A Pirates Life For Me

THe port was lovely this time of year, blue skies and even brighter blue waters. the peg legged captain took in a deep breath before walking to his ship where his first mate stood

"MR TUBS" he yelled and the portly man jumped off the barely he was sitting on "aye cap'n" he said and the tall captain put his large feathered hat back on walking up and down a line of men "is this the best we could scrounge up for this vouyage?" he said and the first mate smiled "ayyyyye cap'n, t'is" he sneered and then smiled largely his yellowed teeth facing the pirates infront of him "welcome aboard the fair maiden boys" he said with a laugh walking up the plank of wood and onto his ship

"if i am bold enough to ask cap'n" mr tubs said running after him till the cap'n stopped at the wheel "where is it we are sailin again?" he said and the captain smiled at mr tubs

"what be the one thing i wanted more then anything in the world mr tubs" he said and mr tubs thought "plenty o gold and wenches" he said and the captain nodded to him

"ayyyyye but even more so then that!" he said and mr tubs thought again.

"what else could ya need cap'n?" he said and the captain stroked his beard with one hand and looked longingly at the sea

"the sea mr tubs... with the british closin in on us pirates... we will have no where to run... but if you have control of the sea... then nothing can stop ye" he said and broke his longing with the water and turned to mr tubs

"so then cap'n ... we are going after the fabled ship? the one that sunk to the darkest depths of the waters centuries ago with davy jones himself on board!"

"keep your trap shut mr tubs! our new recruits dont wanna be scared off... but aye that where we be headed... first though... we sail to the isles, i hear tale of a mouth reader who knows where a very needed item is" he said with a chuckle pulling out a map.

"FULL SAILS AHEAD!!!" mr tubs yelled at the pirates scrambling down below them on the deck

(kinda long but not really long)
"Halt. By order of the crown you are to be executed for your crimes of piracy!" Mateo cursed under his breath at the sounds of loading guns behind him as he faced large drop from fortress walls to the ports below. He observed a shipment beneath him of hay and open barrells and for a moment wondered if hitting those might be a softer death than that of bullets ripping through him. With a long exhale he turned to British soldiers that surrounded him in a half circle with bayonettes pointed dangerously in his direction.
"How do you plead to these charges?" The colonel of his troops asked, as if by pleading innoccent would save him. Mateo smiled slightly, sending a small prayer up for what he was about to do. Sure heaven's gates weren't the kind of place most pirates could reach but the Spanish blood in him called for it.
"As guilty as the sea is blue." Mateo said before stepping off the edge and plummeting to the bottom. He winced as he heard the bullets fire but felt none of them peirce his skin, instead he felt the impact of landing in rolled sails that cushioned his fall as he was tangled in them.
He quietly thanked his luck and began to work his way out of them till suddenly he was being lifted up. He froze when he heard mens voices around him and finally, a definate slam of a wood door and steps that creaked in protest.
"These sails are heavier than I remember!" A man coughed and the other grunted in agreement. The sails with Mateo were slung to the floor but he didn't attempt to move till he heard the men leaving. He shifted out of his hiding place, giving a small groan at his aching back.
"Well I'll be damned." Someone chuckled above him. Mateo stiffened, expecting to see a naval officer or a man with a sword when he looked up. Instead he found the face of an old friend from long ago.
"Avery?" Mateo gawked at the man in his late 50's who had been with him so many years ago on his first voyage.
"Mateo, you've grown." Avery said as he helped Mateo to his feet.
"Well it has been what 8 years?" Mateo said and Avery nodded.
"So what brings you hear, even back to Barbados? I thought you were traveling under the colors, or in this case set to hang by now?" Mateo remembered the noose that was still around his neck and quickly worked it off.
"Well, Avery I am here on the accounts of finding a form of travel to my next destination." Avery rolled his eyes, already realizing what Mateo was talking about.
"Not that bloody map again! It's not even complete and you still obsess over it-!"
"Not complete, but entirely useful! The thing is a magical token, Avery, just the other day the picture shifted," Mateo said as he pulled the map fragment out of his shirt, "The drawings of the waves were calmer and there was a distinct shape waiting in those waves, almost human!" Avery rolled his eyes at Mateo, who kept going on and on about the map.
"Well, this ship is no place for that. You must leave, the captian isn't the sort to put up with stowaways. And this ships headed into the unknown as we speak." Mateo's eyes brightened and he looked to Avery with a big smile.
"Then that means I'm staying." Avery went to argue with him but Mateo shot him the 'I'm not changing my mind on this' look. Avery sighed and motioned for Mateo to follow.
"Fine, but keep your head down and maybe you wont get caught. I'm not risking my neck for you boy, not again."
"Sure Avery sure." Mateo laughed before heading on deck with Avery. He tried to blend with the men that worked quickly around the ship, lowering the sails and tightening ropes while others work with the anchor, as he made his way to the side of the ship.
The ocean was a dark blue today, a beautiful sight he'd come to miss from his days away from it. He glanced down at his hand and the red cloth that covered the palm like a bandage. Curse or not, this adventure would be interesting, something Mateo couldn't pass up.

mr tub stood at the wheel while the captain sat at his desk in the captains quarters. he was looking at a map whiel holding a bottle of rum in the other hand. " hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" he grumbled taking another guzzle before setting it down and studying the pirate map again. he looked at all the markings and drawings of sea creatures in the water "serpants cove... shipwreak pass..." his finger followed the map until it was blank "but what be in these waters i wonder... past the dangerous parts... that be the best way to looseany unwanted sailors i think" he grumbled and looked at the small strip of islands and he set a small silver ship trinket next to them "first things first though... shouldnt be long now" he grumbled getting up and laying in the bed with his had over his eyes

when they made port he let the crew do as they pleased. the island they had docked at was known for its loose wenches and never ending bars. he walked to the edge of the town with mr tubs and a few other curious members in tow
a women with her face painted to look like a skull came out
"stop!" she yelled and the captain did so with a smile "giszell dear" he said taking his hat off for her "i know what you are here to ask and you know my answer!" she yelled at him and he smiled "perhaps you could refresh an old mind then" he said and she looked at the crew behind him. yes... but bring him wit you" she said pointing to mateo. the captain put his arm around mateo's neck and walked with him and mr tubs into the house

they all sat down at a table in the cluttered little house "you already know what i am to say to you Bill" she said to the captain and he laughed "its captain now missy, dont you forget it" he said and she huffed and looked at mateo "i know what you seek too" she said with a wicked smile grabbing his hand she licked her lips before laughing crazily and turning back to the captain "listen missy, i just need to know in what direction our first.... trinket. is. with it ill have 3 of the 9 you once told me about long ago" he said and she stroked his hair "ahhhh you seek the water herself as your prize dont you captain... but she is claimed to no one, even you kno her daddy would pull you to the bottom himself" she said with an awful snicker and he grabbed her hand "i need to know where it is!" he said and set the map out infront of him "BAH!" she said and looked at mateo "he dont even know but hee has the trinket in his hand" she said sitting in mateo's lap petting his hair "dont you boy." she said and slyly reached into his shirt pulling out the piece of map "what your looking for is not on any map you know of. it be here." she said dangling it. the captain went to reach for it and she pulled it away shaking her finger "ah ah ah! dis boy is the owner of the map, so it move just for him. you take it and it wont be nuttin but a piece a dusty paypa!" she yelled and he grabbed it turning it over and over. she was right. it was completely blank as soon as his hands touched it

"damn it!" he yelled and she took it back putting it back in mateo's shirt

"even if you get there... you wont find it. you cant bottle all of de ocean Bill" she said even though she was looking at mateo's face

"you life aint dat long" she said and bill scoffed at her " like hell... when i get all pieces of 9 what do i do with them. at least tell me that" he said and she sighed standing up "thats something you have to figure out on your own. they all have a meaning to them" she said and flicked her hair standing up "NOW GET OUT" she yelled turning the table over in frustration. bill glared at her before getting up and walking out "KID" he growled before smoothing his beard and putting an arm around him "looks like your gunna be my new right hand man" he said with an untrustworthy smile "what say you?"

((sorry if this is alittle fast pace im just trying to move it along to the juicey stuff ^^))

Mateo was lost in the exchange between this woman and the captian. She played them all like a bunch of fools, then again Mateo was too freaked out by her creepy persona to actually argue with her. All this talk of trinkets and bottling up the sea, hell she even noticed the cursed mark on his hand. 'You're life aint that long...' The words made his blood run cold.
To think, he now had a heading for his search for what ever trinket or treasure or whatever was on his map. And the best part was it was his bargaining chip for staying on board to peek his curiousity of what this captian was after.
"I say I'm wherever the seas take me." He said composed under that smile that made him a little uneasy. "And it just so happens that el mar is you favor, captian." He said with the slightest of frowns that was till cordial as well as hinting that he was keeping his space. He noticed Avery up ahead when the old man looked back at him. For emphasis Avery looked at the Captian the raised a wary eyebrow at Mateo. Mateo stuck his tongue out at Avery as an 'I told you I could make smart choices' before pulling out from under the Captians arm and continuing ahead with the others.

she captain kept his smile until maeto was out of sight and it turn to a glare. "mr tubs." he said to hsi first mate" make sure he does nothing without my knowing so... if he so much as scratches him ass i want to hear about it" he said and mr tubs nodded eagerly before the captain stalked back to his quarters

just as he disappeared some other men came aboard with big sheats of glass and wood carrying them below deck and into a locked room

a few days back out at sea and the captain walked up to maeto "take a gander at that map would ya? we almost there?" he said a little impatiently

Mateo looked down at the captian from his perch on the net that led up to the crows nest. Hadn't he just checked last hour? He slipped off the net and down onto the deck , pulling the map from his shirt. He opened the peice of paper and looked it over. The seas around where he'd last seen the figure were rough, infact looking almost storm like. He noticed the dark clouds in the distance of the drawing but shook them off as pure coincidence, the skies were perfectly clear around them anyways. "As long as we head east. We should come upon this trinket quiet soon. Give or take a few more leagues of travel." He closed the map peice and watched the captian for a moment. "Not to pry captian, but you've yet to explain exactly what the map leads to. In fact I haven't found anyone that knows our heading, let alone where we'll next dock. Makes us a bit wary of what we're up against, eh?" He said though knew he was pushing his luck by asking. He was curious to find out what this treasure was he'd stumbled upon, it was just a matter of time before he'd be face to face with it after all.

"this is no treasure... no dock filled with lovely women, this is a cursed wrenched thing we are looking for. something so foul it would bring a curse on this ship to say." he whispered to maeto while gripping the railing looking into the water

"LIGHT THE LAMPS" he yelled and they all looked at him like he was mad "sir... its still day light out?" a man said adn he back handed the pirate "just do it you dogs!"

the pirate ran off quickly and the captain looked at maeto "our best way of finding it is to get near enough to land..." he said and stroked his beard before looking back at him "beware the music kid" he said and then turned and walked off

~*~

just beyond the shadows cast by the storm a pair of eyes watched the ship move as they stuck out of the water. when the thunder cracked behind the eyes went back into the water.

~*~

not more then an hour after the captain had talked to mateo the boat was in the middle of a roaring storm

"STEADYYYY KEEP 'ER STEAADDYYY BOOOYS!" mr tubs yelled as the water splashed and roarred onto the deck

the captain stood holding the wheel as steady as possible "MATEOOOO!" he yelled nearly being thrown from the wave that chrased down on the deck

"TAKE THE WHEEL BOY!" he yelled knowing with his peg leg he didnt have enough strength to hold the wheel straight

Mateo rocked with the boat, avoiding watery waves that threw crew memebers to the floor and supplies that rolled with the ship. All the tossing and turning nearly sent many a man over board if he wasn't secure enough with his footing. In the midst of it all, Mateo found it exciting. The words of the captian still burned in his mind. The idea of no treasure made him a bit sulky but he couldn't help but wonder about the rest. What were they to find that could be as bad as a curse? He shook his head and blew off the idea as he tried to secure a line. If he was surviving one curse he could survive another. The captian's call over the thunder of the waves and the wind, reached Mateo's ears and he instantly responded. He ran up the deck, slipping and sliding as he made his way to the captian. The wheel was just as slick as the deck and called for him to push heavily to the left to keep the wheel in place. Another wave slapped at him, soaking him to bone in the freezing sea water. "What the hell kind of storm is this?" He huffed as yet another flash of lightning lit up the water. "Springing out of nowhere. You'd think black magic would have conjoured it up!"

"aye boy! it be far worse then that!" he yelled patting his shoulder as he leaned over the railing at the half floundering crew "KEEP THOSE LAMPS LIT!!!" he roared and they looked at him like he was mad.

over the sound of the waves suddenly was a soft humming that buzzed in all their ears

"damn it... we arent prepared yet!" he growled running to the deck coming back with wax in his hands. while mateo held the wheel "if you know whats good for you boy, dont take this out till your feet have touched dry land" he said shoving the wax into mateo's ears. he did the same for him and mr tub whiel most of the crew followed suit. though now suddenly some of the men who hadnt had a chance yet to drown out the sound stopped and walked to the railings. one by one they started to jump into the sea, some where grabbed by fellow crew mates and dragged below deck, 5 men total volentarily lept off the ship and into the unsettled sea

suddenly through the chaos the captain slapped a hand on mateo's shoulder pointing towards a small spit of island that was completely in sunshine his mouth read 'steer that way' even thought mateo couldnt hear a thing

Mateo watched the men throw themselves from the boat in confusion and mock disgust. The storm wasn't bad enough for one to be killing themselves over, then again he was one of the ones with his ears protected from whatever it was they were battling against. Mateo let his eyes go over the water but couldn't find the cause of the need for ear plugs. Then again he wasn't used to sailing such strange tides. "Aye Captian." He said with a nod when the island was pointed out, but was a little skeptical. Why such an open safe haven from the storm. He pulled the wheel a little further the left and instatnly the ship creaked slowly in the tossing waves in the islands direction. It was harder than it usually would be since they seemed to be battling the tides. When they were close enough to shore where the water was only waist deep and the boat wouldn't be stuck in the sand, he motioned to the captian and to the side of the ship. "This is as close as we can get without damaging the hull captian," He shouted though could barely hear his own voice.

"aye!" the captain yelled back motioning to mr tubs. the men threw the anchor out and half of them stayed while the captain mr. tubs and mateo went ashore with the other half. "alright men.. set the traps as planned, by nightfall well have got it!" he said with a snicker everyone pulling their ear plugs out stretching out a large net across the beach

"get the row boats out in the bay!" he called and they got a few of the boats ready

he smiled and looked at mateo "listen boy, by nightfall, i feel that out little prize will be aboard that ship!!!" he said with a laugh

hours had passed and the sun was now falling. the two row boats lay stuffed with men in the bay, they had as many lamps as they could carry sitting around them

all the men on the beach lay hidding behind rocks ready with the net.

the captain was polishing his sword while mr tubs sat carving some little figure out of wood with his knife

suddenly there was a yell from the boats and the one farthest out rocked "I SEE SOMETHING MOVIN UNDER THE WAVES!" one of the men yelled.

a figure suddenly appeared next to the other boat a little closer inward.

~*~
she swam to the boats side pulling herself up to rest her arms on the side of the boat humming lightly. one of the men leaned forward inches away from her face.

"are you my jolly sailor?" she whispered and he nodded eagerly. she opened her mouth showing fangs and grabbed him around the neck yanking him into the water. the men on the boat grabbed his feet trying to pull him aboard, but by the time she had let go he was drowned.

they picked up their weapons and fired into the water sending her towards the bay

"get ready!!!" yelled mr tubs and the men in the row boats realled their side of the net up

seeing the net she tried to turn back but it was too late. she swam down and then charged the surface trying to leap over the row boat. but one of the men shot her right in the side. she went falling back into the water and this time left a trail of blood. within minutes they dragged the net to shore to see a curled and intangled mermaid squirming around in not even a foot of water.

she let out a scream that was bone chilling and all the men looked uneasily at the captain but then looked at her beautiful face with delight

"HAHA I KNEW WE'D CATCH THE LIL WITCH!" the captain howled with delight

"eh boy! check that map of yours now! hahahahha!!!" he said slapping the boy on the back with excitement

"MEN! FIRST STOP IS TO A PORT TO BUY AS MUCH RUM AS THE HAUL WILL ALLOW!" he said and the men cheered wildly

"well have to spend the night here... she has to get used to only bein in a little bit of water from now on. itll take some time" he said as the men tied all ends of the net to thick trees leaving her tangled in the shallow water

"COME ON BUILD A FIRE YOU SCALLYWAGS!" mr tubs yelled.

after everyone was fed and sitting around the fire swapping stories and the sunw as down was when she finally stopped jerking around in the net. she held her side tightly and looked at her blood covered webbed hand "ahhhh" she groaned pushing against the net weakly.

Utahime had never been so ashamed at her true origin in her life… even when her clan ousted her from there home saying a half bread could not be there… sure she looked good but she couldn’t seduce sailors to there death….

But this… trumped that… she was stuck with a stuck up ass of a lords son…

She sighed sitting atop his horse and wished the world she had kept her mouth shut when he had decided to use a pick up line on her… yeah she looked good but evey man in the world didn’t need to comment on it…

Looking down at the young lord Shugorei she shook her head at his dirtied finery. He must be furious… but then again it was his fault for fallowing her… and hers for bewitching him… she didn’t know how she did it… but she had used the sirens gift to enthrall him… but she does not know how to turn it off…..

She was on a last atempt to shake him off her trail… she would go were no young lord who wanted to inherit would go… looking for a pirate ship…

Shugorei felt tiered despite his feet moving on their own… he wanted nothing more then to tell this witch to shove off and to go home…

But that damn spell… and how dare she command him anything…he the heir to Ashland…

Groaning he looked down at the sea port below knowing what Utahime would make him do and shuddered.

This was political suicide… he would be better off caught with a pageboy in the hay then on a pirate ship.

He would never never never get his fathers inherence now… “ please change your mind… “ he said though clanced teach.

“ I told you not to fallow me… its your own damned falt, and I sure as hell don’t want you here… so im going to find a way to get you away form me “

“ you know many women want to be around me … im a god to them why cant you be happy and just live at the castle ill buy you want ever just leave me be and such” he stopped turning to her and demanded.

Utahime kicked him and growled, “ like hell “ she looked away. She new that living in a place like that would put her in dannger… men in general were all the same… pigs….. Hungry beasts… she wouldn’t be safe…

Getting angery at her helpless feeling she kicked at him again” get moving I want to fined a good one “

Mateo couldn't believe his eyes. He'd hear stories, loads of them of sialors drowned at sea and eaten by creatures of the deep. Never had he ever laid eyes on a true one. Better still her face was something he'd never forget. A beautiful face, with a mix of terror and anger coloring her features. It was chilling yet somewhat hauntingly tempting. He sat by the fire looking at his map and then at the mermaid. The water in the photo was still almost too still like it was dead, and there along the shoreline was a bright bloody red spot. It made him uneasy just looking at it, so much so Avery made him jump when he sat next to him.
"A sight to see. A wonder of the ocean not many live to tell about." Mateo nodded, a little zoned out as he stared at the mermaid.
"So this is what this bloody map led me to the whole time. I expected a box full of gold, and I get a murderous fish." He smiled slightly. "Eso es mi suerte, si amigo?" (That is my luck, right friend?)
Avery smirked but seemed a bit uneasy. "Its bad luck to tamper with the creature of the tides, rare as a gem they are as well as dangerous."
"And yet we're allowing her to bleed out in shark infested waters?" Avery glanced at Mateo and instantly shook his head.
"Don't even think about it son. Did you not hear me mention them dangerous, from your own mouth you called it murderous-"
"And I best stay away from her, a poor damsel in need of help?" Avery frowned at Mateo's cocky smile and popped him over the head.
"Keep it out of your mind kid. Its the captian's prize, and lives for that purpose." When Avery left Mateo scoffed watching him leave. After a moment of his curiosity getting the better of him, he snuck from the group and sauntered over to her. He loosened one of the cloths around his hand and pulled it loose.
He knelt near her in the water, just far enough away that if she came at him he could still get away from her.
"Dios mio, si...es verdad. Eres una sirena real." (My god, so it is true. You are a real mermaid) He mumbled then offered her the bandana at arms length. "A small token of well being, sirena. Take it, hold it to the wound. The bleeding should stop." He said though he wasn't quiet sure if she could understand him. He was lost to begin with of why such a feared monster could have such a lovely face.

"No necesito la ayuda de un marinero!" (i think it means ' i do not need the help of a sailor'?)

altho after a moment she took the cloth from him. Freya sat up pulling the bandana across her grazed bullet wound

"tell me... sailor boy" she said with a forgein infliction on her words "why do you keep me?" she said her eyes narrowing then they softened and she smiled at him

"dont you want to set me free?" she said flashing her bright eyes at him with innocence across her face. she noticed he didnt immediately move and she let out an impatient hiss

(pretty good spanish! I needed to throw in at least one spanish character in my life!)
Mateo flinched a bit at her hiss, but smiled slightly at the inflection in her tone. "Perdon, the innocent charm doesn't work well on me. The women of the brothels in Barbados play it like an old song, sirena." He smirked and raised a brow at her. "But nice try. Though setting you free? After all the time spent to find you?" He shook his head with a tisk. "Hm, seems like a steep request for a common sailor boy don't you think?"

she scoffed at him "common... no common would mean you would come looking for pleasure" she said and rubbed water on her tail running her hands through the water

"stupid men... dont understand. off the map for a reason" she hissed curling her arms around herself "you are not common because you have a mind" she said and looked towards the fire "those men... easy to trick when you have no brain" she looked back up at mateo "men with mind... you are harder to fool" she grabbed ahold of the net and looked up at him

"why do you taunt me? standing there, a man like you should know what its like to be caged..." she said less with a bitter tone and more with a confused tone

Mateo had to admit helping her did enter his mind for a flighting thought. But he knew the score. This was no time to be trading in bargaining chip with any of the crew to save the neck of a mermaid, not when he felt his own neck at risk. "The cost is too great to show too much sympathy towards you now. This captian has alot riding on you aparently. The cold truth of it is, sirena, you play to valuable a roll in all of this, one that I plan on figuring out." He hated internally how single minded he sounded, like he was really apart of that crew. These men didn't stand for any pirate code, not even the common honor of any man, . It was almost like a caged mentality, something he felt himself above. "Caged, hunted, beaten, left to die, and nearly hung. And yet here I am. And here you will be tomorrow." He said offering her a once over look. The blood had stopped seeping from where the bullet grazed her and he could feel people's eyes on him at the moment. "Thank you for letting me steal your time serina, but the night drags on and I have a feeling much more time would cause you more harm." He said getting to his feet. "If ever in need to speak to a man with mind, ask for Mateo,claro?" He gave her a small bow. "Buenas noches, serina." He said before turning to head back to camp.

"FREYA!" she yelled at him "Mi nombre es Freya..." she yelled at him before throwing the bloodied rag back at him and continuing to struggle against the net. hours passed after the crew had all gone to sleep and still you could hear her struggling, every once in a while a frustrated screach and by the time the sun was coming up she had stopped trying once again and cried into her knees till the men got up and started packing up the cook ware into the row boats and set out of the boat. they returned with the large slates of glass made into a clear coffin. she felt her heart beat out of fear 'no... they wouldnt do that...' she thought until the captain came up to her

"hello m'lady!" he said taking his hat off for her. she just glared at him growling loudly

"now now dont be like that, such a pretty face should be smiling!" he said while the untied the ends of the net and a larger member of the crew reached in and grabbed her harshly. she screamed and kicked her fin in pain as he held her up by her arms that where twisted painfully behind her back.

"my heart is pierced by cupid.... i destain all glittering gold... there is nothing can console me but my jolly sailor bol-" the men had all stopped to look at her and the captain back handed her as hard as he could

"if ye know whats good for you little whore, you wont be singing any of yoru damned songs" he said and she coughed at her now split lip

"put her in!" he yelled and walked off

she let out a crying scream as she was dragged towards the large glass coffin "NOOOO NO NO!" she screamed before being slammed into the bottom of it and having a few buckets of water splashed down on her. she went to sit up but they slammed the top on her and nailed it shut.

she banged on the walls screaming and slapped her cramped fin wildly but nothing happened.

she gave up and let out a cry that sounded like a dolphin when it gets lost from its family. her high pitched yipping startled the crew

"its bad luck! i give us a few days before the creatures of the seaattack the ship or something" one of the men said while the stronger men picked up the coffin and carried it to the row boat

when she got aboard the men cheered and whistled crowding around the glass

she looked at all the weak minds and put her hand to the glass kissing it. one of the men nearly fell to his knees

"are you my jolly sailor?" she asked and he nodded before another crew member slapped him to wake him from the trance. she hissed and slammed her fist against the glass "culo murir..." she hissed (means die or ass i dont remember XD))

"RULES GENTS!" mr tubs said "no looking no talking to touching and NO opening of that crate!!! ya hear?" he said and they all grumbled as the men carried her into the locked room and set her in there by herself

"mateeoooo!" the captain cooed "you speak spanish right? goood well it seems our little ... guest, speaks it too, so you can give her her meals everyday and change out her water, just make sure mr tubs locks you in when you do so! ill see you gents at the next port!" he said patting mateo on the shoulder again and walking into his quarters singing yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me

freya slammed her fists against the glass in anger before giving up looking at the dark damp room she was trapped in

Mateo felt the spiteful eyes of the crew on him as the captain left them. He cursed under his breath, half at the captain for more than likely catching him speaking to Freya last night and half at his mother for raising him in English but giving him a purely Spanish name no matter how you said it.
"Eh, so the filthy Spaniard gets the mermaid to himself?!" One of the crew members growled and the others shot Mateo other foul names he was used to. He let out a breath he'd been holding and turned to the others.
"Gracias a Dios." He said while crossing himself with an innocent smile just to screw with them.
The men glared at him but let it slide except the loud mouth one that called him out before. "Fine go play with the finned whore. It's only fittin' that the bastard son of a whore would be the one to do it." All signs of composure left Mateo. He whirled on the man, close to beating his face in till Avery caught his hand.
"Let it go Mateo." He muttered to him as he pulled him back. Mateo scowled at the crew man who was glaring back at him. Finally Mateo pulled himself away from Avery and trudged over to Tubs.
"Come with me." He said, just as he heard the crew man spit at the ground behind him. He took from the cook a plate of food, a small morsel of old bread and some sardines that instantly made Mateo's nose wrinkle in disgust. When the cook wasn't looking he grabbed one of the apples off the table and walked with Tubs to the locked room in the center most part of the ship.
When he heard the latch being thrown he lit the lantern and found Freya staring back at him from within her glass coffin. Something inside of him made him unable to look away from her, but the unreconciled anger within him gave her looks little affect in the way of calming him.
"Buenos dias, Freya." (Good day/morning, Freya *since I'm guessing its still morning) He said to her.
"Creo que vamos a pasar mucho tiempo juntos." (I believe we will be spencding a lot of time together) Mateo said, his voice holding a certain edge to it. He sat on a nearby crate, watching her a moment before sighing. "I thought you might be hungry since its been a good half day since you've been stuck like this." He said showing her the apple, though really he came to escape the noise on deck in the one place he could be at least sort of alone. Then again he did wonder if she was starving, but he looked at the lid that was riddled with nails. "But I don't see how they expect you to get any food nailed in like that."

"you work for such smart men" she said sarcasticaly but her eyes where locked onto the apple "what is this?" she said curiously. she looked up at the top of her tiny cage. she stuck a few of her fingers through some small breathing holes. she started to push and shake trying to yank the top off but only ended up rocking the coffin onto its side. she gasped loudly after getting the wind knocked out of her and coughed as the water splashed into her face and up her nose.

"WHY WONT THIS BREAKKKK!" she said in almost tears slamming her fists into it again much like a child throwing a temper tantrum

Mateo got to his feet and hurried over to her. The water was begining to flow from the breathing holes and causing the wood to become slick. He struggled with the large coffin, trying to flip it back before all the water could drain from it. A crew member that was standing guard outside called to Mateo to find if everything was alright but only got the response of a string of curses in spanish. With a hard and final shove he righted the coffin and leaned against it breathing hard. "Please, they want to keep you in this thing that's why they made it with thick plates of porthole glass and the kind of wood they use on prison ships. It's going to take alot more than that to break it open." He said as he sank to a sitting position against the glass and onto the wet wood. "Besides even if you did manage to get out, a dónde irías? (where would you go?) This is a contained room, in the center of the ship, no windows, one door that is secured with iron locks. Then you have to get on deck, granted you aren't caught by a member of the crew on your way to the stairs. And lastly what makes you think I wouldn't catch you before you got through that door?" He breathed a sigh and took out the small knife he kept in his pocket as skinned the apple before slicing it. He offered a slice to her through one of the air holes.
"My best advice, bide your time. You might get lucky." He said, being perfectly serious. He took a bite from one of the other slices to prove that the apple was edible.

she took the apple slice from him and looked it over feeling the weird texture on her fingers. she licked it once and blinked at how sweet it was. she took a small bite and thought about it. it was rather delicious... not anything like what she had eaten before.

"i am not weak" she said and slipped the rest of the slice into her mouth "but since i am here... i want to know things"

"what is this?" she said pointing to his shoes "and these... why do you wear sails on your bodies? does it not weigh you down?" she said looking him over "what is that" she said pointing to his knife

He blinked at her questions. Surely she must know something about the surface world, after all it was common knowledge for.....humans.
"Well, these," He said motioning to his clothes, "Are the result of needing to protect our bodies from the elements. And most cultured human beings find it improper to be under clothed to put it simply." He said with a small laugh then paused at the knife. What to tell her about this serated peice of metal he carried for its usefulness and protection?
"And this is a knife. A tool thats useful for many things, especially protection. We humans don't have your fins or voice or any kind of adaptation to keep us from getting hurt. This provides a little security on a ship where men easily turn on one another." He said with a slightly uneasy frown. He jumped the subject to her.
"And what about you, that voice of yours? Born with it or did you pick it up from others like you? And the song you sang today? It hardly seemed like a choice song for your opinion of men on ships." He asked passing her another peice of apple.

"it is my strongest song" she said and blinked "it is the one i first heard, on a ship with a women with big hair" she said taking the apple from him and bitting into it

"ever since i was young i was alone. my mother lived seperate from everyone here. there WHERE no humans" she said and narrowed her eyes a little "i know a few other songs... " she cleared her throat and sat up

"lips, ripe as the berries in june, red the rose red the rose, skin pale as the light in the moon, gently as she goooes" she sang and then stopped looking directly at him "oh... sorry.. habbit.." she said and bit her lip "not all songs are for luring... some bring luck..."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7MLT4MmAK8&feature=related


her voice was so soft and silky it almost sounded unreal. when she stopped singing she rested her head on her knees again

Mateo paused when the song began. It was so different from the other one, calm and soothing rather than...alluring. He listened to her sing and actually felt himself relaxing and enjoying the sound of her voice. When she stopped he blinked, shaking his head a bit as the good feeling went away. He glanced back at her. She sat there, head rested against the arch of her tail. For a moment she seemed like a normal human girl, tired and scared.
"a life alone, it must have been very carefree." He said before looking away. "I'm sure you can find more songs when we reach shore when we can see about getting you out of that crate.."