I have mentioned before how popular Alexander was, needless to say when speaking of leaders his name soon made its appearance in the discussion. I had thought that he would accept instantly but he seemed reluctant. Even when he was elected with near anonymous votes he looked slightly less then happy. He stood in front of crew, his hands folded behind his back solemnly.
“I did not choose to be a pirate of my own free will,” he began and I thought for a moment that he was going to refuse, he continued however. “If I am going to be a pirate though, I would rather be a captain then a common crew member. I will be your captain and serve in that position best as I can.” There was a cheer from the crowd, and it was followed by the usual drunken party in the manner that pirates celebrated anything.
People had already started to fall down in drunken stupors when Alexander found me where I was standing at the railing of ship staring off at the small speck of land on the horizon. I had been told by a member of the crew that it was a habited, civilized island. The sort that pirates fear since frequently they are prowled by navy ships.
“Greetings Captain,” I said. I was unsure where I stood with him anymore. At one time he had been my friend but since he had distanced himself from me and was now in a position of power I truly had no way to tell how to address him. He relieved me from my fears by grinning at me.
“Dreaming of escaping us again?” he asked me quietly.
“To late now,” I replied just as quietly, trying to keep the regret from my voice.
“Can you swim?” he asked me.
“Not well, not well enough to swim this distance anyway,” I answered. I couldn’t even believe that I was having this conversation.
“Then you will just have to steal a boat. I will distract the crew; you can go ahead and leave. Most of these men are too drunk to notice you lowering a boat anyway.”
“Won’t you get yourself in trouble with your crew?” I asked. “I thought that the captain wasn’t supposed to do anything without the crew allowing it.”
“I will just drink myself unconscious and the next day say I don’t remember any of it, I most likely won’t anyway. I’ll be alright.”
The last time I saw Alexander he was throwing knives to outline the head of a crew member. Of course with a show like that no one was looking for me. I wasn’t noticed until I was already out of pistol shot. I could have seen him again several years after that when they hung him and the entire crew for piracy after an extremely short trial. I didn’t think I could stand in the crowd for that, not while knowing that I could have been on that platform if it hadn’t been for the mercy of Alexander. Now I’m an old inn keeper, and I felt that I should cease worrying what this account would do for my reputation and give Alexander the justice he was due.
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