“Mr. Benedict, are you up here?”
Oh, Hell. I’d known they’d find me soon enough. But damn, so soon.
I gave Adriana an apologetic glance, and took a step back. We’d been standing close, there, for a minute. Another, and we might’ve been kissing.
“Mr. Benedict?”
Good Lord, he’d come himself: I recognized his voice. Captain or no, I was willing to bet that three years ago, it wasn’t even broken.
Hadn’t the kid better things to do? A whole boat full of souls at his hands and he chose to harass me, his lowly cook. Perhaps I count as two souls, seeing as I do twice as much work as anyone should have to.
I patted Adriana once on the arm, before calling back, somewhat wearily. “Yes, Captain. I’m up here.”
His light footsteps sounded on the stairs before he came into view, with one hand on the stone wall. His face was lightly sunburned, and the ribbon holding back his blonde curls was coming loose. As always, I looked for his scar: now, on his reddened chin, it barely showed. He joined me at the window ledge, giving Adriana a slight bow.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything?” Captain Kendrew said, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead.
“Oh no. Certainly not. Captain, this is Adriana.”
The Spanish woman at my side nodded to him shyly. She was wearing white again today. Her lips were full, and red. We’d only met the week before, when we’d landed on her shore, but I was falling for her entirely.
“Encantada,” he said, speaking Adiana’s native language. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
He brought her hand to his lips. She smiled, a flush of pink staining her cheeks, and I felt the vaguely familiar urge to damage my superior officer’s face. I ground my teeth, and held my tongue.
“It’s a beautiful view, isn’t it?” he said, gesturing out at the glimmering sea, beyond the window. A warm breeze blew through the cracks in the walls, carrying with it the smell of salt: a nagging reminder of what I would soon have to go back to. Sun shown down on us from above, through the ruined roof, and Adriana’s hair glistened like the water, reflecting thousands of colors. Her amber skin was radiant.
“Yes,” I sighed.
The captain squared his hat. “ Ah well. We’re leaving, Mr. Benedict. I suggest you not be late back on board.”
“No Sir. Thank you, Sir.”
With another bow to the lady, he skipped back down the spiral steps, and through the window I watched him pace down the grass, toward the shore. I looked awkwardly around the broken fort before turning back to Adriana. She was adjusting one of the scarlet threads that adorned her white dress, not meeting my gaze. I took her hands.
“Adriana…”
“I know. You have to go.” She stood on tiptoes to kiss me softly. I leaned down, our lips curling together with growing intensity. My hands tangled in her gorgeous locks.
A bell sounded in the distance. Unwillingly, I drew away.
“Be safe,” she whispered. She left, then, down the stairs, throwing me a dark-eyed, backwards glance on her way out.
I remained in the destroyed bell tower for just long enough to repeat every swear word I was aware of—after just months at sea, this took me approximately six times longer than it would have before my voyage. Then I followed after her and the captain, to where the ship and my duty; my infernal, perpetual, unrelenting duty, awaited me.
---
This is a character sketch for a story I'm working on. I haven't written in quite a while, and I'm a bit out of practice. Be harsh! ^_^
Might be hard for me to be very harsh as I am completely obsessed with Hornblower at the moment and Hornblower-esque things make me squee.
Points: 8846
Reviews: 531
Donate