Maxine throws her despicable pink dress over the long wooden screen. All I can see is an elegant silhouette. I try to keep my eyes to myself. So to prevent myself from giving in, to that curious side of me, I keep my distance from the undressing woman and sink deep into my own thoughts. I go back to the day I woke up to face my worst nightmare.
My breath stocked as I awoke from a heavy dream, in which I was drowned by a shadow with fire red eyes. The feeling of my lungs filling themselves with water was so realistic that I didn't know if I was actually dead.
I have no memory of the days before I woke up again on the ship. As if I had been sleepwalking for a few weeks without taking a part in being alive.
The ship was docked in Nassau, also that troubled me, I couldn't remember docking there.
It was awfully quiet, the silence was cutting and made me feel like a defensless child. There is never a moment of complete silence on a pirate ship, not even when everyone has gone to bed. Even then some would be too home sick to sleep. But that evening there were no silenced whimpers of crew members who missed their families.
No chef accompanied by the deafening last cries of a defenceless chicken. I could hear my own heart pound in the depths of my chest.
Nothing was left on the ship, no personal belongings, no clothes. Not even a sign of living. It was as if the ship was just build. It didn't even look so empty when my father and I stole... barrowed it.
For hours I dwelled around the wooden decks of a ghost ship, only to discover that I was completely alone.
Thinking back to that dark day also brings back that disconnected feeling I had towards the world. The same emotion I am experiencing at this moment. Losing Rachel has made me question everything I've ever done. Is it true that ones actions affect those closets to them or was it just faith.
Do my bad choices take a toll on others even if they aren't involved. Is that some sick torture the universe throws at people who have no conscience, like myself.

"Miss Price?"
A sweet voice summons my name, breaking me out of my memories.

"Captain."
I correct the fair maiden.
She rolls her eyes as her head sticks out of the side of the screen.

"Fine, Captain." She says sarcastically. "Could you lend me a hand." She appears from behind the screen in all her glory. My eyes fall onto her unbuttoned white blouse. I divert my sight to something less arousing.
I have to admit that the leather does wonders for her figure and she even looks more comfortable.

"I know you're not used to these rags but do you see me skulking about as a wench."
She lifts her chin high up into the air, as every other snob would have, and hastily buttons the remaining part of her blouse.

"Well I merely thought that since I'll be the entertainment for your men, I'd dress appropriately for my current situation. After all I'm your puppet on strings."
Her voice is like a siren. It's hypnotising but will lead you into a trap eventually leaving you paralyzed.

"You're not my prisoner."
She squints her eyes and takes a step closer.

"I'm aware of that."
She replies as she turns around and flips her hair over her right shoulder.
I take the two strings of the black corset and pull them hard as I bring my mouth closer to her ear.

"As charming as you are princess,"
I pause to hear her teeth grind of anger. "you're beauty doesn't affect me. So stop testing your boundaries Caulfield, you've already crossed the line. My patience has it's limits."
I pull the strings again and Maxine gasps for air.

"So does mine." She growls.
I angrily put a knot into the strings of her corset.
Deep down I feel relieved having someone to release my anger towards.
She makes my blood boil and my heart raise at the same time. One moment I want to strangle her and the other I feel like... comforting her.
What is this girl doing to me. Confusing me, that's certain, but how.
I despise the Prescotts but she's different. Damn my habit of seeing the best into people, any other captain would've killed her by now or sold her as a slave.

I'm not really a supporting member of the whole slavery community. I find it dehumanizing. Those rich bastards  who claim that color defines your rights to be human need to be taught a serious lesson. I wonder what Maxine's views are on the African tribes being taken advantage of. Somehow I can imagine her bossing around her servants no matter their heritage. The Prescotts don't respect anyone. Not even their own race.

"I apologize for my demeanour. Captain."
Her hesitation at my title makes me grin. It fills me with joy to see a Prescott struggle with showing respect to someone.

"I am not used to being treated as a lesser being."
She continues as she returns to the other end of the screen and puts on Rachel's hat.

"Now you know how the people feel."
I can see her head bow down to the ground. Could it be possible that she realises the pain and terror the Prescotts cause.
 
I guess that if I throw her down a cavern with my words I should also throw in a ladder for her to hold on to.
"More importantly you're not a lesser being. You're equal. Both our lifes are important. Status or in this case being married to a royal scrotum, doesn't add value to your life and being a  captain doesn't add value to mine."

She reappears, now fully dressed as a cold blooded pirate, with a glance of humanity in her dolled up face.
She slaps her hands against the sides of her thighs.
"How do I look?"
She asks curiously.

"Better."
"Better?" She repeats, slightly tilting her head.
"You look good in those rags." I stutter. It takes all my strength to not smack myself in the face right now. She makes me nervous.

"I'm not used to complementing the crew members." I admit.
Once again she raises her eyebrows.

"You're not used to complementing Prescott scum."
She shakes her head lightly.
"I'm no longer a Prescott. We fight a common enemy."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?"

"Exactly."
She says and holds her hand in our midst. I happily shake her hand.
We're a team, even if we don't like it, mostly me, we do need each other. I need her information and contacts and she needs me to disappear.
A dynamic duo filled with hatred and respect for the other individual.
Not exactly what I needed but maybe fortunate after all.