Chapter 1 East Orient
Leah waited until midnight to make sure Will was not returning. She did not like taking the Dutchman from him, but she knew of the Fountain of Youth and its healing powers. Thing was, Jack being Jack, took the chart before she could. Leah was out of options for how to reach the Fountain, even though it was rumored to be in the Caribbean. Both ships weighed anchor and set off to the East Orient under Leah's command. She knew Nick and the crew of the Lucky Star would follow her orders; but the crew of the Dutchman was a different story. They all knew Leah was a skilled fighter, but doubted her captain skills to a point. They all knew she was not bound to the ship, but she took on the mantle of captainship anyway. The first sunrise with Leah at the helm of a two-ship fleet was the typical ocean sunrise. Leah had her work cut out to convince the Dutchman's crew she was the captain and not some female brute calling out orders. Bill was still on edge, being on the Dutchman and all. He grew up only with the tales of what happened from his mother and the other pirates in Shipwreck Cove.
Two days out, a report came from the Lucky Star told that there were several Spanish galleons were approaching. A report was sent back, and the Dutchman was going below the water's surface as Nick was reading it.
"They can't do that, can they," Yung asked.
"I guess so; they're dead."
"Leah's not."
Leah finished the spell and took a deep breath. She had been taught spells by Calypso that were beginning to prove their worth. Leah slowly released her air supply and found that she had gills. The Dutchman was to come up amist the group of galleons and hopefully the mere sight of the ship emerging as it once did would frighten the Spanish off. If not, than both ships would attack any galleons that were left. Billy was on the Star by his request; as to receive baptism in piracy. Leah gave the signal, and the Dutchman surfaced. The looks on the men's faces showed that they were not expecting the legendary ship. All by one galleon sailed off. Guns were heard from the Star told Leah that Nick ordered an attack on the lone ship. When the Dutchman finally turned back around, the Star crew was beginning to raid the galleon. Billy was timid at first, but when faced with the taste of blade, he showed he could fight.When it was all over, the galleon was in ruin and the two ships continued on their way to the East Orient. When asked why she went below, Leah merely answered with a smile.
It had taken some time, a month or two, but both ships arrived in the East Orient Sea with land not far off. The Dutchman crew now followed Leah's orders after the first attack. Leah was, in a sense, bound to the Dutchman but there was still one test yet to take. Leah was taking some time to think up in the riggings. She knew she was bound to the ship, but would that stop her from going ashore?
"Cap'n Turner," she heard.
She looked down and saw Marcus there.
"What?"
"Land."
Leah looked out and saw land not far off. She grabbed a loose rope and swung down to the deck. When asked about the land party, Leah decided to take a longboat and fill it with the crew; as did the Lucky Star. They reached the beach and pulled the longboats out of the water and took their first real look around.
"Something's not right," Leah said. "This ain't the East Orient."
"Well, we won't get any where standing here," Nick said.
Billy took Leah's hand as she took point. The East Orient the pirates were walking through was not the one they knew. Leah got a feeling that her group was not alone; which was being heighten when she nearly walked into a sword about chest high.