The cloudless Caribbean sky and pristine waters were an overwhelming shade cerulean. What else was to be expected from a typical burning hot day in the Caribbean? I kicked off my boots and let my feet sink into the sand. It was nice to relax after spending weeks on that bloody ship traveling from island to island.

I was part of a small fleet of 2 navy ships. I was under the leadership of Commodore Thompson, on a special mission with the British Navy; to find the fountain of youth. I couldn't believe our navy's hopes lied in using mythology as a weapon against the Spanish. The Spanish were butchering us in the war for Florida, so we were desperate for any sort of advantage we could find.

I really shouldn't be the one complain. I was lucky to have gotten a job with the English Navy in the first place, considering I was a woman. As a child instead of learning music, sewing or any other skills a respectable lady should know, I would sneak into my fathers office and read his books. I would become consumed in the tragedies of Shakespeare, tales of John Milton and the legend of Don Quixote. I didn't understand why it was not acceptable for a woman to be intelligent, or have the will to learn?

However, that did not stop me. I left England and came to the Caribbean in search of a new life in which I could be myself. Not just another woman forced into a marriage with a wealthy man. I then joined the British Navy, disguised as a man. It wasn't very difficult considering my waifish figure and an almost complete lack of curves. With my lengthy hair hidden in my hat, I could easily be mistaken for a teenage boy.

Unfortunately, teenage boys did not merit the most exhilarating jobs on the ship. I was often given cleaning duties and minor tasks such as handing out supplies or sending messages between crew members. What a fulfilling job. I might as well have satisfied my parent's wishes and become a married woman.

Today, conversely, I had done something daring to break the monotony of my new life. I had snuck into the captain's quarters before and stolen bits of information on the fountain of youth. I figured it might as well help; we had been looking for the fountain for months now.

Now that the ship was in port and we were given a few hours break, I lay here with charts and stories in my pockets. Since most of our crew had scrambled to the nearest pub, I was alone on the sandy shore. I proceeded to unfold one of the accounts I have gathered, this one written by Ponce de Leon.

I attempted to decipher the Spanish, which proved to be a difficult task. I had picked up some Spanish during my time here in the Caribbean, so I could read it and speak it somewhat decently. It was still difficult to interpret the meaning.

I was so absorbed in the reading, I barely noticed new racket which joined the soft clamor of the palm trees swaying in the wind. I finally got out of my reading and proceeded to put on my boots. Had some one seen me? I got up and found myself facing a pirate.

I found myself frozen in terror.

"Mighty interesting papers you got there, ey lad?" he said. The pirate and the sky faded from view as I fainted.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading; I would greatly appreciate it if you reviewed!