Sweet Revenge

Chapter 2

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Somehow I fell asleep and only woke as I heard a bell ring on deck. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Slowly I made my way out of my room and up on deck. Everyone was doing chores and I looked up at Pa as he watched—his standard iron look on his face.

"Pa," I said as I walked up to him. He looked down at me and his features still held their iron glaze.

"Are ye all right Pa?" I asked. He never looked at me with that expression—his eyes always held a glint in them.

"Fine," he answered and yelled an order to the crew. "We cast him back to the sea."

"What?" I asked incredulously. "Without me? Ye had his funeral without me?"

Still his gaze didn't soften and he merely said, "Ye needed to rest."

"What be wrong, Pa?" I asked.

He turned away from me and his gaze brightened a little as Charlie walked up to him.

"Cap'n everything is in order," he said with a small smile.

"Good… remember what we discussed before Macey—take the wheel," he directed.

"Where we headed, Pa?" I asked, telling myself that he wasn't deliberately being cold.

"The treasure of Captain Grayson," he replied slowly still not looking at me.

"Ye told Charlie about it?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"Everything?"

"No."

"Then what?" I asked, his simple answers annoying me.

He looked over at me with a curious expression. "Come with me," he said and led me to his cabin.

I followed him in the elaborate cabin, beckoning him to speak.

"Samantha… I discussed many things with Macey… many important things that he understands. No, I didn't tell him everything about Grayson's treasure. But… I thought long and hard about this. I appointed him my first mate, Samantha," he explained, his back to me the whole time.

Needless to say I was speechless, I couldn't even blink. "Pa… ye can't be talking 'bout Charlie? Charlie Macey?"

"Of course I am. Samantha… I know how capable ye are… but ye are a woman… ye can't change that," he said as if it were an excuse.

"So yer saying that 'cuz I'm a daughter instead of a son that he his yer most trusted confident?" I asked, barely breathing.

"No, I'm saying that he's older and wiser than ye Samantha."

"Stop calling me that!" I yelled. "I may be a girl, but I'm not all that implies Pa! I be strong and… experienced! Whether ye remember or not Pa, I be twenty years old, giving me twelve years to me credit at sea! I have been trained to fence and fire a gun since I was ten by two of the most credited sailors there has ever been!" I was yelling now. It had been basically an unspoken agreement that if something happened to Potts I would take over his position. I was to be captain of the Sunrise when Pa died.

"I am quite aware of what ye have done over the past years; I have been there the entire time. I wont have ye yelling—I still be yer father!" He answered, his expression hardening to stone.

"No… I don't think ye really are… ye are my cap'n now… that be all…" I whispered. "Ye betrayed me Pa…"

I walked out of his cabin, determined to keep my wounded demeanor from being exposed to everyone.

I looked up at Charlie with a scowl, while he held a triumphant smile. I spit onto the deck and walked away.

I didn't talk to Pa for weeks. I did what I was told, but the playful jokes and talks between us were lost.

I spent more time in my cabin wondering what to do. I walked out on the forecastle deck one night, looking out at the ocean, dimly lit by the moon and stars. I leaned on the railing, wondering why Pa had changed his mind about me.

My reveries were interrupted by the banging on Pa's cabin across the ship. I turned briefly and then again when I realized that it looked like the whole crew was in front of his door—led by Charlie Macey.

I sucked in my breath and wondered if my instincts were right as to what was happening.

The cabin door opened and Pa looked at the crowd with an uneasy look. I walked down the steps slowing, and as I heard the words pierce the air I shivered. "Cap'n we are so sorry to take you out of the cabin at this hour, but would you do us the favor of talking to us?"

Pa looked at them with a scowl and stepped out, his hand on his pistol.

"Cap'n, no need for weapons," Charlie mocked, his own pistol drawn to my horror. "Please, sir, I would appreciate yer weapons."

I pulled my own flintlock pistols from my belt—I always kept two. Charlie motioned for one of the other crewmembers to remove Pa's gun and sword and as he stepped forward I cocked my guns.

All eyes turned to me and I said sullenly, "I would appreciate the lowering of yer weapons gentlemen. Especially yers Macey."

He gave a little laugh and asked, "You have two pistols girl, how far do you expect to get with them?"

"At least I can shoot ye—ye dirty mutineer," I snarled back at him, very aware that I was greatly outnumbered.

"Sam…" Pa murmured. I could tell he wanted me to stop, but I knew I couldn't.

"I suggest ye let me Pa go and end this," I said loudly.

Charlie scoffed and shook his head. "Get 'er," He commanded his followers. A group of four or five of the men walked towards me, all menacingly. How could I have ever trusted them?

"Back up," I told them, aiming the pistols. This be yer last chance!" They kept coming and I pulled one of the triggers. One man, Jones, fell to the ground dead.

The other men stopped and looked to Macey for assurance.

"She has but one shot left men," he told them, rolling his eyes.

Pa was looking at me with pleading eyes. "Sam, don', they might kill ye," he beseeched.

"Yes, Samantha, don't be a bad little girl," Charlie prodded. I looked at him with hate, but my shot was blocked by the men that were now surrounding me.

I shot my other pistol in desperation as they closed in, and another of the mutineers fell to the deck. I threw this pistol to the floor and grabbed for my sword. Charlie smiled insanely, and as I pulled out my sword, the mutineers pulled out their guns and pointed them at me.

"I suggest you drop yer weapon or I shall kill yer father… and you this instant," Macey said with a sneer.

My thoughts jumped to my father, who watched helplessly, desperation filling his face. I dropped my blade and was immediately seized by a couple of the men. They pulled my arms behind me and Charlie turned his attention back to Pa.

"Now, Captain, care to tell me a little more about Grayson's treasure?" Charlie asked, beckoning for a couple of the mutineers to grab him.

"I'll never tell ye," he answered with a snarl.

"Now, captain, that's not very nice to tell yer first mate. After all, I am yer closest confidante, am I not?" he asked, deliberately annoying me about my father's choice.

"It was the biggest mistake of me life to make ye me first mate ye scum, and I'll tell ye nothin'." Pa spat at Charlie.

"'Tis a shame cap'n. Seems ye want me to be killin' yer 'lil girl there?" Pa's gaze shifted over to me as I struggled against my captors. "Don' hurt her…"

"I won't if'n ye tell me, cap'n," Charlie answered. So Pa told him where it was, his eyes on me the whole time as if to say he was sorry.

"Thank ye Cap'n," Macey replied when Pa finished. By the way, I shall have many nights of fun with this 'lil girl ye have here. She really is a gem—so untouched by men. Yes…" he whispered looking over to me, "So much fun…"

Pa broke away from the men who held him and yelled as he reached for Charlie, "Don't ye dare touch her!" A loud blast went off and I screamed as my father fell to the ground, clutching his stomach.

I broke away from the men who held me and rushed to him. "Pa, pa!" I screamed and he grasped my hand and whispered, "He—he… blinded me… Sammy…I… I… love…ye darling…" He gasped for breath and before he took his last breath Charlie Macey yelled for his men to throw Pa overboard.

The splash cut through me like a knife, "Ye dirty scallywag!" I screamed at Charlie, reaching for him to hurt somehow. "Ye bastard! Ye deserve to burn in the deepest depths of hell!"

He merely chuckled and grabbed my wrists, holding me at bay. The next second I felt something hard strike my head and I fell into a black abyss.