Claire: the Scourge of the Seven Seas and Captain of the Cannonball Combat

It was a quiet night as always, but something seemed odd about the calmness of the swirling waves outside the feared champion pirate ship Burndown.

The O'Reillys were a family of sea lovers…well, sea lovers from opposite sides of justice! Mr. Lochlann (lock-lan) O'Reilly, also known as Lucky Lock, was the captain of the pirate fleet Burndown. As a young lad he had captured a fair maiden from a merchant ship and, even though it was against the rules to have a woman onboard, (they're bad luck too) he kept her and fell in love with her uncanny ability to choose her own destiny and change like the sea.

The fair maiden became Mrs. Dominique O'Reilly. Beautiful and proper Mrs. O'Reilly, but don't be fooled by her devilish charm and wit. She's really as good as any pirate and smells better too! Together the two captured four ships, destroyed many towns, and stole hundreds of pounds of gold and other precious gems. They also had three children: Cabhan (cave-in), Ardan (are-dawn), Claire, and James.

Cabhan is the oldest of the crew and has dark red curly hair, just like his father, but his eyes are a deep brown like his mother's. Broad shouldered, stocky, and hotheaded Cabhan is a true seaman.

Next in line is Ardan. Ardan has straight blond hair, like his mother, and the sparkling green eyes of his father. Unlike his older brother, Ardan is tall and lean, but none the less a future captain.

Miss Claire is probably the perfect combination of her two parents. She has light reddish-brown hair and hazel eyes. She just as beautiful as her mother and has a close personality. Stubborn, but confident in everything she does Claire is not one to try to take things lightly.

Last, but certainty not lest is James. Young James is tall and strong with brown hair and grayish-blue eyes. He's very proper and knows what he wants. He's always admired the Navy and the British Government, but because of his father's profession he's not exactly allowed to learn much more.

Anyways, it was a quiet night and the O'Reilly's were asleep on the Burndown, which was ported at a dock not to far away from Tortuga. Recently the O'Reilly's had gotten into a collision with the all famous Flying Dutchmen and Lochlann could tell that Davy Jones had a thing for Dominique. He had asked her to just stay in their bedroom, but Dominique had persisted to take a stroll on deck…what harm could be done?

Dominique leaned over the rail and gazed at the sea below her. It had become her love and passion, but would it also be her death? She cringed at the thought and continued walking around the main deck. She had just reached the Forecastle Deck when she heard something that sounded like metal clanging against the bowsprit. Cautiously she peered over the edge and there, looking back up at her, was a man with an octopus looking head and crab like claws for hands; Davy Jones!

Dominique turned to run for the warning bell, but ran into Davy Jones! She tried to scream, but he forced her to the ground and tried to tie her up. Dominique shoved her knees up and quickly got to her feet, drawing her sword and shouted, "LOCHALNN! JONE'S ABOARD!"

Dominique tried to stab Jones, but he caught her sword with his claws and twisted the metal! She screamed and began to run to the captain's corridors, but Jones once again stopped her and tried to tie her down. Suddenly, Jones was stabbed from behind! He turned to see Ardan leaning over him!

"ARDAN NO! GET YOUR FATHER!" Dominique was trying to warn her son of his obvious doom.

"Back down Jones!" Ardan said strongly.

For a 16-year-old he was very intimidating, but Jones wasn't very fooled. He pulled the sword out of his stomach and thrusted it into Ardan's!

Dominique began to choke and her eyes grew wide. Ardan hit the deck and the life drained from his sweet eyes. Dominique fell to her knees, grabbing her throat as blood seeped through her skin and she cried blood! By then Lochlann and Cabhan had heard the disaster and ran to the seen.

"Cabhan get your siblings and hide! Wake the crew!" Cabhan obediently followed his father's orders.

"Jones what the hell have you done? You sick torturous man!" Lochlann had tears burning down his cheeks as Dominique clung to his legs.

Jones smirked menacingly and disappeared into the growing fog. Lochlann quickly kneeled in front of his wife.

"Dominique! Dominique! Please! Oh please…mon amour (my love in French)," Lochlann barely whispered those final words into his wife's ear as her body went limp in his arms.

The crew stood around them in dead silence. Lochlann stood up and stared at Ardan's still figure.

"Proper burial. The family and I aren't going to attend. We're setting out. Oh and don't give Dominique to Jones…I won't let him win this round," Lochlann walked away and the crew gave Ardan and Dominique a proper funeral.

Two weeks later

"Father! Please!" Claire was determined to convince her father to eat something!

"I'm not hungry Claire dear," Lochlann sighed.

"You're going to die if you don't eat,"

A hurt look crossed his face as he continued steering the ship.

"Father-"

"NO!"

Claire jumped back with surprise and angrily stormed away from him and joined James on a rail.

"No luck," Claire said sadly.

"Where's momma?" see James is only 9 and wasn't really understanding what had happened to Dominique.

"You'll see her again. Don't worry about it to much," Claire gave James her best reassuring smile and patted him on the head, "Just be good for dad ok?"

James knodded and ran off to find Cabhan. Claire watched her brother trot off and felt sorry for him. James had been super attached to Dominique and now that she was gone, his mother, he didn't know who to go to. Unfortunately he chose his oldest sibling left and Cabhan had never been very nice to his siblings...especially James.