The Price of Patience

Black-Eye and Scarlett force prisoners to reveal the Santa Aurelia’s location.

The Devil’s Mercy rocked gently in the moonlit cove, her lanterns dimmed to slivers. Black-Eye Blackburn stood at the rail, watching two prisoners huddled on deck Spanish sailors captured during their last raid. They’d been nothing but trouble since boarding.

One spat whenever the crew passed. The other had tried to knife a deckhand with a sharpened spoon.

Captain Scarlett Redgrave emerged from her cabin, coat draped over her shoulders, the red silk of her scarf catching the starlight. She stopped beside Black-Eye, studying the prisoners in silence.

“They are more trouble than they’re worth,” she said finally, her voice low but cutting.

Black-Eye glanced at her. “Then why keep them?”

Scarlett’s eyes stayed fixed on the captives. “Because one of them knows where a ship named Santa Aurelia ran aground. Holds enough gold to buy us a kingdom. We just have to make him talk before we run out of patience…or rope.”

By morning, the crew had the Spaniards lashed to the mast. Scarlett’s first mate poured seawater over one man’s face while Black-Eye leaned close to the other, speaking in a slow, dangerous tone.

“You’ve got one chance to walk away from this cove alive,” he said. “Tell us where the Santa Aurelia lies.”

It took another hour, but desperation finally broke the man. He gave up the coordinates an uncharted reef two days’ sail east.

As the prisoners were hauled below, Scarlett gave Black-Eye a sharp grin. “Seems they were worth a little trouble after all.”

Black-Eye returned the smile, though his hand rested on the hilt of his dagger. Trouble had a way of lingering at sea.

And sometimes, it was better to cut it loose.


Word Count: 280
Prompt: Write a story that includes the line: “They are more trouble than they’re worth.”
Written for: "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge"