Across the Sea Chp 5

 Hi Everyone! I used to post a chapter of Across the Sea every week, until I got to chapter four and stopped. I've decided to continue posting it, because soon I'm going to stop posting Healer of Pain.

Enjoy! 

Here's a link to the last chapter: Across the Sea Chp. 3-4 

               5

“P L E A S E…”

Fiona woke, teeth chattering. The air was cold and damp. 

Colin shivered and hugged himself, trying to keep warm. He looked so helpless and weak.

Fiona stood up. She went to the cabin where Ronan was.

He was looking at a map. He noticed Fiona standing there.

“Yes?” He said.

Fiona shivered once more, and Ronan gave her a blanket.

“Thank you.” She said gratefully. She walked around the small room and gazed at all the collectibles and gold. There were gold cups and bowls. Fiona wondered about them. “Were these in the sea?” She asked.

Ronan opened his mouth to talk, but realized that Fiona was trying to get him to tell the truth, or to see if he’d really lie to her face about such a small thing.

“They’re, you know…borrowed.”

Fiona couldn’t help but laugh. “You steal everything, but then you are proud of who you are? You’re just a thief, pretending to have this great fortune.”

“Well, I mean, I do….have this great fortune. I’m not pretending. It’s all around me.” He gazed at all the golden treasures he had. “And shouldn’t everyone be proud of who they are?” He glanced out the door window at the slaves. “Well, at least the ones who have something to be proud of.”

Fiona ignored him. “The real fortune would to return all these items and gain an honest heart. But that’s not what I’ve come to you about.”

“What is it then?”

“It’s my birthday tomorrow. I’ll be sixteen…”

“Well happy birthday what does it mean to me?” He said it all in one quick sentence without breathing.

“Well…Ronan…as a gift from you to me…if you could heal my brother and free him…” She kept hesitating.

Ronan looked up at her from his books and maps. “I already told you I would.”

“Well, yes, but that was three days ago. My brother is growing weak and ill. He’s helpless with broken legs. Please. I beg of you. Release him. At least by tomorrow.”

Ronan thought for a moment. “And you’ll be mine…for as long as I say?”

Fiona nodded.

“And what happens if he one day sneaks on board and tries to rescue you? What will you do?”

Fiona looked to the floor.

“Ah, I see. You want him to leave, recover his strength, and then come for you?”
Fiona sighed. “That’s not what I was meaning. But please…I’ll talk to him, if you will just—”

“Fine. I will release him. But I can’t promise you it will be tomorrow. But if he ever did come upon the ship, and try to free you. He gets caught—I won’t hesitate to kill him or to throw him overboard.”

“He’s a good swimmer.”

“With his hands and feet tied.”

Fiona gasped. “You’d drown him?”
Ronan turned away. “Bartley, come take this slave from my presence.” Ronan turned to her. “Don’t tell him of this deal. Promise.”

Bartley grabbed her by her arm and pushed her through the door.

Ronan knew she promised. She cared about her brother more than anything else in all the world.

“That one’s a bit of a troublemaker, isn’t she?” Bartley whispered.

“Keep a close eye on her. You never know what may happen.”