The Admiral’s Tale, Part 5
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A prequel to Pirate Ophelia
Chapter V: The Sloop
It had been four months since they returned from England. The crew of Eos found themselves on the familiar journey across the Atlantic Ocean, back to London for more of Andre’s wares. Janneke was surprised at how easy it was to sell their cargo, admitting that Andre’s connections made it a simple, though time-consuming job.
The sloop approached the same dock as it had in the winter, only this time the warm air kept the crew in better spirits. Sabian was eager to see London again, spending much of his last visit huddled under layers to prevent freezing. He and Janneke wandered off while Diana went to meet Andre with the good news.
Janneke was glad to be on land once more. She was starting to get used to being on a ship, but the rocking of the waves often made her feel queasy. Diana had assured her that it would not be as noticeable on a larger ship, acknowledging that the sloop was too easily tossed around, especially in rough seas. Janneke agreed, remembering that she did not feel that way on Captain Daniel’s galleon.
Once again, Matthias stayed behind to watch the ship. Janneke knew that he was loyal to her, but she suspected that his friends Finn and Lukas were getting bored. She only hoped they would stay until they returned to the Caribbean, not wanting to find new sailors in such a busy town.
Janneke and Sabian returned shortly before Diana arrived with another wagon of goods to sell. This time Andre sent one of his employees rather than drive the wagon himself. The crew quickly loaded the cargo onto the sloop and set sail again. It was a brief visit, but Janneke was sure it would not be their last.
Eos began her journey through the English Channel. Janneke could see a storm ahead of them and steered to sail around it. The sloop fought against her, the wind ahead of the storm catching the sails.
“I can’t get away from the storm!” she shouted from the helm.
Matthias rushed to help, grabbing the wheel and holding it down in an attempt to turn the ship. “Ready yourselves and batten down!” he called to the crew.
