Chapter 2: The Ship of no return

After the blackness of night, the sun rose like a flower opening, gifting its petals unto the world, spreading its gold in every direction. Peach and magenta, amber and rose, radiated hope and an overwhelming feeling of luck. It was another chance to live and the start of a pristine day.

Sparrows chirped an explicit background melody on the trees that rustled gently in the morning breeze. In a moment, Veronica was cast in the gold tingle of the sky, and was bathed in a rosy glow as her mind meandered to the beautiful woman she was desperately searching for.

She got on her horse and smiled, something she hadn't done in a while. It was another long, perilous adventure, and she didn't want to miss out on that.

She turned her attention to the people that gathered around her comrades. It was their own family that came to send them off and pray for their safety. Veronica was envious. She had no one, no family at all, but she was sure sooner or later, the cold feeling of being alone would be gone soon. She placed her hands on her necklace and whispered, "I'll find you soon mom."

The villagers waved, watching the horses gallop down the path leading away from the town, and with time, the rebels were out of their sight.

Wispy cotton clouds gradually accumulated high above, and an eagle beat its wing as it soured into the sky right above Veronica. She rode her horse, trying to catch up with the others despite not knowing where the road was leading to, but she had faith in them all.

Hours later, Veronica's ears picked up the sound of a familiar aquatic bird and through squinted eyes, she viewed the beautiful sight of the waves as Seagulls wheeled overhead, carried by the cool ocean breeze.

Her heart-shaped face beamed with excitement as her jaw dropped. "Ho, ho, I'm going to be riding a ship?!" she exclaimed, mentally screaming on the inside. "I've waited so long for this!!!" She balled her hands and lifted it up to the sky in victory.

The ship on shore was fashioned from ancient oak, with masts that stood as tall. Instead of its once green foliage, it was adorned with sails of white to dove grey. It was a trusted ship to carry its passengers from shore to shore, no matter the weather.

The leader of the rebellion, Mark Philippe, genuinely thanked the captain again for letting them in. They were late, but even though travelers were no longer allowed on it, they were special and not just ordinary travelers. They were fighters for humanity.

"ALL ABOARD!!!" One of the crew mates let out the warning call at the top of his lungs before moving back to his station. Soon the the rebels jumped aboard, the ship rocked on the waves, and the sailor's crew hoisted the sail which the gentle wind billowed and the deck warmed in the late afternoon light.

The captain of the ship had his eyes on Veronica. With skin so bronzed and her slight frame so deceptive, her baggy clothes hid it well, but she still looked strong with her lean muscles. It caught his attention. He could see through her futile attempts to hide her alluring features.

She was average at height, towering over a few of the short men by six inches or a bit more. At her side, she carried her two knives and about her neck, she wore her usual necklace that complimented her skin.

"Quite a pretty sight," the captain said to Philippe, and the latter rolled his eyes. "She's an underage girl. Look for someone else, preferably someone your age."

"Tch. I'll have to wait then because I want someone that youthful." The disappointed man shrugged before shoving his hands in his pockets. "Tis quite a shame. Such a beaut's days are limited" the captain Buckie pulled out his pipe before walking towards the cabin with Philippe, so they could talk privately. "Are you really going to do it?" Buckie asked.

"It's not like I have a choice. The kid isn't useful. She's not a fighter. She's dead weight."

The captain suggested something in his favor. "Marry her off then. Killing would waste such a beauty"

"Marry her to who? She's not mature enough for marriage yet." Philippe cocked a brow before crossing his arms and taking a sit on the chair he pulled out from a corner.

"Why do you care so much? You're the last person that will be bothered about her wellbeing."

"You want her, don't you?" Philippe narrowed his eyes. He could peruse the intention of the man easily, and Buckie raised his hands up in defeat.

There was no need for him to play pretend on what he actually wanted. "I'll take care of her," he said assuringly with an ear to ear grin with his eyes wrinkling at its corners.

Philippe laughed under his breath, shaking his head at his acquaintance's oblivion of the young girl.

"You'll kill her with your own hands by the time you find out how much of a crackpot she is. She's not wife material. When the other women in the camp were training the young girls, she refused to learn her role. She wanted to do something that was meant for us men. She doesn't even know how to act like a lady. She might be a woman, but she acts like one of us. She's not needed. I have more beautiful and mannerly women back in Sirsis camp. You can choose as many as you like."

"Nope, I'll pass. Do whatever you want. I don't really care anymore."

"Wait!" Philippe called the captain's attention fast after realizing what he could do with the situation. His greed completely took over, and he wanted to make things work in his favor and his alone.

"What about buying the lady? How much would you be willing to pay for her?"

"Well, I was considering Five hundred pieces of silver" Buckie stroked his brown beard with a mischievous smile on his face. He was waiting for this part of the chief to come into play. Saying he didn't care about Veronica anymore was just a simple attempt to draw the money loving man everyone knew.

"Two thousand for the girl and we can have your wedding right here and right now."

"Two thousand?!" the man scoffed.

"Who do you think I am? The king of this world? All I can do with what I have in me pockets is double what I offered in the start. A thousand and that's final," the man said sternly, despite the playful tune of his accent.

"Fine" Philippe rolled his eyes and stretched his hand forward for immediate payment of the man's future wife. To him, and everyone else on the rebellion team, Veronica wasn't worth that much anyway, so he had to make do with the amount of silver offered.

Philippe's lips split into a wicked grin as he hummed a sweet melody as he counted and checked the genuineness of the coins. "She's all yours."