Pirates Return IC

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Daniel felt his mom's presence near him, and her her voice talking to him. He opened his eyes and wathced her work on his wound. He'd watched her so often, and helped too, but doing so with his head looking at his chest was a brand new perspective on the experience. He decided it was a lot easier to deal with if he closed his eyes and imagined he was on the beach in the warm sun. The waves washed over his legs with warm water. There was not a fire burning in his chest. He was not going to die, though he now understood why so many patients chose to give up fighting instead of constantly struggling against the pain.

He heard his mom telling him not to die, not to leave her. He opened his eyes and managed to speak. "Don't worry mom. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not worried, you're the best."

 

For a moment Saimon didn't know what to do. The first thought there came to his mind was simply charging at this man, and hope for the best; but there was something about him. The way he drew his sword. The way he know held it, - and something else... Saimon couldn't set a finger on what it was, but he had a glimpse in his I saying that if Saiomon made one mistake the man wouldn't think twice before cutting of his head.
"Wh-who am I *Ugh*", the pain from his broken arm was immense, and almost knocked him of his feet as he stuttered his reply to the mans question. "Who am I(Yes, yes your right. There be something about this man)", he repeated. "I am many things... I am a poet, a storyteller, a man on the run, an assassin, but first and foremost I am wounded and nothing to be feared (Relax, I got hold on the situation. He doesn't look too bright)". The large man stepped closer, still his sword in hand. "I've come 'ere, 'cus one of these, Red Hands did you call them?, told me that this place would be the safest place 'round 'ere. That was at least his dying words (I said I got hold of it!)".

"I am no spy, if you insist we could draw swords at each other, but I fear I would be no match for you in my current situation". Saimon said in a challenging voice.

 

"You challenge me, broken arm and all. You don't think you can win, do you?" Abbot almost felt like laughing, but he had learned a long time ago that a cornered man fought harder than a dozen soldiers. Abbot moved forward cautiously, his sword out in front of him. "Drop the sword, and I won't kill you." Abbot said.

 

Ricardo closed his eyes, desperation welling through him. His hands clenched into fists, nails digging into his palms as a deep shiver went through his body. Not for my sins, Lord… not my son.

He barely registered that Abbot had dashed to the wall and was interrogating the new arrival: it was only when the scent of blood and alcohol hit him that he was jarred out of his stupor.

“Really, a pity about the boy,” one of the men was saying. “Such a smart lad, he was.”

The words sent a cold chill through the Spaniard. Had Daniel…

“Is… Did the boy pass?” he demanded, his face ashen.

The man who had spoken quirked an eyebrow. “Not yet… he’s in good hands. But really, good sir, showing such concern over a mere footman? He is a bright boy but the likes of him are a dime in a…”

Ricardo struck before the man had finished speaking, the backhand sending the man stumbling back. “He is far from a mere footman!” he hissed, before turning on his heel. He knew that as much as he wanted to continue on his way, to go find Alexa and their son, to go to find Avery and wring her neck… he could not. He could only pray that Alexa could save Daniel…and do his damned best to send as many red hands to the Devil as he could.

 

Old Solomon manned the guns gleefully. Most of the madness left his eyes, and the men around him chose it enjoy what was left since it was being focussed in their cause. The guns were so old that there was a high probability of them exploding on the first shot, and no one minded that Solomon would be the one closest when the fuses were lit.

Another problem of the cannons being purely for show was that there were were only a few balls to be fired. Cutlery would make interesting shrapnel later, but only after those first few shots had been used to maximal effect. With the Red Hands almost upon them, Leftenant Cornwallis was about to believe that Solomon knew what he was doing... until he noticed the angle of the gun.

"I say, isn't that a bit low, and off to the left just a tad? You won't do much to stop the enemy's approach if you firing into the jungle, old man. Here, let me help you-" But then he saw the fuse catch, and had to duck for cover. When the dust cleared, he saw that the narrow path was now further clogged with the debris of a large fallen tree. "Clever lad," he nodded approvingly, then helped swing the other gun into position to do the same.

By the time there was only one ball left, a large barrier of tree trunks and broken limbs had been created. No one could bridge that quickly,and they'd be sitting ducks for the metal rain of Matty's cutlery as they tried to climb across. Peering into the jungle Solomon lined up one last shot, then whooped and swung the gun farther into the trees. Before anyone could stop him, he'd lit the fuse and gone running down the path to await the impact, disappearing into the smoke. They could hear his voice calling through the smoke, "I knew it were here! It had t' be up here somewhere! Cap'n Ayer were never one fer the land, he'dn't've built a home so far from the sea unless 'e 'ad an easy way down to it! An' where Cap'n Ayer hid one thing, you know 'e 'id more!"

Old Solomon was practically skipping in front of a heap of stones, not a few of which had tumbled in the last cannon-blast. Visible through the rubble was the entrance to a cave.

"Are ye comin'? D'ye want t' live t' see yer precious ship again, or die here defending a piece o' ground fer someone else?"

 

Abbot spun as he heard the cannon fire. The noise ringed in his ear and he almost forgot about the native he was facing. Almost. He turned back to face him and seeing the young indian staring wide eyed at the massive hole that led to the cave, ran toward the crowd.

"Move! Get everyone who can't fight down into the cave!" People started to run for the cave, "Faster! They're almost here! Into the cave, damn your eyes!" Abbot, waited for the women and children had hurtled down the hole. "I want ten volunteers to stay with me and form a rear guard. The rest of you, down the hole."

 

Saimon gave the man a cold look. "I might not be in perfect condition, but I will defend myself none the less!", he almost whispered as he said this, "I have run through the jungle, with the breath of these, these villains in my neck, and I have no reason to trust you!...". As Saimon finished the sentence, the cannon ball struck. He was tempted to look away, but knew he had to keep focus upon this man, otherwise who knew what he'd pull off? He didn't look like a man who had too many quarrels about killing.
"Look.." Saimon tried again, "perhaps it would be wisest if we first focus upon the oncoming danger, before we solve out personal disputes, no?" Saimon were beginning to get desperate, "I am not with those, though I won't say you can trust me, or I you, but let's just pretend that we can trust each other till the danger is over"... Saimon hoped the man would realize the logic in this, though he doubted wether he was a rigid thinking' man at all.

 

Alexa smiled slightly at her son as she wrapped a bandage around his torso, covering the entry and exit wounds. She closed her eyes briefly, hoping that what she had done would be enough.

Brushing Daniel's hair off his face, she smiled down on him. "M'lad, I must see if there are any other people who need my help. Rest here, and please, don't disturb the bandages." She squeezed his hand gently, then headed to the door, looking out over the scene.

 

Ricardo saw Alexa come to the door and froze; the expression on her face was worn, but she did not have the look of a grieving mother. He closed his eyes for a moment, whispering a silent prayer for Daniel’s life.

The moment she noticed him, her posture stiffened and her eyes became cold; Ricardo halted his advance, trying to come up with something to say. “I…” the words would not come out.

He cleared his throat, trying again; “Señora, I…. I swear, they will not get to you or Daniel, not as long as I draw breath.”

 

The cave was larger than it seemed at first. The rough opening stretched into a room whose back wall was swallowed in inky darkness. Matty gulped when she realized that there was no back wall, that the darkness simply went on and on and on...

Fat Willy was proving to be good for more than tumbling the maids. He puffed up to the cave, shepherding a group of scared-looking party guests and house servants, most of whom were carrying candles or torches. "Good man," said Leftenant Cornwallis, taking a torch. As he headed into the depths of the cave he saw Matty. "I'm glad you've made it her, Miss Matilda, and didn't decide to fight it out at the manor. There's no point in holding the house if there's no where to go from there."

"Aye, that's what the Captain said when he sent me here," she replied glumly. That was when the young officer noticed her pale face and wide eyes.

"Miss Matilda, does this cave frighten you - you, who has travelled with pirates? It's only a hole in the ground, there's nothing here as dangerous as a pitched battle on the open sea, or one of our tropical storms." He raised the torch and turned about, making the shadows dance and causing a few bats overhead to flutter. Matty ducked involuntarily. "The bats? They're nothing to be frightened of, Miss, they're only -" He broke off when her darting eyes ignored the bats but turned toward the deeper part of the cave. "Is it the cave itself? We're not that far underground, nothing will collapse on you..." He interrupted himself again. "It's the dark, isn't it?" She nodded miserably and didn't resist when he stepped closer to her. "Well, stay near me, Miss Matilda, between the torch and my pistol you have nothing to fear!"

He was a comforting, if talkative, presence, and the cave started to feel less overwhelming. Unfortunately, it wasn't so much a cave as the entrance to a large, winding tunnel, one that sloped distinctly downwards. Unconsciously Matty began to whistle softly, only to stop when the echoes magnified the sound.

"Don't stop," Leftenant Cornwallis said encouragingly. "Even through the echoes, the music will give the others a way to follow us, farther from harm."

So you hope, Matty thought. She did her best to keep her whistle from trembling.

 

" If you want to earn my trust, boy, then you'll form part of the rear guard with me." Three Swords said to the native before marching to the cannon. "Your name?" Abbot asked the man by the cannon.

"Solomon - and very proud of it!" the eccentric old man said.

"Very well, Mr Solomon, help me turn these cannon toward the gates again and turn back these Red Hands before we escape."

 

"Nah, Cap'n, I been on old Ayer's trail fer too long t let someone else find 'is treasure-trove first! This shack never meant nuthin' t' me, other than that Ayer lived here and filled the place with clues. I been the only one t' suss out most of 'em, an' now yer tryin' to keep me from reapin' the reward fer me work? Get stuffed, Cap'n, there's treasure waitin' fer me in that cave and ye aren't man enough t' stop me from collectin' it!"

With that, Old Solomon vaulted over the cannon and ran towards the cave.

 

"If I find you again, Soloman, I'll shoot you right in the arse!" Three Swords shouted after the fleeing man. "Santiago, stop talking to that woman and help me move theses cannon. Alexa, get Daniel out of here." Abbot turned away from the surgeon, and threw his full weight against the cannon, causing his feet to scrape through the turf of the lawn. Some of the officers came to help him and the cannon finally shifted in the right direction.

The Red Hands were getting closer. He could already see them on the path. In a few moments they would be on them, "Load the first cannon, quickly, before we're all dead men!"

 

Zheng almost leapt back as the sound of the cannon echoed through the courtyard. The young maid, gripped his arm, unable to leave his side, even when the guests had tried to force her into the mansion with the rest of the women. Zheng had simply stared them down with a piercing stare from his firey eyes. They had given up trying to take her away when they had seen that and taken a good, long, look at the wickedly sharp blade by his side.

Swiftly, he pulled the woman aside, "You have to go." he said to her, "I can't fight if I'm thinking of you."

"I can't... won't... leave you."

"Do it. Make your way to the Pale Horse and I will find you. I promise."

She looked at him and tears began to fill her eyes. He took hold of her gently, and pulled her towards him. He placed a soft kiss upon her lips and pulled away, "Go." he said simply. She took one last look, and reluctantly pulled away before running forr the cave.

He watched her go, then turned away. He drew his sword, looking the blade up and down before shouting, "I will stand with you, Captain!"

 

"Why do I have to suffer this?", Saimon sad to himself. Who were he to tell Saimon what to do? With some effort Siamon got on his feet. He walked toward the Three Swords and pricked him at the shoulder. "First of all you don't tell me what to do, second of all I...." In the corner of his eyes Saimon saw the Red Hands nearing, wide-eyed he turned his focus on Abbot again, "What do you want me to do?".

 

Daniel heard the commotion around him increasing, and he painfully opened his eyes. He found himself in pandemonium, and would have preferred to stay on the nice warm beach he had been imagining himself on, but thought he'd better get out of here right now. He tried to stand, and reached out to his mom's hand. Molly the maid came and put his other arm around his shoulder, and he managed to stand all the way up.

"I hope we don't have to go far," he gasped to the two women holding him up.

 

The captain’s words startled Ricardo, breaking his gaze away from Alexa’s eyes; she turned on her heel and headed inside, presumably to get Daniel.

Ricardo looked at Abbot, taking a step towards the guns when he realized something.

Avery.

She was still inside, was she not? The footmen he’d sent to take her away had hightailed out of there alongside the nobles… he would not let her escape!

He dashed inside, hearing the captain curse put paying him no heed. He would not let the cursed whore escape; he would make sure that there was no way she could worm her way out of a painful, lingering death. This in mind, he stopped momentarily to pick a long dagger with a jagged blade from the pile of weapons the servants had procured earlier, concealing it beneath his cape before continuing on his way.

Finding her was surprisingly easy; she was in a hallway, sticking what appeared to be a lock-pick into her cleavage.

”You!” She shrieked when she saw him.

Ricardo felt relieved, she had not escaped yet. He knew some of it had to show in his expression, and decided to make use of it. “Thank God I found you, Señorita…” he quickly approached her. “I was afraid I would not find you it time.” To kill you.

“In time?” she looked confused for a moment, then batted her eyelashes. “Oh, good Sir, I knew you wouldn’t leave me to suffer the attentions of those brutes!”

Her dramatic swoon was halted by his arm coming around her body; he had to suppress a flinch as she pressed herself against him, but she seemed to mistake his revulsion for barely-controlled desire.

He could use that.

“I could never leave you here, Señorita,” he purred as he began to lead her down the hallway. He did not lead her to the gardens, where the battle would rage and she might have a chance to escape. But rather, to the side of the building where the trees were close.

She stumbled in the darkened forest, pressing agaoinst his body. Her little touches appeared accidental, but he knew better

The house was out of sight when they reached a small clearing; Ricardo decided it would do for what he had in mind. He was impatient to go back.. but not before he’d dealt with Avery.

She stumbled again, but this time, instead of steadying her and pressing on, his arms came around her and he pulled her flush against his body.

“Señorita,”he growled, running his hands along her body, feeling the edges of her corset for hidden danger… or hidden rewards.

“Oh, Juan!” she sighed, closing her eyes and pushing herself forward, her head tilted for a kiss.

Ricardo’s lips landed on hers brutally, tasting blood as he backer her against a thick tree trunk. Her hands were reaching for the ties of his breeches, the words she murmured far from suitable to a noblewoman…

He pulled back from the kiss, a grim expression on his face. “Open your eyes, puta,” he hissed. Her eyes flew open, recognizing the insult, the start of an angry question forming on her lips.

Ricardo smirked as he stepped back, watching her snarl turn into a pained gasp; the dagger he’d buried in he midsection buried deep in the tree-trunk, having pushed through her skinny, corset-clad body. Once upon a time it would heave not been the only thing to push into her, but this time… he felt no lust for anything but blood.

“You really thought I’d rescue you, didn’t you?” He mocked her as hr hands futilely grasped at hilt of the dagger.

“You… why… you wanted me…” she gasped, surprise still evident on her face.

“I never wanted you,” he told her cruelly, enjoying her quiet whimper. “Your whorish ways gave you the governor’s eear, and by the Captain’s orders, I approached you.”

”No…”

”Oh yes… you are worthless, spineless whore. I would have left you to rot if not for one thing.” Ricardo’s expression darkened. “You dared to raise a hand against that which is mine. You dared to harm my son.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

”Oh yes,” Ricardo continued silkily. “Daniel is my son. And her mother? She is a goddess upon earth – you could never aspire to be worthy of prostrating yourself beneath her feet.”

A ruthless smile upon his face, he reached forward to softly stroke her cheek. “Such a pity I don’t have more time… I would have enjoyed tearing your flesh from your bones.” He pressed his lips gently to hers, as if kissing a lover.

He withdrew, enjoying the look on her face, and turned away, heading back towards the mansion: In his hand he clutched the wad of letters she had had hidden in the folds of her dress.

 

Abbot watched as Alexa and the two doctors carry Daniel into the tunnel. She let them carry him onward whilst she set explosives at the entrance. "Captain," she shouted to Abbot, "I'll set these off when you are all inside the tunnel so the Red Hands can't follow." Abbot nodded and turned tot he gates just as the Red Hands charged.

"Fire!" Abbot bellowed, swinging his sword down. The cannon's let out a blech of fire and smoke as the makeshift ammunition flew forward into the Red Hands. A mass of them went down, their tightly gathered group making them easy targets. "Reload! Front rank! Fire!" Abbot shouted again and the front row of men fired their assorted weapons into more charging Red Hands, "Second rank, fire!" Another volley flew into the Redhands. Abbot glanced toward the cannons, they were nowhere near finished reloading, "Retreat to the cave!"

 

Jacques played with the key-chain in his fingers as he followed the party into the caves. He'd run over as soon as he'd heard the cannon-shot, in time to hear a snatch of conversation about this cave belonging to Captain Ayer. He was becoming less and less convinced that Solomon was as loopy as he had thought - the man was like a conjurer... Just as he began to think it was all bluff and showmanship, he'd lifted a key, a map and then a secret tunnel out of his battered old sailor's hat.

Jacques' thoughts lingered on the map... though it hardly deserved the name. That dog-eared piece of card the fellow had slipped into his pocket along with the key, with a few scrawled lines on one side and some near-illegible writing on the other. He recognised the drawing as a crude rendition of the map from the portrait, with an X drawn through an island towards the centre of the cluster, a large island surrounded by a ring of twelve others. On the reverse was a note scribbled in Solomon's spidery hand: "The syren's songe here sets a vessel on a doomed course, but a man on the path of riches. Take heed and mind ye well that Ayer were a man as thought at a thing from all angles."

Deciding that now was past time to ask Solomon a few more questions, Jacques strode to the head of the party to catch up with him. Before he'd passed half of the others, however, he nearly collided with Solomon running full pelt the other way, his long grey beard together with flames and smoke from his torch billowing out behind him like a comet tail. Not stopping, the old man spun right round on his heel, nearly catching his beard alight with his own torch, and sprinted back into the cave, yelling over his shoulder "S'here! S'right here! Damned great hole in the ground! Heehee, I thought he'd've done better'n that... Move yer soddin' feet!"

Jacques followed him deeper into cave, rounding a corner in time to see a beaten grey hat disappearing in a flare of torchlight into a shadow at the side of the passage, almost imperceptibly darker than the shadows surrounding it now the light had gone. Feeling carefully with his feet, Jacques made his way carefully down the even narrower tunnel, barely wide enough for one man and only tall enough for Jacques at a stoop, feeling increasingly claustrophobic as the darkness closed in around him. An echoing voice reverberated to him from the end of the tunnel:

"Hurry up, ye slowcoach! I needs yer arms!" The tunnel ended at a small threshold, the only noticable feature being a large stone circle standing against a wall, sealing off the doorway in the style of a tomb. There were no ornate carvings or inscriptions, however, just the flat, grey face of the heavy granite disc.

"Right.. now then. Behind there, if I've me facts straight, is the first of Ayer's little hidey-holes. The only one of his on the island, far as I ken. He wouldn've kept it in his house, too obvious... Hah, what'm I prattling on for, the man had a soddin' golden chamber pot, let's open it up and see what he kept down here!"

Jacques' mind raced as he slowly helped Solomon roll the massive slab of stone aside as to what a daredevil explorer like Ayer would have kept in a secret underground chamber next to his most fabulous of mansions - what could be so priceless that it had to be hidden instead of on display with the rest of his spoils - diamonds... jewels... black pearls... ancient Incan statues...

"Bugger."

As the stone rolled lethargically aside, a blank room yawned at them emptily. A shelf halfway between the wall and the floor ran around the small square room, as dusty and bare as the floor. Solomon stepped inside and began poking at bits of the wall, refusing to believe that was all that was down here. Jacques waited patiently for him to finish, a little disappointed but never really sure there was anything to begin with. The old man turned to look back at the inside of the doorframe, when Jacques saw his eyes catch something to one side of the door and his face light up.

"It's here..." He breathed, lifting the golden globe of the siren off the shelf and into Jacques' view. "The globe from the portrait..." As Solomon tilted it towards him to examine it, Jacques caught sight of a minuscule keyhole on its base.

"May I see it?" He asked.

The old seadog frowned a moment before handing over the globe. "Aye, I suppose that's fair enough. In fact, you keep it. I'm in this for the adventure of it, not the treasure, not anymore... spent too much of my time looking for it to have any time left to spend the treasure in. Heh.. makes ye wonder. So long as I can just find the thrice-damned treasure isle, though... Or at least, know that it'll be found. Ayer'd organised too good of a damned hunt to let it go unfinished. Spirit of the thing."

Jacques took the globe, and turned it carefully over in his hands. Jacques dug the key out of his pocket - a perfect fit. He turned it... there was no click of a lock, however, but the slight pressure of a spring. Turning it again, the gentle clicking of a clockwork mechanism encased in the golden base of the globe slowly winding up filled the tunnel with dozens of subtle echoes, lulling the two of them into attentive silence, until the key finally resisted and would turn no further. Jacques released it.

The soft, melodious tones filled the cave with a warm, lush sound, resonating off the tunnel walls - neither spoke until long after the music box had wound down. Jacques broke the silence first.

"And that is the clue? Do you know the tune?"

"Nay, lad. Not one I've heard.. I'd have remembered it."

'At least there's one person I can be fairly sure of to know it, if there's anyone left alive who does...' Jacques thought to himself, as they headed back to the main tunnel.

 

Daniel floated along a dark tunnel with strange lights casting shadows along the walls. Was he dead? Was this the trip to Hell and his reward for joining a pirate ship?

No, he wasn't floating, Doctors Arthur and Jensen were carrying him down some cave of sorts. His mom suddenly appeared in front of him and said, "Daniel, I've got to set an explosive, stay with the doctors here and I'll be right back." She gave him a quick kiss and was gone.

"Aaah!" Daniel sighed as the doctors started to move him again.

"Hurts like the devil, doesn't it?" Jensen said. "That's what many say. At first they hardly knew they'd been shot at all, but then the pain starts to set in and they wished they were dead. Here, have a shot of this, I always carry a couple doses of it for emergencies like this." He put a small vial to Daniel's mouth and poured it down. It tasted just like red wine.

"Wine?" Daniel asked.

"Yes," Jensen replied, "With just a tad of laudanum to take the edge off your pain. Here's a small packet of the powder that you can mix with your own wine if you need to." He said, tucking a paper packet into one of Daniel's pockets. "I'm not sure that your mother would have the necessary pharmaceutical supplies on a pirate ship. When you run out of that, I'm sure the China-man on your ship could get you some more if you still feel the pain, they always seem to have the right connections. Best medecine known to man, laudanum," he said, taking a healthy draught from the vile he'd given Daniel, "Don't know how I could live without it."

They jostled along the tunnel for another few minutes. The continuing pain in Daniel's chest made him wonder if he wasn't really going to hell, but then it went away, not totally, but just as if it went into a back room of the house that was his body. He knew it was at home, but he didn't have to deal with it right now.

Then a snake came up off the floor and crawled up his leg. He looked at it in horrid fascination as it turned into the Avery girl. He wanted to kick her in the face as she pointed a pistol at him, but just like the last time, he only watched as the bullet bit into him.

He decided he liked his beach better and went back to it, then finally fell asleep.