Chapter 7
He stood before the trio. His eyes silent and piercing yet contained, as if they could become even more frightening if he wished.
The ground of the cabin shaked from the twilight waters underneath but that didn't affect his erect menacing posture.
Diaz understood by his experience and stood submissively, his hands clasped down at his wasit.
Fransesco being a soldier stood subsiverently anyway, his gaze going straight to the floor.
Only Manuel, always assertive and prideful stood looking up at the Captain, his daring gaze meeting that of Samuel, almost mockingly.
But the Captain countered that with his own move. He took out something from the trunk on the table and exclaimed
"This is a broken bottle of rum, it's meant to be drank from!"
The room remained silent. The action had its desired effect as Manuel's eyes were drawn down to the thick carpet on the cabin floor.
"So imagine my wonder when I heard that it was used to assault someone on this very ship. On the Valentina. On my ship !" said Samuel.
Manuel now opened his hands as if to say something, but before he could open his mouth the Captain stopped him with a gesture of hand and continued
"You know, the last time this happened, the man was hung from the post" said Samuel.
He paused a minute to keep the broken bottle on the table and then continued
"But you are my guests. Make no mistake, I have no reservations against hanging guests, I am not a noble warrior. I always hang guests for one reason or the other" he said grinningly.
All three gazes suddenly turned up to meet his.
"But fortunately you are also my employers. We have business. That I don't want to lose. Hence the hangman will rest today" said the Captain.
It was Manuel who broke silence "What are you going to do to me Sire" he asked, clearly frightened.
Diaz stood silent. He, unlike Manuel had realised from the first day that they were at the mercy of Captain Samuel and that they depended on him than vice-versa.
"Not to you, but to you all, all three of you dust the books in my library tommorow. It's a gentlemanly job, not at all a harm to your prestige, but that's your fine" declared Samuel authoritatively.
Manuel quickly took a step forward and and barked "BUT we...........
A swift yet light push put him back. Diaz looked horrified at this sudden outburst.
"Now go" said Samuel.
Fransesco was the first, he went to the door and opened it for Diaz even as the latter started to lead Fransesco outside by the hand when suddenly Samuel said
"Oh yes, I almost forgot, I heard that you gentlemen had some reservations about that woman Maria travelling along with us?" asked Samuel in a tone that almost dared them.
Manuel replied instinctively "That woman is a witch and..........mmmmmmmmm"
The swift Diaz put a hand gently over his lip and replied "None at all Captain Sire"
"Good. You may take leave now gentlemen"
After they had went, Samuel continued staring at the door for a minute. He did not want to loosen his posture of they were to come back by chance. Once he saw them going to their quarters from the window overlooking the deck, he called down and smiled to himself.
Then, he sat down on his bed and removing his coat, kept it to the side. For a minute he gazed at the starry open night sky and then he slowly laid down and prepared to swim though the glorious golden waters of dreamland.