Storm on the High Seas
Chapter 1: A pair of pirate captains
The Blushing Mermaid attracted all manner of scum; thieves, murderers, pirates and whores. It was a drab-looking building on the outside, squat and ugly, with grimy windows and even grimier patrons. Inside it was dingy and was in varying degrees of decay and filth. There was always some kind of brawl taking place in the seedy establishment (usually starting with an argument over some tavern wench though sometimes they began out of nowhere).
Food was cheap, which was a bonus. Although, at times it was debatable whether the grey, watery substance that passed as stew was actually food. However, the ugly little tavern had one saving grace that kept bringing people back to its grime and blood encrusted tables. Rum. The Blushing Mermaid served the best rum in all of Tortuga. Some even said it was the best (and most potent) in the entire Caribbean.
It was for this reason that Captain Jack Sparrow was there tonight. He sat in a corner of the dimly lit common room, observing in amusement the rough tavern life of Tortuga. He had already consumed about two and half bottles of rum and he was still going strong. The Black Pearl had recently enjoyed a successful venture. They had plundered two very wealthy merchant ships that had been heading for London from Port Royal. Jack chuckled; those were two ships that would never reach their destination.
After another few minutes-and a few more swigs of rum-the pirate captain rose unsteadily from his chair, he'd had enough rum to start the night, it was time to find a wench. It had been a long time since his last visit to Tortuga and it been definitely too long since he had last shared a bed. He tossed a gold coin onto his table and with a tip of his hat to the barkeep he slipped out, stepping lightly over the prone figures of would-be brawlers, and into the streets of Tortuga.
I just hope I don't get slapped tonight, thought Jack to himself.
***
Tortuga. Haven for thieves, sanctuary to rogues and home port to pirates. A town of taverns and brothels. A town of shady deals and general drunken debauchery.
A town of fun, thought Captain Storm O'Connor.
The pirate queen stood, her grey-blue eyes surveying her (and every pirate's) favorite port. Beside her was her first mate and closest friend Faye Roberts and bringing up the rear was Nicolas, another old and trusted friend.
"Oy Mumsy!"
Storm turned abruptly, a few of her black braids waving madly at the movement, and faced her twin daughters.
The two eleven-year olds dark eyes glinted mischievously. The pair had their black hair-so similar to their mother's-held back with matching red bandanas and they wore deep blue tunics and light brown breeches. The matching outfits were completed with two pairs of supple black sea-boots and each twin wore a single silver earring in their left earlobe.
"Are ye ready to go then?" asked their mother, still trying to decide which was which.
"Aye!" chorused the two girls.
"And do ye remember all I told ye?"
"Ummm.," the twins glanced at each other for support. One, Finn, guessed Storm judging from the scar on her forearm, piped up, "Always keep two weapons out in the open to discourage trouble and have another three concealed, in case trouble should arise."
"Good," smiled Storm, "and what else?"
"Oh," said the other, Sam, "One of us must watch our backs while the other watches the front."
"Excellent," praised the pirate captain, pleased with her daughters' wisdom, "now there's one more thing."
Finn and Sam looked at each other again, at a loss. Finn, being Finn, decided to attempt an answer.
"Drunks are easier to steal from.?"
"True..you're right, Finn, I did give you that advice but that's not what I'm looking for. I think what I said was a bit more of a threat."
"Oooh," Sam nodded, "I remember. If we don't stay together, you'll nail us to the yardarm by our ears."
"Aye," grinned Storm, "that's the one! Now just remember those things and go have yerselves a good time! I'll see the two of ye back at the Phoenix before tomorrow morning. If ye get into trouble I'll be at the Blushing Mermaid." She paused, "I warn ye.don't get in trouble."
"We won't!" chorused the twins again, knowing what would happen if they did. To their mother, a pirate captain as she was, it didn't matter to her what the girls did, but if they got caught doing it.
With a final pat on the back to each, Storm took her leave, knowing her daughters could handle themselves.
As she walked, some stumbling drunk bumped into her, nearly knocking the lithe Storm to the ground.
"Watch it, you oaf," she growled as she caught herself. She hesitated then and half-turned to look at the drunken wobbling pirate. Her eyes narrowed as a thought crossed her mind.
"It couldn't be," she whispered under her breath, then shook her head and ducked into a nearby alley.
She needed a drink.
*
Jack managed to scramble back onto his feet, with some difficulty. He had forgotten the fabled effects of the Blushing Mermaid's rum. Swaying slightly, he turned to see the woman he had crashed into.
When he looked though, she was gone.
"I would've said sorry," he muttered.
Then his forehead wrinkled as he attempted to think with his rum-addled mind. There had been something vaguely familiar about that woman.He just couldn't think what.or who.
Jack sighed, he needed a wench.
Chapter 1: A pair of pirate captains
The Blushing Mermaid attracted all manner of scum; thieves, murderers, pirates and whores. It was a drab-looking building on the outside, squat and ugly, with grimy windows and even grimier patrons. Inside it was dingy and was in varying degrees of decay and filth. There was always some kind of brawl taking place in the seedy establishment (usually starting with an argument over some tavern wench though sometimes they began out of nowhere).
Food was cheap, which was a bonus. Although, at times it was debatable whether the grey, watery substance that passed as stew was actually food. However, the ugly little tavern had one saving grace that kept bringing people back to its grime and blood encrusted tables. Rum. The Blushing Mermaid served the best rum in all of Tortuga. Some even said it was the best (and most potent) in the entire Caribbean.
It was for this reason that Captain Jack Sparrow was there tonight. He sat in a corner of the dimly lit common room, observing in amusement the rough tavern life of Tortuga. He had already consumed about two and half bottles of rum and he was still going strong. The Black Pearl had recently enjoyed a successful venture. They had plundered two very wealthy merchant ships that had been heading for London from Port Royal. Jack chuckled; those were two ships that would never reach their destination.
After another few minutes-and a few more swigs of rum-the pirate captain rose unsteadily from his chair, he'd had enough rum to start the night, it was time to find a wench. It had been a long time since his last visit to Tortuga and it been definitely too long since he had last shared a bed. He tossed a gold coin onto his table and with a tip of his hat to the barkeep he slipped out, stepping lightly over the prone figures of would-be brawlers, and into the streets of Tortuga.
I just hope I don't get slapped tonight, thought Jack to himself.
***
Tortuga. Haven for thieves, sanctuary to rogues and home port to pirates. A town of taverns and brothels. A town of shady deals and general drunken debauchery.
A town of fun, thought Captain Storm O'Connor.
The pirate queen stood, her grey-blue eyes surveying her (and every pirate's) favorite port. Beside her was her first mate and closest friend Faye Roberts and bringing up the rear was Nicolas, another old and trusted friend.
"Oy Mumsy!"
Storm turned abruptly, a few of her black braids waving madly at the movement, and faced her twin daughters.
The two eleven-year olds dark eyes glinted mischievously. The pair had their black hair-so similar to their mother's-held back with matching red bandanas and they wore deep blue tunics and light brown breeches. The matching outfits were completed with two pairs of supple black sea-boots and each twin wore a single silver earring in their left earlobe.
"Are ye ready to go then?" asked their mother, still trying to decide which was which.
"Aye!" chorused the two girls.
"And do ye remember all I told ye?"
"Ummm.," the twins glanced at each other for support. One, Finn, guessed Storm judging from the scar on her forearm, piped up, "Always keep two weapons out in the open to discourage trouble and have another three concealed, in case trouble should arise."
"Good," smiled Storm, "and what else?"
"Oh," said the other, Sam, "One of us must watch our backs while the other watches the front."
"Excellent," praised the pirate captain, pleased with her daughters' wisdom, "now there's one more thing."
Finn and Sam looked at each other again, at a loss. Finn, being Finn, decided to attempt an answer.
"Drunks are easier to steal from.?"
"True..you're right, Finn, I did give you that advice but that's not what I'm looking for. I think what I said was a bit more of a threat."
"Oooh," Sam nodded, "I remember. If we don't stay together, you'll nail us to the yardarm by our ears."
"Aye," grinned Storm, "that's the one! Now just remember those things and go have yerselves a good time! I'll see the two of ye back at the Phoenix before tomorrow morning. If ye get into trouble I'll be at the Blushing Mermaid." She paused, "I warn ye.don't get in trouble."
"We won't!" chorused the twins again, knowing what would happen if they did. To their mother, a pirate captain as she was, it didn't matter to her what the girls did, but if they got caught doing it.
With a final pat on the back to each, Storm took her leave, knowing her daughters could handle themselves.
As she walked, some stumbling drunk bumped into her, nearly knocking the lithe Storm to the ground.
"Watch it, you oaf," she growled as she caught herself. She hesitated then and half-turned to look at the drunken wobbling pirate. Her eyes narrowed as a thought crossed her mind.
"It couldn't be," she whispered under her breath, then shook her head and ducked into a nearby alley.
She needed a drink.
*
Jack managed to scramble back onto his feet, with some difficulty. He had forgotten the fabled effects of the Blushing Mermaid's rum. Swaying slightly, he turned to see the woman he had crashed into.
When he looked though, she was gone.
"I would've said sorry," he muttered.
Then his forehead wrinkled as he attempted to think with his rum-addled mind. There had been something vaguely familiar about that woman.He just couldn't think what.or who.
Jack sighed, he needed a wench.
