NN: This fanfiction is based off of an RP my friends and I have been working on. Therefore, it is co-written by my friends, who are DragonicWarriorKing, BlackWingedAngel, Loki, Linx and Arrobane. I took the posts, compiled them into one file, cut, editied, jazzed-up and beta'd it, then sent it to them for approval before posting it here. I also added some chapters, plot-twists and side-stories that were not explained in the RP as to better help the readers on understand the situations at hand. I regret to inform that there will not be an appearance from Jack, Elizabeth or Will, but some other side-characters and villains will be familiar to you!
Summary: (Pre CotBP) Follow the lives of 6 pirates and their crews, ships, adventures and mis-adventures. Expect some familiar faces and lots of new ones.
Disclaimer: I don't own POTC or any of its characters or components. I do own my OC, and my friends own their respective OCs.
The Pirate Chronicles
Ch. 1
Hide and Seek
Sylvia awoke to the sounds of her fellow shipmates yelling at each other over the sound of the roaring waves. She rolled off of her futon and hit the damp wood with a 'thud', standing and brushing herself off. She'd been on this ship, Poseidon's Dame, or 'The Dame', as her captain so lovingly called her, for just over a week. The Dame was a massive galleon, with gleaming white sails and a deep brown-wood finish.
The captain, on the other hand, was not such a beautiful sight. At a ripe thirty-nine, Captain Benjamin Diggs held more scars than any man Sylvia had ever met. He was missing his left eye, yet refused to wear a patch, which left the raw scar tissue visible. His right knee could no longer bend, so he walked with a stiff limp. A few of his back teeth were gone due to decay, and yet he still managed to think himself an attractive man. He stood six-foot-one-inches tall, a massive and muscular two-hundred-twenty pounds. It was no wonder that he was a pirate.
The crew itself was a quirky bunch, rounded up from the far reaches of the Caribbean and thrown together on a single deck. Yet, they all worked together with the harmony of an orchestra.
In truth, Sylvia was lucky to even be on the ship. Everyone 'knew' that a woman aboard a ship was bad luck. But that was until a rumor spread about the sirens dragging male-run ships to Davy Jones' Locker, and suddenly, a woman on a ship was a staple. She just happened to find a ship willing to take her.
Despite Captain Diggs' and the crew's not-so-subtle advances, Sylvia held her own and stuck it out. They learned very quickly that her temper was as fiery as the color of her hair, and her forked tounge rivalled that of any serpent. And they also learned why she was aboard;
To find her boyfriend, who just so happened to be a pirate.
Captain Joseph Sligh was standing on the bow of his ship, the Crimson Hunter. He sighed as he adjusted his face mask, the thing was always bloody uncomfortable. Looking out to the sea, he only had one thing on his mind, his dearly beloved Sylvia. Joseph was a handsome man, twenty-three years old and standing six-foot-two. He had a toned build, with medium-length brown hair and blue eyes. He was never short of offers from the ladies, but only one so far had taken his fancy.
"Sylvia..." He said longingly. Every time he went on raids with his crew, he got quite lonely. His plan was to get as much gold as he could, and then leave piracy to settle down with Sylvia.
He saw an island in the distance, their newest raid target. Turning around, he walked to the helm. He stopped alongside the ships navigator, Jason Verdal. "Steady as she goes, Jason. This island seems well populated."
"Aye sir!" Jason nodded. He was a younger man, a boy, even, with long, blonde hair, green eyes and an eager smile. His figure was slimmer than that of the captain's, but he could still hold his own in a duel. He had a sort of boyish air about him, but he did at times give good advice.
Joseph walked down the nearby steps, and opened the door to his quarters. Closing the door behind him, he sat down on a fancy chair. He reached inside of his shirt and pulled out a golden heart shaped locket. Opening it, he smiled, it was a small lock of red hair, belonging to Sylvia.
Sylvia headed up to the deck with her usual uneasy stagger. She'd been on the sea for over a week, yet she still hadn't been able to find her footing as easily as she'd hoped. Not to mention that she was most definitely not a morning person. She was rather tall for a woman in her day, standing at five-feet-ten-inches at the age of twenty-two. She had long, flaming red hair, which she had tied in a high ponytail at the moment, and green eyes, both in stark contrast to her pale skin. She had a slim figure, but not extraordinarily curvy.
She trudged up the stairs, only to have to duck under a large rope being thrown from one sailor to another. Scowling, she shouted,"'Ey! Watch it, boys!"
"Sorry Sylvia." Muttered one of the crew, the youngest, and the first mate, Stephen Kingston. A boy orphaned at a young age, he was taken in by Captain Diggs some time ago. He was now a strapping young lad with a dark tan, a strong build and short, blond hair. He was the more gentlemanly of the group, but there were still times when Sylvia felt like slapping him. "Sleep well, love?"
"How well could I possibly sleep with you damned hooligans shouting all night! And I won't even mention how rough the seas are-"
"Glad to hear you're havin' a good time, Sylvie." Said a deep voice from behind the woman.
Sylvia turned, smiling. "G' morning, Captain."
"'Tis indeed." He said, chuckling. "We'll be comin' to port in Tortuga soon, hopefully that'll find you a lead...and us as well."
"Yes, of course." Sylvia muttered. The captain had explained to her before his plan of finding some ancient treasure. She hadn't really paid much attention to the story, as it sounded like hogwash to her.
"Land ho off the starboard bow, Captain!" Shouted the navigator from atop the sails.
"Excellent, set course for the port immediately, boys, hop to it!" The captain ordered, and the work ethic upon the deck increased at least ten-fold.
Sylvia headed over to the starboard side of the bow and looked out to the island before her. "Soon, Joseph, soon."
The Crimson Hunter was nearing the towns docks as Joseph addressed his crew. "All right men. Take anythin' of value that ye find and kill anyone who gets in your way!" He shouted, his crew cheered loudly. "Remember," He continued. "Take what ya can!" The crew jumped in, "Give nothin' back!"
When they docked, the crew immediately jumped onto land. Joseph looked on from the deck as his crew ran into the town, doing anything they could to get valuables.
After several trips the crew had returned, and the village had several burning buildings. Joseph smiled brightly, his crew had gathered several hundred pounds, along with valuable trinkets.
Joseph began to congratulate his crew. "Excellent job mates! Another raid like this and we can truly be feared!" The crew cheered loudly as he continued. "Time to shove off! Raise anchor! Release the sails!" The crew bumbled around to take care of this, and then the Crimson Hunter left the island behind, the plumes still visible after several miles.
The Poseidon's Dame docked in Tortuga some time later, and the crew piled off.
"Enjoy yourselves, mates, we set sail tomorrow at noon." The captain shouted to them as they left. Sylvia sauntered past. She was not on a quest for a cheap whore and rum, as the men were. She instead was looking for information.
It originally started as a worry-worn maiden's search for her long-lost love that soon turned into a full-fledged man-hunt for a man who had lied to her. She was in Port Royal looking for a ship to board when she met Captain Diggs. She'd given him her reason for wanting to sail with him; to find her boyfriend, Joseph Sligh.
The captain had laughed, saying he had met Sligh some time before. That was when he informed Sylvia that her boyfriend was not a travelling merchant, as he had told her, but a pirate. She was shocked, to say the least, and in fact, did not believe the man at first. But after he told her a bit about piracy and about how they often lied to the women they met, Sylvia became infuriated and wanted even more to find him.
Sylvia headed into the town, scrunching her nose from the pungent smell of alcohol and under-bathed men. She began asking around, only reaching dead ends and useless tidbits of information.
Just as she was giving up and heading to the inn to rent a room and retire, a woman in a red dress with crimson hair called her over. She was wearing massive amounts of rouge, suggesting she was a prostitute. Another woman stood next to her, a young blond wearing a cream-and-gold dress.
Sylvia walked over to the two and eyed them warily.
"You was lookin' for a Joseph Sligh, we 'ear." The woman in red said.
Sylvia nodded. "Yes, do you know him?"
She suddenly got a sinking feeling in her stomach. A prostitute with information about her boyfriend...that was anything but comforting.
The blond interrupted her thoughts. "All we has to say is don't waste your time, luv. Months out at sea and he still wouldn't let either of us near 'im. Says he 'as a woman, right Scarlett?."
The woman in red nodded. "Giselle here is righ', darlin'. We told 'im that jus' 'cause he 'as a woman, doesn't mean he 'as to be faithful, but he wouldn't 'ear it. Sent us on our way."
Sylvia smiled. Apparently pirates were above cheating on their girlfriends. At least, Joseph was. "Do you know where he went? Did he say where he was going?"
"A raid 'ere, a raid there...he's just looking for goods an' dodging the British Royal Navy, y'know?" Scarlett said. Giselle added, "You'd 'ave better luck at the docks if you want specifics."
"Thank you very much." Sylvia replied, dashing away to the docks.
"That's an odd girl...innit, Scarlett?" Giselle asked her friend. Scarlett nodded.
Joseph was in his quarters, sampling some of the wine that his men had brought onboard. "Hm, definetly an interesting taste, this one." He said as he sipped from his glass.
Several minutes later, he appeared on deck. He walked up to Jason. "We're out in the edges of Carribean civilization now." He said, looking out to the horizon. Spotting an island, he pointed to it. "That's Isla Cruces, I believe."
Jason nodded, "That it is, Cap'n. Not a soul on that island anymore." He said.
Joseph sighed, "How long until we reach the next inhabited island, Jason?"
Jason thought for a moment as he kept the ship steady. "I'd say nightfall, Cap'n."
Joseph's spirits seemed to lighten. "Very good then, keep the current pace. If anyone sees a Navy vessel, you are allowed to enter my quarters." He said, turning around and walking back into his quarters.
Jason replied as his commanding officer turned. "Yes Cap'n."
Sylvia walked along the docks, the sound of the rocking ships eerie in the darkness. She paced the damp wood, a cool breeze playing with her hair. There was no one in sight.
"Can I help you, miss?" Said a small, foreignly accented voice. Sylvia jumped in fright, turning to see a young African boy smiling up at her, holding a booklet and an oil lamp.
"Uh...um...I was wondering if you could tell me if you saw a man by the name of Joseph Sligh recently." She replied.
The boy frowned. "It would be easier if you told me his ship's name."
"Um..." Sylvia thought. Joseph had told her the name of his ship was the 'Crimson Voyager', but he could have been lying. "The Crimson Voyager, I think."
The boy sat down, setting down his lamp. He rifled through his booklet. "There was a 'Crimson Hunter' that came in a few days ago. Captain was Joseph Sligh."
Sylvia's heart fluttered. She had a lead. "Where did he say he was going?"
"I remember him, now. He was kind; gave me extra gold. He said he was heading to the edge of the Caribbean and back."
"You mean around the Isla Cruces area?" Sylvia asked. She didn't know much about pirating, but she knew about her geography.
The boy nodded. "He's probably there by now."
"Thank you so much." She said with a smile, tossing the boy a gold coin and heading back to the Dame. She had to inform the Captain of her discovery.
Joseph was laying in his bed, still in his quarters. He started talking to himself, something he did often in order to consider his options. "It's been too quiet lately...Norrington must be planning a large assault in order to take us out. The bloody fool's been following me for the last three years. He won't rest until I'm in the noose."
He sat up. "I'll have to be quite careful. Knowing Captain Norrington, he's got at least two ships to his command." He continued, rubbing his chin in thought. "If I play my hand right, I could have two other ships for myself."
He smiled, thinking up an intricate plan to get both ships with as few casualties as possible. His own crew numbered around 35 men. The last time he encountered Norrington, he had 50 men behind him.
"All right," He said to himself. "If we disable the cannon's on one side with our own cannons, the ship will have no choice but to surrender. If I kill Norrington right there, his men will be completely helpless. We could pick them off at our leisure...or...yes...hostages for money, how perfect!"
Sylvia banged on the Captain's door, too excited to contemplate the fact that he might be sleeping. He must not have been, however, because he answered his door right away.
"What in the name of Davy Jones' Locker could any of you scoundrels want at this hour-oh, Sylvia." Captain Diggs stopped mid-tantrum, wagging his eyebrows. "What might you want at this fine hour?"
"I know where he's headed, I need to know if you have a course set for Isla Cruces." She blurted out, ignoring the lecherous look in the Captain's eyes.
His brow furrowed. "'Fraid not that island in particular, lass. We'll be sailin' awfully close, though."
Sylvia practically jumped for joy. "Perfect. Thank you very much, Captain! I'll see you in the morning!"
She waved and exited, heading back to the inn for a good night's sleep. For the next morning, she would be headed straight to where Joseph had headed.
For the moment, the Crimson Hunter's atmosphere was one of tiredness. As it got closer to its next target, the atmosphere grew into one of anticipation and excitement.
Joseph stepped onto the deck of the Hunter to look at the town when they got close enough. "Certainly seems very high class. We can make a killing here." He said, smiling.
As they docked, Joseph addressed the crew like he did before. His crew cheered as they left the ship in order to pillage the town.
About an hour and a half after the raid began, it was over. The crew had returned with even more pounds than they had in the earlier raid, along with many golden items.
As the sailed away from the island, Joseph looked around from the helm. He spoke, "We start the return to Tortuga. We hit any populated islands along the way."
Jason nodded, "Aye sir."
Morning came and Sylvia was counting the minutes until noon. She actually convinced the Captain to leave a half hour ahead of schedule. They were on their way, the crew mumbling about not getting enough rest.
"I can't believe you let the wench talk you into leaving early, Cap'n!" One of the crew complained.
"Well I can't believe you swine spent your evening with those whores instead of sleeping!" Sylvia retorted. "You know, no. I can believe that. Bloody pirates..."
"Aw, don't be cruel, Sylvia, darling." Stephen said as he hoisted one of the sails with the help of some of his mates. "I was alone last night, regrettably. No one quite suited my fancy..."
Sylvia rolled her eyes. "Save it, boy. You're not as chaste as you look."
Stephen frowned, continuing his work.
As the sun rose to its highest, the Crimson Hunter was docked at an abandoned island.
Joseph was pacing the deck of the Hunter alone, not a soul was there onboard the deck. Everyone else was allowed the chance to rest for some time.
Joseph took out the locket. "Sylvia...My love...I'll make you the happiest woman alive...Even if I have to pay the price for my actions." He said to no one.
Sylvia was pacing about the ship, fiddling with the necklace Joseph had given her some time ago. She wondered if he had killed someone for it...ripped it from a woman's neck as she bled from the wound he had inflicted her with...
She shook her head, purging the thought away. Joseph was a pirate...but that didn't make him heartless. Sighing she looked out to the sea. It was so vast...how could she possibly hope to find one man? She sighed and clutched the necklace. She would try. She had to try. She had to find him...no matter what.
After about an hour, Joseph got the crew to work again.
As the anchor was raised and the sails were released, Joseph was standing the helm, watching everything.
Their course was set for Tortuga, and the wind was with them. With all sails full they'd be there in about a day.
Sylvia was getting antsy again. The ship could not possibly go fast enough to quell the anxiousness she felt. It also wasn't helping that they were sailing against the wind today. She was still pacing the ship, bow to stern, then starboard to port, learning that her stagger was not so bad anymore. Her language was no longer so prim and proper, either. And not that she liked wearing dresses and corsets before, but she was rather liking her sea-faring attire.
"Oh God..." Sylvia muttered, stopping her pacing for a moment. "I'm becoming a pirate..."
The man in the crows nest suddenly shouted. "Cap'n! There's a Royal Navy vessel headed our way!"
Joseph groaned, "Bloody Hell..." He said, stepping to the bow to get a view. Sure enough, there was a ship with British and British Navy flags flying from its mast heading right at them.
Joseph called out, "GET ALL STARBOARD CANNONS READY TO FIRE! WE CAN'T LET THE NAVY GET US OFFGUARD!" His crew immediately went to the task. However, about half of them stayed on deck. Joseph didn't say to cross over to the opposing ship, but they knew he meant it.
On the deck of the Omega, Captain Norrington was smiling as he gazed upon his currently foremost adversary. "Joseph Sligh. You've got a due appointment with the gallows. It would be a shame for you to miss it." He said to himself, suddenly barking orders. "ARM ALL STARBOARD CANNONS NOW! BE PREPARED TO CROSS OVER TO THE HUNTER!" All the officers onboard got to work, half going below deck to man the cannons, the other half staying on deck to shoot from a distance.
Norrington unsheathed a sword at his side, "If you have the courage you're famous for, Sligh, you'll come straight to me."
The atmosphere was very tense as both ships began to sidle alongside one another.
When the guns on each side were lined up, both Joseph and Norrington shouted "FIRE!" at the same time.
Both sides fired their cannons at the same time, and when the balls collided, they exploded in midair. The smoke wafting between the two ships. Joseph called out, "Go across mates! Take no prisoners! Slaughter them all!"
The crew agreed soundly, and began to jump across by using the ropes around the ship.
Norrington called out, "Open fire!" His soldiers fired their muskets, hitting a few pirates through the smoke.
But they didn't expect pirates to come back through the smoke at them. As several pirates landed on deck, they stabbed their swords through the soldiers on the edge of the boat.
The soldiers retaliated by shooting at them, killing several, but more were coming over steadily. When Joseph got the news that the cannons were ready, he replied to fire immediately.
The cannons blasted, and took out most of the Naval ships cannons. Norrington grunted when he heard the news.
Joseph decided that they'd done just about enough, so he shouted to those who remained. "LET 'EM HAVE IT MEN! WE'VE GOT EM ON THE RUN!" They took this as a sign to show no mercy and kill all.
The rest of the pirates were on the deck of the Omega a few minutes later, killing everyone in their paths. Norrington was fighting several of them off alongside several soldiers.
Joseph grabbed a rope and swung over to the ship. As he landed, he unsheathed his sword. The part of the deck he landed on was clear of any resistance, so he immediately went over to the largest cluster of men.
He saw Norrington fighting alone amidst several dead bodies. He called out. "That's enough mates, take care of the others. Norrington belongs to me."
The pirates did as he said, and began to aid their comrades to take out even more soldiers. Norrington charged at Joseph, thrusting his sword forward. Joseph saw this coming and managed to parry the attack.
Norrington recoiled and attacked again, but Joseph blocked it again, holding them together. Joseph spoke, "I see your still as feisty as ever, Norrington."
Norrington replied, "And I see that you're still a pirate!" He broke the lock, and continued to attack. Joseph blocked again, attacking whenever he saw an opening.
Eventually they begin to tire out, Joseph knows it has to end soon. The two combatants locked blades for a second time, but Joseph's blade was underneath Norringtons.
Norrington started pressing down on the blade, in an attempt to force it out of Josephs hand. "You're appointment will be met, Mr. Sligh."
Joseph smirked, and with a loud grunt, he pulled his blade up, taking Norrington's blade with it. The blade landed behind Norrington, who turned to grab it.
By the time he turned around, Joseph had his sword pointed at his throat. "I'm afraid the gallows will have to wait, dear James." He said mockingly.
The Crimson Hunter had sailed off, leaving the Omega to burn freely in the open water. Norrington was being held in the brig at the moment, as the crew of the Hunter was celebrating another Naval dodge.
After the festivities had died down, Joseph had Norrington brought ondeck.
Norrington was thrown at Josephs feet. He looked up at Joseph. "Could you please show your crewmen some manners?" He asked.
Joseph laughed. "If I did, they wouldn't be good pirates."
Norrington stood up, his sword no longer at his side. "What do you intend to do with me?" He asked.
Joseph smirked, "Simple really, we're nearing a populated island right now. We're going to leave you afloat toward the island." He snapped his fingers, and two crewmen brought a sealed empty barrel against the side of the Hunter.
Joseph grabbed Norrington's neck and dragged him to the side of the ship. He held him over the side, "Do hold on, Norrington." He said, letting go a second after he'd finished, and the two crewmen dropped the barrel overboard.
Joseph called out, "All sails to full everyone! We can make Tortuga by nightfall!" The crew cheered, and they unfurled all the sails.
Sylvia had continued her pacing when she noticed the odd cloud formation off the port side of the ship. She ran up the stairs to the top deck and looked out to the sea and the clouds, squinting. Captain Diggs was at the helm, also eyeing the odd formation.
"Smithey, what in Poseidon's name is that!" He called up to his navigator.
Rodger Smithey gazed at the formation through his telescope from the crow's nest. "It's a ship, sir. Quite aways off. It's ablaze."
Sylvia's eyes widened, and she felt as if her heart had sunk into her stomach. "You've got to go to it!"
"Are you mad? That could be the Navy's work!" The Captain snapped back.
"Actually, sir..." Smithey called. "It's a British Royal Navy's ship."
Captain Diggs didn't even take a second to think. "SET COURSE FOR THAT SHIP, MEN!"
The crew scrambled to their feet, executing their orders.
Sylvia, not so much worried but still anxious, climbed the rope netting up to the crow's nest. Smithey looked surprised to see her, and was even more surprised when she snatched the telescope out of his hand and eyed the growing smoke cloud. It was farther away than she thought. She scanned the nearby waters for the ship that could have done such a thing, but there were none in sight.
They were long gone, along with her hope of another lead.
The crew of the Crimson Hunter were waiting leisurely for Tortuga to come into view, some were already getting drunk and partying.
Joseph was in his quarters, holding his new prize, Norrington's sword. "What a complete fool he was." He said to no one.
As Joseph had promised, the Crimson Hunter docked in Tortuga just as the sun had set.
Joseph himself never set foot in Tortuga anymore. He only stayed around the docks or on his ship, ever since some prostitutes made a move on him.
He was currently patrolling the Hunter's deck, singing an old sea shanty, "Fifteen men on a Dead Man's Chest...Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!...Drink and the Devil had done for the rest...Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!"
The Dame and her crew were nearing the flaming ship, which was now mostly sunk, and so Sylvia slid down the ropes, landing on the helm. She darted down the steps to the side of the ship, where the rest of the crew was gazing out at the piles of shattered wood floating around the massive wreckage.
"Who do you think could have done this?" Sylvia asked no one in particular.
"If I'm to be honest, it looks like the work of Sligh and his crew." Captain Diggs replied.
Sylvia's heart fluttered in her chest. "He must have been heading back to Tortuga when he was attacked. We have to turn around!"
"Are you mad, girl! We have a course set for the completely opposite direction, and I'm not changin' it to accomodate some love-sick wench." Diggs growled. "We've already gone out of our way to come here, and I'm not putting this off any longer!"
"Well I'm certainly not sitting idly by while you tote me around in the wrong direction!" Sylvia retorted.
"Then would you like to jump ship now or wait for the next port?" The Captain countered.
Syliva glared daggers at him before storming off in a huff, going to sit at the bow. She was never going to find Joseph at the rate she was going...
Joseph went into his private quarters to sleep for the night. The rest of the crew would return in the morning, and then they would shove off.
Before he went to bed, he took out his locket. "Sylvia..." He whispered, before falling asleep.
Sylvia sighed, fiddling with her necklace as she stared out to sea. She was seriously contemplating commandeering a dingy and rowing back to Tortuga...but that would be a fruitless suicide mission.
"Don't fret, love." Said a voice from behind her. She turned to see Stephen standing there with his cocky little smile in place. "Welcome to the life of a pirate...and a pirate's lover. It never works out the way you want it."
"Like you'd know." Sylvia scoffed.
"Well, I know what it's like to be a pirate. You're just guided by the wind, wanting nothing but freedom. Freedom from everything. Free from the government, free from family..." He leaned down and said with emphasis, "Free from love. A pirate's love is like the wind; fleeting. I've never met a pirate who settled down before dying."
Stephen stood and left, leaving Sylvia to contemplate his words.
When Joseph woke up, the Hunter was already sailing in open water. He walked out to the helm. "Jason, what's our heading?"
Jason replied, "Port Royal, sir. I remembered that you needed to take care of something there. So I got the crew back to the ship and we've been sailing since dawn."
Joseph was surprised, "Um...Thank you, Jason."
Jason looked to him. "No need to Cap'n. I hope you have luck with your lady friend."
Joseph smiled, "I will. But don't leave after I step off the boat. I maybe back sooner than expected. Just as a precaution."
Jason nodded, "Understood sir."
Sylvia was getting bored again, and being alone with the thoughts Stephen had implanted in her head was unnerving to say the least, so she headed back to the helm to stand behind the Captain as he set course for somewhere Sylvia had no desire to go.
"So...what exactly are you looking for out here?" She asked.
"There's an island just beyond Isla Cruces, lots of rich folk livin' out there." Diggs answered. "It'll leave us filthy rich."
Sylvia paused to think. "Did it ever occur to you that Joseph Sligh, ever the great pirate so I hear, was just coming from those islands?"
Captain Diggs stopped and blinked, his grip on the helm wavering. Suddenly, he cleared his throat and began barking orders. "TURN HER AROUND, MATES!"
The crew groaned, and Stephen spoke up. "You're not actually changing course to chase down that wench's lover-boy, are you?"
"There's no point; he'll have gotten away with all the goods." The Captain answered. "So yes, we are chasin' him, in a manner o' speakin'. We have to get to the goods elsewhere before he does, aye?"
"Aye!" The crew shouted back.
Sylvia smiled. A new hope for her quest had just dawned.
The Crimson Hunter, called for Josephs sake, the Crimson Voyager, docked in Port Royal several hours after Joseph woke up. He was in citizen attire, and his face mask was gone. Walking out of Port Royal was rather easy, since the people were so nice.
When he got to the outskirts of the town, he found some isolated houses. He stepped in front of the door of the nearest one, and knocked. "Sylvia? It's Joseph." He waited, but got no response. He knocked again, but still nothing.
Finally, someone answered the door. It was Sylvia's friend, Caroline. She jumped at the sight of the man. "Oh! Joseph, you're back!"
Joseph quirked an eyebrow. "Hello Caroline, where's Sylvia?"
"You may want to come inside and sit down...I'll explain everything." The woman replied, moving aside for him. Joseph stepped inside and sat down at the fireplace.
Caroline sat down across from him. "Sylvia was worried about you, you hadn't returned in so long. So...she went looking for you. She asked me to take care of the place while she was gone...but it gets worse! She wouldn't listen to me when I warned her! I told her that I was against it, that she could at least hire the British Royal Navy or go with the fishing vessels...but she went with pirates, Joseph! Bloody pirates!"
The man's eyes widened. "She what! Did she tell you who she went with? Which ship?"
Caroline furrowed her brow in thought. "Poseidon...something. I can't remember. Perhaps it would be prudent to wait for her to return-?"
Joseph immediately stood up. "I'm going after her. I know the ship she's on." He went to the door, and started to go back to Port Royal.
Caroline followed him to the door and called to him, "If she comes home, I'll keep her here and try to send word."
She wasn't sure if Joseph had heard her.
Having successfully gotten the ship turned around, Sylvia was in lighter spirits. She was walking about the deck, mingling with the crew, a spring in her step. She was getting closer to her goal. Stephen seemed to notice her mood and moved in to put a damper on it.
"He's not going to be happy that you chased him to the ends of the Caribbean and back just because you were worried. And finding out he was lying about being a pirate isn't going to help..." He teased.
Sylvia crossed her arms. "Joseph loves me."
"So much that he lied to you?" Stephen asked in a drawling tone.
"He'll get what's coming to him. But he does have a good heart...he probably just did it to shield me from such a life...though I'd prefer to be out there sailing with him than waiting for his return at home." She explained. "Besides, those women in Tortuga said that he was untouchable. He's been faithful."
"I wouldn't sleep with those filthy whores, either. Maybe they just weren't up to par for him." Stephen suggested.
"He always came home to me." Sylvia said with a glare.
"Except...this time. Why else would you have gone after him? How long was he gone? A month? Two? Three? Six? A year?" He let his words sink in before adding, "A pirate's love is like the wind; fleeting."
Sylvia narrowed her eyes, staring at the first mate with much hatred. "Your words are poison."
She turned and stormed off back to her bunk, throwing herself onto her bed. She felt like crying, but the tears just wouldn't come. Instead, she stared at the necklace she loved so much, thinking of the man she loved so much.
"Why, Joseph...why would you-?" She was unable to bring herself to finish the thought, she closed her eyes and sighed. "Soon, you can tell me yourself."
Sylvia nodded off, thinking about Joseph. She didn't care that it was morning; she hadn't slept all night and needed sleep. Thinking this, she crawled under her scant blanket and drifted off to the sounds of the creaking wood against the steady sea.
A few hours later, she awoke, making her way to the galley. She grabbed a small loaf of bread from the counter and, too lazy to sit down and eat, returned to the deck. The crew had finished just about all of their work and were moseying around.
Naturally, as soon as Sylvia surfaced on deck, Stephen moved in to bug her. Fortunately, however, Captain Diggs decided to relieve himself of his post at the helm and commanded that Kingston take his place. Grumbling, he trudged up the stairs to the helm. Diggs patted his shoulder and smirked, heading down the steps to oversee his ship.
The Crimson Hunter was already sailing past Tortuga, as Joseph had picked up a lead overnight. He was currently blowing off steam at the helm. "I can't believe she went after me like this!"
Jason spoke up, "Not to talk down to my superior, Cap'n, but maybe you should've stayed with her longer than you did."
Joseph sighed, "I know...I know...But I only needed a few more raids before I could make her so rich..."
His navigator spoke again. "Cap'n, if I may?"
Joseph nodded, "Go ahead, Jason."
Jason went on, "From what ye told me of Sylvia, she's not the kind of woman to find happiness in riches. She's only happy when you're with her."
Joseph thought about it for a minute, before smiling. "Thank you my old friend. I needed that."
Jason smiled, "Anytime, Cap'n."
Joseph spoke, "From what the slave boy told me, The Dame's headed for some islands near Isla Cruces. We'll have to search each one for the ship."
Jason nodded, "Aye Cap'n."
Captain Diggs had approached Sylvia, placing a mangled hand on her shoulder. "Ya got lucky, little missy. Yer boyfriend happened to beat us to the treasure, but don't expect me to go gallavantin' around in every direction o' every lead. Yer here by my graces only. And to ward away the sirens, savvy?"
Sylvia nodded, heading up to the helm to better view the open expanse of ocean. She ignored Stephen, but he would obviously not allow that.
"Sleep well, love?" He asked. "You might have slept better if I were with you."
He wagged his eyebrows at Sylvia, causing her to roll her eyes. "You really are full of yourself, Kingston."
"I have every reason to be. You, on the otherhand, are uptight and obsessed about your boyfriend." Stephen gave a sigh. "Did it ever occur to you that there are other fish in the sea? Or rather, other pirates in the Caribbean."
Sylvia scoffed. "Well, if all the fish are like you, I'd sooner take my chances with a Kraken."
"Touche', darling. But really, haven't you ever considered...branching out? Giving in to new experiences?" He smirked, giving a suggestive look.
"Not in your direction, Kingston. Not in your direction." Sylvia retorted, making her way up the ropes to the crow's nest. Smithey was nodding off, but awoke with a start when she jumped up to stand next to him.
"'Ello, Sylvie. Lovely weather, eh?" He said, smiling.
"I sense a storm coming." She said, glaring down at the helm.
Smithey scratched his head. "But, there ain't a cloud in th' sky."
"I know." Sylvia replied, still eyeing Stephen. "I know."
Joseph was still pacing when Kraven, the lookout, shouted suddenly. "Cap'n! I've spotted The Dame!"
Joseph immediately took notice. "What direction are they heading in?
Kraven went on, "Looks like they're sailing past us, sir."
Joseph looked at the speck in the distance. "Let all sails loose!" He shouted as the crew responded to that. With the sails at full sail, they were going as fast as they could. "I'm coming for you, Sylvia." Joseph said to himself.
A while had passed when Sylvia spotted a slight silhouette in the distance. At first, she thought it was an illusion, her imagination or an island, but then she looked closer. It looked like a ship. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she turned to Smithey. "What is that?"
Smithey looked through his telescope. "Looks like a ship. Headin' straight for us." He called down to the decks, "Eh, Cap'n, we 'ave a ship comin' for us!"
"Whose?" Diggs yelled back.
Rodger consulted his telescope. "Can't tell. I don't know these ship like the back o' me hand, but it doesn't look like the Navy!"
Sylvia snatched the telescope away. She had never seen Joseph's ship, so she had no way of knowing if it were his. She still felt a surge of hope, though, and slid down the ropes to the helm. "Let him catch us."
"If you honestly think I'm going to-" Stephen was cut off by the Captain.
"Let 'im catch us, Kingston." Diggs said sternly. A new light shone in his eyes, as if a brilliant idea had struck him. He went over to another of his crew members, Ewing, and whispered something. The man nodded and snickered, striding up to the helm. Sylvia's brow furrowed in confusion, but she soon shreaked in fright when the man grabbed her, slung her over his shoulder and brought her down to the main mast. He found a rope and bound her with it, then tossed her by the railing.
"What in the world are you thinking!" She growled, struggling.
"Mr. Sligh took somethin' o' mine, and I want it back." Diggs explained. "So now that I have leverage, I can get it easily."
He unsheathed the bulky rapier that was always at his side and smirked, causing a shiver to run down Sylvia's spine.
What had she gotten herself into?
Joseph was watching The Dame from the bow of the Hunter. "Be prepared to stop the ship when we get close." His crew agreed, and got in the needed positions.
When they sided with the Dame, the crew secured all sails. Joseph called out, "Captain Diggs! Surrender now and I'll let you and you're crew live!"
"Joseph!" Sylvia called, hearing the familiar voice. "Joseph, is that you! Oof-"
Kingston had left Smithey at the helm and strode over to Sylvia, picking her up. "Ah, well if it isn't the famous Captain Sligh." He drawled. "Come to retrieve your girlfriend, eh? I'm afraid I'm not so keen on setting her free."
"Let me go you bloody traitor!" Sylvia screamed, wriggling in her binds. The knots were so tight, they could only have been tied by a sailor. "This wasn't part of the plan! I keep the sirens away and you get me to Joseph. When did I mention ropes and being a hostage!"
"Settle down, missy. Sligh and I have a score to settle." Diggs interrupted. "He beat me to those islands, and I'll be wantin' compensation."
Joseph had heard Sylvia's voice. He ran to the mast, and used one of the ropes to propel himself to the deck of The Dame.
Having landed, he took out his sword. "Diggs. Let Sylvia go, she has no part in this." He said, getting quite mad.
"Don't even think about it, Sligh." Stephen drawled, grabbing the top of the rope that Sylvia was tied to and pulled the struggling woman over the edge of the railing. She was hanging, held only by the sailor's strong grip, her feet dangling high above the water. "As much as I'd love to keep Sylvia for myself, her heart just wouldn't be in it. Make a false move, and she dies."
Sylvia strugged again. "Bloody pirates! No honor amongst you heathens! I swear, when I get out of these binds, I'll wipe that smug smirk of your pretty little-EEK!"
Stephen toyed with her, letting go and letting her drop a few inches before grabbing her again. "What's that you were saying, love? I can't hear you over the waves!" He laughed, turning to Sligh. "What shall you do?"
Joseph seemed to be in a struggle for a moment. But after a moment, he lowered his gaze. His land let go of his sword, and it fell to the deck with a clang. "What do you want?" He asked.
"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!" Sylvia screamed. "They are pirates, bad pirates! They're not going to let me go no matter what you give them!"
Stephen laughed. "Only two weeks aboard and she already understands our game! Savvy that!"
Diggs motioned to Joseph's sword. "Pick it up, boy. I want to fight you."
"Don't do it, he'll kill you!" Sylvia said sternly. She was dropped a bit again, causing her to yelp. She was struck with a jolt of pain as well when a splintered piece of wood grazed her hand. Her eyes went wide with realization and she subtly began rubbing her bound hands against the wood. Kingston was too busy laughing to notice.
Joseph rolled forward on the ground, grabbing his blade in the process. As he got up, he slashed at Diggs, who blocked the attack.
Diggs thrust his blade low, but Joseph managed to parry it in the nick of time. This was definitely a close match.
Stephen was watching the fight with interest when he felt the weight on the rope cease suddenly. Fearing Sylvia had fallen to her death, he peered over the edge of the rails, only to have a boot collide with his face.
Sylvia stood triumphantly on the railing, holding tightly to a rope that descended from the center mast. "That's for talking down to my boyfriend, you bloody cretin."
She jumped back on deck and watched as her boyfriend and Diggs fought. She was worried, for the Dame's captain was a seasoned pirate...could Joseph hope to win? As she thought this, she was grabbed from behind, a dagger placed at her neck.
Stephen Kingston, nose bleeding, was seemingly in a very sour mood. "You little wench, you're lucky I don't cut your heart out."
Sylvia didn't dare move.
Diggs held the two swordsmen in a lock. "Face it boy, you're no match for me."
Joseph spoke, "You're talking to the man who left Norrington adrift at sea and left the Omega ablaze, mate." He broke the lock, and punched Diggs in the face. Diggs held his nose, and retaliated with an ill-aimed slash.
Joseph managed to counter, but Diggs kicked him in the stomach, sending him to the deck.
Diggs thrusted his blade forward, hoping to decapitate Joseph. The younger man was quicker, however, and kicked Diggs in the stomach, pushing him into the mast of the Dame.
Joseph got up, still somewhat winded from the kick. Diggs got up as well, a vengeful look in his eyes. "You'll pay for that..." He said venemously.
Joseph replied haughtily, "In pounds, gold, or women?"
"Joseph..." Sylvia whispered worriedly.
"Don't worry, you'll join him in the afterlife, but only after I make you watch him die." Stephen cooed.
The two combatant's strikes were becoming even more fierce. Diggs was swinging blindly at this point, and Joseph was barely managing to counter the strikes.
Diggs delivered a vital blow, knocking Joseph's blade out of his hands. He seemed worried.
The Dame's captain smiled broadly, "End of the line, Mister Sligh." He thrust his blade forward, aiming for Joseph's neck.
In time with Diggs' strike, Sylvia jabbed her elbow into Stephen's stomach and grabbed the dagger, pegging it at the Captain. She was hoping for a vital hit, but instead, the blade lodged itself in his thigh. He yelped in pain and stopped mid-strike, turning to the source of the dagger. Sylvia had already pounced on him, however, knocking his sword from his grip. She retrieved it and held it to his neck.
"Move and you die by your own blade." She seethed.
Diggs gave a rather cruel laugh, "Wench, you can't kill me."
So saying, he pulled the dagger out of his thigh and thrust it into Sylvia's arm. She shrieked in pain and rolled off of the Captain, but refused to drop the sword, gripping it tightly. She writhed in pain, holding the dagger but in too much pain to pull it out.
Joseph was furious at this. He stood up, and thrust his blade clean through Diggs's stomach. He coughed up blood as the victorious man pulled out the sword. Diggs slumped to the ground. "No...So...close..." He managed to say before he died.
Joseph immediately went to Sylvia's side. "Hold on Sylvia, I'll take care of the dagger." He said as he grabbed it, carefully pulling it out. She yelped in pain, causing him to wince. Joseph ripped the now dead pirate's shirtcuff and tied it around the wound, trying to keep it sealed until they found someone who could take care of it.
Sylvia clenched her teeth in agony, then looked up at her savior and smiled. "Joseph...I finally found you!"
She pulled him into a tight hug, ignoring the pain in her arm. She then pulled back, looked into her boyfriend's eyes, and slapped him.
"You left me! You bloody liar! How could you have done that to me?" She scolded, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
Joseph momentarily clutched his cheek, but held her tightly with his free arm. "Sylvia, I'm sorry. I was only trying to protect you. If a government official found out that you knew a pirate, you'd be killed for treason."
Sylvia shook her head. "I don't care, I'd rather be out on the sea with you, knowing where you are than being home, worried sick!"
Joseph sighed, "I know...I'm sorry I was worrying you for so long." He thought for a moment before continuing. "Let's at least get onto my ship. Hm? We'll stop at the nearest island to find you a doctor."
Sylvia nodded, standing. "Okay, but what about-? Where'd Stephen go?" Her eyes darted about the ship. He was nowhere in sight.
Joseph spoke, "Oh, you mean "Kingston the Letcher"? My first mate saw fit to bring him aboard." He held her tightly. "Now let's go." He said as he walked across a newly strewn gangplank onto his own ship.
Joseph sat Sylvia down at the mast of the Hunter. "Pull back the plank! And bring Kingston up here, I've got a vendetta to sort out with him." His men pull back the gangplank, and two of them bring up a schackled Kingston.
Sylvia sat back. Somehow, she knew she was going to enjoy this.
Stephen struggled to free himself from the grip of the men. "Release me you brigands." He growled.
He turned his attention back to Kingston, a devilish smirk on his face. "I don't think so Kingston. You have to pay the price for trying to woo my girlfriend. And I have just the fate in mind for you..." He said, then quickly came back to reality, "Men, you may want to look away."
Sylvia looked away as well as the crew of the Hunter, hearing only Kingston's screaming. She dared not look back.
Joseph walked over to Kingston and pulled out his sword. "You tried to get pleasure from women, but now you won't even be able to please YOURSELF!" He said, and in one swift cut, he turned Stephen Kingston into a eunuch.
Stephen fell to his knees, screaming in agony. He eventually couldn't take it anymore and blacked out.
Joseph cleaned his sword on Kingston's shirt and then sheathed it. He was still smiling as he spoke up, "Okay, you all can look now."
Sylvia sighed in relief and uncovered her eyes, holding gently to the cloth wrapped around her wound. "What are we going to do with him...?"
Joseph walked over to her, sitting down. "We'll leave him on the next island we come to." He said, then sighed. "Come on, I'll get you a better bandage in my quarters." He said, helping her up.
"You needn't baby me, Joseph." Sylvia said with a smirk. "Two weeks amongst pirates has made me quite the tomboy. I'll be fine, thank you."
Joseph, "Sylvia please. For me?" He took off his face mask, looking very sad. "At the very least, can't I find you a doctor on the next island?"
Sylvia gave him a somewhat playful glare. "I really think I'll be fine...but if it'll get that pathetic look off of your face, I'll let a doctor look at it."
Joseph smiled, and hugged her tightly. After he let go, he went to the helm. "Jason, plot a course for the nearest populated island. Full speed."
Jason nodded, "Aye sir!" He barked orders to the crew, telling them to release all the sails.
Joseph went back to his beloved, and hugged her. "I missed you so much."
"And I missed you. But pleasantries aside, it's going to take a while for you to make it up to me." Sylvia replied with a playful smile. "I had to mingle with those pirates for two weeks...quite unpleasant. It was rather troublesome finding you, too. A couple of prostitutes in Tortuga pointed the way."
She raised an eyebrow, wanting to see Joseph's reaction. She knew he hadn't slept with the women, and she was very happy about that.
Joseph looked tense for a moment before smiling. "Ah yes, those two. They tried very hard, but I refused every single one of their offers. I haven't been with another woman Sylvia, I swear it."
Sylvia smiled. "I know. Pirate or not, I believe you to be above cheating on me." Clapping her hands together, she changed the subject, "So, introduce me to your crew."
Joseph smiled. "The man at the helm is my old friend, Jason Verdal. Our look-out is Kraven 'The Hunter' Yumo." He went on and on, telling her about every single one of his crewmen.
"I see..." Sylvia said, listening intently. "Well, it will take me a while to remember them all, but I'll try!" She gave a smile. "You'll be happy to know that I am capable of releasing sails and climbing the ropes. And I spent a while watching the crew of the Dame work, so I'm a bit more familiar with the processes of a pirate ship."
Joseph was still smiling. "All right, you can help the crew whenever you want."
Jason shouted. "Cap'n, were nearing an island now!"
Joseph looked to him, "Steady as she goes Jason. We can't go off course now, savvy?"
"You know...I think I've come to enjoy life at sea." Sylvia said, punching Joseph gently. "I should have done this sooner. I've been sitting at home waiting for you to return and you're out having all the fun. Seems hardly fair to me."
He turned his attention to Sylvia, just smiling at her. She looked at Joseph, quirking an eyebrow and blushing. "What are you smiling about?"
He smirked. "I was thinking about how great it'll be when we sail together."
The ship docked, and the crew had all gone under the deck so as not to gather any attention to themselves. Joseph had changed into civilian clothes at this time.
Joseph took Sylvia and found a doctor for her, who cleaned her wound and bandaged it.
"All better, can I go now?" Sylvia said sarcastically. She hated doctors with a passion; all that poking and prodding...and they cost a pretty penny to boot. The doctor said she would be fine, just try not to do much with that arm for a while. As the two left, Joseph seemed rather happy.
"Still giddy, I see." Sylvia commented. "I'm glad, though. It's nice to see your smiling face."
She turned to Joseph and gave a smile, too, extremely happy to finally see her boyfriend.
He turned to Sylvia. "I feel just the same. Seeing you smile again makes my spirits higher than the heavens themselves."
They returned to the docks, Joseph letting Sylvia onto the ship first. After they both got on, Joseph spoke up. "Sylvia...listen to me...We've known each other for a long time...so I think its time I did something I've had on my mind for a while now..." He said, getting on one knee in front of her. He dug into his pocket, and took out a golden ring with a beautiful diamond on it. "Sylvia Paladino...will you marry me?"
Sylvia gasped, she hadn't expected such a move on Joseph's part. "I...of course, of course I'll marry you." She smiled, but then gave a playfully serious look, "But no more lying to me. And where you go, I go."
Joseph smiled, and stood up. He placed the ring on her left ring finger. "I'll tell you everything, and you'll be staying in my quarters from now on." He said, taking out a plain gold band and placed it on his own left ring finger.
Sylvia smirked, throwing her arms around his neck. "Beats a futon below deck." Smiling, she pulled her now fiance into a kiss. Joseph kissed back, melting into the embrace. Too long had he been away from the woman he loved, and now that he had her back, nothing would keep them apart.
NN: I suppose I could end Sylvia and Joseph's story there, but that would be no fun! The next chapter will be based around different characters, then I'll start switching back and forth and adding more characters and scenarios. I really hope you all enjoyed the story so far. And I promise not to threaten or beg, but reviews will be greatly appreciated!