The Queen Anne's Revenge sat in the water in front of me. I looked at her from the nose of the ship to the back, where the captain's cabin was, I was standing in front of Blackbeard's ship, the most dreadful and fearful pirate of them all. It made me excited to be able to step foot on a pirate's ship, especially Blackbeard's. I looked around for a way to get aboard, spotting a long piece of wood resting against the ship to the foot of the dock as a boarding plank. I walked over to the boarding plank and walked up to the deck of the ship, standing on the deck of the ship, examining the front of the deck for any pirates or stowaways. When it looked like no one was here on board I walked down the stairs to the crew's sleeping area, putting my knapsack in a hammock near the stairs, claiming it as my bed for now, before I would found out, if I did.
Walking back on deck, I took a quick glance around then, lifting my foot out of my boot; I grabbed the small leather pouch of golden coins I had hidden away near the toe of my boot. I stowed the pouch in a pocket of my waistcoat and walked off deck, going to explore some more before it got dark and I would have to take shelter in the tavern to wait out the other pirates who would come to the tavern for rum and the women. At that time I wouldn't be very safe because of the slightest chance I might get caught by one of my father's friends out for a drink. I shook that idea off and walked to a hat parlor, looking for a better suiting pirate hat, in case I would be found out that I was a female, there were a few hats that caught my eye, but none of them truly spoke out to me.
"Do you need help sir?" the clerk asked, walking over to me as I held a hat in each hand, both debatable.
I cleared my throat and nodded, "aye, I do, I can't decide between these two hats, they both have caught my interest but I can't decide which one to buy".
"Well you should try them on, of course" the clerked joked, smiling up at me from his short height.
"Right, of course" I agreed, taking off my hat and standing in front of a mirror in the shop, trying on the first hat.
"That one looks good on you, it suits your outfit, the pheasant feather is a nice touch, and so is the gold cross bone skull on the side" the clerk complimented, watching me turn this way and that, looking at the hat from different angles.
"How much do you want for it?" I asked, turning around to dust off my old hat, thinking about trading it in along with a few gold coins.
"Twenty gold coins" the clerk offered, watching me still.
"How about ten gold coins and my old hat?" I asked, picking up my old hat and handing it to the clerk.
"Hmmm" the clerk thought, holding my hat in his hands and turning it around, looking at the inside and out, checking for any major wear and tear that may make him decide to not go with the deal. "Alright, you may have the hat for ten gold coins and in trade for your old hat, simply because your old hat is in very good condition".
I smiled gratefully then walked up to the counter as he set my old hat down on a hanger and put the other hat back on its platform near the front of the store. "Thank you kindly" I said, reaching into the pouch of coins and pulling out ten gold coins, putting them on the counter for him to count.
"Thank you young man" the clerk said, smiling up at me as I walked out of the store wearing my new hat.
I ventured down the street, getting compliments from people passing by me on their way to other destinations. I smiled and thanked them as I walked, looking around for another store to stop by whom my father didn't go into or know the people that owned the settlement. Strictly the pirate venders and taverns was where father didn't go. It was a good thing I stole four small pouches of gold coins from my father, each pouch containing thirty or more coins each. My father is adequately stupid, thinking I would be out in the stables or in my studies when I was planning this all along, slowly gathering the items I needed, I hope that my father won't notice one of his good compasses missing but if he does, he won't know what happened or where it went or who took it.
I looked up in the sky and saw the sun starting to set, time to get going I thought, turning around and heading back to the Captain's Daughter. I looked around as shops closed up, getting my last few glances around London before I would deport and leave to travel the tides of the sea, to the Fountain of Youth. All I could think about was the exciting part of the adventure, getting to become what I have wanted to be since I was a little girl, hearing tales of mermaids and pirates that raided British and Spanish ships full of gold and other treasures. That is what started my desire to become and pirate, those tales and folk lures had ignited my desire for the sea and tide, today, that desire was becoming true without a doubt, whether they found out I was a woman or not, they would not be able to get me off the ship anyway.
As I neared the tavern again, the men that were lying on the ground earlier today were back inside or went to another tavern to get drunk and fall asleep outside in the front. I was glad they weren't there anymore, in the matter of me not having to worry about stepping on one, on second thought it would be fun to kick one in the gut or in his manhood. I opened the door to the tavern and slipped inside, the noise from inside tumbling outside for the few seconds I had the door open to let a few drunken men leave, they nodded in appreciation as they walked by. I sat down at a table; taking my hat off and putting my boots up on a chair, resting comfortably as I watched men drink, play poker, argue and is accompanied by the tavern's women. A few pirates walked into the tavern to get a drink and, possibly, look for Captain Jack Sparrow, though I had feelings that the Captain Jack Sparrow I met wasn't the real one.
"May I sit next to you, mate?" a pirate asked me, I suddenly looked up to see a pirate standing in front of the third chair of my table.
I nodded and gestured for him to sit down, him taking off his hat, nodding his appreciation. "What is your name?" I asked, my voice formed back into its rough male voice.
"Groves, what is yours?" Groves asked, looking at me.
"Thomas Paisley, what are you doing here?" I asked, sitting up in my chair.
"Heard Cap'n Sparrow needs a crew for his next destination", Groves informed, putting his feet up on the chair this time, "what about ye? You looking for trouble or looking for a pirate ship to recruit?"
"I already recruited myself to Captain Jack Sparrow's ship" I said, looking up at Groves, my eyes serious.
"You don't say, well, nice to meet you then Thomas, I'll see you aboard tomorrow. Right now I'm going to order some rum and sit watching the ladies" Groves said, standing up and leaving to the bar.
I decided to take my leave too, heading back to the ship right now sounds like an excellent idea to me. I stood up, grabbing my hat and putting it back on my head before leaving the tavern, heading back to the ship to sleep in my hammock, ready to wake up to tomorrow, my first day of adventure.
