Chapter Seven

Notes:

Danica stretched, her eyes still shut as she let out a groan in the middle of her stretch. The stretch felt good as she opened her eyes and stood up. Shifting to the edge of the bed she dangled her feet over the edge of it placing them on the floor. Aloud yawned escaped her lips as she stretched once more. 

“Sleep well?” Jacob laughed as she was standing over at the desk reading the map.

Danica laughed and stood walking over to Jacob. She stood next to him seeing what he was looking at. 

“How are we doing so far?” Danica said, looking down at the map with him.

“Well we’ve started to take the long way around like you said to. The gulley would have saved a day and half time but we will try to make up for it somewhere down the line. I was looking at the map to see if there was a way to catch up.” Jacob said, still looking at the map.

Danica’s eyes followed the route they were going. Her fathers notes stopped after Siren Gulley. Before The Hollow there was another passage called the Sailor’s Right. She was cautious of short cuts. Her mother was good at finding them but Dancia seemed hesitant since she read her fathers journal. They could make up for time lost if they took it. She studied the passage as if it would speak to her. Jacob was still searching the map. She was quick to scan and find things. She had watched her mother help her father so much it was second nature for her to have things stand out on maps. The passage basically jumped off the map and waved at her. She waited a few more moments before tapping the passage, pointing it out to Jacob.

“Here.” Danica nudged Jacob as she said it.

He glanced down at the spot she pointed to. She saw him frown studying it. He traced the route with his finger.

“Does your father’s journal say anything about it?” Jacob asked.

“No, his notes end after Siren Gulley. There was some battle and then he and my mother began working on building the trade business. From what I can tell he hasn't been out this way again.” Danica said, shaking her head no as she spoke.

“Well I guess we can judge it when we get there.” Jacob said with a nod.

Danica paused, staring at the map. She  had read in her father's journal about Siren’s Gulley but all passages couldnt be like that one. Her father’s ship and crew almost didn't make it out of the gulle. She didn't want to risk anyone's lives. She couldn't risk not returning home empty handed ethier. She sighed.

“Dani, it will be fine.” Jacob said to her, squeezing her shoulder.

“One step at a time, let's get there first.”  He  continued.

She smiled weakly at him and nodded, taking her eyes off the map. She looked about the room and then back to Jacob.

“Whose steering?” She asked.

“Adam.” He answered her.

“Good I’m glad we don't just have two people who know how to steer. I understand my fathers reasoning but we are not really into pirate ships anymore.” Danica laughed

Jacob just shook his head with a smile. Danica looked about the room once more and realized that the small area that had light coming through was dark. Had she slept all day? She looked from the door to Jacob.

“Is it night time already?” Danica said quietly.

“Aye lass, it seems that you haven't slept well in a while.” Jacob said with a small smile, he knew the inner workings of the Abners and how much stress the girls have been under.

“It's crazy that I am still tired. How far have we gotten?” Danica said slowly walking to the door.

“Stress will do that. We made it around Siren Gulley and headed for Raven’s peak. I have been there once before several years ago. You were still a bun in the oven. Ater Raven’s peak it's uncharted territory for me.” He smiled.

“Well then it will be an actual adventure for you.” Danica said with a smirk going to the door. 

She turned around looking at him and seeing the tiredness across his face. For the first time Jacob actually looked his age to her. He wasn't the young man she had met as a child. That would chase her up and down the docks with seaweed. She could now notice how he was leaning very so slightly on the desk to support himself as if something hurt. Danica raised an eyebrow at him. She knew better than to point it out. He was very much like her father; he would just ignore her. 

“Hey get some sleep, I am going to need you to steer in the morning.” Danica said to him, giving him an order rather than asking him to take care of himself.

“Yes Ma’am.” Jacob chuckled.

Danica laughed quietly to herself as she walked out the door leaving Jacob. As she walked outside into the cool night air. She smiled as it ran through her hair that was very ruffled from sleeping. She looked up at the sky and a small sad feeling passed through her. She felt a tug on her heart as she looked at the stars. She hoped Ari was ok. She hoped that she wasn't under too much stress and that she didn't feel like she abandoned her. Most of the crew was already settled in. She made her way down to the lower deck. A small group of guys were playing cards. She watched them for a second.

“You want to play captain?” One of the younger men said with a soft smile.

“Maybe later boys.” Danica said as she began walking past them and started up the stairs to the upper deck.

“Evening Captain. Sleep well?” Adam called her as she got up to the helm.

“Aye still sleepy but good. How are you holding up?” Danica asked him, going to the upper deck rail and leaning on it. 

“I’m doing well captain. We are actually making good time with the wind on our side.” Adam smiled.

Danica nodded in agreement looking out over the horizon. You could barely tell where the deep blue sky ended and the dark ocean began.  She got lost in the dark swirls of it. She studied the swirls of the  dark water as it reached up to the sky calling to it. Off in the far distance she could see cliffs and large peaks that stretched out into the water. She squinted trying to study it. She couldn't because everything was too dark and the dark cliff only stood out in the slightest against the sky. She began to humm as her eyes went to the horizon to the men below. She recognized Kaleb. He made his way slowly to the group of men playing cards. She saw him smile as a man shifted over so he could join them. He smiled sitting down at the group. The man holding the cards dealt him in. She watched all the men carefully pick up their cards and study them. She smirked seeing their reactions. She watched them place bets and then everyone showed their cards. The smallest man laughed and began collecting his winnings.

“They play almost every night. Even back home.” Adam said knowing what Danica was watching. 

“I know a little bit of how to play but not enough to actually sit in a game.” Danica said back to Adam.

“They would gladly teach you.” Adam said reassuringly. 

“Maybe some other time. Did you want a break?” Dancia asked, taking her eyes from the group of men.

“Maybe in a little bit but I am ok for now,” Adam said.

Danica nodded and then spotted a chair leaning up against the first mate's cabin. She went over and took a seat.

“I’ll be here when you're ready then.” She smiled as she sat although her eye slides felt heavy. 

She shifted slightly and leaned her head back against the wooden wall. In seconds her eyes were closed. Adam glanced back at her and laughed out loud. 

Ariadne sat at the kitchen table, she reluctantly gave in and discarded the light blanket she placed over it. There had to be something she was missing in the contracts. She had brought everything up to the courts and they had interviewed Edward Smith. The only response she got from the courts was what he was doing was legal. She didn't understand how he was getting around it or how he knew their every move. She sighed letting her head drop onto the table. She groaned into the table, frustration getting to her. She wanted to take and toss the papers off of the table. She lifted her head from the table and rubbed her brow. She didn't know how long she had been sitting there. It felt like hours, her head throbbed and her eyes hurt. She stood going to the counter and grabbing herself her glass of water. She took a long sip shutting her eyes as she did. A loud thump on the door made her almost drop the glass she was holding and she started to cough on the water. She glanced at the door, it was so late. Who would be coming to her home at this hour. She pulled open one of the kitchen drawers. Reaching inside of it she grabbed her father’s pistol. She waited looking at the door as another single thump was heard. She gritted her teeth as she walked slowly to the door. Before reaching the door she checked the pistol quickly making sure it was properly loaded. She inhaled as she prepared herself to open the door. She grabbed a hold of the handle and turned the door slightly. She counted to three in her head and flung open the door pistol aiming for whoever was there.

Ariadne found herself staring out into the night. The air was cold a slight breeze stiring leaves that had fallen about. No one was there. She paused her hand still ready with her pistol just in case this was some sort of trapt. She scanned her surroundings not going out of the door way. There was no noise other than the crickets chirping away and the breeze rustling the leaves. She bit her lip waiting anxiously. She heard the noise twice, it was definitely a knock both times. She shook her head and backed into the house. The gun is still pointing outwards. She used one hand to start closing the door and that was when she saw it.  A piece of paper tacked to the door. Ariadne cautiously took the paper, still watching as she stepped back inside. She locked the door before beginning to unroll the note. She unwrapped the paper slowly, not sure what to expect.

“The Smith’s paid off the courts.” 

Ariadne blinked looking at the note. Who would have sent this to her? She thought.  It made a lot of sense now that she thought about it. They never told her exactly how everything Ed Smith was doing was legal and she never got to see any paperwork. Her wheels started spinning as she started down at the note. She would go to the courts tomorrow or the constable and see what she could do. She wasn't sure who would send this to her but she was thankful….sceptical but thankful. She looked at the stack of papers. Maybe she just needs to focus on one contract that they lost. Maybe if she could break it down and see exactly what loophole the Smith could use to get out of the contracts. She grabbed a stack of paper and went to the bottom. The first trade contract was with  the Mullins in the northwest port. She grabbed the contract pushing the other papers aside.She then reached behind her grabbing another candle, lighting it as she sat down.  She felt a little hope since receiving the note maybe there's something she was missing. She began reading the contract carefully.