Cordelia, Daughter of the Sea

style='font-size:16.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Chapter 25

style='font-size:16.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>“Just end it!”

style='font-size:16.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'> 

Ahriman looked at Cordelia, his eyes much warmer
than they had been, but still very cold as far as Cordelia was concerned.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “There’s a lot you don’ know, Cordelia.”

“So tell me, then,” she said sternly.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “Why am I here? Why did you say those awful things to Jack?”

“First off, sthinkhinkin’ about bloody Jack.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> ‘E’s nothin’ t ye…”

“He is everything to me.”

Ahriman rolled his eyes. “Not everythin’ was a lie, lass, ye are in my blood –are are me
sister.”

Tears once again sprang to her eyes.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “Why must you lie?”

“I’m not lyin’, Cordelia, “like it or not, yer a
Barbossa.”

Cordelia’s voice was barely audible.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “I’m…I’m evil…”

“Yer no such thing!”

“May I quote everyone in Port Royal when I say that
Captain Barbossa ‘was a man so evil that hell itself spat him back out’?”

“Ye can’ listen t’ the opinion o’ those whose town
he raids.”

“You’re only helping my point,” Cordelia said
plainly.

“Jus’ let me tell ye wha’ I need t’ tell ye,”
Ahriman said forcefully.

“Fine.”

“Our father had a special place tha’ ‘e liked t’
visit when in Port Royal. S’not there
any more, but it’s where the both o’ us were conceived.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> This place reminds me so much o’ it.”

“A whorehouse?
I was…no. No, I refuse to
believe that!”

“There’s a lot ye refuse t’ believe, but all is
true.” Ahriman looked thoughtful for a
moment. “A woman there always turned
‘is ‘ead, an’ ‘e always made sure she was available fer ‘im when ‘e was
ashore. ‘Er name was style='mso-bidi-font-size:11.5pt;color:black'>Caitlynn.”

“My
mother…was a…Oh, God…”

Ahriman
smiled. “Aye, lass, but Caitlynn wasn’
yer mother, she was mine. some thirty years ago.”

“What
does this have to do with me?”

“I’m
gettin’ there,” Ahriman said impatiently.
“She was lousy mother, didn’ want a thing t’ do with me, but me bein’ a
boy, Dad wanted t’ make sure I was taken care of. He gave ‘er jus’ enough gold t’ make ‘er look after me.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> When I was ten, ‘e decided I was old enough
t’ be a cabin boy on ‘is ship, Diable, an’…”

“Diable?
His ship was named ‘Devil’ and I’m supposed to believe that he wasn’t
evil?”

“Names of ships are meant to strike fear,” Ahrmian
insisted. “Not the point o’ me story
though. I sailed with ‘im for nearly
ten years, learned a lot, ranked as ‘is first mate, then we went back t’ Port
Royal, an’ Dad went back t’ tha’ same brothel an’ another woman turned ‘is
‘ead. Evangeline was tha’ one’s name. ‘E got ‘er pregnant with ye, but wanted another lad t’ ‘ave
aboard ‘is ship.

“We
were on our way back t’ Port Royal when the damn Navy attacked us, sunk the
bloody ship. Some o’ us rowed t’ shore
an’ me an’ Dad made it t’ the brothel jus’ before ye were born.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Dad left the room when ‘e saw ye were a
girl, an’ Evangeline
died. I couldn’ abandon ye, so I
wrapped ye up an’ walked the streets for a while. I saw Adelaide an’ begged ‘er t’ take ye.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> One look at ye an’ she took ye from my
arms. I asked ‘er not t’ tell ye
anything more than yer mum died.”

ent>Cordelia’s
voice was filled with rage. “So, my
father, who I still must insist was evil, wanted nothing to do with me, yet you
tore me away from my love do to the fact that he slept with a whore?”

“I
tore ye away from ‘im ‘cause ye shouldn’ be near the bastard!”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Ahriman’s next words were spouted off
quickly. “Not ‘avin’ a ship, Dad took
up with Sparrow as ‘is first mate, a position far below ‘im.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I refused t’ sail under the order of someone
me own age an’ left in search of me own ship, w I ‘ I ‘appened t’ get in a
matter o’ months. I ‘ad one run in with
Jack before the curse, gave Jack those gashes down ‘is arm.style="mso-space yes yes"> Didn’ see much o’ The Black Pearl
after tha’. Me father wouldn’ leave The
Pearl knowing wha’ treasure they were goin’ after.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> When I ‘eard about Jack bein’ marooned, I
was thrilled. ‘Course, then there was
the curse…an’ Sparrow killin’ our father…An’ that’s why ye can’ be with ‘im!”

“It’s
all rubbish! I don’t care about a man
who never wanted me! I don’t care about
your grudges!”

“If
it weren’ for me, ye’d be dead! Or ye’d
live the life yer mother did! I saved
ye, gave ye parents, a life, a proper life at tha’! Ye can’ disobey me!”

“I’m
not a child!” Cordelia screamed, getting up from the bed.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “I never laid eyes on yotil til today and I
could care less if I ever see you again!
You have no right to run my life!
Adelaide and Collin are dead and Jack and his crew are my family now!”

“Bite
yer tongue! I’m yer family!style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I’ve been watchin’ ye since ye were
born! an>Ian>I’d make me ship go t’ Port Royal
a few times a year t’ make sure ye were…”

“Listen
to me,” Cordelia said angrily. “I don’t
care!”

“Ye
can’ go back t’ ‘im, Cordelia, I’d rather see ye dead.”

Cordelia
began to sob. “So kill me!style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I’ve nothing to live for now anyway!”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> She picked up Ahriman’s sword and gave it to
him. “He doesn’t trust me anymore now,
so just end it!”

Ahriman
could feel a bloodlust coursing through his veins. He wanted nothing more than to shut her up and he could have
easily plunged his blade into her…but he couldn’t bring himself to kill
her. Instead, he took the handle of his
sword and whipped it across Cordelia’s face causing her to fall to the floor,
unconscious.