Queen of the Seas Ch. 62

   Henriette had given up on pulling free of the shackles, she started tracing designs on the floor with her blade until the door opened and Fits stepped in.

   She pushed to her feet, leaning as far as her restraints would let her, "I swear, I'll cut out yer tongue and leave ya on the rutter if ya EVER try somethin' like this again, Fits, Do you hear me?"

   Fits laughed, "'Course I do, and I'll take that chance if that bird ever shows up again."

   Fits slipped a rusted key into the shackle and pulled Henriette loose.

   "Let go of me," Henriette yanked her foot away from the shackle, "I should throw you into the ocean, feed ya to the sharks, Fits, I should leave you stranded on a piece of sand in the middle of the sea!"

   Fits laughed, "You can't!"

   Henriette slipped her sword back into her belt, "And why not?"

   With an eyebrow raised, his laugh quieted, " 'Cause, Henriette, I'd only come back for Tennessee," Fits told her.
~ ~ ~
   Henriette ran her fingers along the burn damage on the rail, watching the dock get busy as the morning went on. Paully paced behind her, "Are we leaving, Captain? The damage ain't bad," he said, trying to keep up.

   Henriette shook her head, "Might as well," her fingers walked across the last of the blackened wood as she stopped and leaned on the rail, "Staying here would only show our damage." Suddenly she turned to him, "Gather our new crew, we set sail tonight, Paully. You will stand beside when I set the rules. Just look…" she paused, glancing at Fits on the other side of the ship with his back turned to her.

   "Scary?" Paully asked.

   "Terrifying." Henriette corrected.

   Paully nodded, heading for the plank, "S'Okay, Cap, I got it handled."

   Henriette atched him go, then stepped across the deck, "Fits, At me."

   Fits turned his head, laughing, "That's not an apology for the last 2 days now, is it?"

   "No, It's your Captain giving an order."

   "And?" Fits snorted.

   "Fits. Do you want to stay in Cuba?"

   He turned around and leaned back on the rail, "You couldn't keep me off this ship with a pair of shackles," he grinned.

   Henriette raised an eyebrow, "Is THAT an apology?"

   "No, It's your Lieutenant giving an answer."
~ ~ ~
   As the new crew fell in line before Henriette, she held her head high with her hat tilted and her coat button in the middle. Fits and Paully stood on either side of her, while the rest of the crew was below deck silent as instructed.

   "Get yer rear's in line 'efore I kick 'em in the sea!" Henriette yelled, hushing the new recruits and making them hussel into a line. "If ya can't hold yer own in a fight, can't follow direct orders from yer Captain," she began walking in front of them, "Lieutenant, or Boatswain," she gestured behind her to Fits and Paully, standing silently with their arms folded and swords hanging clearly at their sides, "You oughtto leave, now."

   She started walking again, holding the hilt of her sword pointed down at the newcomer's feet. "I am your Captain. If any of ya want to challenge that," she raised her sword to their faces as she walked, "I dare ya."

   The crew was quiet.

   Fits smiled with one corner of his mouth, watching Henriette's behind as she walked.
When she turned to walk the other way, he averted his eyes back to the crew.

   "I am your Captain, gentlemen. Captain Cooper."