-The disclaimer in chapter 1, blah, blah, blah, blah, etc, you know the details.
- Here is the thing about Tribune; he's not a bad guy. He can be heroic, selfless, etc, when he wants to be. But mostly, he just a pest and that's why I wrote him the way I did.
-Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, you really made my day.
Chapter 7
"Good morning, Captain" Danielle slinked into his room the next morning.
"Miss Tribune".
"Are you ready to watch your beloved die?" she mocked.
He remained silent.
"Stoicism will not get you anywhere, Captain".
"Miss Tribune, may I see Margo one last time?".
"If you wish, but make it short. If he tries anything foolish, finish him" she directed.
In the dungeon, Margo slipped on the plain gown the jailers had given her. Taking one last look at herself, she closed her eyes, prepared to face eternity with her parents and Uncle Arthur.
"Margo" John whispered.
"What do you want?" Tribune sneered.
"Were getting you out of here".
"You and what militia?" Tribune demanded.
"Thomas, please".
"If I ever get out of here..." Tribune threatened.
"THOMAS, PLEASE" her voice echoed throughout the empty dungeon.
Tribune finally backed off, but never let her out of his sight.
"I don't ever want to see you again, because if I do, I will string and cut you up like the guttersnipe you are".
"I care nothing for Miss Tribune, please listen to me. We have a plan..." Danielle and her soldiers descended down the stairs.
"Time is up, Captain" two soldiers surrounded him and escorted him away from the cell.
"Margo, I love you" he called out.
"Come Margo, we'll face death together" taking her arm, they walked together, saying their prayers and final goodbyes.
"I love you too, John" Fighting back tears, she forced down all thoughts and memories of him.
Margo and Tribune were escorted to the scaffold, the crowd jeering and booing. Two nooses stood high above crowd as a hangman and priest stood stoically, waiting for the nooses to claim its victims. John was escorted to the balcony in full view of the scaffold, praying that their plan would work.
"Good people of Cuba, I present to you two traitors who, by the grace of our benevolent lord above, have been brought to justice and will pay for their crimes" The crowd cheered.
"Margo Laurelton-Krusix, for the crime of piracy, you are sentenced to death, your body to fed to the sharks. Thomas Miguel Tribune, for the crime of conspiracy and attempted murder, you are sentenced to death and to fed to the sharks".
Saying a prayer, Margo prepared for her death.
"Not quite, Margo" a familiar voice broke through.
"George?" his red hair peeked through the black hood.
"Yes Captain".
"Ned?" she recognized the younger man's blond locks under the priest's hat.
"Were going to get you of here, both of you".
"I knew you wouldn't let us die" Tribune smirked.
Ignoring his comment, Margo asked "Where is Valencia?".
"Up there" Ned pointed to the balcony.
"Wine, sir?" Finn, under the guise of a maid asked Roxton.
"Yes, thank you" noises were heard from behind the seats.
"What was that? Guards!".
Nodding for John to be quiet, Valencia aimed her rifle on the back of Danielle's neck.
"Let them go, bitch and renounce your power".
"Valencia, how nice to see you again" Danielle purred.
"Let them go" Valencia eyes were cold and hard.
"And if I don't?".
"Then you die where you stand" Finn, Jarl and Assai stepped into the balcony, their rifles aimed and loaded.
"Captain Roxton" she looked toward John.
"Here you'll need this" Valencia handed John his rifle.
Knowing she was outgunned and alone and with Valencia's pistol still attached to her neck, Danielle turned outward.
"Good people of Cuba, it seems our lord above has deemed that Captain Margo and Senor Tribune are innocent of all charges and free to assume their lives," she announced.
Seeing that her captors had lowered their guns, Danielle swung around, reaching for Valencia's rifle.
"No!" Assai shouted. Danielle fell to the ground, her dress stained red.
"Is she dead?".
"She has a concussion. By the time she wakes up, she'll be on her way to Spain".
After bandaging Danielle's wound, they carried her to Assai's village, where a celebration was taking place. John watched Margo, a smile plastered on her face and Tribune's arm wrapped protectively on her waist.
"I suppose I deserve it," he thought.
"It was a ruse, we both know that. Besides, she can't just attach herself to him like that; after all he did to her. You love her, try to explain, she will understand" another voice in his head countered back.
"Enjoying yourself?" Ned asked, he and Valencia entwined together.
"Yea" he replied uneasily.
"John, talk to her, she will understand" Valencia offered.
"No she wont, you didn't see the look in her eyes in the dungeon".
Margo stood with her back to him, enjoying her victory. But at the same time, it didn't feel right.
"Margo?" Thomas asked, noticing her unusually quiet demeanor.
"Excuse me" she ran into the bushes.
"I'm fine, thank you" Assai handed her water.
There had to one thing. She had never been sick in her entire life, even when her father was alive. She was with child. Taking a quick look at John and at her abdomen, she quickly forced down any maternal thoughts. She could not have a child, not here not now.
"Captain?" George asked.
"A little too much excitement, I'll be fine" she assured him.
Taking one last look at John, she returned to Thomas's side. No, she would raise the child on the sea, the way she knew how. He would never know how much she truly loved him or the child that they had created.
