A/N: Yeah real life happened and I know it's been a while since updating this, loads of stuff happening, both with my writing and in real life. I kinda have a feeling of where I'll take this, it won't be long, but it's fun to play in this little "universe" I've created here. I know that I've gained a few new readers that are more here for the Outlander characters, but I hope you enjoy their interactions with Killian and Emma. Thank you to all who read and send kudos and reviews.
Huge thanks to my beta Ultraluckycatnd.
Chapter 3:Killian had been up bright and early the next day. Emma had seen him slip out of her room mumbling about getting the Jolly ready to set sail. She was still a little miffed at his behavior the day before. Men and their goddamn need to sort it out with a proverbial pissing contest. Shaking her head, she got out of bed and dressed for a rare day off from her work at the tavern. It was a bright sunny Monday morning, and she wanted to get some fresh air and perhaps later swing by the docks to see if her boyfriend had become in a better mood.
An hour later Emma strolled through the rolling hills outside of Port Erin. She took the path to the south and headed for the ocean. Suddenly she spotted someone walking up ahead of her; the person, a woman, seemed to be searching for something along the path.
Cautiously, Emma walked closer and at one point, the woman turned around, scanning the ground behind her.
"Claire," Emma called out.
"Oh, hello there Emma." Claire walked toward her with a smile. "I'm sorry our men got in their heads to have a pissing match about a treasure." She pursed her lips shaking her head.
"Hmm." Emma pushed her wayward hair away from her face, the wind seemed to have picked up. "I hope we can still be friends?"
"I can't see why not." Claire shifted her basket to the other arm and Emma realized it was filled with various plants.
"Collecting herbs?"
"Oh yes, I had a few things that had depleted in the past few weeks. I always try to stock up before going to sea with my husband for a longer period."
"So you're leaving?" Emma felt her heart plummet, she knew that the other woman wouldn't be around forever. "Will you return, someday?"
"Jamie has mentioned hanging around these waters for some time, so I'm sure we'll get to Port Erin now and then," Claire soothed.
Emma gave her a big smile. "Sounds good." She pointed to the path. "Want some help?"
Claire nodded and showed Emma the plant she needed more samples of. The two women headed towards the coast and talked about herbal plants, their healing powers, and those that could help you slay your enemy.
As they walked closer to the coast, they rounded a bend in the path and neither of them saw the four men until they held pointed swords at their necks.
"Who…"
"Shut up, don't move," one grimy-looking man sneered and stepped behind Emma, grabbing her arms and twisting them behind her back.
"Get your stinking hands off me, you bastard." Emma squirmed in his grip but soon realized that it was to no avail. She glanced at her friend and realized Claire was in a similar predicament as she was.
The group of men began shuffling them towards the beach and when they reached the edge of the green hills, they pushed both women down a narrow and steep path to the beach. Emma tried several times to twist out of the man's grip, but each time one of his comrades pushed a sword to her neck, snarling at her, bearing his rotten teeth.
They pulled a longboat up on the sand, and further out, just around the bluff where it wouldn't be seen from Port Erin, was a large black ship. With dread, Emma realized this was another pirate ship, as a black flag was raised decorated with a horned skeleton piercing a red heart.
Killian heard his crew shout out in alarm and he rushed to the railing and looked down the gangplank. Red Jamie was storming up the wooden planks, his eyes fiery and a deep frown was visible beneath his curly red hair. He looked like a man with a mission, going into a battlefield.
"HOOK!" Jamie bellowed as he leaped down on the deck. He had no weapons drawn so Killian eased up a little and stepped over to the other pirate.
"Red Jamie?" Killian eased his hand to the pommel of his cutlass, just in case.
Jamie waved a piece of paper in front of him. "Have you seen your lady Swan?"
Killian felt a tickle of fear run down his spine. "No, afraid I slipped out of our bed early and haven't seen her since." He still remembered the slight aloofness he'd gotten from his girlfriend, she'd been downright livid about how he'd dealt with the situation last night.
"Well, this was delivered to me ship just now. A young lad found my wife's little basket outside town, and this paper was addressed to me and you!"
"Me?" Killian gulped down, the uneasiness grew even deeper by the second. "Where the bloody hell is Emma?"
"Same place my wife is." Jamie ran a hand through his hair. "Blackbeard took them."
"Blackbeard?!" Killian bellowed in anger, his pulse picked up. "Bloody hell." He had an inkling of why the bastard had taken the two women. His eyes scanned over Jamie's features and he knew the other man had the same idea.
"He wants the treasure." Jamie pursed his lips. "Nothing but bad luck and shitty omens have followed that treasure."
"And an abundance of wealth and gold," Killian said grimly, his mind starting to wonder what their next step should be. "What are his demands?"
Jamie unfolded the parchment and read, "If either of you wants to see your lady loves again you'll have to show up on Calf of Man two weeks from now. On the south side, you will find a small dock. You will show up with the Frenchman's Gold. I know you each have a part of the treasure. Once I know all is accounted for I'll release the women."
"Bloody hell." Killian began pacing back and forth, his mind reeling with what this could mean for him and his crew. He glanced at Jamie. "Do you have your part of the treasure on your ship?"
"Ach, no, I'm not daft."
"So I guess we both need to retrieve the treasure and find our way to Calf of Man?" Killian knew the small island south of Isle of Man, rarely inhabited by anyone.
Jamie growled and slumped back against the railing. "Look lad, we're two ships against one dark-minded pirate, you would think we would be able to win over that sleekit bastard."
Killian was silent for quite some time as he added up what he knew the Jolly Roger had of firepower, and what Red Jamie might have. He'd encountered Blackbeard only a few times in the past few months; the pirate had returned to this side of the Atlantic, for some reason. "Do ya know why he's so keen on getting that treasure?"
"I encountered a French trader south of Wales, he spoke of how the French want their gold back." Jamie shrugged. "Perhaps that is who Blackbeard is working for?"
"The bloody French now?" Killian swiped his hand over his mouth. "I thought he worked for the Crown?"
"He's a sly bastard and if the French offer him a hefty reward for his efforts I'm sure he'd jump in on a chance like this." Jamie shrugged, looking over the port where several trade ships lay moored, along with the two pirate ships.
Killian had to agree to the other pirate's assessment of the situation. If Blackbeard was indeed working for the French he would get far more payment for his efforts than he would get from the Crown. "So we make a surprise attack or what is your idea here, mate?"
Jamie pinched his brow in thought. "If we do attack we need to have our women secured first, that man would never be opposed to killing a woman if he had to." He shook his head. "I've heard vile tales of this man from ships crossing paths with him in the Caribbean."
"I know he's a bloody bastard and I want to have my Emma back. We need to make sure that we can surprise the hell out of him."
"He did give us two weeks," Jamie mused. "That will give us plenty of time to moor our ships north of the small island and trek closer to his side of the island."
"You really think he camps out on Calf of Man for two weeks?" Killian shook his head. "That man will spend the waiting time plundering whatever ship may sail past those waters."
"So we'll give him a ship to plunder." Jamie grinned and looked around the deck of the Jolly Roger.
"The bloodiest of hells, I'm not using my ship to lure Blackbeard out to sea." Killian strode towards the tall Scotsman, glaring daggers at the man.
"She could be disguised as a schooner sailing under the Crown." Jamie leaned over the railing. "A new name painted on the side, and the royal banner flying from the rigging."
"Use your own damn ship." Killian glared at the man, the bloody Scot had clearly lost his marbles.
"Blackbeard will see this as easy loot, especially if we hide a few of the canons."
Killian was still seething with pent-up anger at the man's suggestions.
"You're bloody mental."
"The way I see it, we both want to keep our part of the treasure and we want to make sure our ladies are safely back on our ships." Jamie tugged his thumbs into the belt hanging over his kilt.
"I'll have to speak with the trusted men of me crew about this." Killian groaned, knowing that a few might be opposed to this plan. It was one thing for his men to know they'd be covered for life if they used the Frenchman's Gold wisely, but trying to dupe an infamous bloodthirsty pirate that worked for whoever paid him the most gold? A thought struck him. "I wouldn't put it past Blackbeard to make haste to the other side of the Atlantic instead of giving the gold back to the French."
"I bet he would have no qualms about that lad," Jamie agreed.
Killian bristled at the word lad. Aye, the pirate Red Jamie might be 15 years his senior but in this game, they were equal. "Go get your own crew ready and I'll prepare my men."
Jamie tugged the parchment onto his coat pocket. "I'll bring some men over in a few hours to help set this scheme up." Jamie began walking down the gangplank and then turned. "Do you by any chance know where we can acquire a royal banner flag?"
Killian tapped his chin with his hook. "I might know a lass who is willing to help save her friend." When Jamie cooked an eyebrow at this, Killian explained. "Miss Ruby from the Wilted Willow is in relations with a royal guard."
"She won't sound the alarm to her beau that we're using the Crown's banner to dupe another pirate?"
Killian waved his hand dismissively. "Ruby won't tattle on us, she'd had plenty of chances to do so in the past. Never has she once sent for her man to take us in."
"I hope you're right." Jamie tapped the railing and waved a final farewell.
"Smee!" Killian called out. "We have a mission to plan out."
Killian smiled when Smee began to gather his five trusted men and as they assembled in his quarters he started to explain the situation. Everyone on board knew that their captain would go through hell and back for his lady, the question remained to be seen if he could convince his men to do the same.