Riana: Female Pirate Part: 2

Riana: Female Pirate
Chapter 2
A New Life?

Se opened her eyes and soon she realized that she wasn’t in the kip. By the time she had remembered what had happened the previous night, she had thrown the covers off and stepped down onto the cold wooden floor. She was still in the room that she had been given for the night. Just as suddenly as she had remembered where she was, an apprehension came over her. What was she doing? What has she been thinking? If was common knowledge within all the different gangs of Tesser that sailors were not to be trusted. All they were good for was robbing when they were drunk; and even then, they might have friends lurking somewhere nearby. She had learned that the hard way. She still hadn’t figured out why she had trusted these two men for even a moment and was beginning to question her sanity when there was a knock at the door. Silently, she rose and padded over to open it. Standing in the passageway beyond was the first of the two men who had questioned the sailor Ross’s intentions and ultimately spared her from a very shameful fate.

“The captain requests our presence n his cabin, Miss Riana,” he said formally. She wasn’t accustomed to hearing anyone speaking this way, let alone having it directed at her. She hesitated a moment, unsure of what to do, then nodded. As she followed him down the hall, she was grateful that she still had the sailor’s coat as the air had a chill to it. However, once they entered the captain’s cabin, it was warmer. Aiden Cassidy was sitting at a table.

“Sit,” Aiden said gently, gesturing at the second chair. She slid into it, and her caution returned, watched him. He leaned against the table and gave her a scrutinizing look, as though considering her. Alex left and closed the door quietly. “So, Riana, how did you come to be living on the streets?” He knew there was every chance she would refuse to answer; sometimes talking about how you ended up like that could be hard. He knew that very well.

For a moment, the girl considered her answer before giving a small shrug and hunching over in the chair. “Don’t remember.”

“Do you know how old you were?”

Again, she thought. “Maybe three. Little.”

“So how old are you now?” He was trying to make it sound casual, but she continued to watch him suspiciously.

“Ten or eleven? Dunno.” A short silence grew as neither spoke. Riana, keeping one eye on the captain, began to look around the room, kicking her heels against the chair legs. It was simple. There was a brass tube coming down from the ceiling –she could only guess at its purpose- a fairly small window with a view of the water and dock in the morning light, a bookshelf, desk and a chest of drawers.

“Tell me the truth,” Aiden started after a couple of minutes, “if you were offered a position on this ship, would you downright refuse, or tell your gang and let them decide?”

“I’d let Christopher decide. He’s the oldest an’ always knows best,” was the immediate reply.

“I’m sure he would.”

“Why would you offer me a job anyway?” It was Riana’s turn to ask questions.

Aiden looked at her as she sat there, looking perfectly innocent and like any other child you might find living on the streets. He weighed the two choices he had in way of a reply before actually speaking. He could tell her the truth or he could tell her that it felt like the right thing to do. She, however, might take that as an act of charity. It was a very rare thing to find a street rat willing to accept charity, even if it might change their life for the better. “I couldn’t tell you.”

“Does that mean ya’ don’t know?”

“I believe that is what it means, yes.” There was a knock at the door, and Alex entered with a tray of food. “After you’ve eaten, I will take you back to your gang. I would like to meet this Christopher.” Alex placed the tray before Riana, along with silverware, a napkin and a glass. Again, he left. The tray contained a biscuit, eggs and a slice of ham; the glass was filled with milk. Watching Aiden to make sure he didn’t stop her or try any tricks, Riana picked up the biscuit and bit into it. It vanished quickly, followed by the rest of the food. Something made her figure that it might not be the best idea to eat it all with her hands, so she ate the eggs and ham with the fork as best as one who had very rarely, if ever, used silverware could.

When she had finished everything, Aiden rose and she jumped out of the chair. The captain pulled on a long coat and strode out the door, telling Alex where he would be. Riana hastened to follow him up to the deck. There weren’t many crew members around, as most of them were either working or using their shore time. Once on the dock, Aiden stopped and looked down at Riana. “Lead the way,” he said casually. With a small nod, she turned and walked up the street. Figuring it would be best if she kept to the main streets, she did just that. The walk from the docks to the kip; which was nothing more than an abandoned building by the river, consisting of two rooms and many leaks. As they approached, the rest of the gang could be seen either sitting outside or milling about. None looked very pleased until one of the younger ones saw her and ran to get Christopher.

The older boy, who was only about fourteen or fifteen, rushed out from the building and hurried to the girl. Aiden had fallen in some distance behind and stood there, watching.

“Are you alright? Luke and Jeremiah told me what happened.” He had definitely been worried and scarcely noticed the captain standing about half a block away. He looked her over, to make sure she hadn’t been hurt.

Riana nodded. “He an’ some one else helped me,” she said, pointing back at the man. Christopher looked back over the top of her head and noticed Aiden Cassidy for the first time.

“That’s good,” he said, “Go back into the kip now.” The girl nodded, trusting whatever he said. She stepped passed him and went over to where the others were gathered. They surrounded her. Christopher, after briefly sizing the man up, walked up to him.

“So you must be Christopher?” the captain said in way of greeting.

“I am. Who’re you?”

“Aiden Cassidy, I used to be part of a gang around here. Up on the north-side.”

“If you don’t want anything, you can go,” Christopher said, not looking exactly happy.

“Actually, there was something I wanted to ask.” The boy gave him a look that both said ‘tell me’ and ‘get lost.’ “I was thinking taking Riana on as a part of my crew, on the Sapphire Rose.”

“An’ why would you want to do that?”

“I couldn’t tell you for sure.”

“It’d better not be charity.”

“No, that’s not it. I suppose it’s because there’s something about her that seems familiar. Somehow, I think that she might be at home on a ship. Last night, she didn’t have any problem adjusting to the roll of the ship.”

“Then you’re a captain.” Aiden nodded. Christopher thought on this new information for a minute. As leader of the gang, his word was final, and the others always came to him for what they should do. He knew that what he said now would influence the rest of the girl’s life. As he weighed the options, he slowly came to a decision. “She ain’t the kind of person who needs work.” He glanced back to where Riana was talking to several of the others. Luke and Jeremiah included. “I think that what she needs is a family, someone who c’n teach ‘er what we c’n’t here.” He spoke slowly, choosing every word he said. Living on the streets often matured a person young. You always had to make important decisions that often meant life or death; it was a good idea to reply to everything carefully.

The answer had partially surprised Aiden. There were many people living as they did that would kill for a job to walk up to them like his offer had, and yet this boy had thought about it and replied honestly. In his experience, people often spoke before thinking. It was a good quality Christopher had. Not many people thought things through like that at his age. “I see.” He paused. “I can see where you are going with this, and I understand how your thinking.”

“Then you also know that we don’t normally trust sailors.”

“And I’m wondering about your reasons for trusting me.”

“Riana has always been able to tell when a person has good intentions or bad. She prob’ly don’t know it, but if she hadn’t trusted you, she wouldn’t have led you here.”

“I could take her in, if that is what you think would be best.”

“Living at sea is a dangerous life.”

“Ay, but no more so than yours. At least food, shelter and medical treatment is guaranteed.”

Christopher nodded slowly. “Alright. But if she doesn’t want it, then no.”

“A wise choice.”

“Riana!” Christopher called. “Could ya come ‘ere for a sec?” The girl rose from her seat on the ground and all but skipped over. She stopped in front of Christopher. He knelt down so he was on her level and looked her in the eye. “Think before you answer, this man would like to take you in, to adopt you. I think it might be a good idea and that he is a good man. I will leave the final decision up to you. Do you want to go with him or do you want to stay here with the gang?”

She looked at him, then up at Aiden and finally back at the rest of the gang. Most of the members were watching her. They knew that something important was happening. While she thought on the two choices she had been given and the realization that it was actually happening, she looked exactly like the young girl she was. Any hardening of her expression from years on the streets vanished and she, again, looked completely innocent. It was clear that she was thinking on it hard.

“Take your time. It is a hard choice, but do what you want. No one will think less of you, no matter what you choose,” Christopher said when she looked back at him.

Eventually, she came to a decision. “I want to…” she trailed off and looked at the ground before starting again. “I want to go with him.” She’d said it so quietly that at first, neither male was sure if she had actually said it, but when she looked up with tears in her eyes, they both knew what she had said. It was a hard choice for anyone to make, she had just decided to leave the people who had pretty much raised her, who had been her family and who she had known her entire life. Christopher gave a small smile.

“That is a good choice.” She wiped her eyes with one grubby sleeve.

“I’ll have the papers drawn up,” Aiden said softly. “I’ll come back around noon.” Christopher nodded without looking at the man. The captain turned and walked back down the street and the gang leader ushered the girl back to where the others were. He broke the news as gently as he could. Needless to say, there were more than a few tears shed for the girl. Riana tried to put on a brave face as the rest congratulated her, asked to know how she’d managed to decide it and why. After a little while of this, Christopher decided that it was enough and sent everyone off to do what they usually did, telling them to be back by noon. He also sent Riana off, to the corner just down the street where a few small shops were. To keep her busy.

The hours passed and noon slowly rolled around. The gang was coming back in twos and threes and Aide arrived again. In one hand, he carried a large basket. Everyone watched him approach. He knew that is what he would get upon his return, being part of a gang once in his life as well. The day had grown warm and sunny, the only evidence of rain the precious night were mud puddles. The entrance to the kip was dryer than much of the surrounding street.

Aiden set down the basket and removed the cloth that had been laid over it. Inside was food, many of the children looked on in wonder. Christopher nodded and motioned for everyone to gather around and sit. He crouched near Aiden and nodded. The man produced a knife from his belt and began dividing everything up evenly. When there were fourteen piles of food on the cloth, Christopher spoke. It was common practice for the gags of Tesser to let the youngest choose their portion first, and that is what he did.

“Jonny.” A small boy no older than four crept forward and took one of the piles.

“Milley.” This time a girl came forward. He called all thirteen of the children’s names, including his own, and Aiden took the last portion for himself. The captain had guessed this would be how they would do it. Once everyone had their food, they set in. Ham, cheese, bacon, biscuits and even a couple apples had been provided for them. Soon it was all gone and idle chatter began to set in.

“I told the crew that she would be coming aboard and they seemed happy. They will welcome her nicely,” Aiden commented. Christopher nodded, watching Riana. She was sitting between two of the other girls. “I have also arranged for her to have her own cabin. There is a local physician I trust, so I will take her to see him before we leave.” For the next few minutes, Captain Aiden Cassidy of the Sapphire Rose and who was at least two times older than the oldest member was part of the gang that lived in an abandoned building.

That afternoon, he took her into the shops on the water to buy her some clean clothes and shoes as well as to visit the physician. He ended up buying her one dress, a set of undergarments for it, two pairs of breeches and a couple shirts. She was also in pretty good health for one living on the streets. ‘Slight dehydration, malnutrition, her teeth look good and no lice’ as the man had put it. When they arrived on the ship, Alex had made up the room next to the captains cabin as hers. As Riana became more at ease around her new father, they began talking. He told her that the ship was a brigantine, and he was a privateer with a letter of marque from the government. Riana asked questions about the ship and him, and he answered. He also told her of the war going on and many other things.

Through the rest of the afternoon, se met many of the sailors aboard the Sapphire Rose and ate dinner in Aiden’s cabin. By then she had to admit that although she had only been on the ship for a short time, it already felt like home. She happened to like the swaying feeling and found that the sailors had many interesting tails to tell. By the time she went to bed, she slept deeply and peacefully with the roll of the ship and sound of waves outside the hull to keep her company.