A pirate's life for me

Prologue

Newport, Rhode Island 1660

Newport was aflame.

He was bleeding from a sword wound in his right arm as he made his way to the dirty, cobbled streets of the flaming city. The captain could hear the cries and swears of the guards who tried to put out the fire before it reached the town and above all, the Governor's mansion. But it wouldn't get that far. The captain would make sure that he reached the mansion first and get what he wanted. He had come too far to step back now.

He had ordered the crew of his ship, the Blackjack, to cause the necessary distraction he needed to break in Governor Chase's manor, but he knew he had to hurry. The captain broke into a run when he heard the sound of men approaching. He could easily kill them, even with a wounded arm, but time was not something he could currently spend. Swearing heavily, the captain climbed on top of an old, abandoned warehouse using his good arm to haul himself up. The smoke made his eyes burn and tears trickle down his face, making him breathless and half-blind. He deftly run up the roof, years of practicing walking the ship's masts finally paying off. From up there, he could see the entire half of the city in flames and near the port, fighting had broken between his men and the city guards. The captain gritted his teeth and begun to run faster; he wanted to finish this before anyone from his crew got hurt or worse, killed. The moonlight casted shadows in the burning city, making it even more difficult for him to see. But as the captain drew near the city gates, there was one building he could not have possibly missed.

The Chase manor was a magnificent building, equal to the man who owned it. Governor Frederick Chase was one of the most wealthy and influential men in the world. And the captain had come to steal the thing he treasured the most. As he jumped down and rolled behind some old wooden boxes, he surveyed the area. A large garden surrounded the mansion, which shone silver in the moonlight. He could spot many guards patrolling, clearly ordered not to help with the fire and the pirate's attack. Obviously, the governor's life is much more important than the lives of the people in the city, thought the captain bitterly. He drew his cutlass slowly, waiting patiently for the right time. His heart beat loudly in his ears as he tried to steady his breathing. When he heard a pair of guards approaching, he jumped outside his hiding place and stabbed the first one in the chest. As the other guard opened his mouth to cry out, the captain shoved his fist in his throat, effectively cutting him off. He sliced his throat swiftly, feeling a stub of guilt as he saw the fear in the man's eyes. The captain did not enjoy killing, but he would never endanger his quest by sparing the lives of the two guards. He shoved the corpses in an alley; he reckoned that would give him ten minutes ahead of the other guards. The captain quickly threw a rope with a hook attached on it on the wall. He climbed silently, running immediately when his feet connected with the ground.

The mansion's garden was filled with beautiful flowers and statues depicting ancient Greek gods. The captain followed a neat path leading behind the mansion, towards the servant's room. He knew that most of the stuff would be out helping with the fore but they were bound to be some of them inside, to tend the needs of the Governor and his family. More specifically, the Governor's only family, his daughter Annabeth. The captain cut the lock easily, letting himself in. He made his way through the kitchen, careful not to step on any of the abandoned vessel. His leather boots almost made no noise as the captain walked the dark halls of the mansion. When he saw the light of a candle flickering in the end of the corridor, he quickly turned to another one, which led him to the mansion's main hall. The captain reckoned that the Governor would have kept the treasure locked in his private chambers so he made his way upstairs, the rich, red carpet drowning his footsteps.

He spotted it immediately; the big wooden sliding door with the Governor's sigil, a falcon, wasn't even closed. The captain listened carefully, but the only noise he heard was the distinct murmur of the servants below. He entered the chamber silently, looking around frantically. As he did so, he clearly heard the cries of the guards outside the mansion; they had found the bodies. Knowing that he did not have a minute to lose, the captain began searching wildly, pulling out the drawers from the desk, tossing papers aside, even ripping apart the sheets.

As he leaned to check below the bed, he spotted it; a big wooden chest hidden cleverly in a nook in the wall. Smiling, the captain sat up and grabbed the chest out, smashing the lock with his cutlass. Inside was…

Nothing.

The captain stared blankly at the chest's dusty bottom for a moment. He could not believe his eyes. There was nothing inside the chest.

"Father?"

Reacting immediately, the captain turned around and pointed his cutlass at the owner of the voice. In his disbelief, he found himself staring at a girl about his age with tousled blonde hair, wearing a white sleeping dress and holding a lamp in front of her. Before she understood who he was, the captain quickly grabbed her by the neck and shoved her in the door, closing it completely. The girl made a protesting sound, her hands clawing at his own. The captain pressed her harder against the door.

"Scream and I will kill you" He growled, staring at her right in the eyes. "Who are you?"

The girl took a deep breath as he slowly released his hands from her mouth. Her grey eyes shone defiantly and that surprised him; she did not seem the least bit scared. "I am Governor Chase's daughter, Annabeth Chase." She said, with only the slightest tremor in her voice.

"Where is your father, Annabeth Chase? And where is the treasure inside the…" He nodded towards the chest, still holding her tight.

The girl smirked. "My Father knew that someone was after him. So, he has left a week ago, carrying the chest's contents with him. He said no one will ever find him and get it from him" She was actually smiling, the captain noted with disdain. His mind was working overdrive; the guards would be there in a few minutes and he had no chest, no Governor and above all, he was stuck with a cocky girl, ready to hand him in to the guards.

"Oh, Miss Chase" He said with a smile of his own. To his extreme satisfaction he noticed that the girl's smirk had wiped off at the sight of his expression. He placed the cutlass carefully on her neck. "Your father was wrong to leave"

"He left to protect me!" She whispered, not daring to move. "I swear I don't what's in there!"

"But did he really think that by leaving he was protecting you?" The captain said, leaning closer to her ear. "By the mightiest pirate of all times?'

The girl looked at him with disbelief. Her eyes flickered to the cut in the side of his neck and then back at his face; he saw the flicker of recognition at her grey eyes.

"You are Perseus Jackson" She whispered.

The captain pulled her forcefully from the wall and swiftly gagged her, using his headband. Annabeth started to scream but the sound was muffled. The captain kicked the window open and started climbing down, clutching her by the waist.

"Aye, I am" He laughed in her ear as he carried her through the alleys of Newport. "And you are coming with me"

A/N I hope you enjoyed this. I will update as soon as I can but PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS AND FOLLOW!Also, if you like more pjo stories, please check out my other story Beautiful Disaster.