The Different Ship
2

“Everyone tha captain wants ta see ya on tha deck now!” A skinnier man tolled out making her jump before shooting up the steps of the ship above deck. She glared at him the whole time he went up but followed behind to look normal and walked with the rest out in the deck. The sky was clear and the shrinking gibbous moon was the only thing providing light for them to see. Rune has stopped and crossed her arms then heard foot steps behind her.

“Excuse me shipmate.” A rather smooth deep voice rang out behind her, she turned her head to look up and see an olive toned man, and he looked almost Arabic. He had neatly trimmed facial hair that was a deep black to match his hair that came down to about his shoulders. He looked down at her with his ice blue eyes and raised his eyebrow at her.

“Are you going to stand there and gawk or move out of your captains way?” he asked her, she swallowed thickly before shooting away from his path. He watched her with curiosity before he cleared his throat.

“You must be a no member, please do share your name?” he asked her, she bit her lips thinking. Not like she could use her real name it was plastered everywhere and it would give her away dead in the beginning.

“A…Ayo.” She stammered out to him, the thought then nodded and patted her head hard, laughing slightly.

“I am glad you decided to join us Ayo, we have acquired a rather large bounty tonight.” He turned from her and called out to the crew; they hooped and hollered in excitement. He smirked slightly watching them before chuckling again. She furrowed her brows at his response. Were these men pirates not what she thought they were? Her suspicions confirmed when they suddenly tore off their navy one piece deliveryman disguises which revealed their torn and tattered clothing.

“why don’t we celebrate tonight men?” he called out walking up and jumping up on the stern of the ship. He was in a long black trench coat with red accents that matched his boots that were about mid-calf. He was tall and well-built his black pants and white button up shirt pulled his outfit together nicely.

The crew let out a loud “Hoorah” at his statement making Rune jump again and she scowled once more, crossing her arms and cocking her hip slightly. Some of the other men rolled up three barrels out on the deck, not just regular barrels, and Rune eyes wandered over to them to see they were kegs of high -grade ale. The kind that was served at party’s or the gentleman’s clubs or well the brothels around the towns she had been in. The man that had called out for the crew earlier began pouring up multiple steins and then began handing them out to the crew; one was shoved into Rune’s hands.

“Here how bout a toast for our newest crew member Ayo!” A rounder stout man called out wrapping an arm around her shoulders, she narrowed her yes because some of the ale had been spilled on her, and also Rune wasn’t much for physical contract other than fighting.

“Let’s hope tha lad helps us bring in this much bounty as we did this time!” another one shouted out before downing his mug them belching loudly, she cringed slightly as the crew cheered loudly again.

“Whattya say Ayo, would ya like ta help us do that?” the man leaned down to ask her, she shrugged against him. Without hesitation she raised her mug to the clear night sky with a smirk on her lips looking at them.

“If you scallywags can keep up I am sure that I can help you attain much more than high grade ale!” she called out before breaking from the man and hopping on top of the barrel and taking a large drink.

“I have skills to get what we need and much, much more so don’t you dare doubt me!” she called out again before standing again looking down at them, even the barrel didn’t make her much taller she had to be the smallest person on the ship. They all looked at each other and smiled their broken smiles cheering and throwing their hats in the air, some waving them in excitement.

“That is what I like ta hear, maybe ya can sneak in smaller placed since ya are lil’er then the rest of us and gather more booty that way!” the man chuckled watching her drinking some of his. All this time the captain never took his eyes off her and watched her with amusement.

“Just don’t you mistake my size as a weakness my dear men. I am very well trained and strong and don’t be afraid to ask me to do rather “hard” tasks. I don’t settle for this being something that will stop me.” she said motioning at her size with her free hand and shaking her head.

“Do ya hear that men? We have a hard worker on our hands, lets show him the ropes tomorrow!” he called out, once again the crew hooped before they went along with chatting amongst their selves when the food rolled out. It was a large lay out of fruit, cheeses, and prize-winning meant. Rune jumped off the keg and walked over to grab some before moving to stand next to one of the ships walls to look out at the ocean as the waves gently splashed the edge of the rocking ship, misting her with sea water. She heard someone walk up behind her.

“So when did ya come aboard Ayo?” the same man that toasted her earlier asked, she looked over at him and rose her eyebrow. He was a rounder man, not very fit and about as tall as the captain himself, it looked like he couldn’t hurt a fly. He had very soft features to be a pirate, his skin was pale. A long, white wispy beard hung off his face, his clothes consisted of a striped short of blue and white and his pants torn at the ends and came up to his knees were a burnt orange color.

“Tonight honestly, I figured land life wasn’t the best for me, so here I am.” She said to him nonchalantly with a small shrug slipping a grape into her mouth. He nodded and tore into his leg of ham as she turned her head to look back out the darkened sea.

“How old are ya mate?” he asked her with a mouthful before swallowing loudly and looking over at her, he was trying to make her feel welcomed on the ship.

“I turned twenty not too long ago.” She replied he tipped his head slightly and looked her over and grunted slightly before smiling slightly.

“I have ta say ya are tha youngest on the ship here ya know that? Were ya havin’ troubles on land?” he prodded at her more, she sighed and turned to him again.

“I was and probably and a very troubled person. Well trouble seeks me out so to speak, figured maybe the ship life would straighten me up.” she said with a joking tone at the last part, he let out a hearty laugh and patted her back hard pushing her more into the wall of the boat.

“If ya wanted ta straighten up ya shouldn’t have joined a pirates crew.” He said, she gave him a small smile and turned to him more.

“Well I was kidding for one and two are to introduce yourself? You know my name and all I know about you is your face big guy.” She said to him, he gave her a toothy smile showing his decaying and rotting teeth.

“I’m Arab, first mate to ta ship and tha captain’s right hand man, nice ta meet ya. Think of as a mentor if ya want.” He said to her this time she nodded.

“So do you want me to call you sir of something?” she asked him curiously and with a smirked her eyes glinted slightly. She didn’t like authority figures so she was going to make his life a hell being who she was. He shocked her with his response, he shook his head.

“Oh heaven no, I’mma ship mate just like ya, I just know this ship like tha back of my hand and know all tha barrin’s around it. Plus as I said earlier I am close to Captain Azhar, I have been with him since he gat tha ship.” He said. She kind of just looked at him before giving him a slight nod before picking up a piece of ham and placed it in her mouth, chewing it carefully and enjoying the flavor.

“Lemme ask ya something young’un. Are ya afraid of heights?” he looked over at her suspiciously. She looked over at him confused why he would ask something like that on a ship the only thing high here was the crow’s nest.

“Probably no, nothing really bothers me Arab.” She told him and turned to look at the main mast, the wind blew misting them both with cold sea water.

“But I have to ask because it peaks my interest. Who works the crow’s nest?” she asked him suddenly, she chuckled at her knowledge of the slang terms on the ship already; he had to admit this new shipmate was quite bright. Not many land goers know the names like that.

“My, my we already now tha ship terms do ya shorty?” he asked her in a light tone before turning and looking up at it.

“But ya answer ya curiosity, Matchy does.” Heed my warnin though he don’t like new people and most likely will hate ya, ya fresh meat Ayo.” He explained to her, she looked up and furrowed her brows at his name before shaking her head and turned to look back at him.

“I am sure that I can handle myself Arab, I mean I have taken down guys bigger then you and well Azhar, I think that’s what you said the captain’s name was. I have to say though thank you for your concern.

“My, what a feisty young’un ain’t ya, ain’t afraid to fight at all huh good that is what he need on this ship.” He said. She shrugged in response leaning on the wall more. Rune wasn’t the type to be bossed around or intimidated that was hard to do. So why the girl decided to join a pirate ship even confused her.

“you can’t help to be when you have to take care of yourself most of your life. Do you mind showing me my or well the sleeping quarters?” she asked him chuckling slightly; he nodded and tipped his empty plate off the side of the ship before walking off. she did the same and followed him below deck to a very large room filled with bunks.

“This is tha quarters; ya can have tha top bunk over mine Ayo. I suggest ya sleep newbie cause I’ll have ya up at the crack of dawn.” He patting the old thin cushion as dusted poured out. She looked at it and shrugged before hopping up on it and laid back covering her face slightly with her hat. At least it was a bed something better than the ground she had been sleeping on lately.

“Sleep tight Ayo.” He said and walked off; she slowly drifted off to the rocking of the ship in a light sleep.