Welcome To The Wind Blade...[part 2]

Never to return? Did he really say that? Where did he say we were going again? Scotland? Where was that? So many questions needed answering, and yet, no one would answer. I was alone, scared and hungry. I wanted to go home...

I had been on this boat for three days now. How many more had I to go? How many more could I take? I had thrown up so many times, I had lost count.

The captain told me that we would be in Scotland soon. He told me lots of things, like that I was beautiful. I hated it. I hated it, just like I hated him.

He locked me in this prison cell, on the boat. He was the one who ruined my life, and he expected me to care for him?

He would bring me my breakfast, lunch and dinner himself, like a true gentleman, but I would spit at him and throw the food at the nearest wall. I didn't need anything he had. I was fine by myself.

At night, I would lie still, thinking about my old life. Thinking about Mother, and my brothers and sister. I would think about Father and his reaction when he came home and found his two dead sons and his wife. I wonder if he would look for Mary or I. I was unsure about Edmond's whereabouts, but I hoped he was safe, if he wasn't dead. I dreamed about being on the farm every night. I would be playing with Meg, or sitting weaving with Mary, everything happy, everything perfect, when...suddenly, the soldiers come and destroy the farm and my family. They kill my mother and siblings, and take me. I always woke up in a sweat.

I sat in my cage, my prison, my haunted cell and stared at the food the captain had brought me. I glared at it. I had not eaten properly for three days, and I was starving. My mouth watered at the sight of the food, but I kicked it away. It was poison and I refused to eat.

A huge thump woke me up. I hadn’t realized I was sleeping. I looked around the room. No one was there. I solemnly got up and walked to the bars of the cell. They were rusty and cold. I listened to the movements upstairs. Shouts and heavy footfalls could be heard. Suddenly the door opened and a man walked in. He was a soldier.

‘We’ve arrived,’ he said. He took out his keys and opened the cell door. I back to the far wall. He grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the cell. I struggled, but he was stronger and he pulled me onto the deck. I expected the sunlight to hit me, but instead I was showered by rain. The light still stung my eyes, but it was easy to cope with. The captain confronted me with a smile.

‘Maria,’ he said with his heavy accent, which I had never heard before, ‘You shall soon meet my son, William. The reason I bought you here, is that I want you to marry him,’ he said, a smile crossed his face.

‘You what???’ I asked, horrified. He laughed. He signalled for his guards to take me off the ship. I struggled even more. I screamed and I cried. No one cared. No one would ever care about me ever again. I was alone, and this was how I was going to remain…or so it seemed...