Ocean Blue Ch. 01

"Kate! I need my parasol!" Anne shouted from the carriage, her voice tinged with anger.

With a sigh, Katherine shrugged on her rucksack and hurried over to Anne, opening and holding out the parasol. Standing beside her, Katherine felt uncomfortably shy about her clothing. Her long, blue dress seemed coarse and common compared to Anne's bright yellow silks. Grabbing the parasol out of Katherine's hands with a glare, Anne began to walk down the pier, her hips swaying gently as she eyed a brown headed sailor who was holding out his hand to help her up the gangplank. Katherine rolled her eyes at Billy, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and started down the pier herself.

There was no one there to help her up the gangplank, just lewd comments from a group of sailors milling around the end of the pier. She looked straight at them, her blue eyes blazing. With indifference, she tossed back her long red hair, squared her shoulders and started walking up the plank. It was a calm day, light breeze blowing the sea into gentle waves. The creaking of the ship as it brushed against the side of the pier made Katherine stop and look around at the ocean. She closed her eyes, taking in the smell and soft breeze; she was finally home again.

"Kate!" Anne yelled from the deck of the ship. "I need you!"

Katherine sighed and turned to continue up the plank when suddenly a gust of wind pitched the ship violently against the pier. Wood scraping against wood whined in the noisy air, drowning out the sounds of the seagulls overhead. Katherine screamed, throwing her rucksack on the deck as the plank jumped from the railing and fell into the ocean. With a leap, Katherine grabbed the edge of the ship, her nails digging into the wood as she scrambled for a foothold. Men were shouting on deck, running back and forth as they tried to steady the ship. Katherine whimpered, her hold slipping as she dug her slippers into the wooden side, trying to pull herself over the edge.

"You must be Kate." A man said, walking

across the deck towards her.

"A little help?" She shouted at him.

The man just laughed, grabbing her by the elbow and hoisting her over the side. Katherine was shaking, her breath coming in frightened gasps as she bent down to pick up her rucksack. She straightened back up, running her hands over her blue skirt to smooth it out as she looked at the man who had just saved her. He was taller than she was, but not by much. A handsome, chiseled face that was framed by short ash blonde hair with the brightest pair of green eyes she had ever seen. His body was fit and muscular, very much the body of a sailor. Katherine gave him a quick smile and turned to find Anne.

"Wait there a minute, little missy." A hand grabbed her elbow. "Not many ladies could hold on as long as that."

"What about it?" She snapped back defensively, turning to glare at him, her blue eyes blazing. "Besides, I'm no lady."

A deep laugh came from his throat as a row of pearly teeth appeared on his tan face. "So, you're not a lass?"

"I didn't mean it like that."

Another gust of wind tipped the boat violently, making Katherine lose balance and fall into the man's arms. She gasped and grabbed his upper arms as the boat swayed back and forth on the water. Katherine couldn't help but notice the muscles under her hands, no doubt from years of hard work on a ship. She blushed a deep red at the close contact and quickly backed away from him. She bit her lower lip, adjusting her pack on her shoulder as she stared at the deck, a deep laugh coming from the man.

"So skittish on the water. Why is that?"

"I hate bloody boats, okay?" She said

quickly, looking up into his eyes.

"And why do you hate boats? Most lasses in your position have never set foot on a vessel such as this."

Katherine opened her mouth to answer him when Anne's shrill cry rang across the deck. "Kate! I'm not going to ask you again! Move it!"

Katherine gritted her teeth and sighed, turning quickly from her conversation and making her way over to a visibly angry Anne.

"Why are you talking to the crew when you should be attending me?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Anne. I fell and he was helping me."

"You are so clumsy, Kate, I swear." Anne huffed as they were escorted to their cabin. "I expect this place to be scrubbed from top to bottom by the time I get back." Anne ordered, looking over the room with disgust.

"Where are you going?"

"None of your business." She answered as she flounced off towards the captains quarters.

"Spoiled brat." Katherine said under her breath as she stepped into the cabin.

It was fairly clean for a ship as large as this one. A simple wooden bunk on one wall with a nightstand bolted to the floor. A writing desk, wooden cabinet and a small table with two chairs finished out the room. Searching the room, Katherine found a small trundle bed that folded out of the wall. Throwing down her rucksack, Katherine sat down with a heavy sigh on the small bed. She had half the mind to walk back to the pier and catch a ride with Billy back to the manor house. Those thoughts were quickly dashed when the ship pitched to the side and the call was given to raise the sails. She got up and walked over to the small port window, watching as the pier drifted away and the ship steered out into open waters.

It begins again, she thought to herself as she pinned her hair up on her head and rolled up her sleeves.

She worked late into the afternoon, setting Anne's things up around the room, airing the tiny space out and scrubbing the floors with salt water. She was finishing up the floors when Anne finally came back, her face flushed and a smile on her lips. Katherine snickered when she noticed her skirts in disarray and her normally carefully plaited hair was mussed. If Anne was still pure was always something that Katherine wondered, and if she wasn't it would serve her right on her wedding night.

"How am I ever going to live in this place for two weeks?" Anne asked in disgust as she looked out the window at the fading coast of Wales.

"You'll just have to make the best of it, Miss Anne." Katherine answered simply, throwing the brush she was using back into the bucket of dirty water. She sat back on her calves and yawn, stretching out her back with a pop.

Anne huffed and walked over to the cabinets, rummaging through her gowns and pulling out a silky purple evening dress, holding it up against herself as she stared into her prized mirror that Katherine had set up on the desk. "I believe I will change for dinner now."

"Yes, Miss Anne." Katherine said, standing up and pushing the bucket of dirty water aside as she reached out to loosen the ties on Anne's old gown.

"And by the way, you'll be cooking my

meals from now on, Kate. I saw what the cook on the ship has been serving and it's atrocious." Anne replied as Katherine pulled the yellow silk over her head.

She stopped with the gown clenched tightly in her hands, her face flushing red in anger. "I don't have time to cook your meals along with my other duties, Anne."

Anne whipped around, her brown eyes blazing. "I didn't ask, Kate. I'm telling you. I don't know what my father told you about your duties, but forget it. You're my servant and you'll follow my rules. Understood?"

"Yes, Miss Anne." Katherine answered quickly, as she turned to set aside the yellow gown.

"Good. I'll be eating with the captain tonight. You know what I like to eat and I expect you to serve me promptly at seven." Anne stated, pulling on the new gown and standing still as Katherine laced her up and smoothed out her hair. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, giving herself a few coy smiles. "Maybe I'll catch myself a wealthy captain on this trip." She whispered to herself, loud enough for Katherine to hear.

Katherine just rolled her eyes as she set aside the gown to clean later. "Anything else you need before I go to the galley, Miss Anne?"

"No. Remember, seven sharp. I don't like to be kept waiting."

"Of course, Miss Anne." Katherine replied as she walked onto the deck once more, slamming the door to the cabin shut behind her.

After questioning a few of the crew members, Katherine found herself walking down a steep stairway into the bowels of the ship. The wood stank of sea water and rot, ropes were swinging from the timbers as she walked across the system of planks to the galley. Through the closed door, she could hear men shouting and laughing, someone cursing at the top of his lungs for them to get back to work. With a sigh, Katherine pushed open the door, stepping into the hot kitchen area. The three men turned to face her, all surprised to see a woman this far down in the ship.

"Wot we got 'ere?" A hulking man with a nose ring through his left nostril asked, placing the large knife that he had been using down on the wooden counter.

"Looks like a wee lass." Another man with a tattoo that stretched across his chest answered back.

"Who's the cook?" Katherine asked, her voice wavering a bit as she took another step into the kitchen.

"That be me." The last man bellowed. He was a skinny, disgusting man with stringy black hair and a mouth full of yellowing teeth.

"I'm here to cook for my mistress. She told me to come to the galley."

"Aye, the princess." He said with a laugh as the other men snickered. "Well, little lass, you're welcome down 'ere anytime. Just watch out for ole' Thom and his rovin' eye," he said as he motioned to the man with the nose ring, "and Dirk 'as a mouth on 'im."

"Thank you." Katherine stated, walking further into the kitchen as she looked over the storeroom and the goods that she had available.

"I think you an I will be good friends, lass." The cook said as he slapped her on the ass as he walked past her and into the hull of the ship, his laughter filling the quiet space as he walked up the steep stairs for the deck.

Katherine gasped and jumped at the slap, staring at him in wide eyed shock, her anger quickly building. She reached out and grabbed a knife, tightening her hand around it and readying herself to charge at the man when Thom reached out and barred her way with his arm.

"Not worth it, miss." He said with a smile. "Ole' Charlie 'as a problem with keeping' 'is 'ands to 'imself."

"I'll keep that in mind." Katherine murmured as she let the knife drop back to the table.

The two men shared a smile and a quick laugh as she turned back to the materials and quietly began to prepare the meal for Anne, taking her care to ensure the quality of the ingredients.

"'ey, lass," Dirk suddenly said, turning from the huge pot he was stirring. "didn't catch a name."

"Katherine." She stated, not missing a beat as she continued to assemble her meal. "You can call me Kit, though."

"Kit. A good name for a little hell cat like you." He said with a laugh.

"I'm not a hell cat." She said with a laugh.

"A temper that's as quick as a storm in the summer." Thom commented. "I think you cause problems for all the boys, don't ya?"

"If there were any boys." Katherine retorted as she concentrated on cutting through a fish with the knife.

"Ya mean to tell me a pretty little spitfire like you ain't got a boy after ya?" Thom asked in amazement.

"If there were, do you really think that I would be on this bloody boat serving miss high and mighty night and day?"

The two men just laughed and the conversation continued on much the same way until Charlie returned and all talking ceased. Katherine could feel his beady eyes burning into her back as she worked and the feeling made her skin crawl. A few times, he brushed against her, always excusing himself and claiming that the boat was entering rough waters. At one point, Thom stood between the two of them, claiming that he was having trouble finding a certain item. A quick wink told Katherine that she was safe for the time being and she smiled to herself, knowing that as long as he and Dirk were around, she would have nothing to worry about from Charlie.

As seven o'clock rolled around, Katherine rushed to put the finishing touches on the simple meal of fresh fish mixed with some of the porridge the Dirk has been working on. She placed the meal on a tray, along with a glass of wine that the captain had in the store room and made her way from the hot, cramped kitchen.

"See you soon, lass!" Charlie shouted after her with a laugh in his voice.

She sighed, her skin crawling at the sound of his voice when she felt someone tug her elbow. Turning, she saw Thom, smiling at her. "Listen lass, don't be alone with 'im if you can 'elp it, okay?"

"Okay." She whispered back with a nod.

Thom smiled again and hurried back to the kitchen as Charlie shouted as to his whereabouts. Katherine shook her head and laughed to herself as she hurried across the ship to the stairs. She bounded across the deck, spotting the sailor she had first met tying down lines on the other side of the deck. He gave her a smile and a wink that made Katherine blush as she knocked and pushed open the door to the captain's quarters. Standing through the meal, Katherine listened to Anne drone on and on about herself and her father's fortune to the captain, who was obviously bored himself. Anne flirted shamelessly, bending over the table to show off her cleavage while coyly smiling at the man seated across from her.

"Tell me Captain Richards, this trip surely can't take more than one week, can it?" Anne asked, still trying to seduce the older man.

"Sometimes longer, Miss Mickelson."

"What can take so long?"

"Lots of things." He stated, taking a draw from the wine glass in front of him.

Katherine tried not to listen as she busied herself cleaning up the meal, but the conversation suddenly caught her attention and before she thought about it, she was talking directly to the captain. "The sea between the straight and Italy is dangerous this time of year. Especially if the Berbers have people roaming the ocean." Her eyes widened as she realized the words had just come out of her mouth. Katherine clampe her hand over her mouth, spinning around to face the two people at the table. "I'm sorry, milady. I spoke out of turn." As Katherine turned around the face Anne, she noticed that the captain's eyes were wide in surprise. Anne was seething silently in anger, her face taking on a red tone as she glared at her.

"Tell me, my dear. How would you know about the Berbers?" The captain asked, one eyebrow raised in interest.

"I...I" Katherine started, unsure of what to tell him. "Stories. Just stories from market." She answered quickly, not wanting to tell him or Anne the truth. "If you'll excuse me, sir. Miss Anne." Katherine said as she gathered the plates and started out the door.

"I'll be retiring in an hour, Kate." Anne shouted after her as the door shut and she was alone yet again with the captain. "Now, where were we?"

Katherine hurried across the deck, taking in deep breaths of the fresh night air as she tried to calm her nerves. The sea was quiet, a thin layer of clouds drifting across the sky. From below the wooden planks, Katherine could hear the crew cheering and singing songs as they drank their rum and suddenly going down to put away the dishes seemed like the last thing on her mind. She set the dishes on a wooden crate and made her way behind the stacked crates and coiled ropes. Finding a quiet spot, Katherine sat down on a coil of rope, leaning back against a crate and looked up at the sky.

"What are you looking for?" A voice came out of the darkness a few moments later, startling Katherine.

She squinted in the dim light, making out the shape of the sailor who had helped her earlier. He was leaning against the edge of the ship, his arms crossed as he smiled at her.

"The north star." Katherine answered, leaning back into place as she watched the clouds move slowly across the full moon. "You can't see it tonight."

"Sure you can." He stated, walking closer to her. "Mind if I sit?"

Katherine smiled at him shyly as she scooted over to make room. He sat down with a sigh, stretching out his long legs as he leaned back to look up at the sky. "Don't be shy." He said with a laugh as he looked at her. Katherine gave a nervous laugh as she slid down and laid down beside him, pulling her skirts tight around her legs. "Now," he started, taking her hand and pointing it up at the moon. "just follow the line and you'll come to the north star." Slowly, he moved her hand until it stopped at a point and the clouds moved, showing the star as it shown brightly in the dark night sky.

"The dipper." Katherine whispered, tracing the figure in the air. "Orion. The bear. You don't even need to sail during the day when you know the stars. God, how I've missed all this."

"And who taught you this?" The man asked, intrigued that this common ladies maid could know so much about the sea.

"You pick things up along the way." Katherine said with a shrug as she sat up, smoothing out her skirts with a sigh.

"So, tell me...Kate, is it? Tell me Kate, how does a ladies maid learn about the stars, the sea, boats, while at the same time having time to be at the beck and call of the princess?"

"My name's not Kate." Katherine answered quickly to change the subject.

"It's not?" The man asked, sitting up on the rope as he gave her a smile. "Then why does the princess call you that?"

"When you get paid well, your employer can call you whatever they want."

"Then what's your real name?"

"Katherine. My friends call me Kit."

"Katherine." He said, thinking over the name and saying it a few more times. "I like that. I'm Philip."

Katherine smiled shyly and bit her lower lip as she let her eyes roam over his lounging figure. She took in his light blonde hair, tanned skin that was perfectly smooth. His perfectly chiseled features and the perfect white teeth that gleamed when he smiled.

"See something you like?" He asked, laughing as he caught the faint blush spread across her cheeks in the moonlight.

"God." She whispered softly, looking out over the sea, embarrassed that she had been caught. "I'm sorry."

"Why? It's nice to have a pretty girl so enamored with you. I'm surprised you haven't caught me staring yet, beauty."

"I'm not a beauty, Philip."

"Sure you are." He said, sitting up and staring at her face. He reached out and gently placed his hands on her cheeks, watching as she jerked back suddenly. "What's wrong?"

"What are you doing?"

"Showing you how you're beautiful." He said with a smile. "First, your skin is smooth and pale." Philip said, gently running his hands over her cheeks. He slowly drew his index finger up her right temple and slowly across her forehead. "Second is this perfect nose." He whispered, staring into her beautiful blue eyes as he slowly ran his finger down the bridge of her nose. "Those cute freckles, complimenting your lovely eyes."

Katherine felt herself relaxing as she stared into his eyes, her heart racing as he traced each feature of her face. It had been so long since someone had made her feel like this, loved and beautiful. Philip laughed as she took a shaky breath and began to chew on her bottom lip as he drew his finger slowly down her throat.

"What are you thinking about, beauty?" Philip whispered, noting her eyes deep in thought as he drug his finger across her collarbone.

"That I have things to attend to." She stated, her voice wavering slightly.

"I don't think that's it." Philip whispered back, cupping her chin and raising her face slightly so he could get a better look at her.

"Oh, really. Then what am I thinking about, since you seem to know it all."

"You're asking yourself how long it's been since someone made you feel like this." His smiled widened as her mouth opened slightly in a gasp. "Ah, I see I'm right."

"I...I have to go." Katherine stammered, starting to stand up.