A/N: Hi everyone! This is a little something that has been floating around in my head for a while and just wouldn't go away. So here it is.
The time is 1750, and piracy is on the wane. However, a certain female country named Bermuda won't let that happen without a fight. She's the daughter of Arthur Kirkland, and takes after him in her pirate ways. She has a fondness for tea but a hatred of scones and Cuba. She ignores anything America says and uses Canada like a shield. She's devious and wicked – and the sea runs through her veins. She's a gypsy, that's for sure. You'll never find Bermuda in the same place twice.
.oOo.
You walk through the market, your (h/c) hair swinging in the strong ocean breeze. As far as markets go, yours was one of the best, a small area covered in colorful fabrics and the smell of sweet spices drifting on the ocean breeze.
You stop to admire a pretty piece of fabric, one that could perhaps be turned into a dress for you. I wonder… do I have enough money to get this? It would look simply amazing with a tight blue corset and matching shoes. You think, taking the fabric between two of your fingers to test for quality.
Unsatisfied, you move on to the next stall. This one is selling cheeses and salted meats for a reasonable price, and you hand out a fivepence for a wedge of cheese and ten slices of salt pork. This you put into your basket, intent on finishing your shopping while in port.
You live outside of town, in a decent-sized mansion that once belonged to a French gentleman before he married your older sister. Now they live in France, and the mansion was transferred to your family's name. Just thinking about your older sister put a lump of tears in your throat; she was forced into an arranged marriage and hated her husband.
Shaking your head as you nearly bumped into another stall, you turned a sheepish (e/c) gaze to the vendor and started to brows his wares. He was a blacksmith, you could tell that right away. If his stock didn't convince you, one look at the strapping young man would have you know what his trade is.
"Excuse me, miss? Have we met before? You look very familiar…." He said, his deep voice making you jump.
"Huh? Oh, sorry. My name is _." You reply, blushing. You didn't get very much male attention that your parents deemed suitable for you, and they would certainly have a fit if they knew you were talking to the blacksmiths' boy right now.
"_? Wait! Did you by any chance go to Miss Hattie's School for Young Children?" he asked, his blue eyes alight with excitement. You felt the blood rise to your cheeks, and you realized that this was way to inappropriate for an eligible lady of your status.
"Yes-i-did-but I-really-have-to-go-now so-bye!" you said hurriedly, picking up your basket. In your haste you accidentally knock a finely-shaped dagger off of the table.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry!" you breath, bending to pick it up. You blow on it to clean off the dust, and you notice that the blacksmith's son stares at your lips while you do it. Feeling really embarrassed now, you hastily give back the dagger.
"Here." You say as you hand it to him, turning to leave. As you do, he reaches out to grab your arm and you jump again.
"Wait, _. Will you come see me tonight? In the old apple orchard? I promise I'll be a perfect gentleman." He said. You bit your lip. It was improper and horrible, and yet… you wanted to accept his offer.
"Well, my mother wouldn't let me and my father would lock me away if he found out….. I'll come." You say, the first thrill of adrenaline shooting up your spine. At that very moment, you felt the oddest urge to kiss him, but the moment passed and you gingerly stepped out of his reach.
.oOo.
Suddenly, a commotion broke the normal calmness of your tiny island port.
"Pirates!" someone screamed, and then it all went to hell.
Your (e/c) eyes widened as the screamer fell, a knife sticking up from her back. A surge of people rushed towards you, pushing you down in their haste to get away. Someone kicked you in the ribs, another book connected with your face as you were literally trampled beneath them.
The kick to the ribs had knocked the wind out of you, and you struggled to get enough air into your lungs. Your vision started to flicker at the edges, whether from the pain or lack of oxygen you didn't know. You could taste blood, the sourness of it pooling in your mouth and dribbling down your chin in a crimson line.
The market was burning, people screaming and running everywhere. Some fell like matchsticks when they tried to pursue the shadowy figures ransacking the port. As you watched, your younger brother ran towards a tall pirate, knife clenched in his hand.
"Alex! NO!" You scream, but to no avail.
You try to stumble to your feet, but your knees give out on you and you watch, horrified, as your brother is cut down as easily as the rest.
"Alex…" You whimper, crawling forward on your stomach until you reach his outstretched, bloodied fingers.
He's barely recognizable, with the blood-soaked hair and gaping wound in his chest.
"Not you, not you. Can't be you." You chant, pulling him into your lap.
He's already dead, but you cry anyway, grieving for the one thing that was yours to protect. You lay there, in the muddy, churned up ground as the port burns a sunset livery into the dark evening sky, holding the broken body of your brother.
.oOo.
It was late, so late, and yet it was bright. You woke with a start, in a wooden place you didn't recognize.
"Good morning, sleepyhead. Or is it night?" you heard a voice say in a sultry accent you couldn't place.
The world seemed blurred, and when you tried to focus on something your head pounded viciously.
"Lie down, sweet thing. Get some rest. I'll be back in a few moments." She crooned, patting down your hair.
So you complied, turning over onto your back and wrapping your (s/c) arms around your head to block out the annoying lights. The last thing you remember is screaming, you screaming as you were wrenched from your brother's grasp and brought to an enormous ship. Then you remembered why you fainted.
It was a pirate ship.
A/N: Yay! First chapter! Please R&R if you liked it! Comments, critiques, and questions are always accepted ^.^ Chapter 2 will hopefully be up next Monday, but no promises!