Draped in a long black coarse linen cape coat, her face hidden under an oversized hood, Madi made her way into Nassau's lively crowd. Walking down the main street, accompanied by her two bodyguards, Babatunde and Chabi, two men she truly trusted, the new Maroon Queen was striding towards the brothel. Looking down to avoid prying eyes, she stopped in front of the great colored door. Babatunde went ahead and entered first. The big man came out a moment later and gave a small nod of approval to his Queen. The place was safe, she could enter.
The place was packed. Some half-naked women gave drinks to already dead drunk men. This house smelled sin and lust. Madi wasn't afraid of these pitiful men but was wary of these intelligent women who undressed themselves to weaken the opposite sex. And they said that this sex was the strongest... Madi sighed. As Chabi spotted an empty table, the Queen went to sit as quietly as possible, avoiding to attract any attention on her.
Returned to Nassau to complete her father's work, the late King of Maroons, Mr. Scott, Madi had several appointments with small scale businessmen. Her goal, tonight, was to convince them to help the Maroons in their alliance with Captain Flint and the others pirates. Outlaws and former slaves had attracted attention, winning a very important battle, but they still lacked the most powerful weapon : gold. Gold to prepare the inevitable, the coming war against England. Therefore Madi was in Nassau this night. When her job would be done, she could comeback on her Island. Nobody could pay her to stay a minute longer to stay in this place she judged disgusting.
While she was patiently waiting, sitting at her table, Madi spotted the Madam of the brothel who looked at her from the first floor. The Queen knew that Max had recognized her. But as curious and interested she could be, she knew that it wasn't in her interest to approach the Mr. Scott's daughter tonight. Life was a game of chess and in this inky night, it was Madi's turn to move her pieces.
A white topless woman approached Babatunde. A big white snake encircled her waist and her lips were painted blood red.
"He wants something to drink?" She asked, placing her hand on his arm. The big man remained stoic.
"Nothing thanks." Madi said watching the prostitute in the eyes, colder than the flakes falling at thousands of miles from Nassau.
Under the eyes of Max, the young Queen remained imperial, hard look and back straight.
Three men came in the brothel and went to sit at a table, just behind Madi. After welcoming bottles of rum and girls on their knees, they started to chat.
"You heard the crier on the beach?
-No, what did he say this old fool?
-The man with the leg graven in the heart of his opponents...
-Long John Silver?"
Madi kept her ears open.
"Yeah. The rumor say that he got a priceless treasure.
-Gold?
-It's not clear. It seems that this is something from the Great Black Earth. A great catch that would make any man invulnerable.
-If this fucking treasure exists, Long John Silver become..."
Madi's spying stopped when the man she was waiting for sat down noisily in front of her. An hour later and once the deal done, the young woman left the brothel to join the tavern. There, she was greeted by a former slave, Eme, in which Mr. Scott had put his trust. The waitress brought them in a dimly lit corner where the Queen could talk quietly with his next appointment. Again, Madi heard snippets of conversations. Everymen in the tavern talked about Long John Silver. All of them seemed curious about this mysterious treasure but above all, they seemed frightened at the thought that a man as powerful as him may be in possession of a treasure making him invulnerable. The men's voices were tinged with fear and admiration. Bones's plan seemed to work great. Madi was pleased for sure but what was this treasure? She wasn't aware of anything and this fact made her blood boil. Did Silver hid something to her?
All night long, in the course of her business, the young Queen saw the rumor grow and make its way to the hearts of Nassau's people. Everyone had only one name in mind : Long John Silver.
While the first light appeared in the sky of Bahamas, Madi joined the boat. Back on Maroon Island, she returned to her hut. There, she shared the informations gathered throughout the night to her most trusted advisor. The promises of funding, new alliances, secret agreements, she reported everything except the rumor about Silver. Once alone, Madi left her dark cloak for a lighter dress. She put a wet cold cloth on her face, took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She looked at herself in an old mirror in front of her. drawn-looking skin, sunken eyes and shaky legs, the young woman obviously needed to rest. Still, she had something else in mind. Leaving her place at a brisk pace, she tried to regain some composure before joining a much smaller hut than hers a few meters from it.
Inside, John Silver was sitting at a small wooden table. Lighted by a brass gimbaled whale oil lamp, he was busy writing a missive. When Madi suddenly appeared through the fabric door, he watched her from the corner of his eye, unable to repress a grin.
Without blinking, the young woman walked straight in front of him, standing, and looked at him without saying anything.
"Did you spend a good time in Nassau? Enjoying the delights of this island... Oh sometimes I miss them you know..., " John said, laying his pen and leaning back on the chair, always smiling.
Madi didn't relent and crossed her arms over her chest.
"You're a feared man, Long John Silver..." She finally said.
"Call me John.
-Why should I?
-There is no Long John Silver here. Only you and me." The pirate replied standing up and becoming serious.
"Long John Silver and you are one and only person. A person who stops at nothing to serve his own interests, not even to betray the closest people to him.
-What are you talking about? " John, suddenly worried, tried to get closer to the young woman. The latter took two steps back.
"What is this treasure story John?
-Madi, It'll require some additional explanation so that I could understand what you mean... "He said, lowering his voice and approaching her again.
"Do not come closer!" She cried.
"Okay, okay." He whispered, putting his hands forward, as to not scare her.
"Everybody talk about that in Nassau. You betrayed me and the whole community. You still sailing solo, according to your own interests. How could my father think we could genuinely be allied with pirates of your kind?! And I... I... How can I feel...
-Madi, please! What do those morons say? "John asked, raising his voice, still very worried.
"Your incredible treasure. You didn't tell me." She explained with her trembling voice.
Looking down, John took the time to think. After a few moments, something sprang into his mind. Madi must have heard the rumor that some of his men had spread the night before in the streets of Nassau. An almost totally unfounded rumor intended to spread fear in the minds of weak men.
"Answer!" The young Queen cried again, suddenly bringing back John on earth.
"But this is just a rumor Madi! I will never make the slightest major gesture without talking to you first. And then... How could I? You have men everywhere around here. You're aware of everything before I could even move a finger.
The young woman relented somewhat.
"Just a rumor?
-Hobbs, Smith and Watson went to Nassau yesterday to spread this rumor. Almost everything is false!" John said taking a new step towards Madi. The latter, this time, didn't move at all.
"Almost? "She said, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm actually in possession of a priceless treasure... Indeed.
-How could you... " Madi started to raise her voice but John took her hands.
"A Treasure from the Great Dark Continent.
-Wh... What?
-You and I. Our alliance. Maroons and the most feared Pirates of our time... Together we are invulnerable."
Taking advantage of a moment of weakness, John grabbed the young Queen by her slender waist and pulled her into his arms. His ebony skin was soft, her braided hair tickled John's throat and her sweet curves wake pleasant warmth in the pit of the man's stomach. She smelled good, a mixture of spray and unknowns spices.
Madi buried her face in his neck and let her body rest against felt a sweet torpor invade her, hints of a sleepless night filled with emotions as strong as mixed. While all strength seemed to leave her, the young woman lifted her face watching the pirate in the eyes.
"So if I understand correctly, you see me as your treasure..." She whispered in a smile.
"The best of my collection... The most beautiful."He added before trying to kiss her.
"You seem to formeget something which is essential John Silver." She said dodging the lips of the latter. "You, Flint and the others are here because I admit it. If there's a treasure here, it's you. And it's me who's the holder. " She said mischievously.
"Are you insinuating that the great Long John Silver's nothing more than a miserable hostage in the hands of a young and frail Queen?" The man buried his face in her neck and started to drop a few light kisses on her perfumed skin.
"Oh yes I am." Madi said smiling and closing her eyes.
"So do whatever you want to me!"
John took Mady by surprise, lifted her from the ground, took her in his arms and returned to the wooden chair. He sat, the young woman on his knees, face still buried against her throat. They remained in this position during a long time and soon soft moans of pleasure filled the room. John's lips started to go down to reach the young woman's chest.
"No... John... Stop."She said in a weak voice.
"Please, just for today...
-I said no. " Madi repeated louder and more firmly. Breathless, she got up and tried to regain some composure. Frustrated, John grumbled.
"I'm not one of those Nassau's women." Madi said, as many times in the past.
"I know it well..." John growled.
"That will come with time.
-Okay but when? For fuck's sake, Madi, tell me when!
-I do not know yet. But... In the meantime, you can still join the delights of Nassau, as you miss them so much... "She said walking to the door and giving him a little wink.
"I would love that! Trust me! But I'm being held as a hostage here... " The pirate whispered holding his head in his hands.
Stricken with slight remorse, Madi turned around, placed a small kiss on her lover's cheek and whispered a few words in his ear.
"See you later my treasury..." Then she vanished, coming back to her hut and her well-deserved rest...