CHAPTER FOUR
THE SHIP WITH NO NAME
The night was black when Samantha arrived at the docks of Port Royal. The moon hid behind a smattering of clouds and the air was humid and warm with a slight breeze rustling through the palm trees that surrounded the island she'd grown up on, and had never left in her life. It looked as though the docks were completely empty, many of the ships looked ghastly in the hazy moonlight. She tiptoed around and decided that if she couldn't find a ship to take her to Tortuga, she'd stow away on one.
" 'Tis rather late fer such a young lass t' be out here. Wha's yer business d'n here?" said an eerie voice from behind her. Samantha turned quickly to seek out who had spoken. An old man who had a crooked back came out from behind a ship. He was short with white hair and a beard that reached his knees, it was un-groomed and matted and his face was dirty and weathered. His skin looked as if it was made of leather and his hands were calloused. His clothes were tattered and old.
"I-I-I need to get to Tortuga." Samantha sputtered.
"Tortuga 'eh? Well, jist sah happ'ns I'm on me way there right now. I could give ye a lift. It'll cost ye a purdy sum o' course." he said.
"What is it that you want?" Samantha asked cautiously. The man looked her over from head to toe and his eyes rested on her butterfly hair clip.
"'At clip mus' be worth sumthin', aye?" Samantha reached up to touch the clip, a gift from her grandfather, before he'd passed away earlier that year.
"Aye." Samantha said. "If I give you this, you'll take me to Tortuga?"
"If'n ye give me 'at I'll take ye anywhere. No questions as't. Deal?" Samantha took the clip from her hair, and put it in his weathered, leathery hand.
"Deal." she said.
"Ye have a name Missy?" the man asked.
"Samantha. And you?"
"Miller. John Miller. Welcome aboard Miss Samantha."
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After a few hours, they were miles away from Port Royal, and it was too early for anyone there to realize Samantha was missing. Although Samantha herself was a bit worried about what would happen when they did.
"Does your ship have a name Mister Miller?"
"Why no, no it doesn't." he said.
"It's bad luck to have a ship without a name." Samantha pointed out.
" 'Tis bad luck to have a womern on board as well. Ya never did say... wha's yer purpose in Tortuga. I's really not a place fer a young girl such as yerself." Miller said. "How old are ye?"
"You said no questions." Samantha said.
"So I did." Miller agreed.
"I'm sixteen." she said after a few moments of silence. "And I'm looking for Captain Jack Sparrow. The captain of the Black Pearl." she added. Miller nodded skeptically.
"Ah, beggin' yer pardon missy. Sixteen in't young at all. I wan't a lad much younger 'n ye when I set sail me first time. I was sixteen when I got me own ship. This'n in fact." Samantha listened with interest as he told about his boyhood. He talked until the first shades of orange and purple showed in the east, and on the horizon, she could make out an island.
"Is that Tortuga?" Samantha asked.
"Aye. It is... Ye know how to bring a ship into port?" Miller asked.
"I've lived in Port Royal my whole life and I've helped sailors bring ships in since before I can remember."
"Good. And since yer 'elping would ye mind namin' me ship?"
"Really?" she asked.
"Aye. It's bad luck to 'ave a ship wi'out a name."
"The Blood Rose." said Samantha.
"Aye, 'at's a good name. The Blood Rose it is."