After nearly an hour of excruciatingly tedious course-plotting, the pirate princess and her first officer snapped out of their concentration by a loud yell from above, all the navigation tools were dropped and both Ruby-Rose and Ana Maria leapt out of the cabin.
'Ship AHOY, a sail on the sea!" The voice resounded once more; Ruby-Rose leaned against the ship's mast and tossed her head back as far as she could to watch the lonesome figure that dwelled in the crow's nest.
"What already? Where away, Mister Giles?" Ruby-Rose called up
"Just off the Starboard Captain" The watchman replied
Ruby-Rose frantically searched for her telescope before remembering she last saw it with Christy Jamison and sure enough at the stately bow of the ship stood the affable pirate with the Telescope in her hand. She rolled her eyes at the girl but she was more concerned with the ship that had crossed their path. The young captain gripped her hands over the rigging and looked upon the vessel that had just appeared over the horizon. As she became more curious Ruby-Rose climbed the first two rungs and laid her head against the rope and metal grid.
"It couldn't be The Solstice, not this early either we're punctual for once or she's overdue." She whispered to herself, squinting at the sun-drenched sky
"Miss Jamieson, the telescope if you please"
Christy strolled over and threw up the cylinder spying glass; Ruby-Rose caught it effortlessly and nodded her thanks to the ruined aristocrat.
"Michael, do you mark her colours yet?"
Michael Giles leaned precariously over his tiny, timbered pedestal, a strong wind billowing through his clothes. He could not sea anything but the cream-coloured sails and the mast standing tall, he could just about see the movement of the ship's crew but nothing more.
"No Ma'am it's too far from view'
Ruby-Rose sighed and nervously tapped her fingers along the frame of the telescope before spying through it; even with the more strengthened focus she could not find the flag. She watched the comings and goings of the crew and caught sight of an overly-dressed gentleman she assumed was the captain. As she held the lens over nearly every inch of the sail her heart stopped as she glimpsed at an odd shimmering spectacle. Trying to calm herself she took the telescope away for a moment then placed in on her eye again, only with much more eagerness this time. She took a long look at the shimmering light as it lined the edge of the giant sheet; at the very tip of the sail she caught sight of two distinct colours – Red and orange with the strong signature of a royal dynasty…The Bourbon coat of arms.
The young damsel spluttered out her sheer delight at such a turn of good fortune, she pushed down the spying hole and chuckled to herself. Shaking her head at the absurdity she jumped off the perch and moved toward Quartermaster Laurie.
"Up until this moment I never believed I was favoured with anyone; not God, not Poseidon, not anyone….But it seems the great king has presented us with a gift" Ruby-Rose boasted as she passed the telescope to the Scotsman
"Oh, how so and to which King are you referring to?" Thomas mused quietly,
There is only one monarch our kind will ever serve; the great and unyielding Neptune known to all rogues of the ocean waves as Poseidon...We have her in our grasp Thom, we have The Solstice"
Thomas Laurie was a rather reserved man despite the unjust claim that all Celts were a rabble of ill-mannered, fiery-tempered ruffians. He was keen not to be typecast as such and more than proved his worth. Although he knew Caleb Sparrow, Thomas Laurie had never served under him – It was one of Ruby-Rose's proudest business decisions: He was a well-travelled man who could have owned his own vessel and carve out a worthy legacy but he chose to stay in the humble but highly-regarded post of Quartermaster.
"Your call Mister Laurie, the ship is still a long way off but perhaps we should make some preparations?"
A smile beamed across Thomas's bearded face, he stretched his arms across the ship's edge and tapped it childishly - still tantalised by what treasures The Solstice had aboard her. Ruby-Rose leaned in to laugh along with him and patted the mariner on the back.
"You took the words right out of my mouth Captain Rose….Mister Quinn steer the ship several degrees East" The Quartermaster hollered
"East, Sir?
"Aye lad, east towards the sun…you'll know why soon enough"
"Aye-Aye Sir" Quinn replied and steered the ship to the desired direction
"Man the sails, I want every single one unfurled gentlemen" Laurie continued, Beckett and McFadden scrambled up the rigging and set loose the sails at the top of the foremast before quickly sliding back to the decks from a nearby rope.
"Time we got to work lads, keep on your toes all of you because this is it!" Ruby-Rose cried as adrenaline starting rushing through her blood stream; she dashed to her cabin, grabbed her scabbard and sword and started to load her pistols.
"Master Crawley I would say it was time to make our presence known, make ready the cannons, take 'Dockers' down with you – you'll need the extra hand" The pirate princess ordered, Ben Crawley nodded and dragged the boy by his shirt and headed below deck.
As they neared the enemy vessel a cannon was fired and it's ball flew into the air and pounded into the sea yards away from The Solstice. Men were seen scurrying about the ship and a distinguished gentleman with shoulder-length hair and broad frame was leaning over the Port bow with a wild look of readiness on his eyes…The eyes of Captain Pablo Ferreira
Only when the ships were board to board did the chaos begin; the rival vessels exchanged gunfire and taunts until the pirates swung over to The Solstice – Swords were brandished, limbs were slashed, fists were flying everywhere as crew member fought with rival crew member. There were always no fatalities, it was something that Ruby-Rose forbid unless it was a true struggle of survival. Some accidents did happen but that was the price of piracy. Ruby-Rose Sparrow definitely had her hands full on this occasion, not only did she have to defend herself but she had to keep one eye on the young Drew McFadden who was still new to any real combat and the extremely volatile Daniel Beckett. This was all while the Hispanic captain was looming ever closer as he battled his way towards Ruby-Rose from what she guessed would be a showed between two respectable Captains; One of who belonged to a royal court, the other a legendary pirate who belonged to nothing but the sea
The upper deck had far less activity than the rest of the ship, which had more than enough room for Ferreira and Sparrow to lock horns and commence battle, which they eventually did but only after some tense moments
The two rivals parried, swiped and manically tried to inflict injury on the other and as often as possible. After some vigorous combat they broke away from each other and just stared. By now Ruby-Rose had a bruise to her cheek, a swollen lip and a grazed forearm. Her opponent stood exhausted with a battered and torn uniform and a wide slash across his chest.
"You must forgive me for my actions, I am not the kind of man who directs any form of violence towards a woman" He panted, speaking with a voice that was calm and genteel and laced with the strong accent of his native home.
"The rules of engagement are never meant to be kind Captain Ferreira…it is never, ever personal" Ruby-Rose coughed, groaning before she raised the sword to her face and continued the fight.
The combat was furious and quick despite the energy waning, they circled each other and struck swords a few times before breaking away again.
"Your technique is rather astounding, there are not many days where I cross paths with a woman such a yourself" He growled
"There is not many women like me sir; some sew clothes, raise children…I prefer to steal" –
"Not from my ship I'm afraid, your audacity to try and ransom The Solstice is impressive but it will not succeed"
"Says you; a man who underestimates an enemy all too easily…Do you know who I am sir?" Ruby-Rose relied sternly.
The captain took a moment to observe his opponent; it was true that he had no patience to extract every single detail of his enemies as he was always concerned with more important things. But this time he allowed himself to take in his surroundings. He gazed at her trousers – an extremely peculiar spectacle for a woman – Her flattened bosom, the crimson-coloured jacket, her auburn hair and the fine craftsmanship of her musket. The puzzle began to ravel right before his eyes.
"If you are who I think you are, you are not at all what I expected….The great Captain Ruby-Rose – Unica flor de Poseidon" Pablo chortled sarcastically.
"Well I've been called worse but you can't really complain about such poetic flattery can you? – Poseidon's only flower – I really must find out who it was that first thought it up don't you think?" She teased, the minutes wasted on talking were enough to regain her strength and she was determined to finish this fight and win.
"Perhaps but I doubt you'll be able to once we have you and your crew have been imprisoned" Pablo retorted with a sneer.
Ruby-Rose gripped the sword tightly and her eyes glistened with mischief and excitement, she was unfazed by the man's words – as if they were nothing but air.
"We shall see Captain, we shall see" She grinned and with that the two warring Captains re-engaged for one last fight.