The Captain and The Sea²

The Captain and The Sea²

By sun rise I could see my fleet heading towards the Royal Phoenix, but this time they were ready for battle. Every man on board, the cannon were ready to be fired
So I stood in the front section of the Royal Phoenix as we approached fast that I could feel the strong wind on my face; the Royal Phoenix dropped two anchor into the deep sea as it slowed down to a stop.
My fleet had made a new formation of 1 2 1 and the first ship was under the control of Lisa June, who was standing at the front section of the ship with my second Captain; the ship stopped right in front of the Royal Phoenix with a few inches apart, Lucy was standing at the top section of the Royal Phoenix
Lisa: “so tell me, is this a negotiation or an alliance” she said with a smile on her pretty face
Captain Edmond: “what does it look like?”
Lisa: “am not a kid anymore”
Captain Edmond: “and what was that supposed to mean”
Lisa: “matured content” she said laughing out loud, my second Captain had a smack on his face as Lucy walks into the conversation
Lucy: “finally I get to meet you in-person” as she addressed Lisa
Lisa: “and to whom do I owe the honor”
Captain Edmond: “Lisa meet Captain Lucy; Lucy my friend Lisa June” Lisa and Lucy had this terrible smile on their faces as though they have known each other for a long time but trying to avoid admitting that fact. I made a few steps back with my right hand behind my back as I signaled my sailor with a count down of three fingers poking out from my left side
They both walked forward and shook their hands
Lisa: “it’s nice meeting you. Captain of the Royal Phoenix” and by the time she completed the statement the count from three has dropped to zero; the tail end sail of my ship dropped open and the ship’s front end shifted so fast that both of them fell into the waters below
It was indeed a funny moment; my second Captain Tony walked across into the Royal Phoenix as though he wanted to inspect the ship while I looked down into the waters below but as I turned around Tony grabbed me as though he was running from someone and jumped off board with me into the water
It was then Adrian rushed out from the Royal Phoenix to investigate what had just happened
We spent a long time in the waters as Lisa, I ,Lucy and Tony splashed water on each other; I’ve not felt the way I did that moment for a long while, as though I was younger. We climbed back on board and I had made my way to my room to change using a towel to dry my hair when I heard knock on my door.
Captain Edmond: “who is there”
Lucy: “it’s I Lucy, mind if I come in”
I did not reply but waited a couple of seconds before opening the door
Captain Edmond: “well how may I be of any assistance to you”
Lucy: “I just wanted us to talk” she said as she walked in through the door “wow…” she exclaimed “You have such an amazing place here, now I know why many Call you the King of the Sea”
Captain Edmond: “the king of the sea!”
Lucy: “so you don’t know that you are literally ruling over the sea”
Captain Edmond: “I guess I just realized”
It was a large room with a king sized bed, it had no window coz it was located as the center of the ship but the interior was cold, it had a large chandelier at the center of the room, a desk on one side of the room.
She checked out herself on the large mirror that stood beside the bed, and with her right hand she felt the soft blanket on the bed made from wool
The fireplace was so magnificent, On the shelve where swords made by the best blacksmith and a bow from China…
Captain Edmond: “what do I offer you”
Lucy: “Oh, well anything…”
Captain Edmond: “or maybe tea will do”
Lucy: “yes, I think so”
Captain Edmond: “so what brought you to… my room” I asked as I passed her a mug of tea.
Lucy: “I wanted to know your plans for the voyage”
Captain Edmond: “that, will first journey to the island of Vagera, and there we will gather resources for the journey; there we can get all we need”
Lucy: “but the island of Vagera regards the Royal Phoenix as a pirate ship and may attempt to take out my ship”
Captain Edmond: “you should have built your reputation even as pirates”
Lucy: “here we go with the reputation talk of a thing, you don’t just get it”
Captain Edmond: “yes I do get it, over the years as captain there are pirate ship we have allowed journey the sea coz they already have good reputation…”
Lucy: “more like they have turned bad to good”
Captain Edmond: “something of that nature, and I don’t see any reason why you the Royal Phoenix can’t”
Lucy: “maybe because I haven’t completed my quest”
Captain Edmond: “what quest?”
Lucy: “finding my father” she said in a muddy voice
Captain Edmond: “what happened to him”
It was then she told me her story
***
Born at sea in a cold stormy night, her mother barely survived that very night, her father was a pirate who lived at sea with his wife until the day she was born, he decided that his wife and daughter lived a normal life but had always returned to visit.
And as the girl grow she had always wanted to sail at sea with her father, one day he left with a promise that he would return as always but he never did. Her mom died of shock after she was told that her husband and his ship was nowhere to be found on sea and off shore. The girl was left in that hands of her aunt who was to take care of her. But she promised herself one thing, that no matter the cost she would find her father.
As the years passed by her love for the sea remained with one quest; she built her first boat with the help of a friend ‘Brown Blackwood' his father lord Blackwood was a prominent member of the society, but Brown had asked her that they build a bigger ship before they can journey into the sea, with that they began a second boat that could carry a number of 25 people and 2 crew members and a captain
They would carry people and cargo from shore to an island called Ghetta; at the island she meet a man called David, an inventor who had kept his designs a secret, but the government and may others were after him so he requested that the young girl take him to another island far east a journey of six days but promised to pay handsomely for the trip. The girl, her crew and her friend agreed to make the journey
As the travel across the sea to an island far east known as the Hermit island; Lucy, the girl had started a conversation with the man Mr. David the inventor on the final day of the journey and he had disclosed to her why a lot of people were after his life, he had shown her his book, the book containing his inventions and designs, and how important it is to keep the book safe from the wrong hands. After that very conversation with Mr. David she was lost in thoughts when he left her at the table in a hurry.
She stood up only to realize that Mr. David had left his book, the book of inventions. So she hurried up with the book in search of Mr. David; she followed the narrow foot path that led to the Hermit town and after a while, she found Mr. David, in the pool of his own blood. He knew that hermit island was not safe, so his dyeing request was that I Lucy make good use of the book and keep it Safe.
By sun down we “I and my crew with my friend” gave him a proper burial. We stayed the night with the hermits who lived on the island and by first sun, we journeyed back home fourteen days after we had left home
I wrapped the book in a leather bag and hid it underneath the floor in the Captain’s chambers in my boat. Lord Blackwood was angry at our actions, that we neglected our safety and for that very reason he wouldn’t let me anywhere close to his son ‘Brown’; two days later I woke up to the screams of both men and women only to realize that my boat was already ablaze. I cried my eyes out as men tried to quench the blazing flame but the boat burnt to the ground with the book onboard.
By sun down all that was left of my boat was chunks of wood, I know that someone was behind it. As the coast cleared and darkness comes I noticed something in the deep; I dived in to the bottom only to realize that the floor section of the boat was not fully burnt-out
Water had flooded it before it was consumed by the fire, I searched what was left only to find the book still wrapped up; I hid it underneath my jacket and swim back to the surface. That very night I had sneaked into Lord Blackwoods home to see Brown, I knew that the book will be safe at his place
I told Brown about what had happened to the boat and all I knew about the book; Brown suggested that we go through the book to know what it contains
Going through the book we found amazing idea and techs and one of them was a propulsions system know as the steam engine, Mr. David had stated in the book that this very engine can be used in the propulsion of carriages, trains and ships alike harnessing the power of steam pressure
It was then Lady Blackwood walked into the room
Lady Blackwood: “Lucy Diamond, how did u get in here?” she asked
Lucy: “Lady Royal! Please I just wanted to see my friend prince Brown” I had always referred Lady Blackwood as Lady Royal
Lady Blackwood: “don’t worry dear, I wouldn’t tell Lord Blackwood, even if I can; so tell me what are your two up to”
Brown: “mom, you know that Lucy Diamond have been my best friend for a very long time and I’ll like it if dad cancels the ban he placed with regards to her visiting… I know you understand what I mean”
Lucy: “and I promise I won’t let him cross the borders of this town”
Lady Blackwood: “I understand what you two are trying to say but actually, you haven’t answered my question; so I ask again what are you two up to”
Lucy: “I think I know why my boat was set ablaze”
Lady Blackwood: “why was that so”
Brown: “remember the journey we traveled to the hermit island”
Lady Blackwood: “yes, the one that got you grounded”
Brown: “Yes…”
Lucy: “whoever killed him must be after his book and they knew that it was still in the boat”
Lady Blackwood: “like the saying ‘set a man’s house on fire, then you will know what he loved the most’, so that was why”
Brown: “yes mom”
Lady Blackwood: “whatever the book contains must be of great value, so keep it safe; for now act as though the book no longer exists, and when they actually believe so then go back to the book” and u Lucy “you where never in my house today” she added as she passed me a basket full of apples “you where at The market; understood?”
Lucy: “yes lady royal”
Lady Blackwood: “I’ll keep you informed if I eventually talk to Lord Blackwood, okay”
Lucy: “thanks my lady”
That night I got back home as though nothing happened, the next day Brown visited me early that morning; his mom had talked to his dad that he come over and see me with regards to my boat but he was still grounded, just a day off
Weeks later Brown visited again and this time things where back to normal
Brown had told me that he had been studying the book as of the time he was grounded, but like his mom said we could study the inventions but wait for a long while before we could attempt any of the projects on the book
My aunt got married so I lived with Lord and Lady Blackwood with their son Brown but on holidays I would go visit my aunt
Five years past and we started our first project on a small scale, which was a success. We, Brown and I talked to his father about building an actual ship; he agreed to our proposal with the influence of Lady Royal but had made us agree that the income made will be given to him until the cost for building the ship have been paid for.
We finally journeyed to the hermit island Where we built our first ship, the Royal Phoenix. Lady Blackwood named it the Phoenix as a reminder to the story behind it and we called it the Royal Phoenix in honor of Lady Royal
That was how my adventure at sea started as the youngest female Captain, Captain Lucy Diamond