Chapter 1.

A new adventure

The smell of tobacco and rancid fish involved her nose while her eyes open after a short but necessary sleep. The nauseous smell was almost as unbearable as the incessant noise of the drunken sailors who beat the barrels. Amy covered her mouth, trying not to make any noise as those rude men brought the things to the boat.

Amy could glimpse the port through a small hole in the wood, a few days ago, she would never have imagined that her life would change so drastically, that she would be on a ship bound to the Caribbean sea, and much less, that she would be traveling as a stowaway.

Her life in the city was quiet and secure, she had a great job as a researcher at the national museum, and her father's surname brought her a great respect in the scientific community that many men would wish for, until a few days ago, when the worst news had come. Her father, William Fowler, how was embarking on a long journey of two years looking for new species was missing as well as the boat and all the crew.

For almost a year and a half, Amy received, punctually letters full of the great advances which her father was making and the exciting adventures he was experiencing in the new world. Amy has always been a book girl, a library mouse who sighed while reading novels of love and adventure, stories she was certainly sure she would never live, admiring it from the quiet chair of her office. With each letter, her imagination flew next to him in those new worlds, but sadly, one day, the letters stopped coming, and after a few months of absence the rumors of the disappearance of the ship and her father became more and more real.

But the worst was yet to come, the rumors pointed out that it was a risky strategy of William, to sail near the Caribbean seas, which made the ships disappear. Amy refused to believe that, but the rumors came to the ears of the scientific community and had destroyed his long and successful reputation in a wink. And with his, Amy´s as had lost her job, her home and she had nothing left to tie her to this awful city and his citizen.

Embarrassed, Amy left with only the letters and drawings that her father had sent to her, during his trip. Now she was about to embark on her first adventure and she was terrified. Frightened of what she might find, of all the dangers to which she must confront, but especially, she was terrified to discover that the rumors were real, that her father has leave her like the rest of the world, and she in fact, was alone...Forever.

One last blow, brought Amy back to reality, she was so engrossed in her thoughts that she had not noticed that the barrel where she is hiding, was already safe in the cellar. Amy waited carefully, to make sure that she was completely alone, and gingerly she stepped out of the barrel.

Amy looked around the big room, it's smell strong and disgusting, the sound of the waves blowing the boat seemed like explosions, a few lamps of fire lit the dark cellar and the floor was filled with straw and the remains of fish bones. "This would be my home for the next few weeks", she thought, slowly coming out of the barrel.

She took all the dried meat and water she could, and hid in one of the corners, behind a few woods in a soft set of straw that would serve her as a bed. It will be a long and tedious trip but she had no other way to afford it. "Would they find her?" Amy began to tremble, thinking about what these sailors could do to her if they found her, her head didn't stop until little by little her lids closed and a deep dream reached her, and a exhausted Amy surrendered to it.

Sheldon smelled the fresh scent of the sea, the cold morning breeze brushed his cheeks, making it blushing in a soft pink tone. The wide sea stretched as far as his eyes could see and he feels how the sun warming his skin, the sails rose at the dance of the wind, feeling the powerful force of the sea under his feet.

Although it was hard, these moments on the boat were worth it. Sheldon felt safe, strong and capable here, and feels a liberty that he never thought he would have in his whole life, this was his world, his life. It was true, that this was the only life he had ever known, but, what would a young orphan do in the streets of Martinica´s Island alone? Sheldon began to remember his first days on the ship, how difficult and painful it was, how much his legs and arms hurt. He was only six years old and those man had no compassion for him, all the tears he shed as he cleaned, with his own hands, every corner of the boat… It seemed that had been in another life, a very different one.

Sheldon wiped away the tears that were about to pour from his eyes, the crew should never see him weak, and less now, that he commanded as the second on board.

- "Mister Koothrappali". Sheldon shouted without turning, and almost immediately a dark-haired young man in unique clothing came to his side, bringing his hat and a gun to him with a genuine smile.

Sheldon took it and placed the hat on his head, the young man who looked at him with admiration was Rajesh, a fugitive from the mysterious area of India, a strange and distant land on the other side of the world. Sheldon found him in one of the ports on the Isle of Slaves. The young man was child of not more than 13 years, the same age as him. He was being judged for stealing food, he was very thin, emaciated and dehydrated, but Sheldon saw something in his eyes, something that he found fascinating, so he decided, with his savings and the permission of the old captain he buy him as a helper.

Since that day, Rajesh had not given in, not even for a minute, to please his savior. He was not only a great helper, he was a great counselor as well, the young man was an avid reader, he knew many different languages and he was excellent knower of the stars and their orientation. It had been 9 years since that, and although, Sheldon sometimes was rude to him, deeply down, he considers him as a great friend, and Raj knew it as well.

- "Mister Cooper, the captain is waiting for you in her cabin! She want something from you." The young man said in a marked accent, for many years he lived now with them, his native language flourished every time he spoke.

- "Thanks Rajesh, why don't you join us and take notes of everything? I don't want to leave something undecided". Sheldon said, and with a nod of his helper, he headed to the cabin in a steady pace followed by the young foreigner.

The ship was large and broad, the brown of the wood has darkened after so many years on sailing of the rough seas, but the beautifuls engravings on it were still new as the first day. The speed and agility made it a prized object of robbery, almost as much as the big treasures that kept inside of him, or at least, had saved

During his golden age, Sheldon still remembered the smell of the coins and the sound that they made between his fingers as he secretly slipped from his work and ran to the hold to gaze at the jewels and treasures.

Now, the only gold thing they kept on the cellars are stale potatoes. His adventures were never going well and his crew was scarce every week. After the old Captain died, there weren't men who wanted to stay and less join them. His daughter was now, the only thing left of his legacy on the ship, and having her on board meant that fewer men would embark it, since they considered it, a bad omen.

Sheldon approached the door and firmly he knocked three times in a row on the door in three loud and dry blows accompanied of the word "Captain". A voice inside gave him permission and without a second thought, Sheldon opened the door and entered to the captain's cabin.

It was a spacious and serene room, with large windows which filled the room with natural light. A large canopy bed in wine red tones on the right, a large dark closet on the left and a big wood table in the center. It was full of large maps, parchments, half-drunk bottles and small biscuits, no doubt from the mascot of the captain, Mister barrage.

- "Captain, you made me call?". Sheldon asked, knowing the answer, but he had learned, from hits, to be respectful to his superior, and even know that his old superiors were food for fish, he still felt his back marked by fire.

-"Yes, you cretin". A voice sound behind a big chair on the desk, spinning slowly, Sheldon gazed at the blue and strong eyes of his captain, as pretty as fearsome.

"Why are we turning to the port, we didn't find the place already".

- "Captain, as I warned you on many occasions, the crew is not enough for the mission, the drink scarce and I will not put the men at risk for an absurd idea". Sheldon said, regretting to have uttered those last words and biting his lips as punishment.

- "Absurd idea? This is how you talk to your captain?. I never heard you speak like that to the old captain, when you could bathed in gold, and his ideas were even craziest than mine".

- "Crazy is not the same as absurd". Sheldon murmured, enduring his urge to shout.

Just as the captain was about to let go of the rage, the door opened and the sound of a flapping wing made Sheldon tremble, just above his head, the parrot, Mister barrage, was flying up and posing on the table, eating one of his biscuits.

- "Stupid men". The parrot screech, as Sheldon made a step back of him. It was irrational and stupid, but the birds terrified him, and above all, that rogue parrot.

After the bird, Rajesh entered to the room, feeling the bad tension in the air, it was not uncommon for him, to see how the captain and Sheldon argue and fight for hours, both thought they were always right and that created tension in each trip.

- "Rajesh, glad that you are here, please, read to the captain the resources we have, so the captain can see why returning is the most logical and rational idea to proceed". Sheldon said, placing his arms on his hips, feeling that he had made the wisest choice.

The captain grunted in exasperation as Raj timidly approached to them and took out some papers he kept in his arms and placed one of them on the table.

- "As for that …", Raj started to say, and Sheldon's furious gaze settled on him. "I think I have found the solution to the problem".

The three of them approached to the table looking at the paper with curiosity.

- "It is an auction of slaves to be held in three days on the island of skull, we may find there men who want to join us".

Both, Sheldon and the Captain joined their gazes and nodded in silent. They may often disagree with their ideas, maybe the tension of being in the same place for months would make them slightly exaggerate of their discussions, and no doubt having such similar characters didn´t help, but in spite of that, they wanted the best for the boat and the crew, and they can appreciate a good idea when they saw it.

- "It is only a day and a half to the island of skull, we can fill the cellar with food and water and continue with the captain's idea". Raj finally said as the captain nod to him with respect.

- "Very good idea, Rajesh, then it's settled, go back outside and warn the men of our new route". The Captain said and Rajesh nodded in response,in a quick move he left the room.

Sheldon stay in silence, locked in his mind, no matter how good the idea was, not being the one who have it, and especially, not being the one who solved it, was consuming him.

- "Sheldon, prepare everything we'll need and tell me how much we can spend there". The captain ordered him and Sheldon nodded and turned toward the door but before he could go he heard his name again.

- "Sheldon …" The Captain repeated, making their eyes meet again. "Thank you for being honest with me, sometimes I can't see the things like they are, you are a good second on board".

- "Thank you, captain … and I'm sorry if I was rude early, I didn't want to belittle your ideas, and less to insinuate that the old captain was better than you". Sheldon looked down at his feet, biting his lips, and continued talking. "You're doing a good job, your father would be proud of you Bernadette".

- "Thank you, Sheldon, I needed to hear something like that". She told him with glassy eyes and sweet tone, but not didn't last long, when she looked up and hardened her face and voice. "Now, you can go". She ordered, and Sheldon nodded, closing the door behind him.

Bernadette got up and walked through her cabin, running her fingers through the engravings of the large wooden table that had once belonged to her father. She would never have thought that she would lead this ship, and less, so soon, she was not prepared but she was trying to do everything she could to keep it safe, it was the only thing he had left her, the ship and that devilish not complete drawing. It was a landscape and half of the drawing was missing, the important part with the direction. Bernadette approached to it with rage.

- "I hope you're happy, father, you could have left me, at least, a clue that what I'm looking for". She whispered angrily, as she approached the large windows.

The sea was calm, shining under a radiant and bright sun, the waves crashed softly against the ship and she could feel the smell of the sea that was coming through the cracks in the wood. The ship was approaching to the first destination, the skull island, a place full of dangers, the first stop of a great adventure that was only the start.

The shouts and high voices of the drunken sailors made it almost impossible to hear your own thoughts. The smell of rum and pipe smoke enveloped the tavern where the two young men tried to talk between glasses of cheap wine.

- "This is a luxury, we can't afford to spend another week without working, Howard, this is serious, we need to do something". A brunette young man with glasses was arguing while his friend took a sip of his drink.

- "Leonard, relax, something is going to come out, here are many ships, I'm sure we'll find some good ship they need two extraordinary men". The young man said while he sorbed his drink. He was thin as a noodle, his skin was white as the milk and a prominent nose peeped through the top of the glass.

- "I don't know how you can be so calm while we are spending the last coins we have left". Leonard said exasperated, as he looks out the window at the beach and the wide and immense sea.

The skull island looks even smaller when you don't want to be there. His dark beaches and the poor vegetation did not make it a friendly place to stay. The island was a set of small volcanic mountains in which escape by their innumerable caves made it a perfect place for fugitives.

In the distance, Leonard glimpsed the largest ship he has ever seen approaching to the port, as long as a cornfield, and as high as a mountain. He was astonished by the force and majesty of it, must certainly be, one of those great ships that travel from the other side of the ocean.

As the both men sips from their glasses, a crowd of thirsty men came scandalously into the tavern. They seemed to be arriving from a deserted island and rum was their ship. Between loud noises a high voice rose beside them, accompanied for a firm steps that opened the crowd in two. A beautiful blonde was ahead to the bar while the rest of the men fell silent at her walk. She was tiny, with sinuous curves and lush breasts. Her little nose protruded from a pair of small glasses and her shiny mane fell from her shoulders under a large hat.

Howard reached with his drink as he beckoned to his friend to look at her, he was absolutely absorbed in his thoughts until the door opened again and a tall man entered to the tavern, blocking his view and calling his curiosity. He didn't look like a typical sailor, not an officer either, but at the same time, he seemed to know what he was doing pretty well.

- "Leonard, have you seen her? Wow, I need to go and talk to her". Howard says, as he drank the rest of his drink in one gulp.

- "Howard, what are you saying? Remember that we are here to find a ship to enroll it, not looking for a pickup, and I think this man is what we are looking for". He says pointing to the tall man that was walking around the tavern.

- "Ok, you go for him and I'll go for her". Howard said with a wink, as he approached the young woman.

- "Howard …" Leonard protested, but his friend had already left the table, leaving him alone.

Howard approached the young woman slowly, she was so beautiful that he had to swallow. Up close, her beautiful blue eyes were intense and enigmatic. Howard took air and caught her attention with a smile.

- "When you go to the beach, don´t lie in the sand or you can be confused with a beautiful mermaid" He said as he took her hand and kissed her. "Enchantée, Howard Wolowitz".

- "Howard, you said? Thank you for the compliment, but if I go to a beach it will be on my boat, I'm Captain Bernadette, and these are my crew" She said, pointing at the dozen of men around her, looking at Howard like a chicken to carve. "And now, I think you'd better go before any conflicts, this men come from a long trip and deserve a few drinks before depart again, don't you think so?".

Howard nodded to her as he took the hat off his head, he turned and walked to the table where Leonard was not having a good time either. That woman was all fire, her manner of speaking, of placing her beautiful hands on her waist ... Howard sigh deeply, if he has only a few days with her, he surely could gain her, he thought.

- "Very well, Mr Hofstadter, let's see if you know as much as you say. What am I referring to with the backbone of the ship's skeleton?". Sheldon ask him, raising his eyebrow, hoping that, this young man would be one of those drunks men who think they are sailors for smelling bad and have a tattoo of a mermaid on their arm.

- "To the keel, of course". Leonard says without hesitation.

- "Alright, and what's the fin?"

- "It´s the side where the sleeve is decreasing to close and form the stern of the ship. There are two, starboard and port, and before you ask me, starboard is the right side and port is the left one".

- "Ok, and what about the hull?".

- "It is the submerged part of the ship" Leonard answered but before leave Sheldon time to reply, "Look, Mr Cooper, I know that you will see a lot of people here, claiming to be sailors, and they will waste your time, but my friend Howard and I have been our whole life on the sea, we know what to do and we have dealt with storms, typhoons and the highest waves you have seen. We will do what is necessary and you will not have any complaint, sir". Leonard confessed.

- "Very well", Sheldon said, closing his notebook "In one hour on the ship, bring low luggage, you'll start cleaning and doing what the rest of the crew doesn't want to". Sheldon said as he turned around, "And don't be late, the captain hates that". He added, as he left the tavern with the young and silent man who was watching the whole conversation behind them.

Howard approached to Leonard intrigued, "And? We get the job?"

- "Yes, we have it" He says happily. "And you?, Did you talk to the woman?"

- "Yeah, but he's not my type". Howard lied, "It's not like I'm going to see her again, right?".

The scream of seagulls wakes Amy from her light sleep, she raises her head to look through the round hole. It was already dark outside and she could see the lights from the island not far away. Her heart began to beat faster for excitement, she can finally leave this terrible smelling nutshell. After 10 days in fear that someone could caught her, every minute seems like an eternity, and a few hours out, taking some fresh air and without the constantly sway, would be good for her stomach and her mind.

Several minutes later, the ship arrived at the harbor of the skull island, and Amy waited patiently that the crew leave the ship. In silence, she walked to the wooden stairs that will lead her to fresh air. She looked around, and she couldn't see anyone, so she decided to run quickly to the bridge between the ship and the mainland. Her heart was pumping so hard, that she could heard it in her ears as she run from the ship.

After some minutes of running, Amy reached to a quiet place behind a well, she take in a long and needed breath and some tears streamed down her cheeks. The nerves and uncertainties fell for her shoulders as the happiness invade her heart. Finally she can feel the real ground under her feet, and the fresh air in her lungs. As she tried to calm down and drink some water from the well, she heard some voices than a talk behind a palm tree.

- "Rajesh, which is the next destination? I want to leave this awful place as soon as possible. The people here smell like my aunt Gladys, and you knew my aunt Gladys". Sheldon´s eyebrows got up, looking at his friend.

- "Please sir, don't remind me about your aunt Gladys, she dress me one time and that was enough, I looked like a clown for weeks". Rajesh explain and Sheldon began to chuckle.

- "Oh yes, that was funny, and now tell me about the next stop".

Rajesh looked in his notes as he pulled out a piece of char out from behind his ear. "As the captain directed, she needs to visit monkey island to talk to some guy how know about some rumors there".

- "This woman, always the same, nothing concrete, all second and third conversations and rumors without foundation". Sheldon said, as he crossed his arms in exasperation. "Let's go back to the ship, the sooner we are there, the sooner we could leave".

And with a nod, both young men walked along the harbor, and their voices moved away with them until Amy couldn't hear the conversation anymore. Her eyes were wide as she processed what she had heard. "They said monkey island, I know that place" She started to babble. "Dad mentioned that island in one of his letters". She pulled out one of the papers she keep in her bad and she searched for the correct one. "I need to be on this ship". She rose up from the floor and follow them slowly.

Sheldon and Raj enter to the bridge of the ship, and Amy gazed around a corner to see which ship it was. She didn't saw the two men very well in the darkness, but as the taller man walked straight to the steering wheel, she was deep lost in her thoughts about such a handsome human being. He was tall and slender, his figure straight and well positioned and gentleman walks. Anyone could confuse him with a member of the high society. His hair was dark and combed. From so far, she couldn't tell, but she was sure that was not beard or mustache on him.

Amy shook her head to clear her mind, now it was not the time to think about men. She walked closer to the ship, and hide her body behind the logs, where the ships are moored. She reached the bridge to the ship and looked in all directions to be sure that no one could see her. In a silent moment, where the wind changed and the canvas makes a loud noise, she start to run over the bridge onto the ship, she climbed over some boxes and finally reaches the stairs to the under deck.

After some fearful moments, without knowing if someone saw her acrobatic run, she leaned against the wooden wall to calm her breathing. Her head rose up to the ceiling, feeling how some footsteps get close to her. The only escape was the half-full potato barrel she saw not far away from her. In quick move, she climbed into the barrel and pulled the lid over her head. Hopefully, no one would see her, she thought, as her heart starts for the third time on this evening to hammer against her chest. When her heart began to calm down, Amy heard shouts from outside, a high-pitched woman's voice and loud through the ceiling.

- "Captain, I'm sorry, but this is not enough food for the travel to Monkey island. If, and only, if the wind is favorable we will arrive in 8 days at least, according to what I saw, we have supplies for 6 days, and without taking into account that and we have two new crew members on board now. We need to buy more food!".

- "Mr. Cooper, I told you no, we won't buy more food, our crew should economize what we have. I'm tired of your complaints, I'm the captain and what I say is what you do. That´s my last word".

- "But…". Sheldon started to say but the glacial gaze of Bernadette made him keep his words.

- "There are no more buts, Mr. Cooper, and now, go into the storage and count every single potato there, I don't want to see your face in the rest of the day, are we clear?".

- "Yes, ma'am". Sheldon said as he turns around into Rajesh´s direction, who was standing in silence the whole time. He looked confused as Sheldon took the notebook from his hands and walked at a steady pace to the stairs, down to the storage.

- "She is pure fire, I like it". Howard muttered to Leonard. Both men were standing with wide eyes. They had seen the scene uncomfortable by the situation, all this was new for them, and they did not know the relation of the captain with the members of the crew and see a woman commanding, it was, new and exciting.

Bernadette turned to them, "And you two, what? Is there nothing to do here? Back to work, loafers!" She ordered, while angry, heading for her cabin and slamming the door behind her.

Sheldon went downstairs, feeling his blood boil with rage, his feet stomped with rage and his mind would not stop. "Who She think she is? She will be the captain, but that does not entitle her to play with the life of the crew". Sheldon murmured.

"I knew better than she what should be done on this ship, she may be the captain's daughter, but I have spent my last 16 years in it, while the young lady played to be a princess, I cleaned the floor, sewed the nets and read and study everything about navigation. She should be the one to shut up". Sheldon vented, as he opened and checked the barrels, one by one, he inspected it and with each single one, he sighs of exasperation as his anger grew.

Amy knew he was going to catch her, there were only two more barrels left and that man didn't seem as the kind of person who would leave a job half-way. Her heart was beating in her ears and tears began to run down her cheeks.

His steps and murmurs were getting closer, she could almost feel the restless breathing of that man. The waves were hitting the boat, it was sailing. It was too late to escape, she was trapped, as a stowaway on a ship, in the ocean, with no escape and no plans. Amy covered her face, her mind and heart stopped as the light from the lid entered to the barrel, blinding her for a moment.

Her eyes were blinded by the light but little by little, something caught her gaze. They were the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Intense and deeply as the sea itself. It was as if a mirage, as a jug of water in the desert, or a piece of bread for a starving. Amy was speechless, hypnotized by those eyes and seeing as that man lips opened and his eyes captured her. She was trapped in them, they were her cell.

Thanks so much for reading, we hope you like the beginning of this new story. as as first chapter, we wanted to show you the characters involves. Don´t worry for Penny, we never would leave her out of this, don´t you think?.

Don´t forget to leave a review, even if if you think it´s silly, every word make us very, very happy! Next week new chapter!

Ana and Linda.