24
- Look at here!
Benjamin points to a small miniature standing boat in the painted space with blue paint slightly away from the representation of what would be the Muddy Port.
- Yes... I see... we are not close enough to Porto to return and get rid in the attack of the black fleet...
- Yes but look at this... we are only two hours away of the Red Islands.
- But we are not allowed to go through that water if we go there all the men will be attracted by the sirens' song...
- That's the point! All men but there are not only men on board...
- Wait... you want me to steer the ship. Nobody knows the effects of a mermaid's song on a woman... if I were attracted too?
- You will not be attracted by their singing... Amazons used to use this route to reach what they called Wet Port and from there they dispersed throughout the continent.
- Okay... but what if they had an agreement with the mermaids? What if they were allowed to cross? That's too risky!
- Kris we will die anyway! The black fleet is the most violent there is! We must try!
- But I don't know how to fly a ship! I've never done this before!
- I give you all the instructions... while I'm tied up I won't be able to move and as the sirens' song will make me more susceptible to obey a female voice I can stay here and guide you...
- Benjamin, what if this plan doesn't work out? This is crazy! It's too risky!
- But it's our only option! We have to go to a place where they would never be able to follow us!
I stopped to think for a while and to look for another alternative to that impasse.
- Kris!
- Let me think! There has to be another alternative!
- Okay... so which one?
- I don't know...
- We don't have much time to think of a better solution ! They're coming too fast!
Damn! He was right.
I look at the horizon from the window that opened behind the rudder and the black dot was larger than before.
We hadn't time to think about other alternatives, other ways to solve that situation.
- Okay... let's do it your way! How do we get to the Red Islands and how do I steer the helm?
- Look here on the map. - Benjamin pointed on the map where it was some drawns in shades of red a set of islands scattered around a large crimson island- this is where the Red Islands are. If we head east we'll pass near the islands in not close enough of the mother island...
- What's on Mother Island?
- Where the queen of mermaids and the blood army live. If we get too close to her or her army all the mermaids would attack us... believe me! We wouldn't have time for asking for help!
- So... Is it just stay as far away from the coast as possible?
- Yes! In fact, we'd have to stay just a little closer to the smaller islands... that would scare the black fleet enough that they give up chasing us. And then we would recalculate our route back to Nekrós.
- And from what I see on the map that will be the most difficult part... Nekrós is on the opposite side of this path that we are taking. It would take longer...
- I know... but in the this situation we would turn around after we passed the Red Islands and after we were in a safe zone we would turn right and return to our main route...
- Okay... and as for the crew men where they would be locked up until get to the main route?
- Look... I wouldn't mind if some of them accidentally threw themselves into the sea to serve as mermaid semen compartment but... as you insist... we will lock them in some rooms on the lower floors.
- Yes!
-And preferably far away from places that smell like me...
- You're right! When the sirens' song starts they will go insane looking for anything that at least smells like a female.
- And you? You will stay here with me?
- Relax Kristma! How am I going to get to rape you if I'm going to be tied up?
- Okay... now... could you explain me how to use the rudder?
- All right... go to rudder...
I did as Benjamin had asked and approached the helm. I put my hands on the soft, varnished wood of the great object and fixed my eyes on the blue sea that opened in front of me.
- Okay! I'm at the helm now?
- Now... - I felt Benjamin's voice approaching my right ear and his body very close to mine. My body got stiff with all that slow and affectionate approach- Relax your hands and think about what you want to do and where we should go… you are controlling the helm. A ridiculously small but very important part of the ship...
- Yes... - I answered feeling his calluses of his fingers on my hands.
- The Red Islands aren't on this direction so you'll have to turn the helm to the right and very slowly the boat will obey your command... now turn the helm. - Benjamin whispered down every word in my ear.
I obeyed the instruction of Benjamin and turned the ship slowly to the right causing all that was to our surroundings began to move.
- Excellent! - Ben praised me and then kissed my neck making all my body tingle with the touch of Benjamin's warm and soft lips.
I took a deep breath and tried to control the growing will in me to insult him for that gesture of daring and contempt.
- Do I need to remind you that we are doing something serious here? That this is a matter of life and death?
- No... you don't have to! I was just giving you an award for having worked so well on your first day...
- All right, all right...
- If you turn the rudder to the left the ship will turn to the left... the speed is determined by the wind and the force of the rotating spheres that are below the hull of the ship...
- And how I control it?
- You don't control them... they have a constant speed that never changes... only when we brake the ship that is with this lever here.
Benjamin walked away and with one hand showed me a long lever of soft wood beside my left foot.
- Okay...
- And now the most important part!
- Most important? What is the most important part ?
- It is this!
Benjamin quickly gave another kiss on my neck and ran out of the cockpit before my hand hit him in the face with a big slap .
- I'm going to tie up the crew! - Ben screamed laughing at me as he left the cockpit.
- You son of a bitch!
- How great it is to annoy you, madam Kris!
- Clown...
- I love you too!
Benjamin closes the door quickly and begins to occupy himself with the mostly male crew that from that moment had to be locked up in the various rooms of the lower level.
I turned my eyes to the sea reviewing Benjamin's instructions in my head.
Some minutes past by since the moment when Ben came out from the cockpit, the sea was calm but my heart was a mess with our new problem... our plan must work.
- Did you fight with someone? You're scared...
- Someone? I fought with several! The crew did not agree with my idea... most men obeyed me without question but some found it absurd to have a woman in charge of Evening Flowers.
- It's normal... all sailors can't stand the idea of having a woman pilot a ship... especially a ship they're on board...
- You know the men well... - Ben mentioned supporting his weight against the table behind me.
- I had several friends who became pornes in the brothels of Muddy Port ... they told me many things when they came to visit me in Douléia.
- A sailor when drunk is able to deliver his own pants... so sad...
- So then is everyone locked in their rooms?
- Yes! They are trapped and gagged... Cael and Arthur were the first to allow themselves to be locked up...
- And they weren't shocked that I was in charge of the ship?
- I didn't tell that little detail to them... they did not want to know. And changing the subject... how are we? Are we very far from the Red Islands?
- One and a half miles to go...
- By the Old Gods! We are very close! Kris! Could you help me to tie myself up?
- Okay!
I got away from the helm and started to get a rope to tie Benjamin to the command-room table.
- Look I found! - Benjamin spoke carrying a chain of beaten iron and a and an equally heavy padlock.
I took the links of the chain and tied the whole body of Benjamin who sat down at the table which was bolted to the ground holding the rustic object in the middle in the control room.