Rae Gavlin
Revenge on The Midnight Death

The sea was her home. She grew up there and that is what she loved. She used to spend her days working and playing on the dock of her father's ship and allow the sun to soak into her tan skin. She was always a tomboy, for she didn't have any friends that were girls, she spent her entire childhood around boys and men. Rae Gavlin was the only girl who ever sailed on The Black Seahorse.
Rae's dad was the captain of a very well known pirate ship called The Black Seahorse. They would sail around the world with the rest of the crew and steal valuable things from rich people. It was the early 1700's when pirates were very common and greatly feared. Rae and her best friend Luke Murtagle grew up together, they were inseparable. When Rae was just a young thing, her mother died. Her father Kurt Gavlin was the captain of a not so well known ship called The Silent Velvet at the time, but that ship went down with her mother, when they were attacked by another pirate ship. Luckily, Kurt was able to save his daughter and start a new life. Rae had chin length, ebony hair and cat green eyes. She was average height for her age and had very tan skin. Luke was tall and muscular, with dirty blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. Ever since Rae could hold a sword the crew and her father had been teaching her how to sword fight. Soon, at the age of fifteen, she was the best sword fighter on the ship. One of Rae's favorite things to do was to take gunpowder from the crew's guns and make tiny grenades. They weren't big or terribly dangerous, but they did some damage. Luke and Rae would sneak around the deck and throw them at an open spot by people, just to give them a scare.

One scorching hot day, that turned into a steamy hot night, in August, when Rae and Luke were about 16, something life changing happened. The two of them were taking a midnight walk on the top deck having a nice conversation. Rae turned to him, normally they didn't have trouble having a conversation. Maybe the heat was getting to them.

"Tis a hot day, I hope the weather clears up, or we might have some deaths."

"Yeah, I do agree. But if ye look into the night, ye may see a dark cloud hovering in the west. We are do for some rain." Luke smiled at the lovely young woman standing next to him.

"Do ye think ye will spend the rest of yer life out to sea?"

Luke looked out at the vast ocean, he loved the ocean, and like Rae spent most of his life living on it. "I love the sea, and wouldn't know how to live without it. Just like, I wouldn't know how to live without ye. We have known each other practically all our lives, and not once have I kissed ye."

"Yes but ye known that to kiss me ye would have to get past my father, and ye know how he can get."

"But tis ye father here? No, I don't believe he is. No one, especially ye father can stand in the way of love."

Luke began to lean into Rae, but then Rae quickly looked away. Not because of him but because she saw something out of the corner of her eye. It was the flag of another ship in the distance, but it was no ordinary flag. It was a pirate flag. She squinted, looking into the dark night, the only light provided was the stars. The ship soon came into view too, Rae knew she saw that ship before, and knew she didn't want to see it again. She hurried away from Luke, running to the cabin to warn her father but it was too late, the first cannon had already been set off. She watched as her father frantically commanded the crew to get ready to counter attack. It was chaotic. Everyone was running around and bumping into each other, attempting to get to their places. The young lady flew around the ship looking for Luke, her short hair flying behind her. As another cannon was shot, and struck behind her, she ran right into him.

"Luke! I have an idea, but I'm not sure if its gunna work. We have to distract the other pirates, to give our ship an advantage! We have to go where they store all the gun powder, you'll know what to do."

Rae smiled nervously up at him, before the two of them hurried off to follow through with the plan. Finally, after about six other cannon explosions Rae and Luke came running up the steps from the dungeon with sacks full of gunpowder. They hid in the cabin and began making new and improved grenades. These grenades were much bigger and more dangerous then they had ever made before. When they unlocked the cabin door and opened it all they could do was stand transfixed looking at the scene that lay before them. Pirates running all over place, sword fighting and guns were shooting off. Dead bodies lying on the ground frozen as if time had just stopped. Making eye contact and having a telepathic moment, the two of them slammed the door closed and took positions by the two windows in the cabin. Rae crouched down and began throwing grenades at the invading pirates who dared to pass by. They were having a fun time. Even though the two of them were scared out of their minds, they tried not to show it.

Completely out of nowhere, something yanked on Rae's short hair and pulled her to her feet. Turning around abruptly she came face to face with five pale faced, pirates. They were terrifying, something that would give a young kid nightmares. One of the pirates stepped forward and wrapped his cold, clammy arms around her stomach and arms, he had a tight grip on her and she couldn't move. The one who had grabbed her hair looked like he was the captain of the opposing pirate ship. He was tall and somewhat stocky, he had an ash-covered face, and some of his teeth were missing. He had on thick red and black robes, fit for any evil king, and a big, black hat with one large feather poking out of it. He had the normal pirate accent, nothing out of the ordinary for Rae, for everyone on the ship had one. He turned his stiff neck to the others and spoke with a deep, husky voice.

"So, they brought a lady aboard. Don't they know damsels are bad luck? What fools these pirates are! Take her to our ship, we'll make her walk the plank when we are done destroying the rest of this bloody place!"

The captain cackled aloud to himself, and the other four pirates chimed in. Rae looked across the room and came into eye contact with Luke, he too was being restrained by one of the men, and he had a look of complete shock painted upon his face. All these thoughts were running through Rae's mind. So, they are going to make me walk the plank. How will Luke and I get free? Suddenly without warning, the cabin door burst open and a tall, tan ebony haired man, with his sword drawn stood in place of the closed door.

"Stop right there Captain Peter Smythe! Ye can't take her, she's a lady, don't ye know that lady's are bad luck!" spoke the man in a hurried, but calm voice.

"Ye have her on yer ship don't ye?" exclaimed the captain, glaring at the man in the doorway.

"Yes, but she's my daughter I had no other choice but to bring her with me, since ye killed her mother. Anyways she's brought bloody trouble with her, people drop dead without any cause! And ye's attacking us ain't ye, so that's bad luck don't ye think?"

The man in the doorway came forth into the dim candlelight, he was also glaring at the other captain, but had a slight smirk ok his face. Rae knew he was lying about the part of her being bad luck, no one just dropped dead, but Kurt Gavlin was a great con artist and could trick a man into jumping off a cliff. Kurt loved his daughter more then anything in the world, she was the only thing he had left in memory of his wife, and he would risk his life to save her. The two captains began to sword fight, the man holding Rae began to push her forward trying to take her outside onto the deck, the other pirate holding Luke proceeded to do the same thing. Rae struggled and kicked, but it was no use he was too strong.

"Let go of me ye bloody bastard, yer gunna pay for this, I promise!"

Rae then thrust her leg back kicking the pirate square between the legs. She backed up trying to get away, but tripped over a dead body. Falling to the ground, she looked to her left and gasped at the sight, he was one of her father's best men, he too was Luke's caring father, and now he was blood stained and lifeless. Rae saw looked down at the ground to think about all the great times she had with him, when she noticed something shinny tucked in his boot. She reached down and pulled it out.

"Ah, a dagger! This might come in handy! Thank you so much Jack"

Rae smiled at the body then scurried to her feet, she held the dagger out in front of her ready to fight. The pirate turned to her and chuckled.

"Do ye really think yer gunna fight me and win? Foolish child, but if ye insist."

"Oh, I insist." smirked Rae "But yer gunna hafta catch me! But beware, I might bring you bad luck."

With that, she ran around the blazing, and falling apart ship. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the pirate chasing her. His face was red, from not only anger, but also the flames reflected off it. Hurtling carcasses, and dodging falling sails, she finally came to the bow of the ship. She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. To face the opposing pirate, who was still pretty far away.

"Having a bit of trouble gettin me, aint ya?"

Rae climbed up onto the edge of the ship, one false move and she would fall overboard. Grabbing onto the rope of one of the few sails still standing, she swung herself over the head of the man chasing her. She landed but a few feet behind him, she turned around at lightning speed, and thrust the dagger at the pirate, hitting him directly where she had wanted it to go. He fell face down on the ground, the dagger sticking up out of his back, as if it grew there. Smiling triumphantly at herself, she turned and headed back to the cabin, to find her father and Luke. Luke had gotten lose too, and was sword fighting with his former restrainer. Kneeling down on the ground, she picked up a lone sword, and snuck up behind the man. Luke just looked at her, and winked.

"Ehem, excuse me sure, but."

She didn't need to finish, he turned around and she stabbed him in the stomach. Rae ran to catch up with Luke, they were now side-by-side, running back to the cabin.

"It's a good thing ye and I had all of those sword fighting lessons, if not we would look like him."

She pointed at a dead man lying on a pile of sacks. His face was burned from fire, and he was completely covered in blood. It was a sad, disturbing sight. The two of them looked away, and slowed down as they came close to the cabin. They didn't even get to walk in the door before Captain Peter Smythe can running out at them, sword straight out in front of him. With eyes wide, Luke turned to face Rae.

"Ye go find yer father, I'll try and distract Captain Smythe!"

Turning on his heals, he drew his sword and started to charge Captain Peter Smythe.

"Hey ye! Come and get me ye bloody Fein!"

A deadly smirk smeared the captain's face as he ran after Luke. Rae ran into the cabin her eyes searching every inch of it for her father. Turning around the table, she found her father lying on the ground, his shirt tuning from an off white, to a blood red. Running to him, she knelt on the ground and help lift his head.

"Father! What happened?"

"Rae, be careful, ye must get off this ship! Peter Smythe is a deadly man, go!"

"No, I won't leave ye father. How did he do this to ye, yer such a great fighter, but I know ye will be all right. Yer strong, ye will, live, right?" A tear trickled down Rae's face. Kurt Gavlin reached a weak hand up and whipped it off her face. Rae loved him, her father was all she had left.

"Even the strongest of men have their weaknesses. End comes to every living thing, whether ye want it or not."

A couple more tears took a stroll down her cheeks. She wasn't about to lose her last hope. "Father, that captain and his ship, I have seen it before. Was he the one, did he." Rae couldn't find the words, and she trailed off, 100 more tears cover her face.

"Yes, he was the one who killed yer mother. I tried to give him what he deserves, but he caught me by surprise. Promise me ye will stay with Luke, he's a strong man. His father has been killed, and I will join him soon. Luke is all ye got left, I know he loves ye and ye love him so promise me to start a new life.on land. Away from the dangerous life as a pirate."

"Father, I can only promise ye that I will stay with Luke. But to stay on land, away from the life I'm used to, I cannot promise. I know one thing I can promise ye though, one thing that I vow I will someday accomplish. I promise that I will get revenge on Captain Peter Smythe, and take his ship, The Midnight Death, down with him."

"Rae, his ship, it is called The Midnight Death because they attack at midnight, and never leave anything living when they are done. To live on a ship is too risky, stay on land and start a family when yer ready. I was too much of a fool, and allowed ye to come out and live with me. I should have made ye stay on land. I am sorry Rae, I love ye with all my heart."

"I am aware of the danger, but I would have asked of nothing more then to live with ye. Ye have prepared me for life, and I'm ready to face it. I love ye father, and revenge is my only promise."

"I have taught ye well. Yer a wise child, use it to ye advantage, and I know ye will. Take care, Rae, and never forget me."

Those were that last things Rae had heard him say. Her face began to flood with tears. She leaned her trembling body forth and gave her father one last kiss. Her short black hair fell in her face, and with a graceful swing with her hand, she pushed it back. The tearful young lady got to her feet, revenge flamed in her eyes. She made her way to the cabin door, closing it tightly behind her. Eyes scanned the deck. There were still quite a few men fighting, but most of them had perished. Everything was falling apart, The Black Seahorse was going down.

"Luke? Luke where are ye?"

Rae began to panic, she didn't want to lose him too. Turning the corner, she saw Luke, knocked out and jammed between the floor and a sail pole. The pole had to be at least fifty feet, and weighed a lot. How she was going to get him out, she had no idea. All Rae knew was that she wasn't going to let him stay there. Trusting her body forward, she wrapped her arms under his armpits and began to pull. Luckily, he wasn't trapped that much or she would have never gotten him out. Rae dragged him across the deck, and tried to find a vacant lifeboat that they could get away on. Lying Luke against the ship's wall, she scooped down and tried to wake him up.

"Luke? Ye gotta come 'round. Come on, I can't do this alone."

Finally, he opened his eyes, and looked wearily around. Rae helped him slowly get to his feet, but before they could do, anything Peter Smythe came running to them, fire blazing in his eyes more then ever.

"My dear lady, I see that ye have no one left, for I have killed yer father and yer mother. The only thing I have left to do is kill yer lover and yerself. Any last words?"

"Yer not gettin away with the murder of my parents. I will get revenge on ye, whether it's the last thing I do!"

Rae reached down to get her sword, but before she even laid a finger on it she was hit, hit with something hard and painful. Everything got blurry, and the sound began to fade. She looked at the captain, who just threw his head back and howled with laughter like a werewolf. Slowly her head turned to look at a dagger embedded in her shoulder. Her eyes then wandered to look at Luke, who had a shocked, awkward expression, he was still out of it, but knew Rae was hurt. Rae began to fall backwards, in a slow motion kind of way, or so it seemed to her. She started to fall over the rail. Luke lunged forward and grabbed her arm, only to fall over with her. Falling, into a never-ending pit of water. The two of them splashed into the cool ocean. Rae looked for Luke and saw him attempting to swim towards her. Everything began to go black, everything faded, only to be engulfed in complete darkness.