Chereads / The Captains Prize / Chapter 3 - 2. Egil

Chapter 3 - 2. Egil

2: Egil

Egil stood in front of the mirror his dark eyes gazing blindly at his reflection as he ran the razor his jawline. Apart from the scruffiness of the man's face, he was far from ugly. He stood just under six feet tall, wild unruly raven locks falling in front of his while his cerulean eyes danced between a sea blue to dark almost violent navy. The angrier he was the darker they would become. Very few had the opportunity to appreciate his statuesque appearance though as more often than not he was short-tempered and cold. This man lived for the sea and profit alone. Which is why he had left his crew astounded when he decided to keep the girl. Even if they were to ask, he himself did not know why. Not that it mattered, they all knew he was not a man to mess with angry thus they swallowed their questions and let him keep his prize.

He stood there silently his mind wondering off to the evening before. He could still picture the girl in the dining room her slender frame outlined by the light which sifted through the folds of fabric which covered her. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly upward, as she moved he was able to see every curve and nuance of her skin from the faint blush in her cheeks to the soft gooseflesh which covered her arms and legs.

He couldn't help but find the small gasps which she let out amusing and the way she trembled while trying to dodge the hands of his crew with was pure entertainment for him. He wasn't a cruel man but what man wouldn't find some form of pleasure in watching her move about the room. Or the soft shrill way in which she squealed in surprise each time one of them tried to approach her. It was obvious she hadn't been around this type of crowd before and he couldn't help but find the way she ran but still tried to hold onto her dignity adorable. Even while she trembled there was a faint air of defiance about her.

He had no doubt she would be cold tucked away where she was in the bottom of the ship but he had no choice but to have her endure it. He couldn't have her attempting escape and as thin as the cover was she was given the odds were in his favor she'd behave, at least for the time being.

His mind was deep in thought when he heard the soft 'tap tap tap' at his chamber door.

"Come in!" he barked at the entrance only to find a slightly scruffy looking crew mate pop his head around the corner. "

E..Evenin Cap'n..I.I brought yer food."

He stuttered anxiously while attempting to escape the room as quickly as possible. In fact, he was so intent on leaving that when Egil called his name he nearly jumped clean out of his skin

"Eddy, how is the girl??"

The older man looked to his Captain and cleared his throat slightly, his shoulders drooping as he sighed. How was she? He had just seen her briefly on his way to captain and while he knew his captain was a tough man he didn't believe it possible for him to be this ruthless.

"The..the last.. well..she seemed a might cold Cap'n."

There was a momentary pause as he chose his next words carefully, the last thing he needed was to trigger the Captains temper.

"..Y'see..perhaps..we ought to ..give her..a blanket or something?"

The last of the words slowly faded into the chill air around him, it was all he could do to keep his feet planted as his body was urging him to flee. The silence between seems to drag on forever as before he heard a deep growl.

"Give the girl a blanket..make sure she eats."

Egil had barely managed to get the last syllable out before the older man fled. In the wake of his departure Egil stared at the table his food growing cold while in his hands between the two fingers, he twirled the haunting memory of the girl's hair, the corner of his mouth tugging up.

He was a course man but not a brute, it was necessary for her to have a certain degree of fear. As ruthless as he could be, his men when out of hand were worse, it was only their fear of his temper that kept them at bay. The world they lived in wasn't kind either and there were far worse things out there than him and his men. The fear would keep her safe. That was all he needed.

Thoughtlessly he began to eat his food. The food tasteless as his mind wondered. Today was only the first day, it would be interesting to how she faired in the future and he couldn't wait to see how she would try to defy him if anything this was going to be a very interesting journey.