Maude nodded proudly. “I did, indeed,” she said. “Ye fought a fine battle, but ye lost. I confess that I’m disappointed that ye’ve not shown much honor in yer defeat, lass.”
Astria grunted at the truth, or ridiculousness, of that statement. She wasn’t sure which. “How much honor would you have shown if you weremyprisoner?” she asked. “Are you telling me that you would not fight to escape? And remember who you are, Bloody Maude. Would Bloody Maude not fight her captivity?”
Maude was smiling. “Bloody Maude would not be a captive in the first place.”
Astria rolled her eyes. “Mayhap not this time,” she said, irritated. “But you play a dangerous game, every moment of your life. There will come a day when you are overpowered and end up a captive. It is only a matter of time.”
“But that time is not today,” Maude said, amused at Astria’s reaction as the woman shook her head dramatically and looked away. “Lass, I’ll tell ye where ye’re going and what I intend from ye if ye want tae know. But if ye dunna accept yer fate with grace, and stop fighting yer captivity, I swear that I’ll tie ye limb tae limb and throw ye intae the sea. I’ve had my limit of yer tantrums. Do ye understand me? All of the kicking and biting in the world willna prevent what I intend for ye, so ye may as well accept it.”
There was a threat in those words. Astria knew it. The pirate queen would indeed tie her limbs together and throw her into the sea, and that was not the way she wished for her life to end. She’d battled the woman for one hundred and fifty long days and nothing had come of it, so perhaps it was time to switch tactics. Perhaps it was finally time to accept that she was the prisoner of Medusa’s Disciples and, over time, perhaps their guard would go down enough that she could slip away. Certainly, being combative hadn’t gotten her what she wanted.
It was possible that submission was the only way.
But, God… it was difficult.
It simply wasn’t in her nature to surrender.
“Then have it your way,” she finally said. “Tell me what marvelous destiny I will have and how I should be grateful for it.”
Maude climbed up onto the wagon bed, plopping down opposite Astria. She seemed to be staring at her quite a bit, which Astria took as a challenge. But as she studied the woman in return, it occurred to her that the gaze wasn’t challenging, but more appraising. As if she were sizing her up.
And she had no idea why.
But she was about to find out.
“I have three sons,” Maude said, interrupting her thoughts. “Ye’ve met Francis and Declan. The big lads with the red hair? Those are my boys.”
It took Astria a moment to realize whom she was talking about. “The tall ones?” she said, puzzled. “The young ones?”
“Aye.”
“Thoseare your sons?”
Maude nodded. “It was Francis who captured ye.”
Astria wasn’t thrilled to be reminded of that. “I did not realize they belonged to you,” she said. “I’ve only heard them called the Pope and the Devil.”
Maude grinned. “Pope Francis and Declan the Devil,” she said. “Most of my men have names that are not their own, like the Pope and the Devil. There’s also Fish, Monk, Christ, Joyosa, and The Spear. Ye’ve heard of them, too.”
“I have,” Astria said. “Strange names, all of them.”
“That is true.”
“But why?”
Maude shrugged. “The sea brings anonymity for a man if he wants it,” she said. “If he wants tae forget who he is, or he doesnawant anyone tae know where he comes from, then he becomes someone else. The sea is forgiving that way.”
Astria didn’t really understand. “But why should a man want to forget who he is?” she said. “Should he not be proud of it?”
“Are ye proud of everything ye’ve ever done?”
“Everything.”
“Then I canna explain it tae ye.”
Astria shrugged. “I suppose,” she said. “And you? Is Maude your real name?”
Maude grinned. “Ye’ll never know, love.”
