I looked at her, completely puzzled. What? She whispered:

„I don't want this job. Take Jim for Chief Mate."

I shivered when her soft lips touched my ear, but then managed to take a step forward and cleared my throat. Let my eyes ran over the men who looked bored. No, they didn't need a long speech and I was hungry. So I told them that first we had to rename the ship and second I wanted Jim for Chief Mate. He should see Clair and me in five minutes in the captain's cabin. The steersman asked for the route but I had to talk to Clair first. There was something she wanted to tell me, she said before.

We were sitting in my new cabin, which was hundred times more comfortable as the cell, of course. The first thing I commanded in Clair's name was that the guys who had been pestering her should be imprisoned at once. The second and third mate, who have been chosen by Jim, saluted me and walked away. A maid served us fine foods and it all could have been wonderful, if it wasn't for Clair. I felt it when she held me tight down in the dungeons, but I thought she was just a hot tempered person. Now her eyes were glowing like she was in a fever! And I had been so damn right, hadn't I? Clair looked at me, opened her mouth, and then she collapsed in the chair. I jumped up to prevent her from falling on the floor, Jim was already there to keep her steady. I ordered the maid to get fresh covers, I didn't want to lay sweet Clair on the dirty sheets her father slept in. Then I lift Clair up and Jim widened his eyes.

„Damn, kid. You're strong!" he stated in awe. „Didn't expect that, she's...not..." he staggered and I nod.

„I know. Hope the maid will be quick..." I moaned.

I already felt my arms shaking from the effort to hold that well- fed lady. Most of the whores I met were thin because there wasn't enough to eat, like many poor people live these days. I know there were finer whorehouses around. Where you have to pay a fortune for a smile from those beauties, maybe Clair was one of these. Finally I could lay her on the bed, she was agitated and her skin glowed.

„Is there a doctor on this ship?" I asked Jim, who seemed just as concerned as I was.

„No, Sir. She's some kind of a doctor."

„I thought she was a whore?" I wondered, remembering my mother pulling cold, wet cloth around my calves when I was a kid.

So I got up and told the maid to bring me cold water. And a few cloth.

„Her father called her a whore because she married the wrong guy and got pregnant," Jim explained while I tried to give Clair some water.

She spitted it out.

„Clair..." she whispered.

The maid was back and I asked her to take Clair's stockings off. She nodded and whispered: „Yes, Sir," and smiled at me, but I only had eyes for poor Clair.

But then I had to turn away, because the maid did what I told her. Jim sat at the table again, nibbling at a chicken leg. Well, I wasn't hungry anymore, I was full of fear that Clair wouldn't make it.

„It's done, Sir," the maid said.

„You have to change them when they get warm," I sighed because I told her before.

„I...I have...some work in the kitchen. I'm the only maid here," she mumbled.

I nodded and waved, so she left. I sat next to Clair's legs and start changing the cloth. Again, she called for Clair, but this time with worry in her voice.

„Why is she saying her own name?" I asked.

„It's not her's. It's her daughters," Jim mumbled.

I sighed again.

„Jim, it's time to tell me everything about Clair and..."

He moaned and put the chicken bones back on the plate, wiping his hands on the table- cloth.

„Not Clair, it's Annie. Annabelle Williamson. Daughter of Richard Williamson, the richest merchant of the South Sea. Mostly he sits on his island in his big house and let other's do the work for him, but he wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to kill his son- in- law by himself," he explained.

„There's no ring..." I stated silently and grabbed her hand which was shaky.

She squeezed my hand firmly and cried: „Please don't take Clair!"

„Jim, I need more. I don't get it," I demanded.

The old man who started on another chicken leg sighed.

„Sir, can we just..."

„Now!" I ordered and he looked at me surprised.

Yes, I can be bossy, I had been chief mate for a long time before an ambitious twentysomething played my Captain off against me. Jim sighed again. Leaned back and started to speak:

„Annie was a beautiful, smart girl. Always happy, always cheering. Her kid brother drowned when she was twelve, she was not able to save him. You know, the boy was afraid of water and Williamson would be mad at him about that. So the Captain would push him in the water, said he should swim, that's how he learned it too. Held Annie back, until she would bite his hand and jumped after her brother. But it was too late, the drift would take the boy far from the land and she hadn't been fast enough, although she was a hell of a swimmer. She would carry her dead baby brother back and try to give him air but she didn't succeed, when her mother would find the two later Annie's hair had turned grey and Captain Williamsons left. Mrs. Williamson never recovered from all of  that, she took her life a year later and little Annie was sent to a convent."

The old man coughed and took a sip of wine. I realized I was thirsty, too, got up to catch one of the bottles before the old man drank them all alone. Then I returned to my doll patient in a hurry. I changed the cloth again and touched her pale calf shortly. She sighed.

„Go on. How came she married?" I mumbled and tasted a sip of whine.

Hm, that was good!

„Oh, Annie isn't the type of girl to be humble and serve the lord, she would be in trouble many times and they sent her back home with fifteen. Williamson was afraid of his reputation, so he decided to lock her away in his house and wait until she was old enough to marry a decent guy from England. A Lord, a wealthy General, maybe...Annie tried to flee a couple of times but the Williamson's property was very safe. When she turned seventeen Williamson would put her on a ship to sail to England, because of a husband waiting for her. But the ship was attacked by pirates, and they would take Annie as hostage to blackmail Williamson. Everbody knew he's got so much money he could never spend alone. And what would he do? Guess..." the old man asked grinning.

„Nothing." I sighed.

„Damn right. To the girls luck the captain of the ship fell in love with her so he wouldn't kill but marry her. Which made Williamson even more furious, now he was the talk of the town!"

I felt a sting of jealousy in my stomach, although this happened a long time ago.

„But they're not together anymore?" I asked.

„Drew, the pirate captain, would claim for her dowry. Williamson would have to accept his son- in- law and let him work for his company. The years passed, and all of a sudden Drew left. It came out he misapplied a huge amount of money and gold bars the years before, the fortune was gone with him. But Annie wouldn't seem very heartbroken and so Williamson would assume she knew about the fraud, he freaked out and nearly killed her and the baby she was carrying inside her. Would torture her for days to find out where he could find Drew. She would manage to flee, shot four of Williamson's guards. That made her even more suspicious for everyone. You know Drew teached her how to shoot, fight and sail, so she would hire on a ship. After a few month she couldn't hide her belly anymore and they fired her. But she had an aunt who was a little...strange, she would live on a lonely island with her cats and herbs, everybody tried to avoid this woman cause they thought she was a witch. Annie did not. The two woman raised little Clair who was a beautiful girl with golden hair and..."

He wiped away his tears.

„Is Clair dead?"

„Nobody knows. Drew is a player and he always loses his money quickly. Three years ago, after Clair turned thirteen, he would abduct the girl, killed the aunt while Annie was away collecting mushrooms. Drew left a note which said she should bring him one million bucks or he'd kill Clair. Of course, Annie would run to her father to ask him for the money but he just laughed at her. So Annie made a deal with Drew, she told him the route of her father's trading ship and poisoned the lions. Drew would hijack it, take all the money and gold but wouldn't give her Clair back. He forced Annie to do it a couple of times again, until last week Williamson found out about the deal of the two. Not, that it had been a great loss for him, he had a dozen ships sailing around every day. This time Williamson wanted to set a snare for his son in law, the lions are still alive and we're heading straight in the direction of the pirate ship."

„What is it with the lion's?" I wondered.

„You killed the trainer, unfortunately. When someone tried to take over Williamson's ships he would let them out to attack the violators while the crew was hiding. After it would be done, the trainer put them back into the cage, mostly they have been so full that they wouldn't attack anyone of us."

„How many animals are on the ship?"

„Thirteen lions and two tigers. But now no one is here to tame them."

I shrugged.

„So, I understand Williamson wanted to catch Drew. But what about Annie?" I asked.

Hearing her name, she moaned and I caressed her face softly. It's cooled down a bit.

„Poor girl. She's on different ships since forever. Tried to find her daughter. But Drew seems to have a good hiding place or Clair is...already dead..." the old man finished sadly.

„Clair!" Annie whispered.

I took her hand.

„We'll find her, I promise."

„But without the predators the pirates will overrun us. The boys aren't great fighters like you are, or...she's shaking."

I felt it before he said it. The fever must be rising again, so did my panic.

„Do we have ice?" I hissed, changing the calf packing again.

„I'll look for it, Sir. Shall I...tell the steersman a new route?"

„If we follow this, how long will it take until we will meet the pirate ship?"

Jim shrugged.

„Dunno. Annie maybe knows it, but...we should better head for the next harbor."

„Agreed. We can't fight like this, and if Annie dies... go, look for the nearest harbor and change the route. I'll take care of the ice."

He saluted me and left. I looked at Annie, my former Clair, and knew that she won't be contend with my decision. But I the last thing I wanted was to lose her and also the ship, which I just owned. Someone knocked.

„Come in."

It was the maid. The minute she looked at me she blushed.

„Sir, I brought fresh cold water. We have no ice on board, chief told me to tell you. Also told me to tell you nearest harbor is two hours away."

„Two hours!" I moan. „But better than a day, that'd be...what's your name, child?"

„Liza."

„Thank you very much, Liza. Will you please take away the food? You can eat it or give it to the lions."

„They are not allowed to eat, Sir. Like Captain demanded."

„I'm the Captain now, I demand to feed them, now! And do me a favor and tell the prisoners if Miss Williamson dies, I will throw them to the lions."

„Miss Williamson?" she asked puzzled.

I pointed at Annie who still held my hand.

„That's the whore. Captain said we should call her whore."

„Like I said, all former orders are reversed. If I hear anybody call her whore, that one will be lion food as well. But...she must be a Mrs., by the way..." I thought.

„We are not allowed to say his name on the ship!" she whines.

„It's mine now, dammit, girl," I sighed. „What was her last name?"

„Mrs. van Noort," she replied ashamed.

„Good. Thank you, you can leave now."

I suddenly felt tired. Maybe because of the wine, or maybe because this was all a bit much. No, it wasn't, I had gone through troubled times before, sailed through many storms without getting tired. It was all because of my concern for Annie.

„Annabelle van Noort..." I whispered while caressing her again. „What a lovely name you have."

Right in this moment she rose up in a rush and I winced.

„Where is the bastard van Noort?" she hissed. „This time I will rip his heart out and feed it to the lions!"

After that, she felt back into the cushions again.

„Annie?" I asked. „Can you hear me?"

She was far away in the land of fevery nightmares. Her skin was red and I changed the packings every minute now, because the cloth were heating up too quickly.

„If only I knew what's wrong with you..." I whispered desperately. „Come on, Annie, don't die."

Her clothes were soaked from her sweat and I knew I should take them off her, but if she'd survive, I was pretty sure she'd kill me for that. Well, you could say a lot about me, maybe I was a chatter, a dreamer, a moron, but I was no coward! So I took her dress off, her underwear as well and when I turned her body around I detected where the fever came from. Somebody had whipped her, not only her back, but also her behind. And yes, her smell didn't came from the dirty dungeon but from a deep cut on her right shoulder and as far as I know it was badly ulcerated. The other wales were red and swollen. I needed medicine, right now! I jumped up and looked for Jim. Found him at the rudder and asked: „Jim, do we have medicine on board?"

„Ask the cook, Sir. I don't know of any other medicine than Rum."

I smiled, even if I still was in panic. Searched for the kitchen, where Liza and a thin, young guy were chatting while doing the dishes.

„Are you the cook?" I asked the guy.

He nodded.

„I'm Nathaniel, Sir. What can I do for you, are you hungry now? Heard you didn't like my food..."

„It wasn't about liking, I just had no appetite. I need medicine, like, anti inflammatory herbs, ointments, what you have."

„I'm sorry, Sir. Boss...I mean, Cpt. Williamson burned all herbes the whore...um, Mrs..."

„Mrs. van Noort," Liza helped him.

„Mrs. van Noort brought on the ship. He told us she wanted to poison us all. But she never did, only...the fucking lions. I'm so afraid of 'em, Sir. Can we please get rid of 'em?"

I shook my head.

„Not now. Where...is Mrs. van Noort's cabin, Liza?"

„She slept in the kitchen before Boss...the Captain arrested her."

„He did other things too," I grumbled.

Looked around. Annie...where would you hide your stuff from your father? I started searching and Liza helped me. And after a while I actually found a few bottles with herb extracts which smelt awfully. The name's on it were a total mystery to me and I ran back to my cabin, hope Annie didn't die while I was away. She lied there, naked as I left her, but I had pulled the blankets over her before and she must have struggled them off. I tried not to stare at her round breasts and most of all not between her legs, which was not easy because she opened her legs widely. Other guys would have jumped to this occasion and she wouldn't even remember it when she will be awake, if she'll recover. But that was not a thing I would do, even if it was fucking tempting. She moaned and I pulled the blanket over her quickly. She protested, pushing it away.

„It's too hot for you, isn't it? Can you hear me, Annie?"

„I can't tell you, Father...please stop, it hurts so much," she whimpered like a little girl.

Remember Jim's words. That this fucker of a father tortured his own daughter because he lost money. He let his son drown! And I always thought my dad was the worst!

„Annie, I need your help to help you."

I read a name from one bottle.

„Deadly...deadly," she whispered. „Only a quarter of a teaspoon..."

„What is it for?"

„Nausea," she answered silently.

„We don't need it then. How about..."

I have to spell every letter slowly to her.

„Fever. Half a teaspoon."

„Ha! Shall I...mix it with anything? Maybe wine?"

„Father, I don't want to drink. I carry his child...no, please don't make me!"

Annie cried out in pain.

„Shhh...your father is dead. Gone forever, he'll never hurt you again. So, a spoon...ah... here we go. Open your mouth, Darling, come on."

„No, don't," she whispered and I put the liquid in her mouth.

Closed her mouth and pressed my hand on it so she had to swallow. I hated to do this, but there was no other way. I gave her water after and she drank it avidly. Then I continued with the packings. I washed her whole body with cold water, wrapped her into the blanket tightly so that she couldn't free herself from it. After an hour the fever was sunken. I was on my third bottle of wine and suddenly Jim ran into the cabin.

„I'm sorry, Sir. The island is in sight. Just want you to know, we were faster than we thought."

„Huh, that's good! Thank you, Jim. Can you send Liza with some bread? My patient is better and I'm hungry."

„Aye, Sir. By the way, the lions killed the two tigers and an old lion, now there's only twelve animals left. They have been quite hungry and were happy that we fed them."

„Feed them regularly."

„Yes. Sir...wouldn't it be better if you talk to the crew?"

„About what?"

„Why we changed the plan."

„That isn't a plan. I don't want to leave Annie. Tell them we take a few days rest on the mainland until Annie is better. Then we decide what to do next."

„Aye." He saluted.