Fly The Black
Erice Ravenwing
Chapter 1: Arrival In Nassau
"Prepare to board Mr. Quake!" I yelled to my first Mate and quartermaster as we closed with an English Merchant Ship.
"You heard him you dogs ready the grapples!" Mr Quake ordered.
As our ship approached the broadside of the Merchant ship the Ship struck its colors and surrendered. My men gave a cheer as we grappled onto the enemy ship and pulled it closer. As we did the Merchantman's guns fired and raked our port side. And the Merchantman's Flag rose again.
"Damn it they're getting bolder have to do it the hard way." I said to myself. as both our ships came together.
"Captain we're taking on water if we're going to take this prize we best do it now." Said Hase as he came up from below decks.
"Bastards!" I cursed loudly as I drew my sword.
My ship was an eighteen gun sloop with a crew of sixty two many who were taken from Spanish slave ships bound for the colonies from Africa. We had been privateers like many and couldn't find another way of life when the war between England and Spain was over It left many ships and crews with nowhere else to turn but to go back to what they had done during the war. Except now we raided any prize we could take this was our first ship after finding our new freedom.
My crew and I rushed over the side and onto the Merchantman's deck and engaged the crew. I had one pistol and one shot. One merchant man charged me sword in over his head I shot him and clubbed another as he came. The battle on the deck lasted for a few minutes before the captain surrendered along with the crew we didn't kill. Them we held at gunpoint while my crew went through the ship to quell any resistance that hadn't gotten the word to surrender. Mr. Quake and I went to the captain's quarters to find the cargo manifest so we could see what exactly we were capturing.
By the time it was done with our own ship was sinking slowly we got what we could including our flag which flew at the back of the ship and transferred what cargo, and cannons we could before she finally vanished below the waves. Many of the crew of the merchant men joined us when they heard they would be put in a long boat and left to row to St. Augustine. Three men stayed with their captain and were put into the longboat while we sailed away.
"Mr. Quake set a course for Nassau." I ordered as I looked over the cargo manifest.
"Aye captain." Mr quake said and left immediately.
The cargo onboard was eight stacks of sugar cane, twelve bags of tobacco, and sixteen barrels of spices.
I surveyed my new cabin after getting board from staring at the manifest and laid down on the bed that was nailed to the deck so that it wouldn't slide as the ship rocked.
The day we sailed into the bay of Nassau. I looked at the other ships anchored in the bay, then at the beach which had several tents and shacks along. We lowered the boats and loaded cargo on board and rowed toward the beach.
"Mr. Quake find out who we sell this cargo to, and sell it I'm going to see about getting some tools to refit the ship with some new gunports and place as many of our twelve pounders as we can onto it and sell the others." I said as I stepped of the longboat onto the white beach.
Mr. Quake Nodded as I turned and began walking down the crowded street. hand on my sword hilt and ready to unsheathe it if I ran into trouble.
As I passed the brothel and the tavern a man called out to me.
I turned to see who it was and saw a man with short black hair, he also wore a dirty white coat black pants and black boots beside him a red haired woman who wore a dirty brown hat with one side up.
"You look like you're new here I welcome you to this pit of piss and drink Nassau." Said the man.
I rolled my eyes and continued to walked down the street.
"Oi I wasn't finished with you." Called the man behind me. "Don't you know it's rude to walk away when people are talking to you?"
I stopped and turned.
"I don't even know you mate so shove off." I said to the man.
As I turned to walk away again I bumped into a long brown hair man with a clean shaven face. The man shoved me to the ground and put his boot on my crotch and pressed down.
"I suggest you listen or I'll crush your testicles" Said the long haired man.
"Alright fine, what do you wan.." I began but was cut off as the man stepping on my crotch pressed down alittle. by this time nearly the entire street had stopped and watched the spectacle as it unfolded.
"I'm listening intently." I grunted.
"I'm Jack Rackham, this is Anne, and the man currently crushing your balls is Charles Vane, I recommend staying on his good side." Said Jack Rackham carefully.
"What do you want?" I asked aggravatedly.
"To welcome you to Nassau." Vane said releasing my balls from his foot.
Vane extended his hand and helped me up and laughed.
"Come let us buy you a drink old friend." Jack Rackham said happily.
"Some welcome you three damn I thought you were going to crush my balls mate." I said as I walked with them into the tavern.