Page 55 of Mardon

“Nay! You’ve got to come with us,” shouted Aaron.

“Do it, damn it!” Mardon replaced his weapons in his belt, took a hold of the lines, and started to climb. It didn’t take long before he became dizzy from the smoke, and thoughts of his youth filled his head.

“Father,” cried Mardon, at the time only twelve years of age. “Father, I’m stuck.” Mardon’s foot had become twisted in the lines and there was a bad storm tossing the ship back and forth.

“Get down here ye fool,” yelled his father. “We need yer help or we’ll lose all the fish in the net. Get down here, now.”

Being young and still inexperienced, Mardon didn’t know what to do. So he took his dagger and cut the line holding his foot captive. With it, the wind took the sail, flapping it and stinging him in the eyes. The ship listed, throwing him off balance and he lost his grip, falling to the deck.

“Oomph,” he cried, feeling pain like he’d never felt before. He laid on his back unable to move his arm or his leg.

“Ye stupid fool!” His father loomed over him, peering down at him with a scowl on his face. He reached down and pulled Mardon to his feet. Mardon screamed and was unable to stand because his leg was broken. His arm was broken, too.

“Father, help me. I’m hurt,” he cried. His brothers ran over to help him, but his father stopped them.

“Nay,” he said, holding out his arm. “Mardon needs to help himself. He needs to be strong.”

“But my arm and leg are broken. Father, please,” he begged for the man’s help.

“Back to yer posts, boys,” said his father, Cato. Tristan and Aaron did as told, having no other choice. “Now get up, Mardon!”

“I can’t.”

“Then, ye’re worthless and are of no use to me.”

“But I’m hurt.”

“Be strong!”

“I can’t.”

“Ah, ye are never goin’ to be anythin’ but a worthless fool. What a shame.”

Tears filled Mardon’s eyes as his father turned and walked away. Mardon pushed up on one leg and leaned against a barrel. His brothers watched, but were not allowed to help. Mardon’s eyes closed and his world became black as he passed out and fell to the deck, hearing his father’s words of being worthless echoing in his head. It would be years before Mardon felt useful again, and he didn’t know if his father would ever see him as a strong man even when he was fully grown.

“Ye’re a worthless fool,” echoed his father’s words in his head, and mayhap a small part of Mardon believed it and would never forget it.

“Mardon, please,” cried Emmaline, making his eyes pop open. “I don’t want to die.”

“I won’t let you die, Emmaline,” he said, releasing a deep breath and pushing his own inner demons aside. If ever he was going to prove his worth, this was the time to do it. He climbed as fast as he could, no longer worried for himself. All he cared about was Emmaline. He got to her and her arms closed around him.

“Hold on tight,” he commanded. He could hear the mast creaking beneath them now and feel the heat from the rising flames.

“Mardon, we’re trapped. We’re going to die.”

“I promise you, I won’t let that happen.”

She screamed, and became frantic and he couldn’t blame her. He saw the entire ship going up in flames now. The Poseidon pulled away, and the small shuttle boats from the French ship dotted the water. He saw Aaron on the Falcon, running up to the stern, making his way to Stitch. The ship was already moving away, just like Mardon had told them to do.

“We’ve only got a minute before it’s too late,” Mardon told her. Emmaline continued to cry. “Emmaline, do you trust me?” he asked, looking deep into her eyes.

She sniffled, bit her lip, and nodded. “I do, Mardon. I trust you with my life and I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now hold on tight to me and whatever happens, do not let go of me. Do you understand?”

“I do.” Her fingers dug into him as he cut the lines holding her foot, setting her free. Grabbing the skein of rope from his waist, he shielded her body while he reached up and tied one end securely to the yardarm.

“What are you doing?” she asked him.