Chapter 1
It was a dark, damp night in Scotland. A dark figure was walking toward a pirate's inn. He would have to be either very brave or just plain stupid to enter such a place. The strange man opened up the door into the inn. Inside there were people talking, drinking, and gambling. The man smiled shyly, took a deep breath and walked inside. Surreptitiously he walked over to the bar. He sat down on a stool and coughed to get the bartender's attention. The bartender turned around "Captain Kidd!" he hollered. Captain Kidd put his hand over the bartender's mouth "shut up" he hissed. The bartender looked down his black hair covering up his eyes. "Sorry. 'Tis a pleasure t' be seein' you again."
"Tell me.' ere be th' inn keeper?" asked Captain Kidd
"Have a drink I'll go look fer him."
"Thank ye." The bartender severed Captain Kidd his ale and went to go looking for the innkeeper at the captain's request. The innkeeper was a very large man, with a booming laugh, and loud voice. "Captain Kidd," the innkeeper bellowed, the captain just rolled his eyes. The innkeeper slapped Captain Kidd a little to hard and sent him stumbling forward. "Dreadfully sorry sir. Come you will come with me."
The room was small with a small bed and a chest at the foot of the bed. "I be havin' a question sir," said Captain Kidd.
"Ask a way William."
"Where be yer lass."
"First, you don't need to use your cockney accent with me and the family."
"You still haven't answered my question."
"She's washing dishes down stairs."
"Thank you sir."
William ran down stairs, through the tavern, and to the front of the kitchen door. He took a deep breath to relax himself, and knocked on the door. "Who's there?" called a motherly voice called from the other end of the door.
"An old friend." The door opened slowly and inside the door was a small woman with white hair. "William it's been too long,"
"I'm sorry Catherine, you and your husband look good."
"You look… rough,"
"I know I do. Where is Ivy?"
"I was waiting for you to ask that, come inside." William walked inside carefully; a sudden shyness enveloped him like a blanket. Once inside the kitchen the man's shyness evaporated as the smell of cooking wafted through the air. "Ivy come here," said her mother. "Coming" said a musical voice from around a corner.
From around the corner a small woman appeared. She was pretty, but nothing more. Her hair was bright red, and her eyes green. She wore a simple blue dress with a green bodice. Just by looking at her, you could see something else about her, she was different. She ran up a wrapped her arms around William's neck crying "William your back!" William was taken aback; he did not think this much his closest friend would miss him. She let go of William, and slapped him, all of a sudden, she was angry. "What was that for?"
"You left without saying good bye to me. I know it sounds childish but I'm angry."
"It isn't childish, I'm sorry for not saying good bye." Ivy smiled and thought, she closed her eyes and finally said "you are forgiven if…"
"If what I'll do anything," William said
"If you let me on you ship." William looked down in shame; he could not do this because of the pirates' code of conduct. "I'm sorry I forgot about the code, you don't have to show me your ship" said Ivy softly. William put his hand on her shoulder, he was tempted to pull her close to him but resisted. Instead, she pulled herself closer to him "I didn't mean to make you feel upset," whispered Ivy.
"I forgive you," he whispered back. Ivy pulled away "I have work to do." Ivy looked once more at William and disappeared around the corner. William just stood for a little longer and sighed. He turned around and went back into his room to sleep and get ready for the next day.
In the morning, Ivy came over to William's room to serve him his breakfast. She knocked on the door softly. "William." She knew better but she opened the wooden door. She looked around the room and it was as if he was never there. Ivy dropped the tray she was holding, spilling food and drink everywhere. She turned on her heel and ran out the door, and into the dirt path. She followed the path into town as she ran the whole town was in an uproar. She ran straight to the pier, she ran up to a ship called Adventure Galley. She ran up the deck and she tripped over a loose bored. She knew she was going to hurt herself, so she could not see what was going to happen she closed her eyes. Unexpectedly she felt two strong hands under both her arms and haul her up. She opened her eyes, and looked up. She looked into the smiling face of William, and she smiled herself. "I thought you left without saying goodbye, again," Ivy said somewhat softly. William began to chuckle "I need time to plan for my next journey." Ivy sighed with relief her worst fear was not realized. "People have started staring," whispered Ivy. William smiled slyly and said "Lets give them something to watch then."
Before Ivy could speak, William took her hand a bowed low. She batted her eyelashes as William kissed her hand. He put a strong hand around her waist, and lead her out of the crowd. When they were close to the inn Ivy ran ahead shouting behind her, "I'll race you." William quickly caught up to her but she stopped abruptly. In front of her stood a big man, with wild bloodshot eyes, and untamed black hair. The man was obviously drunk, but Ivy knew this man. He was the one who kept pinching her, whenever she walked by. "Hey William" shouted the man who's voice was slurred. William calmly said "Hello Quint. What do ye want?" Quint eyed Ivy carefully and an evil smirk spread like a grin across his face. "The lass" he said snarling. William looked shocked; he didn't think that Quint would ever want Ivy. "I canna let ye take Ivy." This just made the drunken man angry; he slammed William into a tree and took off with Ivy. William stood up after the wave of queasiness subsided; he got up and went to rescue Ivy for the second time today.
William already knew where Quint was going to keep Ivy. William walked into the room casually, telling everyone who asked him to sit and have a drink that he was tired. Walked into the kitchen and asked Catherine if she knew where Quint's room was. Quint was in room 206 just across the hall from Williams. He ran up to his room and three doors down was Quint's room. William tried to open the door but of course, Quint bolted it. William looked in his coat for something he could use. In one of the pockets, he carried with him a lot a small pistol. It was light, compact, and with a good eye, it shot straight and true. William loaded the gun and pointed it at the door, and hoped with all his heart that the bullet didn't hit Ivy. He pulled the trigger a loud explosion, followed a blast of wood chips flew through the air.
The blot on the door weakened enough for William to kick down the door. When the door flew open, he heard a scream from inside the room. William re-loaded his gun and aimed it at Quint. "let th' lass' go," William said in a low voice. Quint let go of Ivy, and she ran toward William. "Well look at this…" Quint passed out on the ground before he could finish his sentence. William looked over at Ivy, "are you alright?" he asked. She looked pale, and then he looked down her body to see it there was any blood. On her arm was a huge gash that was bleeding heavily. William grabbed her by the hand of her good arm and tried to drag her down to the kitchen, but she was weak, and she stumbled quite a lot. Until finally she fainted, William picked her up gently and ran down the hall into the kitchen.
He burst through the door of the kitchen. Caroline asked what was going on, when Caroline rounded the corner and saw her daughter's body and blood spilling out of her arm she almost fainted herself but she kept calm. She nodded at William, and they worked together stitching up Ivy's arm, and did their best to prevent infections. William carried the passed out girl to her room, he pushed a lock of red hair out of the girl's face and left to go get something to eat for himself.