Chapter 9

Maria found herself unable to say much of anything as Dominick returned home without her, leaving her on a ship with complete strangers. Amulet in pocket, she could still feel his warmth lingering, but that passed on quicker than her stubborn nerves.

Each breath she took was laced with the same unspoken questions she had been asking ever since she made the decision to ignore her brother's wishes. Could she do this? Was it possible? Not too late, if she wanted to leave. After all, she already missed him, not that she would ever admit that out loud, of course.

Maria cried out when a hand slammed down onto her shoulder. Whether it was pure luck or because no one was paying attention, no one caught her heightened voice.

Looking behind her, Maria saw Captain Lucas grinning over her. There was nothing about his expression that helped ease her mind, but there was nothing about it that was threatening either. She smiled back.

"Well then, welcome aboard, Mr. Hawkins."

"Thank you."

"Oh, and for some proper introductions. I'm Captain Lucas Clements, but most call me Lucas. I'm not picky." Then he slapped a hand down on Cedric's shoulder. "And this blurry hunk of brooding attitude is my husband, Cedric Musker."

"Watch yourself, Lucas," Cedric growled, but Lucas did not hear it as he switched his focus.

"Seems I have some last minute assigning I need to do. Let's see." Lucas clicked his tongue as he surveyed the ship. "Not much I can really do for you."

No kidding. Maria watched all these strong men pulling heavy cargo items, pulling and tying ropes wider than her own arm, and cleaning rifles she had not noticed before. What a lovely group.

"What are you good for?" Lucas asked. Despite the wording, his tone indicated he wasn't trying to be offensive.

Maria shrugged. "I can drink."

"A boy like you drinks?"

"I don't make good decisions."

"Alright, alright. You're tough, I see."

"I wasn't trying to be," she mumbled.

"Well, it seems I'm at a loss. Oh, Ceddy, dear, do you have any ideas?" Lucas sang as loud as he could to Cedric.

Maria laughed as Cedric blushed and tried to hide his annoyance. "I'll take care of it. Come, boy," he ordered.

Maria complied and walked up to Cedric. She kept her gaze down, refusing to make any eye contact with this man. Cedric stomped over to a set of doors leading below deck. Maria followed close behind. She was careful walking down the narrow steps that led into a cramped space with an overpowering smell of spices.

Once at the bottom, she studied the room, finding it to be a kitchen. Shelves of spices were lined up in the back, supplies was scattered in stacks and boxes on the floor. The center itself was a large hearth for cooking. Wasn't it dangerous to have fire on a ship like that?

"Where is he?" Cedric grumbled. "Mr. Silver, are you present?"

"Silver?" Maria mumbled.

"Aye, I be here," someone with a rough voice called from a side room Maria hadn't noticed.

A thick and tilted door swung open off to the right, slamming against the wall with a firm thud. A tall and bulky man came out, swaying back and forth as he carried a large pot to the center of the room. His skin was dark, his scarred face outlined by silver facial hair.

When he turned to look at them, Maria took note that one of his eyes was missing, and she was surprised to find his smile warm and bright, despite a few missing teeth. Furthermore, he was using two crutches to help him maneuver.

Maria gasped. She recognized him. It was the man who pushed her over earlier. He was with someone else before. A woman. Where was she?

"Well, well, well, who might this here lad be?" Silver inquired. He approached Maria and observed her. "A bit pretty to be a sailor."

"This is James Hawkins," Cedric began, but stopped as Maria interrupted him.

"Jim," she corrected. "Jim is fine."

Given the harsh interjection, Cedric and Silver both raised a brow, startled. Silver broke into a hardy laugh, thereafter, eliminating the rising tension that threatened to consume Maria's nerves all over again.

"Jim it is," he exclaimed. "A bland name for a lovely lad. Ya take after your mother, Jim?"

"No, unfortunately."

"Ah, yer father then. He be on the ship too?"

"No, I'm here on my own, as per the prince's request."

"Ooh, by request. Yer parents lettin' ya traverse the seas alone?"

"Not exactly."

"Disrespectin' yer parents, eh? Can't say I blame ya. Never was one for rules meself. But where are me manners?" Silver thrusted his hand out for her to shake. "John Silver, at yer service."

Maria hesitated to accept the gesture, unsure what he would be able to tell about her by making physical contact. Still, it would have been more suspicious if she refused. Thus, she took his hand, his crusty, dry hand, and shook with added force in her grasp.

"Ho, ho, ho, what a grip," Silver shouted. "Tryin' to be a man already? Don't try and act tough, boy. I know ya ain't got meat on them skinny bones."

Maria gulped. Her first instinct was right. Against her initial assumptions, he was sharp. Then again, was she that obvious? Not being able to ask the simplest of questions sent her anxieties through the roof once again.

"I wasn't trying to be anything," she protested, remembering her accent. "I have a strong grip is all."

"A terrible fibber too. If nothin' else, ye be an amusin' sort aboard this vessel."

Cedric smirked. "Glad to see you're getting on. Makes assigning him to you that much easier, Mr. Silver."

Silver's expression vanished and his eye flashed a hint of annoyance. "I'm sorry, sir, but what?"

Maria was flustered as well. "What?"

"The boy is a last minute addition. I can't have him in the way of already trained sailors. He'll remain here with you, out of sight and out of mind. The assistance should be most useful."

"Surely, ye be jokin', sir," Silver stated. "The lad's got no business bein' stuffed down here with me. He'd be in the way."

"Then adjust accordingly. I'm sure you can find use for a cabin boy."

Maria wanted nothing more than to complain, to break character long enough to show Cedric had no choice but to change his mind. On the other hand, stupidity would bring the whole plan crashing down. They hadn't left port yet. The least she could do was endure.

Thus, she kept her mouth shut. Didn't stop her from glaring at Cedric as he turned tail and ascended to the main deck. Silver tried running after him.

"Wait, sir," he stammered, "the lad's not suited for this kind of work. Wouldn't he be better fitted for live bait?"

And the door slammed shut, leaving Silver behind with Maria in a dank room. Disgruntled, Silver returned to the center of the room and leaned against one of the walls. Pulling a pipe from his pocket, he struck a match Maria didn't see he had, and puffed sickening smoke.

He glanced at her and scoffed. "Well, it seems we're stuck for a while."

"Seems that way," Maria mumbled.

"You know anything about cookin'?"

"Not much."

"Cleanin'?"

"I can learn."

"Seems yer parents have failed ya. You don't know the basics of livin'."

"I know enough," Maria spat.

"We'll see, lad. Now then, since yer here, no use fussin'. There be some perks to being left alone in a hole in the ground. C'mere."

Silver returned to the door he appeared from and opened it. Maria followed behind and was surprised to see a small room with four hammocks. Not the most comfortable of situations, but better than a full room of sweaty men.

"This is a private room," Silver explained. Maria assumed as much. "Meant to make the cook's life a little easier. Ye will be stayin' here."

"With you?" she asked.

"Nah, I won't do that to ya, laddie. Besides, those sheets do horrors for the back. Lucky ya, the room is yers."

"Lucky indeed."

"Course, I'll have to let me sister know. She be a bit cranky with last minute adjustments. Don't worry. She mind her own and won't bother ya."

"Your sister?" Maria thought back to the woman she saw earlier. That might have been her.

"Aye, me sister. Tough nut, she is. I'd be mindful of her when on yer own. No funny stuff."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Maria threw her bag inside and left it at that.

Silver began to walk away, but tripped as soon as he turned. Maria's instinct was to help, but he held up his hand to keep her from moving.

"Don't worry yerself, lad. I'm fine."

Silver carried himself over to a stool in the corner and sat down. Putting his crutches to the side, Maria watched him remove his legs. Prosthetics. In their place were two stubs far above where the knees were supposed to be. He fiddled with the left first before adjusting nails and woody layers on the other. Seemed stiff.

Maria could feel a cold unease rise from her core. A man with no legs. Whatever comfort she thought she could find vanished. Was this the same man who went after Billy? The same man who shot at her? Another layer of problems to deal with in the coming weeks.

Silver caught Maria staring and chuckled. "See somethin' ya like, lad?"

Maria kept her expression blank, refusing to give away her suspicions of him. Still, a silent response would help no one. Might as well take advantage of the invitation.

"So, uh, how did that happen?" she asked. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, trying to appear more composed than she was.

"Accident," Silver replied.

"What kind of accident?"

He laughed again. "Nosy, ain't ya? It might be a bit gruesome of a story for yer young ears."

"I like stories." Maria's voice perked up for a moment before she adjusted. "I bet it's a good one."

"Maybe another time. And what of ya? Ye be young, but there must be somethin'. The prince, ya say, requested ya to be here?"

"Um, yes, he did," Maria stammered. Lie upon lie. Which one would break the façade?

"So, ya know him? How did that happen?"

"I, um, a stable boy. I'm a stable boy."

"And ya need to be taught how to clean?"

"Well, I can't say the stables are ever clean, per-say. I do it more to be with the horses. The prince's colt is a beauty and pleasure to be around."

"Ah, I see. Still, quite a jump from the stables to a vessel. What happened there, eh?"

She swallowed hard. Dodging the interrogation was no longer an option. There had to be an opening where the subject could be changed, right? There had to be.

"Well, my father was a big fan of the sea. He taught me a few things."

"So, ya take after yer father in more ways than one it seems," Silver said in a howl of laughter. "Where ye father be now? Why not send him?"

"He's gone," she snapped. Maria kept her irritation in check as her father entered her mind. "Left for a voyage and never came back."

Wait. Left for a voyage. That was it. That was her opening.

She smirked. "That's right. He left for a voyage and never came back. Rumor has it he was killed by a band of pirates," she lied.

Silver shook his head and sighed with a saddened breath. "That be a shame, lad. These waters be dangerous, ya know."

"I do know." Maria circled around the room as Silver continued tweaking his legs. "In fact, one of his old shipmates warned me about some of these so-called dangers. Mentioned something about a pirate with less than two legs."

"Oh, did he?" Silver's motions didn't waiver. He kept at his work as if nothing out of the ordinary was said.

"He did, yes. Said the guy was a crack shot too. Almost took his head clean off."

"Lucky lubber, then. Ye remember the name of this sailor? May have crossed him meself at one point."

"I think so. I didn't talk with him for too long. Let me think." Maria waited a few moments, observing Silver's movements. Nothing changed, so she said, "Bones, I think. Billy Bones?"

"Bones?" Silver questioned, but there was still no change. He put his legs back in place and stood, grabbing his crutches. "Odd name, if ever there was one. Be one I'd remember. Don't think I've had the pleasure of meetin' him."

"You sure?"

"Pretty sure."

Silver approached Maria and leaned down to speak closer to her face while keeping his voice a touch lower. He smirked, his dark eye glistening.

"But I do hope we get to meet each other someday."

His tone came off more as a slithering hiss than a standard comment. Maria felt that same chill from earlier run down her spine. She remembered what Billy told her. Don't act tough. She kept a calm composure, but on the inside she was screaming.

"Maybe someday," she whispered.

Above them, the scrambling of sailors grew and a whistle sounded. Silver shot back and his grin grew wider.

"Ah, it'd be a shame if ya missed the departure, lad. Go on up and watch."

Silver more or less nudged Maria toward the stairs. There was little else she could accomplish in the moment, so she climbed the steps and opened the door, closing it behind her once she left.

Alone, Silver sighed and glared up at the door the young boy had exited through. Then, that frustration turned to an amused smile.

"An amusin' sort indeed."