This chapter is very important to the rest of the story. It is crucial and very affecting. I would strongly advise you to read the prelude and to read it carefully. It provides the skeletal information on which this part of the story is based.


Also, I credit historical information on this new character appearing in the below chapter to my inspiring grade six history notes which contained many facts about privateers and pirates. I was sorely tempted to use Francis Drake as my new character, but for various reasons, another was chosen.


Also, I apologize for the numerous finicky plot holes in this chapter- please, just go with it!


On with the show!


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A Prelude To This Next Chapter:


The storm caught the drunken pirates and privateers off their guard. Jack and Liam, being the only two who were even close to sober, (Liam because he didn't drink and Jack because he was used to the affects of alcohol on his senses) rounded up their crews as best they could in the confusion and prepared an attempt at navigating in a storm whilst still trying to stay together in a fleet.

On a very blunt, boring note of prose, one needs only to know who was on which ship. Emmaleanna had been caught off-guard and was thus stuck on Jack's ship, where at the same time Meryl, who was busy having a good time on Liam's vessel, (so named the Renegade Siren) did not have enough time to cross the gangplank before the storm brewed up. It was thus that the two ships were separated with each one member of the other's crew.

On a second prosaic note of logistics, the kidnaped priest had long since been freed in a small rower close to shore, that he might make his way back home from there. Meryl had suggested they bring him right back to shore, but this had been deemed much too risky by Jack, and thus it was as was above mentioned.

It might also be foretold that these two ships of both Liam and Jack were not the only ones gracing the horizon that stormy day- no, another ship, The Royal Fortune, was also sailing there, and it would do more than just deck the horizon. It had a role to play yet.

Little did the crews know, and Meryl especially, that this would be something that would affect her life, her heart and soul, for years and years to come…



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Chapter Twenty-four:

Bart Roberts unfolded his telescope and glanced eastward, surveying the first ship on the horizon, eyeing its navy colouring nervously. He turned to the west and watched a different ship through the eyepiece, squinting to read the name etched into the sides of it. "Who names a ship the Renegade Siren?" He wondered aloud.

A gale had tossed the three ships for a day and a half now. The two ships he was observing had been separated and could not see each other over the distances that separated them. But he, Black Bart Roberts, was sure this could benefit him. A little bribe from both ships might persuade him to lead them to each other.

He smiled to himself, refolding his telescope and turning towards his men. "Lets head for this Renegade Siren and see whether or not they'll pay a pretty penny to be reunited with their mates, aye gents?" The men cried an affirmative answer.

He slid the telescope into his red sash and placed his hands gingerly upon the wheel of the Royal Fortune. His lungs filled with the salty air as the wind picked up from behind him, blowing his coarse black hair about his sun-weathered, but still handsome face. A song slipped its way into his mind and he began to hum under his breath, and then to sing;

"Off the corsair sails, in the wave's strong wake, across the fires of the ocean…"


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"…I'll forget the day, as we drift away, in that shining sea of gold." Meryl's voice chased the notes up and down the octave as she sang. Her black hair escaped its knot and blew about her face in a flurry of shining ebony. Her eyes once again scanned the horizon for any sign of The Imprintor, but as before, all she could see was some stranger's ship idling on the water leagues away.

She couldn't even remember why she had been on Liam's ship in the first place. The storm had blown up so quickly and lasted what has seemed like eternity. And when it subsided and passed over, the Imprintor was out of sight. Here she was, Meryl without Jack, Liam without Emmaleanna. She sighed.

"We'll find them." Liam said from behind her. Meryl jumped. "I'm sorry." He said, seeing hoe startled she was.

"It's fine, really." Meryl said, reminded vaguely of her first meeting with Jack in Tortuga. (A/N: The story of how Jack and Meryl met is up on the site under the title 'A Profitable Affair') She turned to face him. "How long do you think it'll take?"

He shrugged. "Who knows? Could be a day, maybe a week…"

"A month?" She asked fearfully.

"Maybe a month." He mused, studying Meryl's face with great interest. "Could be longer, why?"

Meryl was about to reply, but then she thought the better of telling Liam about missing Jack. "Wont you miss Emmaleanna?"

He nodded. "Jack wont let her look for me."

"You think so?"

"In all likelihood, yes." He looked pained.

Meryl frowned. "You don't think he'll come look for me at least?"

Liam turned to face her. "He may, though I wouldn't lay money on it. From what I know of Jack, he's really not much for loyalty."

"No." Meryl breathed. "No, I suppose not. But perhaps we can find them."

"Of course we will." He smiled.

She sighed. "Do you think so?"

"I know so." He reassured her. A flash of joy flickered across her sun-soaked face. "Don't worry, Miss Volleys." He turned and strode away.

Meryl stood on the stern and resumed her song. "Do you see a light, shining in the east? A sailor's warned red sunrise. And I miss you so, as the gales will blow, on that shining sea of gold."


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So there we go, a very crucial chapter leading up to our 'next big thing.' Please be patient, and to FencingBabe7, hey, you finally get one of your new male characters!


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