Captain Black, and a fee to any of his brotherhood we meet to escort us, but I get higher price for my cargo, because the pirates have gold to spend.” He motioned towards the stern of the ship. “And if we meet a pirate not part of the brotherhood, I have placed a mortar on my deck able to shoot a ghost-shell onto any ship chasing me.” He chuckled. “Let us see them do that while fighting their own dead.”
Master Gomez laughed. “It would seem I am in better hands than I thought. If we could retire to your cabin, I would hear more about this Captain Black, and his brotherhood. I will bring a bottle of that excellent port you commented on earlier.”
“Gut, gut,” the captain replied. He turned to Mr. Bierson and gave him orders in Dutch before turning back to Master Gomez, the pair of them heading for the opening in the center of the aft deck and climbing down the ladder. Mr. Bierson spoke to several of the sailors in Dutch, and the men grabbed the now struggling Seth and took him with them to the hatch. I watched him with mixed feelings. The Dragon part of me wanted to fight him, sword to sword, and take his life in payment for taking Belle-M’ere’s, even at the risk of losing my own. Alfonzo had always said justice should be swift and sure, and I wanted to be the one to dispense it to Seth. But another part of me whispered it wasn’t justice I wanted but revenge.
However, it wasn’t my choice to make, and I watched as the sailors hauled him down the ladder. Many of the passengers waited until his cries could no longer be heard before they headed for the ladder themselves, the Englishman with the full beard giving me a calculating look before heading down below.
Selene and her aunt remained with me on the aft deck, the old woman pulling out a gold locket from around her neck and opening it up for me to see. “I am saddened by your loss, young man, and I wanted you to know you are not the only one who mourns.” Looking at the picture inside, I saw it was of a young woman about my age, who strongly resembled Selene but in a more ethereal way. “This is my daughter, Arabella, who ran away with an English sailor to the New World when she was no older than you are now. When my niece ran into trouble,” the old woman giving Selene a dark look, “I agreed to finance bringing us both here so I could discover my daughter’s fate before I die.”
“Do you think you can, after so long?” I asked as she closed the locket and put it away.
The old woman shrugged. “My head tells me I am a foolish old woman, but my heart bids me to continue searching until I find the truth.”
“The heart should always rule the head,” Selene remarked.
The old woman gave her a snort. “You, of all people to say that, is beyond belief. Selene will help me in my search only until she reaches her old friend in Campeche, Master Valencia the apothecary, at which point I will be left to fend for myself while she charms him back into her bed.”
“She can’t,” I blurted out. “Master Valencia’s married.”
Selene gasped. “Are you certain?”
“I attended his wedding,” I replied. Selene’s face fell, and I immediately felt sorry for her. “I’m sorry if that’s bad news, but they’re very happy together. A child’s on the way, or so I’ve heard.” I struggled for something else to say as the old lady smirked at Selene. “If you’re in some kind of trouble, I’m sure Master Valencia will do what he can to help.”
Selene drew herself up. “No, I am in no trouble, but merely wished to visit with an old friend. However,” and the old lady’s smirk died as Selene smiled at her, “we are no longer headed for Campeche. I feel certain that, not only will Tortuga prove an interesting place to visit, but my dear aunt will find the knowledge she seeks on its streets...or in one of its many brothels, perchance.”
Had the old woman been Medusa, Selene would’ve turned to stone on the spot. “I will retire to
Master Gomez laughed. “It would seem I am in better hands than I thought. If we could retire to your cabin, I would hear more about this Captain Black, and his brotherhood. I will bring a bottle of that excellent port you commented on earlier.”
“Gut, gut,” the captain replied. He turned to Mr. Bierson and gave him orders in Dutch before turning back to Master Gomez, the pair of them heading for the opening in the center of the aft deck and climbing down the ladder. Mr. Bierson spoke to several of the sailors in Dutch, and the men grabbed the now struggling Seth and took him with them to the hatch. I watched him with mixed feelings. The Dragon part of me wanted to fight him, sword to sword, and take his life in payment for taking Belle-M’ere’s, even at the risk of losing my own. Alfonzo had always said justice should be swift and sure, and I wanted to be the one to dispense it to Seth. But another part of me whispered it wasn’t justice I wanted but revenge.
However, it wasn’t my choice to make, and I watched as the sailors hauled him down the ladder. Many of the passengers waited until his cries could no longer be heard before they headed for the ladder themselves, the Englishman with the full beard giving me a calculating look before heading down below.
Selene and her aunt remained with me on the aft deck, the old woman pulling out a gold locket from around her neck and opening it up for me to see. “I am saddened by your loss, young man, and I wanted you to know you are not the only one who mourns.” Looking at the picture inside, I saw it was of a young woman about my age, who strongly resembled Selene but in a more ethereal way. “This is my daughter, Arabella, who ran away with an English sailor to the New World when she was no older than you are now. When my niece ran into trouble,” the old woman giving Selene a dark look, “I agreed to finance bringing us both here so I could discover my daughter’s fate before I die.”
“Do you think you can, after so long?” I asked as she closed the locket and put it away.
The old woman shrugged. “My head tells me I am a foolish old woman, but my heart bids me to continue searching until I find the truth.”
“The heart should always rule the head,” Selene remarked.
The old woman gave her a snort. “You, of all people to say that, is beyond belief. Selene will help me in my search only until she reaches her old friend in Campeche, Master Valencia the apothecary, at which point I will be left to fend for myself while she charms him back into her bed.”
“She can’t,” I blurted out. “Master Valencia’s married.”
Selene gasped. “Are you certain?”
“I attended his wedding,” I replied. Selene’s face fell, and I immediately felt sorry for her. “I’m sorry if that’s bad news, but they’re very happy together. A child’s on the way, or so I’ve heard.” I struggled for something else to say as the old lady smirked at Selene. “If you’re in some kind of trouble, I’m sure Master Valencia will do what he can to help.”
Selene drew herself up. “No, I am in no trouble, but merely wished to visit with an old friend. However,” and the old lady’s smirk died as Selene smiled at her, “we are no longer headed for Campeche. I feel certain that, not only will Tortuga prove an interesting place to visit, but my dear aunt will find the knowledge she seeks on its streets...or in one of its many brothels, perchance.”
Had the old woman been Medusa, Selene would’ve turned to stone on the spot. “I will retire to
Similar Books
