat her down before turning back to the crew and grunting.

“What are you doing standing around? You know your appointed areas! Get going and when the moon moves an hour if you can see it move, otherwise get in a groove and pick a time range and all move swiftly and smoothly I don’t want any accidents on my deck you here?” he told them, they nodded and scurried off as Arab walked up to Azhar and Rune.

“Because its night Ayo, ya should stay in tha cabin. Tha last storm we had we about lost ya and we don’ need that right now…” he said looking at Azhar with a knowing look.

“He is right Rune; you also just woke up from being out on the deck all day with Arab. Go replace something to occupy yourself in the office or my bedroom, I don’t care. I will be in there soon I have to watch how things go down out here and how smoothly they will.” He said clasping his hands behind his lower back and watching the crew work.

“Arab I suggest you get your rest too, I will never know when I am going to need you.” He said not taking his eyes off. Arab nodded and took off below deck without a word which left Rune in a confused state before she turned and headed back to the wheelhouse.

“This is just precaution, they may have been in that port but I don’t want to risk an attack. Galahad is known for a lot of things but attacking a ship isn’t one.” Azhar said to himself and walked out on the deck more.