Chapter 1: The attack

The sun sunk slowly behind the horizon, leaving behind a soft orange colour spread over the air. Bri sat in the ropes, that were attached to the side and the mast of the ship, watching the sun go down. The rope was made of strong cotton and rugged braided. Bri looked down to the deck of the ship, approximately three meters beneath her. Nobody even paid attention that she was there.
That wasn't always be the same. When they just left port royal, the crew had been very interested in the young woman that hitchhiked on the ship. Unfortunately for them, they weren't allowed to even speak to her if it wasn't absolutely necessary.
It was a rule Bri's father had made with the crew, because he was afraid that they might have a bad influence on her. Bri knew that is was useless to discuss with him and she was happy enough that her father had allowed her to go on the ship, so she didn't pressed the matter.
Her father was a wealthy merchant and one of the best friends of the commodore. He was not a bad human, but he could be a bit selfish. One of his weaknesses was that he always underestimated the workers and that he saw them as a inferior species. Can anything else be said about him... yes he really hated pirates and loved watching them dying on the gallows.
''Bri can you come down please, it isn't save there.'' A short brown haired man yelled to the girl in the ropes. His voice soft and gentle, but compelling. ''Dad, you know I won't fall.'' Bri said back. She didn't like it when her father treated her like a little, fragile girl, that couldn't do anything alone. Her father on the other hand, wasn't pleased with the fact that his daughter was behaving as if she were a boy.
''I lost my patience Bri.'' He said slowly, emphasizing every single word. Bri sighed and climbed off the ropes. ''A ship, sir.'' Someone screamed, just when Bri hit the floor. ''Where, what kind of?'' He peered nervously with his hands above his eyes over the sea. Far away he saw the contrasts of a large ship. ''I don't know sir, hard to tell.'' The boy how spook was just 22, what made him 5 years younger than Bri. He handed over the spyglass and pointed in the direction of the boat.
''I think we can better turn around.'' Suggested the young boy. ''No, we don't have time for that, we're late already, and we've enough weapons and man to fight if necessary.'' Said the captain: Bri's father, against the boy. ''But..'' The boy closed his mouth by seeing the dangerous look in his captain's eyes. ''Don't you agree?'' Bri's father didn't like it, when people disagreed with him.
''He may be right dad, it's pretty dangerous.'' Bri interfered with it, because she thought that what her father was saying wasn't totally realistic. ''I'm sure the people can wait a bit longer at their rum, spices and plants.'' I said, trying to convince my father, but he shook his head. ''This is none of your business darling, nor yours.'' He pressed the spyglasses back into the boy's hands and walked to his first mate. ''I've already decided what we're going to do.''

...

The ship was approaching fast. The dark sails became bigger and bigger. Bri could clearly see the pirate flag now. On deck man were shouting at each other and collecting their weapons. Canons were load. Bri ran to her father's chamber and search for his second sword. When she finally found it, she could hear the first shot. The ship was shaking when a cannon ball hit the side.
''Hello, little girl.'' Bri turned around quickly. A short man with black hair walked slowly towards her. He smiled by seeing the frightened look in her eyes. A lot of his teeth were missing, including the two in the middle of his mouth. He had not replaced them for something else, it were just holes between the few teeth he had left. He panted loudly and Bri smelled a mix of rum, meat and decay.
''Go away or I will use this!'' Bri didn't sound so confident as she wanted to and the pirate started to laugh. ''Did you ever touched a sword before, girlie?'' He asked, while he hold up his sword. ''I have'' He said. ''I've too.'' Bri started to get her confidence back, and became more and more herself again.
She decided that she had no intentions to wait any longer and moved her sword fast toward the pirate. Startled and surprised the man jumped away just in time. His astonishment made way for anger and furious he began to move his sword towards Bri. Bri, agile as she was, evaded his sword effortlessly, and when the opportunity arose, she fled though the door and ran on deck. While she said a few last words to the pirate behind her. ''You should take more practise lessons, that was ridiculous! You call yourself a pirate?"
Unfortunately on deck she wasn't save either. Everywhere she saw pirates, they were killing and capturing al her father's crew members. Bri hide behind the wooden stairs and watched the pirates taking innocent people to their ship. She screamed when too huge pirates pulled her father from the ground and struck him in his stomach.
Nobody seemed to hear her, although her father had noticed her sitting behind the stairs. ''Take care of yourself. I love you'' He whispered. Tears trickled down her cheek, but she stayed where she was. She didn't move, didn't ran towards her father, trying to rescue her. This was not the time for rush actions and stupidities, she had to get out of here alive.
When nobody paid attention and most pirates were already on their ship, she stood up. So fast as possible she ran across the deck to the edge. She looked down. Her reflection reflected by the rough seawater. Behind her she heard someone coming. They had noticed her, she had not much time left.
Nervous and scared she placed her left feet on the edge of the ship. She pulled herself up the edge on the ropes beside her. One last time she looked over her shoulder. She saw a young lad with large brown eyes pointing a gun at her. ''Too late!'' She smiled and without hesitation she dived into the water. The boy tried to grab her feet, but that was hopeless.
His captain had seen everything and walked straight to the boy. ''Go and get her, you lazy, untrustworthy, worthless cow.'' The boy changed colour. ''But..'' he stuttered. ''Now!''