Chapter 11: Help at hand

The following day started weirdly. I folded the Ceremonial Uniform up and put in the bottom drawer in my room. Amanda was still sleeping there, but I managed to get in to get a spare change of clothes without disturbing her. Walking through the ship it was clear that I was the only one awake and the Captain asked me to 'fuck off' when I brought her some breakfast and two tankards of cold water. I left them on her bureau before descending the ships ladder and walking into the village.

There was not too much activity in the village either. Barrels of Mead had been drunk last night and there were even a few souls sleeping on the beach including a couple of naked girls. I took a leak at the end of the beach and walked back into the village square, meeting a couple of the shopkeepers who were opening up after the night of revelry.

The baker and butcher offered me a free breakfast pastry after I helped him get his shop ready and the tailor was eager to sell me a 'more suitable' outfit than the one I was wearing.

By the time all the shops were opened I meandered back to the ship expecting to find the pirates awake but they were still fast asleep. My trip down to the sleeping quarters saw that a couple of the pirates had pissed themselves in the night, while one had clearly satisfied herself last night with a discarded dildo on the floor.

A dripping wet, naked Holly made me jump as she entered the room.

'Quite a night, wasn't it?', she asked me as she wrapped a towel around her and I agreed that it was.

'No stamina ... some people', she muttered as she left and went in search of food.

Bored, I went back down the jetty and began helping a couple of fishermen leave port before given a couple of local lads a kick around on the beach. Feeling like this was a lazy day on a summer holiday, I almost felt guilty when Emma appeared and told me to be at her house by noon for lunch. I kissed her goodbye and went back to the ship.

The Captain woke at quarter to twelve as I was leaving the ship. I explained about my lunch and she groaned and turned over in bed.

It occurred to me that I had no idea where Emma lived, and asked a young girl who was at the end of the jetty.

'This way', she called and skipped off. I had to run to keep up with her, but she led me to a small wooden house on the other edge of the village overlooking the beach with an untidy front garden. Striding up the path, I knocked confidently on the front door and awaited for Emma, dressed in skimpy casual clothes to open the door.

'Come in', she said and led me into the dining room. There were nine chairs cramped around a small table with a women, wearing an apron running in and out. Emma guided me to the furthest chair at the head of the table, with Emma next to me. I recognised the Chief at once, and guessed the other older gentleman must be Emma's father.

I held out my hand to him and introduced myself, before shaking hands with her two older sisters, and one younger sister.

'So tell us... ', the eldest sister, Florence said, ' ... did you enjoy it?'.

Emma went bright red and squeezed my knee under the table.

'That's a personal question... ', I told her but Florence laughed.