Written the 2nd of April
Year 1723
Dear Lizzie,
Right now we're docked in Madagascar. It's a beautiful pirate island, 'pirate' being the best part of the description. A very convenient safe haven for us it is, what with three-quarters of the East India Trading Company hot on our tail. Ah… what a grand time we've had! And would you believe that Beckett's been awarded a peerage? The ol' bugger's a lord now, which doesn't help the over-inflated ego of his.
Our fun all started off the Java Islands. We were just passing through, innocently enough, when we sailed bang into the middle of a very large, likely quite important, sea battle. Of course, we bore no intention of doing so but they were very kindly blocking the passage. On any other day I would have ordered us back and around another route, no need to stick our nose –or prow- in where it could get blown off. As it so happens, though, the winds were of a fair strong sort in a forward-westerly sort of direction (I'm simplifying here for you landlubbers). It blew right with the current too and I didn't want the crew to exert themselves overmuch in such heinous conditions (twas hot enough to fry a fresh-caught fish on the foretop) so we continued on our merry way into the fray. We ran up a neutral sort of flag, adjusted course, and defended ourselves. The battle was atwixt some Indiamen marines and some lovely Portuguese men o'war. One of the Portuguese captains, being a cruel bastard, decided that we'd make a pretty target. Methinks he's changed his mind now, sitting pretty on the bottom of the ocean and all. A vicious and bloody battle (which I shall not recount here for the sake of brevity) ensued. The Portuguese ran for it naught but ten minutes after the Pearl made her stunning entrance.
As one should expect, the grateful Indiamen Commodore invited me and my officers aboard for a fine meal. Twasn't until we were back aboard the Pearl and twenty leagues away that he discovered his losses (I know this by the hearing of a loud, mournful scream). I had heisted the following:
12 golden rings with various jewels
9 scrolls of silk
7 bottles of fine ink
a pen of ostrich feather
his flute (specially crafted)
a regal indigo gauze gown, embroidered with ivy leaves, that seemed to have been made for a very short woman
and several items of questionable and debauched nature (which could include above dress)
His screams and shrieks could be heard as clearly as though he were on the main deck of the Pearl herself. Rather pity his crew, don't you?
After a lively chase we found ourselves drifting off of the east coast of India, very near the port of Madras with many company offices beckoning deliciously... but I have run out of paper and shall continue this at a later date.
Signed,
CJS
A/N: Thank-you all for the reviews. They make me happy!! BUT - I have one issue. Two of my reviewers, Verity Kindle and Smithy, who have great reviews that I would love to reply too, didn't leave me anyway to contact them. I would greatly appreciate it if the both of you made it possible for me to reply to your reviews. XD Thanks.
Oh yes, and I know my sentences tend to run on and the grammar isn't perfect- but that's how I write Jack writing, in case anybody was wondering. XD
-Cheorl d'Arion
