A/N - A complete laugh and not to be taken seriously. Written for my first FF friend, Kates89, and for her positivity, enthusiasm, encouragement and enjoyable chats. And because she rather likes Pirates!
Also all places, ships and OC's are the complete fabrication of my mind.
The gentle swaying of the ship on the calm seas rocked Danny into a slumber as his hammock swung from side to side. The Clavi-Sun Indigo, the Indigo for short or CSI as they sometimes called her, had set off from the Island of Masaroothe three days ago and the crew had been in high spirits since finding the treasure. They were now heading for the port of Tinjargo to trade and buy supplies, ready for their next adventure. Danny was the ship's Boatswain, in charge of the engineering of the vessel and all of her parts. He'd worked hard for his rank among the crew, starting off as a cabin boy on the Indigo and working his way up, becoming apprentice to the previous Boatswain and taking over when he was shot with a musket. Danny had been orphaned when he was seven and taken aboard the Indigo by a previous crewmember, Old Abdul, who had treated Danny like a son until his death. Danny still missed Old Abdul.
"Aaargghhh!"
Danny grimaced and covered his ears as yet another scream echoed up from the lower decks.
"Why the hell won't that broad shut up," growled the ship's First Mate.
The First Mate was a terrifying man with only three fingers and a thumb remaining of his left hand and two of his right, yet he was still the best swordsman on the ship. He had a large piece of his nose missing and Danny had once bathed with him in a warm pool on the Island of Goranthran and been amazed at the amount of chunks missing from his body. Weird dents every here and there, not to mention the numerous scars from bullets and swords. His body was also covered in tattoos and the one that intrigued Danny the most was scrawled across the left side of his chest, 'Lady J' was all it said. Danny had never had the courage to ask him what it meant. Flack, as he was known to them, he had no other name that Danny knew of, was his best friend and they'd worked together on the ship for many years now. Flack had come to the ship from the sea, been found drowning in the East Lothravnan Seas and rescued by the Captain.
"You want me to try talking to her?" mumbled Danny as he sat up.
"You can't reason with women, Danny-boy," growled the First Mate. "We got rum left?"
"Nothing. Ran out last night and we won't port til dawn."
Flack growled in the back of his throat and looked murderous.
"I'll go and ask the good doctor. He might have some hidden away for medical purposes," Danny replied and climbed from his hammock.
He made his way up on deck and across to the doctor's quarters. The sun was shining brightly and the sea was calm as far as the eye could see. Nothing on the horizon to be seen and Danny sighed, breathing in the sea air. Life was good. Not to mention he couldn't hear that screaming up here.
"Hello, boy," barked a savage voice.
Danny felt a shiver run down his spine. The Captain.
"Captain," Danny nodded as he turned and stared into the one eye of the Captain.
Captain Mac was the most feared pirate on the Seven Seas. A formidable man that made even the bravest men tremble with dread. Even Flack was scared of him and nothing ever scared Flack. Except the one time he'd found a spider in his hammock. Danny had never told him, but he'd put it in there himself as a dare between him and the ship's Helmsman.
"What you doing up here, boy? Thought I told you to sleep?" growled the Captain.
"Sorry, Captain. I couldn't sleep with all the screaming."
"I see," the Captain snarled and his eye glanced in the direction of where they usually made the prisoners walk the plank.
Danny stared nervously at the Captain. He really should have worn an eyepatch but Danny had heard that he thought he looked more terrible if he didn't and therefore bared his hollow socket for all to see. It was pretty gruesome and sometimes a nasty kind of yellow liquid would ooze from it. Danny once saw the Captain cleaning it out with a finger before eating his food and that had made his stomach turn. Captain Mac's hair was long and wild, as was his beard and he wore a huge black hat that Danny had never seen him take off and occasionally he wondered if the Captain was secretly bald. He and Flack had a wager going on it. The Captain always wore black, had done so ever since his wife had died over twenty years ago. Murdered by Glaukus Ochre, the aged Captain of the great pirate ship, The Golden Trond. Captain Mac had sworn to kill him and they spent most of their time on the open seas in search of the Trond.
"Well get going then, boy. No dawdling on my deck!" the Captain roared and then he turned and limped away to his quarters.
No-one quite knew how he'd got his limp, just that he had one and not to ask.
"What did the Captain want with you?" shouted a voice at him and Danny looked up to see the Helmsman, behind the ship's wheel, staring down at him.
Danny grinned and made his way up to him, swinging himself up the last three steps and landing with a thud on the decking. The Helmsman was a cheerful young chap, softly spoken and not someone Danny would ever have thought of meeting on a pirate ship. He was quite surprised that the Captain had allowed him on board but then he'd heard from Flack, as well as being the ship's First Mate but also the ship's resident gossip, that Adam was Captain Mac's nephew and had nowhere else to go. As it was, the little fellow had turned out to be an excellent navigator of the seas and had got them out of trouble numerous times with his steering skills. He seemed to know where the rocks were before they even showed up.
"Not much. He wondered why I was up here," Danny replied.
"That girl still screaming?" Adam asked, one eye on Danny, one eye on the open sea.
"Sure is. Flack's going crazy."
"Flack hates women," Adam told him.
"What? How'd you know? He sleeps with enough of them," Danny scoffed, remembering their last trip to a tavern where he'd caught Flack in bed with at least four women, enjoying a pair of the largest breasts he'd ever seen.
Adam glanced around before he spoke. "His girl died," he whispered.
"What?" Danny asked, his eyes widening in shock.
"Shhshh," Adam hissed. "His girl died. Shot in the chest by her father when he discovered she was in love with Flack."
"No," Danny gasped in disbelief.
"Yep," Adam nodded. "Apparently he'd been aiming for Flack but his girl jumped in front of him at the last minute. Flack then killed the father in a rage and has been a wanted man ever since."
"Who was the girl?" asked Danny in interest.
"Not sure. They say she was a lady and that she'd been captured by Flack's old ship. He fell in love with her and let her go. After she died he fled back onto his ship but the Captain found out what he'd done and made him walk the plank. You know the rest...Flack was about to be fish food when Captain Mac swooped in and rescued him. The Captain's the only one who knows the true story."
It suddenly all made sense to Danny. If Captain Mac was the only one who knew, and Adam was his nephew then it made sense that the Helmsman would know parts of it too.
"It's so sad" Danny frowned. He'd never been in love himself having never had the chance to meet a beautiful woman. Yes, there had been a few whores and wenches, but Danny had grown up on a ship full of men and was nervous around girls, and according to Flack, far too polite.
"Indeed," agreed Adam. "As I heard it, Flack was going on one last hunt for treasure to raise enough money so they could run away together. But he never got the chance."
"God, I bet he feels terrible," Danny mumbled.
"Why do you think he sleeps with so many women now?" Adam asked Danny as if he were stupid. "And I also heard that his old Captain was none other than Glaukus Ochre!"
"Not Glaukus!" Danny said wide eyed. "I wonder why he never said anything."
"He's a secretive man," Adam shrugged.
"Not with other people's," grinned Danny and the two men laughed. "Well, best be off, I'm looking for the doc."
"He's in his quarters," Adam nodded.
Danny thanked him and climbed down the stairs. He made it across deck and into the Doctor's room. Danny hated it in there. It stunk of blood and guts and there was an everlasting feel of death about it. Adam had once told him that it was haunted but Flack had scoffed at the idea of ghosts. Danny wasn't so sure.
"Daniel! Good to see you there," smiled the Doctor as he came forward from the shadows.
He was relatively new to the ship and they'd picked him up on the strange Island of Nebo where the people didn't wear clothes. Flack had been in his element there, but Danny had found it most awkward, especially when a young girl, Rikkandra, had accosted him in the trees and tried to have her wicked way with him. Hawkes had been a witch doctor there and had had tonics and potions none of them had ever seen before. They'd marvelled at his magic and healing skills and Captain Mac had bartered for his life. In the end he'd given up three of the crew for the Doctor and Danny still found himself missing Poke-Legged Joe, Five-Fingered Hubert and Beige Bill. Hawkes had come aboard with his pet monkey, Chico, and now the Doctor's quarters were often filled with strange smokes and scented herbs. Flack was very sceptical of the Doctor and steered clear of the man as much as possible. But Danny found himself intrigued by him and had spent many evenings learning things from him and listening to his tales.
"What might you be doing visiting me?"
"I was hoping for a little favour," Danny grinned while the Doctor looked at him suspiciously.
"And what might that be?"
"You hiding any rum away in here?"
"Rum?" the doctor scoffed, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Daniel, I am insulted."
"Not for drinking, for medical purposes," Danny defended.
"I don't need that rubbish," Hawkes said snobbily. "I have plenty of my own tonics I prefer to use."
"So that would be a no then?" Danny checked.
"Of course it's a no. I do not go near such stuff."
It was true, Danny had never seen the Doctor drink once since he'd joined the ship.
"I guess I'll be leaving then," Danny shrugged and turned for the door. Chico was sat above it chirping softly at the two men.
"Try the cook, he said something about testing a new recipe."
Danny grimaced. The cook was rather experimental, much to Flack's disdain along with everyone else's.
"Thanks, I'll try there now," Danny called over his shoulder.
He proceeded outside, back onto deck and headed down to the cook's quarters below. He was just about to climb down the stairs when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned to see the navigator behind him. An exotic and beautiful Greek woman, almost as ferocious and formidable as the Captain himself. Flack insisted they were an item but Danny wasn't so sure, Stella was far too intimidating for any man to mate with.
"Stella," Danny nodded in greeting.
"You've been in with the Doctor," she stated. "Are you sick?"
"Oh, no. I was just being friendly," Danny excused, not wanting to reveal the real reason for his visit.
Stella's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Her curly hair blew wildly round her head and Danny suddenly understood why Flack called her Wild Stell. She'd come to the ship before Danny and he was therefore not entirely sure of her story. But from what he'd gathered, she'd been a Greek aristocrat who'd been forced into a miserable marriage to Frankland who's abused her terribly. She'd killed him one day by accident and fled her home with a troop of soldiers and her own parents after her. She managed to escape from them by killing her parents and Captain Mac had taken her onto his ship, defending her against the soldiers. He'd been quite captivated by her beauty according to Flack, but Danny wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. Flack hadn't been on the ship as long as he had and yet the First Mate seemed to know so much more about it then he, himself, did. Danny thought Flack made things up to amuse himself.
"Are you lying to me, Danny?" she asked.
"Of course not, I wouldn't do that" Danny said nervously.
"Good," she said slowly. "Well, go on then, boy."
Danny nodded and hurried down the steps into the darkness below. He crept along to the galley and was shocked to see Flack sat at one of the tables outside it, looking rather sick and unhappy.
"Flack?" Danny frowned.
"Daniel, excellent. You've come to join us," smiled the cook as he appeared out of the galley, carrying a tray containing different bowls and dishes.
"Err...join you?" Danny asked.
"The First Mate here has been good enough to volunteer to try some of my experiments," the cook explained as he set down the tray in front of Flack.
"How many experiments?" asked Danny, eyeing the tray.
"This is the third tray," Flack growled as he stared down at it.
"Yes, that's right," smiled the cook. "And four more to go."
"I was actually just looking for some rum," Danny excused, although it seemed rather pointless now that Flack was sat by the galley himself.
"Yes that's why the First Mate was here too. How alike the both of you are," laughed the cook. "I said I'd give it to him if he tested my food."
"Oh," Danny nodded, grinning at Flack in glee. "Well, I was only looking for it to give to him so carry on then."
"Shame," tutted the cook disappointedly.
"Don't you leave me here, Danny-boy," growled the First Mate.
"But I think I can hear the Captain calling me," grinned Danny as he turned to leave.
"If you dare leave me here with this fool I'll cut off your fingers while you sleep," threatened Flack.
"Jealous I got all of mine," Danny laughed, waggling his fingers.
"Do try this one, Mr Flack," the cook said happily, oblivious to Flack's reluctance. He shoved a spoon full of dirty grey sludge into Flack's mouth and the First Mate started choking violently, turning bright red.
"Oh dear," the cook murmured worriedly.
Danny chuckled quietly to himself. It wasn't that the cook was a bad cook, it was just that he did so love to experiment and often they were unsuccessful. It didn't help that he used to be the ship's doctor until Hawkes had been brought on board. He'd then willingly left the position to take up the role of cook. He'd been creepy enough as a doctor but as a cook he was even worse. Hammerback had a disturbing love of blood and guts and had often been heard talking to dead bodies. Danny often wondered exactly what Hammerback put in the food to make it so tasty when it went right. He'd been on board long before Danny had joined the crew and one piece of advice Old Abdul had told him was to stay out of the doctor's quarters. Danny supposed that now meant the galley.
"I think perhaps I'd better get him to the doctor," Hammerback murmured worriedly as he tried to help up the First Mate.
"Not the Doctor!" Flack growled as he pushed the cook away.
Danny laughed and left them to it, he heard them squabbling all the way back to his hammock.
"AArrrrggghhh!"
Danny scowled as another scream echoed up from below. He'd never get any sleep until that girl was quietened down. He sighed tiredly and reluctantly made his way down the bottom of the ship, where the prisoner was clapped in irons. As Danny approached the cell she looked up and he felt something clench inside him. She looked so sad...and so beautiful. Danny frowned as he suddenly felt very confused.
"What's wrong?" he asked as gruffly as he possibly could.
"What do you think? You're keeping me prisoner!"
"Of course. We captured you and we're going to sell you at Tinjargo market."
"Tinjargo?" the girl asked. "How far is that?"
"We'll port there at dawn," Danny replied.
The girl nodded and a tear fell from one of her glistening, brown eyes. Danny felt something tug at his heart and was suddenly reminded of the story Adam had told him of Flack falling in love with his prisoner and helping her escape. The keys were on a hook rather nearby to him and he glanced towards them.
"Why are you here?" she asked softly.
"You were screaming," Danny replied.
"I've been screaming for days and no-one has come," she murmured.
Danny remembered the day she'd been brought on board. A wild girl from Masaroothe, where they'd found the treasure. It was Danny who'd discovered her, quite willing to leave her be until the Captain had come upon them. He'd taken a liking to her, a pretty young thing that would sell well as a slave and so they'd escorted her onto the ship and down into its bowels. She was barely clothed and it was cold down there. Danny found himself removing his coat and shoving it through the bars before he'd even had a chance to think.
"What's this?" she asked.
"You must be cold," Danny shrugged.
"You're helping me?" she asked, wide eyed.
"Not really, it's just cold down here."
"Thank you," she replied a small smile playing on her lips.
Danny felt himself blushing at it. What on Earth was happening?
"What's your name?"
Danny blinked and focused on the pretty girl now wrapped in his coat.
"Danny," he replied. "I'm the Boatswain."
"A good job," she nodded.
Danny grinned. She was impressed. "What's your name?"
"Lindsay."
"I like it," Danny murmured.
"Thank you," she smiled. "You're the one who found me?"
"Err...yes. I was gonna leave you be though. It was the Captain who wanted to take you."
"It's alright. I understand. I'll fetch a fair price at market."
"I'm sorry," Danny mumbled.
"It's not your fault."
Danny shrugged and looked away rather awkwardly. He once again glanced at the keys.
"They'll kill you if you let me go," she said quietly.
Danny looked back at her, she had followed his gaze.
"I know."
"I don't want you to die," she replied.
"Why?" Danny frowned. "It's my fault you're here."
"Because I can see your soul, and you are a good man."
Danny blinked and moved closer to here. He felt enchanted by her beauty, by her softly spoken words, by her solemn brown eyes and by her resolve to accept her situation.
"Let me see your hand?" she asked reaching out through the bars.
Danny hesitated and then stretched out his hand, letting her take hold of it. Almost at once he felt a spark between them and his eyes grew wide. She was examining his palm, reading it whilst singing softly to herself.
"You will live a long life," she smiled. "You will fall in love and be happy. I see marriage and two children in your future."
"Children?" choked Danny.
Lindsay frowned. "But there will also be heartache."
"Heartache?" Danny repeated worriedly.
"Your friend will die," she replied, looking sadly up at him.
"What? A friend? Which friend? I need to know!"
Suddenly a loud bang sounded nearby and shouting was heard from up above.
"Ship Ahoy! Ship Ahoy!"
Danny pulled back his hand and stared round.
"The Golden Trond! The Golden Trond!"
"Oh God!" Danny gasped as he made his way to the steps.
The ship suddenly shuddered hard and lurched as it was hit. Danny fell back against the floor as did Lindsay.
"Please! You must let me out. I'll die in here," she pleaded.
Danny scrambled to his feet and looked for the keys. They were only a few feet away from him on the floor.
"Please!" she begged.
His heart went out to her and melted as he saw her two brown eyes crying at him. He snatched up the keys and released her from the cell.
"Stay close to me," he warned and then they proceeded up to the deck.
The sounds of shouting and fighting got louder as they got nearer and as they emerged into daylight they saw the two ships next to each other both being boarded by their enemy. Captain Mac stood on his top deck, fighting with Glaukus Ochre, Captain of the Golden Trond. Flack was already on the Trond, slashing through the enemy crew as if they were mere undergrowth to him while Stella swung across to join him, sword at the ready. Adam remained at the helm, keeping the Indigo steady as the fight surged on. Hawkes was tending to the wounded while Hammerback helped him, the two men putting aside their different medical techniques for the sake of the crew.
"This way," Danny shouted to Lindsay as they made their way across deck, Danny drawing his sword at the ready.
Suddenly the ship lurched again and Danny stumbled against the movement.
"Aarghh!" he screamed as he was flung over the side of the ship, banging his head on the edge as he fell into the sea below.
"Danny!" cried Lindsay. She rushed to the edge and looked down. There was no sign of the Boatswain, lost in the murky depths.
Lindsay took a breath and dived in after him, water filling her lungs and soul as she hit the sea. She blinked her eyes against the salt and then they became adjusted. The sea was dark, no light from above penetrating it. Suddenly she caught a fleeting white. A shirt. Danny's white shirt. She swam towards it with ease, pulling at the unconscious man and taking him up to the surface.
"Danny!" she called as they broke out into the air.
"Danny!" she shouted again and gently slapped him.
"Danny, please!" she cried and gently gave him the kiss of life.
The Boatswain spluttered, coughed and then water poured from his lungs.
"Lindsay?" he choked.
"Yes," she smiled and swam them over to the Indigo, the fighting still going on aboard.
"You kissed me," Danny mumbled as he grabbed hold of a side ladder.
The fact that she blushed didn't escape his attention.
"Are you coming?" he asked, holding out a hand to her.
"I can't, not yet," she replied sadly.
Danny frowned at her and opened his mouth to speak when a beautiful purple-coloured tail rose from the sea.
"You're a mermaid?" he gasped.
She smiled at him. "Yes. But I have legs when I'm on dry land."
"Can't you come up then?" he asked.
"It takes time to change. I can't climb up there. I need to find a shore."
Danny blinked back his tears. "You saved my life and now I'll never see you again," he cried.
"I'll be waiting for you in Tinjargo," she replied as she swam closer. "Ask for the Violet Lady."
"I'll find you," Danny murmured as he leant down and kissed her lips.
"Til we meet again," she smiled and then dived back under the water.
Danny followed her with his eyes for a moment until she was gone and then he turned back towards his ship. His comrades needed him, the Indigo needed him. He climbed up to the deck and pulled himself over the edge. Hammerback and Hawkes were still tending the wounded. Stella seemed to be fighting with the enemy first mate aboard the Trond. Adam remained all the time ever vigilant at the Helm of the Indigo and finally Captain Mac stood over the fallen body of Glaukus Ochre.
"You die today!" snarled Captain Mac as he plunged his sword into Glaukus Ochre and the Trond's Captain spluttered blood from his mouth. "That was for my wife!"
Danny's eyes searched out his First Mate. Flack was nowhere to be seen. He ran forward into the fray that was slowly calming as the Trond Crew realised their Captain was defeated.
"Flack!" shouted Danny as he ran past the two captains.
"Danny-boy!" shouted the First Mate as he appeared from the other ship.
Danny heaved a sigh in relief. "Boy, you're not going to believe the story I have to tell you," he grinned.
"You!" screamed a loud voice suddenly. "You should be dead. You betrayed me!"
Danny heard the sound of a gun being fired from behind him, felt the bullet wizz past his ear and saw it plunge deep into the First Mate's body. The tall man wavered for a moment, a look of complete and utter shock on his face and then he collapsed backwards, slamming to the deck.
"Rarrgghhh!" snarled Captain Mac as he swung his sword again, separating Glaukus Ochre's head from his body. There would be no more death at the hands of the Golden Trond's Captain.
"No!" screamed Danny as he ran forward to Flack's side and cradled him into his lap.
Blood was dribbling from his mouth and Danny pressed a hand over the wound on his chest. He could see Captain Mac shouting for Hawkes and Hammerback. Adam at the Helm had gone a deathly pale. Stella was hurrying forth from the Trond over to the Indigo.
"Stay with me, Flack," Danny cried, blood pouring out from under his hand where he was unable to sufficiently cover the wound.
Flack tried to talk, coughed and blood splattered from his mouth.
"Don't talk, don't talk," Danny cried.
It was coming true, Lindsay's predictions. He'd fallen in love but now his friend was dying. Why, oh why was this happening? How was this fair?
"My love, my love," coughed the dying man.
"Noooo!" screamed Danny, uncomprehending of what he was saying.
"I see her. I see her. My lady!"
"No, Flack. Just a bit longer."
Danny saw the Doctors fast approaching.
"She's waiting for me," Flack spluttered, showering Danny with blood.
"No, no! I'm waiting!" Danny sobbed, clinging to his friend.
"Lady Jessica..."
The First Mate's body went limp in his arms and his head lolled to one side.
"NOOOOOOOO!" screamed Danny loudly, tears assaulting his face.
All around him the crew of the Indigo stopped moving and looked over, removing their hats as they saw the scene before them.
"FLAAAAACCKKKKK!" Danny screamed as he bolted upright in bed, sweat dripping down his forehead.
"That," said a rather annoyed voice beside him, "Is the weirdest thing I have ever heard you shout in this bed."
Danny blinked and glanced down beside him to see Lindsay looking extremely grumpily at him. He'd obviously just woken her up.
"I don't know whether to be amused, annoyed or jealous," she muttered tetchily. "Bad dream, was it?"
"I need to call Flack," Danny mumbled, jumping from the bed and running downstairs.
"Cos he's going to be so pleased to get woken up by you at three in the morning," she muttered before rolling over and falling back asleep.