The captain's cabin is the largest room on the ship. Captain Enrique Iglesias sat at the table, clutching his head in despair. Irena sat on a chair with her legs crossed. The First Mate and Abram stood nearby.
"We could buy a slave-midwife in Madagascar," Abram suggested.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKMmzWjyHC
"Deliver a baby between the Cape of Good Hope and Guinea? But Carrack is not a maternity hospital!" Enrique almost cried.
"Actually, a ship is no place for a woman. A woman on a ship is bad luck," The First Mate said.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DSX743a19
"And what do you suggest? Well, I can't just throw a pregnant woman overboard?!" Enrique exclaimed.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigKVqfz2Gm
"You are the captain, and it is up to you to make the decision, but I warn you that any decision you make will be bad."
In general, they couldn't decide anything, but what can you decide? The carrack "The Spring" continued its voyage, clinging to the Arabian Peninsula, and Irene trembled with fear every day and kept asking, couldn't we go faster, why were we dragging ourselves along so slowly?
***
Mamluk's Ghurab ship quiet approached the "The Spring" suddenly, early in the morning. The weather was clear and the sea was calm. The alarm was not yet raised as the boarding party landed on the Portuguese deck. The First Mate tried to organize a defense, but was killed immediately, his head flew into the ocean.
Irene was cleaning her cabin when she came out on deck everything was finished. The confused Portuguese sailors were herded to the center of the deck. Captain Enrique was nowhere to be seen. Al-Malik, a handsome Arab and captain of a Mamluk's Ghurab ship, walked in front of the Portuguese sailors and examined this war trophy.
"Why did you come here, you Portuguese rabble? Who invited you here?" the cries of the boarding party were heard. Portugal's attempts to dominate the Indian Ocean trade routes led to a reduction in the pay of ordinary sailors in Arabia and Mamluks, which naturally caused irritation.
And then Al-Malik saw Irene. "Well, well, who do we have here? Didn't the captain of this trough know that a woman on a ship brings misfortune?" he said, approaching her. Abram growled threateningly.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lofDG2hlV
"Whoa, whoa, easy there, big boy! I won't hurt your mistress, why would I spoil such fine goods?" Al-Malik waved his hand.
"Listen captain, can we agree on how much you want?" Irene tried to speak in as calm a voice as possible.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KKNMtqXr1
Al-Malik thought about it. "Why should I wait for a ransom for you? I will sell you in Jeddah for three hundred dinars."118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObTjY4VKEU
"It's a bit expensive, here you go!" Irene laughed, she knew the price.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hjukShL1w
"Your servant's price will be added to yours," Al-Malik explained his math.
Abram's face darkened and it was clear that he was about to punch this impudent fellow in the face.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSn4wp4GPk
"Calm down, Abram, let them take us to Jeddah, and there we'll see who sells whom and for how much," Irene said quietly to Abram.
