The same evening, Miller Ayles handed over all the documents over to her for safekeeping.
"These are our accounts. After you father I was not able to manage it properly so don't pressure yourself too much. See if you can deal with this if not we shall hire an accountant," she cheerfully whispered from the bed.
"As you say, mum," Eloise patted her hand gently. Her mother's health has slowly been getting better, but she was becoming sleepless with worry. "Odette, please store it in my room I'll see to it this evening," she whispered and handed over all the documents to her.
She stood up and adjusted the scrunched up part of her skirt. Wearing one was a hassle, but whenever she wore a dress, it brought a smile to her mother's face.
"You look so refines, darling Eloise,"
"I know mum, I have a small business to attend to. Don't wait for me and eat well, Odette, make sure of it," she ordered the little maid.
"Yes miss, I will take good care of madam,"
Feeling slightly assured, Eloise strode out the room. She dashed to hers and swiftly changed to her newly washed riding outfit. "Those bastards better talk today, or else I might have to become the ruthless,"
She saw Odette waiting with a hesitant look.
"Did you prepare what I asked for?"
"Yes miss, I have made sure to hand it over to the captain. But miss....."
"Thank you," she nodded and left. 'This method should work, right? I hope it does...."
With such thoughts she rushed down the deck to the holding cell. Since this was a luxury ship there was not much space to hold criminals so the captain had to improvise and changed the small storage room as their holding cell.
She walked down the stairs swiftly to see a white shirt old man waiting for her.
"Captain Ryan, good day sir," she bowed slightly.
"Young lady, I shall escort you. Please," he gestured for his right.
Eloise nodded and walked down with grace. "Have they said anything?"
"Nothing as of now, lady. We shall see to it that we made them talk,"
"Have they been fed?" Eloise glanced back with a small glare.
"Y—yes, my lady," he stuttered sweating a little.
"I see," she strode confidently to the storage room and opened it. The two traitors were tied up in the same position she left her. Their glaring eyes met hers. "Sirs, I hope you have been doing well,"
"You bitch, let go of us. We don't know anything," the gold toothed man shouted. "This is inhuman how can a lady be so cruel!!"
"Why? You Men can be cruel enough to sink my ship, but I have to treat you respect. It does not sound fair at all," she tsked at them. "Besides, if you had told us the truth earlier you could have left this place long back," she sat on the wooden chair the captain held for her.
The black shirt man glared at her without any word.
"Goodness, you are running my mood today. Mister Ryan, bring in the torture materials,"
"Miss this....."
"What? Bring them in please," she glanced back at him with her eyes narrowed. The captain started sweating further more.
"I shall see to it," he left as if his ass was on fire. In just minute he came back with a bag. "Miss, it's against the rules to torture men without a court ruling. We at least need an official's ruling before we do anything," he whispered slowly.
Hearing this, the two of them became quite bold. "Yeah bitch, you can't do anything to us. It's against the law!!" the golden toothed man yapped again.
Rolling her eyes, Eloise glanced at them. "Well, captain Ryan, tell me who claims the gods found on sea?"
Hearing this irrelevant question, the captain paused. "Lady Ayles, you mean...."
"I mean, who has the ownership to what is claimed in water," Eloise glanced at him with her brows raised.
"The person who finds it, miss. That's why many treasure hunters have risen these past few years," he whispered patiently.
"I see, did you both listen to that? I have ownership over you," Eloise said with a dazzling smile.
Hearing this, the golden toothed man raged and started cussing at her while his partner watched her curiously. "You shut up." he shouted at his yapping team mate and glanced at her, "how does this connect to our situation?"
"Ho, as the captain said, whatever one finds in sea belongs to them. You two trash escaped with the safety boat from my ship, so technically you belong to me too. Isn't that right, Mister Ryan?" Eloise threw the question to the old man. She could see him hesitate to answer.
Eloise glanced at him without blinking.
"Y—yes, lady Ayles..... You are right,"
"You hear him boys, I own you and I can exact any kind of torture on you," Eloise smirked villainously.
The two shuddered in terror.
Fred was had gone to meet Lady Eloise but he had from her maid that she had gone down to the lower decks. With the medical kit in hand, he happily hopped down. Nearing the temporary holding room, he heard loud screams of men pleading for mercy.
Two sailors stood guard with sweat dripping down their forehead.
"What's going on?"
They both glanced at him and shook their heads.
"So much noise, tsk, where is lady Ayles, we can't have a lady of her standing in such an environment" he chided.
"She.....she is the one making the men scream in terror," one of the said trembling.
"What?" Fred opened the door to see a shocking sight.
"Oh, Mister Fred, you are earlier than I expected. Please wait out I shall meet up with you soon," Eloise happily smiled.
"Lady Ayles... what... what are you doing?" he whispered, pointing to the snake in her hand. "Its poisonous miss, drop it,"
"What this cutie? She will not bite me, but these two the look just like rats to her, right, babe?"
The snake hissed loudly at the two men. It's red, black and yellow striped body slowly contacted as it crawled on her hand towards the two men.
"That's a poisonous snake lady Ayles!!! Let go of it this instance!" Fred rushed to her, but she turned to him with the snake held out.
"It's okay, I can handle it sire, please wait outside for me," Eloise said with her smile firmly in place.
Fred was completely terrified. 'Who is this woman? She beats up men and threatens them with a snake!! She is more terrifying than Raymond!!' he left the room trembling. His legs would not stop shaking. He silently leaned on the walls along with the two sailors out the door. "Did you... guys see that?"
"Yes sir, we are terrified of her. How can a lady be so scary?"
Suddenly they all heard a loud scream, "I will tell you!! I will tell you!! Please let go of us. I have a wife and children to take care of. Please!!!"
Few minutes later the young lady walked out with a huge grin and a black bag in hand. "Sire, shall we get going?" she said happily to him.
Fred nodded violently. "Yes, yes we may... might I ask.. Where did you get the snake lady Ayles?"
"Oh this, my maid found a man who is an animal collector on board. I just borrowed this from him," she said, holding the bag carefully. "She was cute, wasn't she?"
"Y—yes, very cute indeed," Fred laughed dryly. 'I never should offend her or I might find myself dead in my bed,'
He watched the lady go to a room in the second deck and returned the bag to a middle age man. "She was a sweetie sire, I had great pleasure making her acquaintance,"
"Isn't she a wonder? No one understands these beautiful creatures nowadays; it's nice to see youngsters interested in them. Well, why don't we go down for some coffee miss?"
"No sire, I have something to do. I shall take your offer for another day, see you," she waved at the kind old man.
Fred looked at the she-monster in fear. "Lady Ayles, it looks like you have some duty to fulfill, I shall meet you later this evening," without waiting for her answer he ran away.
He ran straight to his trusted friend and vampire, Raymond, to cry about his terrifying encounter.
"Raymond!! Raymond, she is a monster!" was the first thing he said hugging his friend.
Raymond pushed him off with a frown. "Who is?"
"Eloise, Lady Ayles, she is a monster I tell you. I just witnessed her threatening men with a poisonous snake. She even called it cute!! Oh my legs are trembling, thinking back," he cried and sunk into the soft sofa.
Raymond huffed and sat down opposite him. He poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to him. "It seems surreal,"
"No, I'm telling you the truth; she was holding a bloody red white and black striped snake!! You know how they are considered very dangerous. It caused death in just seconds," Fred panted and sipped the tea. "Good tea,"
"Tell me, what was the colour scheme of the snake? Was it yellow stripe touching red or black stripe touching red?"
Fred took a second to think back on what he saw. "I'm sure it was black stripe touching red stripe. Why do you ask?"
Raymond laughed out loud. "My god, silly white kitten really has brains," he continued laughing at his friend's expense as well.
"What are you laughing for, huh? Tell me too, I shall laugh along,"
"That girl, she tricked you all. That kind of black touching red patterned snake is non poisonous one." Raymond glanced out at the bow. "She is so..... cute,"
Fred's eyes went wide. 'Did I hear right? He said cute, her? Cute? I think only one monster can admire another,'