Adam shut the door behind him, he needed to get a list together of supplies he was short on.

“You don’t want it?” Elissa asked when he offered the food to her. She sat down across from him. “Well if I take it, you need something from my plate so it is a fair trade. Why don’t you take some of the pickled vegetables, those would be good for you.” It really wasn’t a fair trade since she had already given him a larger portion. “Drink all the water you like, I prefer coffee anyways. Drinking coffee was one of the few things high society got right.” She smiled. Adam was right she did seem to be in a better mood. “What would you like me to do until we get to France? I can help out on the ship, though your doctors might not like it. Don’t tear my stitches.” She mocked with a laugh. “Honestly, I’m not a frail doll. These stitches are healed up enough for me to do anything I please.” She didn’t seem to hold the doctor in as high a standing as Joseph and the ships crew. “How far are we from France?” She wished he would reconsider and let her help him get his ship back. Elissa didn’t understand the sudden change of mind.

Joseph had received Elissa’s previous remarks about the gown with some humour and had expressed such with an amused smile - of course her clothing choice would have to functional in that particular regard. Speaking of clothing, he’d really have to change, not as though being smeared with old blood was unusual for him.

He thanked the surgeon as he left them to resume his duties, Joseph did wonder how he’d sourced the water though, as the cook was rightly possessive of his modest stash, and although he was the Captain, he made do with similar rations as much of the crew, although he didn’t doubt Adam had some kind of leverage and sway to some individuals on board. In any case, Joseph would not see the water wasted.

“No you’re alright” he expressed gently, he slid the food from his own plate onto Elissa’s and lingered at the other side of the desk, content to stand and wander whilst he ate. He laughed gently as Elissa imitated the surgeon, it was an accurate likeness. Joseph listened to what Elissa had to say, and there was a pause between her questions and his response as he bit through an apple and mused; he didn’t consider her frail, or weak, although he did have concerns where she seemed to struggle with her nightmares.. she also seemed to antagonise Rhea.

“I think we’re just another day or so” he finally replied, indicating they’d arrive shortly in France, it wasn’t necessary for her to pull any weight on the ship, she’d been a captive after all. “I don’t expect you to work on the ship” he grinned, “we still need to flog a lot of…wares once we arrive, I think we should discuss what’s happening at that time” he made reference to the fact Elissa knew his intention to drop her there, he’d assumed this is why she had asked. “I understand that if you are Eli as you say, you do have a ship and men at your disposal, in England of course..” he continued as his thoughts ran in succession, but paused for a moment, “won’t your father be watching them?” he questioned, he’d expect Mr. Bishop may be looking to exact revenge for the raid, even if he did not care for Elissa.

As much as Elissa wouldn’t like it, Rhea would have to be involved in the plan.

“Father was away on business when you came...calling. He’s probably still gone, he stays away months at a time. He does have men at the warehouse and at the docks, but ships come and go all the time on business. My ship is the smallest, that’s why a crew of five can run it. No one will notice if it is gone.” She answered, picking at her food. “My crew knows me as Elissa. I only go by Eli when I’m bargaining and trading. It just makes the job easier to pretend to be a man.”

Elissa’s good mood was slowly fading. “I wish you would let me help you get your ship back, that was the whole reason you captured me.” She pushed some of the pickled vegetables around on her plate, her appetite seeming to have dwindled. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll find a way home. I can probably sell the ring Blayne gave me to get passage back to England...unless the cheapskate bought me fake diamonds.” She wouldn’t put it past Blayne to do such a thing. “I’ll find a way home.” She’d survived worse than being stranded in a forgein country.

Elissa finally took a bite of food. It was good, but she wasn’t hungry anymore. She ate a little, picking here and there like a child forced to eat their greens before being allowed to leave the table. She hadn’t looked to Joseph the whole time she’d been speaking, she had just stared vacantly at her plate.

Joseph had nodded, as though to acknowledge he understood Elissa’s reasons for posing as a man in her dealings, and taking in the information regarding her father’s whereabouts. The Captain drew his lips in slowly to moisten them, as though in thought then pulled a sideward pout, he sat at a sloped angle against the arm of the couch, he took a deep breath and sighed heavily through his nose as he examined Elissa.

“Elissa, I’m still thinking about it alright.. after all I would like my ship back” he laughed, then cleared his throat, “you’re going to have to find a way to get along with Rhea, though” he expressed this in a rather serious tone, but a smirk spread across his face as he glanced up at her as he took another bite from the apple, “your fiancé going to miss you then?” he gestured with his hand holding the fruit and grinned whilst chewing.

“He will miss my money.” She said dryly. “That’s all he cares about. He’s already promised to lock me back up in Bedlam the moment the wedding is over. We will go from the chapel to the asylum, then he will be able to claim my dowry and, after my father passes, my inheritance.” Elissa finally turned to face him. “I try to get along with her, she just doesn’t like me. After last night I can’t say I’m too fond of her, I’d have been fine if she hadn’t brought me to drink with all of you.” She knew Blayne was only marrying her for her money. He’d hated her when they were children and had bullied her constantly. Now as an adult he’d squandered all of his money and was looking for someone to fund his lavish way of living. Elissa’s father was the only fool that would agree to letting his daughter marry the nobleman. All the others knew he was money hungry. Mr. Bishop was just bent on getting rid of Elissa and making her someone else’s problem. He didn’t care what happened to her.

She turned back to her food, putting her fork down to pick up her cup of coffee. “I’ll try harder to get along with her.” She sighed. “But you need to talk with her and have her try too. I don’t even know what I did to make her dislike me.” She really didn’t understand how the two of them had started disliking one another. Elissa half figured it was because Joseph paid attention to her, but he seemed to pay attention to Rhea as well.

“Hm” Joseph huffed, nodding, “she just doesn’t trust you yet, Rhea is…guarded” he explained, he mused for a moment, although he did not consider Rhea to have a malicious motive when she invited Elissa to drink, he did wonder what conversation between them had transpired as Elissa seemed to have come peacefully at the time, “what exactly did she say when she collected you from.. here? Last night?” he queried out of curiosity. He’d probe further regarding Elissa’s fiancé and her fortunes in due course.

“I wasn’t here, I was going back to my old room. I’d seemed to have bothered you and had thought it best if I wasn’t around you. I didn’t want to upset you more.” She’d been willing to face the darkness to keep from upsetting Joseph. “She asked where I was going, took my arm and insisted I join all of you. I didn’t think it was a good idea, but honestly she sort of scared me.” Elissa tried to not make Rhea sound like the bad guy.

A broad smile spread across the Captain’s face at Elissa’s revelations - it all made much more sense, “so she did you a favour, really, seeing as you hate the dark” he crunched into one of the bland biscuits, “she knew I’d be down there, you know” it was unclear what Joseph was implying with his last remark, the tone of his comments overall however suggested he believed Rhea hadn’t meant Elissa any harm, “she scares me too” he laughed loudly.

“so..” he began changing the subject, “why does your father trust his fortunes to such a person?” he asked with interest, was Elissa that difficult to marry off? Actually, he could quite see that being the case given her work, adventures and exploits… but really, Mr. Bishop had brought that upon himself.

“She didn’t know why I was wanting to go back to my old cabin, I just told her that was where I was going.” Elissa said. “I suppose it was a favor, but I was willing to be locked away in the dark, just so I wouldn’t upset you any more. I am sorry for upsetting you yesterday.” She began to peel an orange that had been on her plate. There had been two and she had made sure they each had gotten one.

“Father doesn’t plan on dying anytime soon, so Blayne still has to wait awhile to get his money. Father just wants me gone and out of his hair. I’m a burden to him, even if I sail for his company. We hardly ever see each other anymore, I wish he’d just let me do as I pleased. However he doesn’t want to deal with me and figures since Blayne is willing to marry me that I can become his problem instead of father’s. He doesn’t care what happens to me. Father probably sees the dowry as a way of paying Blayne to take me out of father’s life. Almost like a reward. I mean nothing to either of them. The only people who care about me is my crew.” She sat the peels to the side of her plate. “I really did meet most of them in Bedlam. Philip was there because he couldn’t pay his debts, Johnathan was an orphan that was brought in because he was rambling. Turns out he lost his parents to a house fire and was in shock when they found him. Timothy was a beggar that I met once I was free. Mark was one of the assistants and hated his job, so I offered him a better one. Silas was a servant in my father’s house, he wanted adventure.” Elissa explained. “Another reason father is allowing Blayne to marry me is because no one else will. I may be rich, but I don’t have a lot of suitors. None to speak of really. Men in town don’t like that I’m outspoken and work for a living. They want me to be quiet, obedient, and all that other nonsense.” She frowned. “I’m an equal to them, they aren’t better than me and I’m not better than them.” She was opinionated and stubborn, more attributes that men frowned upon when looking for a wife. Elissa wasn’t afraid to fight back if one struck her either.

“It wasn’t you… just” Joseph cleared his throat and shook his head gently as though to dismiss any further thoughts from coming forth, they’d been there with that conversation. There was a pause, and Joseph looked to Elissa to proceed with her response to his latter question, he listened intently to what she had to say about the situation with her father, how she met her crew (the rumour seemed to be true after all), and how she viewed herself within society.

The Captain found it interesting that none of her crew appeared to be..native seafarers so to speak, many of his own had grown up on the water in one way or another.

“I don’t know” Joseph began, he pouted and shrugged, “a quiet, obedient woman would make for an easier life, I should try that I think” he smirked.

“I don’t see you as the type to settle down, quiet wife or not.” Elissa noted. His one comment made her wish she knew how to be quiet and obedient. He’d never have you, stop fooling yourself, she thought with a small shake of her head. She’d convinced herself years ago that no one would want her for herself, no matter how she behaved. Philip was a father to her and the other’s were her brothers, they were family. She turned away from Joseph again to pick at her food. She’d eaten maybe a third of the small portion that had been on her plate. Elissa fell silent as the conversation died. She continued picking at her food.

“Do you have any books?” She finally asked. “I thought maybe I could read while I’m in here, waiting to get to France.” Reading was one of the few quiet activities that she was fond of. Books took her away to a better life, they’d been her escape as a child after her mother had passed. “If you don’t it’s fine, they aren’t something most ships, pirate or otherwise normally have aboard. I just thought…well, I thought they’d help me pass the time. I won’t have you for company all the time, you are captain after all. You have duties to attend to.” She wished that he could stay and talk with her and spend time with her until they got to France. She was desperate for a few good memories of her time on the ship with Joseph, so that she’d have them to remember once he was out of her life again.

She wasn’t wrong, Joseph couldn’t see himself settling down though, to be fair, he didn’t see himself living past thirty, and even that was being generous, even so - people settled down to start a family, right? He didn’t figure himself much as a father role-model, although, he could be a father to someone, somewhere, who knew? He hoped not, however. Joseph smiled softly and gave a small shrug lifting his eyebrows, well, what could he say?

Books? Maybe. He couldn’t read particularly well, although maps he could read but, books, not so much.. He’d just about finished the rations on his plate, he stood tapping the underside of it thoughtfully. He did have one book, a gift, the novel Don Quixote, which he kept in a drawer in his desk. “That drawer, beside you, the top one” Joseph gestured, “have a look” he encouraged after which he moved from his position and placed the plate on the desk. He felt much better after food and water, now if only to tidy himself up; he was sure Elissa wouldn’t mind. Joseph unfastened the thick leather vest dropping it to the floor before pulling his shirt from across his back, over his head and across his arms, that also ended up on the floor, his curly hair was especially wild from being disturbed in such a way. He too, had scarring on his back and body; lashes for disobedience and delinquency during his time at sea, long before he was captain, scars from general scuffles, brawling, fights and raids - so many of which, he was quite responsible for himself. Joseph also had a continuation of tattoos, claiming his left shoulder and chest, his upper arms and forearms had a variety of designs largely linked to his sailing destinations, there was a symbolic rose and ships wheel amongst the designs across the left of his chest.

The Captain retrieved the flagon with the water from the table and took once last deep drink before pouring the remaining water carefully into his palm several times, he swept it through his hair and washed his face, he placed the flagon down and found for himself a fresh shirt from a set of drawers, he pulled it on and began tucking it in.

Elissa opened the drawer and pulled the book out. “Don Quixote? I don’t think I’ve read this one before.” She said, looking it over. Elissa looked up as he began to change, a slight blush coming to her face. Oh, he was handsome. Elissa looked away once she realized she been staring, but not before she noticed the tattoo and gave a small gasp. “We have the same tattoo.” She knew they’d planned out to get the same one but that had been years ago before she was old enough or bold enough to get one. It warmed her heart that he’d gotten it, even if he didn’t remember the meaning behind it.

Elissa sat the book down on the desk and moved her shirt so that he could see her tattoo. She didn’t know that he’d gotten a glimpse of it earlier. “See? I have the rose and ships wheel too.” She wouldn’t explain more about it unless he asked questions. “It’s the only one I have, but I have planned to get more. Maybe not as many as you have, but a few. I thought about seeing if someone could cover up the brand on my neck. I just don’t know what to get.” Elissa wondered how he would respond to them having the same tattoo. She would do all she could to not upset him again. She wouldn’t push for him to remember.

Joseph grinned with some disbelief, “really?” he began and moving closer he placed his palms on the end of the desk to peer over to Elissa as she unveiled her own work, a rose and ships wheel, of course, he knew he’d recognised the pairing when he’d glimpsed it briefly before; he was able to take a much better look this time. He pulled out the neck of his shirt to look down his chest, “huh, fancy that… some coincidence right?” Joseph laughed lightly. He knew it was more than a coincidence, of course, it had been a design, a pairing, a symbol that had come to mind several weeks after his rescue that decade ago, he hadn’t been sure why, but had liked it enough to mark himself with it eventually - it surely had to be significant, he’d figured.

Joseph had been reasonably surprised Elissa had tattooing at all, although she seemed well-travelled he supposed. Finding people to mark you could be difficult, the craft had not yet attained great popularity. Rhea knew how to make such permanent markings rather well, but he figured Elissa wouldn’t relish the idea of her brandishing anything sharp and pointy in her general direction. “I suppose anything would be better than that brand” he acknowledged as he stepped back from the desk to pull on and fasten the leather vest, “I also do believe that is excellent, or so I’ve been told” he nodded to the book.

“Yeah, coincidence.” She said, it was a coincidence that he’d remembered it and had it tattooed. “I guess I could go back to Italy and get another one. I just don’t know what I’d get or if I’d trust someone to see this mark. Finding someone to keep my secret will be a challenge. I guess you don’t know how to make tattoos do you? I wonder what I should get, what would you suggest?” She’d thought about getting another rose, it had been her mother’s name and was the name of her ship. She wasn’t good at thinking up designs, Joseph had made the last one.

She looked back down at the book as she fixed her shirt. “You haven’t read it?” She asked, her fingers lightly brushing the cover. “I’ll admit most of the books I’ve read have been about trade or to learn about another country and their language. I’m not familiar with the more entertaining books.” She smiled. “I look forward to reading it while you work.” Elissa wished she could help on the ship but it seemed clear he didn’t want that. She still technically was his captive. “Will I see you for noon meal or do you share it with your men?” If they’d be in France in a day or so there wasn’t much time for her to be in his company.

“I don’t think you want to trust me scratching anything into your skin Elissa” the Captain laughed loudly, “I think you should get that which feels right in your skin” he replied as she asked for his opinion, tattooing for him at least had something of a spiritual element, that wasn’t to say his work necessarily had deep meaning but, there was something to be gained in the patience, the pain, the healing and the permanency of that which was by someone else’s hand.

“No..” Joseph shook his head “I can’t read it” he seemed to laugh to brush off his slight embarrassment, he wasn’t sure why it bothered him to admit it to Elissa. It wasn’t unusual for people to not know how to read, particularly amongst the lower classes, but what he’d never tell anyone was that the words and letters seem to move on the page - how could you describe such a thing without sounding crazy? It made the task of reading incredibly difficult and rather tedious, although he felt he understood the concept, he knew this, as there were instances when the words were clear and made perfect sense. In any case, it was easier to say he simply couldn’t read, this was something even Rhea didn’t know, and whether it had been something he had perhaps mentioned to Elissa in passing all those years ago, he would not have been able to recall. “I look forward to you telling me all about it, then” he smiled, “I will come back here later” he confirmed.

“I’d trust you over someone I didn’t know.” Elissa smiled. “You designed my last tattoo. I did think about a rose, it’s my ship’s name and my mother’s name. I thought about a star or a constellation, but I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Anything is better than this mark.”

“I know you can’t read well. You told me when we were younger and I offered to teach you to read. You told me the words get jumbled up. I used to read you stories after that. I’d read this to you but I know I won’t get far.” She said. “I don’t have my glasses so reading is slow for me. The words are fuzzy and I have to hold the book at arms length. Then the words are small.” Elissa laughed. “I’ll tell you what I’ve read though, that way you can enjoy it too.” She smiled and picked up the book. She didn’t want him to leave, but she knew he had duties to attend to, he was the captain after all. “Will you tell Rhea I’m sorry if I did anything to anger her? I promise it wasn’t on purpose.” She’d try to get along with the woman, even if it was only for Joseph’s sake. “I’ll see you later then.”

The Captain grinned when Elissa said she’d trust him, he’d designed her last tattoo?, well then the coincidence made sense, and he figured it represented a part of each of them, and surely, they must have been close to have connected themselves in such a way. “The stars are important, I think that is a good idea” he agreed.

Joseph felt a swell rise from his chest to his throat when Elissa mentioned she knew about the jumbled words, the kind you feel when something deeply personal is cast suddenly into the open air; he wasn’t sure he’d heard what he did, she’d mentioned it so casually, perhaps she meant something else? He’d almost sort of froze and looked at Elissa quite unsure what to say whilst she chatted, he cleared his throat, “jumbled what do you mean jumbled?” he finally produced the words, shaking his head as he spoke almost expectedly, he’d furrowed his brow lightly and wore an anxious half-smile - he had to know what he thought he’d heard, and he had to know exactly what she meant.

“I mean, well jumbled. You said that the words and letters would move about on the page and switch places with one another. A d may look like a b or visa versa. You said that was why you couldn’t read.” She said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I know it caused you problems with reading but it wasn’t that big of a deal. It didn’t ruin our friendship or anything. Everyone has problems with something.” She’d never made a big deal about his inability to read, she’d found a way around it when they’d been younger by reading to him. Elissa hadn’t judged him for it and still didn’t judge him. To her the issue was unimportant, it was part of who he was and she accepted him that way. “My eyes have gotten bad over the years, I have to wear glasses to read. I dot have to wear them all the time, thankfully. They are a bit of a pain.” Elissa was oblivious to how he felt about her knowing that he had problems reading. She didn’t realize what she had said had made him nervous.

“You should probably head off to do your job. I’ll see you at noon.” She smiled. “Oh here, don’t forget to eat your orange.” She picked it up from the table and held it out to him. “Your doctor will get you if you don’t eat it.” Elissa smiled up at him, adoration still in her eyes.

Elissa had been very specific in such a way that Joseph had no doubt that he had told her, and he was certain it would be something that even back then, he would not have mentioned to anyone as it would be considered quite bizarre. She seemed to go on to reassure him and encouraged him to carry on with his work as required of him. He was still quite stunned and found it difficult to say anything, he drew in his lips to moisten them once again in that thoughtful manner and nodded when Elissa suggested he should move off, “aye.. thank you” was all he could muster as he received the fruit from her, he also retrieved his hat from the desk, “I’ll see you at noon” he agreed before leaving the room.

The weather was still particularly bleak outside but they seemed to be making good headway, Joseph made his way to the ships wheel where Rhea was still in position examining her compass, she glanced up at him as he approached. What the hell does he want now? An apology was not on the cards, that’s for sure… “She had enough of you now?” Rhea remarked snidely, Joseph looked about him casually before turning his gaze back to Rhea, “what exactly is your problem Rhea?” he sighed locking eyes with the sailingmaster, she turned away to look ahead to the sea in front of them and there was a lengthy pause and silence between them before Joseph spoke again, “I have more reasons than you’ll know to trust her, and I think she can help us” he began also looking ahead to the water and crossing his arms, Rhea didn’t yet respond, she knew deep down that the girl had some connection to Joseph, and she wondered if that had now finally been realised by him, “she doesn’t mean to disrespect you” he continued, giving her a glance, “I don’t mean to disrespect you” he added with deep sincerity in his voice. How did he do it? These little things he’d say and do that brought her back to him time and time again, like he knew exactly how to overturn her bad mood. Rhea breathed in deeply and let the breath flow out, she glanced at the Captain, a smirk spreading across her lips - it was difficult to stay angry at him, “I believe we’ll dock tonight” she informed, “I’ll hear out what Elissa has to say, but we’ll have to sell the loot first.. we’ll have to pay off some people to even move it”, Joseph nodded agreeably, it was quite often the case. He scanned the main deck and figured he should do some rounds to check the handiwork of the men and of course, to reinforce his authority aboard the ship.. eating the orange as he went, the peels tossed overboard.