Chapter 18

Declan

My legs kneel in front of Grace who sits on a fallen log. Her hands are rubbing her wrists that have red marks on them thanks to the rope.

"Did they hurt you?" I asked, looking at Grace.

"No," She says in a mumble, clearly upset.

My next question moved me forward, "Do they know, about the baby?"

"No."

I let out a sigh of relief, my eyes looking down at the ground for a second. A noise behind me made me quickly stand and turn. A young girl stumbles out, clearly scared as she looks around.

A growl leaves my lips as I rush towards her, causing her to scream. I grab her and roughly pin her to the small hill, the light from the fires lighting up her face.

"What do you know?" I yelled in her face.

The girl shivered, sobbing as she turns her head from me, "I don't know anything! Mr. Harp! I swear!"

"Jesus, Declan! Stop!" Grace said, grabbing my arm and trying to yank me away from the girl.

"C'mon! What did you do?! What did you do with my wife?" I yelled in the girl's face.

"Nothing! I helped her."

My hands shook with anger, ready to squeeze her crying voice. "No, you helped him! Where are they going?"

"Benton's taking her to Scotland. That's the story I heard."

I continue on, my voice loud and hard, "What's he planning?"

"I don't know, I don't know. We escaped, me, your wife, Miss Emberly. We, we escaped, and then Benton caught us and I was locked in a room."

"Sounds like you led her into a trap."

Grace grabbed my arm again, yanking it away from the girl. "She had no part of any of this, Declan!" Somehow, she managed to slip her way past me, pushing me away from the girl. My eyes burned fire into the girl's scared face as Grace tried to grab my attention. "She's just a scared little girl who was tricked by Benton."

My eyes moved to Grace, my breath racing like my heart was.

"None of us knew what was happening or what he was planning. Anna's still out there with Benton, that's what we need to focus on," Grace said.

As angry as I was, I knew that Grace was right. This scared little cat didn't have anything and Anna was our priority.

My words towards Grace made her mouth drop. "No, you need to get back to Fort James. Michael's there trying to take it over and he'll need all the help he can get." The last thing I need is to watch over Grace as well. And, knowing her, she would never let me do the things I need to do to save her sister, my wife.

"What? You must be bloody out of your mind if you think I'm leaving my sister alone," Grace half yelled at me. Clearly, she wasn't seeing where I was getting at with this.

A sigh left my lips, my tone softening some. "Grace, no one wants Anna back more than I do and I can't do what I need to do to get her back if you're with me." Grace was silent, not agreeing or disagreeing with me. "Please," I half begged, making her pause before she sighed.

"Fine," She said, before taking a step towards me. "Just bring my sister home." I nodded, giving her my answer before watching her turn and walk away. Charlie and McTaggart watched Grace leave while my attention turned to the girl before me.

The second the girl saw me, she began to panic again. "Please, just let me go."

"Until I get to Anna, you're coming with me." I quickly grabbed her, pushing her ahead of us. "We're going to Scotland," I said, starting to walk. Charlie followed while McTaggart complained as usual.

"Oh, get it up ya, Harp. I'm not going back to Scotland!" When I didn't respond and continued to walk, I heard McTaggart curse before he raced to catch up with us.

We headed to the shore, finding a ship parked near-by with a small boat parked on land. The four of us peeked over some rocks, looking down at the two solider that were sitting by a small fire.

Chaulk poked her head up, looking at the ship. "She's small, but she'll be fast. I spent a year learning to how sail on a gaff-rigged boat like that."

"Now we're all gonna learn how to die on one," McTaggart said, grinning over at Charlie who looked in pain.

My focus went back to Chaulk, "Can we handle it?"

"I can sail that vessel, sir," She replied with a nod.

Nodding, I looked at McTaggart, my words exciting him, "Alright, McTaggart, fast and quiet." My head then turned to Charlie and Chaulk, "You two, stay here and don't move. Charlie, you watch them."

With that, McTaggart and I moved into action. McTaggart approached the soldiers from the front, speaking up while I snuck around behind them. My body staid low as I moved down the small hill to right above them.

"Afternoon, gents. Inclement weather we're having, eh?" McTaggart spoke up, grabbing the soldier's attentions. With the attention on him, I jumped down off the small hill and on top of the soldier, knocking them to the ground. With a knife in both hands, I stabbed it into their backs and ripped it through, killing them both.

McTaggart grabs Chaulk and Charlie follows. The four of us climbed into the small boat, rowing towards the ship.

We climb on board, finding no one on deck. "I'll head below, check it out," I said, moving below deck. The place was crowded with sleeping cots and odd and end items.

I started to move around, keeping an eye out for anyone that could be hiding down here. Charlie and McTaggart eventually came down as well, Charlie looking like he was in more pain the before.

"Hello? Anybody home?" I asked, my voice growing louder as I spoke.

"I hope there's enough cargo to sustain us," Charlie said, looking over some of the items in the bottom of the ship.

McTaggart let out a loud sigh, putting his hands on his hips, "I hope Chaulk knows how to work this thing."

"We're gonna need all our hands working all the time," Charlie said, leaning against one of the posts of the ship.

"It's going to take more than that, mate!" A man's voice said behind me, making me jump and take a step back. A man sat in the darkness of the ship, standing and speaking up. "You are not the king's men," He said, eyeing us suspiciously.

Shaking my hand and standing on guard, I said, "No, we left them sleeping on the beach."

"Their comrades are not gonna be very pleased about that," The man replied.

Scrunching my face up, I asked, "Who are you?"

Moving into the light, the man started to speak. He moved slowly and spoke with a wide smile, "Who am I? I am the prince of the Crimson Sails, First Guard in the Order of Leça. I am Poseidon's right arm, master of the sea. Faithful lover to the one and only Madelena. I am God's favorite son. I am called Fortunato. I'm the captain of this vessel. So who are you?"

My eyes rose and I glanced at McTaggart who looked like he was listening to a crazy man.

"We're taking this ship and going to Scotland," I said.

"So you can shut your trap, silly days, or you're taking a dip," McTaggart said, moving over to Fortunato. As he spoke, Chaulk climbed down to the lower level with us.

Looking at Chaulk, I asked annoyed, "Why are we not moving? You said you could handle this."

Chaulk shook her head. "I can't seem to get the sail on the aft-mast unfurled. I've never seen rigging like it."

Fortunato spoke up, his voice raising to grab our attention before lowering again. "Because you're not Portuguese! You need me to sail this ship. I know every curve, every crevice on this beautiful ship," His hand slid across the roof of the ship. "I go nowhere without her, nor she without me."

"You're gonna get this thing moving, Captain," I said.

As if on cue, another man walks out, this one bald and speaking in Maori.

Fortunato calmed the Maori man, "It's fine, Te Rangi. I think this man can see reason."

My eyes looked at the two men before settling on Fortunato. "What do you want in return for passage to Scotland and your freedom from the HBC?"

"Surprise me, Mr..."

"Declan Harp," I replied. I pulled out a small bag of coin, dangling it in front of the Captain. Before his fingers could touch it, I pulled it back, locking it at my side once again. "You'll get it when the job's done."

Fortunato sigh, "Mr. Declan-" his voice stopped and he looked behind him, yelling out, "What!" before speaking in Portuguese. I looked behind him, finding no one standing there.

McTaggart noticed, throwing his hands up, "Ah, Christ. He's cracked. We're fucked."

His words seemed to draw Fortunato away, his eyes going to McTaggart. He took a couple of steps over to him, smelling him. McTaggart looked at me strangely, making me shrug. When he caught sight of Fortunato glancing at his bottle, McTaggart took a step back, "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no."

"Now that looks like a delicious bottle."

I quickly walk up to McTaggart who is shaking his head at me as he backs up to a pole. He lets out a grumble as I snatch his drink away from him and hand it over to the captain. McTaggart mumbles something at me, but my attention is to focused on Fortunato.

"Ah! The lady says yes! Yes, yes, she will take you where you want to go."

"And she would be?" I asked?

Fortunato held the bottle tightly, looking at me as he gestured around, "Madelena, of course. My ship. My lady. Sadly her sails have faded some, and she wants some new sails. So she's willing to see where this goes. Come. Let me show you her secrets."

With that, we started up the boat before sailing off. I hated ships, that's why I walked everywhere. But if it meant I could catch up with Benton and Anna then I'd ride it in a heartbeat.

After I was sure no tricks would be plaid and we were securely on our way, I moved below deck again. Charlie laid on one of the cots, Chaulk over him as she tended to his gunshot wound. I knew he was shot, but he didn't say anything so I thought it was a simple graze.

Looking at it now, it was no graze.

"How's he lookin?" Charlie asked me?

I nodded, "It's not too bad," I lied. Although he probable could see right through me, it didn't help when Fortunato walked over and spoke up.

"This looks very terrible. Not good, mate."

My eyes glared at the captain. Chaulk spoke up, her voice trying to reassure Charlie. "We'll keep trying, Charlie."

Smiling, I tried to sooth Charlie, "Could be worse. Could look like McTaggart."

"Or useless, like that big ball bag," McTaggart said behind me. Chaulk chuckles while Charlie smiles slightly at the comment, trying his best to let out a laugh but failing.

I reached over, patting his shoulder lightly before moving up deck. I've seen enough bullet wounds to know that this one was infected and it wasn't looking good. Either way, we were going to try everything we could to fix him up.

Fortunato had moved up deck with me, his presence towards the front of the ship realized. I moved up to him, "Why aren't we moving faster?" my eagerness to reach Anna and to help Charlie taking over.

"Ask the wind. We are alone out here. Save for the creatures that sleep in the deep. Madelena is upset. She says that you are putting us in danger," Fortunato said, looking at me cautiously.

A small smile crossed my face as I looked ahead at the water. "You tell Madelena, Benton is the one putting us in danger."

Fortunato eyed me, "Who is this Benton you've been talking about? Is he a pirate?" I shook my head as an answer. "You are unsteady here," he added, making me laugh at his comment. Partly right.

Fortunato looked ahead, "I am unsteady on land. Too much vice. Madelena is my safe harbor and my compass." He glanced back at me, pointing up ahead at the stormy clouds and raging sea that lay ahead of us. "Do you see that, Mr. Harp? Those clouds on the horizon? That is the sign of Satanazes. "The Hand of Satan." It is a great and powerful hand that reaches up from Hades, rising up through the water and into the air searching for a ship of souls to consume. And should it clasp you in its hand it may pick you up full fathoms above the waves, send you crashing back into the ocean, or dragging you to the very bottom of the sea. And we're about to sail right into the devil's palm."

His eyes looked at me again, "Think about making peace with whatever God you submit to, Mr. Harp. You need not worry how long the journey's going to take, because it is never known that we will come out the other side."

I looked at the captain, my voice a little rougher than before, "We better, Fortunato. Or I'm gonna haunt you in hell."

My comment makes him laugh, "Perhaps we are already there, Mr. Harp." He pats my chest before turning around and walking away. My eyes stay on the water ahead, a breath sucking in as we crept closer to it.

As the day started to end and night took hold of the world around us, we all headed below deck. Candles brought light to the lower deck as we all laid in our cots. McTaggart stood up, moving over to Charlie who smiled at the man.

Charlie's breathing had become worst and his wound had bleed out, infecting the area around it. And him.

"McTaggart. Can you read?" Charlie asked.

"Can I..." McTaggart shook his head, making Charlie laugh. Charlie holds out an envelope, letting McTaggart take. "Gimme that. Can I read," McTaggart repeats the question as he sits in the side of Charlie's bed.

McTaggart looked at the envelope as Charlie spoke. "I received it years ago, when my wife turned ill."

"The seal's never been broken."

"I've been afraid of what's in it. I'm not afraid anymore," Charlie said. His eyes moved to the ceiling. My eyes followed, my ears listening to his words.

McTaggart opened the envelope before reading. ""My darling Charlie I have no way to know if this letter will reach you, but I pray to God above that it land in your hands and find you well. I can still feel the warmth of your touch that night they tore you from my arms from our babies and from my life. I have taken sick and fear it won't be long now for me. And I'm deeply sorry not to have held you in my arms one last time. Your loving wife, Delilah.""

As his words hit my ears, I couldn't help but sit up. My mind wandered, wondering the worst of things. Like what Anna would right, what I would right as well. Anna's would be meaningful, telling me not to worry, to find happiness in this life even though she knows I wouldn't.

Mine, mine would be too personal. It would hit every nerve and although I would write it, I probably would only mean half of it.

Charlie's words, pull my brain back to reality, "It's time to go home."

I stand, making my way over to Charlie as he gasps for air. He looks over at me, his words directed to me as I slowly make my way over. "So many years of my life I wanted to know what it'd be like to be a free man. Now I know. It's to you and your wife I owe thanks for that, Declan. You'll tell her, won't you?"

Smiling slightly, I nodded, "Of course."

Charlie reaches over, pulling out his knife before slowly handing it over to me. "Ever since that faithful day when our paths crossed, I've been able to choose the way I live my life. For that, I'm eternally grateful. But it's now that I'd like to choose how I end my life. Let me have the last say here. Please. It's what I want. Do it for me, brother."

My eyes looked over the knife in my hand, nodding. I understood what he wanted. I know because when I thought Anna died, I was ready to do the same thing.

"Everybody deserves peace, Charlie. I'll be seeing you, brother."

"Now, don't take this the wrong way, but chances are we're headed to different places," Charlie said, giving me a weak smile.

I nodded, chuckling as I looked at the ground. Although it was true, or at least I hopped it was, I still had hope that one day I would see him again. Through the chuckle, I said, "Depending on who's working the scales up there." I looked back at Charlie, my voice and face softening, "Close your eyes."

Charlie sucks in a final breath, looking up at the ceiling before closing his eyes. I grabbed a cloth, laying it over his mouth before I stabbed him in the throat. He gasped and grumbled before he went silent and his body fell limp.

The room was silent, no one saying a word as we all shed a tear over our lost friend.

We lost Charlie. But we weren't going to lose anyone else, not if I can help it.

Sorry it took so long to update. I wish I could say it's because I've been busy (which isn't entirely false) but I just haven't had the motivation to write in this that much. I've got the last couple of chapter and Prologue written, now it's just writing everything in between.

Please comment so I get that motivation to write in this book!