Sleeping Next to the Pirate King

My eyes burned as I struggled to pry them open. I winced as I felt my whole body burn as if it were on fire. I could see a wooden ceiling. Based on my position I must be lying on the floor of a room. The dusty air clogged my nostrils as I sneezed. I cried out as my wounds burned with my sudden movement.

"Miss it is not good for you to move so much with those wounds."

I turned to see a middle aged woman with ebony skin and dark hair smile at me. She had a slight accent to her words. Kindness pooled in her warm chocolate eyes. I instantly felt my pain melt away.

"Thank you for caring for me, may I have your name?"

The woman smiled as a little girl sitting next to her kept dozing off.

"My name is Priscilla as anointed by my master."

I glared at the word "master".

"Priscilla. He is not your master. No one owns you but you. If you want to reference that despicable man don't refer to him as master. Not in my presence at least."

"Yes ma'am."

"And call me Mila."

"Yes Miss Mila."

"Mila."

"I'm sorry miss but I can't drop the title."

I sighed. Whatever. I'll slowly get her used to addressing me as Mila.

Priscilla pursed her lips before she sighed. A look of exhaustion covered her young yet wrinkled face. Several scars marred her strong arms which continued to bandage my arms. I looked down to see that my whole body was practically bandaged.

"Priscilla, did the mother fucker release the slaves without lashings?"

Priscilla nodded with a smile. She then said.

"I would like to thank you Miss Mila. One of the children that you had saved was my youngest son."

I smiled. At least I was able to help someone. My eyes slid over to see the little girl now finally asleep as she leaned on her mother's arm. My expression softened. The girl was very cute with her braided hair and smooth ebony skin. Thank God. It looks like she hasn't been injured in any way yet.

"Priscilla?"

"Yes Miss Mila?"

"Where am I?"

"You are in one of the many guest rooms of the transport ship."

As Priscilla bent slightly I saw a dark circle engraved on her collarbone. I winced. Based on my historical knowledge they used to brand the slaves that they would buy using hot iron stamps. It must have hurt like hell.

I mean who am I to talk?

I can't even move my fingers from the amount of pain that I was feeling.

"Miss Mila you're action earlier was very reckless."

I looked over to see Priscilla's face be filled with worry. I smiled. What a kind hearted woman.

"Even if it may be reckless Priscilla I do not regret it."

"But Miss Mila a woman like you should not be subjected to the treatment that ya slaves go through."

"Priscilla. Don't ever tell me that disgusting word again."

Priscilla's eyes widened as she asked.

"Because a person should never be a slave to another. Why is it okay for someone like you to get hurt but I can't? Is it just because you are of a different skin color than me? You still have a heart, stomach, and liver do you not?"

Priscilla nodded.

"Then why should you be deduced as being something inferior to myself?"

Priscilla stopped bandaging my leg as she looked back at me with a smile. She then said.

"Miss Mila, you have to be the first white woman to say such a thing. I'm glad to have met such a kind person such as yourself. Your words and actions give hope to individuals such as myself who look to every day with the hope of being seen as human. Thank you."

I smiled. My heart clenched as she said that. God damn it. The past was a cruel world of advantages and disadvantages. As I laid down pondering a thought filled my mind.

Technically slavery has never ended. People are still slaves to their jobs and society as pressure compresses us. The pressure to find a job, work, make enough money to pay bills, and continue the cycle. Any deviant from that cycle is labeled as a "failure" or "deviant".

I sighed. How sad indeed. Sadness filled me.

"Priscilla, how many people are there in this ship?"

Priscilla set her daughter lightly down on the floor beside her as she moved on to my other leg.

"About three hundred people."

I inhaled sharply. All three hundred people. They were all someone's sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, cousins, uncles, aunts, husbands, wives, lovers and grandparents. They all have pasta and futures. My body shook with anger.

Who the fuck gave these mother fuckers the permission to do such a thing?

Ugh. It's not like I could stop slavery. But at the very least if is see it in front of me I can do something to prevent it. Even if it makes me deal with this much pain. At the end it would be worth it if I can make at least one other person's life a little easier.

I cried out as Priscilla poured some alcohol type of liquid on my wound on my thigh. She closed her eyes as she quickly bandaged the wound.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through this Miss Mila."

"Priscilla?"

Priscilla looked up and said.

"Yes Miss Mila?"

"I want you to tell me everything about this ship and how the passengers are treated."

Priscilla looked to the side as she said.

"But Miss Mila-"

"I understand that you don't want to betray that bastard Johannes. But if you want me to help you all I need to know what is happening. As well as any information you have about Johannes."

Priscilla looked at her sleeping daughter. She caressed her daughter's cheek. For some reason that simple action reminded me of my own mother. I need to get back home soon. After all there are rumors that in the Bermuda Triangle exists a treasure which can assure making one wish real. That's why I'm still on this trip after all.

I understand the hesitation behind Priscilla and wanting to talk. She was fearful of her punishment. Based on her care for her children I could tell that she was a single mother. For now at least. She's the only person her kids have. I sighed.

"I'm sorry Priscilla, I didn't mean to pressure you in such a way. You don't have to talk if you want to-"

"No Miss Mila. Don't worry about me I will talk as I trust that you are the only person who could save us. So please use my information to help us. You are the only one that we could count on."

I felt my heart clenched as the reality of the situation dawned on me. I sighed. This was the first time that I was handling such a responsibility. It was as if Priscilla was putting the lives of three hundred people in my hands. I smiled and nodded.

I hope that I'm doing the right thing.

.........

Thank you so much for reading my luvs❤️Stay safe and be careful! What do you think of our female lead's sacrifice?