"Captain Crimvaren, ma'am," the cabin boy, Jim, huffed out. The youth was in a panic and scared, it read from his heavy breathing to wide darting eyes, and his pallid complexion.
"Take a breath Jimmy," Rain said as she stood up, her smoky voice soothing in tone. "What has you in such a state?" She asked, tightening the belt of her breaches after tucking in her tunic.
"Ma'am, the sky is strange….you have to see this, maam." The youth calmed enough to speak clearly.
"Then I'll have a look" she walked past the boy tousling his shaggy hair. She set up her boots next to the door and remained barefoot. After a brief glance at the ornate long coat she pulled the tricornered hat on to shade her eyes as she went out on deck.
On the deck there was dead silence, no one calling for sail work or rigging adjustments. Also missing was the sound of the sails snapping in the wind. There was the creek and groan of the rigging as the schooner bobbed.
"Are we in the doldrums Mr Hawk?" Rain asked, approaching the helm, snapping her fingers in front of the man's face when he didn't answer.
She finally turned to look at what had the crew so stunned to not answer their captain. The sea was still like glass and reflected the deep purple sky and maroon horizon of the sunset. There were however three moons in that sky, one full and two crescent. The crescent moons framing the full, giving the appearance of an eye.
"Jim" Rain said, pressing a key into the youth's hand, "give Skillet a sip of rum then help him distribute it to the others."
"Captain" the boy nodded, then from the stairs to the main deck "where are we, Captain?"
"Well off the map young Jim, well off the map." Dismissing Jim from her thoughts, Rain went to the rail and scanned the aft horizon.
