Chapter 20: Off on an Adventure of their Own

Nine A.M. on the morning of the Weeping Angel's departure. Cleo rolled out of bed and ventured into Tortuga. She let Hector sleep so that he wouldn't have to hear her yell at the drunken slobs she called her crew. Before she began rounding up her crew and the needed supplies, she ducked into a physician's office. Cleo had not been feeling well for a while now and wondered why. The physician's findings did not surprise her at all, and she was able to go on with her day without any worry. By noon, Cleo had gathered ten of her crew members. Only three men were unaccounted for. The Weeping Angel was loaded with the needed supplies, but there was still the question of the three missing men. Cleo assembled a pressgang and gave them instructions to take three passed out drunks from the Faithful Bride that evening and take them aboard the ship. Once this task was complete, the ship would depart.

While her crew readied the ship and prepared themselves for the long voyage ahead, Cleo returned to her home and her lover. She expected Hector to be awake by now, but he was not. She shook him vigorously and called his name, but was unable to wake him. She groaned and shoved him out of bed and onto the floor; he landed with a loud thud.

"Bitch!" he hissed groggily.

"And what way is that to speak to a lady?"

"Lady me ass…" he mumbled, "Ye know better than ter do that, Cleo."

"I heard that! If I knew better, I wouldn't have done it. Anyway, I thought you'd like to know that the crew is assembled, the ship has been loaded with supplies, and we set sail this evening."

"That be so?"

"Aye, that be so."

"Well, let us get back to our ship. We needn't stay here any longer."

Cleo agreed and the two headed to the ship, Jack the monkey in tow. The rest of the day passed with almost no incident. That evening, the pressgang returned with three strong looking men in their possession. These men would have to prove their worth in order to be kept alive. Once everything and everyone on the ship was accounted for, Cleo and Hector began giving orders. The anchor was raised, the gangplank brought aboard and stowed away. The Weeing Angel drifted away from the dock and away from the Port of Tortuga. The sails were unfurled and filled with the wind. As the vessel picked up speed, Cleo allowed the helmsman, Lester, to guide the ship. She stood on the bridge with Hector and watched the sun set.

"Where will we go now, Hector?"

"I suppose we'll go lookin' for another adventure."

"That's all fine and dandy, but, Hector, there's a stowaway on board."

"Where? I'll gut the bastard!"

"You don't want to be doin' that…"

"And why don't I?"

Cleo raised an eyebrow at him and smiled, giving him a "think about it" look.

"No…" he said, a smile beginning to form on his face.

She nodded and touched her love's cheek tenderly.

"Amazing! Ye've made me a happy man these past few weeks, Cleo, but this be over the top!"

He pressed his lips to hers and grinned.

"I suppose the adventure we were looking for found us, Hector."

"Aye, that be certain. With the two of you by me side I think we'll make it."

And so, Hector, Cleo, and their unborn child sailed off into the sunset, eager for a new life and whatever the future held. They would face whatever challenge awaited them together, and nothing could stop them.

The End