Flora's Decision
"Tell us what happened, Miss Barton. Please."
Flora took a sip from the warm drink cupped in her hands. Captain Smith stood in front of her, and standing beside him was his first mate: Mister Gray. They wanted to get the answers in private, but outside, Flora could see the curious heads of the crew poking out over the windowed door of the captain's cabin. A number of them had searched thoroughly through the remnants of the Barton settlement; only to come to same the conclusion Flora had a long time ago. There are no survivors… She thought bleakly when the crew returned with the grim news. At least they made it safely back to the ship, which meant that Jolly Roger and his army had moved on...
Now most of the sailors were waiting outside the door against their captain's wishes like a group of eager school children. All were anxious to know Flora's story, and the fate of their families.
Flora's arms trembled, and she took another nervous sip from her drink. What could she tell them? The truth? There was no point in lying, but she doubted they would believe the tale she had to tell. Oh they would certainly believe her if she told them pirates were responsible for the attack, but undead monstrosities? The crew would toss her overboard the moment they heard it!
Her face flushed red, and she lowered her head as she tried to gather her thoughts. Before she said anything, however, she needed a few answers of her own. "Wh-where's Millie?"
Smith tilted his head. "Millie?"
"My horse."
"Ahh." A small bead of sweat escaped from the captain's wig. "The mare is safely below decks with the livestock. The cabin boy is tending to her, so you need not worry."
Flora glowered. She didn't like the tone in Smith's voice. "Yer' tellin' the truth?"
"I can assure you, he is," growled Mister Gray. "Bloody beast nearly destroyed the boat when we took ye in, and put a good dent into the railings when we brought her up from the harness!"
"We'll take you to see her once you are well," the captain stated, trying to change the subject. "Is there anything else, Miss Barton?"
Miss Barton…the term almost sounded foreign to her after all that has happened…"Gr-grandfather's spyglass and sword?" She asked, "and my flintlock?"
"By and in my desk." Smith patted the captain's desk as though proud of it. "Your flintlock, miss?"
"It-it saved my life…" Flora shuddered before taking another sip from her drink. Her questions have been answered, it was time. "I'll-I'll tell ye' what I've seen. But-" she stuttered, "-but know that every word I say is the truth, and nothing but the truth. I swear."
Smith exchanged a glance with his first mate. If they were hiding their concern and curiosity before they certainly weren't now. "Understood." Smith lowered himself to Flora's eye-level and gestured. "Go ahead then."
Flora set her drink to the side and tried to focus. For a moment she felt as though she were back in school, standing up to recite a poem for the headmistress. The child closed her eyes and exhaled a few breaths. "It started…it started with Jack Sparrow…"
Jack Sparrow…The name kindled a violent fire in Flora's heart. She admired the pirate for his freedom, but there was no doubt that he had been responsible for Jolly Roger's appearance. She'd the vile beast curse Sparrow's name into the night, and only now did she realize what it meant.
Wither his actions were intentional or not, Jack Sparrow had led Roger straight to the island!
Flora clenched her fists. She'd deal with the matter of Sparrow later. Right now, she had an urgent tale to tell. "…I was in grandfather's stables…"
By the time she finished, Flora braced herself for the onslaught of cruel laughter and arms that would surely pick her up and toss her into the brig for having lost her mind. None of them will believe me. She thought, so it greatly surprised her when none of her dark thoughts came about.
Mister Gray looked skeptical but unnerved, while the crew outside muttered to each other in strange, frightened voices. Only Smith had a nervous grin on his face. "That…that is quite the tale, Miss Barton." He nearly laughed. "Surely it couldn't-not all of it is the truth?"
Flora's lips curled into a threatening snarl, and suddenly she couldn't stop herself. "It's the truth, captain!" She threw her drink onto the floor and leapt to her feet, only to fall back onto the hammock when dizziness took over. "Wh-what would I gain by lying?!"
"Hold your tongue, girl!" Mister Gray advanced, pointing an accusing finger at the enraged child. "Don't forget who you're speakin' too!"
Flora glared at the man. "Every word I say is true! Ye believe me, don't you!?"
"At Ease! The Both Of You!" Smith bellowed as he stepped between the two. "It's clear that all of us have been through hell tonight. Making enemies out of each other is the last thing we need!" He waited for the tension to ease down, and then marched towards one of the maps on his desk. "Mister Gray," he addressed the first mate, "chart a course to Port Royal."
Mister Gray turned to him with bug eyes. "Port Royal, sir? That might take a week-"
"We have enough supplies." Smith assured, "we will be fine. We have to inform Governor Harker of what has happened."
The first mate frowned, but didn't question his captain. "Understood." His beady eyes lingered on Flora. "And what of Miss Barton?"
"She will be staying with me until further notice." The captain drew out a handkerchief from his desk, and strode over to the mess Flora had made. "If you will allow me, Miss Barton?"
Flora grumbled beneath her breath, which Smith took as a yes. "Good, thank you." He bowed his head before gesturing to the first mate. "You're dismissed. Inform the crew."
Mister Gray nodded, and the sailors hiding by the door bolted back to their stations as the first mate marched his way outside and started barking orders. Flora watched him go. For a fleeting moment, she was tempted to join those outlines of the crew scuttling back and forth across the deck, but reality quickly forced her down. She was tired, frustrated, and there was little she could do right now.
Instead she watched as Smith finished cleaning up her spilled drink and felt a small sliver of guilt. "I apologize for the mess, captain."
Smith glanced at her as he returned to his desk. "It was uncalled for, but you are forgiven, Miss Barton." He sat down in his chair. "I just don't think Governor Harker, or anyone else for that matter, will believe a story about the undead wrecking havoc across the Caribbean."
A flicker of rage sparked back in her chest. "But it's the truth, captain, I swear! Why would I lie about this?"
Smith looked over the girl. He wanted to believe her story, and a part of him did. A merciless attack certainly occurred tonight and destroyed the Barton colony, but the idea that undead beasts were responsible simply wasn't plausible in his eyes.
Undead beasts… Still, the idea felt oddly familiar to him. And why did Mister Gray look so worried after hearing Miss Barton's tale? Was there something he was missing?
A headache started pounding at the captain's temples and he sighed. "You should get some rest, Miss Barton." He advised. "We have a bit of a journey ahead of us, and all of us are going to need it after tonight. I'll find you some fresh clothes tomorrow. I'm afraid we don't have any dresses onboard, so you will have to settle with some spares from the cabin boy…"
Flora groaned but didn't argue. She tucked herself into the hammock the best she could and tried to get comfortable. "…What will happen when we reach Port Royal?" She suddenly asked. She had heard of Port Royal many times from her grandfather, and often during her history and political lessons. An earthquake had destroyed most of the island, but the remains of Port Royal had been rebuilt and the harbor city had been prosperous ever since. The Swann family originally governed it before Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company took control over a decade ago. Now with Beckett gone and the Company's influence greatly lessened, a new family governed the city by the name of Harker.
Smith hesitated before answering. "We have to inform the governor and the Royal Navy of the destruction of the Barton settlement. As for you…" He trailed off. Flora may have been Albert's adopted granddaughter, but because she wasn't related by blood, the best-case scenario would be that she serve under His Majesty's name through another profession of sorts. Either that or she will be tossed onto the streets to live like a peasant for the rest of her days...
"…We'll find out once we get there, but I promise nothing bad will happen to you." He quickly assured the girl, though his voice betrayed him. "Now get some sleep. I will wake you in the morning."
Flora bit her lip and fingered her locket before she closed her eyes. Her mind rattled and roared with an endless stream of questions, and her torso clenched with too many agonizing emotions to count. Without her melody to comfort her, sleep will certainly be hard to come by tonight.
As the girl failed to sleep, Captain Smith double-checked his charts and maps. Before he stood up to go outside, the thought he had been missing finally came to him: The fog!
Smith paused. According to Miss Barton, the fog was present shortly before the attack, and the undead had used it as cover. The captain's spine tingled. Her description of the grim, green fog matched the same one the Greyhound had sailed through. If that were so, then they had missed the Harkaway by God knows how much!
The captain's arms started to shake, and he clenched his fists. "Keep it together, sailor!" He ordered himself. He glanced over at Flora before grabbing his hat. Surely it can't be true…?
Unable to trust his thoughts with this new realization, Smith made sure his hat was in place and marched out of the cabin. With the captain at the helm, the last survivors of the Barton colony set sail for Port Royal with heavy, uncertain hearts.
Too sore and weak to move for long periods of time, Flora spent the first two days of the voyage resting in her hammock in the captain's cabin. Smith stayed with her for as long as he could before his duty as captain forced him to return on deck. He was a kind and dutiful man, all things considered, though his refusal to believe the full brunt of Flora's story stoked the fire in her heart. He positioned guards outside the door every time he went out on deck for her own safety, and these moments of relative silence helped soothe Flora's grievances. They gave her time to listen to her locket melody, and, more importantly, time to think.
What am I going to do now…? She asked herself one evening as the melody flowed gently through her ears.
That is for you to decide, her inner self replied, your path is your own now, remember?
She did remember, and oh how she wished things were different…
On the third morning of the journey, Smith brought the naval surgeon in to come have a look at her.
"Well, the bruises are healing." The doctor, by the name of Samuel, commented as he carefully examined his patient. "And you say the aches and pains are lessening, so…" He paused when he noticed the sash wrapped around her arm. "What is this?"
Flora froze. "It's-it's nothing!" She fidgeted and clutched at her arm. "I got injured during the attack. Someone-someone tended to it the best they could."
"Well then, let me have a look at it! I best make sure it's alright!" Samuel moved in to remove the sash, but Flora backed away. "Miss Barton, I must insist."
"I insist that it's fine!" The girl hissed. She continued to pull away from the doctor until Smith gripped her shoulder.
"Let him look, miss." The captain ordered sternly. "There's no harm to it."
Flora swiveled onto him with panicked eyes. He was blocking any path to escape. There was no choice now. They'll see your blood!' Her mind snarled, but what could she do? Expecting the worst, Flora allowed Samuel to unravel the sash.
"Oh goodness! That is a nasty cut you've got there, Miss Barton," said the surgeon. "But whoever tended to it knew what they were doing. It's healing well."
Flora blinked in disbelief, and turned her arm over. It was true. Aside from the dark scabs and dry skin, her wound was mending well. And there was no sign of her secret blood anywhere to startle everyone.
"It's going to leave a scar, unfortunately, but it shouldn't be anything to worry about." Samuel assured as he cleaned the sash and wrapped it back around her arm. He stood up once the deed was done. "She is free to wander, captain."
Smith bowed his head. "Thank you doctor. You're dismissed." He turned back to Flora as Samuel took his leave. "If you're well enough Miss Barton, why don't we go see your horse now?"
The girl nodded absently, her mind preoccupied with her arm and the one who had tended to it…
Captain Smith allowed Flora to accompany him on deck for the remainder of the voyage. While he would have preferred to have the girl stay in the captain's quarters for her own safety, it was good for her to get some fresh air and stretch her legs. Lord Barton had told him of her infatuation with the sea long ago, so Smith kept expecting the child to run off and inspect every inch of the Greyhound as possible when he wasn't looking. It was immature, yes, and certainly improper for an adolescent lady, but truth be told he would have preferred that sort of behavior to what he got in reality.
When she wasn't visiting Mildred below decks, Flora took to isolating herself by the railing of the ship, her dim gaze lingering on the endless blue that carried the Greyhound closer to Port Royal, and further away from the life she once knew. Smith didn't know what to tell her. What could he say, everything she knew is gone, get over it? That wouldn't bode so well. He had to try something at least, in the most reassuring way possible.
On the sunset of the fifth day at sea, Smith decided to approach the teenager about her misgivings "Miss Barton?"
The girl slowly turned to him with sunken, red-rimmed eyes. More nightmares last night… Smith thought before straightening out. "I know you are hurting, and I truly am sorry for your loss." He glanced behind him. The crew was busy at work, the coast was clear. "We've all lost something from the settlement that night, Miss Barton. You are not the only one."
"I...I understand, sir." Flora turned away from the captain. "It's…" She closed her irritated eyes and groaned. "It's my fault…"
"Now, why would it be your fault?" Smith asked with a look of exasperation. "Unfortunate circumstances happen all of the time. This is…this just happened to be a large one."
Flora hung her head. Jolly Roger was after me, that is why! He wanted Jack Sparrow, but then he wanted me! Everyone is dead because of me, and I don't understand why! She wanted to scream-no-holler in frustration, but she had been careful not to mention that fact to the captain. Instead she kept it to herself, and silently apologized to those lost souls on the island over and over for being the only survivor, unable to save them. I'm so sorry…
A seagull squawked from overhead, and Flora stroked her locket before looking towards it. There were two gulls soaring across the setting sun, circling each other as though they were dancing. The deck creaked as Smith joined her side and rested his arms against the railing. "I wish I knew what to tell you, Miss Barton." The captain sighed, regrettably. "But I don't know myself…"
He scanned the horizon, oblivious to the gulls. The sunset's light gleamed through the darkening yonder like the fading light of an old candle, changing the sky's colors to a remarkable shimmer of pink, violet and orange. It was a heavenly sight, Smith had seen plenty of sunsets before, but the one tonight brought a smile to his face. There was a story about the sunset, an old legend his father told him long ago when he was a child himself. How did it go again…? "Have you heard the legend of the Green Flash, Miss Barton?"
Something stirred within her aching heart. "The…the Green Flash?" Flora asked. It sounded familiar, but where had she heard it before?
"I'm surprised you don't know." Smith chuckled half-heartedly. "The story goes that when the sun sets beyond the horizon, a bright green flash shoots up into the night sky. Some sailors claimed to have seen the color waiting for its cue, while others claim the green is the sign of a soul returning from Davy Jones' Locker."
The stirring in her heart quickened. "Davy Jones…" Flora let the name echo through the depths of her mind, and an old memory came back to her. The books she borrowed from the library, researching the myths and legends of the Seven Seas. "The...the cursed captain of the Flying Dutchman." She said out loud as though reciting from one of those books. "The vessel that ferries souls to the next world! And the Locker-"
"-is a term sailors use to describe the bottom of the ocean. A watery grave." Smith quickly replied. "Although some claim it is a separate world connected to the afterlife in which Davy Jones used to ferry souls." He shook his head at the notion and looked over at Flora. Her eyes were wide open now, the gray seas within swirling with intrigue. There you are. He thought amusingly.
"So the Green Flash is the sign of a lost soul returning from the Locker?" Flora asked. That she didn't remember from the books.
"It is only ancient folklore, Miss Barton, nothing more." Smith stated sternly. "Don't take it too seriously."
The child furrowed her brows. "My apologizes, sir."
"It's alright, as long as you don't overthink it." The captain paused, his thoughts briefly going back to the matter of the undead. He brushed them off, just as a crew mate called his name. Smith straightened out. "Will you be alright here, Miss Barton?"
"I…I think so, captain." Flora politely bowed her head. "Thank you for the story."
Smith smiled and nodded. "Everything will get better once we reach Port Royal. I promise." He turned his back to her and marched down to the main deck.
Flora watched him depart and gazed back at the sea. One of the gulls had flown closer to the Greyhound, close enough for Flora to see its abyss-like black and blue eyes. She tilted her head when it drew even closer. "Hello there." The gull bobbed its head, acknowledging her. Such strange eyes for a gull…Flora thought. "You remind me of an old friend from home…"
She reached out to touch the gull, but at the last second the bird swerved away and rejoined its mate above the sea. The child watched as the two flew out of sight, and focused back on the sunset. Her heart still ached from the tragedy that had passed, but now there was a light shining through the darkness. A light shining with resolution, and stories of the afterlife and ferrying lost souls.
Lost souls… Flora glanced at the crew working on the main deck, and then held her locket up against the fading sunlight. She stared at it for a while, lost within a stream of emotions before holding the locket close to her heart. I won't be lost…and I won't let others become lost either.
She raised her head back to the sea, away from the sunset and toward the inevitable night. Somewhere out there, Jolly Roger was out aboard the Harkaway, gathering more lost souls for his army and plotting further action to take over the Seven Seas. Many will suffer under the tyrant's dire hand unless someone did something about it. But who?
A new thought entered Flora's mind from the depths, and she nearly collapsed under its weight. Not her! Surely not?! She was just a child, barely a teenager! What could she do against impossible odds? What did she have that every Navy in the world-or hell-every pirate in the world didn't have?
Ye' have the sea.
Flora clutched her head with both hands as the sayings and phrases she'd been told over and over repeated through her mind.
"Yer' path is your own to take."
"Follow the path to the sea, and you shall be free…"
"When you are out at sea, you will be strong. You will never be alone again."
But how?! She cried out against these echoes of the past, how will the sea make me strong? I don't understand!
Memories unraveled from within. How easily she rowed the longboat in-spite of her small size and Mildred's massive bulk. The uncanny peace and comfort she felt whenever she was near the sea, and the presence she believed to be her family watching over her every time she got close to the endless blue. What does it mean?
The answers you seek lie beyond the sea. Her instincts said. The question is: are you willing to put your life at risk and abandon everything you know to find them?
Port Royal was even bigger than Flora imagined. The harbor stretched out as far as the eye could see with more ships than she thought possible stationed at every dock. Longboats rowed back and forth between the vessels, delivering goods and supplies either to the island, or to the ships. Beyond the harbor, the city bustled with so much activity Flora grew dizzy looking at it. Civilians wandered in and out from various shops, taverns, flats, and countless other structures while red-coated soldiers patrolled the streets or spoke to higher-ranking commanders and lieutenants. Watching over the city from a tall, rocky bluff was Fort Charles, the fortress stronghold of Port Royal, and one of the biggest government forts in the Caribbean.
Flora soaked in the sight with a slacked jaw. There was so much to see, so much to do! The desire to explore and search was overwhelming! If only grandpa could see this... She thought. So engrossed by the sight was Flora, that she forgot that it was her turn to depart from the Greyhound.
"Come on missy, don't hold up!" One of the crew members gave her an impatient shove, and Flora jolted back to reality and made her way onto the docks.
"I'm sorry!" She apologized, but her polite manners went ignored and she moved to the side as a number of sailors departed from the Greyhound one at a time. I'd better get used to that...
An iron weight tightened in her chest as she thought. She peered down the docks. Captain Smith was dealing with the harbormaster, and had given her specific instructions to stay put until he returned. Her gut twisted at the notion. Only for a little while, sir. Flora decided, a little while…and then I'll be leaving.
The child looked beyond the town, searching for the governor's mansion. What fate awaited her when the message was delivered? Will she still work in the world of politics and be forced to live as a proper lady? The thought made her shudder. That wasn't the path for her. Perhaps it was for other noble landlubbers, but not her.
Flora exhaled softly and brought her gaze back to the sea. The answers she sought were out there. The answers to who she was, what became of her family, and what to do to regarding Jack Sparrow, and the murderous Jolly Roger.
"The path to the sea shall set you free…"
She knew. She knew what had to be done. It terrified her, and she tried to deny it before, but she knew now what had to be done. First, however, there were certain matters she had to tend to...
The girl glanced at the Greyhound behind her. A few sailors were beginning to harness Mildred, readying to take her down to the docks. Flora turned away with wet eyes. She had to prepare for what lied ahead, even if it broke her already fractured heart...
"Miss Barton!" Flora inhaled a sharp breath, and brought her attention back to the docks as Captain Smith approached. "The governor is inspecting the HMS Elegance a few docks down from here. If you will come with me now, we can discuss the situation as soon as possible!"
Flora recoiled in disbelief. So soon? It can't be! "B-but-" she thought quickly and tried to compose herself. "With-with all due respect sir, I'd like to wait until Mildred is safely brought aboard the docks."
Smith furrowed his brows and shook his head. "We can't wait any longer, Miss Barton, we have to see the governor now! Your horse will be fine, just look behind you-"
"I understand sir, but please!" Flora insisted, hating that she had to beg. "I will come along as soon as she's alright."
Smith grunted bitterly and pinched his temple. Did she not realize how urgent this was?! "Miss Barton, we don't have time for this. See the vessels around you? It's not natural to have so many here! The British Empire is preparing for war-"
"A few more minutes!" Flora intervened, "a few minutes with my horse and then I will meet Governor Harker with you, I swear!"
The captain gave her a look. He had only known the granddaughter of the late Lord Barton for a short while, but he already knew that expression carved into her face. She wasn't going anywhere until she got what she wanted.
Spoiled brat... Smith thought irritably. Still, a part of him admired her persistence, and he couldn't bring himself to say no. "Very well, a few more minutes. But as soon as you're ready, meet me by that dock." He pointed out to the dock where the mighty Elegance was anchored. "Ask for my name if I am not around and the men will understand. Alright?"
Flora examined the vessel from afar and nodded. "Understood, sir."
In-spite of the irritation, Smith couldn't help but beam at her response. "I will see you soon then." With a tip of his hat, Smith turned away from the child and made his way for the Elegance.
A sly yet sullen smile crept across Flora's face. I'm afraid not, captain…I apologize for lying. She closed her eyes. Thank ye' for finding me adrift at sea...
Flora turned around and rushed back into the Greyhound. When she returned, Albert's sword, spyglass, and her flintlock were attached to her belt, and Mildred was being freed from the harness on the docks. Flora panted from her little detour. If she wanted to avoid a life condemned on land, she had to move quickly. She had to live her life with the sea, that is what she truly wanted, what she truly needed. But to endure such a life she had to leave something important behind.
"Hello, ya beastie." After asking the sailors for permission once the harness was off, Flora approached Mildred and gently pressed her forehead against the mare's. "That had to be rough, din't it?"
Mildred smacked her lips and nudged her master in response. Flora laughed wholeheartedly before her smile turned somber. She looked the gray in the eyes, recalling the countless times they rode across their island home together. "Millie…there's something I need to do." She whispered softly as she stroked Mildred's mane. "Ye're…ye're not going to like it."
"Beautiful mare." The potential buyer patted the gray on the side. "Good teeth, good shoes, and a full saddle and bridle!" The man clapped his hands together and turned to the seller. "How much are you offering for this fine animal?"
Flora cringed. She didn't want to do this, in fact her heart yearned to pull away and ride off with Mildred right now, but she held her ground. "N-ninety pounds for the whole set."
The man's delightful smile faltered. "Ninety pounds-are ya mad, lass?! I don't have that kind of money! Beautiful she may be, she can't possibly be worth that much!"
Mildred whinnied nervously at the rage blooming in Flora's chest. They didn't have time for this, not when Smith could be looking for her at any moment! The girl flexed her fingers and tried to keep it together. "Seventy pounds then."
The man considered. "Thirty pounds!"
That wasn't enough. "Fifty pounds!"
The man groaned. "Forty five pounds, that's my final offer."
It'll do. Flora squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. "Agreed."
The buyer beamed and dipped his hands into his pockets. Before he could offer the money, Flora held her hand up. "Ye' will take care of her?"
The man blinked. "Why yes, of course! I need a horse like her!"
Flora narrowed her eyes. "You swear?"
He flinched under her harsh gaze. "I swear on my Mum's peg leg, your mare will be given the best care possible!"
Slightly assured, Flora nodded. "Good. She and I…" She trailed off. "She and I have been through a lot together…"
She accepted the money, made sure it was the proper amount, and then carefully pulled Mildred's head close by the reins. "This is it, Mildred. Ye' have a new master now…" Flora stroked the mare's forehead. "I'm sorry it had to be this way…This-this is goodbye." She hated to keep it short, but with limited time what choice did she have? With great reluctance, Flora moved away from her beloved friend and handed the reins to the new owner. "She is yours."
The buyer happily accepted the reins. "Take good care of her…" Flora reminded the man before she turned her back to him, and started walking away with nausea coiling in her gut. It had to be done! She reminded herself as she tried not to cry, I can't take you with me. I have to let you go…!
The child barely walked a few feet when she heard Mildred shriek in defiance, and the sound of someone falling onto the road. "Oh Millie…" Flora choked and turned around as hoof beats galloped towards her. There Mildred stood, her eyes swimming with confusion and longing. Why was her master leaving her?
"Mildred, you…you stupid git!" Flora rushed over and clung to the horse's head. "I'm sorry, I cannot take you with me!" She mourned quietly, "Ye' cannot follow me on the path I'm taking! This is for your own good!"
The child wrapped her arms around the gray and embraced her one last time. "I'm so sorry, Millie…" Mildred nickered gently as Flora kissed her on the forehead. "I love you, ye sweet idiot. Poseidon's beastie…Perhaps we'll-we'll meet again in another life."
Mildred whinnied in distress as Flora started to walk away, holding her hand out to ensure the mare would not follow. "I'm sorry…" When the horse's new owner came running back looking dazed and confused, Flora turned around and ran for the streets, leaving another part of her past behind.
Hidden behind a few barrels and crates down an alleyway, the child re-counted the money she earned from selling her dear friend away. Forty-five pounds in total, Mildred's new owner was true to his word. Don't. Flora violently shook her head when her heart cracked again. Don't start! She had shed so many tears in the past week, it was starting to feel like a weakness now…
Trembling, Flora pocketed the money. Mildred had a new home now, she prayed the owner will stay true to his word regarding her care, and now there were only a few things left to do. Flora examined her current attire. For the past week she had been wearing spare clothing from the Greyhound's cabin boy: a pair of dirty brown breeches and a coat that hung off of her slim form. Aside from the cotton shirt and boots, everything else was too big, and made it perfectly apparent that she was a girl. I have to change that.
Flora undid her braid, and glanced down at Albert's sword as her thick, dark brown hair fell gently onto her shoulders. If she wanted she could easily use the sword to cut her hair, but she decided not to risk it. A pile of brown hair on the streets would be suspicious, and she rather liked having her hair long. It was a stupid, selfish reason that screamed of trouble, but if something went wrong, she wanted a reminder of who she was. Whoever I am…
Heavy boots suddenly marched down the alley, and Flora froze. Wither it was a patrol or a search party, she couldn't risk being sighted!
She ducked underneath an open crate, and held her breath as the soldiers passed by. When she was sure they were gone, Flora carefully crawled out of the crate and tied her hair into a tight bun, grimacing as she did. Now her hair looked shorter, but the bun stood out like a sore thumb. She needed something to cover it.
Sticking to the shadows the best she could, Flora walked out of the alleyway, and peered around the corner. There were more guards on the streets than usual; no doubt Captain Smith noticed her absence by now. Swallowing, Flora glanced around and quickly scuttled into the nearest tailor shop available, praying that she will not be found here, and that the money she carried was enough to pay for what was needed.
The tailor had been mighty suspicious, and she lost more money than she hoped, but in the end Flora was successful. Dressed in a black jerkin, dark brown breeches, a tawny overcoat, and a red bandanna covering the whole of her head, Flora felt more confident that she would pass off as a boy with no problem. There had been a few hats for sale, but none of them suited her liking. Not because they didn't fit, but because they didn't feel right. Whatever the reason was, she had no time to debate. Now came the most difficult part of her quest.
Feeling a little reckless, Flora adjusted her coat and set off for a tavern near the seaport. Every step she took felt heavier than the last. She was so close to her goal now! So close…!
A few ladies passed by, and started giggling once they were behind her. Flora blinked and itched the back of her neck. Were they giggling at her? Why?
The thought that followed made her blush, and she quickened the pace. Unless those ladies were unbearably naïve, Flora could safely confirm that her disguise worked. She was a boy now, at least for the time being.
Another round of guards trudged on by, and Flora dove behind a carriage at the last second. She couldn't afford to get caught now! If she did, who knows what the consequences would be!
When the coast was clear, the girl pretending to be a boy moved stealthily away from the carriage and continued her search. After five agonizing moments of wandering and hiding, Flora halted when she recognized an old friend up at a crossroads. "Stephen…?"
The moment she uttered the name, the crab crawled out of sight. "Wait! Get back here!"
Flora charged after the crab, earning a few strange looks and sneers from onlookers in the process, and nearly tripped when she rounded another corner. "Gotcha!" Panting, Flora scooped the crab up into her arms and held it close. "I thought-I thought I lost ye', old friend."
The crab blinked at her as if to say "Ye' never lost me."
Flora beamed sorrowfully. "How in the blazes did ya get all the way out here?"
Stephen didn't respond, as usual. Instead the crab itched an eyestalk and pointed its claw port side. Flora followed the gesture and saw that it led to a tavern nearby. She smiled. "Thank you Stephen…"
With its permission, Flora placed the crab on her shoulder and gazed upon the tavern. If what Smith said was true about war, then surely there were captains inside recruiting sailors. Whither they were for HMS or trading vessels, she cared not. As long as the war was against Jolly Roger, it was perfectly fine with her. Inhaling a long, anxious breath, Flora Barton glanced behind her one last time, and then disappeared into the tavern.
By the time Captain Smith arrived at the tavern with a party of guards in search for an estranged girl of thirteen years, a merchant vessel by the name of the Glory had set sail for the Seven Seas, carrying her crew, and her new cabin boy beyond the horizon.
Flora's adventures had begun.
End of Part 1
My version of the 'Short Hair' montage from Mulan! Except Flora didn't cut her hair and had to leave her horse behind instead of taking her with.
Anyway, here is where I will take a break. I'm sorry to stop right when Flora was starting her journey, but I am getting tired and I'm starting to lose interest. Fret not, I'm not giving up on this story! As soon as my interest and motivation peaks, I promise to get back to it. I've thought about it for as long as I've been a Pirates fan, so I hope to finish it one day. Just note that it's going to take a while, a long while.