don't be a backseat driver.

Garrett Lynch // 40 // Helmsman for The Holy Wench

[smalls-basil-blog]

“So you’re safe from being killed. That’s good– for you and your crew it seems. That’s rather noble of you. Death is a heavy burden to carry. Though it sounds as if some of your crew mates don’t mind the extra weight. I suppose, but I’d prefer if danger came from opponents, not the people I’m supposed to trust. What can I say? I’m far from the most interesting person on my own ship, and quite frankly I don’t mind it.”

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“Nobody’s ever safe from being killed, especially out on a boat. I steer the bloody thing, so I’m responsible for everyone’s lives, the way I see it. One wrong move and we’re all doomed.”

“That might be a little dramatic, but you see the point.”

[niknkit-blog]

He looked confused for a moment. “What are you talking about Nik watched you throw it overboard not 5 minutes ago.” Somewhere else on the ship, there was a vague confirmation of this as fact, most likely by the other twin. “I figured he didn’t want them but I could have sworn I heard the Cap’n mumbling ‘bout not being able to find his boot. Kit heard it too. So I figured you would at least want try to get back the boot you threw overboard

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“Did he?” Garrett said, his level of disinterest now reaching new heights. The strategy that he had developed to deal with the twin terrors was basically just ignoring whatever they said and keeping his voice to a deliberate monotone. With any luck, they would just get bored and piss off. 

“Oh, yes. Now I remember. Perhaps I’ll throw someone else over the side to go and get it. No fishing pole required.” 

[niknkit-blog]

Nik, or maybe it was Kit, walked on the railing around Garrett, his hands stretched out like a child’s balancing act. He stuck out his tongue. “You should be asleep. You can’t even see anything out here. Let’s drop anchor and go fishing.” He jumped down off the railing and grabbed a fishing rod that was conveniently leaning against the railing, that may or may not have been stolen. “Betchu I can catch the captain’s boot.”

[garrett-lynch-blog]

Oh, bloody hell. Not one of those morons. Garrett, despite priding himself on being particularly observant, had never actually managed to be able to tell either of these irritating little weasels apart. He had instead taken to simply referring to them both as ‘lad’ and, as far as he was concerned, they were a single irritating entity. 

“That’s why I’m out here. Anyone else will get distracted and run us aground.” Garrett grunted back, doing his best not to look over at him. But, despite his efforts to remain disconnected, he found himself asking, “And what would the Captain’s boot be doing overboard?” 

[smalls-basil-blog]

“Doesn’t that worry you? What if they kill someone you care for– or worse you. I know there is a fine line between adventure and danger, but I think you crossed it a long time ago. You can admit you stay for the pay. Men look less materialistic when they admit it.”

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“I’m awake virtually twenty-four hours a day anyway. Who else is going to steer the ship? And I wouldn’t say that I care about anyone onboard, I just...would prefer it if nobody died because of me.” 

“All adventure has danger in it. It’s unavoidable.” 

[tabibalmuqaddas-blog]

Fatima smiled, pleased that she could make the normally reserved helmsman chuckle. “Don’t let our cook hear you say that.” She laughed, looking over at him. “Though I will admit I miss the food I used to make back home.” She sighed dreamily, her mouth watering at just the memory of the food she grew up eating. “Big pots of rice and chicken, racks of lamb, falafel, hummus…” She trailed off, remembering all the time she spent cooking with her mama.

“If Mr. Finlay does not object, maybe one day I’ll make some.” She smoothed her kaftan, suddenly realizing just how much she was talking.

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“I’m pretty sure that I already have.” Garrett couldn’t remember if the man he had been talking to had been the cook or not, to be honest. Although, he had looked pretty annoyed when Garrett had commented on the poor state of the food. “Don’t start. You’ll get me going. Even if what amounts to a meal back home was just different kids of fish.” 

“Any change would be welcome among the crew, I’m sure.” 

[tabibalmuqaddas-blog]

“Turn around.” Fatima glared at the man as she held her kaftan in her hands. “Please.”

“The life of a pirate is a tempting one, even to ones who cannot handle the ocean.” She began to dress, mentally going over what she could remember of the new crew. “Perhaps some will grow into their dawr and maybe some will leave us at first fursa.”

[garrett-lynch-blog]

Garrett obeyed and did an about-face to stare at the wall. “If only the men were this modest. I’ve seen enough of them to scar me ‘till my dying day.”

“There’s plenty of money to be made outside the law back home.” Garrett mused, noting how in disrepair the wood on this ship looked. “No need to hop on a ship to do it.” He paused, and then responded, “Perhaps. Can I turn around yet?”

[upinropes-blog]

“Ah, but there’s usually something in their eyes that give it away.”

“It’s a gold-plated pocket watch, with diamond inlay. Some asshole must really hate himself this morning.” 

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“I wouldn’t know. I’m too often looking to see if they’re armed or not.” 

“Jesus. That’s quite the find. A lesser man, and one who hadn’t just sat down, would probably try and take that from you. I’d put it away if I were you, miss.”  

[sireneve-blog]

     Sitting behind the wheel a few paces back were a set of barrels that once held ale. They had become a favorite place for perching, particularly for the bard. Eve would rest there and tune her instruments when ever she could. Other times, she’d lounge there and join Garrett in fulfilling his precious duties as helmsman. The latter was much more boring, but the quiet allowed her to stargaze.

     Eve had gotten bored with toying with their deck hands so she went to her favorite spot. Sliding past Garrett wasn’t the easiest task, and if his stiff posture was anything to go by, she wasn’t nearly as stealthy as she thought she’d been. This elicited a giggle from the woman. She perched herself atop one of the barrels with crossed legs and she looked up at the sky. ❝ When the sky looks this beautiful? ❞ she asked softly. ❝ The moon is too beautiful tonight to not be appreciated.  ❞

[garrett-lynch-blog]

Garrett was indifferent about music, to say the least. He had no idea why on Earth a pirate ship would need a bloody resident musician, of all things. But, as far as he was concerned, Eve had never caused much trouble for him and so he did not object to her presence. If they ever got boarded, though, she was probably going to be more of a liability than anything else, in his opinion. 

“It is a pretty sight, aye.” Garrett replied, allowing himself a quick glance upwards. “But it’s the same most nights and so it’s no excuse for not resting. I’m only out here because someone has to steer the ship.” 

[smalls-basil-blog]

“Sounds worse than a loon. Did he ever stop screeching or is he still down there singing songs about it? Always comes down to pay… Well the experience is clearly unlike any other, for better or for worse. Though you seem to have already made up your mind on that front. Ah… so you care about them. Maybe not much but enough to not want to see them fail. Have to give your crew credit, not every ship can foster such feelings. Especially if half of them are shouting about mermaids and the like.

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“I don’t know. I haven’t gone down to check. The way our ship is run, his throat has probably been cut by now.”

“Well, they’re not all as insane as each other. Some of them are almost intelligent.  And, aye, the pay is another...motivating factor.” 

[tabibalmuqaddas-blog]

The nights were always a welcome reprieve from the insanity of the day time crew. It was quiet and still, and she could taste the salt in the air with even more clarity. A few of the night time crew members were milling about, doing their jobs with fewer sanity issues, and she could see Garrett at the helm. She approached quietly, her head scarf pulled tight to ward off the chill.

“There is always someone who needs to be helped when we pick up new crew members.” Fatima stood near the man, looking out across the seemingly endless ocean. “Someone always overestimates their sea stomach.” One of the newer men was currently hunched over a bucket in her infirmary claiming the food was not agreeing with him.

[garrett-lynch-blog]

Garrett allowed himself a rare chuckle, knowing that to be more than the case. Out of whatever goodness still remained in his heart, he always secretly did his best to keep the ship steady whenever there was fresh meat aboard. Although, the seas often had something very different to say about that. 

“Might just be the food.” Garrett offered, eyes still fixed on the horizon. “The first time I tried it, I considered jumping over the side just to escape the thoughts of having to eat another rotting biscuit.” 

[upinropes-blog]

“Nah, you look a little rough ‘round the edges to be a man of the law.”

“Obviously. What kind of moron you take me for? I stole it back in port, I’m just playin’ with it now.” 

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“Plenty of rough around the edges men of the law about. Makes them less easy to spot.”

“What is it, exactly? Looks expensive, to say the least.”

[tabibalmuqaddas-blog]

“It is sunrise? Ya ‘iilhi, where does the night go?” She hurried out of bed, loosely wrapping a headscarf around her hair. “When we pick up new taqim, we should make sure they do not get ocean sickness.”

[garrett-lynch-blog]

Garrett did not share the sentiment. He knew exactly where the night went, more often than not, he was awake to see it go. “Hmm.” was his simple response.

“If they have ocean sickness, then they shouldn’t be on a boat in the first place. It’s their own damn fault if they know that and still decide to try and go against their own nature.”

[smalls-basil-blog]

“Well did he? If they drive you mad why do you stay? Plenty of ships on the sea who could take you in. Especially if you’ve got the skills. Merchants ships will cut even the most loyal crew member if someone appears who can do better.”

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“I almost believed him, the way he started sprinting around the deck and screeching at the top of his lungs. I had to throw him in the hold to stop him from jumping overboard to find the bloody thing.” 

“Well, this one has very good pay. In my experience, the merchant ships can’t really match it. And, besides, if I left, I don’t think that they could find anyone else to steer it properly. Probably end up crashing it into Port Royal without me.” 

[garrett-lynch-blog]

The night was cool, a faint breeze tickling the hairs on Donovan’s neck and making him feel blessed to be out on the open ocean, with that mistress that no man could ever truly tame. But, of course, Garrett knew that he had to stay vigilant, despite the beautifully calm atmosphere. 

If he truly lost himself in the darkness stretched out before him, then a British ship could easily blindside them and send them all to a watery grave, or he could drift too far off course and run them aground. Both would likely result in the death of most of the crew and almost certainly his own too, one way or another. He doubted that Quentin would accept such a pitiful excuse for incompetence as, ‘But it was a pretty night’. 

Garrett’s ears pricked up as he hard someone approaching and his hand tightened on the wheel, in an effort to make it very clear to the onlooker that he was utterly fixated on his duty. He let a few moments of silence pass, before asking, “It’s late. You should be asleep.” 

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“One of the crew even sweared before God himself that they saw the Kraken in the water the other day.” 

“Jesus Christ, the people aboard that boat get more and more deranged with each passing day.”

[upinropes-blog]

“I mean, it’s not technically stealing since it was left unsupervised. Right?” 

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“Do I look like an officer to you?”

“I don’t care. Although, if you really wanted to steal it, you probably shouldn’t have done it so...openly.” 

[admiralmontygrimms-deactivated2]

“Now, what’s all this I’m hearing about some blonde mole’s treasure?”

[garrett-lynch-blog]

“I don’t know. I don’t keep up with all the tall tales flying around.”

“Men will go mad drooling over all the treasure that they could have. They should focus on what’s right in front of them. They’ll drown otherwise.”