Pirates: A new beginning

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Alexa barely glanced around the deck as she went to her own cabin. She prayed that no one needed to see her for a few hours, as she desperately needed to rest, and to think about what Arvin had told her.

Entering her cabin, she curled up on the bed and let her mind dwell on what she had learned. So, the man was a part of Marius' crew, instead of Pete's. That Marius would have someone like that on his crew disturbed her. What bothered her even more was that she had seen no sign of him during her tour of Marius' ship. That meant that he could be anywhere.

 

Lark began pacing the captain's cabin as the man took up a seat. Lark stopped and stared into Arvin's eyes, trying to keep the innocence in his expression.

"Capt'n, i really don' think this is necessary. How about we just be going..." He was stalling. What was he going to do?

 

Sitting in his chair, Arvin leaned back. Something wasnt right... but how to find out. He could be tough... get Sol in here... or he could talk to the man. Yes... that would be best. If it didnt work, he could always try out the keel-hauling approach later.

Sighing, he started to talk; "Ye know... when I be growin up, I turned to some petty thievery, trying to feed me family. There be just one problem... I never be any good at it. In fact, I be so bad at it, I got meself caught and sent to prison. Now Piracy on the other hand... That I be VERY good at.

There be more to piracy than just sailing around the seas going Arrr! and hoping to stumble on some rich merchant ship. It be takin' patience, and infermation.

Ye think I be likin' the Rotten Kelp fer the decor? Hardly, but it be the best den of infermatin in Freetown. Ye can sit at a table, and keep yer ears open, and before long ye can be findin' out all sorts of things. Crew from ships that just docked would come in on shore leave, like they owned the place. God knows I be doin' it meself once. They'd be having coin in their pocket, and a loose tongue. Ye kept yer ears open, and they'd tell ye all about it.

At the same time, ye noticed the quiet ones. The ones who have that BIG secret, and want to share, but just cant. They be the ones ye be buyin' a few grogs fer, to loosen the tongue."

Staring over at Lark, Arvin put a grim expression on his face.

"From all o' that... ye learn to read people's expressions. Pick up on a few things. People like Marius, people like Pete... they be knowin' this. And they be doin' it very well. Same with me. When I be bumpin' into ye... yer expression told me ye had somethin' to say. Now yer trying to cover it, but I'm not stupid. All of a sudden, ye clammed up tighter than a camels arse in a sandstorm. Why? and what is so important? I be tellin' ye about the patience bit. That I have, but ye dont want to be findin' out what happens when the patience runs out."

 

Lark stared at his new captain. It was like going through hell! How? How?

Then he knew what he had to do. There was only one solution to get out of the situation. IT all happened quickly!

Without a word, Lark made a run for it, bursting through the door and out onto the deck. He saw Reeves watching in astonishment as he ran as fast as he could, ignoring everything else around him. He had made it. Lark lunged forward, overboard, and began to swim. Swim?

Marius will have me head!!!

 

Halvn was moving around the deck making sure there were no problems that would hinder their start the following morning, when he saw commontion on the other ship. Halvn pulled he spy glass out of his holder to get a better look, he saw what look like at least half the Marauder's sailors hanging over the railing yelling and pointing at something in the water. As he lowered his gaze to the water he cursed loudly, there was no mistaking that large figure with the sun shining off his black scalp, he had befriended Lark when he was onboard, but he always knew it was a mistake for Marius to send him onto the Maurader. Halvn ran to find Marius, on his way telling the sailors near him to get ready to help the man on board.
"Capt'n we've got a problem"...

 

Lark slowly made it to the devastation, all his breath used. A few men were waiting for him, tossing down a rope for him to climb aboard. He was pulled aboard, coughing water all over the place. He saw a familiar face arrive to the scene. It was Halvn, his old friend on the Devastation. The look on his face was not re-asuring.

"Marius?"

 

Cursing in rage, Arvin ran out after the man. Holding his side against the aching, he watched as Lark threw himself into the sea. Moving to the side as he watched the man start to swim... TOWARDS the Devastation.

So this be the sort o' game ye be playin', eh Marius?

Even so, he wasnt surprised. It was in keeping with what he thought of the man.

Spitting on the deck, he whilred round. "SOL! Me cabin... NOW!"

With that he walked back to his cabin, and flung his flintlock onto his desk. Arvin was not a happy pirate... not in the least.

 

Sol ceased to watch the man swim as he heard the captain's call. "Return to work!" he shouted to the crewmen as he mounted the steps to Arvin's cabin.

 

Reeves cursed. He would make Lark pay for this.

He should never have tried to get the man away from the captain; it had merely called undue attention to himself. It might be a good time for him, he decided, to go belowdecks. Perhaps....

Perhaps he should take a little trip to the infirmary; who knew what sort of little treasures his Little Flame had there? Something to soothe the craving he felt creeping upon him, perhaps.

 

As Sol entered the cabin, he closed the door. Turning around, Arvin was fuming. "A spy... I KNEW Marius be untrustworthy. It be in keepin' with me judgement of him, but still..."

Walking over to his window he cursed. "The worst thing be... he wasnt even a very GOOD spy. And what I be knowin' of Marius... he wouldnt be sendin' someone that uncertain. No, he be backup, of that I be sure."

Looking Sol in the eye, he spat on the floor. "We cant be sure of anyone that joined us recent like. We'll have to be flushing out anyone else. First, we need to be findin' out who Lark be talkin' to. If there be another, he might have talked to him. Find out who his friends be."

Turning to face the window, something started to nag at him. What was it?....

"By all the black hearted pirates in hell! He be talkin' to me FACE! Lark was going to be sayin' something to me. All of a sudden he be goin' more shifty than a pirate in a whore house. About the SAME time a man be grabbin' his arm. Said somethin' like 'Dont be mindin' me friend, he be slow'. He was not slow, he be a spy. That man.... we need to be findin' him!"

Searching his memory, he tried to recall when first he saw him.

"He be a youngish man, be puttin' on a wide eyed innocent look. Almost be like a cabin boy. He be joinin' about the time we took the Nightwind. Damn... I dont be knowin' his name. But ye must have seen him, he be hangin' about a little. Get a few men together, veterans, not the new men. Start searchin' from on deck, I be checkin' the cabins. Then we be goin' below, ye be takin' the gun decks, and the hold. I'll be checkin' the storage rooms and infirmary. Keep it quiet like, we dont be wantin' to give up we know."

Strapping his cutlass on, Arvin then loaded his Flintlock, and put it in his belt. Taking a powder horn, he walked to the door. As he got there, he looked to Sol, for reassurance.

 

It had not been too difficult to get into the infirmary unnoticed; not that many paid attention to the comings and goings, and as far as everyone was concerned he was not a threat... too weak-looking for that.

A quick search did not revealhis lost leaves; he did not dare to risk the time a more thorough search would demand. This angered him, and as he looked through his Little Flame's medicines, he cursed quietly.

Not even an adequate substitute... but perhaps, some of these things could alleviate the reactions, if not the cause.

 

Pain. Pain and humiliation.

Alexa tossed restlessly in her bed, feeling every torture that had been inflicted on her. The nightmare had jolted her awake, disturbing her rest. Somehow, knowing that the person who had captured her could be anywhere brought the memories back with a vengance.

She shuddered, the memories coming back worse than they had been before. Turning over, she gazed out the window of her cabin, trying to stave off the nightmares that were haunting her sleep.

 

Sol nodded "Sounds good to me captain. I'll gather two men. Robert and John, the ex-marines, they'll be good for the job. I'll get to searching the deck now." Sol moved past Arvin, moving on to find John and Robert. He found them helping the sailing master and he quickly outlined the plan.

The two nodded and followed him onto deck to begin the search.

 

His Little Flame appeared distressed, Reeves noted, as he observed her. She was tossing and turning, making sweet little whimpering sounds. Too sweet, really, for him to go to her like he had originally intended.

He merely stood there, watching her, until she jolted awake, gasping for breath. She did not fall asleep again; instead she tossed and turned, until she settled to look out of the window.
Reeves was glad for the moonlight that created shifting shadows in the small cabin, allowing him to observe his Little Flame while being unseen.

When she began to sob softly, he came forward, dagger in hand. “Yes, Little Flame,” he whispered, “Cry for me.”

He closed the distance between them in few quick strides, and before Alexa could utter a sound, had his dagger against the soft flesh of her throat. He leaned down to whisper into her ear; “You didn’t think I had forgotten you, did you?”

 

As Sol moved off to gather some men, Arvin re-checked his pistol. Satisfied, he moved out of his cabin. Someone was going to die, he didnt like spies, and he was feeling really PISSED!

Where to start... the cabins. There were only two others, so he checked Sol's first. Etering, he looked about. No sign. Walking back out, he went up to Alexa's. About to knock, he felt reluctant. She had seems so tired, he didnt want to wake her. Feeling torn, he reached out his hand and knocked gently. She ought to be made aware of what was going on, even though he felt guilty for disturbing her.

Hearing no sound, he almost walked away. Still... a quick look, and he'd leave her resting. Looking about the deck, he saw the usual bustle going on. There was no harm in a quick check; afterall, if she was sleeping, then she wouldnt be disturbed.

 

Sol made a sweep across the deck to no avail, even going as far as climbing the mast to check the crow's nest. He moved across to the stairs that led to the cabins, deciding to wait for the captain before they moved below.

 

Alexa froze when she heard his voice, feeling his dagger against her throat. She knew that voice, she had heard it in her nightmares.

Her eyes darted around the room, trying to see if there was any way of escaping. The window, maybe, but she couldn't move, not with his dagger next to her throat.

"I am not your 'Little Flame'. I have never been yours." Her voice was barely above a whisper, terrified that anything louder would be her last words.

Her eyes widened as she heard the light knock on the door, but she couldn't respond. She sat on the bed, trembling.

 

Halvn couldn't stay any longer, he was annoyed at Lark, although they were friends, this was the worst thing he could have done. Halvn was sure Lark had ruined their chances at the merchant ships, but he would have to wait and see, he gave Lark a quick look and then dissapeared to his cabin.

 

Lark slowly got to his feet, and watched Halvn return to his cabin. The man's life was going to end. He was sure. Marius was a nice man, but he could never forgive this. Lark would have to try his luck, for he was heading to the captain cabin as soon as he had regained his breath. He knocked twice, dried his clothes as best he could, then entered, hoping for the best.

 

"We will ignore that, Little Flame," Reeves murmured, ignoring her words, the flash of anger he felt muffled by the medicine he had acquired. Muffled, yet not muted.

His voice dropped as he hissed vehemently, "Or will he come in no matter what, Little Flame? Has the captain," he spat the word, "Made it into a habit to visit you in the dead of the night?"

He let the dagger cut just a little bit, a bed of blood appearing along the edge. "Answer me, Little Flame... how far has your betrayal gone?"