A Pirate's Love
A Novel by Kate Cartagena

Chapter 1: A Life Before Living

The rocking of the boat was the only thing that calmed Samantha, yet it made her nauseas at the same time. She listened to the roar of men outside her small room, "Tonight we shall feast! For victory was ours in the past few hours, for that we deserve a celebration!" Her uncle's words brought more rowdy cheers from the crowd. Samantha gritted her teeth, for she knew that a celebration meant drinking, and drinking meant beating. Her abusive life was far from occasionally. She let her mind drift from the noise to her memories of her mother and father, which she had very few of. She could remember her last days with them, how painful it was to watch them suffer of an illness that confused a five-year-old like herself. Her parents were long dead then when the feast was held, she was thirteen and a smart one at that. Her uncle was the only relative she had, so it was off to his boat she went when her parents had deceased.
The party was starting to get out of hand as Samantha predicted. Men started to get drunk with ale, and start fights amongst themselves. Only time could tell when the fighting would start to move into her small room. Samantha could hear her mad uncle's voice above them all, he said with the vile drink in him, "Lets go have a look see on Samantha, shall we?" The crew cheered and eager "Yes!" Samantha had no time to hide, but she prayed to god for another miracle. Then the door slammed open and her drunken uncle dragged her out of the little closet room. "You want to play?" he asked her with great rage. The crew yelled with pleasure. Samantha cried out "Save me lord!" The crew and her uncle laughed, and punches were thrown at the harmless girl. She was hurled to the ground and she dared not to yell, that would only provoke them. So for those agonizing moments, she sat there letting the villain win.
Those nights were normal for Samantha, she wished everyday it wasn't, but she thanked god for the mornings. She was in charge of chores that were held below deck, away from all of the other crewmembers. She washed things, and she cleaned things. Sometimes she would just sleep after doing the chores, no one noticed her until the ale sickness came upon them, only then was she appealing. There was always the hope of passing ships, but they never stopped by the boat she had to call her home, only pirate ships would dare go close to a boat, but that never happened. She would look outside everyday before and after chores for nearby ships, seeing if they were pirates or not. Sometimes she did see pirates, but they never bothered to come by her ship, it was puny fisherman ship and never could do anyone any good. Soon she became fascinated with pirates, any crewmember that would talk to her she would ask about pirates. She learned of they're evil ways and thoughts. It never occurred to her that they were killers, she only thought of them as Heroes that could take her away from her misery.
Then one faithful day, when Samantha was fifteen, the world changed around her. She woke up in the night to screaming and gunshots. She got up ever so slightly and peeked out of her door. "Pirates!" she said. She got dressed and saw that the pirates boat was so close to hers, and it bore them name "The Silk Rock." Hastily she jumped aboard it with just the clothes off of her back. The boat was empty; the pirates themselves were on her ship, scaring the crewmembers into the icy water. She ran across the deck barefooted, not minding the splinters lodging themselves into her petite feet. She went into a large room, and she saw a mess of food scattered everywhere. So she thought quickly, and decided the only way to win the hearts of cold-blooded pirates is to help them. She got to work cleaning the messy area, speedily disposing of any unwanted things. Soon she heard voices back on the ship, like a reflex she hid herself among the many chairs. Pirates flowed into the clean room and many gasps were heard amongst them. "Ello? Capin'?" one of them called. Too scared to move, Samantha stayed put. Then a stronger voice came in, "What is it Julius?" assuming that was the captain, Samantha sighed with relief, and then did the unthinkable, she stepped out of her hiding. "Hello captain and crew of the Silk Rock," she said formally, "I am Samantha Harold, a runaway from the ship you just destroyed. I hope you can take this work I have done as a payment for my presence." The captain looked at her and smiled. "Well Ms. Harold, I would like to thank you. My name is Mr. James Sweet Heart, and I welcome you to our clan," The crew cheered and Samantha beamed. Captain James stopped the commotion. "First, I would like to set some rules. You probably know that we are pirates, but killing ones we be not. I would never hurt a fly Ms. Harold. And I would also like to tell you there will be no secrets among ye, so please mind tellin' us why you flee?" Samantha gulped and showed them a bruise on her arm, "I am a beaten child Mr. James sir, but it doesn't mean I can't work hard. I will earn my keep!" More cheers erupted. Captain James smiled, "Well then you be working besides me, no beaten child will be working those tired arms until healed!" Samantha hugged Captain James, who was utterly flattered. Samantha kept her promise, and so did Captain James, and they would keep it until death do part.

Chapter 2: George the Good boy

After a year together, Captain James and Samantha grew closer. Samantha loved Captain James as the father she never had, and Captain James loved Samantha as the daughter he never had. The crew was so open with Samantha, the told secrets to one another as if she was one of the guys. She taught them how to cook and clean, and they taught her how to shoot and fight. Everyone was equal and happy, so work was just a thing of ease.
One night, as they were raiding a simple trade boat, Samantha was on the lookout for any stray soldiers. Her job was specifically to look for the men who did not jump into the water, but stayed on the ship to fight. Nothing was happening on the invaded boat, so Samantha looked out into the sky. She again thanked lord that she found her dream, and found a family, even if it wasn't by blood. As she was looking at the moon above, she saw a smaller man jump onto "The Silk Rock" and she went after him.
Following his loud and clumsy footsteps, Samantha quietly chased after him, and he finally led her into a small room. She opened the door and called to the boy, "Oh boy!" She could hear his harsh breaths, so she said, "You foolish boy, you breathe so hard I could kill you from where I stand!" Finally the boy jumped out, and Samantha noticed that he was taller than her, but he was about her age. "And how do you plan on killing me? You are just a simple woman!" This got Samantha a bit aggravated, so she pulled out her sword, and he did the same. "I shall not kill ye, just teach thee a lesson," she whispered.
The thwack of metal swords echoed through the room, vibrating the floor slightly. Just for amusement, Samantha tested his skills and started to have a conversation with him, "So what is your name, and why do you flee?" She asked, "My name is George Fildman, and I would never share reason with a pirate!" Samantha raised her brow and continued to fight against the rebel. Soon she said, "Well, I am Samantha, if you want to know." George laughed and replied, "Why would I care? I will slaughter you, even if you have a name!" This angered Samantha, so with all of her might, she threw her sword so that it went through his shirt and into the wall. "Well, that'll be a bit hard now wont it?"
Samantha had put George into the brig and went to the victory dinner. Captain James had graced them with a large pheasant and fine wine. "So dear Sam, what was that boys name?" Captain James asked her during dinner, "Well, if my memory serves me right, it was Fildman, George Fildman." Captain James spit out his food that he was chewing, "What?" Samantha looked at him strangely, "George Fildman, is that a problem?" Captain James replied with shock still upon his face, "Yes, yes, just an old co- worker. Err.let him out, and don't question me," Samantha was confused but she did as she was told.
"You apparently have connections with my captain, you free," Samantha told George as she let him out of his cell, "But now you have to work for us, so you don't tell the royal navy of our whereabouts." George laughed; "I would never work for a pirate, but I guess if the captain knows me" George's vice trailed off. Samantha sat down, and George followed. She looked at him in the eyes, "A rule on this ship is not to keep secrets from each other, so why don't you tell me your problems Mr. Fildman."
George took a deep breath and seemed to think for a moment, but then he started to pour out what his inner soul only knew. "Well, I was born in England, my mother and father were forced by marriage and they never really liked each other. My father was always away on his boat he owned, so I connected with my mother. But of course my power-hungry father never could have enough, he thought it was too expensive to raise a child and support my mother, so he killed her. I was too quick and nimble on my feet, so he didn't even try to kill me. He took me on his boat and used me as a worker. I cleaned the boat, and I fixed it whenever it broke. I hated it, and knowing what evil he had done made everything worse. I wanted him to die, the ship to go down, even if it took me with it. I had no hope until last night, when I saw this ship, I was so happy, but it never occurred to me it was a pirate ship. Then when I met you I was so scared, so I fought. That's what some people do when they get frightened, they fight back. I had no intention of killing you Ms. Samantha. But I was telling the truth, I am not to fond of pirates." Samantha was holding back the tears in her eyes, but she managed to say, "Well, get used to it!" And with that she ran out of the room. She ran out into the deck and stood by the rail. She looked into the sky and looked at her favorite constellation: Orion. She looked up to the three stars for a belt and then the four stars extending for his limbs. She always knew, no matter what, he would always be there, and that made her feel better somehow. The other stars twinkling around him did not matter; they made no sense. She didn't know how to explain it, but it made her feel that everything had a reason, and that it would never change for the bad. She stared into the starry eyes of Orion and sighed with relief.

Chapter 3: Unknown Feelings

George helped the crew with the labor, never knowing much about the crew's plans or past. He quickly made friends with Samantha, talking to her every moment he could. The captain was not too fond of him though. He always criticized George's work and effort on the boat. George was used to this, everyday he would not pay attention to the ranting Captain James would go about, and he would only pay attention to Samantha.
He loved her, more than friendly love, but lover love. It made no sense when he said it aloud to himself, but it made perfect sense in his mind. He could picture him and Samantha growing old together, tending the boat and their children. Even though he agreed that his friendship with Samantha was wonderful, he also thought that that was the type of relationship he needed with his future wife. And it wasn't only friendship he was drawn to; it was her beauty too. Her long wavy red hair was so wild, that it almost made it tame. Her eyes were such a deep green that it felt like lying in the ripe grass to George. Her body was so small, but full of energy at all times. Her lips were chapped but luscious they were, he had always wanted to kiss them. Of course no one knew of these feelings, it was one of the many things George kept bottled inside him.
Samantha and George were resting in the sun one day, and strange conversations arose. "George," Samantha started, "Do you ever think about marriage?" George blushed, thinking about his fantasies with Samantha, but he replied, "No, not really, why?" Samantha shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, I have never seen a married couple, I want to know what it's like, that's all." George thought hard to answer her question and then thought of a suitable answer, "I guess it's like being best friends with someone, but also thinking of them sexually, that's what I presume." Samantha smiled, George nearly melted at her teeth.
George decided to keep a conversation going, "Why did you decide to become a pirate?" He had asked the wrong question. Samantha turned red, and glared at the sky with such anger that god would have cried. "Because I am not a fool, and I deserve my freedom like everyone else! I am not a toy!" Then her face softened, "How about you?" George also looked at they sky, but with eyes full of memories, "To keep my mothers spirits alive in me," his voice trailed off. Samantha looked at him, and it seemed like he was praying. She didn't disturb him, but she couldn't help but staring. His hair was so sweaty that his dark brown curls stuck to his face, emphasizing his beautiful bone structure. His shirt was half un-buttoned and it showed his fit chest. Samantha wanted so much at that point to kiss him, but knew she couldn't. To stop herself from anymore thinking, she pinched herself, "Ow!" George was startled and looked at Samantha, "What is it dear Samantha?" he asked, "Nothing, I just need to go see the captain," Samantha replied.
"Captain! Captain! I need your help dear James," Samantha called as she went to go find her beloved James. He was in his quarters, and he said from behind his door, "What is it child? Come in!" Samantha barged in slamming the door behind her making sure no one was in the room but the captain and her. "Oh James! I think..." her voice trailed off. Captain James urged her to go on, leaning towards her, listening to every breath she took. "Go on," he said, Samantha continued, "Well, I think I am falling in love, but I am not entirely sure. What does love feel like?" Samantha sat down and pondered her own question. Captain James laughed, "Child! Falling in love, with whom? One of my crewmembers?" Samantha scowled, "No, George!" Captain James' smile faded, and he became very serious, "Now don't be rushin' into anything." Samantha sighed and put her chin in her hands, "I don't know what I am to do!" Captain James smiled once more and gave her an answer only a pirate could give, "Forget about it," and Samantha did.