Ok mates, got a new chapter for you right here! Here ya go! I present...
Getting Ready Again
The next few days were a flurry of activity. Hector was getting better steadily, and moved onto Kat’s ship rather than stay in Fabiola’s cart. He knew, however, the move wasn’t permanent. Kat explained to him when he woke up that he wouldn’t be allowed to go with her any more. It took a little while and more than a little pouting on Hector’s part, but eventually, he came to understand why he couldn’t go with.
He did pose an interesting question though. “Why can Lawrence go with you instead, Kat?” he had asked while lying in her bed resting. The young woman was silent for just the right amount of time for Hector to go, “Aha! See, he can go with you without any reason!”
Kat turned from the papers she was looking over to glare at him. “I have very good reasons, Hector, none of which I have to explain to you,” she snapped. He looked ready to argue again, so she elaborated. “However, he has many more years experience than you on the seas, and he has a better understanding of how the Caribbean works, not to mention being an excellent swordsman.” Hector looked crestfallen again. Kat sighed. “Look, I can’t worry about you out there. It will make everything worse for the both of us. I know that Lawrence can take care of himself, ok?” Hector just glared down with folded arms. “
Ok?” Kat asked again, emphasizing it. Hector glanced up at her. “Ok…” he grumbled.
Kat went and talked to O’malley as well. She explained how Hector couldn’t sail with her any more. O’malley didn’t understand why she didn’t just leave the boy to fend for himself. “He’ll just be one more face in Tortuga Kat. I don’t see why I have to give him a job,” he objected. Kat rattled a bag of coins in his face and O’malley eyed it hungrily. She moved the bag out of reach and into her coat. “You want the money, you give the boy a job, savvy?” O’malley eyed her for a moment, then said, “Aye, agreed.” They shook hands and Kat handed him the bag, then left quickly. She didn’t want to be around when the shipwright figured out that an inch on the outside of the bag was nothing but rocks.
Lawrence and Kat made sure that anything that could be sold from Kat’s last trip was. There were plenty of takers, especially when Dajin Ming saw the treasures Kat had acquired from a Navy ship en route to His Majesty in England.
Kat charged Lawrence with acquiring all the weaponry they would need. She gave him a bag of coins and told him to get whatever he felt was necessary. He returned later with very few items and not even half of the money bag gone. Kat glared at him. “Lawrence, I’d prefer not to die or be captured out there. Go buy more. I don’t care if you spend the entirety of that money, just go,” she told him and pushed him off the ship onto the dock. He reluctantly returned to town and bought more supplies, and returned with armfuls of grenades and gunpowder with bullets, as well as got some help bringing some cannonballs down to the ship. Kat grinned and nodded in approval when he brought it all back and he felt a flutter of excitement go through him.
The day finally came for the two to leave. Hector was left in the care of O’malley, but Kat had asked Fabiola to check in on him from time to time. She couldn’t be expected to just completely let go of her worry for the young man.
Lawrence walked up to Kat on the deck of the
Cutthroat Wolf. “Ready?” he asked her.
Kat looked out onto the dock where Hector stood, watching her
Wolf. He saw her looking at him and waved. Kat grinned and waved back. “Aye,” she said to Lawrence. She turned to look at him. “I’m ready. Hoist anchor!” she ordered. It was time to switch to captain mode. She released the sails and took the wheel to head them out of the harbor. One last glanced was spared to Hector, who walked back to O’malley. She grinned. “Alright, Roger. It’s time to play, mate.”
Insanely short chapter. Sorry! But I have next weeks already half done, and it's already longer I think, haha. This was essentially a transition chapter. More excitement coming soon, I promise! In the meantime, however, the character of Hector has been transferred over to Blaze Skullshield for his story. I think I'm gonna check it out.
So mates, reviews? Feel free to criticize me on this chapter, haha. I don't mind. Thanks for reading!
-Kat Crestshot