Ship Side: The Costs of Romance
by Acila
CHAPTER THREE
I know this update is a long time in coming and short, but I’ve been so busy with school and graduation, college registration, homework and actual work that I’ve been to busy to really update my fics.
Please forgive me.
Next chapter will be much longer and up sooner I promis.
Enjoy.…
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Spain, she was a beautiful port. Angel never denied the fact that she was a wonder to look at, and Wesley had been correct, he had observed several new and unarmed merchant ships leaving her waters.
They were only a few miles off shore when Faith bounded up next to him to lean on the railing a smile on her face wider then some of the first mates maps. He didn’t even have to look at her to know it, he could sense it in the way she sighed every few seconds and shifted her body from foot to foot now and again.
“What’s got you all excited?” Angel asked, already knowing the answer.
“Spain.” she replied again.
Just another stop, just another port, nothing to special about it.” Angel would reply, knowing exactly what Faith’s usual retort would be.
“But it’s Spain Angel, Spain, the most romantic country in the world, at least the most romantic one that has a port stop. Besides don’t you have a gurl’ waitin’ fer you on that particular sea bridge?” She pointed out to the distance, waving her finger around to make a point. It just made Angel chuckle to himself more.
“ Ey, I gots me a maiden on them shore banks, haven't seen her in a few good months” Angel didn’t admit to having a woman often, only when there was talk about Spain, or actually going there, and it was only ever to Faith. Though she had never met her, or learnt much about her, not even a name, but she did know that Angel was a star struck lover to her.
“I just love the romance, maybe think Wesley would take me ashore for dinner?” She contemplated to herself, he just shrugged his shoulders.
“You don’t really have a proper dress, or even a corset for dinner ashore.” Angel pointed out honestly.
“I could get one.” She pouted “Sides I can still talk and dream even if it doesn’t happen dammit, so bugger off!” It was times like these that he knew she was every inch woman the most. She loved romance, and dates, but had a hard core and didn’t care to much for pampering and primpin’ cept on the very rare occasion, such as today.
“You, madam, came up next to me, so you can kindly bugger off.” Angel gave her a stern look, pullin’ just a tad of his Irish brogue on her but not much only a word or two slipped out in a sorta Irish tone.
“Fine!” She hit him hard on his arm and stalked off playfully, leaving the dark haired man to stand alone, looking at the breaking water and approaching shore.
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“I say give her a few days, unload some cargo, let the crew offshore for some bourbon and women, scammer around a tad, load some new cargo and head out for a few of the new merchant ships.” Wesley pointed out to Lindsey, showing him spots on the maps and reiterating with his hands.
“If we followed the ships, that would take us to Main or Massachusetts” Lindsey furrowed his brows a bit.
“It would give us enough time to get down to Nigeria and not hit any horrid weather, Our trip up coast was pretty uneventful as I promised was it not?” Wesley challenged.
“Only one small storm,” Lindsey agreed nodding his head. “Stay port bout’ a week.” He clarified finally.
“A week or more, I’d say we would be better off with at least a week and a half considering, maybe anchor out shore so as to keep the chip reasonable.”
“I’ll let the crew know then, week and a half.” Lindsey marched down the steps from the steering wheel leaving the navigation in the very capable hands of his friend.
A few of the extra deck hands were scammerin’ bout’ trying to get some last second chores done. And there was a general buzz flowing in the breeze about the first stop on a new land for the newbie’s. It was after all most of there’s first time on any kind of sea vessel, much less on a new land.
Lindsey marched past them all, head held high, glaring at those dilly doodling forcing them up and working hard without so much as a breath breathed there way. He was harsh to the newbie’s, and often cold and many of them feared him and his wrath.
But the reputation would harden them for worse captains. The kind that actually laid hands and weapon on you.
“Week and a half in the docks, think you can manage to keep the boys in tow?” Lindsey asked his Lead Deck Hand without so much as a clap on the back.
“Simple enough, nearly a fortnight is a unusual amount of time swayed don’t you think though?” Angel never glanced at his captain. It was usual between them.
“My point exactly, but I trust Wesley with our gurl.” That's what Angel liked most about the captain, the ship was everyone's, and as so everyone's responsibility, it wasn’t just Lindsey’s ship.
“Were ganna’ be needin’ some new iron and wood so Giles can make us a new rig, says the wood around the metal we already have is rotten nicely.”
“We have enough Pesetas for that, I’ll be sure to send Xander on the quest.” Lindsey acknowledged the tone shift in his voice letting Angel know he was pleased.
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“What’s our cover name this time, do you know Lorne ol’ man?” Xander asked nonchalantly as he was stationed to cleaning down the grub hall tables, which were rather dirty and needed replacing’ soon.
“Cascade I’ve heard, Cap’n has a few of the swatters paintin’ the new name on, makes me glad I’m the slop provider, I’d hate scrubbin’ the paint off to polish on a new name and then just to do it again when we leave port.”
“Not wagerin’ that it don’t, just sayin’ I appreciates my god given talent to cook more tis all I’m flaggin’.”
Lorne also had to admit that he was glad for the first time in two months he wouldn’t be slaving over iron pots and brick ovens cuz the crew would be goin’ ashore tonight.
He was planning on restin’ in his hammock and gazin’ at the constellations. He wasn’t much into Galileo’s theory of the universe, he just liked to look at them. And havin’ the sun revolve around the earth always seemed like a absurd idea to him anyway, but he didn’t care to much for the alchemists.
All he needed to know about that math and physics stuff they liked to label it as; was that ships floated in water, the sun rose and fell, and wind would move you just fine.
“I think I have enough coin to bring on some whiskey and get me a gurl.” Xander said mostly to himself.
“I would save the whiskey for a later moon boyo, were unloading the cargo as soon as the sun rises again.” Lorne informed him.
“Why is it that we got all the sugar and cane anyway and can’t have none anyway, bunch of foot lickin’ insanity if you ask me!”
“Cuz we need somthin’ to unload to cover as a honorable merchants ship member.” Lorne laughed.
“Oh yeah, that.” Xander scoffed angrily under his breath, scrubbing harder at a piece of dried food.
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I used some slang such as Chip which means Price. And of course Pesetas is Spain’s type of money...etc, if you have any questions on any term or word used please ask and I’ll let you know.
Next Chapter the crew will be ashore on the beautiful shores of Spain, and You’ll get to find out who Angels Maiden is, and we might bring up some drama just to start stirring things up. Never know Faith might get that date to.
Read and Review please, it makes my day, and I’ll return the favor
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