"When you can be trusted to not gut yourself," she said flatly, hoisting the body up and unceremoniously dumping it over the side of the ship. She blankly watched it fall to the hungry waves, the blood seeping through the water and calling for the sharks to feast. She really needed to get her hands on one to train.
"I feel like killing four people with my bare hands and two wounded legs would provide that trust," he responded, frowning at her expression when she tossed the body of the railing. "You and the 2nd mate were close, I am guessing?"
She frowned slightly, as if remembering that Anto was still there, then walked to the next body to loot. "Cap took us both under his wing. He was like a brother to me—or as much of a brother as a horny, drunken gambler could be."
This revelation made him feel even more guilty for his inability to save the man. "Like I said…I tried. I just….There wasn't much I could do when the deed was done."
She finished looting in silence and didn't say anything as she dumped the body into the ocean. She walked over to where Anto was sitting and sat next to him, looking defeated. "I know. You did what you could, and I thank you for trying." She huffed a small laugh. "You did the pirate thing and got revenge."
"I am becoming more and more like you heathens every day," he said, passing her a small grin. "Pretty soon I will be drinking rum by the barrel."
She scrunched up her nose. "You say heathens and rum like it's a bad thing," she huffed, then tapped her fingers on the wood of the barrel she was sitting on. "I want a pet shark."
"My parents would be soiling their pants if they saw what I was doing right now." He raised an eyebrow at the random comment. "And how would you manage to catch and train one?"
"Hmm. Parents are so trifling." She then tilted her head back and thought. It was a way to change the subject to something less depressing, or something not capable to turn to something depressing. "I dunno. Track it down. Force it to accept my love."
"I cannot imagine it possible to force an animal ran by instinct and hunger to, first, understand love, and two, accept it," he said , giving her another odd look.
"You have no clue what I'm capable of, is all," she argued, sticking her tongue out at Anto like a child. "You dare underestimate my love."
"'Love.' Such a fickle thing our human minds create to justify the connections we make to people." His face turned slightly bitter as he stared down at the knife once again.
She hummed, her gaze also falling to the knife. "You have quite an inarguable point right there," she mused softly, then reached over and plucked up the knife, spinning it around her fingers. "I'll talk to Cap. Make a deal. You'll be one of us in no time."
"Tell him I said hello when you get there." He watched her spin the knife around with a slightly amused look.
"Will do, but right after I sulk in peace." She leaned back, curling one leg up and draping an arm over her knee.
"A bit of sulking never hurt anyone," he agreed, then frowned at his own legs. "Am I allowed to walk yet?"
"No," she said, looking up at the sky. Her voice had none of the grieving hostility that her previous order had. "You're allowed to walk when I say you're allowed."
"You should say I am allowed to walk," he said, rubbing his knee absentmindedly. "And you should let me have that knife so I do not have to fight another gang of murderous pirates with my fists again."
"I gotta talk to Cap," she said while handing Anto the knife, hilt first with her fingers wrapped around the blade. "And you're not walking until I say so. And now's not it."
He gave her a grateful smile, sliding the knife into his waistband. "I bid you ado, and good luck."
She hopped off the barrels with a small wave and smile, then headed towards the captain's cabin to talk to the big guy about Anto's situation.
Captain Parris sat behind a large wooden desk they had taken from a crusader ship almost a year ago. His feet were hiked up on the surface, and between his lips were a pipe that he smoked contently.
"Fane. What news do you have on the attack?" he asked, passing a lazy look over at his first mate.
She grabbed a chair and spun it around so she was sitting on it backwards, arms and chin on the backrest. "We took some casualties, but they met their fate. Second mate's gone, though," she added after a moment's hesitation. "The newbie wants to be cleared for weapons and be part of the crew," she said, "I'd be willing to take him under my wing."
(my neighbors are being assholes and it's pissing me off)
"How did he do, anyways? From what I heard, he was seen running around the deck," he said, tapping his chin with the pipe as he contemplated the request.