Chapter 1
(Words inside are Stella's thoughts)
Strangers always whispered amongst themselves when she walked past. That happened more often than someone may think. Stella Franklin was a seventeen year old girl living on the streets of Tortuga.
"That bloody street rat." The men sneered at her as she walked down the street slowly.
"She ain't no street rat she's just a low life. You know her pa is that sick bastard who wastes his time sittin' in the pub. But ya gotta feel sorry for 'er, ya know, her pa beats 'er ta a pulp."
"She, if you could even consider 'er a lass, is always getting into trouble with that group of hooligans. She deserves it." Stella overheard the two men but truthfully she could have cared less.
She was pretty happy with her life (at least that's what she told herself every time she heard some person talking about her) aside from her pa's abusive ways. She always told herself that she didn't care that her mum left her when she was just a tot. She purposefully didn't act like a lady, but regretfully she still looked like one, and actually still roughly attractive. Her long brown hair and deep blue almond shaped eyes were the epitome of femininity however Stella kept her hair under a boy's cap and her face dirty. She headed down the street toward a group of older boys. Usually this would not have been a smart move for a young girl in Tortuga however Stella was her own type of girl and she didn't give a damn what was and wasn't smart. "Hey boys! Y'all ready for a night of pillaging and fun?" She asked hopefully as she ran up to meet her friends. Stella received a jumble of responses and long faces. Immediately she knew something was wrong.
"Um, well ya see, we gotta leave town and go ta Port Royal. Our pa's have been arrested for piracy and we need ta get 'em 'fore they're swingin'. The boys looked nervous and ready to leave.
"Bloody 'ell! What am I supposed ta do now?! I hope y'all end up swingin' with yer pa's ya bloody cowards!" With that Stella stormed off in a crazy rage. She had no idea what she was supposed to do now that her friends were all leaving. Stella kept walking and eventually ended up at the docks. She was walking along the docks trying desperately to calm herself, and then she saw it. It was the most beautiful ship she had ever seen and she knew exactly what it was, The Black Pearl. She had her mind made up in a split second and ran up the gangplank. She was walking along the deck when she felt a cold blade against her throat...
Strangers always whispered amongst themselves when she walked past. That happened more often than someone may think. Stella Franklin was a seventeen year old girl living on the streets of Tortuga.
"That bloody street rat." The men sneered at her as she walked down the street slowly.
"She ain't no street rat she's just a low life. You know her pa is that sick bastard who wastes his time sittin' in the pub. But ya gotta feel sorry for 'er, ya know, her pa beats 'er ta a pulp."
"She, if you could even consider 'er a lass, is always getting into trouble with that group of hooligans. She deserves it." Stella overheard the two men but truthfully she could have cared less.
She was pretty happy with her life (at least that's what she told herself every time she heard some person talking about her) aside from her pa's abusive ways. She always told herself that she didn't care that her mum left her when she was just a tot. She purposefully didn't act like a lady, but regretfully she still looked like one, and actually still roughly attractive. Her long brown hair and deep blue almond shaped eyes were the epitome of femininity however Stella kept her hair under a boy's cap and her face dirty. She headed down the street toward a group of older boys. Usually this would not have been a smart move for a young girl in Tortuga however Stella was her own type of girl and she didn't give a damn what was and wasn't smart. "Hey boys! Y'all ready for a night of pillaging and fun?" She asked hopefully as she ran up to meet her friends. Stella received a jumble of responses and long faces. Immediately she knew something was wrong.
"Um, well ya see, we gotta leave town and go ta Port Royal. Our pa's have been arrested for piracy and we need ta get 'em 'fore they're swingin'. The boys looked nervous and ready to leave.
"Bloody 'ell! What am I supposed ta do now?! I hope y'all end up swingin' with yer pa's ya bloody cowards!" With that Stella stormed off in a crazy rage. She had no idea what she was supposed to do now that her friends were all leaving. Stella kept walking and eventually ended up at the docks. She was walking along the docks trying desperately to calm herself, and then she saw it. It was the most beautiful ship she had ever seen and she knew exactly what it was, The Black Pearl. She had her mind made up in a split second and ran up the gangplank. She was walking along the deck when she felt a cold blade against her throat...