Scarlett wandered through the streets of Tortuga, nursing a horrible hangover that hadn't left her for the last week. She knew it was because of her nightly antics that she never quite recovered from it, but she had been in Tortuga so long it had become routine to get drunk every night. And with all the choices of men to play around with it, she felt like nothing could be better than this place.

The owner of her favourite tavern, Jonathon, looked after her as much as she needed. After all, a fifteen year old girl couldn't be completely independent no matter how much she tried to be. And Jonathon didn't get in the way of her fun, like she knew her mother would if she were here.

But one thing was bothering Scarlett this morning. The man who had been at Jonathon's tavern the night before, who had witnessed the boy she'd had fun with last night leaving her little room beside the tavern. He was familiar, she did not know where from for she was sure she hadn't seen his face before but she knew of him, somewhere in her brain which currently could not conjure an answer for her, due to its sleep deprived, drunken state.

Wandering into the market, she could see another tavern, but this one was open whereas Jonathon closed at six every morning so he could get over his own hangover. This was her regular morning tavern, and the man who served her knew her well.

"Ah Scarlett what would you be up for this mornin' a bit o' tea?" He asked jokingly.

"Got anything a bit stronger there mate?"

"Not for you I don't, I saw you last night and you be needin no more rum."

Scarlett grunted. She needed more rum, she lived on rum these days.

The man sighed, Scarlett was in a state and he was used to seeing her this way, but he didn't like it. She was just a child for heaven's sake, and acting like a drunken whore.

"I might have some coffee upstairs." And he called for his wife to find the much unused coffee pot and make the girl a strong brew.

Scarlett didn't complain, she hated coffee and it wasn't something you came across much in Tortuga but by the look on Ruben's face, she needed it.

"Rough night?" Said a voice behind her.

She turned to see a man who looked not to be twenty standing next to her. "Charles!" She exclaimed, "When did you get back?"

"Just yesterday, I realized that life on the sea really might not be for me after all."

"The rest of us knew that a long time ago Charles." Said Ruben.

Charles chuckled, "it might have been so obvious that I could not see it. Scarlett, I see that you have not changed in my absence."

"Not at all." She smiled cheekily, Charles was like a brother to her, a brother she might have slept with once or twice, but that didn't matter now.

Ruben set a mug of coffee in front of Scarlet, who took one sip and nearly spit it all over the counter.

"That is disgusting." She protested.

"Aye, but you need it Scarlet, I haven't seen you this bad in a long time."

Charles was looking at her a little strangely but she shrugged it off, "I'm not that bad."

"You should lay off on the rum for a bit, and maybe them boys too."

"Are you calling me a whore?" She was suddenly angry.

"No not at all, but-"

It was too late Scarlet had already left the tavern.

Ruben turned to Charles, "That girl there, she's worse than any pirate I've ever seen."

"Scarlett is a pirate, she just doesn't want to leave this place." Was Charles's reply.

But Scarlett did want to leave Tortuga, she was a full blooded pirate and she had every intention of setting forth on the sea. She was just waiting for the right ship to come along.

She was walking past the docks in a blind fury when she saw it, a ship with black sails. There was only one ship with black sails that she knew of, the one her mother had constantly told her about as a child, when she had been sweet little Ellie Teach.

Her ship had arrived.