It had been three years since she was thrown overboard. And within that time, she had grown out her hair to its original mid-back length, stopped dressing to hide like a man and showed off her curves, and both charmed and frightened everyone on the ship. Some of the crew still looked at her with fear in their eyes after her show of escaping death. Good. She wanted them to remember that she was a sea monster.
However, she quickly realized that if she wanted better living situations and more power on this ship, she needed to become trustworthy. So, she started working harder. Keeping up with her new crewmates and building comradery with them. Getting them to trust her while also maintaining her role as a dangerous creature that wandered wildly around their home. Through her new found friendship them, she grasped a better understanding of the English language. They sparred with her in sword combat and even hand to hand. And eventually, she gained enough of their trust to listen to their complaints about their captain.
Six months into her time on the Siren’s Secret and she realized her Captain tended to have a wandering eye. It was almost unnerving how he looked at her. But, if she could use him to gain a position at his side, then she’d just have to get over how his eyes followed everywhere she went.
So she learned how to manipulate the man into trying to pursue her further. The first thing she started doing, once he was less wary of her of course, was touching him every chance she could. A hand on his shoulder, her knuckles brushing his, moving a lock of light brown hair out of his face so he could stare at her face. She’d purposely stand too close to him during meetings or smile at him when he was the only one looking. She discovered which methods worked the best and which only set her back a couple of steps. And soon, Elena was constantly wanted at Thornton’s side. He looked to her for her opinion on important decisions if only to keep her close and sometimes, only sometimes, foolishly taking her advice.
Eventually, the captain started getting bold himself. Gently pulling at her hair, holding her close to him, brushing his thumbs across her lips and cheeks. The affection grew until everyone on the ship saw him kiss her and knew that Elena was forever off limits.
The methods helped Elena to rise in the ranks to quartermaster. A well-respected leader among the crew. A position she should have been comfortable with… but she wasn’t. She didn’t want to be the captain’s plaything anymore. She didn’t want to be the Captain’s monster who entertained him with songs and her own body. No, Elena wanted more.
She wanted to be rid of Captain Richard Thornton.
Today was not unlike any other day, Elena stared out at the Horizon as the sun cast a fiery orange glare across the sky. She had given the crew their orders and they were all hard at work which gave her time to herself. She was above deck by the helm of the ship and leaning against the railing. She felt calm as the wind sent her it’s message. Rain. A storm was approaching and quickly. They could easily avoid it but that wouldn’t work for Elena’s plan.
She heard the familiar thud of boots climbing the stairs to reach the helm. As usual, they didn’t turn to steer the ship but headed directly for her. Rough calloused hands placed themselves on her hips.
Don’t touch me murderer. Is what she wanted to snarl. She had to stop herself from making a disgusted face and instead continue playing her part. She plastered on her most loving and adoring smile for the captain and leaned into his touch as he tilted her head up to catch her lips. Every time he kissed her she wanted to bite down on his lip and draw blood.
“Things in order, aye?” he asked. He grinned when Elena nodded. As he looked at her and squeezed her face a little too roughly, Elena could see the demand in his eyes before he even uttered the words. It had become like a drug he was unable to quit. A drug he’d resort to violence for. She didn’t understand what was so special about it.
“Sing fer me, little siren,” He ordered. She hated that pet name. He started calling her that soon after he had heard her sing with the rest of the crew. He had been enthralled with it and demanded to hear her voice so much she was benign to hate singing in general. Not that she was ever good at it before.
Unable to deny the captain, for the time being, Elena chuckled softly and nodded clearing her throat. While the song was usually chipper and had a quick tempo, Elena decided to sing it slower and more somber.
“Come all you young sailor men, listen to me,
I'll sing you a song of the fish in the sea”
As she started the song she could see the captain's eyes closed and his head started swaying along to the words. Elena took this opportunity to drop her facade and glare at him. She put more emphasis into the next phrase of the song anger threatening to seep into her song.
“And it's-
Windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys.
When the wind blows, we're all together, boys;
Blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds, blow,
Jolly sou'wester, boys, steady she goes.”
*~~~*
The storm had hit the ship rather quickly. The waves were relentless as they tossed the ship this way and that. A toddler playing with a delicate toy on the verge of dropping and breaking it. The rain was relentless as well pummeling the crew with droplets as rough as hail. Thunder cracked against the sky and lightning struck too close to the boat.
Throughout it all, Elena stood her ground on the deck of the Siren’s Secret and barked orders to her crew remaining extremely calm. As long as they kept the sails down, tied everything down, and adapted to any extra problems the storm might cause, they were going to be just fine. And once they were all done with their jobs, they gathered on the deck to listen to Elena’s next orders.
Despite having never been in a storm at sea, and being told nothing but horrible things about the death tolls, Elena was grinning madly. She felt no sort of fear as thunder rumbled over her head and threatened to strike her down with lightning. She was actually delighted to listen to the chaos. For she was going to have a victory tonight.
Elena brandished her rapier and stood confidently as the crew dragged a bound and thrashing Captain Richard Thornton from his quarters. They dropped him on the deck roughly at Elena’s feet and watched as she pointed the tip of her sword at the man’s throat.
“Elena!” the man bellowed. His voice was drowned out by another clap of thunder but the rage and confusion in his face was unmistakable. He pulled against the ropes binding his wrists behind his back and the ropes binding his ankles. He looked around wildly, probably looking for one crew member that would try an help him. But none of them would. Elena had swiped them all away from right under his nose.
The woman crouched and smirked at the weak little man. She held her sword, the sword the captain had gifted her personally, to his throat and watched as he squirmed under her grasp. Lowering her sword slowly she tapped the blade against something. A cannonball. That was tired to Thornton’s ankles. Her face lit up as fear registered in his eyes and what exactly she intended to do to him.
“Shall I sing you a song, Captain?” she asked maliciously. Venom dripping from each and every word. She didn’t want for his response, she just began anyway.
“Upon one summer's morning
I carefully did stray
Down by the Walls of Wapping
Where I met a sailor gay”
She gestured for the crew to pick up Thornton and drag him to the edge of the ship as she sang the next verse. She turned her back to them and listened to him struggle and fight against the men he was supposed to trust.
“Conversing with a young lass
Who seem'd to be in pain
Saying, William, when you go
I fear you'll ne'er return again”
The crew set the man down again and made way for Elena to look at him. He was looking between Elena, the raging waters below him, and the fact that Elena’s foot was now resting casually on the cannonball that decided his fate.
“Siren, please. Please, you don’t want to do this,” The man begged, very concerned for his life and how serious she was now. He very clearly didn’t want to die. But Elena also very clearly felt otherwise.
With a flash of lightning behind her head, Elena gave him a toothy smile and pulled her foot back, giving him false hope.
“Throw ‘em overboard.“
With a forceful kick, Elena sent the man tumbling over the edge and into the raging black ocean below.
She stood there in the pouring rain as she sheathed her blade and pushed her wet hair from her face. "Does anyone want to challenge me for the title of Captain?" She asked already confident that she had earned the title. And she was correct for no one tried to oppose her. "Then get back to work!" She ordered and watched as her crew scattered to maneuver out of the storm.
And for the first time in three years, Elena had a genuine smile on her face as the storm seemed to calm its rage.
(I'm sorry this is so long??? But Elena is Captain now XD)