The Lost Treasure

Dark clouds loomed over the deep blue-green sea. Waves thrashed and churned under the bow as the Duchess cut through them. The wood creaked from the pressure but she kept herself together. The ivory sails danced in the wind, ropes slithering like snakes. The ship was a beauty, in all of her oil and velvet glory.

Esme could feel the salt on her tongue as drips of water fell overhead. Her ears twitched as she shuddered from the damp cold. As she lifted her paw to wipe her brow, the rusted chains connecting her wrists and feet clanged as they dragged along the floor. She scooted closer to the steel bars to get a better look at Duchess. The painting was hanging over a cherry wood desk cluttered with books and trinkets. Her gilded frame was encrusted with jewels, it was a treasure for sure and Esme needed it. She just needed to get out her cell.

Esme sat back, lowered her head, and raised her foot to the back of her ear and began scratching. She had a pin tucked into her hair, for emergencies of course, but she just needed to find it. She tilted her head this way and that, trying hard to make as little movement as possible so that the chains would not rattle enough to alarm the crew above. She scratch and scratch until she felt the smooth knob of the pin. It fell to the floor and she quickly dropped her paws over it as the ship titled with the waves.

"Gotcha". She whispered under her breath as she began fiddling with the chain lock.

Shouting and heavy rolling could be heard above. Squawks from the avian sail master meant there was another ship in the waters. Esme smiled. Her crew was late for sure but better late than sorry. She drew the lock closer to her ear. More shouting from overheard filled the lower deck. Desperate quarrels among the humans and heavy footsteps no doubt from the reptilian gunners running to their posts. She suddenly heard a soft click as the chains fell away. She quickly kicked the cell door right at the hinges, and it fell to the floor with a loud bang. More shouting and running footsteps. She quickly jumped on the desk, sending the papers everywhere, and tucked the painting under her arm. The wood panels just inches above her head, creaked under more heavy footsteps. The ship moaned as the waves tossed them about and suddenly Esme was sent flying as the ship collided with something. She and the Duchess fell hard to the floor and Esme's eyes filled with tears instantly as the frame split. Pounding from the stairs just a few feet from her grew louder. She tore the painting from the broken frame and rolled it up carefully. Suddenly, a human came flying down the stairs, his gun still smoking but he was unconscious.

Esme smiled as her first mate and lover came down the stairs. He smoothed back his ears and winked at her as he offered his paw. He lifted her to her feet and kissed her cheek as she unrolled the painting. His eyes beamed with joy as he scanned over the piece, taking in its beauty. He handed her a linen knapsack for the painting and helped tie it to her back. He quickly grabbed her hand and they raced upstairs into the chaos. She could see her ship, pinning the one they were on against a cliff of rock. Clanking from crossed swords and the whistling from shots filled the air. Her crew began falling back as they saw them make their way towards them. They leapt over the edge and landed onto their ship. The sails turned and the wind began carrying them away. Esme headed down to her quarters as her crew began charting a course home.

Esme cleared her table of everything except the linen bag. Her lover looked on as she pulled the painting out and carefully rolled it out. Her paw ran along the raw edges of the canvas. She could feel the brushstrokes and almost smell oil though it was decades old.

"Well...is it?" Her lover began.

She smiled and grabbed his paw in hers. His whiskers twitched as she guided his paw over the painting. She stopped at the Duchess' sails and smiled. Etched into the wooden post if the ivory sails were the words "For Esme".

Indeed, it was her father's and it was back where it belonged.