“Mermaid eat fish, don’t they?” the cook replied grouchily. “There’s some salted halibut in the barrel if she wants it.”
“That’s enough, Colbert. Just give me some of whatever you’re making for the men.”
The cook shrugged sulkily but he dished up some of the soup he’d been preparing. Gabe took the bowl, grabbed a spoon and placed them on a tray before returning to his cabin.
As the Captain walked in, the newly named Florin started and quickly dropped her covers back in place. He assumed she had been checking on her legs again. For some reason, she seemed worried about them. He picked up a pillow and stuffed it behind her back to prop her up against the headboard.
“Here - Cook made some soup,” he said, placing the tray on her lap. She looked into the bowl with a grimace and then back at him. “It tastes better than it looks,” Gabe promised, handing her the spoon. But, rather than dip the silver spoon into the bowl, Ottilia stared into it, turning it first one way then the other before throwing it down in alarm.
“What is that?” she asked suspiciously.
“It’s just a spoon - an eating utensil.” He picked it up and dipped it into the soup. “See?” he said, demonstrating how to use it. He handed the spoon to Ottilia and gestured for her to try. Cautiously she dipped the spoon in and brought it up to her mouth; she sniffed first and then dipped the tip her tongue into the bowl.
“Ouch!” she cried, glaring at him accusingly.
“It’s not that hot!” Gabe replied but she wrinkled her nose in disgust and pushed the bowl away. “Fine! I’ll see what else there is!” he growled and stalked out of the cabin.
Ottilia was feeling quite pleased with herself. She had successfully convinced Captain she had no memory of who she was or what had happened. If he didn’t know where she came from, he couldn’t send her back! Perhaps her parents were right after all. For as long as she could remember, they had told her to think before she spoke - and it had actually worked! Well, apart from the stupid name Captain Gabe had lumbered her with!
From now on, she would remain silent and mysterious. She would be a jelly fish! They were majestic and silent and everyone was scared to death of them. There was a knock and the door opened and Ottilia remained still and silent and majestic … exactly like a jelly fish.
“I brought you some fruit,” Captain said and set a plate on her lap. She looked at the plate for a moment then picked up a piece, feeling the texture and temperature, before putting the sweet-smelling food into her mouth. Her eyes widened in delight and she smiled up at Captain as she chewed the delicious food.
“Oh you like that do you, Florin?” he teased and she nodded in what she hoped was a mysterious manner and picked up another piece.
“You know, I cut it up so you could eat with the fork,” he told her and handed her another eating utensil. Ottilia shrugged. She picked up the fork and stared at its prongs. Why, she wondered, would she need to use this when she had two perfectly good hands?
“I’ll leave you to eat,” Gabe said and turned to withdraw. Ottilia opened her mouth to call after him then remembered she was being silent and mysterious: so she threw the fork at the door. Gabe spun round.
“Bloody hell, woman! Was that necessary?” he yelled. Ottilia smiled regally at him and wondered how she was supposed to retain her new, enigmatic persona while pumping Captain Gabe for information.
“Don’t go,” she said and surprised herself as she realised that, more than anything, she wanted his company. Surely even jelly fish must like companionship now and again?
“Why?”
Ottilia shrugged. “I’m bored.”
The Captain laughed. “Well, it wouldn’t do for word to get out that the Manatee failed to entertain our very first guest.” He pulled up a chair.“ Now, how may I amuse you, Princess Florin?”
“Tell me about the Manatee,” Ottilia said, secretly hoping he might tell her something of the Prince instead.
Sprawling in his chair, Captain Gabe stroked his chin contemplatively. “I’m going to go out a limb here and assume you don’t want to know her particulars - type of rigging; the number of sails; the navigational equipment .…” When Ottilia shook her head vigorously, he smiled. “I thought not. So - what do you want to know?”
“Why you sail her and where you go.”
“I sail her because it’s what I love to do. I spent a lot of years tied to the land for various reasons …” and Gabe thought about his brother who was no longer imprisoned in the body of an Ogre but was now in his rightful place as King of Warwick, “ … and now, I’m not.”
“Are you a merchant ship?” Most of the ships the mer people saw crossed their ocean to trade - or war.
“Sometimes, but not on this trip.” Gabe saw her eyes widen. “You’re interested in this trip?” he asked carefully. Ottilia shrugged, as though it were merely idle curiosity.
“Well, it just so happens that this trip was for my cousin’s benefit,” he said, watching for her reaction. Luckily, Ottilia remembered she was being a silent and enigmatic jelly fish. She smiled blandly. “He likes to study things,” Gabe explained, “and, at the moment, his interests lie with the flora and fauna of the oceans.”
“Does he capture sea creatures?” Ottilia asked, trying not to sound as alarmed as she felt. The thought of her Prince being like the merchants who had captured her aunt and uncle was too much to bear.
“No,” Captain Gabe laughed. “He is far too soft-hearted to take anything from its home.” Ottilia slumped back against her pillow in relief. “He likes to observe and draw instead,” Gabe continued.
“So, where is he now?”
“In bed with a concussion,” Gabe replied. “My cousin is not as good a sailor as he is a botanist. He fell overboard and managed to bang his head on the way down.”
Ottilia grimaced guiltily. “Will the Prince be all right?”
Gabe stared at her. “How do you know my cousin is a Prince?”
“Erm …” Ottilia said. She wondered what a jelly fish might do at this point - other than sting him to death! “I … I can’t remember,” she said feebly. Then she yawned loudly and pretended to fall instantly asleep. If there was one thing Ottilia knew about those majestic, gelatinous meanies, it was that they gave a nasty sting and then drifted away as though nothing had happened.
She could feel Captain Gabe’s glare through her closed eyelids. It made feigning sleep very difficult.
“Fine,” he said finally. “Play your little games, Princess: but I will find out what you’re up to.” There was a moment of protracted silence before Ottilia heard him cross the cabin and leave.
Chapter Six
Ottilia slipped out of the cabin. She had been practising walking the length of the room since Stitches had visited that morning and proudly given her the all clear. It was time for her to find her Prince. Now that Captain Gabe was suspicious of her, she thought it best that she put her plan for enthralling the Prince into action straight-away.
She crept along the gangway until she came to a door. She did a quick, covert look around, opened it and found herself peering into a cabin much like the one she occupied, only fitted out in a grander style. She took a tentative step inside and spied someone lying upon the sleeping platform. She knew at once that it was her Prince: there was no mistaking that flaxen hair.
“You looking for the Captain, Miss Florin?”
Ottilia started and spun round. Stitches was standing in the doorway with his arms full with clothing. “He’ll be up on deck, Miss. Come up; the fresh air will do you good.”
“Is this the Captain’s cousin?” she asked, reluctant to leave her Prince now she had found him.
“That’s right, Prince Sebastian,” Stitches said genially. “He woke this morning and asked for tea. Mind you, he was asleep again before he got it - but that’s what happens when the body’s mending. Now come on, Miss: we best let him rest.” He gestured Ottilia out of the room an
d then he looked down and noted her bare legs. Searching through the pile he was carrying, he pulled out a garment and handed it to her. “Here, these should do you well enough.”
Ottilia took it and held it up, trying to work out what it could be.
“For ya legs, Miss.” Stitches said and pointed at her legs. “Can’t have you going round half naked now, can we?”
Leaning back against the wall, Ottilia tried to put the garment over her legs. But it wouldn’t fit! She struggled with the wretched thing as Stitches called out amused instructions. “The other way, Miss Florin. No, not that way!”
Thoroughly entangled in the confounding garment, Ottilia slid down the bulkhead and landed on the deck. Stitches chortled good-naturedly.
“Why is she on the deck?” Captain Gabe asked. Startled, Ottilia and Stitches looked round.
“She’s trying to put on some breeches but seems a mite unsure which way they go,” the older man said, not bothering to hide his amusement.
Captain took the breeches from Ottilia’s hand. “Foot,” he said shortly and Ottilia lifted her foot. He slid the breeches part way on. “Now the other one,” he said and Ottilia presented him with her other foot. With the garment now on her legs, Captain ordered her to stand and held out his hand to lift her to her feet. “Now pull them up,” he commanded and the two men politely turned their backs as Ottilia wriggled into the breeches to cover her bottom half. Once she was presentable, Captain faced her again.
“Now - why are you up and wandering about?”
“She’s coming topside with me, Captain,“ Stitches volunteered. “Isn’t that right, Miss Florin?”
Ottilia nodded. She found it best to say as little as possible around Captain Gabe. She followed Stitches up through the companionway but couldn’t resist turning round to see what Captain was doing. Seeing that he was watching her, she stuck her tongue out at him. He shook his head in disbelief and followed them up to the deck. Ottilia tripped on the top step but Captain’s hand was there to stop her falling. For some strange reason his touch seemed to heat her skin. She pulled away and climbed out onto the deck.
The sun was bright and Ottilia had to shield her eyes from the glare. “Here, take my hat,” Captain said and put it on her head. It was big on her but, though it reduced the glare from the sun, it did little to shield her from the glares of the crew.
“Over here, Miss Florin,” Stitches called and Ottilia followed him to a perch under the rigging. “This is my favourite spot for mending,” Stitches told her, spreading the garments he had on his lap. He opened a pouch in which he kept his needles and thread and started to work. Ottilia pretended not to notice the looks the crew were giving her. They kept glancing sideways at her and whispering pointedly between themselves.A young man, who had been mopping the deck, stopped what he was doing to stare at her.
“Don’t you have work to do, Swabbie?” Captain snarled and the young man went back to his cleaning. “Jeb, keep this lot busy. They obviously have too much time on their hands!”
“Aye, Captain!” Jeb called and started shouting orders at the men.
“Take no notice of that lot,” Stitches told Ottilia. “They just been too long at sea is all. Forgot their company manners.”
Ottilia smiled at him and turned to look out to sea. It was strange for her to see it from above, knowing that, deep down, further than any human could reach, was a whole other world. The world of her people. She gazed across the wide expanse of ocean and wondered how far she had travelled from home. And then she wondered whether she would ever see home again.
“How long have I been on the ship?” she asked her new friend.
“Three days, Miss. You were proper poorly the first two though.”
She had already lost three days! The sea-witch had given her just a fortnight to woo her Prince - or Sebastian, she corrected, savouring his name. She could not waste a single moment of the little time she had left.
“Florin, come and see!” She glanced back over her shoulder at Captain. “Over here!” he said. “Look! A pod of dolphins.”
Ottilia rolled her eyes. Dolphins! They were such attention-seekers! They loved nothing more than to show off to humans. The pod approached the ship and a large male leapt high into the air. He caught Ottilia’s eye and they both recognised each other at the same moment. Sweet-mother-of-pearl! It was Makoa! Ottilia dropped down below the bulwark. That blasted dolphin wouldn’t be able to keep quiet about this! He was the biggest tattle-tale in the Big Blue!
“What’s wrong?” Gabe asked, confused by her strange behaviour.
Ottilia thought fast. She remembered Stitches’ words. “I’m tired, ” she said. “My body is still mending.”
“Then perhaps you should go back to bed,” Captain suggested. “Do you want me to carry you down?”
She shook her head and crawled across the deck towards the companionway. She missed the look that passed between Gabe and Stitches, the Captain’s frown and the shrug of the ship’s surgeon in response. Ottilia was far too busy worrying about how much damage one nosy dolphin could cause.
Gabe shook his head, despairing of the strangeness of women in general and the outright oddity of the one currently occupying his cabin in particular. Still absorbed in thought, he climbed up to the helm. Flint and Arik were discussing the taffrail log. “What’s your reckoning? Are we still on course for three days?” Gabe asked.
Flint nodded. “As long as we keep the wind with us, it might even be two at this rate, Captain.”
The bell sounded for the noon meal and Gabe clapped his helmsman on the shoulder. “Good to hear, Flint. Now go down for your nooning.”
“Aye, Captain. I hear Colbert’s dishing up a nice bit of scrag!” he said with a wide grin and jumped down to the deck.
“How’s our guest?” Arik asked. He quirked an eyebrow. “I saw her scuttling along the deck.”
“Who can tell? As you know, I don’t have the best track record with second guessing women,” he said, wryly referring to the occasion when his fiancée had publicly broken off their engagement the moment news of his brother’s return had ended Gabe’s reign as Regent.
“No man can know what goes on in a woman’s head, Captain.” Arik laughed. “Why else do you think the men are so leery about having one on board!”
“True enough, my friend!” Gabe scanned the sails, billowing before the tailwinds. “At least we have the weather on our side. A few more days of this and we can leave our mysterious visitor in more suitable hands.”
“Any ideas whose hands they might be?” his Commander asked. “After all, she appeared out of nowhere - so where, exactly, are we taking her?”
“That’s not my problem, Arik.” Gabe said shortly. But neither his Commander nor Gabe himself actually believed it.
Ottilia cracked open the door to her cabin and peered out. Seeing the galley way was clear, she tip-toed to the Prince’s cabin and slipped inside.
Prince Sebastian lay still on the bed; his handsome face was turned towards her. “Sebastian,” she whispered: but he didn’t stir. “Sebastian!” she yelled into his ear but - nothing. Blast! Ottilia sat down on the side of the Prince’s bed and thought through her options. They were sorely limited. She could either wait for the Prince to wake up and hope his affection for her had survived his fall from the deck of the ship and the bang to his head or she could take matters into her own hands.
She knew the Prince had been looking for her: she had heard Stitches say as much. It was also encouraging that he had returned even after her father had rudely blown him out of their territorial waters. So the chances were good that Prince Sebastian had enough love for her to overlook the mishap of that other night.
Then again, could she afford to take any chances when her body - her life - was at stake? As far as Ottilia could see, she had few options and the only one that looked at all promising was the one she knew she shouldn’t do. But she was going to anyway!
Leaning close to the Prince, Ottilia quietly began to sing. Her lilting song filled the Prince’s ear, stole through the floor boards and into the hull where, unbeknown to Ottilia, it dripped through the timbers and into the ocean. Sebastian stirred. Excitedly, Ottilia sat up and waited for her Prince to look at her and declare his love. But he didn’t. Instead of waking, he merely sighed, still sound asleep, turned over onto his other side.
Ottilia huffed out an angry breath. “Well! Isn’t that just my luck to find a tone deaf Prince!” and then screamed as a huge explosion rocked the ship.
Chapter Seven
“All hands on deck!”
Ottilia heard the shout and raced into the corridor. Men were running for the upper deck. A young boy was starting up the ladder but one of the sailors shouted at him. “No, Pip! You stay there, lad, ‘less you’re called for!”
Ottilia climbed through the companionway and onto the deck into a scene of unimaginable chaos. Thunder and lightning split a sky that was black as night. A fierce gale was throwing the ship about with ferocious savagery and huge waves were battering it from all sides. Sailors clung desperately to the rigging, trying to cut the lines before the sails drove the ship under. Forced to her hands and knees, with stinging rain lashing at her face, Ottilia could only stare in fascinated horror as the stormy seas punished the Manatee.
“Clear the mast!” Captain Gabe hollered and Ottilia looked up to see all the main sails aflame and swinging around precariously in the wind. Three deckhands scaled the rigging, clinging desperately to the ropes as the ship was pitched to the top of each fresh wave and plunged thirty and forty feet at a time into the trough, Again and again, the ship rose and was dashed down and still the men scaled the dizzying heights of the main mast until, finally, they could inch their way to the flaming main sails and begin the perilous task of cutting them away from the burning mast. The sails fell away and were lost to the broiling seas below.
The Siren Page 4