Captain Blackheart’s treasure

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What would happen if Noel and Julian lived in mid 18th century England.

Or what do you get when you tastelessly mix The Boosh, Brokeback mountain and anything by Robert Louis Stevenson…? A twisted Pirates tale.
Beta by the wonderful plainJane.

Oh, and GIVE ME FEEDBACK, PLEASE!

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Chapter 3 – The Calm…

Contents

Chapter 3 – The Calm…

Author’s Notes:The captain was anxious. He had an edgy crew on his hands and he was about to break some bad news to them. He didn’t want to, but too many people saw it happen and there was no point of denying…

Noel couldn’t take it anymore. The past week and a half had been so miserable it reminded him of his first days onboard, when there was nothing but uncertainty.

Ever since the night of the big storm, Julian has been avoiding his company by any means necessary: Either volunteering to do every odd job onboard, or sending Noel to fetch all kind of things from anywhere and everywhere on the ship (except from THAT cabin at the belly of the vessel).

When times came and they actually had to be in the galley together, Julian would sit on the opposite side of the room, doing his best impression of Tony the mute.

On the few occasions Noel tried to strike up a conversation, the cook gave him laconic answers, grunted under his breath or ignored him altogether.

But at nights, when Noel was on deck with the crew, Julian was still there, standing in the shadows. The cook was watching over him, he knew that now, but Julian would avert his eyes whenever they met Noel’s. Always looking out for him, but never looking at him.

Noel didn’t know at what hour it was that Julian finally went to sleep every night, but it was always long after he had drifted away into his restless slumber.

It seemed in what little time he had left (when he wasn’t watching Noel like a hawk yet avoiding him like the plague), Julian was busy contriving, devising and hatching a scheme: a clever plan to get Noel off the ship and away from him.

Julian wasn’t the only one avoiding him, but as oppose to the cook, whenever Merritt saw him and quickly turned away, Noel gave a sigh of relief.

Though the mere thought of the quartermaster sent shivers down his spine, Noel noticed that Merritt seemed absolutely beside himself with remorse.

He looked like a broken man, distraught by inner-turmoil: With wild hair and wet eyes, forever mumbling to himself, reading his bible, scribbling maniacally in his diary and reeking even worse than usual from his self-made Tater-booze.

Noel felt painfully isolated, and spent most of his days on deck, staring at the overwhelming vastness of the ocean. For the first time in months he thought of “early fall” manor and his poor parents, and cursed the rash stupidity that got him to this sad point in life.

I wish I never laid my eyes on that map…

I wish I never went to see Doherty…

I wish I never met…

But he couldn’t quite bring himself to think it.

The cook and his assistance were sitting in the galley, peeling potatoes and soon to be cleaning up fish.

The chore ahead was horrible enough for Noel as it is, and the silence only made it worse… It was like being slowly ignored to death, but with the added bonus of fish intestine.

From time to time Julian would get up and Noel’s heart stopped in fear he might go out to do some work elsewhere and never come back, leaving him alone in the kitchen with the fish and their sad, dead eyes.

However, on that specific morning, Julian came back… Holding a bigger knife, bringing the fish, carrying a pot… then sat right down on his stool, Noel’s eyes following him all the while.

As the minutes stretched into hours, yet not a word was exchanged, Noel became desperate. He was going to put a stop to this nonsense one way or another.

“So… what are we making today?” the young man donned his most casual voice. “Fried fish” Julian said, though it came out more of a grunt.

“Oh, so I don’t need to chop them?”

“No”

“Just to clean…?”

“Yes”

“By that you mean take out the entrails?”

“Aye”

“And scrape off the scales?”

“Yes”

“And take out the fishbone?”

“Yes”

“But not to slice them…”

“No”

“Not even chop off the tail?”

“Aye”

“Wait, yes to chopping off the tail…?”

“Yes…”

“… Or Yes to not chopping it off?”

“Wha…? I mean, no…”

“I don’t follow”

“Just leave the tail on!”

“And also leave the head on?”

“Yes”

“With the eyes and every…”

“Oh, for god’s sake, Noel, ye be doin’ this a thousand time!”

Noel’s eyes lit up. He was hoping Julian would find it funny, but he’d settle for agitation… Finally, a real reaction!

He needed to choose his next words very carefully, avoid saying anything too upsetting, anything that would remind him of that night, or he’ll drive him away…

“Sorry, sir”

He quickly lowered his gaze, but in the corner of his eye he could see Julian was discomforted by the way he referred to him. He continued, hoping to trick Julian into their first real conversation in days.

“The voyage is near over, isn’t it?”

“‘yeah”

“How long, do you reckon?”

“bout 6-7 days till we reach Singapore”

“The far east… Imagine that!”

“Aye…”

“It’s been a long journey hasn’t it?”

“Aye, I s’ppose…”

“It’ll be good to finally be on dry land”

“Yes it would.”

“Especially when it looks like tomorrow we’ll be heading for yet another storm…”

Oh, shit…

Both men got to their feet, a split second apart.

“Oh, god, please don’t leave!”

The words that shot out of his own mouth caught him by surprise.

No more games.

“I can’t take this anymore! Please, Julian, it’s like torture!”

Julian glared at him and Noel moved forward, his tiny frame pathetically trying to block the bigger man’s way.

“You want me to leave ship, fine, I-I will, I’ll do whatever you want… won’t cause any trouble, I promise…”

He felt like a child begging forgiveness after being told off.

“… But I can’t stay here, until that happens, with you ignoring me…

I-I don’t think I could bear it much longer…”

His voice broke mid-sentence and his ears seemed to have caught fire.

“Please, Julian, I’ve never been so alone…”

The cook stared at him with a concentrated frown.

Then, abruptly, Julian sat back down, not looking at the younger man, a bit lost in his thoughts.

Noel remained frozen for a few more seconds, until he sensed it was safe… He picked up the knocked-over stool and took his seat.

“Thank you”

Julian let out a heavy sigh… then looked up at the younger man.

“Look, I’m sorry.

I didn’t mean for ye to… I didn’t realize ye be… Anyway, I’m sorry.”

Noel felt a lump in his throat so he thought it best just to nod. The cook replied with a thankful smile.

A couple of minutes passed before Julian cleared his throat…

“I reckon I figured a way to get ye out of ‘ere.”

“Oh?”

“Aye. It’s a stupid plan… ye’ll like it”

Noel nodded once more and Julian resumed his carving. “I be tellin’ ye all ‘bout it soon. When everythin’s ready”.

For the next hour or so, the two men remained in silence… But it was of a different kind.

They sat in the kitchen, wordlessly doing their chores, exchanging grateful smiles.

“What then, Fieldin’?”

“Oh, we’ve been over this a million times! Then I give them a little show and dance”

“Show me”

“No”

It seemed like every spare moment in the past three days has been dedicated to The plan.

It was a simple plan that called for Noel to pretend to fall overboard at the end of a night of heavy drinking while secretly landing on the side boat. Next, sneak off back to the galley and hide for a couple of days in the pantry until the ship harbors in Singapore. Then, finally, escape the ship at night and find freedom.

Julian seemed to think it was a much more complicated scheme than it actually was and devoted all his time to making Noel go over, practice and rehearse it.

Despite the tedious repetition, Noel found the joint planning so bonding, joyous and resembling the good old days that he almost forgot the point of the plan was to do the exact opposite, and tear them apart forever…

“Show me what ye be plannin’ on doin’“

“Nope. You’ll have to wait and see”

“Don’t be stupid, I need to know that it works”

“Patience, cook, let me save something for the big night!”

“What do ye think this is, Squiffy, the globe?!”

“Keep pushing and I’ll think you just want to watch me dance”

Julian glared at him.

No? Too soon?

“Well, I reckon ye be ready then. Ye still be needin’ to practice the fall, but we still… have more t-time… for… that…” Julian tried to ignore Noel’s heavy sighing.

“WHAT NOW?”—But couldn’t.

“I just… I don’t know, it’s just so depressing…”

“Oh?” Julian raised an eyebrow and Noel was quick to explain.

“I mean, to hide in a cupboard for three days, all alone in the dark…”

“Ye won’t be lonely. I be talkin’ to ye all the time…”

“It’s too dangerous, what if someone hears you?”

“They be thinkin’ I lost me mind… From grievin’…” Julian momentarily drifted into his own private world.

“You thought of everything…” Noel sighed.

“It’s the best I could come up with, without them chasin’ ye”

“No, I know, It’s a good plan. It’s just…”

The two men fell into silence.

They did that a lot lately.

“Julian…?”

“Yeah?”

“I need a favor”

“Oh, aye?” Julain said somewhat worryingly.

“I want my map back”

“Wha……..!?!?!?!” Julian nearly choked.

“Yeah, I was thinking about it and I want it.”

“That be crazy talk.”

“Why? I found it, therefore it’s mine!”

“Why ye be needin’ that map? Ye be ESCAPIN’ in Singapore!”

Ye ain’t be goin’ on no treasure hunt!”

“I might be… If I can get a crew”

“Have ye learned nothin’?!

I ain’t gettin’ ye out so that ye could run right back in!”

“Fine.”

Julian grabbed Noel by his shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes.

“Promise me!”

“Alright! Calm down!” he shrugged him off. “But I want at least a copy of it. I want a souvenir!”

“Souve…? What, ye be French now?

“I want a memento!”

“How can a copy be a memento?!”

“Well, it can!”

“There be somethin’ wrong with ye…”

“It belongs to me!”

“That map brought ye nothin’ but trouble!”

“I just want something to remember… all this by” Noel mumbled avoiding Julian’s glare.

“Think ye’ll forget bein’ kidnapped to a pirate ship?! I reckon ye’ll be wearin’ the emotional scars like a tricorne!”

Noel raised his head and Julian never saw him look more determined.

“I’m getting it, end of story. Are you gonna help me or not?”

Julian growled but Noel knew it meant a “yes”.

“Remind me why this has to be now, when everyone’s still up and about?”

“Cause he locks his door at night, sproggy.”

“So? You’re a pirate, you’re supposed to know how to break into places!”

“Yeah, BREAK into places. When did ye hear of a pirate doin’ somethin’ discrete like? Smashin’ a door down? No problem.

Pickin’ locks on the other hand…”

“Oh, I wish you said something. I’m really good at picking locks. Used to break in my father’s storage halls all the time…”

Julian double blinked.

“I HAVE said somethin’! What did ye think I be doin’ when I be lookin’ at ye yesterday and all them sounds came out of me mouth?!”

Noel had been so happy Julian was speaking to him again, that he wasn’t overly occupied with what he actually had to say. It was enough just to hear his voice…

“Oh, I must’ve missed that”

“Did ye miss the part where I ended with the words ‘What do ye think, Noel?’ and you answered ‘Great plan’???”

“I said that…? I didn’t say that.”

“Yeah, yeah ye did!”

“Barratt, is this really the best time to be having this conversation?”

Julian thought of the plans they had yet to execute. Surely strangling the boy now would bring a similar end result, but with much less hassle?

“What are we waiting for?

Barratt! What are you waiting for?”

“Oh, sorry…”

The two men took another look to make sure there was no one in the hallway and snuck inside Captain Mann’s cabin.

“Right, Fieldin’, ye go check thar and I’ll stay here on the look out”

The young man hurried to the chest of drawers that stood next to the captain’s table and started going through the drawers, one by one.

“Aw, I don’t know, Julian…”

“No, no, keep lookin’, I be pretty sure I saw him take it out”

“Oh, this one’s locked!”

“Son of a Biscuit Eater…”

“No, It’s fine. I’m good with them, remember?” Noel grabbed a dip pen off the table and jammed the tip in the keyhole. After a few twists and turns the lock succumbed to the boy’s touch and the drawer slid open. Noel quickly went through its content and couldn’t hide the excitement in his voice.

“Got it!”

“Quick, we haven’t got long before he finishes eatin’!”

Noel took out a piece of parchment from his pocket and started copying the map with the same pen. He did it in under 10 minutes but Julian could have sworn it took him an at least an hour.

“Come one, come on, come ooooon!”

“… Finished!”

“Smartly, put it back and let’s get out of ‘ere!”

Noel placed the map back in the drawer right where he found it and set to push the box back in… It wouldn’t move.

“I can’t… it’s stuck!” he said in a loud and nervous whisper.

Julian rushed over to him. The both of them started wriggling and pushing it. “Go to the door, Fieldin’, I’ll do this!”

Noel didn’t even have the time to move before the drawer pushed back in a slam and clicked shut.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!”

Both men turned around startled. Noel quickly put his hands behind his back, folding the copy into two, while Julian tried to look as if they were expecting Mann to walk in.

“Aaah, good evening captain!” The two men edged away slowly from the chest of drawers.

“What are you two scurvy bitches doing in my cabin?”

“We just be wantin’ to ask ye somethin’… about the food” Julian struggled to sound convinced.

“The food?… Were you trying to steal the map?”

“The wha…?! Julian let out a loud snort “Don’t be si… that’s ridicul…

NO!” the smile quickly evaporated from his face.

“Then why ARE you here?” the captain demanded and set down at his table.

“Erm, we came to ask if we can ‘ave some of the rum from the stock. There be non left in the galley… We thought ye’d be ‘ere.”

“You know very well I was eating… Did you come here to steal my rum?!”

“No! How could we be stealin’ it? Ye keep ‘em counted!”

“… It’s just that Julian came up with this new cabbage and fish recipe. Try and improve the taste by putting some rum in, it’s pretty good actually, and we thought we’d ask…”

“‘JULIAN’?” Mann’s face turned red and his eyes bulged out.

“I mean, Mister Barratt, sir… Master.”

Julian rolled his eyes and Captain Mann looked as if he was about ready to combust.

“But anyway, Captain, that’s not the main reason we came here. We have a proposition for you!”

Julian looked at Noel with wide eyes, slowly shaking his head.

“Well, this should be interesting…” Mann said and Noel ignored Julian’s scorching glare. “I was just thinking… I am very good with drawing and painting and sewing and embroidering and…

“Get to the point, boy!”

“Well, seeing how you’re a captain of a pirate ship now… don’t you think it’s about time you’ll have your own black flag?… With your very own Jolly Roger!”

“And you’re offering to make one for me?”

“Sure!

“He’s an idiot, sir, but he means no harm. We should probably go back now…”

The captain ignored the cook and didn’t take his eyes off of Noel.

“And what’s in it for you?”

“Oh, I’m just grateful for the chance you’ve given me…”

The captain raised his eyebrow.

“… AND we want to go back to the old breakfast hours!”

Captain Mann looked both intrigued and revolted.

“Pay no attention to him, captain. Lets go, Fieldin’…”

Noel shook off the cook’s arm, which was trying to nudge him towards the door. He took the piece of paper still in his hand, turned it upside down and placed it on the table.

“Can I use that?”

Before the captain had the time to respond, the young man took the dip pen from the table and started scrabbling on the back of the copied map.

“Remember this is just a sketch, but I thought it should look…

something…

like…

this!”

The captain looked at the skilful drawing of a bleeding heart with a Cutlass running through it and was speechless.

Julian looked like someone had just told him King George the second was a woman.

“That’s actually really good.” The captain said despite himself.

“That settles it then. Should I start working on it?”

The captain nodded.

“See, I told you he’ll like it! Barratt here thought it was a stupid idea.”

Noel grabbed the gawping Julian by the elbow and pushed him towards the exit. Then he turned back and snatched the piece of paper from the captain’s table.

“I’ll be needing that… for reference.” he said with a cheeky smile.

The two men quickly closed the door behind them, leaving Captain Mann to his thoughts.

“Blimey, Noel, that were amazin’!”

“Shhh! Keep your voice down, Barratt, you’re giving it away!”

The cook lowered his voice to an excited whisper. “I thought we be doomed back there but, my god… He’ll ne’er suspect now! Who knew ye could draw…?!”

“Well, I kind of did”, the young man said while they continued their way back to the galley.

“Right, yes, of course… that be good thinkin’, though. Very quick on yer feet… Bet ye can actually sew as well!” Julian shook his head in sincere amazement and Noel felt his chest brim with pride.

But then he remembered… No more plans.

In two days time he’ll “fall to his death” and be gone, forever…

Noel looked at the map and sighed. He delicately folded the copy in two and carefully tucked it in his pocket. Then he looked up at the cook who was still going on enthusiastically about arts and crafts…

The two friends were sitting, each on their respectable beds in the cabin, waiting for the storm to pass.

Julian looked edgy. Noel knew he was anxious, worried that if the continuous violent weather won’t stop they won’t be able to execute the plan tomorrow night.

Though he wasn’t a fan of the nausea, half of Noel wished this tempest would last forever…

Julian saw his friend take out the brass flask from his breeches’ pocket. He opened the lid, peeked inside, sighed in relief, screwed it shut and put it back in his pocket. Same as he did the previous 8 times.

Julian knew Noel had hidden the rolled up map-copy inside, but couldn’t understand why he had to keep looking at it all day long.

And when he wasn’t taking it out, his hand was absentmindedly touching his pocket to check if it’s still there… As if anyone could have taken it without him noticing.

The cook found it a bit too strange, but thought that was probably just his way of dealing with the pressure and fear.

“Hey, little man, don’t worry, it’s just a tiny storm. Nothing to be scared of”

“Uh? Oh, right, thanks…

“No problem”

“Ju?”

The cook was taken aback. He never called him THAT before.

“Y-yeah?”

“Do you remember that night we first met?”

“Yeah…?”

“You said ‘You get used to it in the end’…”

“Ok, if ye say so.”

“What did you mean by it?

“What? I… don’t remember”

“Cause it sounded like this thing happened to you too. Were you kidnapped here?”

“Kidna…? No…”

“Then what did you mean?”

“Are ye askin’ me how I got ‘ere, Fieldin’?”

“erm, yeah”

“Then stop beatin’ about the boosh and be out with it!”

“The wha…?”

“The bush, stop beatin’ around it!”

“You said Boosh”

“I didn’t”

“Ye did”

“I didn… It’s just ye pretendin’ people speak funny again! I was about to tell ye, but now I don’t reckon I will…”

“Oh, please, Julian, Please. I’ll shut up!!! I’ll…”

The ship shook violently and the cook saw Noel fight down a retch.

“… I be 12 when I got ‘ere.”

“12?! Blimey! Who the hell… How on earth did… Were your parents mean to you or something?”

“No, my parents died when I were 4… a fire at the plant.”

“Oh, god, Julian… I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it, I’m sure they were amazing people… I just thought you ran away… I’m a horrible, stupid idiot…”

“Calm down, t’is alright. I didn’t really know ‘em.”

“Bloody hell, Barratt…” Noel shook his head slowly in amazement. “Where did you go?”

“After that I was in Saint Gregg’s orphanage…”

“Were THEY mean to you?”

Julian laughed. “No, they be very kind. Fed us and cared for us and even taught us how to read and write. But they be in heavy debts and eventually had to close the place down. The younger kids were sent to different orphanages and the older ones got sent to work in factories and such. I was the eldest so I was sold to this ‘ere ship.”

“S-sold you?! Blimey!

So, wait, that means you can’t leave forever?”

Julian smiled. He liked how Noel was hanging on to his every word with a gawping expression.

“No, it’s not like that… At first I was sad and angry and made some trouble. I reckon I be a bit spoiled…”

“You weren’t spoiled, you were a child!”

“But at the end ye understand this’d be a good job to ‘ave. Ye get food, a bed and ye get to travel the world. ‘Tis more then most people ‘ave… I decided I didn’t want to leave”

“But you can?”

“Aye, I s’pose I can. But where can I go? I’m old salt, ‘this all I know how to do…”

“But what will you do when they turn pirates?”

“We be pirates NOW, Fieldin’“

“No, proper ones. When you’ll start attacking ships and pillaging and that? You couldn’t stomach one kidnapping, how are you going to handle murdering and raping?”

“It wouldn’t come to that. Captain Mann is a decent enough Jack. He can abduct and steal alright but he can’t kill no one”

“I don’t know, Ju…”

There was that name again…

“Captain Mann don’t strike me as THAT decent…”

“Well, I know him for longer”

“Was he captain when you came here?”

“No. He be second in command then. Must’ve been 21 or somethin’. Very high rank for someone so young… Think what ye like about ‘im, but he took after me and saved me more than once.”

“Really?”

“Oh aye. When I first came ‘ere, he took me in and taught me everything he knew”

“What, melting cabbages?”

“Hush yer lips, monkey boy, I be a trained seaman!

“You are?”

Julian ignored Noel’s disbelieving tone of voice.

“And when I got injured he could’ve sent me off but instead the captain gave me work in the galley”

“You got hurt?! How? Where? When?!”

Noel could not contain his curiosity. There was so much he didn’t know yet about the cook…

“We were attacked about 6 years ago and I got hurt in me leg and I couldn’t move and I were useless to ‘im, but he kept me ‘ere still, and gave me this job instead.”

“But there’s nothing wrong with your leg!”

“Well, not now, but at the time…”

“I don’t understand, why are you still a cook?”

“It just stayed that way. It’s just the way it turned out”

“Why don’t you move to another ship then?”

“Why for? All ships are the same”

“You can start from the beginning and work your way up. I bet you can be a better captain than Mann. I bet he knows it as well…”

“Stop talkin’ of what ye know absolutely nothin’ about, boy. Ye be makin’ a fool of yerself!”

“Fine… But I still reckon you should leave. You hate it ‘ere… Don’t you want to be someplace that makes you happy?”

Julian always knew it. He just wasn’t one of those people.

Some folks were meant to be happy and some weren’t… Nothing more to it.

He learned at a very young age: When you’re born, you get a certain amount of happiness that is meant to last you a lifetime.

As fate would have it, Julian’s was just meager, that’s all.

So he rationed it, being very careful not to spend too much at a time, not to let all of it spill in one place, at a moment of recklessness.

He wasn’t destined to have a happy life…

But Noel was, and he KNEW it!

The littlest things made him delirious with joy.

Touching a new texture he wasn’t familiar with, spotting a strangely-shaped shadow that was cast on the wall, making up silly guttural voices in his throat…

Even in his darkest hours, Noel had an undeniable vitality and basic cheerfulness. He was downright squanderous with it, reckless even. But Julian admired his bravery, to the point of slight jealousy… Yes, Noel was bound for bliss.

Suddenly a loud explosion was heard from the side of the vessel and the ship rattled. Julian got up in an instance and Noel followed his move.

“No, you be stayin’ ‘ere!”

“Like hell I am!”

“Don’t argue, boy. I’ll go check what’s happenin’ and be right back”

“I’m coming with you, I want to f…”

“ALL HAND HOAY!”M

They heard the call and the shouting coming from the hallways and immediately stopped their talking. They rushed out of the cabin and joined the rest of the men…

The captain was anxious. He had an edgy crew on his hands and he was about to break some bad news to them. He didn’t want to, but too many people saw it happen and there was no point of denying.

The storm had hit them hard that night and they barely managed to extinguish that fire. And now the men were about to get the latest blow…

“Men…” he started, not quite knowing how to go about it.

“What happened here tonight was a test. A test to see how good we are as a crew… And let me tell you: you are the finest seamen in the seven seas!”

Julian was looking across the crowd at the boy, who appeared as charred and confused as the rest of them. Julian shook his head slightly as if to ask him what the captain wanted, and Noel replied by shrugging to signal he hadn’t a clue.

“This fire could have been the end of us, but you fought and that is why I am still here to tell the tale.”

What are they doing, exchanging looks like that…? There’s something going on, I’m sure of it!

What can it be?

They were in my cabin… He called him Julian…

“But something else has happened to us, during this storm” the captain continued, dreading.

He remembered the first time he met him, 16 years and 8 months ago. The boy was 13 when he was brought on ship and the captain assigned HIM, his 26 years old second in command, to show him the ropes. He was a scrawny, gangly boy with sad eyes, like one of them puppies.

“The storm has taken something from us!” he wondered if he was causing unnecessary tension… Maybe I should just get on with it?

The crew looked more confused than ever.

All this was HIS fault!

He recalled that, at first, the boy was rebellious and Captain Bains used to punish him severely. Bains was so vicious that he actually felt sorry for Julian. Sorry? For HIM?!

So he talked to him, advised him to clean up his act before he perishes from captain Bain’s flogging.

And it helped. He listened to him, and changed his ways and looked up to him.

HE did it! He should have left him to die under Bain’s beating…

“Men, I have to tell those of you who don’t already know that the lightning hit my cabin and the spirits caught fire and blew up!”

The crew blinked in unison.

“That means the rum’s gone…”

There was uproar. If anything was holding the men under control it was the booze.

The boy was gawping at Julian and HE was nodding back at him.

What IS this?!

“But remember, men, we have less than a week till we reach Singapore. Less than a week! We can hold strong till then!”

The crowd was angry still but the shouting subsided somewhat…

He wasn’t like the other boys Mann trained. He was quicker, sharper. Sure, he knew how to read and write only on a basic level, but he also asked the right questions and got to the right conclusions. He was a 13 year old orphan pauper and he learnt fast.

Faster then he did, well educated, well fed, well clothed, never beaten, when he first started at the age of 18.

“I have to be honest with you, crew, that’s not the end of it, I’m afraid…

After he became captain he often thought of sending him off or selling him away. But the thought of Julian working on another ship, slowly climbing the ladder, kept him awake at night. The idea of Julian thriving far away from his reach troubled his sleep. When Julian got hurt it was his chance. A chance to keep him close, keep him down.

“No, I’m afraid the fire burnt my cabin, and it burnt the map… The treasure map”

The men started moving in their place, edgy, violent… ready to pounce.

The boy was looking at Julian… Then a small smirk curled his lips. The cook wasn’t smiling but he had a certain twinkle in his eyes…

“NOW, CALM THE HELL DOWN!”… He HAD to shout.

“We KNOW it’s in the island of Bulan, on its eastern shore! So that unfortunate accident just means we’ll have to look in every cave on that coastline until we find it!

First we’ll have a nice rest in Singapore. Eat, drink and have a couple of nights with the lasses and then we’ll make our move.

The treasure will be ours! It’ll only take us a week longer, that’s all!”

The crew was restless but seemed less prone to violence.

“We can do this, men, we’ve been to hell and back and we will triumph again!

Are ye with me?!”

The people on deck let out an unconvincing “yeah” and immediately resumed their hissing.

“That is all, crew. You may go to sleep now.”

The crew started to head back inside, mumbling amongst themselves.

The cook and his assistance joined each other and walked away talking whisperingly, excitedly…

They were planning something.

They were planning something and he would find out what…

How DARE he keep secrets from him?!

The captain remained standing a while longer as the deck cleared of the men.

He called him Julian…